OBJECTIVETo analyze the use of antibiotics and the drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the burn ward of our hospital in the past 11 years, so as to optimize the use of antibiotics in the future.

METHODSBacterial epidemiology during 1991-2001 in our burn ward was investigated. The change of the drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed by defined daily dose (DDD) of antibiotics in adult patients and by the ranking of antibiotic administration days.

RESULTS(1) Staphylococcus aureus (10.53%-34.40%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (75.66%-11.47%) were dominant in our burn ward. (2) Predominant antibiotics used included Penicillin, Amikacin, Vancomycin, Imipenem and Ceftazidime. (3) There was increasing drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to the following antibiotics ranking in following order: Piperacillin (41.57%-100.00%), Imipenem (36.36%-98.46%), Ceftazidime (23.46%-97.85%), Amikacin (13.16%-100.00%) and ciprofloxacin (6.90%-100.00%).

CONCLUSIONThere was increasing drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to all antibiotics, which might be related to antibiotic abuse.

Amikacin ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Burn Units ; Ceftazidime ; therapeutic use ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; drug effects ; Humans ; Imipenem ; therapeutic use ; Penicillins ; therapeutic use ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; drug effects ; Vancomycin ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDBroad-spectrum antibiotic administration promotes intestinal colonization of exogenous fungal pathogens in healthy animals and has been recognized as one of the risk factors of invasive fungal infection in clinical settings. It is unclear whether broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment would change the intestinal mycobiota without exogenous fungal challenge in the context of sepsis.

METHODSWe established a rat model of double-hit sepsis using burn injury and endotoxin challenge. Rats with burn injury or double-hit sepsis received imipenem treatment for 3 days or 9 days, and their colon contents were sampled for selective fungal culture and isolation counts.

RESULTSImipenem treatment promoted the overgrowth of the commensal fungus Geotrichum capitatum in rats with burn injury. Imipenem treatment also promoted colon colonization by exogenous fungi in rats with burn injury and double-hit sepsis, including Trichosporon cutaneum, Candida albicans, Candida krusei, and Candida glabrata. A longer duration of imipenem treatment had a stronger impact on colon colonization by exogenous fungi.

CONCLUSIONImipenem treatment facilitates the overgrowth of commensal fungi and colonization by exogenous, potentially pathogenic fungi in the colons of rats with burn injury or double-hit sepsis.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Burns ; complications ; microbiology ; Candida ; pathogenicity ; Colon ; microbiology ; Imipenem ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Sepsis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Trichosporon ; pathogenicity

OBJECTIVETo observe the changes in plasma levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in burn patients with severe infection treated with Imipenem or Cefoperazone.

METHODSThirteen severe burn patients infected with gram negative bacilli were enrolled in the study in which 7 were treated with IPM and 6 with CPZ. Venous blood samples were harvested before and 2, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours after the use of antibiotic for the determination of the plasma levels of LPS, TNF-alpha and IL-6, and correlative analysis was carried out among all the factors in regard to their changes.

RESULTSThe plasma levels of LPS in both groups were elevated 2 hours after the injection of either antibiotic, but it was more obvious in patients with CPZ when compared with that before treatment (13.95 +/- 5.44 pg/ml), and the levels were much higher than that after IPM (P < 0.05). The plasma LPS level declined thereafter. The plasma TNF-alpha level in CPZ group was 0.86 +/- 0.16 ng/ml at 2 hours after the use of antibiotic, and it was much higher than that before the use of the drug, and it was higher compared with IPM group. (P < 0.01). But there was no change in the plasma IL-6 level in all the patients at all the time points before and after the use of either drug. The plasma TNF-alpha levels in the two groups were positively correlated with the plasma levels of LPS and IL-6.

CONCLUSIONThe release of LPS and TNF-alpha from bacteria could be induced by the administration of different kinds of antibiotics in the management of burn patients infected by gram negative bacilli in different releasing amounts. And the TNF-alpha production was correlated with the release of LPS and IL-6.

Burns ; blood ; Cefoperazone ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections ; blood ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Imipenem ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Lipopolysaccharides ; blood ; Male ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; analysis

Continued antimicrobial resistance surveillance can provide valuable information for the empirical selection of antimicrobial agents for patient treatment, and for resistance control. In this 6th annual study for 2002, the susceptibility data at 39 Korean Nationwide Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (KONSAR) hospitals were analyzed. Resistance rates of S. aureus were 67% to oxacillin, and 58% to clindamycin. The ampicillin and vancomycin resistance rates of E. faecium were 89% and 16%, respectively. To penicillin, 71% of S. pneumoniae were nonsusceptible. Resistance rates of E. coli were 11% to cefotaxime, 8% to cefoxitin, and 34% to fluoroquinolone, and those of K. pneumoniae were 22% to ceftazidime, and 16% to cefoxitin. Lowest resistance rates to cephalosporins shown by E. cloacae and S. marcescens were to cefepime, 7% and 17%, respectively. This is the first KONSAR surveillance, which detected imipenem-resistant E. coli and K. pneumoniae. To imipenem, 22% of P. aeruginosa and 9% of Acinetobacter spp. were resistant. Trends of resistances showed a slight reduction in MRSA and in penicillin- nonsusceptible S. pneumoniae, but an increase in ampicillin-resistant E. faecium. Ampicillin-resistant E. coli and H. influenzae remained prevalent. Compared to the previous study, amikacin- and fluoroquinolone- resistant Acinetobacter spp. increased to 60% and 62%, respectively. Ceftazidime- resistant K. pneumoniae decreased slightly, and imipenem- resistant P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp., and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium increased. In conclusion, vancomycin-resistant E. faecium, cefoxitin-resistant E. coli and K. pneumoniae, and imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. increased gradually, and imipenem- resistant E. coli and K. pneumoniae appeared for the first time. Continued surveillance is required to prevent further spread of these serious resistances.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/*therapeutic use ; Cefoxitin/*therapeutic use ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Enterococcus/*drug effects ; Fluoroquinolones/therapeutic use ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/*drug therapy/*epidemiology ; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/drug therapy/epidemiology ; Humans ; Imipenem/therapeutic use ; Korea/epidemiology ; Prevalence ; *Vancomycin Resistance

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinical manifestations and intervention against fulminant scrub typhus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome.

METHODThe medical records for the onset time of hemophagocytic syndrome, the clinical course, the chest radiographic findings, laboratory data, antibiotic therapy, clinical outcome and its prognosis were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULT(1) Four patients were diagnosed as scrub typhus based on clinical manifestations only, while 15 patients met the criteria of laboratory diagnosis. All 19 patients with scrub typhus had hemophagocytic syndrome. Eschar lesion was identified in 12 patients, 7 patients were described as an ulcer. A seasonal pattern (78.9% from June through September in 15 patients) was observed. Clinical misdiagnosis was common (all 19 cases). There were 9 patients with admitting diagnosis of scrub typhus, 10 patients were not diagnosed as scrub typhus after admission. In 5 cases within 3 days after admission diagnosis was corrected as scrub typhus. Until discharge from the hospital, 5 cases were not diagnosed with scrub typhus. In this study, the length of time from the illness onset (beginning of fever) to the occurrence of clinical symptoms was (9 ± 4) days. (2) All 19 patients had changed AST levels (149 ± 37) U/L, albumin levels (23 ± 4) g/L, C-reactive protein levels (103 ± 51) mg/L, and platelet count (48 ± 41) × 10⁹/L; bone marrow aspiration revealed in 16 patients marked hemophagocytosis. Weil-Felix agglutination test revealed positive results in 6 of 15 cases. Diagnostic IFA results were positive for 14 patients; 19 patients had interstitial pneumonitis and 17 patients had pleural effusion. (3) Five cases with failure to diagnose the disease had ineffective antibiotics treatment (imipenem or β-lactam-based regimens). These patients did not receive appropriate treatment with antibiotics against scrub typhus. Fourteen patients with admitting diagnosis of scrub typhus were successfully treated with appropriate antibiotics, 8 cases with chloramphenicol, 3 cases with azithromycin, and in 3 patients (2 cases of azithromycin and one case of erythromycin), therapy was then switched to chloramphenicol. Four patients were treated with methylprednisolone and 10 patients with dexamethasone. (4) During their hospitalization, the clinical course in five cases with failure to diagnose the disease rapidly developed and progressed to the life-threatening MODS, four of five cases died. However, the course in 14 patients were relieved and did not progress to MODS.

CONCLUSIONThe diagnosis of scrub typhus was frequently delayed, the early course of scrub typhus could be associated with hemophagocytic syndrome. Serious complications of MODS generally occur without antibiotic treatment. Scrub typhus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome should be taken into consideration among patients with acute systemic febrile illness, significant increases in levels of CRP, hypoalbuminemia, thrombocytopenia, splenomegaly, pneumonitis with pleural effusion, especially those with suspected exposure history. It was not easily recognized without careful observation and was present for a few days in each patient.

Anti-Bacterial Agents ; therapeutic use ; Azithromycin ; therapeutic use ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Clinical Laboratory Techniques ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Erythromycin ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Imipenem ; therapeutic use ; Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic ; epidemiology ; Pneumonia ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrub Typhus ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; epidemiology

BACKGROUNDNovel influenza A viruses of avian-origin may be the precursors of pandemic strains. This descriptive study aims to introduce a novel avian-origin influenza A (H10N8) virus which can infect humans and cause severe diseases.

METHODSCollecting clinical data of three cases of human infection with a novel reassortment avian influenza A (H10N8) virus in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.

RESULTSThree cases of human infection with a new reassortment avian influenza A(H10N8) virus were described, of which two were fatal cases, and one was severe case. These cases presented with severe pneumonia that progressed to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and intractable respiratory failure.

CONCLUSIONThis novel reassortment avian influenza A (H10N8) virus in China resulted in fatal human infections, and should be added to concerns in clinical practice.

Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Fluoroquinolones ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Imipenem ; therapeutic use ; Influenza A Virus, H10N8 Subtype ; drug effects ; pathogenicity ; Influenza, Human ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Oseltamivir ; therapeutic use

Acute phlegmonous gastritis is an uncommon disease, often fatal condition characterized by suppurative bacterial infection of the gastric wall. It has a high mortality rate mainly because the diagnosis is usually made late. Until recently, gastrectomy in combination with antibiotics was recommended. We had experienced a case of 66-year-old man presented with epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, and hematemesis, followed by aspiration pneumonia. At upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, the gastric lumen was narrow, and the mucosa was severely inflamed, which was erythematous, swelled, and showed necrotic areas covered with purulent exudate. Klebsiella oxytoca and Acinetobacter lwoffii were isolated in the gastric tissue culture. Contrast-enhanced computerized tomography scan of abdomen demonstrated diffuse gastric wall thickening and an intramural abscess in the gastric antral wall. Although delayed gastric emptying by gastroparesis prolonged the in-hospital period, the only medical treatment with antibiotics alone successfully cured the patient without gastrectomy.
Acinetobacter/isolation & purification ; Acute Disease ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*therapeutic use ; Anti-Infective Agents/therapeutic use ; Cefotaxime/therapeutic use ; Ceftriaxone/therapeutic use ; Ciprofloxacin/therapeutic use ; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Gastritis/*diagnosis/drug therapy/microbiology ; Gastroparesis/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Gastroscopy ; Humans ; Imipenem/therapeutic use ; Klebsiella oxytoca/isolation & purification ; Male ; Ofloxacin/therapeutic use ; Pneumonia/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antibiotic resistance and risky factors of nosocomial infections caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, so as to help elucidate the difference of drug resistance between metallic beta-lactamase (MBL) producing and non-MBL producing strains.

METHODSStandard agar dilution method of NCCLS was employed in the isolation of 36 strains of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia from patients with nosocomial infection with respect to their in vitro antibiotic resistance to 18 kinds of antibiotics. MBL strains were identified by MBL-E test method.

RESULTSStenotrophomonas maltophilia in our hospital was mainly identified in the lower respiratory tract (88.9%), in which 88.2% (30/34) of the patients had serious original diseases, 50% of whom had received Imipenem/cilastatin sodium treatment. Thirty-six strains of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were susceptible to new types of fluoquinolone antibiotics, i.e. Sparfloxacin, levofloxacin, gatifloxacin and doxycycline, with inhibitory rate ranging 97.2%, 94.4%, 91.7% to 83.3%, respectively. They could also be inhibited by SMZ/TMP and Ticarcillin/Lavulanic acid with inhibitory rate of 63.9% and 58.3%, respectively. There were 16 strains out of 36 of MBL bacteria with complete resistance to Imipenem/cilastatin sodium, but with higher susceptibility to aztreonam than those non-MBL producing strains.

CONCLUSIONThe nosocomial infection in our hospital caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia seemed to be related with severe primary disease and the use of Imipenem/cilastatin sodium. The newly developed fluoroquinolones possessed powerful antibacterial potency on Stenotrophomonas maltophilia found in nosocomial infection.

Antibiosis ; drug effects ; Cilastatin ; therapeutic use ; Cross Infection ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; drug effects ; Fluoroquinolones ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Imipenem ; therapeutic use ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Risk Factors ; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ; drug effects

Multiple antibiotic reisistance threatens successful treatment of Acinetobacter baumannii infections worldwide. Increasing interest in the well-known activity of sulbactam against the genus Acinetobacter has been aroused. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes for patients with Acinetobacter bacteremia treated with cefoperazone/sulbactam versus imipenem/cilastatin. Forty-seven patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia were analyzed through a retrospective review of their medical records for antibiotic therapy and clinical outcome. Thirty-five patients were treated with cefoperazone/sulbactam, and twelve patients with imipenem/ cilastatin. The percentage of favorable response after 72 hours was not statistically different between cefoperazone/ sulbactam group and imipenem/ cilastatin group. The mortality rate was not statistically different, too. Cefoperazone/sulbactam was found to be as useful as imipenem/cilastatin for treating patients with Acinetobacter bacteremia.
Sulbactam/*therapeutic use ; Protease Inhibitors/therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Imipenem/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Female ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Cilastatin/therapeutic use ; Cefoperazone/*therapeutic use ; Bacteremia/*drug therapy ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*therapeutic use ; Aged ; Adult ; Adolescent ; Acinetobacter Infections/*drug therapy/mortality ; Acinetobacter/drug effects/isolation & purification

The treatment of infectious complications in cancer patients has evolved as a consequence of the developments in the chemotherapy of cancer patients. In this prospective, randomized study, we compared imipenem-cilastatin and sulbactam-cefoperazone with amikacin in the empiric therapy of febrile neutropenic (< 1000/mm3) patients with liquids and solid tumours. Of 30 evaluable episodes, 15 were treated with imipenem-cilastatin and 15 were treated with sulbactam-cefoperazone plus amikacin. 73% of episodes were culture-positive: gram-positive pathogens accounted for 62% of the isolates. Bacteremia was the most frequent site of infection. The initial clinical response rate for both regimens was 60% (p > 0.05). No major adverse effects occurred. This study demonstrated that imipenem-cilastatin monotherapy and combination therapy of sulbactam-cefoperazone plus amikacin were equally effective empiric therapy for febrile granulocytopenic cancer patients.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Amikacin/therapeutic use ; Antibiotics, Combined/therapeutic use* ; Bacteremia/drug therapy ; Bacteremia/complications ; Cefoperazone/therapeutic use ; Cilastatin/therapeutic use ; Female ; Fever/drug therapy* ; Fever/complications ; Human ; Imipenem/therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Age ; Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Neoplasms/complications ; Neutropenia/drug therapy* ; Neutropenia/complications ; Prospective Studies ; Sulbactam/therapeutic use