Acute bacterial meningitis in adults: a 20 year review.

During the period Jaunuary 1982 to December 2001 (20 years), a retrospective study in patients 15 years or older with acute bacterial meningitis who were admitted to Songklanagarind Hospital was carried out. There were 180 episodes in 161 cases of acute bacterial meningitis with an increasing incidence of disease during the study. Fifty-nine percent of episodes were nosocomial infection. The classic triad of acute bacterial meningitis was found in 54% of cases. The most common pathogen was Streptococcus pneumoniae (11.7%) in which 19% of these strain were penicillin-resistant. Gram-negative bacilli were common organisms in nosocomial meningitis (32.1%). Twenty-five patients died from meningitis with a mortality rate of 15.5%. Risk factors for mortality older age were than 60 years, HIV infection, impaired mental status and shock.

Varidans streptococci in the oral flora of the patients at risk for infective endocarditis: species and penicillin susceptibilities.

This study examined viridans streptococci (SV) in oral flora of patients at risk of infective endocarditis (IE) by obtaining 57 isolates from gum-tooth margin swabs of 3 groups of patients. Penicillin minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined by E test. Group 1 was from 30 patients with prosthetic heart valves who did not receive antimicrobial agents within 3 months prior to recruitment. Group 2 consisted of 21 patients with known rheumatic heart diseases who regularly received penicillin prophylaxis. Group 3 was 2 patients with IE caused by SV in whom dental swabs were performed before and on the third day of treatment. Streptococcus mitis was found most frequently (49% among 51 oral isolates of SV from patients in group 1 and 2) and in both blood cultures of IE patients. Ninety-four per cent of the isolates were penicillin-susceptible and the rest were intermediate-resistant (IR) equally distributed in both groups 1 and 2. In 2 patients with IE, oral SV obtained after 3 days of penicillin therapy had MICs rising 3 and 5 folds of the baselines. It is suggested that surveillance of susceptibilities of oral SV in patients at risk for IE should be kept up since this will affect the dose and type of antimicrobial agents in IE prophylaxis.

Invasive streptococcal group A infection and toxic shock syndrome in Songklanagarind hospital.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Streptococcal group A infection is reported as a medical problem in several parts of the world. The most serious complication of this infection is streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) which is associated with a very high mortality rate. The present study aimed to determine the clinical manifestations, including underlying conditions, mortality and prognostic factors, of invasive streptococcal group A infection and STSS from southern Thailand (Songklanagarind Hospital). METHOD: The medical records of infected patients from January 1, 1995 to June 30, 1999 were reviewed retrospectively. Criteria for diagnosis of STSS were as follows (JAMA 1993). Prognostic factors were analyzed by logistic regression model. RESULT: 176 cases of STSS and streptococcal group A infection, 89.9 per cent were community acquired infections. About 70 per cent of the infected patients had previous underlying conditions, the most common was cancer. The commonest site of infection was the skin and soft tissue (80.1%). The total mortality rate from streptococcal group A infection was 9.1 per cent. STSS was identified in 12 patients (6.8%), with a 50 per cent mortality rate. Prognostic factors for mortality in this infection were diabetic mellitus (odds ratio 9.67, p<0.025), history of steroid use (odds ratio 11.17, p<0.017), STSS (odds ratio 22.16, p<0.005) and received cancer chemotherapy (odds ratio 115.19, p<0.003). Predictive factors for STSS couldn't be identified, while age >65 years and steroid use were suggested protective factors for this condition [odds ratio 0.02, p<0.0001 and odd ratio 0.07, p<0.027 respectively].

Local tetanus.

The diagnostic problem posed by local tetanus is illustrated by 2 cases of this disease. With lack of a reliable serologic test and often failure to isolate the tetanus bacilli, the identification of tetanus must depend largely on the clinical characteristics, and trismus is the characterisitic initial sign. The presence of localized muscle rigidity and of intermittent involuntary spasm should also suggest local tetanus. The clinical features are discussed and followed by a review of current concept in the pathophysiology of the disorder.