Spondylodiscitis: is really all well defined?

The term spondylodiscitis describes the infection of both the intervertebral disc space and the adjacent vertebrae. Pyogenic Vertebral Osteomyelitis (PVO) is more common in older patients (mean age 59-69 years) with a male preponderance (52-69%). Recent studies reported an alarming increase of incidence over the last 20 years, due to the increase of diagnostic sensibility, the increase of the average lifetime and to the consequent association of chronic disabling pathologies, of immunosuppression, of surgical or invasive procedure. Improvements in radiological diagnosis, surgical techniques, and management of antimicrobial therapy have greatly improved PVO clinical outcome, but morbidity remains significant mostly because of the delay of diagnosis. The non-specific features of this infection can lead to underestimate the patient conditions, ending to a significant delay in diagnosis, reported from 30 to 90 days, and consequently to severe impairments, such as spine deformity and permanent neurological deficit. The duration of medical treatment is not yet established, and further randomized trials are needed to define it.

Aspergillus spp. invasive external otitis: favourable outcome with a medical approach.

Aspergillus spp. invasive external otitis (IEO) is a rare infection. We performed a seven-year, single-centre retrospective study from 2007 to 2014 including all patients with proven Aspergillus spp. IEO. Twelve patients were identified. All patients had a poorly controlled diabetes mellitus and one underwent solid organ transplant. The most frequently isolated species was Aspergillus flavus (n = 10) and voriconazole was the first-line therapy in all cases, with a median length of treatment of 338.5 days (158-804 days). None of the patients underwent extensive surgery. The clinical outcome was excellent. However, otological sequelae were reported, including hearing impairment (n = 7) and facial palsy (n = 3).

Epidemiology and outcome of systemic infections due to saprochaete capitata: case report and review of the literature.

A case of systemic infection due to Saprochaete capitata in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is described. A review of the literature was conducted to identify all reported cases of this infection described between 1977 and August 2013. One hundred and four cases (included the present one) were identified. The median age of the patients was 56 years and 56% were males. Comorbidities included acute myeloid leukemia (52%), acute lymphoid leukemia (22%), other hematological malignancies (13%) and non-hematological diseases (9%). At the time of the infection, 82% of the patients were neutropenic. In 75% of the cases, the yeast was isolated from blood culture, in 25% from other sterile sites. Empirical treatment was done in 36% of the cases. Fifty-eight percent of the individual cases were treated with a combination or a sequential antifungal therapy. Amphotericin B was the antifungal drug most commonly used, followed by voriconazole and itraconazole. The overall crude mortality was 60%. Saprochaete capitata causes life-threatening infections in neutropenic patients. This comprehensive literature review may help the clinician to optimize the management of this rare infection.

Osteomyelitis caused by Aspergillus species: a review of 310 reported cases.

Aspergillus osteomyelitis is a rare infection. We reviewed 310 individual cases reported in the literature from 1936 to 2013. The median age of patients was 43 years (range, 0-86 years), and 59% were males. Comorbidities associated with this infection included chronic granulomatous disease (19%), haematological malignancies (11%), transplantation (11%), diabetes (6%), pulmonary disease (4%), steroid therapy (4%), and human immunodeficiency virus infection (4%). Sites of infection included the spine (49%), base of the skull, paranasal sinuses and jaw (18%), ribs (9%), long bones (9%), sternum (5%), and chest wall (4%). The most common infecting species were Aspergillus fumigatus (55%), Aspergillus flavus (12%), and Aspergillus nidulans (7%). Sixty-two per cent of the individual cases were treated with a combination of an antifungal regimen and surgery. Amphotericin B was the antifungal drug most commonly used, followed by itraconazole and voriconazole. Several combination or sequential therapies were also used experimentally. The overall crude mortality rate was 25%.

A Simplified HAART Regimen with Raltegravir and Lamivudine, and Pharmacokinetic Interactions with a Combined Immunosuppressive Therapy with Tacrolimus and Everolimus in an HIV/HCV/HBV/HDV Patient after Liver Transplantation.

In this case report, we examine the impact of a simplified two-drug highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen of raltegravir and lamivudine in a patient co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C, D and B viruses (HCV/HDV/HBV) under immunosuppressive therapy after liver transplantation. Pharmacokinetic interactions between integrase inhibitors and immunosuppressant drugs are described. Raltegravir, the first integrase inhibitor, associated with lamivudine, was introduced because its metabolism does not interfere with immunosuppressant therapy. During post-orthotopic liver transplantation follow-up, the patient's transaminases level increased and his antiretroviral therapy (HAART) of tenofovir/emtricitabine and fosamprenavir was changed, due to suspected drug toxicity. After seven months of follow-up, the patient showed good tolerance, good viro-immunological control with undetectable HIV viraemia and stable concentrations of immunosuppressive drugs. This case indicates that the combination of raltegravir and lamivudine is an optimal and effective strategy because it resulted in an important reduction of hepatic transaminases in a patient with very critical clinical conditions.

Changing characteristics and risk factors of patients with and without incident HCV infection among HIV-infected individuals.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has become a leading cause of non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related morbidity and mortality for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era. Despite injection drug use (IDU) remaining the main route of HCV infection, recent reports indicate outbreaks of acute HCV infection among HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) and sexually transmitted infections in the absence of IDU. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study of behavioural and demographic factors of patients with and without incident HCV infection among HIV-infected individuals followed at the AIDS Clinic of the Infectious Disease Department of the University of Ancona from 1989 to 2011. RESULTS: Overall, 440 patients were considered; a total of 145 patients had initial positive HCV antibody test results (HCV+); a total of 295 patients had initial negative HCV antibody test results (HCV-). In the latter population, 14 seroconverted to HCV antibody (neoHCV), with an overall incidence of 0.59 per 100 person-years. While IDU was the principal risk factor of HCV+, the main route of transmission of incident HCV infection was sexual transmission. The HCV- group was significantly older than the other two groups and showed a significantly lower CD4 count at HIV diagnosis than neoHCV. Being Italian and having a low level of education were significantly more represented in HCV+. Younger age at HIV infection, IDU and additional risk factors other than sexual transmission significantly affected the probability of being HCV+. The cumulative probability of developing HCV infection in the HCV- group was calculated to be 6% at 15 years. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of the newly acquired HCV in HIV+ persons is changing. Therefore, a frequent and constant counselling about HCV infection is desirable and a periodical screening test is mandatory.

Sustained increase of serum creatine phosphokinase levels and progressive muscle abnormalities associated with raltegravir use during 32-week follow-up in an HIV-1 experienced patient on simplified HAART regimen, intolerant to protease inhibitors and abacavir: a case report.

Sustained increase of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) concentrations and muscle abnormalities have been reported in patients taking raltegravir (RAL). In this report, we describe a case of sustained and asymptomatic increase of serum CPK concentrations associated with raltegravir, zidovudine, and lamivudine in an HIV-1 experienced patient with intolerance to protease inhibitor, abacavir and penicillin during 32 weeks of continuous drug monitoring.

Sustained increase of serum creatine phosphokinase levels and progressive muscle abnormalities associated with raltegravir use during a 32-week follow-up in an HIV-1 experienced patient on simplified HAART regimen, intolerant to protease inhibitors and abacavir: a case report / Aumento sostenido de los niveles de creatina fosfoquinasa sérica y las anormalidades musculares progresivas asociadas con el uso de raltegravir durante un seguimiento de 32 semanas en un paciente de VIH-1 experimentado en régimen de terapia TAAA simplificada, con intolerancia a los inhibidores de proteasa y abacavir: un reporte de caso

Sustained increase of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) concentrations and muscle abnormalities have been reported in patients taking raltegravir (RAL). In this report, we describe a case of sustained and asymptomatic increase of serum CPK concentrations associated with raltegravir, zidovudine, and lamivudine in an HIV-1 experienced patient with intolerance to protease inhibitor, abacavir and pencillin during 32 weeks of continuous drug monitoring.

Un aumento sostenido de las concentraciones de creatina fosfoquinasa sérica (CPK) y las anormalidades musculares ha sido reportado en relación con pacientes que toman raltegravir (RAL). En este reporte, describimos un caso de aumento sostenido y asintomático de concentraciones séricas de CPK asociadas con raltegravir, zidovudina y lamivudina en un paciente experimentado de VIH-1 con intolerancia al inhibidor de la proteasa, al abacavir y la penicilina durante 32 semanas de monitoreo farmacológico continuo.

Daptomycin and rifampin alone and in combination prevent vascular graft biofilm formation and emergence of antibiotic resistance in a subcutaneous rat pouch model of staphylococcal infection.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of daptomycin and rifampin either alone or in combination in preventing prosthesis biofilm in a rat model of staphylococcal vascular graft infection. DESIGN: Prospective, randomised, controlled animal study. MATERIALS: Graft infections were established in the back subcutaneous tissue of adult male Wistar rats by implantation of Dacron prostheses followed by topical inoculation with 2×10(7) colony forming units of Staphylococcus aureus, strain Smith diffuse. METHODS: The study included a control group, a contaminated group that did not receive any antibiotic prophylaxis and three contaminated groups that received intra-peritoneal daptomycin, rifampin-soaked graft and daptomycin plus rifampin-soaked graft, respectively. Each group included 15 animals. The infection burden was evaluated by using sonication and quantitative agar culture. Moreover, an in vitro antibiotic susceptibility assay for S. aureus biofilms was performed to elucidate the same activity. RESULTS: When tested alone, daptomycin and rifampin showed good efficacies. Their combination showed efficacies significantly higher than that of each single compound. The in vitro studies showed that minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values for daptomycin were lower in presence of rifampin. Daptomycin prevented the emergence of rifampin resistance. CONCLUSION: Daptomycin is an important candidate for prevention of staphylococcal biofilm-related infection and rifampin could serve as an interesting anti-staphylococcal antibiotic enhancer.