The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Feb 2013
Clinical TrialSequential combined treatment with allopurinol and benznidazole in the chronic phase of Trypanosoma cruzi infection: a pilot study.
Even though the use of combined drugs has been proved to be effective in other chronic infections, assessment of combined treatment of antiparasitic drugs in human Chagas' disease has not been performed. Herein, a pilot study was conducted to evaluate the tolerance and side effects of a sequential combined treatment of two antiparasitic drugs, allopurinol and benznidazole, in the chronic phase of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. ⋯ This pilot study shows that the combination of allopurinol and benznidazole induces significant modifications in T and B cell responses indicative of a reduction in parasite burden, and sustains the feasibility of administration of two antiparasitic drugs in the chronic phase of Chagas' disease.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Feb 2013
Conversion of OXA-66 into OXA-82 in clinical Acinetobacter baumannii isolates and association with altered carbapenem susceptibility.
Three clinical Acinetobacter baumannii isolates (A-C) were isolated from three separate patients during an outbreak in a hospital in Krakow, Poland. Isolate A was recovered first and was susceptible to carbapenems, whereas isolates B and C were resistant. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in carbapenem susceptibility in these outbreak-related isolates. ⋯ Carbapenem resistance in outbreak-related isolates was mediated by conversion of OXA-66 into OXA-82 and its subsequent overexpression. This further highlights the genome plasticity of A. baumannii, leading to carbapenem resistance.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Jan 2013
Impact on hospital mortality of catheter removal and adequate antifungal therapy in Candida spp. bloodstream infections.
We set out to identify the prognostic factors in adult patients with Candida spp. bloodstream infection, assessing the impact on in-hospital mortality of catheter removal and adequacy of antifungal therapy. ⋯ Delay in catheter withdrawal and in administration of adequate antifungal therapy was associated with increased mortality in candidaemic patients. Catheter management did not influence the prognosis of secondary non-catheter-related candidaemia.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Dec 2012
Clinical prediction rule for identifying patients with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) at the time of admission to the intensive care unit in a low VRE prevalence setting.
The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a clinical prediction rule to screen patients at risk of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) carriage at intensive care unit (ICU) admission in a hospital setting with low VRE prevalence. ⋯ This clinical prediction rule for identifying VRE carriage at the time of ICU admission is expected to markedly reduce the screening volume (by 80.1%) in our healthcare facility. For use in clinical practice, the rule needs to be prospectively validated in other settings.