Microbiologic characteristics and predictors of mortality in bloodstream infections in intensive care unit patients: A 1-year, large, prospective surveillance study in 5 Italian hospitals

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) from multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria cause morbidity and mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients worldwide. This study investigated the incidence of BSIs in 5 adult general ICUs in Rome, Italy, and evaluated the mortality rate and risk factors associated with these infections

Linezolid as rescue drug: A clinical case of soft tissue infection caused by a Staphylococcus aureus strain resistant in vivo to teicoplanin

The authors report and discuss a patient admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) for acute respiratory failure due to upper airway obstruction caused by face and neck soft tissue infection. An oxacillin-resistant Staphyloccoccus aureus was isolated from necrotic skin lesions and from skin biopsy. The strain was susceptible in vitro to teicoplanin, but it showed resistance in vivo, despite appropriate dosage. After 6 days of full dose therapy, since the clinical course worsened, teicoplanin was interrupted and linezolid was started. In 48 hours signs of infection regressed, and the patient was discharged from the ICU after 10 days of linezolid treatment. Linezolid resulted as a rescue drug for a life-threatening infection

Two-year surveillance on fluconazole susceptibility of Candida spp isolates in a general and university hospital in Rome.

Fluconazole susceptibility was tested in 385 clinical yeast isolates (285 Candida albicans, 38 C. glabrata, 31 C. tropicalis, 31 other Candida subsp.) using the agar disk diffusion test. Yeasts were collected from specimens obtained from outpatients (69) and inpatients (intensive care unit: 79 isolates, major burn unit: 31 isolates, hematology ward: 45 isolates, gynecology ward: 67 isolates, other wards: 94 isolates). Three hundred and fifty-six (92%) yeast isolates showed to be susceptible, 18 (5%) were susceptible dose-dependent, and 10 (3%) were resistant to fluconazole. Of the resistant group, 3 isolates were C.albicans, while seven were Candida non-albicans (2 C. rugosa, 2 C. humicola, 1 C. tropicalis, 1 C. ciferrii, 1 C. glabrata). The disk-diffusion method was easy to perform and there were no difficulties in the interpretation of inhibition zone diameters. Fluconazole maintained a good activity against Candida spp despite its extensive use for the prophylaxis and treatment of fungal infections

Two-year surveillance on fluconazole susceptibility of Candida spp isolates in a general and university hospital in Rome.

Fluconazole susceptibility was tested in 385 clinical yeast isolates (285 Candida albicans, 38 C. glabrata, 31 C. tropicalis, 31 other Candida subsp.) using the agar disk diffusion test. Yeasts were collected from specimens obtained from outpatients (69) and inpatients (intensive care unit: 79 isolates, major burn unit: 31 isolates, hematology ward: 45 isolates, gynecology ward: 67 isolates, other wards: 94 isolates). Three hundred and fifty-six (92%) yeast isolates showed to be susceptible, 18 (5%) were susceptible dose-dependent, and 10 (3%) were resistant to fluconazole. Of the resistant group, 3 isolates were C.albicans, while seven were Candida non-albicans (2 C. rugosa, 2 C. humicola, 1 C. tropicalis, 1 C. ciferrii, 1 C. glabrata). The disk-diffusion method was easy to perform and there were no difficulties in the interpretation of inhibition zone diameters. Fluconazole maintained a good activity against Candida spp despite its extensive use for the prophylaxis and treatment of fungal infections

Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis in chronic HCV hepatitis treated with interferon

The study describes the clinical, virologic and immunological characteristics of a patient with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis during interferon treatment for HCV chronic hepatitis. After the interruption of the interferon and the beginning of immunosuppressive treatment, an improvement of pulmonary pathology was observed. At the reintroduction of interferon, the patient presented a rapid worsening of pulmonary fibrosis with a normalization of biochemical and virologic parameters of hepatitis. The correlation among interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, HCV infection and interferon treatment is discussed; however in the described case, the pulmonary pathology was correlated to interferon treatment