Real-world use of imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam for the treatment of KPC-producing complex and difficult-to-treat resistance (DTR) infections: a single-center preliminary experience.

Introduction: Real-life experience with imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam (IMI/REL) for the treatment of KPC-producing complex (KPC-Kp) and difficult-to-treat resistance (DTR) (DTR-PA) infections is herein described.

Methods: Adult patients with KPC-Kp or DTR-PA infections who received ≥48 h of IMI/REL were included. Clinical and microbiological outcomes were retrieved through the medical records.

Seroprevalence of brucellosis among animal handlers in West Bengal, India: an occupational health study.

Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonotic disease and a major human health problem worldwide. Due to its ways of transmission, direct or indirect contact with infected animals or their contaminated biological products, the disease exhibits strong occupational association with animal handlers comprising a significant population at risk. This study was undertaken to estimate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in animal handlers and to understand the epidemiological and serological aspects of the same.

Molecular Research in Human Microbiome.

Recent evidence has shown that the human microbiome is associated with a wide range of diseases, from non-neoplastic to tumourigenesis, including cancer, inflammation, intestinal damage, etc [...

Current Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Bacterial Pathogens among Adult and Pediatric Patients in the Intensive Care Unit in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kolkata, India.

Nosocomial infections by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are among the main causes of morbidity and death in patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide. Antibiotic resistance has become a major concern for treating the patients with nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to describe the antibiotic resistance patterns of pathogens causing infections in adult and pediatric patients in the ICUs of a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata, India.

Changing Paradigms in Antibiotic Resistance in Species with Focus on Fluoroquinolone Resistance: A 5-Year Retrospective Study of Enteric Fever in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kolkata, India.

Enteric fever, a potentially fatal multisystem disease that is caused by serovar Typhi and Paratyphi, poses a significant risk in low- and middle-income countries. A retrospective study to understand the prevalence and evolving patterns of antibiotic resistance in Typhi and Paratyphi was undertaken from June 2017 to June 2022. A total of 4051 blood samples were collected from patients attending inpatient and outpatient departments of the School of Tropical Medicine (Kolkata, India) hospital.

Multi-Drug-Resistant Gram-Negative Microorganisms: Epidemiology, Treatment and Alternative Approach.

The presence of enzymes such as Extended-Spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemases (KPCs, Metallo β-lactamases and OXA) constitutes the principal resistance mechanism to antibiotics [...

CURB-65 plus hypoalbuminemia: a new score system for prediction of the in-hospital mortality risk in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

Introduction: There is the need of a simple but highly reliable score system for stratifying the risk of mortality and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) transfer in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia at the Emergency Room.

Purpose: In this study, the ability of CURB-65, extended CURB-65, PSI and CALL scores and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) to predict intra-hospital mortality and ICU admission in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia were evaluated.

Methods: During March-May 2020, a retrospective, single-center study including all consecutive adult patients with diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia was conducted.

Challenges in the Microbiological Diagnosis of Implant-Associated Infections: A Summary of the Current Knowledge.

Implant-associated infections are characterized by microbial biofilm formation on implant surface, which renders the microbiological diagnosis challenging and requires, in the majority of cases, a complete device removal along with a prolonged antimicrobial therapy. Traditional cultures have shown unsatisfactory sensitivity and a significant advance in the field has been represented by both the application of the sonication technique for the detachment of live bacteria from biofilm and the implementation of metabolic and molecular assays. However, despite the recent progresses in the microbiological diagnosis have considerably reduced the rate of culture-negative infections, still their reported incidence is not negligible.

Overview of the Main Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: Mechanism of Action, Efficacy and Safety.

This review takes into consideration the principal vaccines developed against the SARS-CoV-2 in this unprecedented period of Covid-19 pandemic. We evaluated the mechanism of action of each vaccine as well as the efficacy, the safety and the storage temperature. In addition, the problem of the dose units, the vaccinal strategy, the activity of alternative compounds such as the monoclonal antibodies and especially the issue of the virus variants were also described in detail.

Persistent Systemic Microbial Translocation and Intestinal Damage During Coronavirus Disease-19.

Microbial translocation (MT) and intestinal damage (ID) are poorly explored in COVID-19. Aims were to assess whether alteration of gut permeability and cell integrity characterize COVID-19 patients, whether it is more pronounced in severe infections and whether it influences the development of subsequent bloodstream infection (BSI). Furthermore, we looked at the potential predictive role of TM and ID markers on Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission and in-hospital mortality.

Microbiota Alterations in Precancerous Colon Lesions: A Systematic Review.

Gut microbiota plays an important role in human health. It may promote carcinogenesis and is related to several diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This study of microbial dysbiosis in the etiology of colorectal adenoma aimed to investigate the possible causative role of microbiota in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence and its possible preventive role.

Secondary Antibiotic Resistance, Correlation between Genotypic and Phenotypic Methods and Treatment in Infected Patients: A Retrospective Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the secondary resistance in infected patients who had failed a first-line therapy, and to compare the genotypic tests performed directly on gastric samples with phenotypic tests performed on culture media. The eradication rate of patients treated with bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) is also evaluated. A total of 80 positive specimens were retrospectively examined.

Antibacterial Effectiveness of Fecal Water and in Activity of a Multi-Strain Probiotic Formulation against Multi-Drug Resistant Microorganisms.

Intestinal colonization with multi-drug resistant (MDR) microorganisms is a consequence of antimicrobial-induced gut dysbiosis. Given the effect of probiotics in modulating gut microbiota, the aim of the study was to investigate whether the ingestion of high concentration multi-strain probiotic formulation would change the antibacterial activity of the feces against clinical strains of MDR microorganisms. The corresponding in vitro antibacterial activity was also investigated.

Persistent Systemic Microbial Translocation, Inflammation, and Intestinal Damage During Infection.

Background: infection (CDI) might be complicated by the development of nosocomial bloodstream infection (n-BSI). Based on the hypothesis that alteration of the normal gut integrity is present during CDI, we evaluated markers of microbial translocation, inflammation, and intestinal damage in patients with CDI.

Methods: Patients with documented CDI were enrolled in the study.

High Potency of Essential Oil against Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria and Methicillin-Resistant .

Purpose: Herein, an extended investigation of Tea tree oil (TTO) against a number of multi-drug resistant (MDR) microorganisms in liquid and vapor phases is reported.

Methods: The activity of TTO was tested against methicillin-sensitive (MSSA), , and clinical strains of methicillin-resistant (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta lactamases producer carbapenem-sensitive (ESBL-CS-Kp), carbapenem-resistant (CR-Kp), (CR-Ab), and (CR-Pa). Minimal inhibitory/bactericidal concentrations (MIC/MBCs) and synergistic activity between TTO and different antimicrobials were determined.

Infection and Gastric Dysbiosis: Can Probiotics Administration Be Useful to Treat This Condition?

() is responsible for one of the most common infections in the world. The prevalence exceeds 50% of the population in developing countries, and approximately one-third of the adults are colonized in North Europe and North America. It is considered a major pathogenic agent of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, atrophic gastritis, gastric cancer, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT).

Helicobacter pylori infection: antibiotic resistance and eradication rate in patients with gastritis showing previous treatment failures.

Forty patients infected by Helicobacter pylori were studied. The treatment was based on the positivity or negativity of cultures (tailored therapy or empiric therapy). The eradication rate was 68% and 82% respectively.

Detection of Biofilm-associated Implant Pathogens in Cardiac Device Infections: High Sensitivity of Sonication Fluid Culture Even in the Presence of Antimicrobials.

Introduction: Sonication showed more sensitivity than traditional culture in the diagnosis of device infections. Aims of the study were to assess the role of sonication in the microbiological diagnosis and management of cardiac device infections (CDIs), to evaluate the sensitivity of sonication in patients on antimicrobial therapy at the time of device removal, and to analyze biofilm formation of the isolated strains.

Materials And Methods: A total of 90 devices (31 generators and 59 electrodes) collected from 31 patients with infection underwent sonication before culture.

Antibiotic susceptibility, heteroresistance, and updated treatment strategies in infection.

In this review, we discuss the problem of antibiotic resistance, heteroresistance, the utility of cultures and antibiotic susceptibility tests in () eradication, as well as the updated treatment strategies for this infection. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance is increasing all over the world, especially for metronidazole and clarithromycin, because of their heavy use in some geographical areas. Heteroresistance (simultaneous presence of both susceptible and resistant strains in different sites of a single stomach) is another important issue, as an isolate could be mistakenly considered susceptible if a single biopsy is used for antimicrobial tests.

The role of vancomycin in addition with colistin and meropenem against colistin-sensitive multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii causing severe infections in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii has been associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, even in pediatric patients. Therapeutic options are limited, especially when the strain is multidrug resistant.

Methods: Clinical and microbiological analyses of 4 cases of systemic infections caused by multi drug resistant A.