Clostridium Difficile Infection in the "Oldest" Old: Clinical Outcomes in Patients Aged 80 and Older

OBJECTIVES: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) represents a cause of substantial morbidity, particularly for older adults. Although older age is a risk factor for CDI, few studies have specifically focused on clinical outcomes in older adults, particularly the "oldest" old.
DESIGN: Retrospective review.
SETTING: University of Michigan Health System.
PARTICIPANTS: All patients aged 80 and older with a positive cytotoxin assay for C. difficile and a clinical course consistent with CDI during 2006.
MEASUREMENTS: Clinical data were recorded, including comorbid conditions and treatment regimens, as well as outcomes, including treatment failure, infection relapse, and 90-day mortality.
RESULTS: Seventy patients aged 80 and older (mean 84.0±4.1) with CDI were identified. Metronidazole was given as initial therapy in 65 (92.8%); 18 of these 65 (27.7%) experienced treatment failure, requiring subsequent use of oral vancomycin. Serious adverse events included three episodes of toxic megacolon, two requiring colectomy. One death was directly attributable to CDI. All-cause mortality was 8.6% at 30 days and 17.1% at 90 days. Higher white blood cell (WBC) counts were independently associated with treatment failure ( P =.02) and coronary artery disease with 90-day mortality ( P =.02).
CONCLUSION: In older adults with CDI, treatment failure on metronidazole occurred frequently and was associated with higher WBC count. Larger prospective studies are needed to determine risk factors for treatment failure and relapse in order to develop better paradigms for CDI treatment in older adults. Initial therapy with vancomycin may be appropriate for elderly patients, especially those with elevated WBC counts.     

Mortality review as a tool to assess the contribution of healthcare-associated infections to death: results of a multicentre validity and reproducibility study, 11 European Union countries, 2017 to 2018

IntroductionThe contribution of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) to mortality can be estimated using statistical methods, but mortality review (MR) is better suited for routine use in clinical settings. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recently introduced MR into its HAI surveillance.AimWe evaluate validity and reproducibility of three MR measures.MethodsThe on-site investigator, usually an infection prevention and control doctor, and the clinician in charge of the patient independently reviewed records of deceased patients with bloodstream infection (BSI), pneumonia, Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) or surgical site infection (SSI), and assessed the contribution to death using 3CAT: definitely/possibly/no contribution to death; WHOCAT: sole cause/part of causal sequence but not sufficient on its own/contributory cause but unrelated to condition causing death/no contribution, based on the World Health Organization’s death certificate; QUANT: Likert scale: 0 (no contribution) to 10 (definitely cause of death). Inter-rater reliability was assessed with weighted kappa (wk) and intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC). Reviewers rated the fit of the measures.ResultsFrom 2017 to 2018, 24 hospitals (11 countries) recorded 291 cases: 87 BSI, 113 pneumonia , 71 CDI and 20 SSI. The inter-rater reliability was: 3CAT wk 0.68 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61–0.75); WHOCAT wk 0.65 (95% CI: 0.58–0.73); QUANT ICC 0.76 (95% CI: 0.71–0.81). Inter-rater reliability ranged from 0.72 for pneumonia to 0.52 for CDI. All three measures fitted ‘reasonably’ or ‘well’ in > 88%.ConclusionFeasibility, validity and reproducibility of these MR measures was acceptable for use in HAI surveillance.     

艰难梭菌在肠易激综合征和炎症性肠病患者中的感染情况及与白细胞介素-8基因-251A/T多态性的关系研究

目的探讨艰难梭菌(C.difficile)在肠易激综合征(IBS)和炎症性肠病(IBD)患者中的感染情况及与白细胞介素8(IL-8)基因-251 A/T多态性的关系。方法研究选取经澄城县人民医院消化内科及肛肠科诊断为IBS、溃疡性结肠炎(UC)、克罗恩病(CD)的患者(分别为76例、90例、83例),同时选取90位健康志愿者作为对照组,比较C.difficile在各组中的感染情况,探讨C.difficile感染与基因位点多态性的关系。结果 UC组、CD组的感染率显著高于IBS组和对照组(P0.05),而IBS组与对照组的C.difficile感染率差异无统计学意义(P0.05),UC组与CD组的感染率差异亦无统计学意义(P0.05)。UC组血液中IL-8的浓度高于CD组、IBS组及对照组,而CD组的浓度高于IBS组和对照组,IBS组及对照组血液中IL-8浓度的差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 C.difficile感染可使患者血液中IL-8浓度升高,IL-8基因-251 A/T多态性AA基因型是C.difficile感染的危险因素。     

Rifaximin: a nonsystemic rifamycin antibiotic for gastrointestinal infections

Use of nonsystemic antimicrobials with activity against enteropathogens is a promising approach for treatment of infectious diarrhea and other nonsystemic gastrointestinal infections. Rifaximin is approved by the US FDA for the treatment of travelers’ diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli in patients aged 12 years and older, and for the reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) recurrence in patients aged 18 years or older. Rifaximin has been available in Italy since 1987 and overall is approved in 33 countries for various conditions, such as acute and chronic infections, bacterial diarrhea, HE, and pre- and postsurgical prophylaxis. There is accumulating evidence on the benefit of rifaximin for nonsystemic gastrointestinal infections. This article will serve as an update on rifaximin. The pharmacology and pharmacodynamics of rifaximin along with an updated review on the bacterial susceptibility to rifaximin will be presented. Finally, clinical trials with rifaximin for nonsystemic gastrointestinal indications will be updated.     

Xpert艰难梭菌检测系统的临床应用评价

目的评估Xpert艰难梭菌检测系统的临床应用价值。方法选取43份腹泻粪便标本,采用厌氧培养法、VIDAS检测A/B毒素法和Xpert艰难梭菌检测系统检测艰难梭菌,以产毒培养法作为金标准对检测方法进行评价,并比较不同检测方法对临床标本检测结果的一致性。通过自配027型标准菌株模拟粪便标本,验证Xpert艰难梭菌检测系统筛选027型流行株的能力。结果以产毒培养法为金标准,Xpert艰难梭菌检测系统的敏感性和特异性分别为90.9%和93.8%,阳性和阴性预测值分别为83.3%和96.8%。与产毒培养法结果一致性检验Kappa值为0.822(P0.05),与VIDAS检测A/B毒素法结果一致性检验Kappa值为0.419(P0.05);027型标准菌株模拟粪便标本检测结果阳性并报告为027型。结论 Xpert艰难梭菌检测系统能够快速准确地检测粪便标本中的艰难梭菌相关基因,且能准确报告027型高产毒力菌株。     

艰难梭菌腹泻及实验室诊断

目的探讨艰难梭菌A&B毒素测定在临床应用价值,分析艰难梭菌毒素感染的临床特点。方法对四川大学华西医院2011-02/08收集的155份住院腹泻患者大便标本,采用VIDAS艰难梭菌A&B毒素检测试剂盒进行毒素检测。根据A&B毒素检测结果,将研究对象分为3组:艰难梭菌毒素检测阳性(CDAB阳性)组、艰难梭菌毒素检测灰区组和艰难梭菌毒素检测阴性组。对3组的实验室检测数据和临床资料进行分析比较,实验数据包括大便常规、血常规、生化检测以及粪便镜下微生物学检查,临床资料包括患者的年龄性别、使用抗生素与预后情况等。结果共检测了155例腹泻患者的大便标本,其中艰难梭菌A&B毒素阳性17例(10.97%),可疑6例(3.87%)。155例腹泻患者分为艰难梭菌毒素阳性、可疑和阴性3组进行实验室检测结果比较分析,大便隐血试验在阳性组和阴性组间有统计学差异(P=0.027)。3组病患的临床资料分析显示,抗真菌药物和质子泵抑制剂的使用可能是引起艰难梭菌感染的危险因素。结论艰难梭菌A&B毒素检测技术成熟并已商品化,该方法快速、简单、特异性高,可以作为艰难梭菌临床感染的辅助诊断指标。大便隐血试验可提示艰难梭菌感染,但不具有特异性。     

Healthcare‐acquired infections: prevention strategies

Healthcare‐acquired infections (HAI) impact on patient care and have cost implications for the Australian healthcare system. The management of HAI is exacerbated by rising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Health‐care workers and a contaminated hospital environment are increasingly implicated in the transmission and persistence of multi‐resistant organisms (MRO), as well as other pathogens, such as Clostridium difficile. This has resulted in a timely focus on a range of HAI prevention actions. Core components include antimicrobial stewardship, to reduce overuse and ensure evidence‐based antimicrobial use; infection prevention strategies, to control MRO – particularly methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin‐resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE) and, more recently, multi‐resistant Gram‐negative bacteria; enhanced institutional investment in hand hygiene; hospital cleaning and disinfection; and the development of prescribing guidelines and standards of care. AMR surveillance and comparisons of prescribing are useful feedback activities once effectively communicated to end users. Successful implementation of these strategies requires cultural shifts at local hospital level and, to tackle the serious threat posed by AMR, greater co‐ordination at a national level. HAI prevention needs to be multi‐modal, requires broad healthcare collaboration, and the strong support and accountability of all medical staff.     

渝东南地区艰难梭状芽胞杆菌流行现状及高危因素的研究

目的 探讨渝东南地区艰难梭状芽胞杆菌(CD)院内感染流行现状及危险因素.方法 筛选并收集2012年3月渝东南地区三家医院的5783例住院患者的粪便标本,采用大便常规及CD的A和B毒素ELISA法检测大便标本.分析CD院内感染的流行情况及危险因素.结果 渝东南地区CD院内感染发病率为0.40％.其中,黔江中心医院发病率为0.38％;酉阳县人民医院发病率为0.42％;彭水县人民医院发病率为0.40％.三家医院相比,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).使用抗生素患者发病率为2.1％,与未使用抗生素患者(发病率0.1％)相比,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).使用免疫抑制剂与未使用免疫抑制剂患者相比,差异有显著统计学意义(P＜0.01).重大手术患者与无重大手术患者相比,差异有显著统计学意义(P＜0.01).结论 渝东南地区CD院内感染发病率为0.40％.使用抗生素及免疫抑制剂、重大手术患者均为CD院内感染高发人群.