Pseudo-outbreak of Bacillaceae species associated with poor compliance with blood culture collection recommendations.

PURPOSE: This study describes a pseudo-outbreak of Bacillaceae spp. bloodstream infections that spanned five months starting in May 2023 and the infection prevention measures implemented to control it. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary infectious disease hospital in Bucharest, Romania. An observational audit of the blood culture collection practice in our hospital was performed, and the materials used during blood culture collection were sampled. Bacterial colonies were identified using MALDI Biotyper. The Bacillaceae blood culture positivity rates in the previous four years were compared using the Kruskal‒Wallis rank test. RESULTS: Bacillaceae spp.-positive blood cultures were recovered from 60 patients over a five-month period. In the case of 58 patients, Bacillaceae spp.-positive blood cultures were considered contaminated. Two patients were treated for Bacillus spp. bacteraemia. The audit revealed significant variation during the preparation of the venipuncture site step and the use of nonsterile medical cotton wool. Medical cotton wool contaminated with species of Bacillaceae was found in 10 out of 12 wards. The control measures included repeated training on the blood culture collection procedure and the removal of Bacillaceae spp.-contaminated cotton wool. CONCLUSIONS: The pseudo-outbreak was caused by the unjustified use of medical cotton wool for disinfection of the skin and blood culture bottle septums. The investigation of this pseudo-outbreak highlighted a gap in blood culture collection practices at our facility and thus allowed for its improvement.

A Five-Year Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance Trends among Bacteria Identified in Positive Urine Samples in a Tertiary Care Hospital from Bucharest, Romania.

The rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) has resulted in limited treatment options and poorer outcomes for patients. The objective of this study was to analyze the overall antibiotic resistance trends and distribution for pathogens identified in urine samples at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balș" from Bucharest, Romania, over a 5-year period. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using automatic systems and the disk diffusion method. ESBL- and carbapenemases-producing strains were identified using immunochromatography tests, and ROSCO Diagnostica kits were used for definitive confirmation. All results were interpreted according to EUCAST clinical breakpoints. Gram-negative rods (GNR) had overall resistance rates higher than 50% for penicillin and 40% for 3rd- and 4th-generation cephalosporins. Escherichia coli resistance to fosfomycin (3%) and nitrofurantoin (2%) remains low, and 33.30% of E. coli, 48% of Klebsiella spp., and 37% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). All Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were MDR by the last year of the study. For Gram-positive cocci (GPC), 37% of all Enterococcus faecium strains and 2% of Enterococcus faecalis were vancomycin-resistant (VRE). E. coli's incidence in UTIs' etiology is on a downward trend. The incidence of Klebsiella spp. and GPCs is rising. Antibiotic stewardship strategies should be implemented after carefully considering regional variations in etiology and resistance trends.

Fusobacterium necrophorum intratonsillar abscess as a source of bacteremia in a patient with a history of substance abuse.

A 22-year-old male, with a history of recreational drug use, was admitted with a 24-hour history of sore throat, bilateral otalgia, fever, chills, sweats, and pain in the upper chest. The blood cultures were positive for Fusobacterium necrophorum. A thoracic and neck soft tissue computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an intratonsillar abscess and pulmonary septic emboli. Initial treatment with Piperacillin-tazobactam and Clindamycin was de-escalated after 5 days. The patient made a complete recovery after 22 days of antibiotic treatment.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans endocarditis in an adult patient with patent ductus arteriosus.

Introduction: Aggregatibacter (Actinobacillus) actinomycetemcomitans is a commensal bacterial pathogen in the human oral cavity. It can, however, represent the source of local or systemic infections with serious evolution, in particular infective endocarditis. We present a particular case of an adult male patient with infective endocarditis with A. actinomycetemcomitans and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Case report: A 37-year-old patient, chronic ethanol user, is hospitalized for altered general condition, persistent cough, left chest pain, headache and dizziness, symptoms evolving for about 3 weeks. The clinical examination revealed crackling pulmonary rales present basally bilaterally, as well as numerous cavities and dental abscesses. Chest radiography showed mixed left hiliobasal pneumonia. Chest CT depicted pulmonary abscess and two filling defects in the pulmonary artery trunk, possible thrombotic/vegetative images/mediastinal thrombotic/adenopathic images. Broad spectrum antibiotic treatment was initiated. Transthoracic ultrasonography visualized persistence of ductus arteriosus and an echodense formation attached to the lateral wall of the pulmonary artery trunk. Following positive blood cultures for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, the diagnosis of infective endocarditis was established and antibiotic treatment was de-escalated to ceftriaxone according to the antibiogram. The clinical course under treatment was slowly favorable, the patient was discharged on request on day 44 with continued treatment at home. Conclusions: Infective endocarditis caused by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans should be considered in patients with altered general condition and congenital cardiovascular defects. In the present case, the patient presented two risk factors, namely poor dental hygiene and PDA.

HEV Infection in the Context of Prior HBV-Related Liver Injury: Case Series.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a common cause of acute hepatitis, with increasing incidence in Europe, including Romania. Concurrently, Romania has a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). There is limited research on the clinical presentation and outcomes of HEV infection in patients with pre-existing chronic hepatitis B (CHB), especially in resource-rich settings. Most literature data come from South, East, and Southeast Asia. A review of the literature on HEV and HBV co-infection indicates a severe prognosis, particularly in patients with underlying liver disease. However, the cases in this study, which did not display cirrhosis, showed varied outcomes. The role of anti-HBV treatment in improving prognosis remains uncertain and warrants further investigation. Acute HEV infection superimposed on chronic HBV infection poses significant clinical challenges, with outcomes ranging from full recovery to fatality. Preventive measures, including sanitation and vaccination against HBV, are crucial. More studies are needed to establish effective treatment protocols for this co-infection. In this study, we will analyze the clinical setting, diagnosis, particularities, and outcomes of five such cases of dual hepatotropic viral infection recorded over a period of 6 years (2018-2023) at a large Infectious Diseases clinic in Bucharest, Romania.

The spectrum of esophagitis in patients living with HIV - a scoping review.

Esophageal lesions are common findings in disorders of the digestive tract in patients living with HIV, the most typical symptoms being odynophagia and/or dysphagia. This article provides a narrative review of the spectrum of esophagitis in patients living with HIV, focusing on fungal, viral, bacterial and non-infectious etiologies, as well as co-infections with viral hepatitis viruses. The article provides a comprehensive approach to the strategy of diagnosis and the role of upper digestive endoscopy and histopathological examination in the evaluation of esophageal pathology in patients living with HIV.

Considerations on the isolation of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. in food products.

Listeria monocytogenes, a Gram positive bacillus, is well adapted for survival as a saprophyte in soil and decaying vegetation, but also able to cause serious infections, due to its ability of intracellular multiplication and meningeal and placental dissemination. A total number of 43 Listeria spp. strains isolated from food were investigated. Bacterial identification was performed according to standard methodology, based on: Gram staining affinity, morphology, culture aspects on blood agar (examined in oblique light), catalase test, beta/hemolysis (on sheep blood agar), CAMP test and carbohydrates breakdown, i.e., trehalose, mannitol, mannose, rhamnoze, xylose. Out of the 43 analyzed strains, the biochemical and serological assay evidenced: 10 strains of L.monocytogenes (8 belonging to serotype la and 2 strains to the serotype 4 b), 27 of L. innocua, 2 of L. grayi and 4 of L. welshimeri. L. innoqua was the most frequently identified species. L. monocytogenes strains typing confirms that the serotype la is most commonly found in food and serotype 4b was detected in imported foods. This observation has an epidemiological importance for our country.

Septic cutaneous emboli revealing a severe case of Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess syndrome (KLAS) is characterized by bacteraemia, liver abscesses and metastatic infection caused by a hypervirulent strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, usually belonging to the capsular serotype K1 or K2. Initially, KLAS was described in Eastern Asia; recently isolated cases have been reported from different parts of the world. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a woman with KLAS including meningeal, ocular and cutaneous metastatic infection and organ dysfunctions (coagulation abnormalities, thrombocytopenia and increased creatinine level). The identification of a hypermucoviscous strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae was possible by culture from one of the cutaneous emboli and subsequently confirmed by blood cultures. The patient fully recovered after abscess drainage and prolonged antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: We have pointed out about the importance of sampling each septic focus in order to identify the aetiology of a disseminate infection.