Validación de un dispositivo point-of-care para la detección rápida de infección urinaria y susceptibilidad antimicrobiana / Validation of point-of-care device for rapid detection of urinary tract infection and antibiotic susceptibility

Resumen Introducción: Las infecciones del tracto urinario (ITU) presentan una elevada prevalencia en el ámbito comunitario. Un rápido diagnóstico microbiológico es esencial para asegurar una terapia adecuada y efectiva. Objetivo: Evaluar un kit de antibiograma rápido (KAR®) en formato point-of-care para la detección rápida de ITU y sensibilidad antimicrobiana. Material y Métodos: El dispositivo KAR® se diseñó y desarrolló en colaboración con ingenieros técnicos y microbiólogos clínicos. Su evaluación se realizó a través de un estudio multicéntrico en el que participaron tres hospitales españoles. Para ello, se realizaron distintos ensayos in vivo con el fin de determinar la correlación del dispositivo con las técnicas microbiológicas de referencia. Resultados: Se ensayó un total de 400 muestras de orinas procedentes de pacientes con sospecha de ITU. El dispositivo KAR® proporcionó rápidos resultados (tiempo medio de positividad de 7,8 ± 1,5 h) con 97% de sensibilidad, 89% de especificidad y 87% de concordancia para la detección de bacteriuria significativa. Los porcentajes de especificidad para los antimicrobianos testados fueron: ciprofloxacina (97%), fosfomicina (94%), cotrimoxazol (84%), ampicilina (80%) y amoxicilina/ácido clavulánico (55%). Conclusión: El dispositivo KAR® puede ser una herramienta útil para el diagnóstico de ITU en pacientes ambulatorios, especialmente en áreas de bajo nivel socio-económico.

Abstract Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) presents a high prevalence in the community setting. Rapid and accurate microbiological diagnosis is essential to ensure adequate and effective therapy. Aim: To evaluate a rapid antibiogram kit (KAR®) in point-of-care format for rapid detection of UTI and antibiotic susceptibility. Methods: The KAR® device has been designed and developed in collaboration with technical engineers and clinical microbiologists. Its evaluation has been carried out through a multicenter study in which three Spanish hospitals have participated. Thus, different in vivo tests have been implemented in order to determine device correlation with the reference microbiological techniques. Results: During the study period, a total of 400 urine samples from patients with suspected ITU were tested. The KAR® device provided fast results (mean positivity time of 7,8 ± 1,5 hours) with 97% sensitivity, 89% specificity and 87% agreement for the detection of significant bacteriuria. The percentages of specificity for the antibiotics tested were: ciprofloxacin (97%), fosfomycin (94%),cotrimoxazole (84%), ampicillin (80%) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (55%). Conclusion: The KAR® device could be a useful tool for diagnosing UTI in outpatients, especially in areas of low socio-economic level.

Características morfológicas, clínicas y terapéuticas de cyclospora cayetanensis / Morphological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics of cyclospora cayetanensis

In the last years Cyclospora sp. has been increasingly associated to human intestinal diseases. The first studies have been reported to this parasite as a Cyanobacterium-like body, large Cryptosporidium or coccidian-like body. The ultrastructural characteristic and the "in vitro" sporulation have revealed the existence of oocyst constituted for two sporocysts with two sporozoites per sporocyst. This evidence has allowed its classification as a coccidian within the genus Cyclospora and its designation as a new pathogen species in humans, Cyclospora cayetanensis. Recently phylogenetic analysis based on rDNA sequences suggested that Cyclospora sp. was closely related to the Eimeria genus. The identification, morphological characteristics, clinical evaluation and chemotherapy of the human intestinal disease asssociated to Cyclospora sp. are commented in the present paper