Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy
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J. Infect. Chemother. · Aug 2015
Phagocytosis by human monocytes is required for the secretion of presepsin.
Presepsin, a soluble CD14 subtype, is increasingly recognized as a useful biomarker for sepsis. However, little is known about the biological characteristics of presepsin in humans. Furthermore, there are no studies evaluating clinical validity of measuring the presepsin levels in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, irrespective of the high frequency of sepsis. ⋯ In this study, we clarified the biological features of presepsin in humans. Our study may be useful for increasing the clinical application of presepsin as a biomarker.
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J. Infect. Chemother. · Aug 2015
Risk factors of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii ventilator-associated pneumonia in a Medical Intensive Care Unit of University Hospital in Thailand.
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by Acinetobacter baumannii remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Increasing antimicrobial resistance influences the selection of antibiotic treatment especially pandrug-resistant A. baumannii. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the Medical Intensive Care Unit to identify the risk factors of VAP caused by multidrug-resistant A. baumannii (MDR-AB), extensively drug-resistant A. baumannii (XDR-AB) and pandrug-resistant A. baumannii (PDR-AB). ⋯ In PDR-AB, the risk factors were the prior use of colistin (OR, 155.95; 95% CI, 8.00-3041.98), carbapenems (OR, 12.84; 95% CI, 1.60-103.20) and a high Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II) (OR 1.10; 95% CI 1.01-1.22). In conclusion, previous exposure to antibiotics and severity of VAP were risk factors of drug-resistant A. baumannii. Judicious use of carbapenems and colistin is recommended to prevent the antimicrobial-resistant strains of this organism.
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J. Infect. Chemother. · Aug 2015
Case ReportsAcute suppurative oligoarthritis and osteomyelitis: a differential diagnosis that overlaps with acute rheumatic fever.
Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an illness caused by group A streptococcus (GAS) infection, and remains the leading cause of acquired heart disease in worldwide. Distinguishing between ARF and septic arthritis may be difficult. This report describes a case of suppurative arthritis overlapping with ARF. ⋯ The clinical and laboratory features of ARF and suppurative arthritis demonstrate substantial overlap. Patients with an elevated ASO should undergo a careful cardiac examination for carditis associated with ARF by an echocardiogram.