Cutibacterium spp. Infections after Instrumented Spine Surgery Have a Good Prognosis Regardless of Rifampin Use: A Cross-Sectional Study

Infection after spinal instrumentation (IASI) by Cutibacterium spp. is being more frequently reported. The aim of this study was to analyse the incidence, risk factors, clinical characteristics, and outcome of a Cutibacterium spp. IASI (CG) compared with non-Cutibacterium IASI (NCG) infections, with an additional focus on the role of rifampin in the treatment. All patients from a multicentre, retrospective, observational study with a confirmed IASI between January 2010 and December 2016 were divided into two groups: (CG and NCG) IASI. Baseline, medical, surgical, infection treatment, and follow-up data were compared for both groups. In total, 411 patients were included: 27 CG and 384 NCG. The CG patients were significantly younger. They had a longer median time to diagnosis (23 vs. 13 days) (p = 0.025), although 55.6% debuted within the first month after surgery. Cutibacterium patients were more likely to have the implant removed (29.6% vs. 12.8%; p = 0.014) and received shorter antibiotic regimens (p = 0.014). In 33% of Cutibacterium cases, rifampin was added to the baseline therapy. None of the 27 infections resulted in treatment failure during follow-up regardless of rifampin use. Cutibacterium spp. is associated with a younger age and may cause both early and late IASIs. In our experience, the use of rifampin to improve the outcome in the treatment of a Cutibacterium spp. IASI is not relevant since, in our series, none of the cases had therapeutic failure regardless of the use of rifampin

The Different Microbial Etiology of Prosthetic Joint Infections According to Route of Acquisition and Time After Prosthesis Implantation, Including the Role of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms

The aim of our study was to characterize the etiology of prosthetic joint infections (PJIs)-including multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO)-by category of infection. A multicenter study of 2544 patients with PJIs was performed. We analyzed the causative microorganisms according to the Tsukayama's scheme (early postoperative, late chronic, and acute hematogenous infections (EPI, LCI, AHI) and "positive intraoperative cultures" (PIC)). Non-hematogenous PJIs were also evaluated according to time since surgery: 12 months. AHIs were mostly caused by Staphylococcus aureus (39.2%) and streptococci (30.2%). EPIs were characterized by a preponderance of virulent microorganisms (S. aureus, Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), enterococci), MDROs (24%) and polymicrobial infections (27.4%). Conversely, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and Cutibacterium species were predominant in LCIs (54.5% and 6.1%, respectively) and PICs (57.1% and 15.1%). The percentage of MDROs isolated in EPIs was more than three times the percentage isolated in LCIs (7.8%) and more than twice the proportion found in AHI (10.9%). There was a significant decreasing linear trend over the four time intervals post-surgery for virulent microorganisms, MDROs, and polymicrobial infections, and a rising trend for CoNS, streptococci and Cutibacterium spp. The observed differences have important implications for the empirical antimicrobial treatment of PJIs.Acknowledgments: This work was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant number PI15/1026) (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund "Investing in your future"). REIPI (Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Disease) is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, and by the European Development Regional Fund “A way to achieve Europe”

Reporting antimicrobial susceptibilities and resistance phenotypes in Acinetobacter spp: a nationwide proficiency study.

To evaluate the proficiency of Spanish microbiology laboratories with respect to the antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of Acinetobacter spp. Eight Acinetobacter spp. with different resistance mechanisms were sent to 48 Spanish centres which were asked to report: (i) the AST system used; (ii) MICs; (iii) breakpoints used (CLSI versus EUCAST); (iv) clinical category; and (v) resistance mechanisms inferred. Minor, major and very major errors (mE, ME and VME, respectively) were determined. The greatest percentages of discrepancies were: (i) by AST method: 18.5% Etest, 14.3% Vitek 2 and Sensititre; (ii) by breakpoints: 20.5% (CLSI) and 10.8% (EUCAST); and (iii) by antimicrobial agent: ampicillin/sulbactam (56.2% CLSI), minocycline (40.7% CLSI), tobramycin (38.7% CLSI, 16.8% EUCAST), imipenem (27.8% CLSI, 30.0% EUCAST) and meropenem (25.4% CLSI, 20.8% EUCAST). Categorical error rates: (i) by AST method ranged from 30.0% (Phoenix) to 100% (Sensititre and disc diffusion) for mE, 0.0% (Etest, Sensititre, disc diffusion) to 40% (Phoenix) for ME, and 0.0% (Sensititre and disc diffusion) to 30% (Phoenix) for VME; (ii) by breakpoints: mE (80.1% CLSI, 58.4% EUCAST), ME (3.5% CLSI, 12.4% EUCAST) and VME (16.4% CLSI, 29.2% EUCAST); and (iii) by antimicrobial agent: mE (100% levofloxacin/CLSI, 100% levofloxacin and meropenem/EUCAST), ME (35.3% colistin/CLSI, 25.0% colistin/EUCAST) and VME (64.7% colistin/CLSI, 86.7% gentamicin/EUCAST). Clinical microbiology laboratories must improve their ability to determine antimicrobial susceptibilities of Acinetobacter spp. isolates. Higher discrepancies using CLSI when compared with EUCAST are mainly due to mE and to a much lesser extent to ME or VME

Candida periprosthetic joint infection: A rare and difficult-to-treat infection

BACKGROUND: Candida periprosthetic joint infection (CPJI) is a rare, difficult-to-treat disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CPJI treated with various surgical and antifungal strategies. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study of all CPJI diagnosed between 2003 and 2015 in 16 Spanish hospitals. RESULTS: Forty-three patients included: median age, 75 years, and median Charlson Comorbidity Index score, 4. Thirty-four (79.1%) patients had ≥1 risk factor for Candida infection. Most common causative species were C. albicans and C. parapsilosis. Thirty-five patients were evaluable for outcome: overall, treatment succeeded in 17 (48.6%) and failed in 18 (51.4%). Success was 13/20 (67%) in patients with prosthesis removal and 4/15 (27%) with debridement and prosthesis retention (p = 0.041). All 3 patients who received an amphotericin B-impregnated cement spacer cured. In the prosthesis removal group, success was 5/6 (83%) with an antibiofilm regimen and 8/13 (62%) with azoles (p = 0.605). In the debridement and prosthesis retention group, success was 3/10 (30%) with azoles and 1/5 (20%) with antibiofilm agents. Therapeutic failure was due to relapse in 9 patients, need for suppressive treatment in 5, persistent infection in 2, and CPJI-related death in 2; overall attributable mortality was 6%. CONCLUSIONS: CPJI is usually a chronic disease in patients with comorbidities and risk factors for Candida infection. Treatment success is low, and prosthesis removal improves outcome. Although there is insufficient evidence that use of antifungals with antibiofilm activity has additional benefits, our experience indicates it may be recommendable

Candida periprosthetic joint infection: A rare and difficult-to-treat infection

BACKGROUND: Candida periprosthetic joint infection (CPJI) is a rare, difficult-to-treat disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of CPJI treated with various surgical and antifungal strategies. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study of all CPJI diagnosed between 2003 and 2015 in 16 Spanish hospitals. RESULTS: Forty-three patients included: median age, 75 years, and median Charlson Comorbidity Index score, 4. Thirty-four (79.1%) patients had ≥1 risk factor for Candida infection. Most common causative species were C. albicans and C. parapsilosis. Thirty-five patients were evaluable for outcome: overall, treatment succeeded in 17 (48.6%) and failed in 18 (51.4%). Success was 13/20 (67%) in patients with prosthesis removal and 4/15 (27%) with debridement and prosthesis retention (p = 0.041). All 3 patients who received an amphotericin B-impregnated cement spacer cured. In the prosthesis removal group, success was 5/6 (83%) with an antibiofilm regimen and 8/13 (62%) with azoles (p = 0.605). In the debridement and prosthesis retention group, success was 3/10 (30%) with azoles and 1/5 (20%) with antibiofilm agents. Therapeutic failure was due to relapse in 9 patients, need for suppressive treatment in 5, persistent infection in 2, and CPJI-related death in 2; overall attributable mortality was 6%. CONCLUSIONS: CPJI is usually a chronic disease in patients with comorbidities and risk factors for Candida infection. Treatment success is low, and prosthesis removal improves outcome. Although there is insufficient evidence that use of antifungals with antibiofilm activity has additional benefits, our experience indicates it may be recommendable

Carbapenemase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, a Key Pathogen Set for Global Nosocomial Dominance

The management of infections due to Klebsiella pneumoniae has been complicated by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, especially to the carbapenems. Resistance to the carbapenems in K. pneumoniae involves multiple mechanisms, including the production of carbapenemases (e.g. KPC, NDM, VIM, OXA-48-like), as well as alterations in outer membrane permeability mediated by the loss of porins, and the up regulation of efflux systems. The latter two mechanisms are often combined with high levels of other types of β-lactamases (e.g.AmpC). K. pneumonaie ST258 emerged during the early to mid-2000s as important human pathogens and has spread extensively throughout the world. ST258 comprises of 2 distinct lineages namely clade I and clade II and it seems that ST258 is a hybrid clone that was created by a large recombination event between ST11 and ST442. Incompatiblity group F plasmids with blaKPC have contributed significantly to the success of ST258. The optimal treatment of infections due to carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae remains unknown. Some newer agents show promise for treating infections due to KPC-producers, however effective options for the treatment of NDM-producers remain elusive.This work was supported in part by a research grant from the Calgary Laboratory Services (#10009392).http://aac.asm.org2016-10-13hb201