Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia diagnosed at hospital admission: distinguishing between community-acquired versus healthcare-associated strains.

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections diagnosed at hospital admission are often referred to as community-acquired. This designation may include MRSA strains previously acquired in a healthcare setting (healthcare-associated) as well as those that have emerged from community-based S. aureus strains. METHODS: To understand further the epidemiology of MRSA from the community, a case-control study was performed. During 1997-2002, 254 patients with and without MRSA bacteraemia at hospital admission were studied. RESULTS: All patients with MRSA bacteraemia in the first 24 h of hospital admission had a recent exposure to a healthcare setting: true community-acquired MRSA was not detected. Independent risk factors for healthcare-associated MRSA bacteraemia, defined as MRSA bacteraemia in the first 24 h of hospital admission among patients with a recent exposure to a healthcare setting or intervention, included previous MRSA infection or colonization (OR = 17, P < 0.001), cellulitis (OR = 4, P = 0.006), presence of a central venous catheter (OR = 3, P < 0.001) and skin ulcers (OR = 3, P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, MRSA bacteraemia diagnosed in the first 24 h of hospital admission represented healthcare-associated MRSA strains and not true community-acquired strains. The clinical characteristics associated with healthcare-associated MRSA bacteraemia can assist clinicians in targeting measures to prevent cross-transmission and may help to streamline empirical vancomycin therapy.

Multicenter evaluation of a new enzyme immunoassay for detection of Clostridium difficile enterotoxin A.

The Premier Clostridium difficile toxin A enzyme immunoassay (PTA EIA) (Meridian Diagnostics, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio) for rapid diagnosis of antibiotic-associated colitis (AAC) was evaluated in a multicenter study. Stool samples from 421 patients suspected of having AAC were tested for toxin A by the PTA EIA and for toxin B by three tissue culture assays (TCA) employing WI-38 cells (New England Deaconess Hospital) in conventional tubes or foreskin fibroblasts (Children's Hospital) or Vero cells (Beth Israel Hospital) in microwells. The tubes and plates were examined at 24 and 48 h for cytotoxicity. Clinical criteria, repeat testing at another site, and culture of frozen stool samples for C. difficile were used to evaluate discrepant results. Of 504 samples, 66 were positive and 409 were negative by both tests. Eight samples had indeterminate PTA EIA results and were excluded from this analysis. Of 21 discrepancies, 9 were PTA EIA positive and TCA negative and 12 were PTA EIA negative TCA positive. Following resolution of the discrepancies, 11 of 12 PTA EIA-negative-TCA-positive and 5 of 9 PTA EIA-positive-TCA-negative samples were considered true positive for AAC. The sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 86.6 and 99.0% for the PTA EIA and 93.9 and 99.8% for TCA. The predictive values of positive and negative tests were, respectively, 94.7 and 97.4% for the PTA EIA and 98.7 and 98.8% for TCA. We conclude that the PTA EIA is a rapid, simple EIA technique whose accuracy in detecting enterotoxin A approaches that of reference TCA methods for detection of cytotoxin B.

Increasing resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics among clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecium: a 22-year review at one institution.

To identify any change in the antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus faecium, we examined the antibiotic susceptibilities of clinical strains (n = 84) isolated at one institution during the 22 years since 1968. A significant increase in resistance to penicillin was observed during the study period: the MICs of penicillin for 50 and 90% of isolates tested were 16 and 64 micrograms/ml, respectively, from 1969 to 1988 (n = 48; geometric mean MIC, 14 micrograms/ml) , whereas they were 256 and 512 micrograms/ml, respectively, from 1989 to 1990 (n = 36; geometric mean MIC, 123 micrograms/ml) (P less than 0.001). A comparable increase in resistance to ampicillin was also noted (P less than 0.001). No strains produced detectable beta-lactamase. In contrast, susceptibilities to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and ciprofloxacin remained stable. High-level resistance to gentamicin was observed in none of 48 isolates from 1969 to 1988, but was present in 22 of 36 strains (61%) from 1989 to 1990 (P less than 0.001) and was significantly associated with resistance (MIC, greater than or equal to 128 micrograms/ml) to penicillin (P less than 0.001). To assess the potential evolution of antibiotic resistance in this species, clinical isolates (n = 24) were compared with strains isolated in 1968 from a human population in the Solomon Islands that was never exposed to antibiotics. Solomon Island isolates were significantly more susceptible than all clinical strains to penicillin, ampicillin, and vancomycin (P less than 0.001 for each), but they exhibited no differences in susceptibility to teicoplanin or ciprofloxacin. The penicillin-binding affinity of penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP 5) in penicillin-resistant clinical strains (MIC, 512 micrograms/ml) was notably lower than that in strains with more typical susceptibilities, suggesting an alteration in this PBP as a possible mechanism for increased penicillin resistance. Solomon Island strains most susceptible to penicillin demonstrated a prominent PBP 5* and the absence of PBP 5. These changes in the antibiotic resistance of E. faecium emphasize the importance of identifying this species in patients with serious enterococcal infections and the necessity of assessing its susceptibility to both beta-lactams and aminoglycosides if effective therapy is to be identified.

Ganciclovir therapy of severe cytomegalovirus infections in solid-organ transplant recipients.

The clinical and virologic efficacy of ganciclovir (9-[1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl]guanine) in the treatment of severe CMV infections in solid organ transplant recipients was investigated. Twelve patients (9 liver and 3 kidney transplant recipients) with CMV retinitis, esophagitis, hepatitis, or pneumonia received ganciclovir at a dose of 0.75-7.5 mg/kg/day for 10-30 days (mean duration 17 days). Clinical stabilization or improvement occurred in 8 patients (67%). Serial liver biopsies in 6 liver allograft recipients with CMV hepatitis demonstrated substantial histologic improvement on treatment. Of 6 patients with CMV pneumonia, 4 (67%) recovered and survived. Cultures of blood and other sites became negative in 9 patients (75%). Three patients (25%) had recurrent viral shedding after treatment, but none of these relapsed with invasive infections. Mild neutropenia was the only side effect encountered but was frequent (67%). The overall survival rate was 50%. Ganciclovir is effective in reducing CMV shedding in solid organ transplant recipients and is well tolerated. Our experience suggests a clinical benefit as well in patients with severe, invasive CMV disease. Relapse, in contrast to patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is infrequent.

Evaluation of cefamandole susceptibility testing of Enterobacteriacea by the autobac 1 system.

A total of 509 clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae were tested for susceptibility to cefamandole by Autobac 1 and Bauer-Kirby disk diffusion methods, using commercially available 30-micrograms cefamandole disks. Minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined for all organisms showing major or very major discrepancies. Overall agreement between Autobac 1 and disk diffusion was 89.8%, with 5.1% major or very major and 5.1% minor discrepancies. When considering only the genera for which 20 or more isolates were tested, overall agreement was 90.8%. Discrepancies for Escherichia coli showed a trend toward resistance by Autobac 1, with minimal inhibitory concentrations generally in agreement with disk diffusion results. No trends were detected for other genera. The rate of agreement was lower for Enterobacter species (75.4%), but minimal inhibitory concentrations, determined for all discrepancies in this genus, agreed with Autobafc 1 as often a with disk diffusion results.