Kinetics of SARS-CoV-2-Neutralising Antibodies of Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities.

INTRODUCTION: Elderly residents of nursing homes (NHs) and long-term care units (LTCUs) have been shown to have a high risk of mortality and morbidity in cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The objective of this study was to examine the kinetics of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) directed against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in residents of the NH and LTCU units of our University Hospital who were identified with positive serology after the first epidemic outbreak. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants included were sampled every three months for qualitative serological testing, as well as quantitative testing by neutralization tests using retroviral particles containing the S glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. Vaccination using the Comirnaty (Pfizer BNT162b2) vaccine begun before the last serological follow-up. RESULTS: The median NAb titer in June 2020 was 80 [40; 60] versus 40 [40; 160] three months later, showing a statistically significant decline (p < 0.007), but remained stable between the three- and six-month timepoints (p = 0.867). By nine months after vaccination, we observed a significant difference between vaccinated residents known to have positive serology before vaccination (SERO+, Vacc+) and those vaccinated without having previously shown COVID-19 seroconversion (SERO-, Vacc+), the latter group showing similar titers to the SERO+, Vacc- participants (p=0.166). The median antibody titer in SERO+, Vacc+ patients increased 15-fold following vaccination. DISCUSSION: Humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 appears to be persistent in elderly institutionalized patients, with a good post-vaccination response by residents who had already shown seroconversion but a notably diminished response by those who were seronegative before vaccination. To evaluate immunity in its entirety and elaborate a sound vaccination strategy, the cellular immune response via T cells specific to SARS-CoV-2 merits analysis, as this response is susceptible to being affected by immunosenescence.

Impact of rifampicin dose in bone and joint prosthetic device infections due to Staphylococcus spp: a retrospective single-center study in France.

BACKGROUND: Prosthetic joint infections (PJI) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality burden worldwide. While surgical management is well defined, rifampicin (RIF) dose remains controversial. The aim of our study was to determine whether Rifampicin dose impact infection outcomes in PJI due to Staphylococcus spp. METHODS: single-center retrospective study including 411 patients with PJI due to Rifampicin-sensitive Staphylococcus spp. Rifampicine dose was categorized as follow: < 10 mg/kg/day, 10-20 mg/kg/day or > 20 mg/kg/day. The primary endpoint was patient recovery, defined as being free of infection during 12 months after the end of the initial antibiotic course. RESULTS: 321 (78%) received RIF for the full antibiotic course. RIF dose didn't affect patients recovery rate with 67, 76 and 69% in the < 10, 10-20 and > 20 mg/kg/day groups, respectively (p = 0.083). In univariate analysis, recovery rate was significantly associated with gender (p = 0.012) but not to RIF dose, or Staphylococcus phenotype (aureus or coagulase-negative). In multivariate analysis, age (p = 0.01) and treatment duration (p <  0.01) were significantly associated with recovery rate. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that lower doses of RIF are as efficient and safe as the recommended high-dose French regimen in the treatment of PJI.

Medical versus surgical treatment in native hip and knee septic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Antibiotic treatment and arthroscopic or open drainage is the gold standard for septic arthritis. Full recovery takes time after surgery and hospital stay is longer than for arthrocentesis at the bedside. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of arthrocentesis (medical approach) versus a surgical approach. METHOD: We retrospectively included 97 cases of native joint arthritis (hip and knee) between 2010 and 2017. The primary outcome was treatment failure of medical and surgical approaches (defined as surgical intervention within 7 days following diagnosis). Risk factors of failure were identified by univariable and multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: We included 72 cases of knee arthritis, of which 43 and 29 were treated medically and surgically, respectively; 25 cases of hip arthritis, of which 8 and 17 were treated medically and surgically, respectively. Failure was observed in 39.2% of cases in the medical group and in 30.4% in the surgical group (P=0.2) (37.5% vs. 52.9% and 39.5% vs. 17.2% for hip and knee, respectively). The univariate analysis identified age and male sex as risk factors for failure (P=0.048 and P=0.02, respectively), but only age was independently associated with failure (P=0.04). Hospital length of stay was 12 days shorter in the medical group (21 vs. 33 days, P=0.02), sequelae were less frequent and less important in the medical group (31.7% vs. 60%). CONCLUSION: The medical treatment seems to be as effective as the surgical treatment for native joint septic arthritis with a shorter hospital stay and better functional outcome. Further prospective studies are warranted.

Tuberculosis in the intensive care unit: a descriptive analysis in a low-burden country.

BACKGROUND: Although tuberculosis (TB) is not a major public health issue in low-burden countries, severe cases are still a matter of concern. OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk factors for mortality due to TB in a low-burden setting. DESIGN: A retrospective study of 97 patients hospitalised with active TB in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris, France, from 2000 to 2009. RESULTS: The mean age was 47.4 ± 14.7 years; 40 patients were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected, with a median CD4 cell count of 74 cells/mm(3). The survival analysis showed that 21 patients died during their time in the ICU. The observed risk factors for ICU mortality were organ failure, high Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores, and concomitant non-tuberculous infection. In multivariate analysis, only SAPS II score was significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Risk factors identified in this study are different from those in high-burden countries, and were not associated with the site of TB disease. There was no difference in TB presentation between HIV-infected and non-HIV-infected patients, and HIV was not a mortality risk factor. Low-burden countries still experience high death rates due to severe TB.

Risk factors for prolonged treatment of lymph node tuberculosis.

Lymph node tuberculosis (LNTB) is the most frequent form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Randomised, controlled trials have convincingly demonstrated that 6 months of chemotherapy is sufficient for most drug-susceptible LNTB. We performed a retrospective, multicentric study from 1997 to 2010 to describe factors associated with prolonged anti-tuberculosis treatment in patients with LNTB. Of 126 patients diagnosed with LNTB, 22 (17.5%) were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected. The median treatment duration was 9 months (interquartile range, 6-12). Treatment was significantly longer in patients with HIV (P < 0.01), additional sites of TB (P < 0.01) or weight loss (P = 0.04). Factors independently associated with excessively lengthy treatment were HIV co-infection and the presence of other TB foci.

Antiretroviral therapy in intensive care.

Using antiretroviral therapy (ART) raises numerous issues in intensive care units (ICU): drug administration and kinetics issues in ventilated patients and/or with gastric tube, drug interactions, and risk of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. This is why a lot of ICU physicians stop ART on admission and few initiate it during the ICU stay. However, the literature review suggests that the earlier the ART is started the more effective it is. Furthermore, stopping ART could be hazardous for some patients. The authors present the most frequent issues raised by ART use in an ICU and how to deal with them.

Serum procalcitonin does not differentiate between infection and disease flare in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic erythematosus lupus (SLE) is a common autoimmune disease. Disease flares may mimic infection with fever, inflammatory syndrome and chills, sometimes resulting in a difficult differential diagnosis. Elevated serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels have been reported to be predictive of bacterial infections, but with conflicting results. The value of serum procalcitonin has not been assessed in large series of SLE. We aimed to describe the distribution of PCT levels in SLE patients with and without flares, to assess the factors associated with increased PCT levels, and to determine the positive and negative predictive values of increased PCT for bacterial infection in SLE patients. Hospitalized SLE patients were included in a retrospective study. Serum PCT had been assayed, or a serum sample had been frozen on admission, before treatment modification. Serum PCT, measured by an automated immunofluorometric assay, and SLEDAI were assessed at the same time. Some 53 women (median age: 33.7 years, range 16-76) and seven men (median age: 52.5 years ± 19) were included. The median SLEDAI for patients with flare (n = 16, 28%) was 2 (range: 0-29). Five patients (8%) had systemic infection. Only one patient had increased PCT levels. Men had significantly higher PCT levels than women (0.196 ± 0.23 versus 0.066 ± 0.03, p < 0.01) and a significant correlation was observed between PCT, age, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein. We conclude that PCT levels were within the normal range in infected and non-infected SLE patients and there was no ability to differentiate SLE patients with or without bacterial infection.

[Lymph node tuberculosis treatment: from recommendations to practice]. / Traitement de la tuberculose ganglionnaire: des recommandations à la pratique.

PURPOSE: Lymph node infection is the most frequent localization of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. However, there is still no consensus on the length of antimicrobial treatment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study in the Department of infectious diseases and internal medicine in the Amiens Teaching Hospital, France. All patients diagnosed with lymph node tuberculosis between 1998 and 2007 were included; some patients presented with bi- or multifocal tuberculosis. The aim of the study was a practice analysis. RESULTS: We studied 48 medical records, 16 were excluded for lack of more than 40% of data or because lymph node tuberculosis was non-active. The mean age of the 32 patients included was 49 years. The mean duration of treatment was 10.9 months (standard deviation 2.6, median 11, range 6-18). There was no statistical age difference between subgroups (lymph node tuberculosis versus multifocal tuberculosis). There was no significant difference between the 6-month treatment group and the 9-month treatment group in term of clinical response. One relapse was diagnosed, eight patients (25%) were lost to follow-up at 1 year after treatment. DISCUSSION AND REVIEW: No reliable published data was found as to the optimal duration of treatment. A high quality clinical trial should be carried out to suggest a consensus.