Efficacy and safety of bismuth-based quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication in children.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a 10-day quadruple therapy containing colloidal bismuth sub-citrate (CBS), esomeprazole (ESO), amoxicillin (AMO), and metronidazole (MET) for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication in children.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gram-negative bacteria susceptibility patterns in respiratory samples of intensive care units in the Brussels Capital Region, 2010-2021

Background: The effect of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on gram-negative bacteria nonsusceptibility to antibiotics is unclear. Methods: Between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2021, the respiratory samples of intensive care unit patients at 3 University Hospitals in Brussels were retrieved. Based on the nonsusceptibility to antimicrobial classes, drug-resistance patterns were defined as multi-drug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant, and pan-drug-resistant. The study time frame was divided into 6 periods of 2 years each, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (last period: 2020-2021) was assessed. Results: During the current study, 10,577 samples were identified from 5,889 patients. While a significant augmentation of multi-drug-resistant isolates was noticed once comparing 2 prepandemic periods (2012-2013 and 2014-2015), all 3 patterns of nonsusceptibility significantly increased, comparing the years before and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019 and 2020-2021). Globally, the greatest increase in antimicrobial nonsusceptibility, comparing the last 2 periods, was reported for piperacillin-tazobactam (from 28% to 38%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most isolated species, and the most involved in the appearance of resistance, with an augmentation of nonsusceptibility percentage to meropenem of 22% (from 25% to 47%), between the prepandemic and the pandemic periods. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increasing trends of antimicrobial resistance in respiratory samples of patients admitted to the intensive care units in university hospitals with well-implemented antibiotic stewardship programs.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Kytococcus schroeteri infection of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in a child.

Kytococcus schroeteri is a newly described micrococcal species and, to date, has been associated mostly with endocarditis. Six infections attributable to this opportunistic pathogen have been described since 2002, when the first case was identified. We describe here the first pediatric case of a K. schroeteri ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection. The child was successfully treated with a combination of rifampin and vancomycin and shunt replacement. Initially identified as a Micrococcus spp. by both automated identification and conventional biochemical testing, sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene enabled accurate identification of the organism.Case ReportsJournal Articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Characterization of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in Belgium.

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) raised concern worldwide. We studied 22 hvKp clinical invasive isolates referred to the Belgian national reference laboratory between 2014 and 2020. Sixty-four percent of the isolates expressed K2 capsular serotype and belonged to 7 different MLST lineages, while 32% expressed K1 (all belonging to ST23) and were associated with liver abscesses. Primary extra-hepatic infections were reported in 36% and sepsis for 95% of the patients with 30% of deaths. Improved clinical and microbiological diagnostics are required as hvKp may represent an underestimated cause of community-acquired invasive infections in Belgium

Belgian laboratory surveillance of human alveolar and cystic echinococcosis in 2021

peer reviewedBackground: Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) and cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused respectively by Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus complex, are severe parasitic zoonoses which are potentially fatal for humans. While echinococcosis ranked among rare diseases in Belgium, an increasing incidence has been observed over the last two decades, in particular for AE. In order to describe the Belgian epidemiology, the National Reference Laboratory for echinococcosis (BNRLE) conducted a surveillance of AE and CE cases diagnosed in Belgium in 2021. Methods: All Belgian clinical laboratories were asked to fill an epidemiological form including AE and CE cases detected in 2021. All cases diagnosed by serology and/or PCR (confirmed cases) or without microbiological confirmation (probable and possible cases) were included. Results: In 2021, 17 new cases were detected throughout Belgium, including 7 AE and 10 CE. Three patients were not Belgian residents (2 AE from Luxembourg, 1 CE from the Netherlands). Among the 7 AE cases, sex ratio (male:female) was 3:4, the median age was 65 years, and the place of residence was restricted to Wallonia. CE cases were not restricted to a specific region. Unlike the alveolar form, CE occurred in a younger population (median age 43 years) and the sex ratio was 8:2. All CE cases were imported from endemic areas such as Turkey (4/10), Morocco (3/10), Bulgaria (1/10), Romania (1/10) and Middle Eastern countries (1/10). All cases were confirmed by serology and/or PCR except 4 CE cases for which the diagnostic methods were not specified. Conclusions: Because few laboratories perform diagnostic tests and few institutions are experienced in the clinical management, echinococcosis is probably underestimated in Belgium. Therefore, it is necessary to raise awareness among clinicians about the existence of these diseases in the country and to inform the population about the risk factors

Successful treatment of Chlamydophila pneumoniae acute respiratory distress syndrome with extracorporeal membrane oxygenator: a case report and diagnostic review.

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Chlamydophila pneumoniae is a respiratory pathogen known to infect the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Infection severity can range from sub-clinical pulmonary infection to acute respiratory distress syndrome. CASE PRESENTATION: A previously healthy 62-year-old Caucasian man was admitted to our hospital for acute respiratory failure. Serum samples obtained every week starting from the day of admission showed clear-cut seroconversion for C. pneumoniae antibodies. All other cultures obtained during the first days of hospitalization were negative. Despite maximal ventilatory support (high positive end expiratory pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen of 1.0, nitric oxide inhalation, neuromuscular blocking agents and prone positioning), our patient remained severely hypoxemic, which led us to initiate an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and hemodiafiltration were withdrawn on day 12. Our patient was extubated on day 18 and discharged from our Intensive Care Unit on day 20. He went home a month later. CONCLUSION: We describe the first published case of acute respiratory distress syndrome due to C. pneumoniae infection successfully treated by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a very useful tool in this syndrome. A quick and specific method for the definite diagnosis of Chlamydophila infection should be developed.JOURNAL ARTICLESCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe