Toxic shock syndrome after functional endonasal sinus surgery: An all or none phenomenon?

Reported cases of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) following nasal surgery or functional endonasal sinus surgery (FESS) are uncommon. Classic TSS is a serious multisystem disorder resulting from Staphylococcus aureus phage I toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1), and it is characterized by fever, rash, hypotension, mucosal hyperemia, vomiting, diarrhea, and laboratory evidence of multisystem organ dysfunction. TSS cases following nasal surgery have been associated with nasal packing, mucosal barrier violation, prior S aureus phage I colonization, as well as low antitoxin antibody levels.¹ Of the 1700 FESS procedures performed at our institution, 3 cases were complicated by classic TSS, with 2 additional patients having a postsurgical course compromised by a milder degree of TSS. Diagnostic criteria, clinical presentation, management, and etiology are discussed, and the possibility of a continuum from mild-to-classic TSS is addressed.     

Evaluation and comparison of tympanoplasty efficacy with tympanic membrane perforation after chronic suppurative otitis media in dry ear with different microorganisms

ObjectiveTo investigate the distribution of pathogenic bacteria in patients with tympanic membrane perforation after chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in dry ear and its influence on the success rate of tympanoplasty and postoperative infection.Methods740 patients with tympanic membrane perforation after CSOM underwent endoscopic tympanoplasty were selected. The mucosal surface secretion of middle-ear was collected for bacterial culture and drug sensitivity test. The patients were followed up several times from 1 week to 3 months after the surgery.Results740 cases of ear secretions samples, raise the pathogens of 208 cases (28.1%), the success rate of surgery with microorganism grown and with no grown was 93.8% and 91.5%. fungus (14.6%) was the most species among the patients with the positive result, followed by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (4.1%), Pseudomonas (2.0%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (1.9%), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (1.6%) and so on. There was no statistical difference in the proportion of perforation and infection in each group. There were no statistically significant differences in gender, age and duration of disease among the groups.ConclusionThere were still microbial colonization in patients with tympanic membrane perforation after CSOM in dry ear, include fungus, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Different microbial colonization had no influence on the success rate of tympanoplasty and postoperative infection.     

Nasal lavage with mupirocin for the treatment of surgically recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis

Objectives/Hypothesis: To examine the efficacy and tolerability of topical mupirocin for the management of surgically recalcitrant chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) associated with Staphylococcus aureus infection. Study Design: Prospective open-label pilot study. Methods: Patients with surgically recalcitrant CRS who had positive nasendoscopically guided cultures for Staphylococcus aureus were treated with twice daily nasal lavages containing 0.05% Mupirocin and lactated ringers salts. The duration of treatment was 3 weeks. Patients were assessed before and after treatment in terms of nasendoscopic findings, microbiology results, and Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20) and visual analogue scale questionnaires. Results: Fifteen of 16 patients had improved nasendoscopic findings after treatment. Twelve of 16 patients noted overall symptom improvement. Fifteen of 16 patients had negative swab results for Staphylococcus aureus after treatment. Only minimal adverse effects were experienced. Conclusions: Nasal Lavage with 0.05% Mupirocin may represent an effective and well tolerated alternative treatment for postsurgical recalcitrant CRS.     

Association of adenoid hyperplasia and bacterial biofilm formation in children with adenoiditis in Taiwan

The adenoid is a bacterial reservoir that contributes to chronic otolaryngologic infections. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common pathogen in the adenoid. The increase of antibiotic resistance in S. aureus has become an important issue in public health. The aim of this study was to compare adenoid hyperplasia and biofilm formation in children with S. aureus adenoiditis in Taiwan. The patients were divided into methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus groups according to the S. aureus obtained from adenoid tissue after antibiotic susceptibility testing. Adenoid hyperplasia was assessed by lateral cephalometry, and the severity of sinusitis was evaluated by Water’s view. Microbiological investigation of available S. aureus isolates was performed by in vivo morphological observation and an in vitro bacterial biofilm assay. Sixty isolates of S. aureus were identified in 283 children (21.2%) after adenoidectomy, of which 21 (35%) were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). The severity of adenoid hyperplasia and extensive biofilm formation were more prominent in patients infected with methicillin-resistant S. aureus than in those infected with methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). The primary outcome of this study was to provide evidence that S. aureus constituted a significant portion of the adenoidal pathogens. The secondary outcome of this study was that MRSA adenoiditis may be associated with adenoid hyperplasia and biofilm formation.     

Bacterial flora and the epidemiology of staphylococcus aureus in the nose among patients with symptomatic nasal septal perforations

Conclusions Patients with symptomatic perforations of the nasal septum had a high prevalence of S. aureus in the nasal mucosa. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis revealed a high genetic heterogeneity of S. aureus among both patients and controls. This indicates that presence of different strains of S. aureus can maintain a chronic inflammation in symptomatic nasal septal perforations. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the microbial flora around nasal septal perforations in patients having severe symptoms regarding bleeding, obstruction, and crustation associated with their perforation. Methods Twenty-five patients with untreated symptomatic nasal septal perforations were included. For culture, swabs around the perforations were collected. Bacteria were identified with standard laboratory techniques including a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer. Epidemiological analysis was done using PFGE protocols. Bacteriological data were compared with data from a healthy control group. Results Staphylococcus aureus was present in the mucosa surrounding the nasal perforation significantly more often (p?S. aureus strains revealed a high genetic heterogeneity and no specific S. aureus genotypes were associated with septal perforation.     

Susceptibility of microorganisms isolated from chronic suppurative otitis media to ciprofloxacin

In order to evaluate the susceptibility of the microorganisms isolated from chronic suppurative otitis media to ciprofloxacin, cultures of specimens from 127 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media and their antibiotic sensitivity results were examined. The most common aerobic isolates were Pseudomonas sp., Proteus sp. and Staphylococcus aureus with recovery rates of 40.7%, 21.6% and 19.1% respectively. Sensitivity results showed that 6.2% of Pseudomonas isolates, 2.9% of Proteus isolates, 10% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates and 8.3% of Escherichia coli isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin.     

Bacteriology of postradiotherapy chronic rhinosinusitis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and chronic rhinosinusitis

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the bacteriology of postradiotherapy chronic rhinosinusitis (postRT-CRS) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by evaluating the aspiration materials of the maxillary sinus of patients with postRT-CRS and patients with CRS. We collected the secretions of the maxillary sinus from 30 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with postRT-CRS and 30 patients with CRS for aerobe/facultative anaerobe bacteria culture. The most common isolates in the postRT-CRS group were Streptocuccus viridans, Staphylococcus aureus and Haemophilus influenzae, while those in the CRS group were Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Isolated Gram-positive coccus rate in postRT-CRS patients was significantly higher than in CRS patients (62.50% compared with 30.00%, respectively; P < 0.05), and isolated Gram-negative bacilli rate in postRT-CRS patients was significantly lower than in CRS patients (31.25% compared with 70.00%, respectively; P < 0.05). However, the incidence of positive cultures was not significantly different between the postRT-CRS group and the CRS group (P > 0.05). This study found that there were some differences in bacteriology between postRT-CRS and CRS. Gram-positive coccus was the predominant aerobic/facultative anaerobe pathogenic bacterium in patients with postRT-CRS, and Gram-negative bacilli was predominant in CRS patients.     

Postoperative infections following cochlear implant surgery

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to report the frequency and management of postoperative wound infections and to investigate bacteriology and biofilm formation following 653 consecutive cochlear implantations in adults.

Methods: A retrospective file review of 653 consecutive adult cochlear implantations between 1994 and 2015 at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at Odense University Hospital. A reporting consensus was used to classify infections.

Results: The major and minor infection rates were 2% and 8%, respectively. The explantation rate due to infection was 1%. The most common pathogen found was Staphylococcus aureus and biofilm formation was found in 73% of the explantations.

Conclusion: Postoperative infection occurred in 10% of the implantations. However, few of these were severe. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen and the presence of biofilm seemed to be associated with a higher risk of explantation.     

Intraoperative bacterial analysis in nasal polyposis: Clinical and functional impact

BackgroundThe impact of Staphylococcus aureus on onset of nasal polyposis has been the focus of numerous studies, but there have been few studies of other germs found in the ethmoid of operated patients or of their impact on post-operative results.Material and methodsAll patients undergoing endoscopic radical ethmoidectomy for nasal polyposis in the teaching hospital of Nantes (France) between 2006 and 2016 had intraoperative ethmoid cavity bacterial sampling. Phenotypic characteristics, pre- and post-operative symptoms and endoscopic findings were analyzed. Mann–Whitney tests and Kruskal–Wallis correlation analysis were used to assess clinical/bacteriological correlations.ObjectivesThe main objective was to describe bacterial colonization of patients undergoing surgery for nasal polyposis, and to assess correlations with phenotypic features, functional results and postoperative clinical course.ResultsOne hundred and seven patients were included. A total of 26% were not infected, 55% mono-infected and 19% multi-infected. In 27.3%, staphylococci were isolated; in 30.5%, isolates were gram-negative bacilli. There were no significant correlations between presence or type of pathogen and symptom profile.ConclusionThis study confirmed the high rate of pathogenic bacteria in nasal cavities in case of polyposis, with high frequencies of S. aureus but also of gram-negative bacilli, raising the question of their involvement in the inflammatory reactions underlying the nasal polyposis.     

Indications,risk of lower airway infection,and complications to pediatric tracheotomy: report from a tertiary referral center

Background: Although pediatric tracheotomy is potentially life-saving, the procedure is associated with high risk of complications, and indications have changed the last decade. We report indications, complications, and lower airway infections (LAIs) to pediatric tracheotomy performed at a tertiary referral center.

Methods: We identified all children (<18?years) who underwent tracheotomy at our institution during 2008–2015. A review of hospital records was performed to extract data on indication of the procedure, complications, and information on pre- and postoperative LAI.

Results: At a median age of 8?years (range: 4 months to 17 years), a total of 69 tracheotomies were performed. Neuromuscular disease (n?=?21) was the most common cause for tracheotomy. The postoperative complication rate was 22%; early complications (<30?days) occurred in four patients, and nine patients encountered late complications such as wound granulation and tracheocutaneous fistula. Children without LAI prior to tracheotomy were at increased risk of LAI from the initial 30-days following surgery (OR: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.17–7.21; p?=?.02). Fifty-three percent (10/19) of all LAIs following tracheotomy were caused by Staphylococcus aureus (p?Conclusions: Pediatric tracheotomy was associated with considerable rates of minor early and late complications and high risk of short-term LAI. The main cause leading to tracheotomy was neuromuscular disease.     

A clinical comparison of hydrocortisone butyrate with oxytetracycline/hydrocortisone acetate -polymyxin B in the local treatment of acute external otitis

Summary In a single blind, randomized study, 46 patients with acute external otitis were treated with either oxytetracycline/hydrocortisone with polymyxin B (TPB) or hydrocortisone-17-alpha-butyrate eardrops for 7 days. Pseudomonas pyocyanea, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staph. aureus were the microorganisms most frequently found in the ear canal. Fungi were not found in any culture. The overall cure rate was 80%. No significant difference in therapeutic efficacy was noted between the preparations except regarding Staph. aureus, which was cultured from 17% of the patients. Although the butyrate solution did not contain any antibiotic supplement, it seemed to be more effective than TPB in treating the staphylococcal infections. These findings suggest that such other factors as the hydrogen ion concentration, the steroid potency or the vehicle per se are of importance for the successful treatment of acute external otitis.offprint requests to: M. Ruth     

A worrying development in the microbiology of otitis externa1

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is causing growing concern in hospitals. There has been a steady increase in the number of cases of nosocomial MRSA infections recently and this will no doubt apply to otitis externa, one of the most common ENT infections. The total number of cases of otitis externa presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department over a 3‐month period was recorded and the offending microbes cultured and tested for drug sensitivities. Although Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most frequent organism, 30% of patients grew S. aureus. Of these, 6% (15 patients) were MRSA cultures. The contact histories, antibiotic sensitivities and treatment of these 15 patients were studied. Recommendations as a result of this study include the routine culture and sensitivity in otitis externa and where MRSA is cultured, a full contact history should be elicited and appropriate precautions taken. Specifically, a history of hospital contact should be sought. Treatments used successfully in the treatment of MRSA otitis externa were aural toilet and fucidic acid–betamathasone 0.5% wicks where the organism was gentamycin‐resistant (GMRSA), whereas aural toilet with aminoglycoside–steroid drops was sufficient if it was gentamycin‐sensitive.     

Nasal carriage of pathogenic bacteria in medical students: effects of clinic exposure on prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility

Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of community-acquired and nosocomial infections worldwide. One important source of this pathogen for nosocomial infections is the nasal carriage of S. aureus among hospital personnel. There are only a few studies investigating the carriage of S. aureus in a community of medical students. Oral and nasal flora of 179 medical students with varying clinical exposures were determined. Oral cultures revealed no nosocomial pathogen and nasal cultures showed an increasing rate of S. aureus carriage with increasing clinical exposure. Methicillin resistance also demonstrated a tendency toward increasing with increasing clinical exposure.     

Trends in complications after functional endoscopic sinus surgery in Japan: A comparison with a previous study (2007–2013vs. 2013–2017)

ObjectiveFunctional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis is considered safe and is widely performed. Techniques and devices for this type of surgery have recently been updated. The purpose of this study was to describe the proportions of complications after FESS (2013–2017) and to compare the results with those from our previous study (2007–2013).MethodsWe obtained data on 70,288 patients who underwent FESS from April 2013 to March 2017 from a Japanese national inpatient database. We classified FESS into four types: single sinus surgery (ESS Type 2), multiple sinus surgery (ESS Type 3), whole sinus surgery (ESS Type 4), and extensive sinus surgery (ESS Type 5). We investigated the proportions of complications after FESS, including cerebrospinal fluid leakage, meningitis, orbital injury, severe hemorrhage, and toxic shock syndrome. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis with adjustment for within-hospital clustering to evaluate the association between the occurrence of overall complications and patient characteristics.ResultsThe proportion of overall complications was 0.50%. The proportions of patients with cranial complications, orbital complications, hemostasis operations, blood transfusion, and toxic shock syndrome were 0.11%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.30%, and 0.03%, respectively. The extent of FESS was not associated with the occurrence of overall complications. The occurrence of overall complications was associated with the severity of comorbidities and the academic hospital status. Asthma and use of a microdebrider were associated with a lower occurrence of overall complications.ConclusionThe proportion of overall complications after FESS in the present study was similar to that reported in our previous study. The extent of FESS and eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis were not associated with the occurrence of overall complications.     

A randomized clinical trial of two topical preparations (framycitin/gramicidin and oxytetracycline/ hydrocortisone with polymyxin B) in the treatment of external otitis

Summary In a randomized trial, 55 patients with acute external otitis were treated with either topical framycitin/gramicidin (Sofradex) or oxytetracycline/hydrocortisone (Terracortril) with polymyxin B (TPB) ear-drops for 1 week. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas pyocyanea were the bacteria most frequently found in the ear canal; 78% of the patients were cured. However, no significant differences in therapy were found when either of the preparations was used. S. aureus seemed to be most resistant to treatment, while P. pyocyanea was less of a therapeutic problem. Additionally, previous episodes of external otitis or other skin diseases did not seem to influence any treatment given.     

Staphylococcus aureus sinus infections in children

Objective

Staphylococcus aureus can cause sinusitis in children. The predominant MRSA clone in the United States, USA300, has been associated with skin and soft tissue as well as invasive diseases. USA300 has increased among CA methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (CA-MSSA) isolates. We describe the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with S. aureus cultured from sinus specimens, treated at Texas Children's Hospital (TCH), and characterized their isolates by molecular methods.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of children with endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) cultures positive for S. aureus between 01/2005 and 12/2008 at TCH. Medical records were reviewed and associated S. aureus isolates were characterized by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and Chi-square for trend.

Results

We identified 56 patients with S. aureus sinus infections; 12 (21%) were MRSA. Seven of 12 (58%) MRSA vs. 5/44 (11%) MSSA were USA300 (p < 0.01). All MRSA isolates were non-susceptible to erythromycin compared to 30% of MSSA (p < 0.01); 75% of the USA300 strains were non-susceptible to erythromycin compared to 36% of the non-USA300 strains (p < 0.04). Co-pathogens were isolated from 77% (43/56) of the patient specimens. Both MRSA and USA300 isolates were associated with Haemophilus influenzae co-isolation (p < 0.05). Patients with USA300 strains were significantly younger (p = 0.02) and more likely to experience snoring as a symptom associated with their sinusitis (p = 0.03) than those infected with non-USA300 strains. Children with MRSA (4/12) tended to have a greater recurrence rate than children with MSSA isolates (5/44) (p = 0.09). No significant differences were observed between groups for fever or complications such as neck cellulitis, nasal abscess, meningitis, subdural empyema, and orbital cellulitis.

Conclusion

MSSA was more commonly isolated than MRSA from sinus cultures of children who underwent ESS at TCH. The majority of ESS cultures positive for S. aureus, were mixed with other respiratory pathogens, principally H. influenzae. USA300 was the major clone among the MRSA sinusitis isolates, but was not associated with more complications than other S. aureus isolates.     

Microbial colonization of blom-singer prostheses in postlaryngectomy patients

The microbial colonization of 44 Blom-Singer valves obtained from 16 patients over an 11-month period was investigated both by standard microbial culture methods and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The valves were all removed from the patients after failure to function correctly. The microbiology cultures revealed that Candida species and Staphylococcus aureus were present either individually or in combination on 43 valves. SEM showed yeast hyphae attached to and penetrating the surfaces of the 5 valves examined. Colonies of staphylococci were also seen on 2 of these 5 valves. Unlike similar investigations on other voice prostheses, Saureus colonization was associated with Candida colonization and valve failure.     

Short-term antibiotics treatment in patients with nasal polyps and enterotoxins producing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus aureus</Emphasis> strains

Enterotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus (SA) can act as super-antigens and thus influence the course of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (NP). The aim of this study was to determine if antibiotic treatment administered after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for NP can positively influence the course of the disease compared to placebo. After ESS, 23 patients who tested positive, in a perioperative culture, for SA strains producing enterotoxins A–E and TSST-1, were randomized into two groups. Group A which in addition to standard treatment received oral anti-staphylococcal antibiotics for 3 weeks. Group B received a placebo. Both groups were compared preoperatively, and at 3 and 6 months after surgery using a symptom-specific score, an endoscopic score and the SNOT-22 quality of life questionnaire. Slightly better results were achieved in patients who received antibiotic therapy. However, the differences were not statistically significant. Regardless of post-operative treatment, approximately 30% of patients had a SA-negative culture 6 months after surgery.     

Pediatric neck abscesses: changing organisms and empiric therapies

Objective: To examine the causative organisms in pediatric neck infections, delineate risk factors in methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pediatric neck infections, and define patient populations that should be empirically treated with MRSA sensitive antibiotics. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: Two hundred twenty‐eight consecutive patients were reviewed, ages 0 to 17, presenting at a tertiary care center between 1999 and 2007 with computed tomography proven neck abscesses. Characteristics of patients with differing causative organisms were compared. Results: Forty‐eight percent of all pediatric patients' with head and neck abscesses had S. aureus as the causative organism, 29% of which were community‐acquired MRSA—recent years showed that up to 66% of pediatric neck abscesses were MRSA culture positive. When comparing MRSA infections vs. other causative organisms multiple clinical characteristics were found which did not help to differentiate those patients at a higher risk for MRSA. Characteristics which did trend to predict an MRSA infection were few. For example, the average age of patients with MRSA was 32.5 months compared with only 16 months for the methicillin‐sensitive S. aureus patients. MRSA sensitivities and resistances were also examined. Conclusions: This study presents a large cohort of pediatric neck abscess patients, in which the emergence and characteristics of MRSA are shown. As community‐acquired MRSA infections become more prevalent, empiric antibiotic therapy must be considered. The results of this study show that the incidence of MRSA has greatly increased and clinical risk factors are not helpful in choosing those patients which may be at higher risk for an MRSA infection.     

Molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from children with adenoid hypertrophy: emergence of new spa types t7685 and t7692

Objective

Adenoids have been associated with the pathogenesis of acute, recurrent and chronic infectious diseases of the upper respiratory system and their hypertrophy is one of the most common causes of upper airway obstruction affecting children. In this study, the characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from patients who had undergone adenoidectomy were investigated via spa typing method.

Methods

A total of 113 children with adenoid hypertrophy who underwent adenoidectomy during September 2009 to November 2010, were included in the study. The isolates were identified to the species level as S. aureus using standard biochemical methods, following which the amplification and sequencing of the spa gene X region were carried out.

Results

S. aureus was found in the adenoid tissue of 26 (23%) patients. Out of the 26 S. aureus isolates, 5 (19%), 3 (11.5%) and 3 (11.5%) were resistant to tetracycline, erythromycin and oxacillin respectively. All the isolates were susceptible to vancomycin, rifampin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, mupirocin and quinupristin-dalfopristin and were typed using spa typing method. All the isolates were found to include 21 spa types, including two previously unreported types (t7685 and t7692). The most prevalent spa types were t7685 (11.5%), t230 (8%), t325 (8%) and t1149 (8%).

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that the prevalence rate of S. aureus in the adenoid tissue of the children assessed was 23%. An interesting point to note was the dominance of the spa type t7685 that has not been previously reported by other studies.