Identification of Propionibacterium avidum from a breast abscess: an overlooked etiology of clinically significant infections.

We report the case of a 37-year-old previously healthy woman diagnosed with a breast abscess due to Propionibacterium avidum after breast reduction surgery. This case emphasizes the potential pathogenicity and morbidity associated with this commensal skin organism.

[Breast infections]. / Infections du sein.

Breast infections such as mastitis and breast abscesses are frequent. They are usually caused by the same microorganisms as those that cause other soft tissue infections. For a simple mastitis, a treatment with antibiotics alone is usually sufficient, whereas drainage is necessary when an abscess is present. While ultrasound-assisted puncture and aspiration is the best approach for breast abscesses of less than 3 cm, surgery is recommended for more extended infection. Infections of breast implants have to be treated applying a mixed surgical-medical approach with removal of the implant (usually in one stage exchange) and antibiotics adapted to the microorganism identified.

Candida species distribution and antifungal susceptibility testing according to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and new vs. old Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute clinical breakpoints: a 6-year prospective candidaemia survey from the fungal infection network of Switzerland.

We analyzed the species distribution of Candida blood isolates (CBIs), prospectively collected between 2004 and 2009 within FUNGINOS, and compared their antifungal susceptibility according to clinical breakpoints defined by the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) in 2013, and the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) in 2008 (old CLSI breakpoints) and 2012 (new CLSI breakpoints). CBIs were tested for susceptiblity to fluconazole, voriconazole and caspofungin by microtitre broth dilution (Sensititre® YeastOne™ test panel). Of 1090 CBIs, 675 (61.9%) were C. albicans, 191 (17.5%) C. glabrata, 64 (5.9%) C. tropicalis, 59 (5.4%) C. parapsilosis, 33 (3%) C. dubliniensis, 22 (2%) C. krusei and 46 (4.2%) rare Candida species. Independently of the breakpoints applied, C. albicans was almost uniformly (>98%) susceptible to all three antifungal agents. In contrast, the proportions of fluconazole- and voriconazole-susceptible C. tropicalis and F-susceptible C. parapsilosis were lower according to EUCAST/new CLSI breakpoints than to the old CLSI breakpoints. For caspofungin, non-susceptibility occurred mainly in C. krusei (63.3%) and C. glabrata (9.4%). Nine isolates (five C. tropicalis, three C. albicans and one C. parapsilosis) were cross-resistant to azoles according to EUCAST breakpoints, compared with three isolates (two C. albicans and one C. tropicalis) according to new and two (2 C. albicans) according to old CLSI breakpoints. Four species (C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis) represented >90% of all CBIs. In vitro resistance to fluconazole, voriconazole and caspofungin was rare among C. albicans, but an increase of non-susceptibile isolates was observed among C. tropicalis/C. parapsilosis for the azoles and C. glabrata/C. krusei for caspofungin according to EUCAST and new CLSI breakpoints compared with old CLSI breakpoints.

[The infected diabetic foot]. / Pied Diabetique Infecte.

Disorders of local immunity associated with diabetes, neuropathy, vascular disease and pressure lesions all contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic foot lesions. Diabetic foot infections are frequently encountered, comprising multifactorial pathology and high morbidity and mortality rates. Microbiological sampling is indicated only when infection is suspected clinically, that is, when a lesion presents a minimum of two of the following six signs: erythema, heat, pain, tumefaction, induration or purulent discharge.

Outcome of smoking cessation counselling of HIV-positive persons by HIV care physicians.

OBJECTIVES: Smoking is the most prevalent modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases among HIV-positive persons. We assessed the effect on smoking cessation of training HIV care physicians in counselling. METHODS: The Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) is a multicentre prospective observational database. Our single-centre intervention at the Zurich centre included a half day of standardized training for physicians in counselling and in the pharmacotherapy of smokers, and a physicians' checklist for semi-annual documentation of their counselling. Smoking status was then compared between participants at the Zurich centre and other institutions. We used marginal logistic regression models with exchangeable correlation structure and robust standard errors to estimate the odds of smoking cessation and relapse. RESULTS: Between April 2000 and December 2010, 11 056 SHCS participants had 121 238 semi-annual visits and 64 118 person-years of follow-up. The prevalence of smoking decreased from 60 to 43%. During the intervention at the Zurich centre from November 2007 to December 2009, 1689 participants in this centre had 6068 cohort visits. These participants were more likely to stop smoking [odds ratio (OR) 1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.42; P=0.004] and had fewer relapses (OR 0.75; 95% CI 0.61-0.92; P=0.007) than participants at other SHCS institutions. The effect of the intervention was stronger than the calendar time effect (OR 1.19 vs. 1.04 per year, respectively). Middle-aged participants, injecting drug users, and participants with psychiatric problems or with higher alcohol consumption were less likely to stop smoking, whereas persons with a prior cardiovascular event were more likely to stop smoking. CONCLUSIONS: An institution-wide training programme for HIV care physicians in smoking cessation counselling led to increased smoking cessation and fewer relapses.

Comparison of infectious complications during induction/consolidation chemotherapy versus allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Induction/consolidation chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for hematological malignancies are associated with treatment-related risks such as infections. The predominant types of infections are blood stream infections (BSIs) and respiratory tract infections. We prospectively compared infectious complications after induction/consolidation chemotherapy versus allogeneic HSCT in a directly comparable setting with both groups being hospitalized on the same ward. From July 2003 until June 2008, 492 hospitalizations of 321 patients took place; 237 chemotherapies and 255 HSCTs were performed. We observed 49 (20.7%) BSIs, 70 (29.5%) pneumonias and 11 (4.6%) probable or proven invasive mould infections in the chemotherapy group. In the HSCT group we detected 70 (27.5%) BSIs, 71 (27.8%) pneumonias and 14 (5.4%) probable or proven invasive mould infections. There was a trend toward more transfers to the intensive care unit (OR 1.61; 95%CI 0.95-2.72; P=0.074) and BSIs (OR 1.45; 95%CI 0.95-2.22; P=0.079) after HSCT; 44 (13.7%) patients died. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the HSCT group (OR 2.39; 95%CI 1.22-4.68; P=0.010). We conclude that the risk of pneumonia and invasive mould infection is comparable after induction/consolidation chemotherapy and allogeneic HSCT. However, there was a trend for more BSIs and intensive care unit stays and a higher mortality in the latter.

[Headaches and aphasia in an immunocompromised patient]. / Kopfschmerzen und Wortfindungsstörungen bei einem immunsupprimierten Patienten.

We report the case of a 81-year-old, immunocompromised Patient, admitted to our hospital with new-onset headaches and word-finding difficulties. The MRI of the brain revealed a temporal mass on the left with marginal contrast-enhancement. During the next days Listeria monocytogenes grew in the bloodcultures so that the diagnosis of a brain-abscess caused by Listeria was established. Due to the localisation, surgical drainage of the abscess was not possible, so that a prolonged antibiotic therapy lasting over 4.5 months was initiated. The MRI after therapy demonstrated no abscess persistence. Listeria mostly cause infections in the immunocompromised, elderly, newborn or pregnant host. Next to bacteraemia without a focus, CNS-invasion with meningitis, meningoencephalitis or less frequent abcess-formation (5-10%) is the most important manifestation.

[53 year-old patient with fever and cough]. / 53-jähriger Patient mit Fieber und Husten.

We describe a patient with late HIV presentation, opportunistic infections and an immune reconstitution syndrome (IRIS) after starting a combination antiretroviral therapy (ART)occurring in this severely immunodeficient patient. In the beginning, a miliary tuberculosis was diagnoses, followed by a second opportunistic infection, i.e. pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia. After start of ART, further organ manifestations developed, interpreted as immune reconstitution syndrome. The decision about the optimal time point for starting ART in the presence of an opportunistic infection is essential.

T-cell reaction to local anaesthetics: relationship to angioedema and urticaria after subcutaneous application--patch testing and LTT in patients with adverse reaction to local anaesthetics.

BACKGROUND: Local anaesthetics are known to elicit T-cell reactions after epicutaneous application, namely contact dermatitis. In addition, adverse reactions like urticaria and angioedema are rather common after submucosal or subcutaneous injection. The pathogenesis of these side-effects, which appear frequently hours after application, is unknown, but thought to be not immunoglobulin E-mediated, since immediate skin tests are mostly negative. OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether patients who developed urticaria and angioedema after subcutaneous application have a T-cell sensitization to local anaesthetics, which might be responsible for the symptoms. METHODS: Twenty patients with generalized and/or local cutaneous reactions after LA were examined with intradermal testing using a standard panel of six LAs and patch testing using between seven and nine LAs in vaseline and four LAs in PBS. In 10 patients, a lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) was performed. RESULTS: Only 2/20 patients had an immediate skin reaction (positive intradermal test), whereas 6/20 patients had a positive delayed skin reaction (positive patch test). In 6/10 subjects the LTT was positive. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed appearance of urticaria and angioedema after subcutaneous application of local anaesthetics may be related to a T cell- mediated sensitization, which might be detected by patch testing or LTT.