The use of a new glycopeptide antibiotic, teicoplanin, in the treatment of bacterial endocarditis

Teicoplanin, a new glycopeptide antibiotic, has been used to treat twelve patients with bacterial endocarditis due to Gram-positive organisms. Teicoplanin has activity against Gram-positive bacteria similar to vancomycin but therapeutic levels are maintained by a single daily dose, given as an intravenous bolus. Of six patients with native valve infections, two cases, due to viridans streptococci, were successfully treated with teicoplanin alone and two others, caused by Streptococcus faecalis, were cured by combinations including teicoplanin. One of these patients sustained high tone hearing loss during treatment. The remaining two patients were drug addicts with endocarditis due to Staphylococcus aureus which recurred despite repeated multiple therapy. Of six prosthetic valve infections, antibiotic combinations including teicoplanin cured three cases, caused by streptococci. Infection persisted or treatment was curtailed in three cases of Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis. In this small open study, teicoplanin appeared as effective as vancomycin in the treatment of endocarditis but had the considerable advantage of ease of administration.     

Staphylococcus lugdunensis endocarditis

A case of Staphylococcus lugdunensis endocarditis is presented with low back pain suggesting a secondary bone focus of infection. An umbilical skin lesion may have been an additional embolic phenomenon. The case highlights the aggressive nature of S lugdenensis endocarditis compared with other coagulase negative staphylococci and its association with native heart valves. In addition the importance of full identification of coagulase negative staphylococci isolated from patient samples in a case of suspected S lugdenensis infection is emphasised. Antibiotic treatment may be insufficient alone in the treatment of S lugdenensis endocarditis and early recourse to surgical intervention and valve replacement should therefore be considered.     

Bacterial isolates involved in cases of septicaemia in a Nigerian hospital

Of the nine hundred and twenty patients clinically diagnosed of having septicaemia at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria between 1980-1987, 233 (25.3%) had blood samples positive by culture. Thirteen different bacterial species were identified from positive blood cultures of which six predominated: Staphylococcus aureus (30.5%), Coliforms (17.6%), Klebsiella spp. (14.2%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.2%), Escherichia coli (7.9%) and Salmonella typhi (5.9%). The in vitro antibiotic, disc sensitivity pattern of the isolates showed they were relatively resistant to ampicillin and penicillin G but comparatively sensitive to antibiotics commonly used in the treatment of infections caused by these organisms. Septicaemia cases were recorded in all age groups but incidence in females was slightly but not significantly higher than in males (p less than 0.05). The study reveals the predominance of S. aureus strains in case of septicaemia in Nigeria.     

一起由金黄色葡萄球菌和路邓葡萄球菌引发食物中毒病原分析

目的 通过一起疑似葡萄球菌引发食物中毒进行葡萄球菌肠毒素检测,并结合检测出致病性葡萄球菌病原学分析,为下一步食物中毒处置提供诊断依据。方法 根据流行病学调查和国家标准《食品微生物学检验》GB4789,对可疑食物及患者呕吐物、肛拭子等进行了几种常见致病原菌分离培养,并直接采用实时荧光PCR方法对金黄色葡萄球菌肠毒素A~E基因进行分型,用全自动微生物鉴定分析仪进行系统生化鉴定,并做血浆凝固酶试验。结果 在食用剩余汉堡中分离出1株金黄色葡萄球菌、2名患者肛拭子中分离出2株金黄色葡萄球菌,1名患者呕吐物中分离1株血浆凝固酶阴性路邓葡萄球菌,利用PCR方法分别对其进行了肠毒素基因分型,结果显示,食用剩余汉堡中1株和2株患者肛拭子的金黄色葡萄球菌肠毒素均为SEA型,为同一型;1株患者呕吐物的路邓葡萄球菌的肠毒素为SEC型。 结论 该起食物中毒主要是由金黄色葡萄球菌产生SEA型肠毒素所导致,血浆凝固阴性路邓葡萄球菌跟金黄色葡萄球菌一样,也能产生肠毒素同样具有致病性作用,提示路邓葡萄球菌不单纯只是人类皮肤共生菌,或许还跟金黄色葡萄球菌同样具有侵袭性、产肠毒素等致病性,在进行公共卫生流行调查诊断时不能被忽视。     

类风湿性软脑膜炎一例报告

类风湿性脑膜炎(rheumatoid meningitis,RM)是类风湿关节炎(rheumatoid arthritis,RA)的一种少见并发症.RA累及中枢神经系统的主要表现为肥厚性硬脑膜炎、软脑膜炎、类风湿结节及血管炎.     

Post-caesarean septicaemia in Kandang Kerbau Hospital, Singapore, 1993-1995

We reviewed all documented cases of septicaemia following caesarean deliveries in Kandang Kerbau Hospital between 1st January 1993 to 31st December 1995. There were 22 cases of septicaemia among 8201 caesarean births, and hence the incidence is 2.7:1000. There were 45,412 deliveries, and the overall caesarean section rate was 18.1%. Among the 22 documented cases of septicaemia which came under this study, the most common clinical conditions found were endomyometritis (7 cases), urinary tract infection (6 cases), and wound infection (3 cases). One of the three cases with wound infection also had pneumonia. There was one patient who had mild transient myocarditis. We could not determine with certainty any site of infection in five patients. The most common bloodstream bacterial isolates was Staphylococcus aureus (16), while the uncommon ones were Acinetobacter baumanii (2), Escherichia coli (1), Klebsiella sp. (1), Staphylococcus epidermidis (1), Streptococcus Group F (1), Peptostreptococcus species and Veillonella species (1). There was no mortality and prompt, vigorous treatment had led to uneventful recovery in all the cases.     

A preliminary study on neonatal septicaemia in a tertiary referral hospital paediatric unit

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of neonatal septicaemia, and to identify risk factors, clinical presentations and causal organisms. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Neonatal Care Unit, University Paediatric Unit, Colombo North Teaching Hospital. SUBJECTS: Neonates admitted from January to December 1996 with clinical evidence of septicaemia. METHOD: Gestational age, birth weight and mode of delivery were evaluated as risk factors for septicaemia. Although diagnosis of septicaemia was made on clinical grounds, blood cultures were performed in all babies. Data was analysed by using Epi Info version 6. RESULTS: 98 babies had septicaemia. Incidence of septicaemia was 24.4 per 1000 live births and case fatality rate was 11.2%. Incidence was significantly higher in preterm babies, babies with low birth weight (LBW) and those born following instrumental delivery. 21.4% developed septicaemia on the first day of life, 74.5% between 2 and 7 days and 4.1% after the first week. Common presenting features were fever 61.2%, jaundice 52%, lethargy 37.8% refusal of feeds 25.5%, coffee grounds vomiting 22.4%, and fits 12.2%. Common bacteria identified were Klebsiella 26.5%, Staphylococcus aureus 15.3%, coliform bacilli 9.2% and spore forming bacilli 9.2%. Common sensitive antibiotics were amikacin 88.9%, amoxycillin + clavulanic acid 83%, ceftriaxone 78.1% and netilmicin 63.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Septicaemia is an important cause of morbidity, particularly in preterm babies, in babies with LBW and those with instrumentation at birth. The high incidence of late onset septicaemia together with the findings of Klebsiella and Staphylococcus aureus as common and resistant pathogens for septicaemia indicate that the majority were nosocomial infections.     

头孢呋辛钠与头孢克肟序贯治疗儿科感染成本效益分析

目的:对头孢呋辛钠与头孢克肟序贯治疗儿科感染进行成本效益分析。方法:采用开放式对照的研究方法,将51例中度感染患儿分三组:头孢呋辛钠、头孢克肟序贯治疗组,静脉用头孢呋辛钠组和口服头孢克肟组。从药品经济学角度对临床疗效、安全性和医疗费用进行综合评价。结果:三组疗效比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。口服用药最经济,头孢呋辛钠、头孢克肟序贯治疗显示较高的成本效益,采用序贯治疗对门诊治疗患儿每天可节省费用56元,住院患儿每天可节省费用59元。结论:头孢呋辛钠、头孢克肟序贯治疗儿科中度感染有明显成本效益优势。头孢克肟疗效可靠,治疗费用低,是头孢序贯治疗的较理想的口服接续药。序贯治疗是值得提倡的方法。     

Management of urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are commonly encountered in medical practice and range from asymptomatic bacteruria to acute pyelonephritis. Enterobacteriaceae with E. coli being the most prevalent, are responsible for most commonly acquired uncomplicated UTIs and usually respond promptly to oral antibiotics. In contradistinction, more resistant pathogens cause nosocomially acquired infections which often require parenteral antibiotic therapy. Patients with acute bacterial prostatitis, usually caused by Enterobacteriaceae present with a tender prostate gland and respond promptly to antibiotic therapy. Chronic bacterial prostatitis on the other hand, is a subacute infection characterized by recurrent episodes of bacterial UTI where the patient presents with vague symptoms of pelvic pain and voiding problems. Treatment is protracted and may be frustrating. Nonbacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome produce symptoms similar to those of chronic bacterial prostatitis. Treatment is not well defined due to their uncertain etiologies. Most episodes of catheter associated bacteruria are asymptomatic, where less than 5% will be complicated by bacteremia. The use of systemic antibiotics for treatment or prevention of bacteruria is not recommended, particularly in the geriatric age group, since it helps select for resistant organisms. Prevention thus remains the best option to control it. Few patients without catheters who have asymptomatic bacteruria develop serious complications and therefore routine antimicrobial therapy is not justified with only two exceptions : before urologic surgery and during pregnancy.     

Aeromonas hydrophila septicaemia and muscle abscesses associated with immunosuppression

We report a case of septicaemia and muscle abscesses due to Aeromonas hydrophila. The patient was immunosuppressed due to Hodgkin's disease and treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy. The abscesses resolved after prolonged antibiotic therapy. Organisms that were once considered rarely pathogenic are emerging as increasingly important in causing potentially lethal infections in immunosuppressed patients.     

Invasive disease due to Salmonella virchow: a north Queensland problem

Salmonella virchow is the second most commonly isolated salmonella serotype from human sources in Australia, and overseas studies indicate that S. virchow is a significant cause of extraintestinal salmonellosis. The successful management of three infants, two with septicaemia and one with leptomeningitis and septicaemia due to S. virchow, is described. A review of the Townsville General Hospital laboratory records (1978-1988) showed that, among other aspects, S. virchow accounted for 46% of all salmonella septicaemias, further exemplifying the invasive propensity of this serotype. Information obtained from various sources, after crude analyses, demonstrates that more than 90% of S. virchow infections in humans in Australia occur in Queensland, and that most (greater than 78% in 1987) of those infections in Queensland come from a coastal zone north of Bundaberg, with the highest concentration (0.4 per 1000 persons) occurring in the Cairns region.     

Gas gangrene in a diabetic after intramuscular injection

A 47 year old male insulin-dependent diabetic developed two synchronous life-threatening Clostridium perfringens infections under unusual circumstances. Numerous sterile abscesses were also present, being the result of regular pentazocine intramuscular injections. Extensive surgical debridement and parenteral antibiotic therapy proved effective in treating the septicaemia and the large soft tissue abscesses in the buttock and thigh. The patient made an excellent functional recovery. The pathogenesis of gas gangrene after injection is discussed with particular reference to the diabetic patient.     

Melioidotic osteomyelitis treated with antibiotic-calcium hydroxyapatite composite: case report with four-year follow-up

Melioidosis is caused by an infection by Burkholderia pseudomallei. Osteomyelitis is a recognised manifestation of melioidosis but Burkholderia pseudomallei is a relatively rare aetiological agent in musculoskeletal infections. We report a 32-year-old diabetic man with septicaemia due to melioidotic infection of the spleen, liver and distal femur. The osteomyelitis relapsed despite being treated with the standard radical debridement and insertion of gentamycinimpregnated polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA) beads, followed by an optimal antibiotic therapy. The PMMA-gentamycin beads were then removed. The bone defect was debrided and packed with calcium hydroxyapatite blocks filled with ceftazidime powder. The osteomyelitis was successfully treated and the patient remained free of infection four years postoperatively. Computed tomography demonstrated successful incorporation of the calcium hydroxyapatite into host bone.     

Failure of cephalosporins to prevent Staphylococcus aureus surgical wound infections

Approximately 35,000 Staphylococcus aureus surgical wound infections occur annually in the United States. To investigate why S aureus causes infection despite the perioperative administration of cephalosporins, we compared 35 methicillin-susceptible isolates recovered from deep wound infections that complicated cefazolin prophylaxis (18 of 1650 patients) and cefamandole prophylaxis (17 of 3702 patients) with 64 colonizing isolates from presurgical patients. Compared with both colonizing and cefamandole-associated isolates, S aureus isolates from cefazolin-associated infections were more resistant to cefazolin by specialized assays. Staphylococcus aureus isolates that produced the A and C variants of staphylococcal beta-lactamase were associated with infections following cefazolin and cefamandole prophylaxis, respectively. These isolates hydrolyze the respective cephalosporins rapidly, suggesting that staphylococcal survival after perioperative prophylaxis may be mediated by in vivo degradation of the prophylactically administered cephalosporin. These data indicate that some S aureus wound infections occur because of deficiencies in antimicrobial effectiveness that are not detectable by routine susceptibility tests. This finding has important implications for the therapy and prevention of S aureus infection.     

Incidence of Community-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections in a Regional Hospital

Background and Objective: Since the early 2000s, the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections among the community of people lacking known healthcare risk factors has increased. This MRSA infection is referred to as community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) infection and is distinct from hospital-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA) infection, which occurs among people with known healthcare risk factors. Understanding the epidemiology of CA-MRSA infections is critical; however, this has not been investigated in detail in Japan. Our objective was to investigate the incidence of CA-MRSA infections in a regional hospital.Patients and Methods: We investigated CA-MRSA isolates and infections in a rural regional hospital by reviewing medical records of one year. Infections were classified as CA-MRSA if no established risk factors were identified.Results: During 2008, 31 Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) isolates were detected in 29 unique patients, with 1 methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) isolates obtained from 19 patients (66%) and MRSA obtained from 10 patients (34%). In the 10 patients with MRSA, the number of HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA cases were nine (32% of patients with S. aureus isolates) and one (3%), respectively. The patient with CA-MRSA was diagnosed with cellulitis due to CA-MRSA. All nine patients with HA-MRSA exhibited colonization.Conclusion: We observed a CA-MRSA case in a regional hospital in Japan, suggesting that incidence trends of CA-MRSA should be considered in future research and treatment.     

Continuous varicella-zoster infection associated with acyclovir resistance in a child with AIDS

Acyclovir has become the treatment of choice for varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections in immunocompromised individuals. This article describes a 4-year-old girl congenitally infected with human immunodeficiency virus who developed a continuous cutaneous infection with VZV that persisted over a 14-month period until her death. Initial episodes of varicella and zoster were responsive to acyclovir treatment; however, subsequent recurrences necessitated administration of multiple courses of acyclovir. Lesions became markedly hyperkeratotic, slow healing, and persistent despite acyclovir therapy. Numerous attempts to isolate virus from the lesions yielded only one isolate late in the course of therapy. This virus clearly demonstrated acyclovir resistance in vitro. Bizarre manifestations of VZV infection could present both diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. Prolonged acyclovir treatment of highly immunocompromised patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and severe VZV may lead to the appearance of resistant virus.     

Asymptomatic acute pyelonephritis as a cause of acute renal failure in the elderly.

Urinary tract infections in the elderly are common, often asymptomatic and usually benign. We report three patients who presented with acute renal failure due to acute pyelonephritis in the absence of clinical findings of infection or urinary tract obstruction. Blood and urine cultures grew Escherichia coli in two of the patients and in two patients renal biopsy confirmed acute pyogenic pyelonephritis. Antimicrobial therapy and haemodialysis led to improvement, though one patient subsequently died from an unrelated cause. We suggest that acute bacterial pyelonephritis should be considered as a cause of acute renal failure in the elderly. Clinical features of infection may be absent despite bacteraemia. Prompt diagnosis and intervention may avoid chronic renal failure in a group that has a less favourable outcome with long-term dialysis.     

Contralateral hemiplegia following thoracic herpes zoster

OBJECTIVE: To suggest interim therapeutic guidelines for stroke following truncal herpes zoster on the basis of the first reported Australian case, in a patient who showed good clinical response related temporally to antiviral therapy. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 70-year-old patient with no known underlying immune disorder presented with left-sided hemiplegia one week after right-sided truncal herpes zoster. In all probability the neurological deficit was due to large artery vasculopathy with thrombosis. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Clinical improvement (not to pre-morbid levels) was noted soon after commencement of antiviral therapy with acyclovir. CONCLUSION: Stroke following herpes zoster may be a treatable condition. In view of the previously described occurrence of viral antigen within the walls of intracerebral vessels, the occasional progression of the syndrome over months, the generally low toxicity of acyclovir and the clinical response of the few patients treated with antiviral agents to date, early antiviral therapy in patients presenting with delayed contralateral hemiplegia associated with herpes zoster is recommended as prudent.     

Staphylococcal septicaemia, endocarditis, and osteomyelitis in dialysis and renal transplant patients.

Septicaemia is a common and potentially lethal hazard of haemodialysis and renal transplantation; it is usually caused by Staphylococcus pyogenes. In 6 patients with S. pyogenes septicaemia, fatal endocarditis and spinal osteomyelitis have each occurred once, and 3 patients have had recurrent episodes of septicaemia. The management of septicaemia in these patients must include a search for metastatic infection, and prolonged therapy with 2 antistaphylococcal agents is necessary to ensure eradication of infection. Access site infection in dialysis patients must be treated vigorously, and recognized as potentially hazardous by patients. The risk of sepsis in dialysis and transplant patients cannot be excluded, but devastating consequences may be avoided by simple measures.     

Aeromonas endocarditis in a patient with chronic hepatitis-B infection

Aeromonas, a genus of gram-negative bacteria normally found in water and soil, is well established as a pathogen in the animal kingdom. Often considered as a pathogen of low virulence, its role in human infections has recently been recognised. Aeromonas infections in humans range from cellulitis to septicaemia. Endocarditis is rare. We describe here a patient with a chronic liver disease with aeromonas bacteremia and endocarditis.