Fungemia, a Rare Opportunistic Infection without Central Venous Catheter Implantation, Successfully Treated by Liposomal Amphotericin B.

Background: Fungemia due to is rare and highly resistance to antifungal therapy. Since most cases of fungemia are attributed to medical devices, limited information is currently available on infection without central venous catheter (CVC) implantation. We herein report a case of fungemia without implantation of CVC, successfully treated by liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB).

Clinical relevance of procalcitonin values in bacteremia.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate procalcitonin levels according to the causative pathogens of bacteremia. The relationships between the clinical outcomes and procalcitonin levels were also studied.

Methods: From among 452 patients, 507 cases of positive blood culture were included in the present study.

Impact on Antifungal Susceptibility Patterns of Previous vs. Revised Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Breakpoints for Candida Species Isolated from Candidemia: Experience of Two Tertiary Care Institutions in Japan.

Background: Candidemia has a high mortality rate. Identifying prognostic factors of candidemia, based on each regional data, is essential for better management. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recently revised Candida species-specific breakpoints (R-BP) for antifungal agents.

Epidemiology, practice patterns, and prognostic factors for candidemia; and characteristics of fourteen patients with breakthrough bloodstream infections: a single tertiary hospital experience in Japan.

Background: Candidemia is associated with high mortality, and its prognostic factors need to be examined in more detail in order to improve its management. A case of breakthrough (BT) candidemia is defined as the development of candidemia during antifungal therapy. The microbiological characteristics of and appropriate clinical practices for BT candidemia remain unclear.

Pharmacist-managed dose adjustment feedback using therapeutic drug monitoring of vancomycin was useful for patients with methicillin-resistant infections: a single institution experience.

Background: Vancomycin (VCM) requires dose adjustment based on therapeutic drug monitoring. At Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, physicians carried out VCM therapeutic drug monitoring based on their experience, because pharmacists did not participate in the dose adjustment. We evaluated the impact of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) on attaining target VCM trough concentrations and pharmacokinetics (PK)/pharmacodynamics (PD) parameters in patients with methicillin-resistant (MRSA) infections.

Retrospective analysis of mortality and Candida isolates of 75 patients with candidemia: a single hospital experience.

The mortality rate for candidemia is approximately 30%-60%. However, prognostic factors in patients with candidemia have not yet been elucidated in detail. The aim of the present study was to analyze prognostic factors for candidemia using the mortality rate and Candida isolates of patients with candidemia.

Retrospective analysis of the risk factors for linezolid-induced thrombocytopenia in adult Japanese patients.

Background: Thrombocytopenia is a major side effect of linezolid therapy. However, there are few reports about the risk factors for linezolid-induced thrombocytopenia.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk factors for thrombocytopenia in patients who undergo linezolid therapy.