Diagnosis and management of pneumonia in the emergency department.

Pneumonia is a condition that is often treated by emergency physicians. This article reviews the diagnosis and management of pneumonia in the emergency department and highlights dilemmas in diagnostic testing, use of blood and sputum cultures, hospital admission decisions, infection control, quality measures for pneumonia care, and empiric antimicrobial therapy

Association Between Appendectomy and Clostridium difficile Infection

BackgroundRecent theory proposes that the appendix functions as a reservoir for commensal bacteria, and serves to re-inoculate the colon with normal flora in the event of pathogen exposure or purging of intestinal flora. If true, we reasoned that flora from a normal appendix could provide protection against Clostridium difficile. We conducted this investigation to examine the protective effect of an intact appendix and test the hypothesis that prior appendectomy will be more common among patients with a positive test for C. difficile as compared with patients who test negative.MethodsWe contacted patients who had undergone C. difficile testing and asked them whether or not they had a prior appendectomy. Using their responses and results from Toxin A & B EIA tests, we calculated the difference in appendectomy rates between those who tested positive for C. difficile, and those who tested negative. We considered a positive 15% absolute difference to represent a significant increase in appendectomy rate.ResultsWe enrolled 257 patients. Among the 136 who tested positive for C. difficile, 27 (19.9%) had prior appendectomies, while among 121 patients testing negative for C. difficile, 38 (31.4%) had prior appendectomies, yielding a difference in appendectomy rates of -11.6% (95% Confidence Interval: -21.6% to -0.9%).ConclusionsThe rate of prior appendectomy was actually lower among patients with a positive C. difficile test as compared to those with a negative test. Conversely, patients who tested positive for C. difficile were more likely to have an intact appendix than those who tested negative. These results suggest that rather than being protective, an intact appendix appears to promote C. difficile acquisition, carriage, and disease.KeywordsClostridium difficile; Appendix; Appendectomy; Microbial reservoir; Infection

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Community-acquired Skin Infections

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most common pathogen among patients with skin and soft tissue infections seeking treatment at a Los Angeles (USA) area emergency department. The proportion caused by MRSA increased from 29% in 2001 to 2002 to 64% in 2003 to 2004. No clinical or historical features reliably predict MRSA etiology

Biological terrorism.

A biological terrorism event could have a large impact on the general population and health care system. The impact of an infectious disaster will most likely be great to emergency departments, and the collaboration between emergency and infectious disease specialists will be critical in developing an effective response. A bioterrorism event is a disaster that requires specific preparations beyond the usual medical disaster planning. An effective response would include attention to infection control issues and plans for large-scale vaccination or antimicrobial prophylaxis. This article addresses some general issues related to preparing an effective response to a biological terrorism event. It will also review organisms and toxins that could be used in biological terrorism, including clinical features, management, diagnostic testing, and infection control

Diagnosis and management of pneumonia in the emergency department.

Pneumonia is a condition that is often treated by emergency physicians. This article reviews the diagnosis and management of pneumonia in the emergency department and highlights dilemmas in diagnostic testing, use of blood and sputum cultures, hospital admission decisions, infection control, quality measures for pneumonia care, and empiric antimicrobial therapy

Acute Bacterial Skin Infections: Developments Since the 2005 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Guidelines

AbstractBackgroundPatients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) commonly present to Emergency Departments (EDs) where physicians encounter a wide spectrum of disease severity. The prevalence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has increased in the past decade, and CA-MRSA is now a predominant cause of purulent ABSSSI in the United States (US).ObjectivesThis article reviews significant developments since the most recent Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) guidelines for the management of ABSSSI in the CA-MRSA era, focusing on recent studies and recommendations for managing CA-MRSA, newer antimicrobials with improved MRSA activity, new diagnostic technologies, and options for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT).DiscussionThe increasing prevalence of CA-MRSA has led the IDSA and other organizations to recommend empiric coverage of CA-MRSA for purulent ABSSSI. The availability of rapid MRSA detection assays from skin and soft tissue swabs could potentially facilitate earlier selection of targeted antimicrobial therapy. Several newer intravenous antibiotics with expanded MRSA coverage, including ceftaroline fosamil, daptomycin, linezolid, and telavancin, may be utilized for treatment of ABSSSI. OPAT may be an option for intravenous administration of antibiotics in selected patients and may prevent or shorten hospitalizations, decrease readmission rates, and reduce nosocomial infections and complications.ConclusionThe growing prevalence of CA-MRSA associated with ABSSSI in the US has a significant impact on clinical management decisions in the ED. Recent availability of new diagnostic testing and therapeutic options may help meet the demand for effective antistaphylococcal agents

Association Between Appendectomy and Clostridium difficile Infection.

BackgroundRecent theory proposes that the appendix functions as a reservoir for commensal bacteria, and serves to re-inoculate the colon with normal flora in the event of pathogen exposure or purging of intestinal flora. If true, we reasoned that flora from a normal appendix could provide protection against Clostridium difficile. We conducted this investigation to examine the protective effect of an intact appendix and test the hypothesis that prior appendectomy will be more common among patients with a positive test for C. difficile as compared with patients who test negative.MethodsWe contacted patients who had undergone C. difficile testing and asked them whether or not they had a prior appendectomy. Using their responses and results from Toxin A & B EIA tests, we calculated the difference in appendectomy rates between those who tested positive for C. difficile, and those who tested negative. We considered a positive 15% absolute difference to represent a significant increase in appendectomy rate.ResultsWe enrolled 257 patients. Among the 136 who tested positive for C. difficile, 27 (19.9%) had prior appendectomies, while among 121 patients testing negative for C. difficile, 38 (31.4%) had prior appendectomies, yielding a difference in appendectomy rates of -11.6% (95% Confidence Interval: -21.6% to -0.9%).ConclusionsThe rate of prior appendectomy was actually lower among patients with a positive C. difficile test as compared to those with a negative test. Conversely, patients who tested positive for C. difficile were more likely to have an intact appendix than those who tested negative. These results suggest that rather than being protective, an intact appendix appears to promote C. difficile acquisition, carriage, and disease.KeywordsClostridium difficile; Appendix; Appendectomy; Microbial reservoir; Infection

Fluoroquinolone-Resistant and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase–Producing Escherichia coli Infections in Patients with Pyelonephritis, United States

For 2013–2014, we prospectively identified US adults with flank pain, temperature >38.0°C, and a diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis, confirmed by culture. Cultures from 453 (86.9%) of 521 patients grew Escherichia coli. Among E. coli isolates from 272 patients with uncomplicated pyelonephritis and 181 with complicated pyelonephritis, prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance across study sites was 6.3% (range by site 0.0%–23.1%) and 19.9% (0.0%–50.0%), respectively; prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production was 2.6% (0.0%–8.3%) and 12.2% (0.0%–17.2%), respectively. Ten (34.5%) of 29 patients with ESBL infection reported no exposure to antimicrobial drugs, healthcare, or travel. Of the 29 patients with ESBL infection and 53 with fluoroquinolone-resistant infection, 22 (75.9%) and 24 (45.3%), respectively, were initially treated with in vitro inactive antimicrobial drugs. Prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistance exceeds treatment guideline thresholds for alternative antimicrobial drug strategies, and community-acquired ESBL-producing E. coli infection has emerged in some US communities

Trimethoprim–Sulfamethoxazole versus Placebo for Uncomplicated Skin Abscess

BACKGROUND: U.S. emergency department visits for cutaneous abscess have increased with the emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The role of antibiotics for patients with a drained abscess is unclear. METHODS: We conducted a randomized trial at five U.S. emergency departments to determine whether trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (at doses of 320 mg and 1600 mg, respectively, twice daily, for 7 days) would be superior to placebo in outpatients older than 12 years of age who had an uncomplicated abscess that was being treated with drainage. The primary outcome was clinical cure of the abscess, assessed 7 to 14 days after the end of the treatment period. RESULTS: The median age of the participants was 35 years (range, 14 to 73); 45.3% of the participants had wound cultures that were positive for MRSA. In the modified intention-to-treat population, clinical cure of the abscess occurred in 507 of 630 participants (80.5%) in the trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole group versus 454 of 617 participants (73.6%) in the placebo group (difference, 6.9 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1 to 11.7; P = 0.005). In the per-protocol population, clinical cure occurred in 487 of 524 participants (92.9%) in the trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole group versus 457 of 533 participants (85.7%) in the placebo group (difference, 7.2 percentage points; 95% CI, 3.2 to 11.2; P<0.001). Trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole was superior to placebo with respect to most secondary outcomes in the per-protocol population, resulting in lower rates of subsequent surgical drainage procedures (3.4% vs. 8.6%; difference, −5.2 percentage points; 95% CI, −8.2 to −2.2), skin infections at new sites (3.1% vs. 10.3%; difference, −7.2 percentage points; 95% CI, −10.4 to −4.1), and infections in household members (1.7% vs. 4.1%; difference, −2.4 percentage points; 95% CI, −4.6 to −0.2) 7 to 14 days after the treatment period. Trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole was associated with slightly more gastrointestinal side effects (mostly mild) than placebo. At 7 to 14 days after the treatment period, invasive infections had developed in 2 of 524 participants (0.4%) in the trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole group and in 2 of 533 participants (0.4%) in the placebo group; at 42 to 56 days after the treatment period, an invasive infection had developed in 1 participant (0.2%) in the trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole group. CONCLUSIONS: In settings in which MRSA was prevalent, trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole treatment resulted in a higher cure rate among patients with a drained cutaneous abscess than placebo. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00729937.