Management of recurrent urinary tract infections in adults

Many women will experience one or more urinary tract infection (UTI) during their life. The most unfortunate will have many. Men presenting with infections, and women with recurrent episodes, require further investigation. A diagnosis of a UTI is often based on a typical spectrum of symptoms, with confirmatory urine cultures lagging a few days behind. Unfortunately, symptoms of a UTI may not be typical, and other conditions can manifest similarly. Treatment of UTI with antibiotics is usually required, but there is increasing awareness of the need for antimicrobial stewardship to avoid the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, even as patients are increasingly reluctant to take them. Recurrent UTI can cause significant morbidity and disruption to daily activities yet investigations rarely demonstrate a reversible cause. There are a host of different antibiotic and non-antibiotic interventions that aim to lower the risk of further infections. However, these are not reliably effective, bring side effects of their own and are often proposed to this desperate population of patients on the back of weak evidence of efficacy.     

生命早期抗生素使用与儿童哮喘:因果关系还是混杂效应?

儿童哮喘的发病率逐年上升.基于卫生假说,抗生素使用可能减少了微生物暴露,从而增加了过敏性疾病发生的风险.近十年来,就早期抗生素暴露与儿童哮喘的关系进行的大量的流行病学调查的结果并不一致.大多数回顾性研究发现正相关联系,但前瞻性研究未发现联系或联系强度较弱.逆向因果和指示混淆可部分解释两者的关系,但也难以否定因果关系的存在.     

应用庆大霉素溶液与生理盐水行手外伤清创的效果比较

目的 探讨应用庆大霉素溶液与生理盐水对手外伤清创效果的差异。方法 对102例急诊手外伤患者，随机分为庆大霉素组（45例）和生理盐水组（57例）两组，分别由同一名医师进行常规清创，术后口服头孢氨苄胶囊预防感染5d，每3～4d伤口换药，观察伤口情况，于术后12d拆线，对伤口做出评价。结果 伤口愈合情况：庆大霉素组，甲级愈合20例，乙级愈合17例，丙级愈合8例；生理盐水组，甲级愈合24例，乙级愈合20例，雨级愈合13例。感染率：庆大霉素组17．78％，肥皂水组22．81％，平均为20．9％，两组比较差异无统计学意义（x^2=0．39，P〉0．05）。结论 使用庆大霉素溶液对伤口进行冲洗，并不能降低手外伤清创后的感染率。     

Intracranial actinomycosis in juvenile patients Case report and review of the literature

A case of actinomycotic brain infection in a juvenile patient is described. Cases of actinomycosis affecting the head and neck are rare, particularly in juvenile patients. In this case complete resolution of the infection was achieved by means of surgical treatment and prolonged antibiotic therapy. The authors emphasize the importance of a combined approach for treatment of this unusual brain infection and stress the difficulties involved in the diagnosis of this pathology. Received: 3 November 1997     

从临床标本分离出510株病原菌的初步报告

报告１９９４年我院临床标本检出的常见菌及其对抗生素的敏感性变化。结果表明，革兰氏阴性杆菌占检出菌的第一位６３．７２％，革 兰氏阳性菌居第二位２９．４１％。在革兰氏阴性杆菌中铜绿假单胞菌居首位，并占革兰氏阴性杆菌的２９．２３％；大肠艾希氏菌占第二位２２．７７％，不动杆菌占第三位１２．３０％。在革兰氏阳性球菌中，凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌居检出菌的第一位，并占革兰氏阳性球菌的３７．３３％；金黄色葡萄球菌占第二     

Is it possible to prevent bacterial adhesion onto ureteric stents?

The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of bactericidal coatings or immersion in antibiotic solution reduces or prevents bacterial adhesion onto ureteric stents. Precut segments of full silicone, silver-coated and hydrogel-coated ureteric stents were incubated with two uropathogenic bacterial strains with and without previous immersion in antibiotic solution. Tobramycin, ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin solutions were used, as these antibiotics are commonly administered for the prophylaxis and treatment of urinary tract infection (UTI). Microbiological analysis showed that immersion of ureteric stents in ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin yielded a significant reduction of bacterial adhesion, whereas immersion in tobramycin did not. The surface material of the stents had no direct influence on bacterial adhesion. In this experimental study, neither the silver nor the hydrogel coat reduced bacterial adhesion onto ureteric stents whereas immersion in a suitable antibiotic solution significantly reduced and even prevented this phenomenon, probably due to the adhesion of the antibiotic onto the stent surface. Prevention of bacterial adhesion onto ureteric stents is essential to reduce the risk of UTI in connection with these devices.     

Sterile surgical technique for shunt placement reduces the shunt infection rate in children: preliminary analysis of a prospective protocol in 115 consecutive procedures

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the rigid application of a sterile protocol for shunt placement was applicable on a routine basis and allowed the reduction of shunt infections (SI) in children. Materials and methods Since 2001, a rigid sterile protocol for shunt placement in children using neither antibiotic-impregnated catheters nor laminar airflow was prospectively applied at Erasme Hospital, Brussels, Belgium. For assessing the protocol efficacy before continuation, we preliminarily analyzed the results of the first 100 operated children (43 females, 57 males, 49 aged <12 months; 115 consecutive shunt placement/revision procedures). All procedures were performed by the same senior surgeon, one assistant, one circulating nurse, one anesthesiologist. The sterile protocol was rigidly imposed to these four staff members: uniformed surgical technique; limited implant and skin edge manipulation; minimized human circulation in the room; scheduling surgery as first morning operation; avoiding postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak; double gloving; procedures of less than 30-min duration; systemic antibiotics prophylaxis. We analyzed separately: (1) children carrying an increased risk of SI (n = 38) due to preoperative external ventricular drainage, CSF leak, meningitis, glucocorticoids, chemotherapy; (2) children aged <12 months; (3) procedures for shunt revision. Results Errors in protocol application were recorded in 71/115 procedures. They were mainly done by non-surgical staff, decreased with time and were medically justified in some young children. Surprisingly, no SI occurred (follow-up, 4 to 70 months). One child developed an appendicitis with peritonitis (Streptococcus faecalis) after 6 months. No SI was found. After peritonitis was cured, shunt reinsertion was uneventful. Conclusion These preliminary results suggest that a uniform and drastic sterile surgical technique for shunt placement: (1) can be rigidly applied on a routine basis; (2) can lower the early SI rate below 1%; (3) might have a stronger impact to reduce SI than using antibiotic-impregnated catheters and optimizing the operative environment such as using laminar airflow and reducing the non-surgical staff. This last issue will be evaluated further in the present ongoing protocol.     

围手术期抗生素的合理应用

近年来,由于抗生素的滥用导致外科术后感染率明显上升,同时,在医院环境诱导了对抗生素耐药菌株的产生或引起细菌或霉菌的二从感染.为了有效地降低术后感染率,减少抗生素药物的副反应,自2001年1月份开始,我们采用围手术期抗生素的合理运用,与以往同期相比,骨科术后感染率明显下降,副反应减少.……     

安徽省繁昌,铜陵两县门诊抗生素使用分析

在安徽省繁昌与铜陵两县2532名门诊病人访问中,抗生素的使用比例平均为53.l％,抗生素使用种数平均为0.75种,针剂使用比例平均为48.4％,与其他国家的研究结果相比都处于偏高水平。在抗生素使用的种类中,以青霉素类为主,占所有抗感染药物的27.7％。单因素分析结果表明:男性的抗生素使用比例比女性高;随着年龄的增长抗生素使用比例、使用种数与针剂使用比例都是先下降而后上升;学生病人这三种指标都偏高;随着文化水平的提高,这三种指标都有下降的倾向;医疗保险病人抗生素使用比例处于高水平,而自费病人针剂使用比例最高;与乡镇卫生院及村卫生室相比,县医院这三种指标都处于低水平;而儿科病人这三种指标都处于高水平。多因素分析结果表明:县医院、去医院的目的是看病、教育程度、农民、妇产科、文教卫生人员、外科、预防接种及离、退休人员等因素对抗生素使用的数量都有影响,但仅看病这项因素是正向作用,而其他因素都是负向作用。     

Prevalence and correlates of diphtheria toxoid antibodies in children and adults in Israel

A seroepidemiological study was performed to evaluate immunity to diphtheria and to determine the correlates of diphtheria toxoid antibody levels among children and adults in Israel. In total, 3,185 sera from an age-stratified sample of children and adults, obtained in 2000-2001, were tested for diphtheria toxoid antibodies by an in-house double-antigen ELISA. A level of or=0.1 IU/mL (full protection or seropositivity). Seronegativity increased significantly in subjects aged >50 years, reaching levels of 9.7%, 12.6% and 18.9% in the groups aged 50-54, 55-59 and >60 years, respectively (p 0.001), with rates of basic immunity following a similar pattern. Subjects born abroad had higher seronegativity rates than those born in Israel (7.7% vs. 4.9%; p 0.019). No difference in diphtheria toxoid antibody levels was found according to other demographical variables, such as gender, Jewish or Arab ethnicity, urban or rural settlements, and the subjects' place of residence. The level of immunity to diphtheria among children and adults in Israel was satisfactory, with the exception of individuals aged >50 years. The risk of diphtheria outbreaks is low, but sporadic cases may occur among individuals lacking basic immunity against the disease.