A Case Report of Cutaneous Anthrax Diagnosed by Using a Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) Approach.

Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis. Humans are mainly infected through contact with the fur and meat of livestock. The cutaneous form is the most common form. The skin lesions of typical cutaneous anthrax are characterized by shallow ulcers with black crusts, surrounded by small blisters and nonpitting edema of nearby tissues. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a new pathogenic detection method which is rapid and unbiased. We reported the first case of cutaneous anthrax diagnosed by mNGS. Ultimately, the man received prompt antibiotic therapy and had a good prognosis. In conclusion, mNGS is proved to be a good method for etiological diagnosis, especially for rare infectious diseases.

Study on the nasal colonization of Staphylococcus aureus among healthcare workers in a hospital in Shaanxi Province / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To determine the rate of nasal carriage Staphylococcus aureus among healthcare workers in Department of Infectious Diseases department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Hospital, and to perform characterization on isolated strains. Methods　A cross-sectional study was performed on 86 healthcare workers from February 2022 to June. Nasal swabs were collected from the healthcare workers, and S. aureus were identified after incubation. Antibiotic susceptibility, including chlorhexidine and mupirocin, was assessed by disk diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration method. The PCR technique was used to detect the biocide resistance genes (qacAB, smr, lmrS mepA, and sepA), virulence genes (pvl, fnbA/fnbB, sea, seb, sec, sed, tst, eta, etb) and mecA gene. SCCmec typing and multilocus sequence typing was performed. For mupirocin-resistant strains, PCR amplification and sequencing were used to identify whether the strains had ileS gene mutations or carried resistant genes (mupA and mupB). Results　S. aureus was isolated from 37 of the 86 healthcare workers (43.02%) , including 13 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. The strains showed low resistance rates to levofloxacin (2.70%, 1/37), chloramphenicol (8.11%, 3/37), tetracycline (8.11%, 3/37), gentamicin (10.81%, 4/37), and ciprofloxacin (10.81%, 4/37). A total of 17 strains were identified as multidrug-resistant strains. Four SCCmec types were identified in MRSA strains, with the type II being the most frequent (53.85%, 7/13), followed by type IV (30.77%, 4/13). ST59 (46.15%, 6/13) was the most frequent among MRSA strains, while ST5 (41.67%, 10/24) was the most frequent among methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strains. sea was the most frequent virulence gene (56.76%, 21/37). sepA and mepA were detected in all 37 isolates. One Staphylococcus aureus strain was not sensitive to chlorhexidine, two strains had the missense mutation V588F (G1762T) and showed low level resistance to mupirocin, and one strain carrying mupA gene was highly resistant to mupirocin. Conclusion　The nasal colonization rate of Staphylococcus aureus among healthcare worker in the investigated hospital was high, indicating a risk for nosocomial infections. Strengthened monitoring and decolonization treatment should be carried out to reduce these risks.

Registered Trials of Artificial Intelligence Conducted on Chronic Liver Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely applied in the diagnosis and therapy of chronic liver disease (CLD), but there is currently little insight into the trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. Thus, this cross-sectional study was focused on analyzing the progress in the use of AI in CLD. Methods: Registered trials of AI applied in CLD on ClinicalTrials.gov were searched firstly. All available information was downloaded to Excel (Microsoft Excel, Rong, Rong, China), and duplicates were removed. We extracted the data of the included trials, then analyzed the characteristics of them finally. Results: Up to the 27th of May 2021, 6835 trials were identified following an initial search, and 20 registered trials were included after screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among those trials, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, 40.0%) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, 20.0%) were the most widely applied CLDs for AI. Trials started in 2013 until 2021, with 17 trials (85%) registered after 2016. There was a large trend in trial enrolment, with 40% of them including samples more than 500. Five trials (25%) have been completed, but only one of these had available results. The most frequent sponsors and collaborators were both hospitals at 55%, followed by universities at 35% and institutes at 11%, respectively. Of the 20 trials included, 35% (7 trials) were interventional trials and 65% (13 trials) were observational trials. Among 7 interventional trials, most trials were for diagnosis purpose (42.86%, 3 trials); 4 trials (57.14%) were randomized; 3 trials (42.86%) applied behavioral intervention, 1 trial (14.29%) was in device intervention, 2 trials (28.57%) were in diagnostic test, and 1 trial intervention was unknown. Among 13 observational trials, 8 (61.54%) were cohort studies; 6 (46.15%) were prospective studies, 4 (30.77%) were retrospective studies, 2 (15.38%) were cross-sectional studies, and 1 (7.69%) did not involve a temporal perspective. Conclusion: The study is the first to focus on AI registration trials in CLD, which will aid relevant scholars in understanding the current state of the subject. This study demonstrates that additional research on AI used in the diagnosis and treatment of CLD is required, and timely publication of accessible results from registered trials is essential.

Evaluation of the current guidelines for antibacterial therapy strategies in patients with cirrhosis or liver failure.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial infections are common complications in patients with cirrhosis or liver failure and are correlated with high mortality. Clinical practice guideline (CPG) is a reference used to help clinicians make decisions. This systematic appraisal aimed to evaluate the methodological quality and summarize the recommendations of reported CPGs in these patients. METHODS: We systematically searched CPGs published from 2008 to 2019. The methodological quality of the included CPGs was assessed using the AGREE II instrument. We extracted and compared recommendations for prophylactic and empirical treatment strategies. RESULTS: Fourteen CPGs with a median overall score of 56.3% were included. The highest domain score was Clarity of Presentation (domain 4, 85.4%), and the lowest was for Stakeholder Involvement (domain 2, 31.3%). Three CPGs had an overall score above 80%, and 6 CPGs had a score above 90% in domain 4. Prophylaxis should be strictly limited to patients with varicose bleeding, low ascites protein levels and a history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin), third-generation cephalosporins (G3) (ceftriaxone and cefotaxime) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT) are recommended for preventing infections in patients with cirrhosis or liver failure. G3, ß-lactam/ß-lactamase inhibitor combinations (BLBLIs) and carbapenems are recommended as the first choice in empirical treatment according to local epidemiology of bacterial resistance. CONCLUSIONS: The methodological quality of CPGs focused on patients with cirrhosis or liver failure evaluated by the AGREE II instrument is generally poor. Three CPGs that were considered applicable without modification and 6 CPGs that scored above 90% in domain 4 should also be paid more attention to by healthcare practitioners. Regarding recommendations, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, and SXT are recommended for prophylactic treatment appropriately. G3, BLBLIs, and carbapenems are recommended for use in empirical treatment strategies.

Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing in the Diagnosis of HHV-1 Reactivation in a Critically Ill COVID-19 Patient: A Case Report.

Background: Secondary infections pose tremendous challenges in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment and are associated with higher mortality rates. Clinicians face of the challenge of diagnosing viral infections because of low sensitivity of available laboratory tests. Case Presentation: A 66-year-old woman initially manifested fever and shortness of breath. She was diagnosed as critically ill with COVID-19 using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) and treated with antiviral therapy, ventilator and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, after the condition was relatively stabled for a few days, the patient deteriorated with fever, frequent cough, increased airway secretions, and increased exudative lesions in the lower right lung on chest X-rays, showing the possibility of a newly acquired infection, though sputum bacterial and fungal cultures and smears showed negative results. Using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), we identified a reactivation of latent human herpes virus type 1 (HHV-1) in the respiratory tract, blood and gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a worsened clinical course in a critically ill COVID-19 patient on ECMO. Anti-HHV-1 therapy guided by these sequencing results effectively decreased HHV-1 levels, and improved the patient's clinical condition. After 49 days on ECMO and 67 days on the ventilator, the 66-year-old patient recovered and was discharged. Conclusions: This case report demonstrates the potential value of mNGS for evidence-based treatment, and suggests that potential reactivation of latent viruses should be considered in critically ill COVID-19 patients.