Isolation of from invasive and non-invasive samples of a patient suffering from vascular disease, Italy, July 2019.

We recently isolated from a blood culture and cutaneous swabs of a patient in her mid-70s. Our routine phenotypic methods failed to identify the microorganism, but it was identified by molecular tests and MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Our report, the first from Italy, further underlines the geographically wide distribution of and the need to confirm species identification of any suspicious colony as soon as possible to stop its spread.

Hypoalbuminemia as a predictor of acute kidney injury during colistin treatment.

This study aimed to assess the predictors of acute kidney injury (AKI) during colistin therapy in a cohort of patients with bloodstream infections (BSI) due to colistin-susceptible Gram-negative bacteria, focusing on the role of serum albumin levels. The study consisted of two parts: (1) a multicentre retrospective clinical study to assess the predictors of AKI during colistin therapy, defined according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria; and (2) bioinformatic and biochemical characterization of the possible interaction between human serum albumin and colistin. Among the 170 patients included in the study, 71 (42%), 35 (21%), and 11 (6%) developed KDIGO stage 1 (K1-AKI), KDIGO stage 2 (K2-AKI), and KDIGO stage 3 (K3-AKI), respectively.

Correction to: Impact of a mixed educational and semi-restrictive antimicrobial stewardship project in a large teaching hospital in Northern Italy.

A technical error led to incorrect rendering of the author group in this article. The correct authorship is as follows: Daniele Roberto Giacobbe, Valerio Del Bono, Malgorzata Mikulska, Giulia Gustinetti, Anna Marchese, Federica Mina, Alessio Signori, Andrea Orsi, Fulvio Rudello, Cristiano Alicino, Beatrice Bonalumi, Alessandra Morando, Giancarlo Icardi, Sabrina Beltramini, Claudio Viscoli; On behalf of the San Martino Antimicrobial Stewardship Group.

Impact of a mixed educational and semi-restrictive antimicrobial stewardship project in a large teaching hospital in Northern Italy.

Background: The overuse of antimicrobials favors the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance, as well as invasive fungal diseases and Clostridium difficile infections (CDI). In this study, we assessed the impact of a mixed educational and semi-restrictive antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) project in a large teaching hospital in Italy.

Methods: The AMS project was conducted from May 2014 to April 2016.

Combined use of serum (1,3)-β-D-glucan and procalcitonin for the early differential diagnosis between candidaemia and bacteraemia in intensive care units.

Background: This study aimed to assess the combined performance of serum (1,3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) and procalcitonin (PCT) for the differential diagnosis between candidaemia and bacteraemia in three intensive care units (ICUs) in two large teaching hospitals in Italy.

Methods: From June 2014 to December 2015, all adult patients admitted to the ICU who had a culture-proven candidaemia or bacteraemia, as well as BDG and PCT measured closely to the time of the index culture, were included in the study. The diagnostic performance of BDG and PCT, used either separately or in combination, was assessed by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-).