Azithromycin resistance and its molecular characteristics in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from a tertiary care centre in North India

Treatment guidelines for management of uncomplicated gonorrhoeae have been recently modified owing to alarming upsurge in azithromycin resistance. This study investigated the prevalence and genetic determinants of gonococcal azithromycin resistance in India. Four (5.7%) of 70 gonococcal isolates were resistant to azithromycin. Of 16 isolates investigated for molecular mechanisms of resistance, 13 (81.3%) and 6 (37.5%) isolates exhibited mutations in coding and promoter regions of mtrR gene, respectively. However, ermA, ermB and ermC genes or mutations in rrl gene were absent in all isolates. Azithromycin resistance is low in India posing no immediate threat to use of dual-therapy for syndromic management.     

Assessing Antibiotic Adherence and Improving Antibiotic Stewardship in Common Interventional Radiology Procedures

PurposeIn 2018, The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (JVIR) updated its guidelines regarding periprocedural antibiotics. However, some institutions are slower to adopt these new guidelines. Additionally, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and sepsis are serious concerns due in part to incorrect usage of antibiotics. The purpose of this study is to assess institutional adherence to 2018 JVIR guidelines for the purpose of improving antibiotic stewardship.Materials and methodsA total of 800 cases over a 10-month time period were retrospectively identified and charted following the release of guidelines. Inclusion criteria for the study were adults aged 21 years or older undergoing mediport placement, tunneled central line (TCL) placement, nephrostomy tube exchange, percutaneous biliary drain, or cholecystostomy tube exchange. Exclusion criteria included immunocompromised and pregnant individuals as 2018 guidelines may not fit these patient populations. Guideline adherence for each procedure was recorded as a percentage; the timing of the antibiotic usage was also recorded and compared to the guidelines (within 60 minutes before incision).ResultsIn total, 49 mediport placements, 118 tunneled central line placements – 44 hemodialysis (HD) catheters and 74 nonhemodialysis (non-HD) catheters, 100 nephrostomy exchanges, and 82 biliary tube exchanges were included. Antibiotics were used in 83.6% (41/49) of mediport patients, 11.3% (5/44) of non-HD TCL patients, 20.5% (15/74) of HD TCL patients, 55% (55/100) nephrostomy tube changes, and 65.4% (55/84) of biliary or cholecystostomy tube exchanges. Out of those given prophylaxis, guideline-recommended antibiotics were used in 100% (41/41) of mediport, 100% (20/20) of TCL (both HD and non-HD catheters), 9% (5/55) of nephrostomy tube exchanges, and 1.8% (1/55) of biliary tube exchanges. Guideline-recommended timing was followed in 75.3% across all cases (ranging from 72.2% in mediports to 79.3% in biliary exchanges).ConclusionThis study of antibiotic practices at a single university-based academic institution revealed that antibiotic usage is not fully up to date with 2018 guidelines. For mediports, non-HD TCL placements, and nephrostomy tube exchanges, institutional changes should be made to reduce periprocedural antibiotic use, as antibiotics are no longer recommended for these procedures. For HD TCL and biliary exchanges, proper adherence to recommended prophylactic antibiotics should be followed. In addition, education about the correct antibiotic timing should be emphasized to increase compliance with guidelines.     

Glucose starvation induces resistance to metformin through the elevation of mitochondrial multidrug resistance protein 1

Metformin, a drug for type 2 diabetes mellitus, has shown therapeutic effects for various cancers. However, it had no beneficial effects on the survival rate of human malignant mesothelioma (HMM) patients. The present study was performed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of metformin resistance in HMM cells. Glucose‐starved HMM cells had enhanced resistance to metformin, demonstrated by decreased apoptosis and autophagy and increased cell survival. These cells showed abnormalities in mitochondria, such as decreased ATP synthesis, morphological elongation, altered mitochondrial permeability transition pore and hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Intriguingly, Mdr1 was significantly upregulated in mitochondria but not in cell membrane. The upregulated mitochondrial Mdr1 was reversed by treatment with carbonyl cyanide m‐chlorophenyl hydrazone, an MMP depolarization inducer. Furthermore, apoptosis and autophagy were increased in multidrug resistance protein 1 knockout HMM cells cultured under glucose starvation with metformin treatment. The data suggest that mitochondrial Mdr1 plays a critical role in the chemoresistance to metformin in HMM cells, which could be a potential target for improving its therapeutic efficacy.     

2017年安徽省某三甲医院细菌耐药性监测

目的 了解铜陵市人民医院2017年临床分离细菌对抗菌药物的耐药状况。方法 对2017年1-12月临床分离菌采用纸片扩散法(KB)进行药敏试验，按CLSI 2017年版标准判读药敏试验结果，采用WHONET 5.6软件进行数据分析。结果 临床分离细菌共3436株，其中革兰阳性菌719株，占20.9%；革兰阴性菌2717株，占79.1%。耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌(MRSA)和耐甲氧西林凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌(MRCNS)的检出率分别为23.8%和72.3%，耐甲氧西林株对β-内酰胺类抗生素和其他测试抗菌药物的耐药率显著高于甲氧西林敏感株，未发现对万古霉素和替考拉宁耐药的葡萄球菌。粪肠球菌对青霉素、氨苄西林和呋喃妥因的耐药率较低，屎肠球菌对氯霉素的耐药率较低，5.3%屎肠球菌对万古霉素耐药。大肠埃希菌、克雷伯菌属(肺炎克雷伯菌和产酸克雷伯菌)和奇异变形菌中ESBLs的检出率分别为41.4%、50.7%和19.4%。肠杆菌科细菌中克雷伯菌属和沙雷菌属对碳青霉烯类抗生素耐药率较高，分别为37.5%和36.0%，其他菌属的耐药率低于3%。鲍曼不动杆菌对亚胺培南和美罗培南的耐药率分别80.3%和79.1%；铜绿假单胞菌对亚胺培南和美罗培南的耐药率分别为29.7%和28.4%。肺炎克雷伯菌、鲍曼不动杆菌和铜绿假单胞菌中广泛耐药株的检出率分别为31.3%(171/546)、0.6%(3/508)和0.7%(3/416)。结论 本院革兰阴性菌呈增多趋势，尤其广泛耐药的肺炎克雷伯菌应引起高度关注，做好细菌耐药性监测，加强临床抗菌药物的合理使用和医院感染控制。     

Atypical Abnormal Pulmonary Vein Drainage with Atrial Septal Defect: Surgical Treatment

Sinus venosus atrial septal defect (SV‐ASD) usually coexists with partial anomalous pulmonary vein connection (PAPVC). It is a difficult diagnosis in transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) due to eccentric position of defects. We present a rare case of atypical anatomical variation in PAPVC, which was never described before. Two right pulmonary veins drained into superior vena cava, which overrode SV‐ASD and interatrial septum, a third pulmonary vein into the right atrium. Complete diagnosis could not be set after TTE, nor transesophageal echocardiography, whereas angio‐CT was finally conclusive. This diagnostic approach allowed the surgical planning.     

Chronic high-level multidrug-resistant Campylobacter coli enterocolitis in an agammaglobulinemia patient: Oral gentamicin efficacy

BackgroundCampylobacter is the most common cause of infectious diarrhea in agammaglobulinemia patients. These infections can be severe, prolonged, and recurrent in such patients.Patient and methodsWe report a 29-year-old male patient with X-linked agammaglobulinemia with Campylobacter coli enterocolitis that persisted for nine months despite multiple 10- to 14-day courses of oral ciprofloxacin and azithromycin.ResultsThe isolate was highly resistant to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, and fosfomycin. The patient failed to respond to intravenous ertapenem, 1.0 g/day for two weeks, to which the pathogen was susceptible. He was finally cured with oral gentamicin, 80 mg four times daily, and stool cultures remained negative during the seven-month follow-up.ConclusionOral aminoglycoside might be the most appropriate choice for eradication of persistent Campylobacter in the intestinal tract for macrolide- and fluoroquinolone-resistant isolate in agammaglobulinemia patients with chronic diarrhea or relapsing systemic infections.     

An off-the-shelf plasma-based material to prevent pacemaker pocket infection

Bacterial infection of subcutaneous “pockets” housing cardiovascular implantable electronic devices is a significant clinical complication. In this study, pacemakers encapsulated in a blood plasma-based material (PBM) composited with antibiotics were investigated for use as prophylactics against such infections. PBMs, which are made from pooled allogeneic plasma and platelets, are off-the-shelf biomaterials that can be manufactured in the form of complex 3D shapes, extrudable putties, or injectable pastes. In vitro studies with PBM pastes formulated with rifampicin and minocycline demonstrated antibiotic release over 6 days, activity against Escherichia coli, and reduced cytotoxic effects of the antibiotics on fibroblasts. The materials were also evaluated in vivo in a rabbit model in which pacemaker pockets were inoculated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) strain and examined 1 week later. The pockets containing the pacemaker plus S. aureus were grossly purulent and culture positive, whereas pockets into which PBM with antibiotics were injected around the pacemaker were free of purulence and culture negative (p < 0.001). None of the pockets into which PBM without antibiotics were placed demonstrated purulence, but 60% were culture positive. These results demonstrate the potential of PBMs to deliver antibiotics to diminish the incidence of pocket infections for pacemakers and other implantable devices.