Impact of the MIC of Piperacillin-Tazobactam on the Outcome of Patients with Bacteremia Due to Extended-Spectrum-B-Lactamase- Producing Escherichia coli

We investigated the impact of the piperacillin-tazobactam MIC in the outcome of 39 bloodstream infections due to extended- spectrum-B-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli. All 11 patients with urinary tract infections survived, irrespective of the MIC. For other sources, 30-day mortality was lower for isolates with a MIC of <2 mg/liter than for isolates with a higher MIC (0% ver- sus 41.1%; P = 0.02

Genotypic identification of an undescribed spotted fever group rickettsia in ixodes ricinus from southwestern Spain

An undescribed rickettsia was directly analyzed with specific rickettsial molecular biology tools on Ixodes ricinus L. collected in different localities of the province of Cadiz (southwestern Spain). On the basis of the results of the citrate synthase (glta) gene, 190 kD-outer membrane protein (rOmpA) gene, and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene partial sequence data, it was found that this rickettsia is sufficiently genetically distinct from other Rickettsia to be considered a distinct taxonomic entity. The isolation and culture of this organism, as well as comparative antigenic analysis, are required to ensure its conclusive taxonomic placement among spotted fever rickettsiae. The epidemiologic role of this new rickettsial agent and its possible pathogenicity to wild and domestic animals or humans is still unknown and needs to be investigated

Long-term outcome of patients after a single interruption of antiretroviral therapy: a cohort study

Background: To describe the long term outcome of patients who interrupted highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) once, identify the variables associated with earlier need to re-start HAART, and the response when therapy was resumed. A retrospective observational cohort of 66 adult patients with HIV-1 infection who interrupted HAART with a CD4+cell count ≥350 cells/μL and undetectable viral load (VL) was performed. The pre-established CD4+ cell count for restarting therapy was 300cells/μL. Cox regression was used to analyse the variables associated with earlier HAART reinitiation. Results: The median follow-up was 209 weeks (range, 64–395). Rates of HIV-related or possible HIV-related events were 0.37 (one case of acute retroviral syndrome) and 1.49 per 100 patient-years, respectively. Two patients died after re-starting therapy and having reached undetectable VL. Three patients suffered a sexually transmitted disease while off therapy. Fifty patients (76%) resumed therapy after a median of 97 weeks (range, 17–267). Age, a nadir of CD4+ 10,000 copies/ml were independent predictors for earlier re-start. The intention-to-treat success rate of the first HAART resumed regimen was 85.4%. There were no differences by regimen used, nor between regimens that were the same as or different from the one that had been interrupted. Conclusions: Our data suggest highly active antiretroviral therapy may be interrupted in selected patients because in these patients, when the HAART is restarted, the viral and clinical response may be achieved

Long-Term Control of Endemic Hospital-Wide Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): The Impact of Targeted Active Surveillance for MRSA in Patients and Healthcare Workers

To evaluate the long-term impact of successive interventions on rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization or infection and MRSA bacteremia in an endemic hospital-wide situation. DESIGN:Quasi-experimental, interrupted time-series analysis. The impact of the interventions was analyzed by use of segmented regression. Representative MRSA isolates were typed by use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. SETTING:A 950-bed teaching hospital in Seville, Spain. PATIENTS:All patients admitted to the hospital during the period from 1995 through 2008. METHODS:Three successive interventions were studied: (1) contact precautions, with no active surveillance for MRSA; (2) targeted active surveillance for MRSA in patients and healthcare workers in specific wards, prioritized according to clinical epidemiology data; and (3) targeted active surveillance for MRSA in patients admitted from other medical centers. RESULTS:Neither the preintervention rate of MRSA colonization or infection (0.56 cases per 1,000 patient-days [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.49-0.62 cases per 1,000 patient-days]) nor the slope for the rate of MRSA colonization or infection changed significantly after the first intervention. The rate decreased significantly to 0.28 cases per 1,000 patient-days (95% CI, 0.17-0.40 cases per 1,000 patient-days) after the second intervention and to 0.07 cases per 1,000 patient-days (95% CI, 0.06-0.08 cases per 1,000 patient-days) after the third intervention, and the rate remained at a similar level for 8 years. The MRSA bacteremia rate decreased by 80%, whereas the rate of bacteremia due to methicillin-susceptible S. aureus did not change. Eighty-three percent of the MRSA isolates identified were clonally related. All MRSA isolates obtained from healthcare workers were clonally related to those recovered from patients who were in their care. CONCLUSION:Our data indicate that long-term control of endemic MRSA is feasible in tertiary care centers. The use of targeted active surveillance for MRSA in patients and healthcare workers in specific wards (identified by means of analysis of clinical epidemiology data) and the use of decolonization were key to the success of the program