Clinical outcomes and safety of Polymyxin-B-based Combination Therapy in the treatment of multidrug resistant gram-negative infections in pediatric patients

Background@#Multidrug-resistant gram-negative (MDR GN) infections pose a significant threat to pediatric health. One of the treatment options in resource-limited settings is polymyxin-based combination therapy. However, evidence on the safety and clinical effectiveness of polymyxin B in children is scarce. @*Objectives@#This study described the outcomes of mortality, bacteriologic cure and clinical response in pediatric patients with MDR GN infections treated with polymyxin-B-based combination therapy. Adverse drug events (ADE) are likewise described. @*Methodology@#This is a retrospective descriptive study conducted at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) among pediatric inpatients from December 2020 to June 2023 with MDR GN infections treated with polymyxin B (PmB), combined with at least one other antibiotic with gram-negative coverage for at least 48 hours. Frequency and rates of the outcomes were measured and analyzed, in relation to the bacterial groups (Enterobacterales, Acinetobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and combination antibiotic regimens used, i.e., meropenem- and fluoroquinolone-containing regimen (PmB+MEM vs PmB+FQ). Frequency of ADEs were measured. @*Results@#A total of 172 cases in 136 patients were reviewed. The rates for 14-day mortality, failure in bacteriologic cure, and failure in clinical response were 26%, 15%, and 19%, respectively. In Enterobacterales infections, PmB+FQ demonstrated lower rates of mortality, failure in bacteriologic cure, and failure in clinical responses. On the other hand, in Acinetobacter infections, PmB+MEM numerically had lower rates for the same outcomes. The Pseudomonas group had conflicting data on which regimen is numerically more favorable overall. No statistically significant differences were found in the outcomes. ADEs noted were tubulopathy (5 cases), anaphylaxis (2 cases), and neurotoxicity (1 case).@*Conclusion@#Polymyxin-B-based combination therapy appears to be an acceptable treatment option for MDR GN infections in children, especially in settings where novel antibiotics are not accessible. Safety profiles indicate common but manageable adverse effects.

Clinicobacteriological profile and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of chronic dacryocystitis in adults

Background: Chronic dacryocystitis is a constant menace to delicate ocular structures. If left untreated, it can lead to sight as well as life-threatening complications. However, such complications may be prevented by timely intervention along with appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis. The objectives are to investigate the current bacterial community profile in adult patients with chronic dacryocystitis attending a referral eye care center in Odisha and to determine their drug susceptibility pattern to commonly used antimicrobial agents. Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted on 70 adult patients with chronic dacryocystitis. The discharge from the punctum was collected by doing a regurgitation test or lacrimal passage irrigation and sent for microbiological analysis. Results: Out of 70 samples collected, 54 (77.1%) samples showed bacterial growth after 24–48 h of incubation. Among various isolates recovered, 68.5% were gram-positive and 27.8% were gram-negative organisms. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the most common isolate among gram-positive, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was most common among gram-negative organisms. Among all drugs used in the susceptibility test; amikacin, piperacilin + tazobactam, and netilmycin were found to be most sensitive and cefixime, and amoxycilin + clavulinic acid was found to be most resistant to gram-positive as well as for gram-negative organisms. Conclusion: Knowledge about the microbiological profile and the drug susceptibility pattern responsible for chronic dacryocystitis in a geographical area is important and should be kept in mind while treating these patients.

Spectrum of Microorganisms Causing Blood Stream Infection and the Antibiotic Sensitivity Pattern among Gram Negative Organisms: A Study from a Tertiary Care Centre in Bihar

Introduction: Incidence of Blood stream infection (BSI) is onthe rise and so is the increasing drug resistance amongdifferent organisms causing BSI. The trend of such infectionand the antibiotic sensitivity pattern may vary from region toregion.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted with thesame aim in which about 240 blood culture and sensitivityresults were noted from the records and were analysed to seethe current trend in this region. Our focus was mainly on Gramnegative organisms, as they have been found to causeincreased number of BSI.Results: Escherichia coli was the main Gram negativeorganism, and Staphylococcus aureus along with Coagulasenegative Staphylococcus (CoNS) were the main gram positiveorganisms isolated. Candida albicans was also found in four ofthe cases. The antibiotic sensitivity pattern of gram negativeisolates showed more than 90% susceptibility to higherantibiotics, whereas the susceptibility to other antibiotics werefound to be variable.Conclusion: E. coli is the main GNB causing the infectionfollowed by K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. Increasingtrend of drug resistance is being noted by GNBs against mostcommonly used antibiotics.

AmpC beta lactamases among Gram negative clinical isolates from a tertiary hospital, South India

AmpC â-lactamases are cephalosporinases that hydrolyze cephamycins as well as other extended-spectrum cephalosporins and are poorly inhibited by clavulanic acid. Although reported with increasing frequency, the true rate of occurrence of AmpC â-lactamases in different organisms, including members of Enterobacteriaceae, remains unknown. The present study was designed to determine the occurrence of AmpC enzyme-harbouring Gram-negative clinical isolates in a tertiary care hospital in Pondicherry state, South India. A total of 235 Gram negative clinical isolates were tested for resistance to cefoxitin, third generation cephalosporin (3GC) antibiotics, ampicillin, amikacin, co-trimoxazole, gentamicin, meropenem and tetracycline by disc diffusion method. Isolates found resistant to 3GC and cefoxitin were tested for the production of AmpC â -lactamases by three dimensional extraction method and AmpC disc method. Isolates found to sensitive to 3GC were subjected to disc antagonism test for inducible AmpC production. One hundred and thirty four (57 percent) strains were resistant to 3GC, among which 63(47 percent) were positive for plasmid-mediated AmpC beta lactamases production. Among the 101 strains sensitive to 3GC, 23 (22.7 percent) revealed the presence of inducible AmpC beta lactamases by disc approximation test. A total of 80.9 percent (51/63) of screen positive isolates were detected by Amp C disc test and 93.6 percent (59/63) by three dimensional extraction method. Out of the 86 AmpC producers, 67 (77.9 percent) were cefoxitin resistant .Inducible AmpC was not found in Esch.coli and Klebsiella spp. The AmpC producers also concurrently showed multidrug resistance pattern. AmpC producers were found to be prevalent in our hospital and though three dimensional extraction test detects AmpC better, the disk test is easier to perform routinely and is user- friendly.

Comportamiento epidemiológico de la sepsis nosocomial en la Unidad de Recién Nacidos de la Fundación Cardioinfantil / Nosocomial Infections at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Fundación Cardioinfantil in Bogotá

Objetivo. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo que describe las características demográficas, la etiología, los factores asociados, la mortalidad, la sensibilidad y la resistencia de los microorganismos a los antibióticos usados en sepsis nosocomial. Diseño del estudio. Se realizó la recolección de datos desde el 2004 hasta el primer trimestre del 2006. Se definió infección nosocomial probada como la infección diagnosticada después de 72 horas de hospitalización y que recibe manejo antibiótico mayor a 3 días. Resultados. Se revisaron 60 historias clínicas, en las cuales los gérmenes Gram negativos fueron los principales causantes de sepsis nosocomial, tanto intra como extrainstitucional; de ellos la k. pneumoniae fue el germen más frecuentemente encontrado. Conclusiones. Los gérmenes Gram negativos son los microorganismos predominantemente causantes de sepsis nosocomial en la Unidad de Recién Nacidos (URN) de la Fundación Cardioinfantil (FCI).

Objective. To describe the demographic characteristics, etiologic agents, some associated factors and, the resistance pattern of the microorganisms in neonates identified with nosocomial infections at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Fundación Cardioinfantil in Bogotá. Study design. This retrospective study was developed from 2004 to the first trimester of 2006. Nosocomial infection was defined as the infection diagnosed after 72 hours of hospital admission in a neonate who received antimicrobial therapy during more than three days. Results. Sixty clinical medical charts were reviewed. Gram-negative organisms were the most frequent agents (71.2%) causing nosocomial infections acquired within or outside of the institution. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the agent most frequently identified with 65% of resistance to third generation cephalosporin. Conclusion. Gram-negative are the predominant etiologic agents responsible of nosocomial infections in neonates admitted to the Fundación Cardioinfantil.