Epidemiological patterns of candidaemia: A comprehensive analysis over a decade.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of fungal bloodstream infections (BSI), especially candidaemia, has been increasing globally during the last decades. Fungal diagnosis is still challenging due to the slow growth of fungal microorganisms and need for special expertise. Fungal polymicrobial infections further complicate the diagnosis and extend the time required. Epidemiological data are vital to generate effective empirical treatment strategies. OBJECTIVES: The overall aim of this project is to describe the epidemiology of monomicrobial candidaemia and polymicrobial BSI, both with mixed fungaemia and with mixed Candida/bacterial BSIs. METHODS: We conducted a single-centre retrospective epidemiological study that encompasses 950,161 blood cultures during the years 2010 to 2020. The epidemiology of monomicrobial and polymicrobial candidaemia episodes were investigated from the electronic records. RESULTS: We found that 1334 candidaemia episodes were identified belonging to 1144 individual patients during 2010 to 2020. Candida albicans was the most prevalent species detected in candidaemia patients, representing 57.7% of these episodes. Nakaseomyces (Candida) glabrata and Candida parapsilosis complex showed an increasing trend compared to previous studies, whereas Candida albicans demonstrated a decrease. 19.8% of these episodes were polymicrobial and 17% presented with mixed Candida/bacterial BSIs while 2.8% were mixed fungaemia. C. albicans and N. glabrata were the most common combination (51.4%) in mixed fungaemia episodes. Enterococcus and Lactobacillus spp. were the most common bacteria isolated in mixed Candida/bacterial BSIs. CONCLUSIONS: Polymicrobial growth with candidaemia is common, mostly being mixed Candida/bacterial BSIs. C. albicans was detected in more than half of all the candidaemia patients however showed a decreasing trend in time, whereas an increase is noteworthy in C. parapsilosis complex and N. glabrata.

European candidaemia is characterised by notable differential epidemiology and susceptibility pattern: Results from the ECMM Candida III study.

The objectives of this study were to assess Candida spp. distribution and antifungal resistance of candidaemia across Europe. Isolates were collected as part of the third ECMM Candida European multicentre observational study, conducted from 01 to 07-07-2018 to 31-03-2022. Each centre (maximum number/country determined by population size) included ∼10 consecutive cases. Isolates were referred to central laboratories and identified by morphology and MALDI-TOF, supplemented by ITS-sequencing when needed. EUCAST MICs were determined for five antifungals. fks sequencing was performed for echinocandin resistant isolates. The 399 isolates from 41 centres in 17 countries included C. albicans (47.1%), C. glabrata (22.3%), C. parapsilosis (15.0%), C. tropicalis (6.3%), C. dubliniensis and C. krusei (2.3% each) and other species (4.8%). Austria had the highest C. albicans proportion (77%), Czech Republic, France and UK the highest C. glabrata proportions (25-33%) while Italy and Turkey had the highest C. parapsilosis proportions (24-26%). All isolates were amphotericin B susceptible. Fluconazole resistance was found in 4% C. tropicalis, 12% C. glabrata (from six countries across Europe), 17% C. parapsilosis (from Greece, Italy, and Turkey) and 20% other Candida spp. Four isolates were anidulafungin and micafungin resistant/non-wild-type and five resistant to micafungin only. Three/3 and 2/5 of these were sequenced and harboured fks-alterations including a novel L657W in C. parapsilosis. The epidemiology varied among centres and countries. Acquired echinocandin resistance was rare but included differential susceptibility to anidulafungin and micafungin, and resistant C. parapsilosis. Fluconazole and voriconazole cross-resistance was common in C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis but with different geographical prevalence.

COVID-19 in elderly: Correlations of viral load, clinical course, laboratory parameters, among patients vaccinated with CoronaVac.

SARS-CoV-2 virus was initially identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and a global pandemic was declared in March 2020 by World Health Organization. COVID-19 disease is characterized with severe pneumonia and hypoxemia, especially in the elderly population. The elderly population was primarily vaccinated with CoronaVac, which is a whole virion inactivated vaccine (Sinovac Biotech, China) in Turkey. This study aimed to investigate the association of viral load and laboratory parameters with the severity of the disease and vaccination status in elderly (older than 60 years old) COVID-19 patients. The age range of the patients was 61-97 years old with a mean of 71.80. Vaccinated patients had a lower viral load (P = 0.253) in nasopharyngeal swabs during breakthrough COVID-19 infection compared to unvaccinated ones and were hospitalized for a shorter period of time in hospital wards (P = 0.035). A lower number of patients were vaccinated in both moderate (n = 33, 29.20%) and severe/critical group (n = 46, 34.07%) (P = 0.412). Only 17 (32.08%) vaccinated patients were hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU), whereas 36 (67.92%) of the ICU patients were unvaccinated (P = 0.931). Severe/critical patients had higher c-reactive protein (CRP), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), fibrinogen, ferritin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels compared to the moderate group on the admission day (P < 0.05). Our study suggested that elderly patients vaccinated with CoronaVac had a shorter stay in hospitals and according to our results CRP, PLR, fibrinogen, ferritin, and LDH levels could be used to determine the severity of the infections.

Retrospective Results of Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Parasitology Laboratory Between 2014-2019

Objective: Parasitic infections emerge as a significant health problem, especially in underdeveloped and developing countries. Epidemiological data play an important role in taking effective measures against parasitic diseases. Methods: Clinical samples (stool, blood, bone marrow and tissue samples, etc.) that were sent to Hacettepe University Hospitals Parasitology Laboratory between 2014 and 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The positivity rates of the parasites detected in this study are as follows; Blastocystis sp. (71.6%), Dientamoeba fragilis (13.3%), Giardia lamblia (4.7%), Echinococcus spp. (1.9%), Enterobius vermicularis (1.8%) and Taenia spp. (0.3%). In this study, four of the patients were found to be positive for Leishmania spp. and two patients for Plasmodium falciparum and four patients for Plasmodium spp. E. histolytica/E. dispar cysts and/or trophozoites examined by Trichrome staining in our study were not detected within six years. Conclusion: According to this data and in the light of the results obtained from different regions of our country, it will be possible to properly direct the necessary strategies for the diagnosis, treatment of parasitic infections and the implementation of preventive measures.

Investigation of Dientamoeba fragilis and Blastocystis in patients from Turkey with ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome: Any relation with genotypes?

Blastocystis sp. and Dientamoeba fragilis are two most common protists worldwide, whose pathogenic potentials are a matter of debate since their discovery. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the activation of ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with these protists. A total of 100 patients (35 IBS, 35 active UC, and 30 remittent UC), diagnosed at Hacettepe University Adult Hospital (Ankara, Turkey), were screened for D. fragilis and Blastocystis sp. with microscopic examination using the methods of wet mount, trichrome staining, conventional PCR, nested PCR, real-time PCR and genotyping. Eight patients (4 IBS, 2 active, and 2 remittent UC patients) were found to be D. fragilis positive. 18S rRNA region of the parasite was amplified in four of the patients, whereas cathepsin L-like cysteine peptidase; clan Sc, family S9, serine peptidase; and clan MH, family M20 metallopeptidase in six different patients. All isolates were Genotype 1. Sequence results showed very limited diversity. A total of nine patients (3 IBS, 5 active UC, 1 remittent UC) were found to be positive for Blastocystis sp., all of which were Subtype 3. One active UC and one IBS patient were found to be positive for both parasites. No statistically significant difference was detected between the patient groups in means of parasite detection. D. fragilis was found to be related to older age (p=0,045). In our study, no significant correlation was identified between D. fragilis and Blastocystis sp., and the activation of UC and IBS. More studies are needed on the host-parasite relationship, including the role of gut microbiota, together with transcriptomic and metabolomic assessments to unveil the pathogenicity of both protists.

A Rare Case of Oral Myiasis Caused by Phormia regina (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in an Intubated Patient

Myiasis is the infestation of tissues with living larvae. Oral myiasis is an extremely rare form of the disease, with open mouth, unconsciousness, and poor oral hygiene being the predisposing factors. It is generally observed in the tropics or subtropics, as well as rural places with low socio-economic income. Mechanical removal and ivermectin are frequently used as treatments. Herein, we present a case of oral myiasis in a 69-year-old male intubated patient with myocardial infarction. Multiple larvae were observed in the mouth and mechanically removed. With the microscopic investigation, the larvae were identified as Phormia regina (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), which is extremely rare globally. For preventing oral myiasis, good patient care, good sanitary practice for oral health, efficient treatment of dental diseases, and fly population control, usage of masks for the risk groups are recommended.

Human Ace D/I Polymorphism Could Affect the Clinicobiological Course of COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly worldwide since December 2019. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has a great affinity for the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor, which is an essential element of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). This study is aimed at assessing the impact of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphisms, on the susceptibility and clinical outcomes of the COVID-19 immunoinflammatory syndrome. Patients and Methods. A total of 112 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between 1 and 15 May 2020 were enrolled in the study. ACE gene allele frequencies were compared to the previously reported Turkish population comprised of 300 people. RESULTS: The most common genotype in the patients and control group was DI with 53% and II with 42%, respectively. The difference in the presence of the D allele between the patient and control groups was statistically significant (67% vs. 42%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Severe pneumonia was observed more in patients with DI allele (31%) than DD (8%) and II (0%) (p = 0.021). The mortality rate, time to defervescence, and the hospitalization duration were not different between the genotype groups. CONCLUSION: Genotype DI of ACE I/D polymorphism is associated with the infectious rate particularly severe pneumonia in this study conducted in the Turkish population. Therefore, ACE D/I polymorphism could affect the clinical course of COVID-19.

Prevalence of O25b-ST131 clone and fosfomycin resistance in urinary Escherichia coli isolates and their relation to CTX-M determinant.

Escherichia coli ST131 clone and H30-R/H30-Rx subclones are the most common multidrug-resistant high-risk clones in UTIs. Antimicrobial susceptibility of fosfomycin was compared to five other agents in consecutively collected 299 urinary isolates using the agar dilution method. Prevalence of the ST131 clone and the occurrence of blaCTX-M were also investigated. Overall resistance to fosfomycin, cefuroxime, and ceftriaxone were 2.7%, 35.4%, and 30.1% respectively. fosA, fosA3, and fosC2 genes were not detected. In isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin (34.7%), the prevalence of ST131 clone was 31.7%, of which 81.8% belonged to H30-R and 66.7% to H30-Rx subclones. None of the isolates of the ST131 clone were resistant to fosfomycin. However, blaCTX-M occurred in 57.6% of the isolates among this clone, 62.9% in H30-R and 68.2% in H30-Rx subclones. The results of this study suggest that fosfomycin resistance is not prevalent in urinary isolates, however, blaCTX-Mpositive ST131 clone is quite common.

Low prevalence of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae in Anatolia, screened via phenotypic and genotypic testing.

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) strains are associated with vigorous clinical presentation and relapses. Initially reported from Asia, these variants have spread globally and become an emerging agent of significant health threat. This study was carried out to identify hvKP strains in a previously uninvestigated region and to evaluate the impact of commonly-employed phenotypic and genotypic markers as diagnostic assays. A total of 111 blood culture isolates, collected at a tertiary care center was investigated. The hvKP strains were sought by a string test and the amplification of partial magA, rmpA, iucA and peg344. All products were characterized via sequencing. Evidence for hvKP was observed in 10.8% via iucA amplification (7.2%), string test (2.7%) and magA amplification (0.9%). Specific products were not produced by assays targeting rmpA and peg344 genes. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns compatible with possible extensive or pan-antimicrobial resistance was noted in 66.7% of the hvKP candidate strains. Capsule type in the magA positive strain was characterized as K5. We have detected hvKP in low prevalence at a region with no prior documentation. Targetting the aerobactin gene via iucA amplification provided the most accurate detection in this setting. The epidemiology of hvKP in Anatolia requires elucidation for effective control and management.

In vitro susceptibility of OXA-48, NDM, VIM and IMP enzyme- producing Klebsiella spp. and Escherichia coli to fosfomycin.

INTRODUCTION: Infections caused by Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are an important public health issue. Intravenous fosfomycin can be considered as an alternative for the treatment of serious infections caused by CPE. In this study, in vitro activity of fosfomycin was investigated among CPE isolates. METHODOLOGY: Overall, 158 clinically relevant isolates obtained from 18 hospitals of 13 cities in Turkey with predetermined carbapenemase types were evaluated in the study, including Escherichia coli (n = 19) and Klebsiella spp. (n = 139). In vitro activity of fosfomycin was determined with agar dilution method. Among Klebsiella spp., 104 harbored blaOXA-48, 15 isolates carried both blaOXA-48 and blaNDM; three had both blaOXA-48 and blaVIM and nine isolates had blaNDM alone. Four isolates carried only blaVIM and two isolates harbored blaIMP alone. One isolate co-harbored blaVIM and blaNDM. Among E. coli isolates, blaOXA-48 and blaNDM were carried by 18 and one isolates, respectively. RESULTS: Resistance to fosfomycin was detected in 43.7% of the isolates. Among Klebsiella spp. and E. coli, these rates were 46.8% and 21.1%, respectively. In Klebsiella spp. resistance to fosfomycin was 49.5% in blaOXA-48 carriers; 26.7% in isolates co-harbouring blaOXA-48 and blaNDM and 66.7% in blaNDM carriers. In E. coli, fosfomycin resistance was detected among 16.7% of the blaOXA-48 carriers. CONCLUSIONS: High level of fosfomycin resistance in these isolates may be attributable to the fact that these isolates are multidrug resistant. The genetic background of resistance should also be investigated in order to understand the co-occurrence and transfer of resistance among the CPE.

A diagnostic challenge in clinical laboratory: Misidentification of Neisseria subflava as Neisseria meningitidis by MALDI-TOF MS.

MALDI-TOF MS provides fast, easy to perform and cost-effective diagnosis in clinical microbiology laboratories, however in some cases results of MALDI-TOF MS should be confirmed with additional tests. This confirmation is especially important for causes of life-threatening infections like Neisseria meningitidis. In our laboratory, three isolates were identified as N. meningitidis by Bruker MALDI Biotyper (BD, USA) between April 2018 and March 2019 from clinical specimens of blood, sputum, and urine. 16S rRNA sequencing was performed for further investigation. Two of the isolates were identified as Neisseria subflava and only one was confirmed as N. meningitidis by sequencing. These results show that MALDI-TOF MS is not always reliable in the diagnosis of N. meningitidis and clinical microbiologists should confirm these results with additional tests. Also, clinical correlations should be determined. Accurate identification of this microorganism is very important because of the necessity of prophylactic antimicrobial usage and biosafety precautions. Enlarged databases of Neisseria species are needed to overcome this problem.