Role of Cefiderocol in Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Central Nervous System Infections: Real Life Experience and State-of-the-Art.

Cefiderocol is a new molecule effective against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens. Currently, there is limited evidence regarding the use of cefiderocol in central nervous system (CNS) infections. Data on the cerebrospinal fluid penetration rate of cefiderocol are limited and heterogeneous, and there is no consensus on the dosing scheme of cefiderocol to penetrate the blood-brain barrier.

Durability of anti-spike antibodies after vaccination with mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is longer in subjects with previous infection: could the booster dose be delayed?

Purpose: The long-term effectiveness of BNT162b2/Pfizer vaccine remains undetermined. This observational prospective study was designed to verify durability of antibodies against the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD) spike (S)-protein (RBD S-Protein IgG) after the second-dose administration of the vaccine among Health Care Workers (HCWs).

Methods: In all HCWs at the Poliambulanza Foundation Hospital Brescia (Italy) were quantified the levels of RBD S-Protein IgG (Abbott Diagnostics) at 45 and 240 days after the second-dose vaccine.

Effect of Corticosteroids on Mortality in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Not Receiving Invasive Mechanical Ventilation.

The most beneficial effect of corticosteroid therapy in COVID-19 patients has been shown in subjects receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), corresponding to a score of 6 on the World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement (OSCI). The aim of this observational, single-center, prospective study was to assess the association between corticosteroids and hospital mortality in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who did not receive IMV (OSCI 3-5). Included were 1,311 COVID-19 patients admitted to nonintensive care wards, and they were divided in two cohorts: (i) 480 patients who received corticosteroid therapy and (ii) 831 patients who did not.

Pulmonary thromboembolism in hospitalised COVID-19 patients at moderate to high risk by Wells score: a report from Lombardy, Italy.

Objectives: To present a single-centre experience on CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for the assessment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-high risk of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).

Methods: We analysed consecutive COVID-19 patients (RT-PCR confirmed) undergoing CTPA in March 2020 for PTE clinical suspicion. Clinical data were retrieved.

Bacterial Blood Stream Infections Negatively Impact on Outcome of Patients Treated with Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: 6 Years Single-Centre Experience.

Background: Blood stream infections (BSIs) represent a major complication of allo-SCT and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality during and after bone marrow aplasia.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to describe the incidence and outcome of BSIs in a cohort of patients submitted to allo-SCT, in order to track changes of the epidemiology and bacteria resistance.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the microbiological data of 162 patients allotransplanted in Brescia University Hospital, over a period of 6 years.

Current features of infective endocarditis in persons on hemodialysis: a prevalence study with case control design from the prospective multicenter SEI cohort.

Purpose: Persons on hemodialysis (HD) are at high risk of infective endocarditis (IE). In non-comparative retrospective studies, a higher rate of mortality was reported in IE on HD. We assessed risk factors, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of IE in HD.

Predicting the occurrence of embolic events: an analysis of 1456 episodes of infective endocarditis from the Italian Study on Endocarditis (SEI).

Background: Embolic events are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with infective endocarditis. We analyzed the database of the prospective cohort study SEI in order to identify factors associated with the occurrence of embolic events and to develop a scoring system for the assessment of the risk of embolism.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1456 episodes of infective endocarditis from the multicenter study SEI.

Linezolid and clindamycin improve the outcome of severe, necrotizing pneumonia due to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA).

The last decade has been characterized by the emergence of CA-MRSA strains associated with the production of Panton-Valentine leukocidin. We report a case of necrotizing pneumonia and septic shock caused by CA-MRSA, in which early recognition of the syndrome and appropriate treatment with two toxin-suppressing antibiotics improved the patient's outcome.

Female urethral carcinoma: evidences to origin from Skene's glands.

Purpose: Urethral carcinoma is among the rarest neoplasias of the genitourinary tract and its origin is unclear. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is considered an evidence of origin from Skene's glands. We considered the origin from these glands in PSA negative cases.

Fatal disseminated toxoplasmosis during primary HIV infection.

Toxoplasmosis is a well recognized manifestation of AIDS, but the disseminated disease is a rare condition and it has not been associated to HIV seroconversion to our knowledge. We describe a fatal episode of disseminated T. gondii acute infection with massive organ involvement during primary HIV infection.

Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic aspects of antimicrobial prophylaxis with teicoplanin in patients undergoing major vascular surgery.

A prospective, two-arm, open study assessing plasma exposure to teicoplanin with two different prophylactic regimens (Group A (n = 23), 800 mg pre-operatively versus Group B (n = 24), 400 mg pre-operatively plus two doses of 200 mg 24 h apart) was carried out in patients undergoing major vascular surgery. The intent was to define the feasibility and the possible advantages of the single pre-operative high dose in ensuring therapeutically effective plasma concentrations (>10 mg/L) of teicoplanin even during long-lasting operations. At the end of the intervention, mean teicoplanin concentrations (+/-S.

A randomised, open label, controlled trial on the effect of interferon plus amantadine compared with interferon alone for treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Combination of the antiviral drug amantadine with interferon (IFN) may be more effective than IFN monotherapy for treatment of chronic hepatitis C. METHODS: We randomised 93 patients with chronic hepatitis C to IFNIFN 6 MU 3 times/week for 24 weeks, followed by IFN 3 MU 3 times/week for further 24 weeks given in combination with amantadine 100 mg t.i.

Effect of HAART on SEN virus infected HIV positive patients.

Since it has been demonstrated that concomitant infections could influence the outcome of antiviral treatment, we investigated whether the presence of SENV infection may interfere with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV+ coinfected patients. In spite of persistent fluctuations in SENV-A positivity we could not find any correlation between SENV-DNA and the immunological and virologic parameters found in the patients, suggesting SENV has no apparent clinical relevance during highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Restriction of T-cell receptor repertoires in idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia.

We report that alpha/beta and gamma/delta T-cell repertoires of three patients with idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia, who showed different clinical manifestations and outcomes over time, were highly restricted. The disruption of T-cell repertoires does not influence the susceptibility to infections: the first patient was unable to attain a protective response to mycobacterium, the second showed clinical improvement and the third did not develop opportunistic infections. These results indicate that idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia could give rise to mono-/oligoclonal T-cell expansions, but the degree of repertoire disturbance is not indicative of the severity of disease progression.

Characterization of gammadelta T cells expressing CD158b, a killer cell inhibitory receptor, in a patient with chronic CD4(+) lymphocytopenia and disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare infection.

A population of Vdelta1(+)Vgamma9(-) gammadelta T cells that represented almost the totality (84%) of circulating lymphocytes in a patient with chronic, non-HIV-related, CD4 lymphocytopenia complicated by a disseminated Mycobacterium intracellulare infection was characterized. These gammadelta(+) T cells expressed a single killer inhibitory receptor (CD158b) and their phenotype (CD8(+)CD57(+)CD27(-)CD28(-)) indicated that, although CD45RA(+), they were not naive. However, the absence of large granular lymphocyte morphology, the impaired proliferative activity, the high susceptibility to apoptosis, and the total lack of cytotoxic ability suggested that these gammadelta cells were in a resting state.

Ultrasound evaluation of hepatic lymph nodes in patients with anti-hepatitis C virus antibody reactivity.

Background: Portal lymphadenopathy is frequently found in inflammatory liver diseases. However, the mechanisms underlying portal lymphadenopathy are unknown.

Aims: To evaluate the prevalence of portal lymphadenopathy in patients with serum anti-hepatitis C Virus antibody reactivity and its relationship to clinical parameters.

Effects of recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in patients treated with ProMACE-CytaBOM for HIV-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

Background And Objective: The use of hematopoietic growth factors in association with chemotherapy in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has been recommended, but few studies have evaluated its cost-effectiveness.

Design And Methods: The effects of recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were analyzed in 33 consecutive patients with HIV-related NHL treated at a single institution with the same chemotherapy program, ProMACE-CytaBOM, with G-CSF, in 21 cases diagnosed after December 31, 1991, or without G-CSF, in 12 cases diagnosed earlier. Pearson's chi-square analysis and the two-sided Student's t-test were used for statistical comparisons.