A large multicenter Ralstonia pickettii outbreak in critically ill patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 66 cases.

Objective: To describe a multicenter outbreak of R. pickettii that occurred in a large number of critically ill patients in a city in Colombia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In April 2021, the National Institute for Food and Drug Surveillance (INVIMA) reported an outbreak of R. pickettii infection associated with contaminated intravenous medications. The Municipal Health Department began collecting data for all cases identified by the hospitals and the results of microbiological studies. Medical records and death certificates of included cases were reviewed. Results: Between March and May 2021, 66 cases of R. pickettii bloodstream infections from nine hospitals were documented. The median age of the patients was 60 years (IQR 51-72), and most of them had comorbidities (78.8%), mainly arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus. At the time of the R. pickettii bloodstream infection, 89.4% had COVID-19, 86.4% were on mechanical ventilation, and 98.5% were receiving corticosteroids. The overall mortality was 81.8%. Nearly 60% of the deaths were related to R. pickettii bloodstream infections. R. pickettii was identified in the cultures from intravenous medications. Conclusions: This large multicenter outbreak caused by intravenous medications contaminated with R. pickettii mainly affected critically ill COVID-19 patients. Mortality was high and largely related to R. pickettii bloodstream infection.

Clinical Spectrum and Outcomes of Cryptogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae Liver Abscess in the Americas: A Scoping Review.

(1) Background: Cryptogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscesses are an invasive infection with or without extra hepatic involvement in the absence of hepatobiliary disease or abdominal malignancy. Most of the evidence has emanated from reports from Asia, and previous studies in the Americas have limited clinical characterization. (2) Methods: To understand this syndrome's characteristics on our continent, we conducted a scoping review to identify adult cases of idiopathic, community-acquired monomicrobial K. pneumoniae liver abscess in the Americas. (3) Results: We identified 144 cases spanning 1978-2022. Most cases were reported in males that had traveled or migrated from Southeast or East Asia with diabetes mellitus. Extrahepatic involvement and bacteremia were common, including seeding to the lungs, ocular structures, and central nervous system. Although limited by sample size, the most commonly reported genes were magA or rmpA. Concomitant percutaneous drainage and third generation cephalosporins (alone or in combination with other antibiotics) were frequently used, yet pooled fatality occurred in 9% of the reported cases. (4) Conclusions: The features of cryptogenic K. pneumoniae liver abscess in the Americas mirror those described in Asia, confirming its global dissemination. This condition is increasingly being reported in our continent and carries significant clinical impact due to its systemic invasiveness.

Cefazolin plus ertapenem and heart transplantation as salvage therapy for refractory LVAD infection due to methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus: A case series.

The use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is increasingly more common as the availability of donor organs in relation to failing hearts is outstandingly limited. Infections are the most common complications in LVAD recipients, particularly those caused by Staphylococcus spp. Refractory LVAD-related infections are not uncommon as achieving adequate source control is often not feasible before heart transplantation. Evidence suggest that cefazolin plus ertapenem is effective in refractory methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia, but this approach has not been described in LVAD recipients. In this article, we report two cases of refractory MSSA bacteremia in LVAD recipients that were successfully treated with salvage therapy with cefazolin plus ertapenem and subsequent heart transplantation. This treatment strategy should be considered in patients with refractory LVAD-associated infection due to MSSA that are not responding to standard treatment.

Rigidez muscular en el servicio de urgencias. A propósito de un caso / Muscular rigidity in the emergency room. A case report

El espectro de manifestaciones neurológicas en el paciente intoxicado es amplio, entre estas tenemos los trastornos del movimiento y dentro de los mismos se encuentran la rigidez el temblor, distonia aguda, diquinesias, mioclonias, corea, etc. Sabiendo que el hallazgo de éstos obedece a diferentes etiologías, dentro de las cuales están medicamentos, toxinas, trastornos metabólicos, infecciones y lesiones estructurales cerebrales, es importante tener un enfoque diagnóstico apropiado desde urgencias. A continuación revisaremos el caso de una paciente con rigidez muscular quien consultó a un servicio de urgencias. La importancia de este caso radica en que hasta la fecha no se encuentran casos reportados en la literatura donde se evidencien simultáneamente dos causas de alteraciones del movimiento como el síndrome de Isaac's y la intoxicación por estricnina.

The spectrum of neurological manifestations in the poisoned patient is wide. The different manifestations include movement disorders and within the same stiffness are tremor, acute dystonia, tardive dyskinesia, myoclonus, chorea, etc. These finding may be a consequence of different etiologies among which are drugs, toxins, metabolic disorders, infections, and structural brain lesions, it is important to have a proper diagnosis from the emergency approach. We review the case of a patient with muscular rigidity who consulted an emergency room. The importance of this case is that where simultaneously two causes of movement disorders as Isaac's syndrome and strychnine poisoning are evident are up to date.

Uso de las emulsiones lipídicas en intoxicaciones por anestésicos locales y otras intoxicaciones: evidencia actual / Use of lipid emulsions in poisoning by local anesthetics and other poisonings: current evidence

Objetivo: realizar una revisión narrativa con la evidencia de la composición, mecanismo de acción e indicaciones para el uso de emulsiones lipídicas como antídoto, en la toxicidad por anestésicos locales y otras intoxicaciones. Métodos: se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en PubMed, Scielo y Lilacs usando las palabras claves "lipid emulsion", "therapy toxicology", "lipid therapy toxicology", "intravenous lipid therapy toxicology", "fat emulsion toxicology" "local anesthetic toxicity" y "lipid sink", identificando información relevante relacionada con su fisiopatología y su uso publicada entre 1960 y 2013. Resultados: las emulsiones lipídicas usualmente se han utilizado como suplemento nutricional, su uso también se aprobó para el tratamiento de la intoxicación por anestésicos locales como bupivacaína gracias a diferentes mecanismos de acción como: el efecto de inmersión lipídica, lipid flux y los efectos en el transporte de ácidos grasos en la mitocondria, entre otros. Aunque los resultados en intoxicaciones con beta-bloqueadores, bloqueadores de canales de calcio y antidepresivos tricíclicos han sido controversiales y no deben anteponerse al manejo tradicional, registros como el LIPAEMIC evidencian mejoría en resultados como escalas de coma Glasgow, algunas variables hemodinámicas y mayor sobrevida. Conclusiones: no existe una forma de predecir la respuesta a la terapia lipídica ni las consecuencias y hasta la fecha no deben reemplazar tratamientos que el médico considere apropiados para el manejo del paciente.

Objective: To perform a narrative review with evidence of the composition mechanism of action and indications for the use of lipid emulsions as an antidote in local anesthetic toxicity and other poisonings. Methods: We performed a bibliographic research by using PubMed, Scielo and Lilacs using the keywords "lipid emulsion therapy toxicology", "lipid therapy toxicology", "intravenous lipid therapy toxicology", "fat emulsion toxicology" and "lipid sink", identifying relevant information related to, published between 1960 and 2013. Results: Lipid emulsions have been used as a nutritional supplement, its use is also approved for the treatment of poisoning by local anesthetics such as bupivacaine through different mechanisms of action such as: the effect of lipid sink, lipid flux and effects on transport fatty acids in mitochondria, among others. Although the results in other poisonings as beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers and tricyclics have been controversial and should not take precedence over traditional management. LIPAEMIC record show improved results as Glasgow coma scale, hemodynamic variables and survival. Conclusion: There is no way to predict the response to lipid therapy nor the consequences, and that's why until this day it should not replace any treatment that the physician considers appropriate for the management of his patient.