Epidemiology of human giardiasis in Romania: A 14 years survey

International audienceGiardia spp. is the most common intestinal protozoan (causing gastrointestinal illness) and the most frequentcause of parasitic gastroenteritis in humans and animals worldwide. The aim of this study was to highlightnew data in a specific area regarding clinical presentation and epidemiological prevalence over a long periodof time. Patients (a total number of 54,623 patients) admitted in a tertiary center for infectious diseases servinga county for a period of 14 years were tested for infection with Giardia. Positive cases were recorded through analyzing the clinical complaints, the month of incidence and the demographic area from which the patients camefrom. Longitudinal trends have been evaluated. The incidence of giardiasis among the tested patients was 4.47%.A decreasing trend was observed regarding the annual incidence. Patients between the ages of 15 and 44 presented most commonly giardiasis, especially those from urban areas and women. The most common symptomsare loss of appetite (71.24%) and abdominal pain (69.07%). The highest monthly incidence was quoted in July(10.65%), August (10.49%) and June (10.20%). This epidemiological study allows a better knowledge of the infection with Giardia spp. It gives the long-term changes in demographic characteristics of the infected patients in aspecific area and the monthly incidence

Consequences of analgesics use in early pregnancy: Results of tests on mice

International audienceSelf-medication during pregnancy continues to be an issue in developing countries due topoor medical education. The most commonly used drugs are analgesics, mainlyacetaminophen (paracetamol, APAP) and, to a lesser extent, ketoprofen (KPF). The aim of thestudy was to establish whether there are consequences of accidental use of these two drugsduring early embryogenesis. The experimental study was performed on 30 pregnant whitemice, divided into three groups: a first group to which APAP was administered, a secondgroup to which KPF was administered, and group 3 as a control group. At delivery, the babymice were examined, and after their first parturition, they were taken into study and examinedaccording to the established protocol. Macroscopic and microscopic examinations of the liverand kidney were performed; liver and renal changes were recorded. Regarding the fertility,the number of fetuses born to mothers that were administered APAP and KPF correspondedto the normal values recorded in this species. Microscopic changes that were found in thekidney were as follows: APAP group necrosis of the urinary tube, vascular congestions andvascular disorders; KPF group ectasia, especially in the medullary cavity. Microscopichepatic changes showed in the APAP group vascular congestions, vascular disorders andhemosiderin deposits in the Kupffer cells; in the KPF group were found discrete vasculardisorders consisting in sinusoidal capillary ectasia and vascular congestions, as well as thepresence of lymphocyte conglomerates. The aforementioned lesions indicate hepatic and renaldistress with variable degrees of severity, but they appear to be reversible (the longer the timefrom the maximum effect of the drug the lower its toxicity)

Clostridium difficile Infection Epidemiology over a Period of 8 Years—A Single Centre Study

International audienceClostridium dicile infection (CDI) is the most common infectious disease related to antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and is a current leading cause of morbidity/mortality, with substantial consequences for healthcare services and overall public health. Thus, we performed a retrospective epidemiological study of CDI for a long period (8 years), in an infectious hospital located in north-western Romania, which serves an entire county of the country (617,827 inhabitants). From 2011 to 2018, 877 patients were diagnosedwith CDI; the mean incidence of this disease was 2.76 cases/10,000 patient-days, with an increasing trend in the annual incidence until 2016, at which point there was adecrease. The most commonly aicted were patients in the 75–84 age group, observed in winter and spring. The results show that the antibiotics were administered in 679 (77.42%) subjects, within the last 3 months before CDI, statistically significant more than proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs)—128 (14.60%) and antidepressant medications—60 (6.84%), which were administered during the same period (p < 0.001). No medication was reported in 10 (6.84%) cases of CDI, in the last 3 months of the study. The fatality rate attained 4.1%, tripling in 2018 vs. 2011. CDI became a significant public health conundrum that can, nevertheless, be combatted through a judicious use of antibiotic

What antibiotics for what pathogens? The sensitivity spectrum of isolated strains in an intensive care unit

International audienceAntibiotic sensitivity spectrum of isolated strains differs according to hospital departments, the hospitals themselves, and countries. Discrepancies also exist in terms of antibiotic use and dosage. The aim of the present study is to compare the antibacterial agents, the types of infections, the number and type of pathogens, and the sensitivity to antibiotics used in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Emergency Clinical County Hospital of Oradea, Romania. Over a one-year period, data were gathered from the pharmacy computer system and medical records of inpatients. WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC)/defined daily doses (DDD) methodology was used to assess drug administration data, and antibiotic use was expressed as DDD/1000 PD (patient days). The antibiotic susceptibility of isolated strains was expressed through the cumulative antibiogram. The overall consumption of antimicrobial agents was 1247.47 DDD/1000 PD. The most common drugs used were cephalosporins andfluoroquinolones (52.97% of the total). Ceftriaxone was the most commonly used, followed by levofloxacin