Spectrum of microbial infection in an Intensive Care Unit: a single centre tertiary care experience in Southern Indian state of Karnataka

Background: There is an increased incidence of hospital acquired infection, especially in ICU setting, the most common being ICU acquired pneumonia which increases the morbidity, mortality, prolongs hospital stay and consuming more resources. Microbial etiology of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired pneumonia (ICUAP) determines antibiotic treatment and outcomes which vary from centre to centre. Hence, a study of risk factors, clinical profile of patient, microorganisms and their resistance patterns to antibiotics are important for the diagnosis, prognosis of patient with ICU acquired pneumonia and also in the prevention of the same.Methods: Patients with ICUAP confirmed microbiologically were prospectively compared according to identification of 1 (monomicrobial) or more (polymicrobial) potentially pathogenic microorganism. Patients without microbiological confirmation were excluded from the study. We assessed clinical characteristics, microbiology and outcome variables.Results: In the present study 60 patients with ICU Pneumonia were included out of which 50 (83%) had mono-microbial infection. Most common organism isolated in mono microbial infection was Klebsiella species (26%), followed by Acinetobacter species (25%), out of which 20 percent was multidrug resistant. Multi-drug resistance was similarly frequent in both groups. Outcome variables like initial response to the empiric treatment, length of stay and mortality were similar in both monomicrobial and polymicrobial pneumonia. Mortality rates were higher with higher pneumonia scores (p value <0.002) and with multi organ dysfunction (p <0.008) irrespective of mono microbial or poly microbial infection.Conclusions: In this study mono microbial infection was more than polymicrobial, the most common organism being Kliebsiella species followed by Acinetobacter species. When empiric treatment is frequently appropriate, mortality rates were higher with higher pneumonia scores and MODS. In our study polymicrobial aetiology did not influence the outcome of ICUAP.

Dermoscopy - a simple and rapid in vivo diagnostic technique for tinea incognito

Abstract Tinea incognito resulting from corticosteroid abuse is becoming very common in the tropics. Its diagnosis is tricky owing to its confusing morphology, as well as practical and technical issues associated with mycological tests. Dermoscopy has now evolved as a novel diagnostic tool for diagnosing tinea incognito in such challenging situations, since the typical hair changes such as Morse-code hairs, deformable hairs, translucent hairs, comma and cork screw hairs, and perifollicular scaling may be seen despite steroid use, irrespective of mycological results.

Pseudocyst mass at neck: complication after tracheostomy.

Neck mass after the tracheostomy is a rare complication. A case report of pseudocyst at the left paratracheal area was presented and this has not yet been reported in the English literature. We proposed the pathophysiology of this condition and prevention methods.