PREDICT TB : Prevention of Resistance, Evaluation of Diagnostics and Intensified or Custom-made Treatment of Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is still a global health problem of immense proportion. Indeed, TB is considered the second most frequent cause of infectious disease-related death worldwide (after HIV-AIDS). The World Health Organization (WHO) is increasing its efforts to reduce the global threat of TB. Nevertheless, the morbidity and mortality statistics for TB remain shocking. For example, the WHO estimates that the global burden of disease caused by TB in 2010 comprised 8.8 million incident cases, including 1.1 million deaths from TB among HIV-negative individuals, and an additional 0.35 million deaths from HIV-associated TB.1 Additional to these impressive figures is the underlying problem of latent TB infections, with as many as one-third of the world’s population being thought to be latently infected with this bacterium, an immense pool of potential patients around. Further, all current treatment programs tend to be specifically aimed towards the treatment of active TB infection, leaving the huge underlying problem of latent TB infections untouched, essentially meaning that the worldwide elimination of TB is still a distant dream

A model-informed preclinical approach for prediction of clinical pharmacodynamic interactions of anti-TB drug combinations

Background Identification of pharmacodynamic interactions is not reasonable to carry out in a clinical setting for many reasons. The aim of this work was to develop a model-informed preclinical approach for prediction of clinical pharmacodynamic drug interactions in order to inform early anti-TB drug development. Methods In vitro time–kill experiments were performed with Mycobacterium tuberculosis using rifampicin, isoniazid or ethambutol alone as well as in different combinations at clinically relevant concentrations. The multistate TB pharmacometric (MTP) model was used to characterize the natural growth and exposure–response relationships of each drug after mono exposure. Pharmacodynamic interactions during combination exposure were characterized by linking the MTP model to the general pharmacodynamic interaction (GPDI) model with successful separation of the potential effect on each drug’s potency (EC50) by the combining drug(s). Results All combinations showed pharmacodynamic interactions at cfu level, where all combinations, except isoniazid plus ethambutol, showed more effect (synergy) than any of the drugs alone. Using preclinical information, the MTP-GPDI modelling approach was shown to correctly predict clinically observed pharmacodynamic interactions, as deviations from expected additivity. Conclusions With the ability to predict clinical pharmacodynamic interactions, using preclinical information, the MTP-GPDI model approach outlined in this study constitutes groundwork for model-informed input to the development of new and enhancement of existing anti-TB combination regimens

Low antimicrobial resistance in general practice patients in Rotterdam, the city with the largest proportion of immigrants in the Netherlands

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing problem. The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in general practice patients is expected to be relatively high in Rotterdam, the Dutch city with the largest proportion non-Western immigrants. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant uropathogens (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis) in general practices in Rotterdam, and to find a possible association between the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli and age, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES). A retrospective analysis was performed of urine samples from general practice patients in 2016. The prevalence of AMR in uropathogens was compared with national resistance data, as was the prevalence of highly and multidrug resistant and extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli and K. pneumoniae. Univariate logistic regression was used to study associations between antibiotic-resistant E. coli and age, gender, and SES area score. No clinically relevant differences were observed in the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant uropathogens in Rotterdam compared with the national prevalence. For E. coli and K. pneumoniae, the prevalence was 3.6% for ESBL production (both pathogens together), while the prevalence ranged between 4.2%–5.0% for high resistance and between 1.2%–3.3% for multidrug resistance. Ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli was significantly associated with higher age. Although Rotterdam has a high percentage of non-western immigrants and a low SES, AMR is low among general practice patients. This indicates that adherence to national guidelines in general practice enables maintenance of low AMR, even in high-risk populations

Non-adherence to antimicrobial guidelines in patients with bloodstream infection visiting the emergency department

_Objective:_ Non-adherence to antimicrobial guidelines in patients with bloodstream infection can result in undertreatment, overtreatment, or equivalent treatment, and could lead to suboptimal care. Our aim was to examine the association between non-adherence and appropriate coverage as well as to assess the impact of non-adherence on 30-day mortality. _Methods:_ We conducted a retrospective cohort study between 2012 and 2017 at a tertiary university hospital. Adult patients attending the emergency department with a bloodstream infection were included. Adherence was defined as guideline-recommended antibiotic therapy. Non-adherence was either undertreatment (too narrow-spectrum), overtreatment (too broad-spectrum), or equivalent treatment. Outcomes were appropriate coverage (i.e. antibiotic therapy that matches in vitro susceptibility of the isolated bacteria) and 30-day mortality. _Results:_ We included 909 patients of whom 395 (43.5%) were treated adherently, 355 (39.1%) were undertreated, 87 (9.6%) were overtreated, and 72 (7.9%) received an equivalent treatment. Overtreated patients were more severely ill, whilst undertreated patients had more favorable patient characteristics. Overtreatment did not result in higher appropriate coverage, whereas undertreatment was associated with lower coverage (OR[95%CI]: 0.18 [0.12; 0.26]). Overtreatment and undertreatment were not associated with 30-day mortality. _Conclusions:_ Guideline adherence likely depends on disease severity, because overtreatment was more often observed in patients with high disease severity and undertreatment in less severely ill patients. Undertreatment was associated lower appropriate coverage but not with higher mortality. However, this can be the result of residual confounding. Overtreatment did not result in higher appropriate antibiotic coverage nor a survival benefit. Therefore, overtreatment seems not justifiable

Development of a TB vaccine trial site in Africa and lessons from the Ebola experience

Tuberculosis is the deadliest infection of our time. In contrast, about 11,000 people died of Ebola between 2014 and 2016. Despite this manifest difference in mortality, there is now a vaccine licensed in the United States and by the European Medicines Agency, with up to 100% efficacy against Ebola. The developments that led to the trialing of the Ebola vaccine were historic and unprecedented. The single licensed TB vaccine (BCG) has limited efficacy. There is a dire need for a more efficacious TB vaccine. To deploy such vaccines, trials are needed in sites that combine high disease incidence and research infrastructure. We describe our twelve-year experience building a TB vaccine trial site in contrast to the process in the recent Ebola outbreak. There are additional differences. Relative to the Ebola pipeline, TB vaccines have fewer trials and a paucity of government and industry led trials. While pathogens have varying levels of difficulty in the development of new vaccine candidates, there yet appears to be greater interest in funding and coordinating Ebola interventions. TB is a global threat that requires similar concerted effort for elimination

Point prevalence of appropriate antimicrobial therapy in a Dutch university hospital

Antimicrobial stewardship teams have been shown to increase appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy and reduce medical errors and costs in targeted populations, but the effect in non-targeted populations is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of inappropriate antibiotic use in a large university hospital and identify areas in which antimicrobial stewardship will be the most effective. In a point prevalence survey we assessed the appropriateness of antibiotic therapy using an electronic surveillance system in combination with a standardized method for duration of therapy, dosage, dosage interval, route of administration, and choice of antibiotic drug. Patients using at least one antibiotic drug were included. Among 996 patients admitted in the surveyed wards, 337 patients (33.8 %) used one or more antibiotic drugs. Two hundred and twenty-one patients (22.2 %) used antibiotic medication therapeutically, with a total of 307 antibiotic prescriptions. Antibiotic therapy was deemed inappropriate in 90 (29.3 %) of these prescribed antibiotics, with an unjustified prescription as the most common reason for an inappropriate prescription. Use of fluoroquinolones and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and a presumed diagnosis of fever of unknown origin, urinary tract infection, and respirator

Appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy and mortality: Conflicting data explained by residual confounding

Objective Clinical practice universally assumes that appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy improves survival in patients with bloodstream infection. However, this is not generally supported by previous studies. We examined the association between appropriate therapy and 30-day mortality, while minimizing bias due to confounding by indication. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study between 2012 and 2017 at a tertiary university hospital in the Netherlands. Adult patients with bloodstream infection attending the emergency department were included. Based on in vitro susceptibility, antibiotic therapy was scored as appropriate or inappropriate. Primary outcome was 30-day mortality. To control for confounding, we performed conventional multivariable logistic regression and propensity score methods. Additionally, we performed an analysis in a more homogeneous subgroup (i.e. antibiotic monotherapy). Results We included 1.039 patients, 729 (70.2%) received appropriate therapy. Overall 30-day mortality was 10.4%. Appropriately treated patients had more unfavorable characteristics, indicating more severe illness. Despite adjustments, we found no association between appropriate therapy and mortality. For the antibiotic monotherapy subgroup (n = 449), patient characteristics were more homogeneous. Within this subgroup, appropriate therapy was associated with lower mortality (Odds Ratios [95% Confidence Intervals] ranging from: 0.31 [0.14; 0.67] to 0.40 [0.19; 0.85]). Conclusions Comparing heterogeneous treatment groups distorts associations despite use of common methods to prevent bias. Consequently, conclusions of such observational studies should be interpreted with care. If possible, future investigators should use our method of attempting to identify and analyze the most homogeneous treatment groups nested within their study objective, because this minimizes residual confounding

Tuberculosis mimicking ileocecal intussusception in a 5-month-old girl

A 5-month-old girl was diagnosed with tuberculosis, mimicking ileocecal intussusception. The mother of the patient was later diagnosed with renal tuberculosis attributable to the same (unique) Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. Possibly, that transmission occurred by aspiration or ingestion of infected amniotic fluid or urine, which could occur before or during birth. This case illustrates that tuberculosis can mimic other common diseases and, therefore, can be a difficult diagnosis to make. Because respiratory infection was very unlikely in this case, congenital tuberculosis or postnatal infection via infected urine or breast milk should be in the differential diagnosis. In this article, we focus on different (nonrespiratory) transmission routes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and give a short review of the recent literature on congenital tuberculosis. Copyrigh

Body temperature and outcome in patients with a blood culture taken & Body temperature and outcome in patients with a positive blood culture

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Course of murine tuberculosis and response to first-line therapy depends on route of infection and inoculum size

BACKGROUND: In the search for new anti-tuberculosis drugs, numerous potential drugs are being screened in vitro. In animal models, promising new anti-tuberculosis drugs are assessed in terms of toxic side effects and comparative therapeutic efficacy. Mice are frequently used and experimental infections are established in dif