Infections caused by hypervirulent in non-endemic countries: three case reports and review of the literature.

Objectives: Spontaneous liver abscess caused by a hypervirulent strain was first described several decades ago in Taiwan and has been an emerging clinical entity worldwide ever since. We aimed to describe the clinical and microbiological characteristics of this infection in a non-endemic setting.

Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted in PubMed for European case reports of hypervirulent from 2016 to 2021.

Exposure to intravenous posaconazole in critically ill patients with influenza: A pharmacokinetic analysis of the POSA-FLU study.

Background: Data on posaconazole in the critically ill are scarce. In the POSA-FLU study, we examined the prevention of influenza-associated pulmonary aspergillosis with posaconazole in this population.

Methods: In this observational sub-study, we performed a pharmacokinetic analysis, including protein binding and target attainment (TA).

A Large Retrospective Assessment of Voriconazole Exposure in Patients Treated with Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Background: Voriconazole is one of the first-line therapies for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Drug concentrations might be significantly influenced by the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). We aimed to assess the effect of ECMO on voriconazole exposure in a large patient population.

Successful Outcome of Disseminated Fusarium musae Fungemia with Skin Localization Treated with Liposomal Amphotericin B and Voriconazole in a Patient with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Fusarium spp. may cause invasive disseminated infections in immunocompromised patients, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We describe a case of disseminated fusariosis with fungemia and skin localization caused by Fusarium musae in a patient with acute myeloid leukemia successfully treated using liposomal amphotericin B and voriconazole.

Imported malaria and artemisinin-based combination therapy failure in travellers returning to Belgium: A retrospective study.

Background: Malaria (Plasmodium spp) remains a top cause of travel-associated morbidity among European residents. Here, we describe recent trends of imported malaria to Belgium and characterize the first cases of P.falciparum failure to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT).

A case of a surgical-site infection with Staphylococcus condimenti.

Introduction: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are considered to have a medium or low pathogenic capacity when compared to S. aureus. Among the more harmless, CNS are those that are used in the food industry, represented by S.

Evaluation of the CellaVision DM96 advanced RBC application for screening and follow-up of malaria infection.

CellaVision DM96 is a digital cell morphology system for automated classification of white and red blood cells. CellaVision Advanced RBC application (ARBCA) pre-classifies RBC in 21 categories, including parasitized RBC, and allows re-classification by the operator. In this study, the performance of the software for detection of malaria and calculation of parasitemia was evaluated and compared to microscopy (n=40).

Post-influenza aspergillosis, do not underestimate influenza B.

Our objective is to highlight and focus on post-influenza aspergillosis, triggered by influenza B virus. This relatively new clinical entity is often associated with a fulminant course of respiratory decline and high mortality. A 51-year immunocompetent woman, without any medical history or risk factors for developing a complicated influenza infection, was admitted to the intensive care unit.

Same-day identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing on positive blood cultures: a simple and inexpensive procedure.

Fast diagnostic tools are becoming a hot topic in microbiology, especially in the case of septic patients. Therefore, we attempted to develop a fast, inexpensive, accurate and easy method to identify bacteria and perform an antibiotic susceptibility test directly on positive blood cultures that could be used in a routine laboratory. A procedure based on centrifugation and washing steps was performed on 110 non-duplicated (including nine seeded) positive blood culture bottles.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria among pulmonary tuberculosis patients: a retrospective Belgian multicenter study.

Objectives: Currently, there are no European data about the frequency and clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) grown from respiratory samples during the treatment of tuberculosis (TB). We determined the frequency and clinical significance of NTM isolated before or during pulmonary tuberculosis treatment in Belgian laboratories.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide retrospective multicenter cohort study on the co-isolation of TB and NTM in Belgium.

A disseminated Mycoplasma hominis infection in a patient with an underlying defect in humoral immunity.

Non-urogenital Mycoplasma hominis infections are rare, but may cause life-threatening complications. We describe a case of disseminated M. hominis infection with extensive abscess formation in an immunocompromised patient with iatrogenic hypogammaglobulinemia under rituximab treatment.

Nationwide Surveillance of Azole Resistance in Aspergillus Diseases.

Aspergillus disease affects a broad patient population, from patients with asthma to immunocompromised patients. Azole resistance has been increasingly reported in both clinical and environmental Aspergillus strains. The prevalence and clinical impact of azole resistance in different patient populations are currently unclear.

Contribution of two molecular assays as compared to selective culture for MRSA screening in a low MRSA prevalence population.

Background: As the prompt detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers upon admission is fundamental in the MRSA prevention strategy of our hospital, the infection control team is eagerly seeking the most sensitive and rapid screening method. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of two molecular techniques with a conventional MRSA-selective culture test (Bio-Rad chromogenic MRSASelect) in order to elucidate the suitability of the assays specifically in an expected low MRSA prevalence population.

Patients And Methods: The anterior nares and throat of 500 patients and visitors attending the emergency department of Sint-Jan General Hospital between May and June 2007 were sampled, and MRSA carriage was determined by selective culture after enrichment and the BD GeneOhm StaphSR and the Cepheid Xpert MRSA assays.

Cross-border dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Euregio Meuse-Rhin region.

Because the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) differs among the 3 countries forming the Euregio Meuse-Rhin (EMR) region (Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands), cross-border healthcare requires information about the spread of MRSA in the EMR. We investigated the emergence, dissemination, and diversity of MRSA clones in the EMR by using several typing methods. MRSA associated with clonal complexes 5, 8, 30, and 45 was disseminated throughout the EMR.

Genetic diversity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a tertiary hospital in The Netherlands between 2002 and 2006.

The aim of this study was to investigate the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clones isolated in a Dutch university hospital, situated near the borders of Belgium and Germany, between 2002 and 2006. MRSA strains (n = 175) were characterized using spa and SCCmec typing. The presence of Panton Valentine leukocidin (PVL) was determined.

Molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream isolates collected in a Dutch University Hospital between 1999 and 2006.

We observed that, between 1999 and 2006, up to 50% of the methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bloodstream isolates in our hospital had a genetic background common to endemic methicillin-resistant S. aureus clones (clonal complex 5 [CC5], CC8, CC22, CC30, and CC45). Furthermore, several successful MSSA lineages, such as CC7 and CC15, were observed.

Cost of the meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus search and destroy policy in a Dutch university hospital.

Costs related to a search and destroy policy and treatment for Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in the University Hospital Maastricht were calculated for the period 2000 and 2004. The financial cost-benefit break-even point of the search and destroy policy was determined by modelling. On average 22,412 patients were admitted per year for an average of 8.

Comparison of five different immunoassays for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi IgM and IgG antibodies.

The performances of five commercially available enzyme immunoassays were compared for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi IgM and IgG antibodies. Sensitivity was assessed with European serum samples collected from 45 patients with clinically defined Lyme disease in conjunction with a positive immunoblot (n = 44) or other serological test (n = 1). Sensitivities for the detection of IgM and IgG with each test were: Dako IgM 64%; Dako IgG 53%; Serion IgM 89%; and Serion IgG 88%.

Alternaria infectoria phaeohyphomycosis in a renal transplant patient.

A male renal transplant patient developed a tumor on the dorsum of his right hand. After excision, histological examination of the tumor showed hyphal structures, but growth developed very slowly. Therapy consisted of surgery alone.

Staphylococcus aureus carriage among participants at the 13th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

The aim of this study was to measure the rate of Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization among attendees of the 13th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID), particularly with regard to methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strains. The 31.4% rate of Staphylococcus aureus colonization detected among the participants was in line with colonization rates reported previously for healthcare workers.

Keratitis caused by Scedosporium apiospermum successfully treated with a cornea transplant and voriconazole.

A case of Scedosporium apiospermum keratitis was successfully treated with oral voriconazole and penetrating keratoplasty. Voriconazole levels in the aqueous humor were 53% of the levels in plasma and exceeded the MIC for the isolate by sevenfold.

Laboratory diagnosis and biosafety issues of biological warfare agents.

Bioterrorism events have been rare until recently. Many clinical laboratories may not be familiar with handling specimens from a possible bioterrorism attack. Therefore, they should be aware of their own responsibilities and limitations in the handling and treatment of such specimens, and what to do if they are requested to process clinical samples.