Calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections: Bacterial endocarditis.

This is the twelfth chapter of the guideline "Calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections in adults - update 2018" in the 2nd updated version. The German guideline by the Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft für Chemotherapie e.V. (PEG) has been translated to address an international audience. The bacterial endocarditis is characterised by a constant incidence but a shift in the patient population due to the use of prosthetic heart valves and foreign materials like pacemakers and the increasing application of invasive medical procedures. This is linked to a change in the predominant infecting organisms towards staphylococci. This chapter gives recommendations for the interdisciplinary management of infective endocarditis from the diagnostic workup over prevention to therapy with a focus on antibiotic therapy.

Calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections: Sepsis.

This is the eleventh chapter of the guideline "Calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections in adults - update 2018" in the 2nd updated version. The German guideline by the Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft für Chemotherapie e.V. (PEG) has been translated to address an international audience. Sepsis, defined as a life threatening organ dysfunction caused by a misregulated host response to an infection, is the third leading cause of death in Germany with a lethality rate of 30% to over 50%. An early, effective antimicrobial therapy is, next to infectious source control, the most important causal treatment option. It should be complemented by the mainly supportive measures of general intensive care therapy. Prior antimicrobial therapy, the patient's medical history (e.g. risk factors for multiresistant agents) and small-scale epidemiology are to be considered as part of the therapeutic and practical decisions. A modification of the often needed broad initial calculated combination therapy is desirable. In the future, prompt measurements of plasma concentrations of antiinfectives, especially for the sepsis patient with diverse and partly conflicting pathophysiological changes, will have great importance regarding efficacy, toxicity and resistance development. In order to apply those complex strategies in clinical routine, there is a requirement for a strong interdisciplinary collaboration between the intensive care unit, clinical infectiology, microbiology, and clinical pharmacology, ideally in the framework of a functional antimicrobial stewardship program.

Calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections: Skin and soft tissue infections.

This is the ninth chapter of the guideline "Calculated Parenteral Initial Therapy of Adult Bacterial Disorders - Update 2018" in the 2nd updated version. The German guideline by the Paul-Ehrlich-Gesellschaft für Chemotherapie e.V. (PEG) has been translated to address an international audience. The chapter contains the first German S2k guidelines for bacterial skin and soft tissue infections. They encompass recommendations on diagnosis and treatment of the defined entities erysipelas (caused by beta-hämolytic streptococci), limited superficial cellulitis (S. aureus), severe cellulitis, abscess, complicated skin and soft tissue infections, infections of feet in diabetic patients ("diabetic foot"), necrotizing soft tissue infection and bite injuries.

S2k guidelines for skin and soft tissue infections Excerpts from the S2k guidelines for "calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections in adults - update 2018".

These first German S2k guidelines for bacterial skin and soft tissue infections were developed as one chapter of the recommendations for "calculated initial parenteral treatment of bacterial infections" issued under the auspices of the Paul-Ehrlich Society, of which the main part is presented here. Well-calculated antibiotic therapies require precise diagnostic criteria. Erysipelas is defined as non-purulent infection considered to be caused by beta-hemolytic strepto-cocci. It is diagnosed clinically by its bright-red erythema and early fever or chills at disease onset. Penicillin is the treatment of choice. Limited soft tissue infection (cellulitis) is usually caused by Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, frequently originates from chronic wounds and presents with a more violaceous-red hue and only rarely with initial fever or chills. Treatment consists of first- or second--generation cephalosporins or flucloxacillin (IV). Severe cellulitis is a purulent, partially necrotic infection which extends through tissue boundaries to fascias and requires surgical management in addition to antibiotics. Moreover, it frequently fulfills the criteria for "complicated soft tissue infections", as previously defined by the Food and Drug Administration for use in clinical trials (they include comorbidities such as uncontrolled diabetes, peripheral artery disease, neutropenia). It requires antibiotics which besides S. aureus target anaerobic and/or gramnegative bacteria. The rare so-called necrotizing skin and soft tissue infections represent a distinct entity. They are characterized by rapid, life-threatening progression due to special bacterial toxins that cause ischemic necrosis and shock and need rapid and thorough debridement in addition to appropriate antibiotics. For cutaneous abscesses the first-line treatment is adequate drainage. Additional antibiotic therapy is required only under certain circumstances (e.g., involvement of the face, hands, or anogenital region, or if drainage is somehow complicated). The present guidelines also contain consensus-based recommendations for higher doses of antibiotics than those approved or usually given in clinical trials. The goal is to deliver rational antibiotic treatment that is both effective and well-tolerated and that exerts no unnecessary selection pressure in terms of multidrug resistance.

A case report of septic shock syndrome caused by S. pneumoniae in an immunocompromised patient despite of vaccination.

BACKGROUND AND CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of septic shock syndrome caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in a patient who had undergone splenectomy due to an autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), which is characterized as a dysfunction of immunoregulation. Although the patient was vaccinated with a conjugated polysaccharide vaccine after the splenectomy, he was still susceptible to S. pneumoniae infection, because the isolated serovar (24F), a serovar long thought to be apathogenic, is not covered by any vaccine currently approved, neither a conjugated nor an unconjugated polysaccharide one. CONCLUSIONS: This case demonstrates that, due to presence of different serovars, also infections with bacteria against which patients are vaccinated have to be considered as differential diagnosis. Although vaccine development has extended the coverage of S. pneumoniae from 7 to 23 serovars within recent years, there is still demand for novel vaccines which can provide broader protection also against so-thought "apathogenic" strains, especially for groups at high risk.

Non-linear significant relationship between use of glycopeptides and isolation of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species in a university hospital setting.

BACKGROUND: Emergence of colonization and infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) has become a worldwide challenge. To investigate whether the increasing incidence of VRE isolation can be correlated with use of glycopeptides in the hospital setting, we conducted a hospital-wide two-year study in the university hospital of Vienna. METHODS: Within the period from January 2011 through December 2012 all patients with isolation of invasive or non-invasive VRE were retrospectively included. Specialty-specific data concerning the consumption of vancomycin and teicoplanin, fluoroquinolones and third generation cephalosporins in defined daily doses (DDDs) from June 2010 through May 2012 were extracted from the hospital pharmacy computer system. To assess the relationship between the usage of those antibiotics and the incidence of VRE (VRE-rate per 10 000 patients) a Poisson regression was performed. FINDINGS: In the study period 266 patients were colonized or infected with VRE. Specialty-specific VRE isolation was as follows: general surgical units (44 patients), bone marrow transplant unit (35 patients), general medical units (33 patients), cardiothoracic surgery (27 patients), nephrology (26 patients), haematooncology (22 patients), gastroenterology (17 patients), urology (17 patients), and the infectious diseases unit (11 patients). Hospital-wide consumption of glycopeptides was higher for teicoplanin than for vancomycin (26 242 versus 8677 DDDs). Specialty-specific VRE incidence significantly increased with the use of glycopeptides, fluoroquinolones or third generation cephalosporins (p < 0.001). The results of the Poisson regression for vancomycin (p = 0.0018) and teicoplanin (p < 0.0001) separately were both highly significant. Spearman's correlation coefficient indicated a strong correlation between the two variables (rho = 0.8). CONCLUSION: Overall usage of glycopeptides, fluoroquinolones or third generation cephalosporins contributed to the emergence of VRE in the hospital setting.

Characterisation of inflammatory response, coagulation, and radiological findings in Katayama fever: a report of three cases at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

BACKGROUND: Katayama fever is an acute clinical condition characterised by high fever, dry cough and general malaise occurring during early Schistosoma spp. infection. It is predominantly reported in travellers from non-endemic regions. Whereas the immunological response to Schistosoma infection is well characterised, alterations in inflammatory markers and coagulation in response to acute infection are poorly understood. METHODS: Here we report the clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics of three returning travellers with Katayama fever. Inflammatory markers and coagulation status were assessed repeatedly during follow-up to characterise the host response to infection. Radiographic findings were correlated with clinical and laboratory markers. RESULTS: Clinical symptoms were suggestive of a significant inflammatory response in all patients including high fever (>39°C), cough, and general malaise. Classical inflammatory markers including blood sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and serum amyloid A were only moderately elevated. Marked eosinophilia (33-42% of white blood cells) was observed and persisted despite anti-inflammatory and anthelminthic treatment for up to 32 weeks. Analysis of blood coagulation markers indicated increased coagulability reflected by elevated D-dimer values (0.57-1.17 µg/ml) and high thrombin generating potentials (peak thrombin activity: 311-384 nM). One patient showed particularly high levels of microparticle-associated tissue factor activity at initial presentation (1.64 pg/ml). Multiple pulmonary and hepatic opacities demonstrated by computed tomography (CT) scanning were associated with raised inflammatory markers in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: The characterisation of the inflammatory response, blood coagulation parameters and radiological findings in three patients adds to our current understanding of Katayama fever and serves as a starting point for further systematic investigations of the pathophysiology of this acute helminthic infection.

Mirincamycin, an old candidate for malaria combination treatment and prophylaxis in the 21st century: in vitro interaction profiles with potential partner drugs in continuous culture and field isolates.

BACKGROUND: Spreading resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to existing drugs calls for the search for novel anti-malarial drugs and combinations for the treatment of falciparum malaria. METHODS: In vitro and ex vivo investigations were conducted with fresh P. falciparum field isolates and culture-adapted P. falciparum clones to evaluate the anti-malarial potential of mirincamycin, a lincosamide, alone and in combination with tafenoquine (TQ), dihydroartemisinin (DHA), and chloroquine (CQ). All samples were tested in a histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) drug susceptibility assay. RESULTS: Interaction analysis showed additive to synergistic interaction profiles with these potential partner drugs, with an overall geometric mean fractional inhibitory concentration at 50% inhibition (FIC50) of 0.78, 0.80 and 0.80 for mirincamycin with TQ, DHA, and CQ, respectively. Antagonism was not found in any of the tested field isolates or clones. The strongest tendency toward synergy (i.e. the lowest FIC) was seen with a combination ratio of 1:0.27 to 1:7.2 (mean 1:2.7) for the combination with tafenoquine. The optimal combination ratios for DHA and CQ were 1:444.4 to 1:36,000 (mean 1:10,755.5) and 1:2.7 to 1:216 (mean 1:64.5), respectively. No evidence of an activity correlation (i.e. potential cross-resistance) with DHA, mefloquine, quinine or chloroquine was seen whereas a significant correlation with the activity of clindamycin and azithromycin was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Mirincamycin combinations may be promising candidates for further clinical investigations in the therapy and prophylaxis of multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria or in combination with 4 or 8-aminoquinolines for the treatment and relapse prevention of vivax malaria.

Severe Clostridium difficile infection: incidence and risk factors at a tertiary care university hospital in Vienna, Austria.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the major cause of hospital-acquired bacterial diarrhoea. The incidence of CDI has been increasing in Canada, the US and Europe and severe cases are becoming more common. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study investigating all patients with an episode of CDI present at the Vienna University Hospital between 01 January 2012 and 31 December 2012 was conducted. All microbiologically confirmed C. difficile toxin positive cases were included, ribotyped and analysed regarding their clinical course. RESULTS: A total of 278 patients with CDI were recorded, with an overall CDI incidence of 5.23 per 10,000 patients-days. Around 84,5 % (235/278) of CDI cases would have been classified as severe CDI according to European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) if all criteria were used. According to Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (SHEA/IDSA) guidelines only 16.5 % (46/278) could be classified as severe; with a severe CDI incidence of 4.41 and 0.86 per 10,000 patient-days, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed only a co-morbidity index of ≥ 3 (p = 0.013) as independent risk factor for severe CDI. No link between ribotype 027 and severity or clustering was observed in our study population. CONCLUSIONS: Special attention in terms of restrictive antibiotic prescription should be given to patients having a Charlson co-morbidity ≥ 3 at the time of hospital admission. SHEA/IDSA guidelines were more accurate than ESCMID criteria in predicting severe CDI in our collective, of mostly severely ill patients, in a tertiary care hospital setting.

Bacterial adherence to different components of total hip prosthesis in patients with prosthetic joint infection.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate and quantify the bacterial adherence to the different components of total hip prosthesis. METHODS: The bacterial load of 80 retrieved hip components from 24 patients was evaluated by counting of colony-forming units (CFU) dislodged from component surfaces using the sonication culture method. RESULTS: Micro-organisms were detected in 68 of 80 explanted components. The highest bacterial load was detected on the polyethylene liners, showing a significant difference in distribution of CFU between the liner and metal components (stem and cup). Staphylococcus epidermidis was identified as the pathogen causing the highest CFU count, especially from the polyethylene liner. CONCLUSIONS: Results of our study confirm that sonicate culture of the retrieved liners and heads, which revealed the highest bacterial loads, are reliable and sufficient for pathogen detection in the clinical diagnostic routine.

High prevalence of asymptomatic malaria in south-eastern Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: The WHO has reported that RDT and microscopy-confirmed malaria cases have declined in recent years. However, it is still unclear if this reflects a real decrease in incidence in Bangladesh, as particularly the hilly and forested areas of the Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) Districts report more than 80% of all cases and deaths. surveillance and epidemiological data on malaria from the CHT are limited; existing data report Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax as the dominant species. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the District of Bandarban, the southernmost of the three Hill Tracts Districts, to collect district-wide malaria prevalence data from one of the regions with the highest malaria endemicity in Bangladesh. A multistage cluster sampling technique was used to collect blood samples from febrile and afebrile participants and malaria microscopy and standardized nested PCR for diagnosis were performed. Demographic data, vital signs and splenomegaly were recorded. RESULTS: Malaria prevalence across all subdistricts in the monsoon season was 30.7% (95% CI: 28.3-33.2) and 14.2% (95% CI: 12.5-16.2) by PCR and microscopy, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum mono-infections accounted for 58.9%, P. vivax mono-infections for 13.6%, Plasmodium malariae for 1.8%, and Plasmodium ovale for 1.4% of all positive cases. In 24.4% of all cases mixed infections were identified by PCR. The proportion of asymptomatic infections among PCR-confirmed cases was 77.0%, oligosymptomatic and symptomatic cases accounted for only 19.8 and 3.2%, respectively. Significantly (p < 0.01) more asymptomatic cases were recorded among participants older than 15 years as compared to younger participants, whereas prevalence and parasite density were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in patients younger than 15 years. Spleen rate and malaria prevalence in two to nine year olds were 18.6 and 34.6%, respectively. No significant difference in malaria prevalence and parasite density was observed between dry and rainy season. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of asymptomatic plasmodial infections was found which likely act as a reservoir of transmission. This has major implications for ongoing malaria control programmes that are based on the treatment of symptomatic patients. These findings highlight the need for new intervention strategies targeting asymptomatic carriers.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients have a preserved cytomegalovirus-specific antibody response despite progressive hypogammaglobulinemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by progressive hypogammaglobulinemia predisposing affected patients to a variety of infectious diseases but paradoxically not to cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease. Moreover, we found reactivity of a panel of CLL recombinant antibodies (CLL-rAbs) encoded by a germ-line allele with a single CMV protein, pUL32, despite differing antibody binding motifs. To put these findings into perspective, we studied prospectively relative frequency of viremia, kinetics of total and virus-specific IgG over time, and UL32 genetic variation in a cohort of therapy-naive patients (n=200). CMV-DNA was detected in 3% (6/200) of patients. The decay of total IgG was uniform (mean, 0.03; SD, 0.03) and correlated with that of IgG subclasses 1-4 in the paired samples available (n=64; p<0.001). Total CMV-specific IgG kinetics were more variable (mean, 0,02; SD, 0,06) and mean decay values differed significantly from those of total IgG (p=0.034). Boosts of CMV-specific antibody levels were observed in 49% (22/45) of CMV-seropositive patients. In contrast, VZV- and EBV-specific IgG levels decayed in parallel with total IgG levels (p=0.003 and p=0.001, respectively). VZV-specific IgG even became undetectable in 18% (9/50) of patients whereas CMV-specific ones remained detectable in all seropositive patients. The observed CMV-specific IgG kinetics were predicated upon the highly divergent kinetics of IgG specific for individual antigens - glycoprotein B-specific IgG were boosted in 51% and pUL32-specific IgG in 32% of patients. In conclusion, CLL patients have a preserved CMV-specific antibody response despite progressive decay of total IgG and IgG subclasses. CMV-specific IgG levels are frequently boosted in contrast to that of other herpesviruses indicative of a higher rate of CMV reactivation and antigen-presentation. In contrast to the reactivity of multiple different CLL-rAbs with pUL32, boosts of humoral immunity are triggered apparently by other CMV antigens than pUL32, like glycoprotein B.

A prospective analysis of invasive candidiasis following cardiac surgery: severity markers are predictive.

AIM: Invasive Candida infections (ICI) in intensive care unit (ICU) patients are associated with high mortality. A 2-year prospective study was performed to improve clinical decision making in long-term ICU patients after cardiac surgery. METHODS: Demographic, clinical and physiological data, the incidence of ICI and Candida colonisation scores were analysed. To assess severity of illness the new simplified acute physiology score (SAPS II score), the European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation (EuroSCORE) and the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were calculated. To define independent risk factors univariate and multivariate Cox-regression analyses with time-dependent covariates were calculated. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-nine cardiac surgery patients with ICU admittance ≥ 4 days out of 513 admittances were enrolled. Ten patients had proven ICI. In the multivariate analysis the SOFA score (HR = 1.29, p = 0.009) was associated with proven ICI. In 71 patients receiving empiric antifungal therapy for presumptive but unproven ICI the SOFA score (HR = 1.18, p = 0.029) and corrected Candida colonisation index (HR 11.08; p = 0.030) were significantly associated to ICI. Neither SAPS II score nor EuroScore were associated with ICI in either patient group. The mortality rate of patients receiving empiric antifungal therapy was significantly lower compared to that of patients with proven ICI (36.6% vs. 80%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Time-associated SOFA score assessing acute organ failure was the only independent risk factor for proven ICI. Cardiovascular procedures did not confer risk to develop ICI. Empiric antifungal therapy may be warranted in severely ill cardiac surgery patients.

Rapid diagnostic algorithms as a screening tool for tuberculosis: an assessor blinded cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: A major obstacle to effectively treat and control tuberculosis is the absence of an accurate, rapid, and low-cost diagnostic tool. A new approach for the screening of patients for tuberculosis is the use of rapid diagnostic classification algorithms. METHODS: We tested a previously published diagnostic algorithm based on four biomarkers as a screening tool for tuberculosis in a Central European patient population using an assessor-blinded cross-sectional study design. In addition, we developed an improved diagnostic classification algorithm based on a study population at a tertiary hospital in Vienna, Austria, by supervised computational statistics. RESULTS: The diagnostic accuracy of the previously published diagnostic algorithm for our patient population consisting of 206 patients was 54% (CI: 47%-61%). An improved model was constructed using inflammation parameters and clinical information. A diagnostic accuracy of 86% (CI: 80%-90%) was demonstrated by 10-fold cross validation. An alternative model relying solely on clinical parameters exhibited a diagnostic accuracy of 85% (CI: 79%-89%). CONCLUSION: Here we show that a rapid diagnostic algorithm based on clinical parameters is only slightly improved by inclusion of inflammation markers in our cohort. Our results also emphasize the need for validation of new diagnostic algorithms in different settings and patient populations.

Differential bacterial load on components of total knee prosthesis in patients with prosthetic joint infection.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate and quantify the bacterial adherence on different components of total knee prosthesis with the sonication culture method. METHODS: Explanted components of all patients with presumptive prosthetic or implant infection were treated by sonication separately in sterile containers to dislodge the adherent bacteria from the surfaces and cultured. The bacterial load of the different knee components (femur, tibia, PE-inlay and patella) was evaluated by counting of colony-forming units (CFU) dislodged from the components surfaces using the sonication culture method. RESULTS: Overall, 27 patients had positive sonication cultures of explanted total knee prostheses. Microorganisms were detected from 88 of 100 explanted components. Twenty femoral components were culture positive and 7 negative, 23 tibial components as well as 23 polyethylene (PE) platforms had positive microorganism detection from the surface. Staphylococcus epidermidis adhered to the highest number of components whereas Staphylococcus aureus yielded the highest load of CFU in the sonication cultures. Although not significant, PE-inlays and tibial components were most often affected. The highest CFU count was detected in polyethylene components. CONCLUSION: The sonication culture method is a reliable method to detect bacteria from the components. Additionally, the results demonstrate that bacterial adherence is not affecting a single component of knee prosthesis only. Thus, in septic revision surgery partial prosthetic exchange or exchange of single polyethylene components alone may be not sufficient.

Current evidence and future of automated erythrocyte exchange in the treatment of severe malaria.

Despite the administration of antimalarial treatment, severe malaria still has a high mortality rate. Since overall survival is associated with total parasite biomass, whole blood exchange (e.g. blood exchange transfusions) has been proposed as a potential method to rapidly reduce peripheral parasitaemia. Automated red blood cell exchange has been advocated as a physical method to remove parasites. Compared to exchange transfusion, automated red blood exchange may avoid the risk of volume alterations and haemodynamic distress. Since 1984, there have been 37 published cases in which automated red blood cell exchange was used as an adjunctive treatment in severe malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. This short review summarizes current evidence and discusses problems, challenges and goals for future studies and research in order to assess the clinical benefit of automated erythrocyte exchange in severe malaria cases.

The First Case(s) of Botulism in Vienna in 21 Years: A Case Report.

UNLABELLED: We describe two linked cases of botulinum toxin intoxication to provide the clinician with a better idea about how botulism cases may present since early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in botulism. Botulinum toxin is the strongest neurotoxin known. METHODS: We review the available literature, the compiled clinical data, and observations. RESULTS: After a slow onset of clinical signs a married couple living in Vienna presented with dysphagia, difficulties in accommodation, inability to sweat, urinary and stool retention, dizziness, and nausea. They suffered intoxication with botulinum toxin type B. Botulism is a rarely occurring disease in Austria. In the last 21 years there were only twelve reported cases. CONCLUSION: Both patients went to a general practitioner as well as several specialists before they were sent to and correctly diagnosed at our outpatient department. To avoid long delays between intoxication and diagnosis we think it is crucial to advert to the complex symptoms a nonsevere intoxication with botulinum toxin can produce, especially since intoxications have become rare occurrences in the industrialized societies due to the high quality of industrial food production.

Automated red blood cell exchange as an adjunctive treatment for severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria at the Vienna General Hospital in Austria: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Severe falciparum malaria is associated with considerable rates of mortality, despite the administration of appropriate anti-malarial treatment. Since overall survival is associated with total parasite biomass, blood exchange transfusion has been proposed as a potential method to rapidly reduce peripheral parasitaemia. However, current evidence suggests that this treatment modality may not improve outcome. Automated red blood cell exchange (also referred to as "erythrocytapheresis") has been advocated as an alternative method to rapidly remove parasites from circulating blood without affecting patients' volume and electrolyte status. However, only limited evidence from case reports and case series is available for this adjunctive treatment. This retrospective cohort study describes the use of automated red blood cell exchange for the treatment of severe malaria at the Medical University of Vienna. METHODS: Epidemiologic data for imported malaria cases in Austria are reported and data of patients treated for malaria at the General Hospital/Medical University of Vienna were extracted from electronic hospital records. RESULTS: Between 2000 and 2010, 146 patients were hospitalized at the Medical University of Vienna due to malaria and 16 of those were classified as severe malaria cases. Eleven patients of this cohort were potentially eligible for an adjunctive treatment with automated red blood cell exchange. Five patients eventually underwent this procedure within a period of seven hours (range: 3-19 hours) after hospital admission. Six patients did not undergo this adjunctive treatment following the decision of the treating physician. The procedure was well tolerated in all cases and rapid reduction in parasite counts was achieved without occurrence of haemodynamic complications. One patient died within seven days, whereas four patients survived without any sequelae. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Automated red blood cell exchange was a safe and efficient procedure to rapidly clear peripheral parasitaemia. Whether the fast reduction in parasite biomass may ultimately improve patient survival remains however unclear. Randomized controlled trials are needed to conclusively appreciate the value of this adjunctive treatment.