A case report of brain abscess caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

ABSTRACT The treatment of infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-Kp) strains is difficult due to the limited antimicrobial options and high mortality. There are many reports on intracranial infections caused by CR-Kp, but only a few on brain abscesses caused by CR-Kp. Here, we present a case of brain abscess caused by CR-Kp successfully treated with combined antibiotics. A 26-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital due to high fever and headache. His past medical history includes a surgical intervention due to an acute subdural hematoma, performed at an external healthcare center. After the current diagnosis of cerebral abscess, he underwent two surgeries. During the procedure, multiple cerebral abscesses were drained and capsulotomies were performed under ultrasound guidance. The combination of meropenem and vancomycin was started. The contents of the abscesses were sent to the microbiology and pathology laboratory. On the 3 rd day of treatment, the medical team was informed that CR-Kp grew in an abscess culture. The patient's treatment was changed to meropenem + colistin + tigecycline. The patient developed electrolyte disturbances during the follow-up and this was considered an adverse effect of colistin. On the 41 st day of treatment, colistin was discontinued, fosfomycin was added, and meropenem and tigecycline were maintained. Treatment was discontinued on the 68 th day, when the patient was discharged. The general condition of the patient, who has been followed up for two years, is satisfactory. The treatment of CR-Kp infections should be individualized, and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antibiotics should be considered in each case.

Genetic alterations in benign, preneoplastic and malignant breast lesions.

Context: The c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene is a member of the epidermal growth factor receptor family and has been associated with a more aggressive breast tumor biology and resistance to some types of treatments. Aims: The aim is to investigate the correlation among bcl-2 and c-erbB-2 and the micronucleus (MN) formation in patients with early breast cancer (BC). Materials and Methods: This study was conducted between May 2010 and December 2011. We analyzed the MN frequencies in 15 patients with invasive breast carcinoma (IBC), 13 patients with intraductal proliferative lesion (IDPL) and 12 benign breast lesion (BBL). The sample consisted of 40 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks of benign and malignant breast tissue. The specimens were evaluated for bcl-2 or c-erbB-2 immunoreactivity was semi-quantitatively evaluated in at least 1000 cells examined under the microscope at 40Χ magnification and recorded as the percentage of c-erbB-2 and bcl-2 positive tumor cells over the total number of cells examined in the same area. The percentage scores were subsequently categorized using the 5% cut-off point for positive staining. Results: The MN was significantly increased in IBC and in IDPL patients compared to BBL patients (3.82 ± 0.17 and 2.37 ± 0.52, respectively, vs. 1.61 ± 0.40, P < 0.001). On other hand, the MN frequencies in IBC patients were higher than those in IDPL patients (3.82 ± 0.17 vs. 2.37 ± 0.52, P < 0.01). c-erbB-2, had the highest record in IBC (60%), and the score was not observed in both IDPL and BBL: bcl-2 immunostaining was also assessed, the lowest recorded score was in IBC (46.66%) and the highest in both BBL and IDPL (100%). Furthermore, there was a significantly difference in the mean MN frequency between c-erbB-2 positive IBC patients (4.06 ± 0.48) and c-erbB-2 negative IBC patients (3.44 ± 0.39) (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our results suggest that increased chromosome / DNA instabilities may be associated with the pathogenesis of early BC.

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.

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.