Control of an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Australia after introduction of environmental cleaning with a commercial oxidizing disinfectant

In the midst of an outbreak, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii was grown from samples of multiple environmental sites in an intensive care unit. A commercial oxidizing disinfectant (potassium peroxomonosulphate 50%, sodium alkyl benzene sulphonate 15%, and sulphamic acid 5%) was introduced throughout the intensive care unit, and its use coincided with cessation of the outbreak

Spinal Cord Disease Due To Melioidosis

Acute leioidosis typically presents as severe pneumonia or septicaemia. Woods et al have described neurological presentations of melioidosis affecting the brainstem and affecting motor weakness. We describe a case of acute melioidosis which predominatly affected the spinal cord to produce paraplegia mimicking acute epidural abscess. The neurological lesions may have occurred in the setting of partially treated meningitis; however the cerebrospinal fluid was sterile and no radiological evidence of abscess was identified. It is possible that immune or toxin-mediated mechanisms may have contributed to the neurological damage, perhaps in the context of partially treated central nervous system infection

Circulating microRNAs in sera correlate with soluble biomarkers of immune activation but do not predict mortality in ART treated individuals with HIV-1 infection: A case control study

Introduction: The use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically reduced HIV-1 associated morbidity and mortality. However, HIV-1 infected individuals have increased rates of morbidity and mortality compared to the non-HIV-1 infected population and this appears to be related to end-organ diseases collectively referred to as Serious Non-AIDS Events (SNAEs). Circulating miRNAs are reported as promising biomarkers for a number of human disease conditions including those that constitute SNAEs. Our study sought to investigate the potential of selected miRNAs in predicting mortality in HIV-1 infected ART treated individuals. Materials and Methods: A set of miRNAs was chosen based on published associations with human disease conditions that constitute SNAEs. This case: control study compared 126 cases (individuals who died whilst on therapy), and 247 matched controls (individuals who remained alive). Cases and controls were ART treated participants of two pivotal HIV-1 trials. The relative abundance of each miRNA in serum was measured, by RTqPCR. Associations with mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular and malignancy) were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Correlations between miRNAs and CD4+ T cell count, hs-CRP, IL-6 and D-dimer were also assessed. Results: None of the selected miRNAs was associated with all-cause, cardiovascular or malignancy mortality. The levels of three miRNAs (miRs -21, -122 and -200a) correlated with IL-6 while miR-21 also correlated with D-dimer. Additionally, the abundance of miRs -31, -150 and -223, correlated with baseline CD4+ T cell count while the same three miRNAs plus miR- 145 correlated with nadir CD4+ T cell count. Discussion: No associations with mortality were found with any circulating miRNA studied. These results cast doubt onto the effectiveness of circulating miRNA as early predictors of mortality or the major underlying diseases that contribute to mortality in participants treated for HIV-1 infection

8: Emerging viral infections in Australia

Hendra virus infection should be suspected in someone with close association with horses or bats who presents acutely with pneumonia or encephalitis (potentially after a prolonged incubation period). Australian bat lyssavirus infection should be suspected in a patient with a progressive neurological illness and a history of exposure to a bat. Rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin should be strongly considered after a bite, scratch or mucous membrane exposure to a bat. Japanese encephalitis vaccine should be considered for people intending to reside in or visit endemic areas of southern or eastern Asia for more than 30 days

Thalidomide as treatment of refractory aphthous ulceration related to human immunodeficiency virus infection

In recent years, thalidomide has been used for the treatment of a variety of ulcerative and immunologic conditions. Several previous reports have suggested that thalidomide therapy is beneficial for patients with aphthous ulceration related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We describe the use of thalidomide in 20 HIV-infected patients with oropharyngeal, esophageal, and rectal ulceration. Nineteen patients had a dramatic response to thalidomide therapy, with both subjective and objective abatement in the signs and symptoms of their ulcerative disease. The standard treatment course was 200 mg of thalidomide for 14 days (the drug was administered at night). Four patients required additional courses of treatment because symptoms recurred after thalidomide therapy was stopped. Side effects due to thalidomide included rash (5 patients), peripheral neuropathy (1 patient), and excessive fatigue (1 patient). There did not appear to be any adverse immunologic effects in thalidomide-treated patients. The mechanism of the effect of thalidomide is uncertain, although recent studies have suggested that thalidomide selectively inhibits the production of tumor necrosis factor α

Mollaret's meningitis and pituitary failure associated with a Rathke's cleft cyst

C. M. Dancer, M. L. Woods, R. D. Henderson, T. Robertson, M. Mungomery and A. Allwort

HIV combination therapy: partial immune restitution unmasking latent cryptococcal infection

Objective: To describe two cases of cryptococcal meningitis and one re-exacerbation of Cryptococcus-associated meningitis occurring in temporal association with commencement of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in patients with advanced HIV infection (CD4 cells < 50 x 10(6)/l), which suggests that partial immune restitution can facilitate development of clinically apparent meningitis in response to Cryptococcus or its antigen

Central venous Access device SeCurement And Dressing Effectiveness for peripherally inserted central catheters in adult acute hospital patients (CASCADE): a pilot randomised controlled trial

Abstract Background Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are commonly used for delivering intravenous therapy. PICC failure is unacceptably high (up to 40%) due to mechanical, infectious and thrombotic complications. Poor securement potentiates all complication types. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aimed to examine the feasibility of a large RCT of four dressing and securement methods to prevent PICC failure. Methods This single-centre pilot RCT included 124 admitted medical/surgical/cancer patients aged ≥ 16 years with a PICC. Interventions were: (i) standard polyurethane dressing and sutureless securement device (SPU + SSD, control); (ii) polyurethane with absorbent lattice pad dressing (PAL + Tape); (iii) combination securement-dressing (CSD); and (iv) tissue adhesive (TA + SPU). All groups except TA + SPU had a chlorhexidine-gluconate (CHG) impregnated disc. Feasibility outcomes were recruitment and safety/acceptability of the interventions. The primary outcome was PICC failure, a composite of PICC removal for local infection, catheter-associated bloodstream infection, dislodgement, occlusion, and/or catheter fracture. Secondary outcomes included individual complications, dressing failure and dwell time, PICC dwell time, skin complications/phlebitis indicators, product costs, and patient and staff satisfaction. Qualitative feedback was also collected. Results PICC failure incidence was: PAL + CHG + Tape (1/5; 20%; 17.4/1000 days), SPU + SSD + CHG (control) (4/39; 10%; 9.0/1000 days), TA + SPU (3/35; 9%; 9.6/1000 days), and CSD + CHG (3/42; 7%; 9.4/1000 days). Recruitment to PAL + CHG + Tape was ceased after five participants due to concerns of PICC dislodgement when removing the dressing. CSD + CHG, TA + SPU (TA applied only at PICC insertion time), and control treatments were acceptable to patients and health professionals. Conclusion A large RCT of CSD + CHG and TA + SPU (but not PAL + CHG + Tape) versus standard care is feasible. Trial registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12616000027415 . Registered on 15 January 2016