A Single Centre Experience of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis in Ascites with Cirrhosis : A Record Based Observational Study

Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) is one of the complicated infections in patients with cirrhosis and ascites which can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated. This is a record based observational study using the data of all patients admitted with established cirrhosis of liver with ascites. Aim of the study was to find out the incidence of SBP in cirrhosis patients and also to study the clinical profile of SBP. Thirty nine patients’ data were included in the study. Three patients had classic SBP, one patient had Culture Negative Neutrocytic Ascites (CNNA) and two had bacterascites. Patients were treated with injection cefotaxime (2 gm) 8hourly for 5 days and clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated.

Progress in clinical research on Propionibacterium acnes infective endocarditis / 中华临床感染病杂志

Propionibacterium acnes infective endocarditis has a low incidence, high mortality rate and insidious manifestation, the delay in diagnosis leads to disease progression, which not only affects the physical and mental health and quality of life of patients, but also brings a heavy burden to their family and society. This article reviews the microbiological characteristics of Propionibacterium acnes, the epidemiological and clinical features of Propionibacterium acnes infective endocarditis, and the current state of diagnosis, treatment and prevention, to provide reference for clinical management of this disease.

Identification of microbial agents in culture-negative brain abscess samples by 16S/18S rRNA gene PCR and sequencing

@#Despite clinical suspicion of an infection, brain abscess samples are often culture-negative in routine microbiological testing. Direct PCR of such samples enables the identification of microbes that may be fastidious, non-viable, or unculturable. Brain abscess samples (n = 217) from neurosurgical patients were subjected to broad range 16S rRNA gene PCR and sequencing for bacteria. All these samples and seven formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE) samples were subjected to species-specific 18S rRNA PCR for neurotropic free-living amoeba that harbour pathogenic bacteria. The concordance between smear and/or culture and PCR was 69%. One-third of the samples were smear- and culture-negative for bacterial agents. However, 88% of these culture-negative samples showed the presence of bacterial 16S rRNA by PCR. Sanger sequencing of 27 selected samples showed anaerobic/fastidious gram negative bacteria (GNB, 38%), facultative Streptococci (35%), and aerobic GNB (27%). Targeted metagenomics sequencing of three samples showed multiple bacterial species, including anaerobic and non-culturable bacteria. One FFPE tissue revealed the presence of Acanthamoeba 18S rRNA. None of the frozen brain abscess samples tested was positive for 18S rRNA of Acanthamoeba or Balamuthia mandrillaris. The microbial 16/18S rRNA PCR and sequencing outperformed culture in detecting anaerobes, facultative Streptococci and FLA in brain abscess samples. Genetic analyses of 16S/18S sequences, either through Sanger or metagenomic sequencing, will be an essential diagnostic technology to be included for diagnosing culture-negative brain abscess samples. Characterizing the microbiome of culture-negative brain abscess samples by molecular methods could enable detection and/or treatment of the source of infection.

Successful Conservative Treatment of Massive Infective Endocarditis with Severe Mitral Valve Regurgitation and Septic Emboli

@#Management of complicated massive infective endocarditis (IE) in patients who are contraindicated for surgical valve replacement has long been a dilemma for many clinicians. Studies have shown that massive IE patients who were treated conservatively generally result in poorer prognosis. We report two cases of massive native valve infective endocarditis with severe mitral valve regurgitation and septic emboli that has been successfully treated conservatively. Interestingly, despite having a large vegetation and multiple septic emboli complications, none of these two cases had any positive culture or serology. Managing culture negative IE without surgical intervention pose an even greater challenge to the choice and duration of antibiotics with further long-term plans. We hope to share these case series to aid in the management dilemma of similar cases in the future.

Analysis of clinical features and risk factors for mortality in patients with culture-negative sepsis: a single-center retrospective cohort study based on MIMIC-Ⅳ / 中华危重病急救医学

Objective:To compare the characteristics and outcomes of culture-positive sepsis (CPS) with culture-negative sepsis (CNS) patients in order to understand the impact of CNS on prognosis and explore the possible risk factors for mortality.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Patients with sepsis were identified from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care database-Ⅳ v0.4 (MIMIC-Ⅳ v0.4). Patients were divided into CPS and CNS groups according to the culture results within 24 hours before and after the diagnosis of sepsis. General information, baseline characteristics, and medical operation data between CNS and CPS groups were compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the relationship between CNS and in-hospital mortality under three regression models. Chi-square analysis and mediation analysis were used to analyze the effect of initial antibiotic and prior antibiotic use within 90 days on the in-hospital mortality of CNS. Results:A total of 8 587 patients with sepsis were enrolled in the final analysis, including 5 483 patients in the CPS group and 3 104 patients in the CNS group. Compared with the CPS group, the patients in the CNS group were younger [years old: 68 (56, 79) vs. 70 (58, 81)], had higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score and higher proportion of using mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy and vasopressin within 24 hours after intensive care unit (ICU) admission [SOFA score: 3 (2, 5) vs. 3 (2, 4), mechanical ventilation: 48.61% (1 509/3 104) vs. 39.25% (2 152/5 483), renal replacement therapy: 13.69% (425/3 104) vs. 9.68% (531/5 483), vasopressin: 15.79% (490/3 104) vs. 13.44% (737/5 483)], longer length of ICU stay [days: 5 (3, 10) vs. 3 (2, 6)] and higher in-hospital mortality [25.00% (776/3 104) vs. 18.53% (1 016/5 483)], with significant differences (all P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in gender, ICU type, simplified acute physiology score Ⅱ (SAPS Ⅱ), and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score between the two groups. After adjustment for multiple confounding factors, CNS was still a risk factor for in-hospital mortality [odds ratio ( OR) = 1.441, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.273-1.630, P < 0.001]. The results of Chi-square analysis and mediation analysis showed that the initial antibiotic had no significant effect on the higher in-hospital mortality of CNS, while the prior use of antibiotics within 90 days was related to higher in-hospital mortality of CNS ( OR = 1.683, 95% CI was 1.328-2.134, P < 0.05). The mediating effect of CNS in prior antibiotic use within 90 days and in-hospital death was significant ( Z = 5.302, P < 0.001), accounting for 7.58%. Conclusions:Compared with CPS, CNS was more severe and had a worse prognosis. Prior use of antibiotics within 90 days may be related to the higher in-hospital mortality of CNS patients, but it could not fully explain the high mortality of CNS.

Retrospective study of the diagnosis and treatment of culture-negative aortic infective endocarditis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of culture-negative aortic infective endocarditis. Methods    The clinical data of 73 patients with infective endocarditis of the aortic valve whose results of bacteria culture were negative from January 2013 to January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including 59 males and 14 females aged 14-71 (39.2±14.8) years. Results    Sixty seven (91.8%) patients received aortic valve replacement, 2 (2.7%) patients received the second operation in hospital, and 12 (16.4%) patients had concomitant mitral valvuloplasty. In-hospital death occurred in 8 (11.0%) patients. Postoperatively, 11 (20.7%) patients had a low cardiac output and 4 (11.0%) patients had heart block, and 1 patient required implantation of a permanent pacemaker. The 1- and 5- year survival rates were 92.3%±2.3% and 84.5%±4.5%, respectively. Conclusion    There are difficulties in the diagnosis and treatment of culture-negative infective endocarditis. Most of the affected patients are in a healed status, which could be a cause of negative culture results. In-hospital mortality in the patients is associated with a history of previous cardiac surgery, whereas the long-term survival rate is good for the patients after surgery.

Early outcome of culture-negative infection in open fractures of the lower limb: A prospective study

Background: Culture-negative infections in open long bone fractures are frequently encountered in clinical practice. We aimed to identify the rate and outcome of culture-negative infections in open long bone fractures of lower limb. Methodology: A prospective cohort study was conducted from November 2015 to May 2017 on Gustilo and Anderson Grade III open long bone fractures of the lower limb. Demographic data, injury details, time from injury to receiving antibiotics and index surgical procedure were noted. Length of hospital stay, number of additional surgeries and occurrence of complications were also noted. Patients with infected open fractures were grouped as culture positive or culture negative depending on the isolation of infecting microorganisms in deep intraoperative specimen. The clinical outcome of these two groups was statistically analysed. Results: A total of 231 patients with 275 open fractures involving the femur, tibia or fibula were studied. There was clinical signs of infection in 84 patients (36.4%) with 99 fractures (36%). Forty-three patients (51.2%) had positive cultures and remaining 41 patients had negative cultures (48.8%). The rate of culture-negative infection in open type III long bone fractures in our study was 17.7%. There was no statistical difference in the clinical outcome between culture-negative and culture-positive infections. Conclusion: Failure to identify an infective microorganism in the presence of clinical signs of infection is routinely seen in open fractures and needs to be treated aggressively.

Clinical profile and treatment outcome of culture-negative infective endocarditis in children at UP-PGH: A ten-year retrospective study

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective:</strong> This study determined the demographic data, clinical profile, treatment and outcome of BCN-IE in children at UP-PGH.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Methods:</strong> This is a retrospective study of children with BCN-IE admitted at UP-PGH from 2004-2013. Demographic data, clinical presentation, previous antibiotic use, echocardiographic findings, an antibiotic used and outcome of patients were recorded and analyzed. Results in the demographic and clinical profile were expressed as frequencies, percentages and means. To compare the clinical features, echocardiographic findings and antibiotic regimen used as to the outcome, Fischer's exact test was used.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Results:</strong> Among 91 patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis, 61.54% had BCN-IE. The age, gender and clinical presentation were similar to other studies. Clinical presentation and echocardiographic findings did not have influence on outcome of children with BCN-IE. The use of penicillin G and amikacin is associated with unfavorable outcome after 4 weeks or less of administration.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The incidence of BCN-IE is high in UP-PGH. The demographic distribution, clinical and echocardiographic features of patients do not have an influence on the outcome. The trend to the unfavorable outcome with the use of penicillin suggests the need to target fastidious organisms in BCN-IE. Further investigation is warranted to establish the etiologic agents of BCN-IE.</p>

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of cultured negative pyogenic spondylitis / 北京大学学报(医学版)

Objective:There are limited data describing the clinical characteristics and prognosis of culture negative pyogenic spondylitis.The aim of this study was to investigate the treatment,prognosis and clinical characteristics of culture negative pyogenic spondylitis.Methods: A retrospective study reviewed 74 patients who were diagnosed with spondylitis in Peking University First Hospital from January 2010 to December 2015.A total of 27 patients suffered from pyogenic spondylitis.According to the pa-thogenic culture results,the patients were divided into two groups: culture negative group and culture positive group.The clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes between the two groups were compared.Results: The elder were more vulnerable to pyogenic spondylitis,and of the 27 patients,12 patients were female and 15 male.All patients had no history of administration of antibiotics prior to obtaining culture samples.A causative germ was identified in 14/27 patients (51.9％) with Staphylococcus aureus being the most common pathogen.There was no significant difference between the two groups in the patient's age,gender,visual analogue score (VAS),predisposing factor,clinical symptom,sign and spinal segment (P>0.05).Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P=0.056) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (P=0.040) of culture negative group were lower in contrast to culture positive group.The incidence of vertebral abscess in culture negative group was higher than in culture positive group (P=0.046).After treatment,ESR dropped almost equally in both groups,and CRP dropped faster in the culture positive group (P=0.192).At last,there was no significant difference between the two groups in hospital stay,pain relief,open debridement operation rate,and recurrence rate of infection.Conclusion: ESR and CRP of the culture negative patient were lower than those of the culture positive patient,and the incidence rate of paravertebral abscess was higher than that of the culture positive patient.After administration of antibiotics,there was no significant difference between the two groups in duration of antibiotics,open debridement operation rate and recurrence rate of infection.So,culture negative may not necessarily be a negative prognostic factor for pyogenic spondylitis.However,we should watch out for the drug resistant bacteria or double infection,due to the long term use of wide-spectrum antibiotic in culture negative patients.

Problems in serum antibody detection of smear-and culture-negative pulmonary tuberculosis / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

More than 60% of active tuberculosis(TB) patients are smear- and culture-negative, constituting a prime group in the prevention and control of TB in China. In the existing laboratory testing technologies, immunological diagnosis is more advantageous than etiological diagnosis in the detection of smear-and culture-negative TB. Serum antibody detection reagents are cheap,easy to operate and time-sav-ing,and have been widely used in China. However,these agents are not stable in sensitivity and specificity, and because of that their accuracy in the diagnosis of smear-and culture-negative TB is doubtful. In this re-view,we summarize some problems in the use of serum antibody detection among smear- and culture-nega-tive pulmonary TB patients and discuss possible methods to solve these problems expecting to provide some ideas for promoting its development,application and policy formulation.

Treatment for culture-negative periprosthetic joint infection after total hip arthroplasty with revision / 局解手术学杂志

Objectives To compare the effect of one-stage revision and two-stage revision for the treatment of culture-negative peripros-thetic joint infection after total hip arthroplasty.Methods A retrospective study was conducted with the clinical data of 41 patients who had chronic periprosthetic joint infection after total hip arthroplasty and then underwent one or two-stage revision surgery from February 2006 to February 2014.The patients were divided into two groups according to different surgical way,namely the 16 patients who received the one-stage revision surgery were regarded as the OSR group,and the other 25 cases who underwent the two-stage revision surgery were regarded as the TSR group.The clinical efficacy of the two surgical way were assessed with Harris Hip score,visual analogue scale (VAS),and rate of infection clearance.Results The average duration of follow up was 29.7 months (9 to 48 months).At the last follow-up,Harris Hip score of TSR group was higher than that of the OSR group,and the difference was statistically significant (P =0.04),and the VAS score of TSR group was lower than that of the OSR group with statistical differences (P =0.02).Additionally,the rate of infection clearance in TSR group was significantly higher than OSR group (P =0.04).Conclusion Culture-negative periprosthetic joint infection can be effectively controled by one or two-stage revision surgery.However,patients got a better prognosis after two-stage revision surgery.

Performance of T cell infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis assay in diagnosis of smear and culture negative pulmonary tuberculosis / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the application value of T cell infected with Mybacterium tuberculosis assay in diagnosis of smear and culture negative pulmonary tuberculosis .Methods In total ,145 patients with smear and culture negative pulmonary tu‐berculosis and 45 patients with non‐tuberculosis lung disease were enrolled in the study .All patients received T cell infected with Mybacterium tuberculosis test and sensitivity ,specificity ,positive predicted value ,negative predicted value of testing for the diagno‐sis of smear and culture‐negative TB patients were calculated .Results The sensitivity of specificity T cell infected with Mybacteri‐um tuberculosis assay in diagnosis of smear and culture negative pulmonary tuberculosis was 85 .5% ,the specificity was 84 .4% , positive predicted value was 94 .7% ,negative predicted value was 64 .4% .No statistical significance in age‐dependent groups(P>0 .05) .Conclusion T cell infected with Mybacterium tuberculosis assay has high positive predicted value in diagnosis of smear and culture negative pulmonary tuberculosis and is suitable for clinical auxiliary diagnosis .

Clinical therapy for blood culture-negative infective endocarditis / 中国综合临床

Objective To summarize the clinical treatment experience of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis,and to explore the surgery chance and therapeutic strategy of blood culture-negative endocarditis. Methods One hundred and sixty-six patients who were diagnosed blood culture-negative endocarditis in the Aisa Heart Hospital of Wuhan from Jul. 2008 to Dec. 2012 were recruited in the study. Broad-spectrum antibiotics including cefuroxime axetil and levofloxacin were used before the result of blood culture,and sensitive antibiotics were selected to control patient's condition when getting the result of blood culture. But broad-spectrum antibiotics were continuously used to the blood culture-negative endocarditis until stable condition. When the conditions were stable,active preparation before surgery should be carried out. Thoroughly clear the vegetation and protect the cardiorespiratory function during operating. Kata-step antibiotics were used to control patient's condition until normal temperature,as well as the number of leukocytes decreased,blood sedimentation normalized and C-reaction protein decreased. Then,the narrow-spectrum antibiotics were selected including cephalosporin until discharged from hospital,and continued treatment of antibiotics for 4 - 6 weeks. Results Five patients died after the operation,including 1 case died of low cardiac output syndrome,2 cases died of multiple organ failure,1 case died of septicemia and the 1 case died of cerebral embolism. All the other patients discharged from hospital successfully. Conclusion The patients with blood culture-negative IE should be controlled rapidly. The duration and dose of antibiotics should be enough. Active operative preparation should be taken and then surgery timely. Thus,the hospital mortality could decrease and prompt the long-term outcome.

Q fever endocarditis: a report of four cases and literature review / 中华内科杂志

Objective To improve the diagnosis and treatment of Q fever endocarditis.Methods From 2008 to 2013,four cases of Q fever endocarditis were diagnosed in Peking Union Medical College Hospital.Clinical features,laboratory test,management and prognosis were analyzed with literature review.Result All four cases had long period of fever and heart murmur.Two patients represented with respiratory symptom and one with non-specific rash.General laboratory tests including complete blood cell count,ESR,C-reactive protein(CRP),liver function and radiology of lung did not show specific abnormalities.Signs of endocarditis were shown by ultrasound and important for diagnosis.Repeated blood culture was negative.All of the diagnoses were confirmed by serum antibody detection and the patients recovered well with treatment based on doxycycline or minocycline.Conclusions Endocarditis is the most common form of chronic Q fever,which is easily misdiagnosed because its blood culture is negative and may accompanied with varied manifestation such as pneumonia and liver injury.For the patients with chronic fever and blood culture negative endocarditis,chronic Q fever should be considered as differential diagnosis.The confirmatory method for diagnosis is serum antibody detection.Early and sufficient treatment may improve the prognosis.

Bartonella native valve endocarditis: the first brazilian case alive and well

Bartonella is an important cause of blood culture-negative endocarditis in recent studies. Seroprevalence studies in the States of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro have shown Bartonella IgG positivity around 14 percent in healthy adults and 40 percent in HIV seropositive adults, respectively. A case report of a 46-year-old white male with moderate aortic regurgitation (AR) due to rheumatic heart disease (RHD), admitted due to worsening heart failure, is presented. Clinical features were apyrexia, anemia, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, hematuria and splenomegaly. He was submitted to surgery due to worsening AR. Histopathology of the excised valve showed active bacterial endocarditis and underlying RHD. Routine blood cultures were negative. Indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) assays for Coxiella burnetii were non-reactive. Bartonella henselae IgG titer was 1:4096 prior to antibiotics and 1:512 14 months after treatment. History of close contact with a young cat during the months preceding his admission was elicited.

Clinical Outcome after Treatment with the First-line Drugs in Patients with Persistent Positive Sputum Smear and Negative Sputum Culture Results / 결핵

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to estimate the clinical outcome and identify the characteristics of a group of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who completed anti-tuberculosis therapy with the First-line drugs in spite of having positive smear results with negative sputum culture results over the previous six months. METHOD: A retrospective chart review of 21 patients who fulfilled the above criteria between 1995 and 1999 was performed. The laboratory data as well as the clinical data of the patient with positive smear results and negative culture results over a six months period were reviewed. RESULTS: The negative conversion of sputum culture results was achieved within 1.3±1.2 months and the negative conversion of the sputum smear results was accomplished during 9.5±3.3 months. Chest X-rays at 5 months following the institution of anti-tuberculosis therapy from all patients revealed improvements. Four out of 21 patients(19%) relapsed during the follow up, 15.2±13.4 months after administering anti-tuberculosis therapy for 13.3±3.1 months. Relapses were confirmed from between 3 months and 4 months after the treatment completion. Only one of the four relapses had no past history of anti-tuberculosis therapy and the others had prior treatment twice (p<0.01). The period of anti-tuberculosis treatment was extended to a mean of 4.6±2.6 months in 12 patients. However, prolongation of anti-tuberculosis therapy had no affect on the relapse rate (odds ratio, 95% CI 0.18, 2.15). CONCLUSION: Prolongation of therapy with the First-line drugs is not necessary for patients with persistently positive smear results over 6 months and negative culture results. A patient who has had prior anti-tuberculosis therapy more than twice should be paid the closest attention.