European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Nov 2012
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialVoriconazole for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis: a prospective multicenter trial.
Early evidence suggests the efficacy of voriconazole for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). We conducted a prospective, open, multicenter trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of voriconazole for proven CPA in minimally or non-immunocompromised patients. Patients had CPA confirmed by chest computed tomography (CT) and/or endoscopy, positive Aspergillus culture from a respiratory sample, and positive serologic test for Aspergillus precipitins. ⋯ Clinical symptoms and quality of life also improved during treatment. Voriconazole is effective for CPA, with acceptable toxicity. The response rate is higher and obtained more rapidly in necrotizing than cavitary forms.
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Nov 2012
Utility and safety of procalcitonin in an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in patients with malignancies.
As data on procalcitonin utility in antibiotics discontinuation [under an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP)] in patients with malignancies are lacking, we aimed to evaluate the utility of procalcitonin in an ASP in patients with malignancies. We conducted a retrospective review of the ASP database of all patients with malignancies in whom at least one procalcitonin level was taken and our ASP had recommended changes in carbapenem regimen, from January to December 2011. We compared clinical outcomes between two groups of patients: patients whose physicians accepted and those whose physicians rejected ASP interventions. ⋯ Ninety-nine were suggested to either de-escalate, discontinue antibiotics, or narrow the spectrum of empiric treatment, based on procalcitonin trends. While there was no statistical difference in the mortality within 30 days post-ASP intervention (accepted: 8/65 patients vs. rejected: 9/34 patients; p = 0.076), the median duration of carbapenem therapy was significantly shorter (5 vs. 7 days; p = 0.002). Procalcitonin use safely facilitates decisions on antibiotics discontinuation and de-escalation in patients with malignancies in the ASP.
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Nov 2012
Respiratory viral infections during the 2009-2010 winter season in Central England, UK: incidence and patterns of multiple virus co-infections.
Acute viral respiratory infections are the most common infections in humans. Co-infection with different respiratory viruses is well documented but not necessarily well understood. The aim of this study was to utilise laboratory data from the winter season following the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) outbreak to investigate rates of respiratory virus co-infections, virus prevalence in different age groups and temporal variations in virus detection. ⋯ Age and temporal distributions of the different viruses were typical. This study found that the co-detection of different respiratory viruses is not random and most associations are reciprocal, either positively or negatively. The pandemic strain of influenza A(H1N1) was notable in that it was the least likely to be co-detected with another respiratory virus.
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Oct 2012
Impact on knowledge and practice of an intervention to control catheter infection in the ICU.
Information on the impact of care bundles has been mainly acquired in adult intensive care units (ICUs). However, specific data for educational programs are scarce. Our objective was to analyze the impact of an educational program on the knowledge and prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) in two pediatric intensive care units (P-ICUs). ⋯ A total of 174 questionnaires were completed by HCWs from both the neonatal ICU (N-ICU) and the P-ICU before the intervention and 54 were completed after the intervention (120 participants were not present during this period). The incidence density of CRBSI before, during, and after the intervention was 6.2, 5.2, and 9.3 in the N-ICU and 2.2, 3.1, and 2.9 in the P-ICU (p > 0.05). A single 20-min educational intervention on the prevention of CRBSI significantly improved HCWs' knowledge, but was not enough to reduce the incidence density of CRBSI.
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Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Oct 2012
Multicenter StudyScore to identify the severity of adult patients with influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus infection at hospital admission.
The objective of this paper was to develop a prognostic index for severe complications among hospitalized patients with influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus infection. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of 618 inpatients with 2009 H1N1 virus infection admitted to 36 Spanish hospitals between July 2009 and February 2010. Risk factors evaluated included host-related factors and clinical data at admission. ⋯ The SIHC rate was 1.9 % in the low-risk group, 10.3 % in the intermediate-risk group, and 29.6 % in the high-risk group. The odds ratio for complications was 21.8 for the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group. This easy-to-score influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus infection risk index accurately stratifies patients hospitalized for H1N1 virus infection into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups for SIHC.