Regional Perspective of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Latin American Pediatric Emergency Departments.

Antibiotic stewardship (AS) programs have become a priority for health authorities to reduce the number of infections by super-resistant microorganisms. The need for these initiatives to minimize the inadequate use of antimicrobials is essential, and the election of the antibiotic in the emergency department usually impacts the choice of treatment if the patients need hospital admission, becoming an opportunity for antibiotic stewardship. In the pediatric population, broad-spectrum antibiotics are more likely to be overprescribed without any evidence-based management, and most of the publications have focused on the prescription of antibiotics in ambulatory settings. Antibiotic stewardship efforts in pediatric emergency departments in Latin American settings are limited. The lack of literature on AS programs in the pediatric emergency departments in Latin America (LA) limits the information available. The aim of this review was to give a regional perspective on how pediatric emergency departments in LA are working towards antimicrobial stewardship.

Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus Meningitis, Septicemia, and Brain Infarcts in a Costa Rican Infant.

Streptococcus equi, an equine commensal bacterium, is a rare etiology of septicemia and meningoencephalitis in humans and is extremely infrequent in children. Scarce literature has been published about its clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes in infants. Here, we describe a case of S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus septicemia and meningoencephalitis in a five-month-old Costa Rican infant that was confirmed by peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures in a regional hospital of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica who developed multiple ischemic cerebral infarcts secondary to infectious vasculitis, a subdural empyema and serious neurological sequelae. We also reviewed the literature on S. equi meningitis in infants under one year of age. This is the first reported case in our country, the fourth reported in infants under one year of age and the second describing multiple cerebral infarcts and subdural empyema in an infant.

Use of Meropenem in a Tertiary Pediatric Hospital in Costa Rica and Its Role in the Era of Antimicrobial Stewardship.

Background Understanding antibiotic profiles and their resistance patterns can improve hospital quality care and optimize clinical outcomes. This paper characterizes the use of meropenem in the National Children's Hospital of Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS) in Costa Rica, and its role in antibiotic stewardship. Methods This is a retrospective observational study from hospitalized patients under 13 years of age that received meropenem as part of their treatment. Patients were identified through medical and pharmacy records. Data was summarized using frequencies and percentages for categorical variables, means and standard deviations for normally distributed continuous variables, and medians with interquartile ranges (IQR) for non-normally distributed continuous variables. Results A total of 181 of the 309 selected patients met inclusion criteria. Median age was 21 months (IQR: 4.0-79.0). Mean length of stay was 31 days (16.0-58.0). The most frequent diagnosis was septic shock (29%). 87% of patients received at least one antibiotic prior to receiving meropenem; 71% of patients received a second antibiotic simultaneously with meropenem. In 113 (62%) cases, meropenem was prescribed as empirical therapy. The most frequent isolate was extended-spectrum ß-lactamase Escherichia coli (24%). 74% of patients who received meropenem as targeted therapy had a favorable outcome. Conclusions Meropenem can be used as monotherapy for complicated, multi-drug resistant, gram negative, bacterial infections, due to its susceptibility profile, convenient dosing schedule, and minimum adverse effects. However, it should be restricted to cases where no other drug is available in order to safeguard its value.

A global point prevalence survey of antimicrobial use in neonatal intensive care units: The no-more-antibiotics and resistance (NO-MAS-R) study.

BACKGROUND: Global assessment of antimicrobial agents prescribed to infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may inform antimicrobial stewardship efforts. METHODS: We conducted a one-day global point prevalence study of all antimicrobials provided to NICU infants. Demographic, clinical, and microbiologic data were obtained including NICU level, census, birth weight, gestational/chronologic age, diagnoses, antimicrobial therapy (reason for use; length of therapy), antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP), and 30-day in-hospital mortality. FINDINGS: On July 1, 2019, 26% of infants (580/2,265; range, 0-100%; median gestational age, 33 weeks; median birth weight, 1800 g) in 84 NICUs (51, high-income; 33, low-to-middle income) from 29 countries (14, high-income; 15, low-to-middle income) in five continents received ≥1 antimicrobial agent (92%, antibacterial; 19%, antifungal; 4%, antiviral). The most common reasons for antibiotic therapy were "rule-out" sepsis (32%) and "culture-negative" sepsis (16%) with ampicillin (40%), gentamicin (35%), amikacin (19%), vancomycin (15%), and meropenem (9%) used most frequently. For definitive treatment of presumed/confirmed infection, vancomycin (26%), amikacin (20%), and meropenem (16%) were the most prescribed agents. Length of therapy for culture-positive and "culture-negative" infections was 12 days (median; IQR, 8-14) and 7 days (median; IQR, 5-10), respectively. Mortality was 6% (42%, infection-related). An NICU ASP was associated with lower rate of antibiotic utilization (p = 0·02). INTERPRETATION: Global NICU antibiotic use was frequent and prolonged regardless of culture results. NICU-specific ASPs were associated with lower antibiotic utilization rates, suggesting the need for their implementation worldwide. FUNDING: Merck & Co.; The Ohio State University College of Medicine Barnes Medical Student Research Scholarship.

Epidemiología, manifestaciones clínicas y microbiología de los pacientes con fascitis necrosante en el Hospital Nacional de Niños de Costa Rica / Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and microbiology of children with necrotizing fasciitis in a Costa Rican pediatric hospital

Resumen Introducción: A pesar de la morbilidad significativa asociada a la fascitis necrosante (FN), hay pocas publicaciones al respecto y esta es la serie pediátrica más grande proveniente de Latinoamérica. Objetivo: Describir la epidemiología, características clínicas y microbiología de la FN en niños costarricenses. Pacientes y Métodos: Revisión de registros clínicos y anatomo-patológicos, período abril de 2002 a abril de 2014 en pacientes bajo 13 años de edad. Resultados: Cumplían requisito de inclusión 19/22 pacientes, 12 tenían co-morbilidad: 26% con antecedente de cirugía reciente y 21% eran neonatos. Etiología se documentó en hemocultivos en 26% y mediante cultivo de tejidos en 63% (un tercio de ellos polimicrobianos). Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli y Staphylococcus aureus fueron los agentes etiológicos más comúnmente hallados. La tasa de fatalidad fue de 42%, una de las más altas de la región. Conclusiones: La FN es una patología grave, inusual, asociada frecuentemente a neonatología y pacientes post-quirúrgicos, con etiología mixta que requiere de asociación de antimicrobianos y cirugía precoz. Su letalidad es elevada en nuestro medio, por sobre series previamente publicadas.

Abstract Background: Despite the significant associated morbidity of necrotizing fasciitis (NF), few studies have been published and this is the larger pediatric series in Latin America. Aim: To describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics and microbiology of NF in Costa Rican children. Methods: Review of clinical and pathological records, period April 2002 to April 2014, in patients under 13 years of age. Results: 19/22 patients met the inclusion requirement, 12 had co-morbidity: 26% with a history of recent surgery and 21% were neonates. Etiology was documented in blood cultures in 26% and by tissue culture in 63% (one third of them polymicrobial). Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the three most common etiologic agents. Case fatality rate was 42%, one of the highest in our region. Conclusion: NF is a serious, unusual pathology, frequently associated with neonatology and post-surgical patients, with a mixed etiology that requires the association of antimicrobials and early surgery. Its lethality is high in our setting, over previously published series.

[Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and microbiology of children with necrotizing fasciitis in a Costa Rican pediatric hospital]. / Epidemiología, manifestaciones clínicas y microbiología de los pacientes con fascitis necrosante en el Hospital Nacional de Niños de Costa Rica.

BACKGROUND: Despite the significant associated morbidity of necrotizing fasciitis (NF), few studies have been published and this is the larger pediatric series in Latin America. AIM: To describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics and microbiology of NF in Costa Rican children. METHODS: Review of clinical and pathological records, period April 2002 to April 2014, in patients under 13 years of age. RESULTS: 19/22 patients met the inclusion requirement, 12 had co-morbidity: 26% with a history of recent surgery and 21% were neonates. Etiology was documented in blood cultures in 26% and by tissue culture in 63% (one third of them polymicrobial). Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the three most common etiologic agents. Case fatality rate was 42%, one of the highest in our region. CONCLUSION: NF is a serious, unusual pathology, frequently associated with neonatology and post-surgical patients, with a mixed etiology that requires the association of antimicrobials and early surgery. Its lethality is high in our setting, over previously published series.