Preliminary data of the surveillance of surgical site infections at Gaziantep university hospital

Surgical site infection [SSI] is a major surgical complication that leads to mortality, morbidity and socioeconomic losses. The objective of this study is to determine the rate of SSIs, the pathogens involved in the infections and the associated antimicrobial sensitivity patterns in the surgical clinics of our hospital. This study was conducted in all surgical departments of our hospital except ophthalmology. Patients [n = 1397] who had surgery for any reason and who stayed in the hospital for at least 48 h were enrolled in this study. The criteria issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was utilized in defining and diagnosing SSI. During the study, SSIs developed in 131 [9.4%] of 1397 patients. The development of a SSI resulted in an additional 12.8 days of hospital stay. Gram-negative microorganisms constituted 74.6% of the pathogens responsible for the SSIs. The most commonly isolated microorganisms were Escherichia coli [32.8%], Pseudomonas spp. [13.4%] and Enterococcus spp. [11.9%]. Methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci was 83.3% and 100%, respectively. No vancomycin resistance was detected in the enterococci. The rates of extended spectrum beta lactamase production in E. coli and Klebsiella strains were 86.3% and 42.8%, respectively. SSI surveillance studies should be performed to decrease the rate of SSIs

Different manifestations of nervous system involvement by neurobrucellosis

To assess the clinical categories, laboratory, radiological findings, and treatment outcomes of patients with neurobrucellosis. This retrospective study was designed at the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine of Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey between 2003 and 2006. In this period, 300 patients with brucellosis were diagnosed, and 13 patients with neurobrucellosis are described. Diagnosis of neurobrucellosis was based on the isolation of Brucella spp. from CSF and/or CSF standard tube agglutination [STA] >/= 1/40, lymphocytic pleocytosis, increased protein in CSF and STA >/= 1/320 in blood. The mean adenosine deaminase level was 12.15 u/L in CSF. The duration of antimicrobial treatment varied with the clinical response of the patient. We divided the 13 patients with neurobrucellosis into 4 different groups according to clinical presentation: meningoencephalitis in 8 patients, cerebral demyelination in one patient, myelitis in one patient, and neuropsychiatric disorder in 3 patients. The most common clinical form of neurobrucellosis was meningoencephalitis. There was no mortality in any of the cases. Applying these diagnostic criteria can help both early diagnosis of neurobrucellosis and differentiation from other CNS involvement in endemic regions