Higher HIV RNA Viral Load in Recent Patients with Symptomatic Acute HIV Infection in Lyon University Hospitals.

INTRODUCTION: Increased human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) virulence at infection has been suggested by a meta-analysis based on viral load and CD4 T lymphocytes (CD4) count during acute infection. This result was obtained after secondary analyses of large databases, facilitating the detection of differences. Similar finding in cohorts of more modest sample size would indicate that the effect could be more substantial. METHODS: Change from initial CD4 count and HIV viral load after acute HIV infection by calendar year was explored in patients treated at Lyon University hospitals. All patients admitted to our hospitals with acute HIV infection between 1996 and 2013 were included in our study. Initial CD4 count and viral load before the start of anti-retroviral treatment were analyzed. Trends over time were assessed in linear models. RESULTS: Initial CD4 count remained similar over time. However, in 2006-2013, initial viral load rose significantly (+1.12 log10/ml/year, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our data, obtained from a single hospital cohort, confirmed findings from a large meta-analysis, showed increased initial viremia at acute HIV infection since 2006 and suggesting potentially higher HIV virulence in recent years.

Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Outbreaks in Burn Units: A Synthesis of the Literature According to the ORION Statement.

The objective of this study is to review the literature on multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB) outbreaks in burn units according to the outbreak reports and intervention studies of nosocomial infection statement. A PubMed search engine was enlisted to identify reports, in English and French, on MDRB outbreaks in burn units, with no date restrictions, using the following key words: ("burn" OR "burns" OR "severe burn") AND ("unit" OR "critical care" OR "acute care" OR "intensive care" OR "center" OR "centre" OR "department") AND ("outbreak" OR "epidemic") AND ("resistant" OR "multidrug-resistant" OR "resistance" OR "MDR" OR "MDRO"). Twenty-nine articles on such outbreaks in burn units were analyzed. A wide variety of these outbreaks were studied in terms of the microbial agents involved, length of outbreak, and attack rate (1.9-66.7%). The most frequent bacteria were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii. Screening of staff revealed carrier rates of 0 to 20% in 16 studies. Environmental samples were taken in 21 studies and were positive in 14 of them. The mortality rate among infected patients varied from 0 to 33%. Implementation of isolation precautions did not always suffice, with unit closure being necessary in five outbreaks. The lack of consensus on how to manage such outbreak was highlighted. MDRB infections or colonizations are responsible for increased morbidity and mortality in vulnerable burn patients. Their management is problematic because of multifactorial transmission and limited therapeutic possibilities.