[Predatory journals: A real threat for medical research. 2 Assess their consequences and initiate a response]. / Revues prédatrices : une vraie menace pour la recherche médicale. 2 Evaluer leurs conséquences et engager une riposte.

The deleterious consequences of "predatory" journals are numerous, whether the researcher submitted his work to them naively or knowingly: work little or not read by the international community in the absence of indexing and disappearance of any digital trace in the absence of archiving. The reputation of researchers but also of universities and research organizations and the credit of science for citizens can be sustainably damaged. These open access journals, with the author who pays as model, represent as many resources unavailable for legitimate journals. A joint mobilization of all the actors involved is necessary: researchers, universities and faculties of medicine, sections of the national university council, publishers of legitimate journals, research organizations, learned societies, ethics committees, funders, media and political decision-makers. Publishing in a predatory journal is now a scientific misconduct.

[Predatory journals: A real threat for medical research. 1. Identify these journals and understand how they work]. / Revues prédatrices : une vraie menace pour la recherche médicale. 1. Identifier ces revues et comprendre leur fonctionnement.

The "author-pay" model of open access publication, which appeared in 2002, allocates to the author or his institution the costs of processing articles due to the journal after acceptance, for an amount of a few hundred to several thousand euros. New publishers emerged towards the end of the 2000s, which used this model but with purely commercial objectives, offering naive authors and/or wishing to quickly expand their curriculum vitae by publications in "predatory journals". They are characterized by aggressive e-mail solicitations, lack of ethics, lack of details about the publisher and the editorial board, poor peer review, unspecified and low fees for processing articles, a lack of indexing and the promise of rapid publication.

Rothia spp. infective endocarditis: A systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, microbiological, and therapeutic features and outcomes of Rothia infective endocarditis (RIE) and extracardiac infections (ECRI). METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review of published cases of RIE and ECRI. RESULTS: After inclusion of a personal case report, 51 cases of RIE and 215 cases of ECRI were reported. Compared with ECRI patients, RIE patients were significantly more often males (80% versus 59%), intravenous drug users (IVDU) (20% versus 3%), immunocompetent (76% versus 31%), and infected with R. dentocariosa (55% versus 13%) but lacked significant differences with regard to median age (45 years [6-79]), rate of orodental abnormalities (33%), and six-month mortality (14%). Following microbiological documentation, RIE was most often treated with a beta-lactam antibiotic alone (39%) for a median duration of six weeks and required surgery in 39% of cases. CONCLUSION: RIE is rare and likely secondary to a dental portal of entry or cutaneous inoculation in IVDU. Its prognosis seems to be favorable.

Effect of a prospective audit with intervention and feedback on Clostridioides difficile infection management.

Background Clostridioides difficile infections are associated with morbidity and mortality in several countries. Their increasing incidence and frequent recurrence make them an urgent public health threat. The lack of adherence to international treatment guidelines for Clostridioides difficile infections is a proven mortality risk factor. Objective To evaluate long-term prescribers' adherence to recommendations on the management of Clostridioides difficile infections and its impact on clinical outcomes after an educational and Clostridioides difficile-prospective audit with intervention and feedback period. Setting All patients admitted to a 1500-bed university hospital with positive Clostridioides difficile tests identified were included. Methods Data were collected retrospectively over a baseline period (May-November 2014) and prospectively over a Clostridioides difficile-prospective audit with intervention and feedback period (November 2015-May 2016) and an observation period (November 2017-September 2018). All Clostridioides difficile cases were reviewed by a Clostridioides difficile-prospective audit with intervention and feedback team composed of pharmacists, an infectious diseases specialist and a microbiologist to obtain a complete overview of patient records in each area of expertise. Main outcome measures Percentage of conformity to the protocol, percentage of recovery at 10 days and percentage of relapse, as well as Clostridioides difficile incidence and percentage of Fidaxomicin use. Results A total of 183 patients were included over the three periods. A significant improvement in conformity to the local protocol was observed between the intervention period (23.9%) and the observation period (67.3%) (P < 10-3). Fidaxomicin prescriptions increased significantly (P = 0.006). Clinical outcomes improved significantly with an increase in the percentage of recovery at 10 days (P = 0.001) and a decrease in the percentage of relapse (P = 0.016). The Clostridioides difficile incidence rate improved significantly to 1.3 per 10,000 patient-days during the observation period. Conclusion This study shows the lasting effect of an educational and Clostridioides difficile-prospective audit with intervention and feedback period on prescribers' adherence to recommendations and a significant impact on clinical outcomes.

[Scientific misconduct: A major threat for medical research]. / Fraude scientifique : une menace majeure pour la recherche médicale.

Scientific misconduct (fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism) and detrimental research practices (selective reporting of data, inappropriate citation practice, ghostwriting) are admitted respectively by 2 % and 33 % of researchers. The consequences of scientific misconduct and detrimental research practices are disastrous, both for the doctors, who are the most affected researchers in view of the number of retracted articles, and for the patients, victims of false information that may have health consequences. In order to fight against the causes (promotion of doctors and allocation of resources to clinical wards and laboratories on purely quantitative research criteria, lack of training in scientific integrity in medical studies, heterogenous quality of reviewing, legal impunity), there are legislative, academic, technological and editorial solutions, but radical and urgent cultural change is needed first.

Assessing the relevance of carbapenem prescriptions by an antibiotic stewardship team.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the level and factors of compliance of carbapenem prescriptions with guidelines and to determine the impact of an antibiotic stewardship team in a university hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five-month prospective study in the intensive care, surgery, and medicine units to measure the compliance of carbapenem prescriptions with guidelines from French scientific societies; compliance was assessed by an infectious disease specialist warned by the pharmacy, and the prescribers' compliance with the infectious disease specialist's advice was then assessed. RESULTS: One hundred and four treatment initiations for 94 patients were included. Prescriptions were mostly empirical (64%), for pulmonary (35%), urinary tract (23%), and intra-abdominal (17%) infections. Prescriptions were mostly made in an intensive care unit (50%), by a junior physician (66%), with the use of imipenem (74%), and were followed by an objective reassessment (80%). Compliance with guidelines (82%) was significantly higher for empirical than documented prescriptions (91% vs 65%, P<0.001). Compliance was higher in intensive care units than medicine units (87% vs 61%, P=0.037). No change in the compliance rate was observed during the study. Compliance with the infectious disease specialist's advice (68%) improved, although not significantly (P=0.066). CONCLUSIONS: Because of a higher than expected compliance of carbapenem prescriptions with guidelines and a lower than expected inclusions in the study, we did not show any impact. The diffusion of guidelines and long-term control of carbapenem prescriptions seem to be possible and necessary in hospitals to limit their ecological impact.

Appropriate use of antifungals: impact of an antifungal stewardship program on the clinical outcome of candidaemia in a French University Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare clinical outcomes of patients with candidaemia before and after implementation of an antifungal stewardship program (AFSP). METHODS: This study included all consecutive cases of candidaemia identified from January 2012 to December 2015 in a French University Hospital. Data were collected retrospectively for a period of 2 years before implementation of the AFSP, and prospectively for 2 years after. All cases were reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts including infectiologists, a microbiologist and pharmacists to have a complete follow-up of patients. RESULTS: 33 and 37 patients were finally included in the first and second period, respectively. The sites of entry of the candidaemia cases studied were as follows: intraabdominal in 29 cases (41.4%), central venous catheter 21 (30.0%), other or unknown: 20 (28.6%). Infectiologist consultations increased from 36.4 to 86.5% between the two periods with a significative impact on daily blood cultures which were more frequently performed in the second period (p = 0.04), and the use of echinocandins which was more frequent in the second period (97.1% of cases vs 78.8%, p = 0.03). The 3-month mortality rate declined from 36.4% in the first period to 27.0% in the second period (p = 0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the insufficient number of candidaemia cases and the presence of other unmodifiable risk factors of mortality which did not allow us to show a significant effect on the 3-month mortality, AFSP had a significant effect on daily blood cultures and echinocandin use as first-line therapy.

Bacterial epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance profiles of urinary specimens of the elderly.

OBJECTIVE: Although urinary tract infections are the second leading cause of infections among patients aged above 65 years, data on bacterial epidemiology of urinary specimens in these patients is scarce. Our aim was to describe the main bacterial species found at significant levels in urine specimens of the elderly and to determine their antimicrobial resistance profiles. METHODS: From October 2012 to October 2015, all urinary specimens (catheter-related or not) received at the laboratory of microbiology of the university hospital of Caen (France) were retrospectively studied. Results were compared to those of urinary specimens of patients aged 18-64 years. Bacterial identification was performed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed as per CA-SFM guidelines. RESULTS: Out of 33,302 urine cytobacteriological examinations (UCBE) performed in patients aged above 65 years, 13,450 microorganisms were identified. Escherichia coli was the most frequent species (41.8%) followed by Enterococcus faecalis (9.7%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.7%), Proteus mirabilis (4.6%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.2%). Around 9% of E. coli isolates were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, including 8.2% by production of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL). This prevalence was significantly higher than that observed in urinary specimens of patients aged 18-74 years (4.9%, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The bacterial epidemiology of urines collected from the elderly is diverse and significantly different from that of urine specimens of younger patients, with a higher proportion of multidrug-resistant bacteria (particularly ESBL-producing E. coli).

Hajj-associated infections.

BACKGROUND: The Hajj is the largest annual mass gathering event in the world, thus favoring the transmission of various infections: 183 different nationalities, high temperatures, coincidence with the start of the flu season in the Northern hemisphere, a long barefoot walk, tent-type accommodation, communal toilet facilities, absence of food control, and sharing of razors. Infections are the first cause of hospital admission, which often occurs in the home country of pilgrims. METHODS: Literature review on PubMed from 1952 to November 2015 on the epidemiology and prevention of infections contracted during the Hajj, using the keywords "Hajj" and "infections". RESULTS: Respiratory tract infections, ENT infections, influenza, pyogenic pneumonia, whooping cough, and tuberculosis are most frequently observed during the Hajj. Outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis have been reported in pilgrims and their contacts. Waterborne infections such as gastroenteritis and hepatitis A are common, despite the improvement of health conditions. Pyoderma and furuncles are also frequently observed. Recently, dengue fever, Alkhumra hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever have emerged but no case of MERS-coronavirus, appeared in Saudi Arabia in 2012, have yet been observed during the 2012-2014 Hajj. CONCLUSION: Prevention is based on compulsory meningococcal vaccination, vaccination against seasonal influenza and pneumococcal infections for pilgrims at high risk of contracting the infection, and on vaccination against hepatitis A. Updating immunization for diphtheria/tetanus/poliomyelitis/pertussis and measles/mumps is also crucial and pilgrims must comply with hygiene precautions.

Non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae bacteraemia: case report and literature review.

Non-O1, non-O139 Vibrio cholerae (NOVC) are increasingly frequently observed ubiquitous microorganisms occasionally responsible for intestinal and extra-intestinal infections. Most cases involve self-limiting gastroenteritis or ear and wound infections in immunocompetent patients. Bacteraemia, which have been described in patients with predisposing factors, are rare and poorly known, both on the clinical and therapeutic aspects. We describe a case of NOVC bacteraemia and a systematic literature review in PubMed conducted up to November 2014 using a combination of the following search terms: "Vibrio cholerae non-O1" and "bacter(a)emia". The case was a 70 year-old healthy male subject returning from Senegal and suffering from NOVC bacteraemia associated with liver abscesses. Disease evolution was favourable after 2 months' therapy (ceftriaxone then ciprofloxacin). Three hundred and fifty cases of NOVC bacteraemia have been identified in the literature. The majority of patients were male (77 %), with a median age of 56 years and presenting with predisposing conditions (96 %), such as cirrhosis (55 %) or malignant disease (20 %). Diarrhoea was inconstant (42 %). Mortality was 33 %. The source of infection, identified in only 25 % of cases, was seafood consumption (54 %) or contaminated water (30 %). Practitioners should be aware of these infections, in order to warn patients with predisposing conditions, on the risk of ingesting raw or undercooked seafood or bathing in potentially infected waters.

Non-carbapenem therapy of urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

PURPOSE: We determined the prevalence of ESBL Enterobacteriaceae in urinary tract infections among inpatients, identified risk factors of acquisition, and evaluated the effectiveness of alternatives to carbapenems. METHODS: The clinical, microbiological, and therapeutic data as well as the outcomes were recorded for all ESBL-E positive urine samples for three months. RESULTS: Thirty-one (4%) of the 762 Enterobacteriaceae positive cultures were ESBL producers. The predisposing conditions for being infected with those strains were: immunodepression (61%), recent hospitalization (52%), recent antibiotic therapy (52%), and urinary catheterization (61%). 19% of infections were community acquired. The seven cases of acute pyelonephritis and five of prostatitis were treated with piperacillin-tazobactam (5), fluoroquinolones (4), ceftazidime (2), or carbapenems (only 1) after specialized advice. Four (33%) patients relapsed at week 10: three were immunodepressed and three presented with bacteremia. CONCLUSIONS: Alternatives to carbapenems (especially piperacillin-tazobactam) seem to be a good option for non-bacteremic UTI in immunocompetent patients.

Campylobacter coli cultured from the stools of a patient with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease.

Campylobacter has been associated with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID), on the basis of 16S rDNA sequencing, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. Here, for the first time, we have cultured Campylobacter from the stools of a patient with IPSID. Phenotypic analysis and whole genome sequencing identified Campylobacter coli. PCR on a IPSID tissue biopsy sample was positive for Campylobacter coli and negative for Campylobacter jejuni. These findings further support a causative role for Campylobacter in the development of IPSID.

Aspergillus vertebral osteomyelitis in immunocompetent subjects: case report and review of the literature.

Aspergillus spondylodiscitis (AS) is rare in immunocompetent (IC) patients. A 65-year-old diabetic IC male subject presented with cervical AS 18 months after otomycosis. Two serological tests, mastoidectomy and biopsy of the sphenoid bone, were negative. A prevertebral biopsy identified A. flavus. The patient was successfully treated with voriconazole. Forty-three cases of AS in IC patients have been published. A predisposition was found in 84 % of cases. Fever was reported in 20 % of cases, whereas neurological defects were present in 41 %. Serology was inconsistently positive (5/7) and diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy or surgery. A. fumigatus was the most frequently isolated species (74 %). All episodes were medically treated, associated with surgery in 57 % of cases, and 73 % of patients fully recovered. AS must be discussed in IC patients presenting with risk factors, including diabetes mellitus. Biopsy is necessary to confirm diagnosis, since serology offers low sensitivity. Nevertheless, the prognosis is good.

Clinical benefit of infectious diseases consultation: a monocentric prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: To determine the association of clinical outcomes with the adherence to Infectious Diseases Consultation (IDC) recommendations. METHODS: From March to August 2009, all patients hospitalized in our hospital, for whom an IDC was requested, were prospectively enrolled. The adherence to recommendations was ascertained after 72 h from the IDC. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the clinical cure rate 1 month after the IDC, according to the adherence to IDC recommendations. RESULTS: An IDC was requested for 258 inpatients. The infectious disease (ID) was most often non-severe (66%), community-acquired (62%), and already under treatment (47%). IDC proposals were most often formulated via a formal consultation (57%). Physicians' adherence to IDC recommendations was 87% for diagnostic tests and 90% for antibiotherapy. In the multivariate analysis, severe infections and direct consultation were independently associated with increased odds of adherence to recommendations for performing diagnostic tests (odds ratios 5.4 and 4.0, respectively). The overall clinical cure rate was 84% and this did not differ according to the adherence to IDC recommendations for diagnostic tests (84.3 vs. 71.4%, p = 0.15) and antimicrobial treatment (84.8 vs. 77.8%, p = 0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Some limitations of the study may explain the lack of evidence of a clinical benefit, such as the very high level of adherence to IDC recommendations and the low proportion of severe infections. However, clinical improvement was always better when recommendations were followed. Therefore, further larger randomized multicentric studies including more patients suffering from more severe IDs may be needed in order to demonstrate a clinical impact.

[Human dirofilariasis: a new French case of Dirofilaria repens]. / Dirofilariose humaine: un nouveau cas français à Dirofilaria repens.

Dirofilariosis is an endemic filarial parasitic disease in the Mediterranean basin, unfamiliar in France. Its incidence and geographic area are increasing due to global warming. Dogs and cats are the usual hosts, but humans may be accidentally infected. We reported the 91st case of French dirofilariosis, contracted in Camargue (South France) which appeared as a subcutaneous abdominal nodule. Ultrasound strongly guided the diagnosis by showing a linear structure moving in a fibrocystic structure. Surgical excision confirmed the diagnosis of species (Dirofilaria repens) and this remains the only curative treatment.

[Painful peripheral neuropathy associated with voriconazole during the treatment of chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis]. / Neuropathie périphérique sous voriconazole au cours d'une aspergillose pulmonaire cavitaire chronique.

Chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis requires a first-line prolonged treatment with itraconazole or voriconazole. We report a 71-year-old immunocompetent man with polyarteritis and history of multiple lung surgery procedures, who developed a peripheral axonal neuropathy 1 month after voriconazole therapy was started for a chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis. After discontinuation of the treatment and a switch to posaconazole, the neuropathy partly improved. Three other cases of peripheral neuropathy with voriconazole have been already published, all reversible after voriconazole discontinuation.

[Infective endocarditis due to Bartonella henselae following a rupture of a cerebral aneurysm]. / Endocardite infectieuse àBartonella henselae précédée par la rupture d'un anévrisme cérébral.

We report a case of severe aortic bicuspid valve endocarditis, revealed by global cardiac failure without fever, in a 38-year-old man who had developed cerebral mycotic aneurysms nine months earlier. PCR analysis of the excised aortic valve and serological tests (even 9 months earlier) were positive for Bartonella henselae. A combination of intravenous then oral doxycyclin at 200mg/day and intravenous gentamycin at 90mg/day was given for 6 and 2 weeks respectively. The evolution was favorable on follow-up, 12 months after completion of the therapy. Only 49 cases of B. henselae endocarditis have been reported to date, none with associated mycotic aneurysm but most often located on the bicuspid aortic valve, and usually with severe valvular damage due to late diagnosis.