In vitro expression of vital virulent genes of clinical and environmental isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii in endothelial cells of human blood-brain barrier

BackgroundEvaluation of the pathogenesis of clinical and environmental cryptococcal isolates to the central nervous system is necessary for understanding the risk. This study was designed to determine the in vitro expression of six important virulent genes of Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii in Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial cells (hBMEC).MethodsThe hBMEC were infected with Cryptococcus to determine invasion and survival rate at 3, 12 and 24 hours by subsequent colony count of internalized yeasts. The whole RNA of the intracellular Cryptococcus was extracted to quantify the expression of CAP10, PLB1, ENA1, URE1, LAC1, and MATα genes by real-time quantitative PCR for 3 and 12 hours of infection.ResultsInvasion and survival rates were higher in clinical and standard strains of C. neoformans. A significant difference was observed among the clinical and environmental isolates for the expression of CAP10, ENA1, LAC1, MATα and URE1 at 3 hours, and ENA1, LAC1, MATα, PLB1 and URE1 at 12 hours. Clinical isolates showed significant upregulation of all the genes except PLB1, which was higher in environmental isolates. Relative expressions at the two time-points showed statistically significant (P = 0.043) changes for the clinical isolates and no significance (P = 0.063) for environmental isolates.ConclusionThe C. gattii (VGI) isolates showed significantly lower invasion and survival than C. neoformans (VNI, and VNII) irrespective of their sources. Clinical isolates exhibited higher expression for the majority of the virulent genes until 12 hours of infection, probably due to their better adaptation in the host system and enhanced pathogenicity than the environmental counterparts.     

Combining VITEK® 2 with colistin agar dilution screening assist timely reporting of colistin susceptibility

ObjectivesThe rise in carbapenem resistance among Gram-negative bacteria has renewed interest in colistin. Recently, the EUCAST-CLSI Polymyxin Breakpoints Working Group declared that broth microdilution (BMD) is the only valid method for colistin susceptibility testing. BMD is not easily incorporated into the routine work of clinical laboratories, and usually this test is incorporated serially, resulting in delayed susceptibility reporting. We tested a strategy of combining VITEK^® 2 with a 2 μg/mL colistin agar dilution (VITEK^® 2/AD) screening plate to improve performance and time to reporting of colistin susceptibility.MethodsColistin susceptibility for 364 clinical isolates was determined by VITEK^® 2/AD and compared with the reference standard BMD according to the ISO 20776-1:2007 and CLSI guidelines. The EUCAST colistin susceptibility breakpoint of ≤2 μg/mL was used. Escherichia coli NCTC 13846 served as quality control strain. Agreement, very major error (VME) and major error rates were determined using ISO 20776-2:2007.ResultsThe VME rate for VITEK^® 2 alone was 30.6% (15/49, 95% CI 18.3–45.4%), and was reduced to 10.2% (5/49, 95% CI 3.4–22.2%) using the VITEK^® 2/AD combined testing. The combined testing had categorical agreement with BMD of 97% (354/364, 95% CI 95.0–98.7%), and a major error (ME) rate of 1.6% (5/315, 95% CI 0.5–3.7%). Using the combined testing, even against challenging strains, 349 (95.8%, 95% CI 93.3–97.7%) colistin susceptibility results could be reported, and only 15 isolates required further analysis by BMD.DiscussionOur method is simple to apply and allows rapid reporting of colistin susceptibility.     

Fluoroquinolones versus trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for the treatment of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundFluoroquinolones are a popular alternative to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections.ObjectivesTo compare the effects of fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole on mortality of S. maltophilia infections.Data sourcesPubMed and EMBASE.Study eligibility criteriaClinical studies reporting mortality outcomes of S. maltophilia infections.ParticipantsPatients with clinical infections caused by S. maltophilia.InterventionsFluoroquinolone monotherapy in comparison with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole monotherapy.MethodsSystematic review with meta-analysis technique.ResultsSeven retrospective cohort and seven case–control studies were included. Three cohort studies were designed to compare the two drugs, whereas others had other purposes. A total of 663 patients were identified, 332 of which were treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (50.1%) and 331 with fluoroquinolones (49.9%). Three cohort studies were designed to compare the effect of the two drugs, whereas the others had other purposes. Levofloxacin was most frequently used among fluoroquinolones (187/331, 56.5%), followed by ciprofloxacin (114/331, 34.4%). The overall mortality rate was 29.6%. Using pooled ORs for the mortality of each study, fluoroquinolone treatment (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39–0.99) was associated with survival benefit over trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole treatment, with low heterogeneity (I² = 18%). Specific fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.17–1.12) and levofloxacin (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.48–1.26) did not show a significant difference in comparison with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. In the sub-group analyses of adult and bacteraemic patients, significant differences in mortality were not observed between fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.ConclusionsBased on a meta-analysis of non-randomized studies, fluoroquinolones demonstrated comparable effects on mortality of S. maltophilia infection to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, supporting the use of fluoroquinolones in clinical S. maltophilia infections. Although the pooled analysis of overall studies favoured fluoroquinolones over trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, the studies included were observational, and sub-group analyses of certain fluoroquinolone agents did not show statistical differences with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Randomized clinical studies are needed to address these issues.     

Transmission events and antimicrobial susceptibilities of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus argenteus in Stockholm

ObjectivesStaphylococcus argenteus has been increasingly reported since the species was defined as a novel staphylococcal species in 2015. This study aims to investigate genetic epidemiological links and antimicrobial susceptibilities of methicillin-resistant S. argenteus isolates recovered in Stockholm.MethodsSixteen methicillin-resistant S. argenteus isolates were identified from a collection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Stockholm 2007–2018, by using whole-genome sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The genomes of the isolates were investigated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based phylogeny, k-mer analysis, core-genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST), resistance traits and virulence factors. The MICs of 19 antimicrobial agents for each isolate were determined by using the broth microdilution method.ResultsOf the 16 isolates, seven, seven and two isolates were assigned to ST1223, ST2250 and ST2793, respectively, with the S. aureus MLST-scheme. Analyses based on SNPs and cgMLST revealed a likely clonal spread of methicillin-resistant S. argenteus in 2007. Four isolates were found to be resistant to non-β-lactams in antimicrobial susceptibility testing.ConclusionsA transmission event of methicillin-resistant S. argenteus in family was identified by this study. Among our limited number of isolates, non-β-lactam resistance was detected, which highlights the necessity of a continued surveillance on this emerging pathogen. S. argenteus could be correctly identified by MALDI-TOF MS with the updated database, enabling its detection also in clinical laboratories.     

Copan WASPLab automation significantly reduces incubation times and allows earlier culture readings

ObjectiveThe aim was to evaluate whether laboratory automation (inoculation and automated incubation combined with timely defined high-resolution digital imaging) may help reduce the time required to obtain reliable culture analysis results.MethodsWe compared the results obtained by WASPLab automation against WASP-based automated inoculation coupled to conventional incubation and manual diagnostic on 1294 clinical samples (483 for the derivation set and 811 for the independent validation set) that included urine, genital tract and non-sterile site specimens, as well as ESwabs for screening of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE). We used sequential routine specimens referred to the bacteriology laboratory at Geneva University Hospitals between October 2018 and March 2019.ResultsThe detection sensitivity of MRSA and MSSA at 18 hr on WASPLab was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 94.48–100.00%). The detection sensitivity of ESBL and CPE at 16 hr on WASPLab was 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 94.87% to 100.00%). For urine specimens, the similarity was 79% (295/375) between 18 hr and 24 hr of incubation on WASPLab. For genital tract and non-sterile site specimens, the similarity between 16 hr and 28 hr of incubation on WASPLab were 26% (72/281) and 77% (123/159) respectively. Thus, 28 hr was defined as the final incubation time on WASPLab for genital tract and non-sterile site specimens.ConclusionsThe results of this study show that WASPLab automation enables a reduction of the culture reading time for all specimens tested without affecting performances. Implementing the established and duly validated incubation times will allow appropriate laboratory workflows for improved efficiency to be built.     

Clinical Utilization of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells in B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: An Expert Opinion from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation

On August 30, 2017 the US Food and Drug Administration approved tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah; Novartis, Basel, Switzerland), a synthetic bioimmune product of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T), for the treatment of children and young adults with relapsed/refractory B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). With this new era of personalized cancer immunotherapy, multiple challenges are present, ranging from implementation of a CAR-T program to safe delivery of the drug, long-term toxicity monitoring, and disease assessments. To address these issues experts representing the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplant, the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, the International Society of Cell and Gene Therapy, and the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy formed a global CAR-T task force to identify and address key questions pertinent for hematologists and transplant physicians regarding the clinical use of anti CD19 CAR-T therapy in patients with B-ALL. This article presents an initial roadmap for navigating common clinical practice scenarios that will become more prevalent now that the first commercially available CAR-T product for B-ALL has been approved.