RESUMEN
Resumen El tratamiento inicial para pacientes con sospecha de meningitis bacteriana aguda depende de una evaluación diagnóstica rápida y una terapia antimicrobiana adecuada. El panel de Meningitis/Encephalitis FilmArray (ME) (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, EE.UU.) utiliza análisis de PCR múltiple e incluye 14 microorganismos; los resultados se obtienen directamente del LCR en 1 h. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron: a) determinar el rendimiento del ME y b) establecer el impacto del resultado obtenido en el tratamiento antimicrobiano de pacientes con meningoencefalitis. Se incluyeron 112 pacientes y 26 episodios de meningitis. Del total de resultados positivos con el panel para bacterias y hongos, 4/13 no se aislaron de cultivos y correspondieron a pacientes con tratamiento antimicrobiano. De los 26 episodios, los resultados condujeron a cambios terapéuticos en 21 casos. El ME es una herramienta rápida y útil para adecuar un tratamiento antimicrobiano en pacientes con meningoencefalitis.
Abstract The initial treatment for patients with suspected acute bacterial meningitis depends on a rapid diagnostic evaluation and adequate antimicrobial therapy. The Meningitis/Encephalitis FilmArray panel (ME) (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, USA) uses multiplex PCR analysis and includes 14 microorganisms; the results are obtained directly from the CSF in 1 h. The objectives of this study were: a) to determine the performance of ME and b) to establish the impact of the result obtained on the antimicrobial treatment of patients with meningoencephalitis. A number of 112 patients and 26 episodes of meningitis were included. Of the total positive results for bacteria and fungi with the panel, 4/13 were not isolated from cultures and corresponded to patients with antimicrobial treatment. Of the 26 episodes, the results led to therapeutic changes in 21 cases. ME is a quick and useful tool to adapt antimicrobial treatment in patients with meningoencephalitis.
Resumo O tratamento inicial para pacientes com suspeita de meningite bacteriana aguda depende de uma avaliação diagnóstica rápida e terapia antimicrobiana adequada. O painel de Meningitis/Encephalitis FilmArray (ME) (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, EUA) usa análise PCR multiplex e inclui 14 microrganismos; os resultados são obtidos diretamente do LCR em 1 h. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: a) determinar o desempenho do ME e b) estabelecer o impacto do resultado obtido no tratamento antimicrobiano de pacientes com meningoencefalite. 112 pacientes e 26 episódios de meningite foram incluídos. Do total de resultados positivos com o painel para bactérias e fungos, 4/13 não foram isolados das culturas e corresponderam a pacientes em tratamento antimicrobiano. Dos 26 episódios, os resultados levaram a alterações terapêuticas em 21 casos. ME é uma ferramenta rápida e útil para adaptar o tratamento antimicrobiano em pacientes com meningoencefalite.
RESUMEN
Salmonella Infantis has been the second most common serovar in Argentina in the last two years, being isolated mostly from paediatric hospitalised patients. In order to determine the clonal relationship among Salmonella Infantis strains, we examined 15 isolates from paediatric patient faeces in Argentina (12 geographically related and 3 geographically non-related) by using antimicrobial susceptibility, plasmid profiling, repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) PCR, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) PCR, and low-frequency restriction analysis of chromosomal DNA by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Four Spanish strains were included as controls of clonal diversity in molecular techniques. Antibiotype and plasmid profile was not useful as epidemiological tools. PFGE and REP-PCR were able to discriminate between Argentinean and Spanish isolates of Salmonella Infantis allowing to detect genetically related strains in three different cities. This finding indicates that a possible spread of a clone of this serovar in the North-eastern Region of Argentina has taken place in 1998