Neurobrucellosis: clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic features and outcome. Unusual clinical presentations in an endemic region

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection and has endemic characteristics. Neurobrucellosis is an uncommon complication of this infection. The aim of this study was to present unusual clinical manifestations and to discuss the management and outcome of a series of 18 neurobrucellosis cases. Initial clinical manifestations consist of pseudotumor cerebri in one case, white matter lesions and demyelinating syndrome in three cases, intracranial granuloma in one case, transverse myelitis in two cases, sagittal sinus thrombosis in one case, spinal arachnoiditis in one case, intracranial vasculitis in one case, in addition to meningitis in all cases. Eleven patients were male and seven were female. The most prevalent symptoms were headache (83 percent) and fever (44 percent). All patients were treated with rifampicin, doxycycline plus trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole or ceftriaxone. Duration of treatment (varied 3-12 months) was determined on basis of the CSF response. In four patients presented with left mild sequelae including aphasia, hearing loss, hemiparesis. In conclusion, although mortality is rare in neurobrucellosis, its sequelae are significant. In neurobrucellosis various clinical and neuroradiologic signs and symptoms can be confused with other neurologic diseases. In inhabitants or visitors of endemic areas, neurobrucellosis should be kept in mind in cases that have unusual neurological manifestations.

Prevalence of phenotypic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolates to macrolide, lincosamide, streptogramin B, ketolid and linezolid antibiotics in Turkey

The incidence of drug-resistant pathogens differs greatly between countries according to differences in the usage of antibiotics. The purpose of this study was to investigate the phenotypic resistance of 321 methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 195 methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) in a total of 516 S. aureus strains to macrolide, lincosamide, streptogramin B (MLS B), ketolid, and linezolid. Disk diffusion method was applied to determine MLS B phenotype and susceptibility to different antibiotic agents. It was found that 54.6 percent of the isolates were resistant to erythromycin (ERSA), 48 percent to clindamycin, 55 percent to azithromycin, 58.7 percent to spiramycin, 34.7 percent to telithromycin, and 0.4 percent to quinupristin-dalfopristin, respectively. No strain resistant to linezolid was found. The prevalence of constitutive (cMLS B), inducible (IMLS B), and macrolides and type B streptogramins (M/MS B) among ERSA isolates (237 MRSA, 45 MSSA) was 69.6 percent, 18.2 percent, and 12.2 percent in MRSA and 28.9 percent, 40 percent, and 31.1 percent in MSSA, respectively. In conclusions, the prevalence of cMLS B was predominant in MRSA; while in MSSA strains, iMLS B and M/MS B phenotype were more higher than cMLS B phenotype resistance. The resistance to quinupristindalfopristin was very low, and linezolid was considered as the most effective antibiotic against all S.aureus strains.

Clinical features, laboratory data, management and the risk factors that affect the mortality in patients with postoperative meningitis.

BACKGROUND: Nosocomial meningitis is a rare complication following neurosurgical procedures and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and the risk factors associated with mortality in patients who developed nosocomial meningitis following neurosurgical operations. SETTING AND DESIGN: Tertiary care hospital and an observational study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study subjects included 2265 patients who underwent various neurosurgical operations during 2003-05. The diagnosis of nosocomial meningitis was based on the Center for Disease Control criteria. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: It was performed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows 10.0 program. RESULTS: The incidence of postoperative nosocomial meningitis was 2.7% (62 episodes in 49 patients among 2265 patients operated). Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter spp. were the most frequently isolated pathogens. Of the 49 with meningitis 20 (40.8%) patients died. In the logistic regression analysis model, Glascow coma scale score less than 10 (Odds Ratio (OR): 19.419, 95% Confidence Interval (CI); 1.637-230.41, P = 0.001), and low cerebrospinal fluid glucose level (< or = 30 mg/ dL) (OR: 10.272, 95% CI; 1.273-82.854, P = 0.002), and presence of concurrent nosocomial infection (OR: 28.744, 95% CI;1.647-501.73, P =0.001) were the independent risk factors associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: The mortality in patients who developed meningitis was high. The high percentage of concurrent nosocomial infections was associated with a high mortality rate which was a serious problem.