Activity of ceftaroline and comparators against pathogens isolated from skin and soft tissue infections in Latin America - results of AWARE surveillance 2012

ABSTRACT As part of the Assessing Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation (AWARE) surveillance program in 2012 the in vitro activity of ceftaroline and relevant comparator antimicrobials was evaluated in six Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela) against pathogens isolated from patients with hospital associated skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). The study documented that ceftaroline was highly active (MIC90 0.25 mg/L/% susceptible 100%) against methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MIC90 2 mg/L/% susceptible 83.3%) and ß-hemolytic streptococci (MIC90 0.008-0.015 mg/L/% susceptible 100%). The activity of ceftaroline against selected species of Enterobacteriaceae was dependent upon the presence or absence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs). Against ESBL screen-negativeEscherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, andKlebsiella oxytoca the MIC90 and percent susceptible for ceftaroline were (0.5 mg/L/94.1%), (0.5 mg/L/99.0%) and (0.5 mg/L/91.5%), respectively. Ceftaroline demonstrated potent activity against a recent collection of pathogens associated with SSTI in six Latin American countries in 2012.

Cutaneous infection caused by Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum: a microbiological report / Infecção cutânea causada por Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum: relato microbiológico

We report here a rare case of cutaneous infection due to Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum. The patient presented to the clinical laboratory with a skin ulcer on his left leg. Gram-stained preparation of the purulent secretion revealed the presence of numerous rod-shaped Gram-positive organisms in the absence of any other species. The organism was grown in pure culture on sheep blood agar and was further identified as C. pseudodiphtheriticum using a commercial identification system (API-Coryne, BioMérieux, France). The infection was successfully treated with ciprofloxacin. This case emphasizes the importance of the clinical microbiology laboratory in correctly identifying Gram-positive organisms obtained in pure culture from skin ulcers.

Reportamos o isolamento de Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum de um caso de infecção cutânea. O paciente apresentou-se ao laboratório clínico com uma úlcera na perna esquerda. A coloração de Gram do material revelou a presença de bacilos Gram-positivos e ausência de outras espécies bacterianas. O organismo foi isolado em cultura pura no ágar sangue de carneiro e foi identificado como C. pseudodiphtheriticum através de um sistema de identificação comercial (API-Coryne, BioMérieux, França). A infecção foi tratada com sucesso através do uso de ciprofloxacina. Este caso reforça a importância do laboratório de microbiologia clínica na identificação de organismos Gram-positivos isolados de cultura pura de amostras de úlceras cutâneas.