Multidrug-resistant pulmonary & extrapulmonary tuberculosis: A 13 years retrospective hospital-based analysis

Background & objectives: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a public health problem of great significance in India. In the present study an attempt was made to analyse the progression of MDR-TB pattern during a course of 13 years (2000-2012) among the patient population at a tertiary care centre in New Delhi, India. Methods: Mycobacterial isolates obtained on Lowenstein-Jensen (L-J) medium/BacT/ALERT 3D were identified using AccuProbe molecular identification system, routine biochemical tests or GenoType Mycobacteria CM. Antimycobacterial susceptibility testing was performed using resistance ratio method on L-J medium (2000-2004) and one per cent proportion method on BacT/ALERT 3D system (2005-2012). Results:Of the total 14,849 samples subjected to mycobacterial culture, 6569 pulmonary and 8280 extrapulmonary, 2364 were detected positive for mycobacteria. The average percentage positivity rate was 15.9 per cent (18.9 and 13.6% in case of pulmonary and extrapulmonary samples, respectively). Our study revealed a significant increase (P<0.001) in multidrug resistance by 12 per cent (4.7% in 2000 to 19.8% in 2012). MDR-TB was more in case of pulmonary (28.2%) than extrapulmonary (11.6%) TB (P<0.001). Only 6.5 per cent (154) of mycobacterial isolates were non-tuberculous mycobacteria and rapid growers represented by Mycobacterium fortuitum and M. abscessus were the most commonly isolated species. Interpretation & conclusions: Increase in prevalence of MDR-TB by 12 per cent in the past 13 years is alarming. Policy modifications may have to be done to strengthen the existing TB control programmes to encourage contact tracing and culture and drug susceptibility testing for all smear positive pulmonary cases to ensure early and appropriate therapy

Ecology of blood stream infection and antibiotic resistance in intensive care unit at a tertiary care hospital in North India

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the prevalent microorganisms and their antimicrobial resistance among intensive care unit patients in a tertiary care centre in New Delhi.METHODS: A retrospective study of all consecutive blood cultures from various intensive care unit patients in the hospital during four years (January 2008 to December 2011). Antibiotic consumption data in the intensive care units were also analysed during the same period.RESULTS: Out of the total 22,491 blood cultures processed, 2846 samples were positive and 3771 microorganisms were isolated. The blood culture positivity was estimated as 12.7% of which 67.5% were monomicrobial and 32.5% polymicrobial infections. Gram negative bacilli, Gram positive cocci, and fungi were isolated in 49%, 33%, and 18% cases, respectively. Coagulase negative staphylococcus was the commonest single isolate followed by Candida spp. A drastic shift in the distribution of Candida spp. towards nonalbicans along with high resistance to azole group of antifungals suggest echinocandins for the empiric therapy of candidemia. High penicillin resistance in Gram positive isolates suggest vancomycin, linezolid and tigecycline as the options for empiric therapy, whereas tigecycline and colistin are the only options remaining for highly resistant Gram negative isolates. Aminoglycosides were observed to have better sensitivity and reduced usage when compared with cephalosporins and ß-lactam + ß-lactam inhibitor combinations.CONCLUSIONS: High frequencies of multidrug resistant organisms were observed in intensive care units which is a warning as to use the only few effective antimicrobials wisely to reduce selective pressure on sensitive strains

Issues in antifungal stewardship: an opportunity that should not be lost

Many countries have observed an increase in the incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) over the past two decades with emergence of new risk factors and isolation of new fungal pathogens. Early diagnosis and appropriate antifungal treatment remain the cornerstones of successful outcomes. However, due to non-specific clinical presentations and limited availability of rapid diagnostic tests, in more than half of cases antifungal treatment is inappropriate. As a result, the emergence of antifungal resistance both in yeasts and mycelial fungi is becoming increasingly common. The Delhi Chapter of the Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists (IAMM-DC) organized a 1 day workshop in collaboration with BSAC on 10 December 2015 in New Delhi to design a road map towards the development of a robust antifungal stewardship programme in the context of conditions in India. The workshop aimed at developing a road map for optimizing better outcomes in patients with IFIs while minimizing unintended consequences of antifungal use, ultimately leading to reduced healthcare costs and prevention development of resistance to antifungals. The workshop was a conclave of all stakeholders, eminent experts from India and the UK, including clinical microbiologists, critical care specialists and infectious disease physicians. Various issues in managing IFIs were discussed, including epidemiology, diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms in different healthcare settings. At the end of the deliberations, a consensus opinion and key messages were formulated, outlining a step-by-step approach to tackling the growing incidence of IFIs and antifungal resistance, particularly in the Indian scenario