Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, 30(2):142-168

Consensus document on pneumococcal vaccination in adults at risk by age and underlying clinical conditions. 2017 Update                     

FERNANDO GONZÁLEZ-ROMO, JUAN JOSÉ PICAZO,  AMÓS GARCÍA ROJAS, MOISÉS LABRADOR HORRILLO, VIVENCIO BARRIOS, MARÍA CARMEN MAGRO, PEDRO GIL GREGORIO, RAFAEL DE LA CÁMARA, ALEJANDRO RODRÍGUEZ, JOSÉ BARBERÁN, FRANCISCO BOTÍA MARTÍNEZ, MANUEL LINARES RUFO, ISABEL JIMENO SANZ, JOSÉ MARÍA PORTOLÉS, FRANCISCO SANZ HERRERO,  JAVIER ESPINOSA ARRANZ, VALLE GARCÍA-SÁNCHEZ, MARÍA GALINDO IZQUIERDO, ENRIQUE MASCARÓS           

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) represent an important health problem among aging adults and those with certain underlying pathologies and some diseases, especially immunosuppressed and some immunocompetent subjects, who are more susceptible to infections and present greater severity and worse evolution. Among the strategies to prevent IPD and PP, vaccination has its place, although vaccination coverage in this group is lower than desirable. Nowadays, there are 2 vaccines available for adults. Polysacharide vaccine (PPV23), used in patients aged 2 and older since decades ago, includes a greater number of serotypes (23), but it does not generate immune memory, antibody levels decrease with time, causes an immune tolerance phenomenon, and have no effect on nasopharyngeal colonization. PCV13 can be used from children 6 weeks of age to elderly and generates an immune response more powerful than PPV23 against most of the 13 serotypes included in it. In the year 2013 the 16 most directly related to groups of risk of presenting IPD publised a series of vaccine recommendations based on scientific evidence regarding anti-pneumococcal vaccination in adults with underlying pathologies and special conditions. A commitment was made about updating it if new scientific evidence became available. We present an exhaustive revised document focusing mainly in recommendation by age in which some more Scientific Societies have been involved.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; 30(2):142-168  [pdf]

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, 30(2):96-102

Non-febrile syndromes in the traveler returning from tropical regions admitted in a monographic unit                     

ÁLVARO ANULA-MORALES, BÁRBARA MARTIN-GINER, MICHELE HERNÁNDEZ-CABRERA, CRISTINA CARRANZA-RODRÍGUEZ, ELENA PISOS-ÁLAMO, NIEVES JAÉN-SÁNCHEZ, JOSÉ-LUIS PÉREZ-ARELLANO           

 

Background. The aim was to analyse those syndromes without fever in travellers who return from tropical regions evaluated at our Department of Infectology and Tropical Medicine. Clarifying these conditions intends to reach earlier diagnoses and, perhaps, to avoid the emergence and spread of imported diseases, as well as to establish appropriate preventive measures. 
Methods. An observational descriptive transversal study was performed, selecting those patients who returned from tropical regions without fever (n = 281), amongst all travellers evaluated in our department between 1998 and 2013. We analysed demographic features, information related to the trip, as well as the presenting complaints and the diagnoses.
Results. A total of 281 international travellers presenting without fever were analysed. Only 39% had received health counsel prior to travelling. The most visited regions were Lat-in America (38.8%), Africa (37.8%) and Asia (13.6%). 15% of patients were asymptomatic or suffered from non-infectious conditions. Among the rest, most had either gastrointestinal (46%) or cutaneous (34%) syndromes. The main gastrointestinal condition was diarrhoea, with a microbiological diagnosis reached in almost 50% of cases. Regarding cutaneous syndromes, arthropods bites (31%) and different bacterial lesions (20%) were most common.
Conclusions. Approximately 10% of patients in Travel Medicine are international travellers returning from tropical regions, half of them with no fever. Most are diagnosed with infectious diseases, mainly gastrointestinal or cutaneous syn-dromes. Eosinophilia is the third problem in frequency among this group of patients, and sexually transmitted infections are rare in our cohort. It is important to emphasize in preventive activities.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; 30(2):96-102  [pdf]

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, 30(2):90-95

Resistance rates and phenotypic characterization of Streptococcus pyogenes in a paediatric population in Northern Spain (2005-2015)                     

LAURA CALLE-MIGUEL, CARLOS PÉREZ-MÉNDEZ, MARÍA DOLORES MIGUEL-MARTÍNEZ, EMMA LOMBRAÑA-ÁLVAREZ, ELISA GARCÍA-GARCÍA, GONZALO SOLÍS-SÁNCHEZ           

Background. Streptococcus pyogenes is a significant cause of bacterial infections in children. The aim of the study is to analyse resistance rates and phenotypes of S. pyogenes isolates in a paediatric population in Northern Spain over the last 11 years.
Methods. Descriptive retrospective study of S. pyogenes isolates from paediatric patients between 2005 and 2015 in a region of Asturias (Spain). Resistance rates and changes in erythromycin resistance phenotypes in two time periods (2005-2009 and 2010-2015) were studied.
Results. A total of 1,794 S. pyogenes isolates were registered (70% from 2005 to 2009). 87.5% were obtained from pharyngeal swabs and 0.2% from blood  cultures. Resistance rates to tetracycline (8.8% to 4.3%, p=0.02), erythromycin (22% to 9.3%, p<0.01) and clindamycin (6% to 1.7%, p<0.01) decreased between the two study periods. A reduction in erythromycin-resistant isolates with the MLSB phenotype was observed.
Conclusions. A decrease in S. pyogenes resistance rates to erythromycin and clindamycin and a change in the erythromycin resistance phenotype were observed along the study period.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; 30(2):90-95 [pdf]

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, Mar 8

Usefulness of biomarkers to predict bacteraemia in patients with infection in the emergency department                     

AGUSTÍN JULIÁN-JIMÉNEZ, FRANCISCO JAVIER CANDEL, JUAN GONZÁLEZ-DEL CASTILLO, EN REPRESENTACIÓN DEL GRUPO INFURG-SEMES (GRUPO DE ESTUDIO DE INFECCIONES DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPAÑOLA DE MEDICINA DE URGENCIAS Y EMERGENCIAS)           

Between all patients attended in the Emergency Department (ED), 14.3% have an infectious disease diagnosis. Blood cultures (BC) are obtained in 14.6% of patients and have a profitability of 20%, whereas 1% are considered as contaminated and 1-3% of positive cultures correspond to discharge patients (“hidden bacteraemia”). The highest number of confirmed bacteraemias comes from the samples of patients with urinary tract infections, followed by community-acquired pneumonia. The suspicion and detection of bacteraemia have an important diagnostic and prognostic significance and could modify some important making-decisions (admission, BC request, administration of appropriate and early antimicrobial, etc). Therefore, finding a predictive model of bacteraemia useful and applicable in ED has become the objective of many authors that combine different clinical, epidemiological and analytical variables, including infection and inflammatory response biomarkers (IIRBM), as they significantly increase the predictive power of such models. The aim of this review is to highlight the evidence showed in recent published articles, to clarify existing controversies, and to compare the accuracy of the most important IIRBM to predict bacteremia in patients attended due to infection in the ED. Finally, to generate different recommendations that could help to define the role of IIRBM in improving the indication to obtaining BC, as well as in immediate decision-making in diagnosis and treatment (early and adequate antibiotic treatment, complementary tests, other microbiological samples, hemodynamic support measures, need for admission, etc.).

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; Mar 8 [pdf]

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, Mar 9

Strategies to optimize the use of antibiotics in hospitals                     

JOAQUÍN GÓMEZ, CRISTINA BONILLO, LUIS HUMBERTO NAVARRO, ALICIA HERNÁNDEZ, ELISA GARCÍA VÁZQUEZ           

The inadequate use of antibiotics is a clinical reality we are faced with day by day. The great peculiarity of this group of drugs is the influence they have not only on the patients and at the time of their use, but also of future infections and the general population, by favoring alterations in the resistance patterns of the bacterial microflora that colonize people. It is our obligation as experts in infectious diseases to work on improving the use of antimicrobials.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; Mar 9 [pdf]

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, Mar 29

Ceftolozane-tazobactam for the treatment of ventilator-associated infections by colistin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa                     

FRANCISCO ÁLVAREZ LERMA, ROSANA MUÑOZ BERMÚDEZ, SANTIAGO GRAU, MARÍA PILAR GRACIA ARNILLAS, LUISA SORLI, LLUIS RECASENS, MIQUEL MICO GARCÍA           

The use of colistin for the treatment of multiresistant bacteria has led to the emergence of colistin-resistant strains of Gram-negative bacilli. Treatment of infections caused by these pan–drug-resistant bacteria is difficult owing to the paucity of effective antibiotics. We report two cases of ventilator-associated respiratory infection caused by pan–drug-resistant, colistin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa that were successfully treated with ceftolozane-tazobactam.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; Mar 29 [pdf]

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, Mar 29

A rapid validated UV-HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of the antiretroviral compounds darunavir and raltegravir in their dosage form                     

GABRIEL ESTAN-CEREZO, ANA GARCÍA-MONSALVE, LETICIA SORIANO-IRIGARAY, FRANCISCO JOSÉ RODRÍGUEZ-LUCENA, ANDRÉS NAVARRO-RUIZ           

Introduction. A rapid, simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with ultraviolet detection has been developed for quantification of darunavir and raltegravir in their pharmaceutical dosage form.
Material and methods. The assay enables the measurement of both drugs with a linear calibration curve (R2= 0.999) over the concentration range 5–100 mg/L. The determination was performed on an analytical Tracer Excel 120 ODSB (15×0.4.6 cm) column at 35ºC. The selected wavelength was 254 nm. The mobile phase was a mixture of 0.037 M sodium dihydrogen phosphate buffer, acetonitrile and methanol (40:50:10, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 2.0 mL/min Nevirapine (50 mg/L) was used as internal standard.
Results. Accuracy, intra-day repeatability (n = 5), and inter-day precision (n = 3) were found to be satisfactory, being the accuracy  from -4.33 to 3.88% and precisions were intra-day and inter-day, 0.25% and 4.42% respectively in case of darunavir. Raltegravir intra-day and inter-day precisions lower of 1.01 and 2.36%, respectively and accuracy values bet from -4.02 to 1.06%.
Conclusions. Determination of the darunavir and raltegravir in their dosage form was done with a maximum deviation of 4%. This analytical method is rapid, easily implantable and offers good results..

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; Mar 29 [pdf]

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, Mar 31

Clinical presentation of candidaemia in elderly patients: experience in a single institution                     

ANA LERMA, ELENA CANTERO, MARÍA SORIANO, BEATRIZ ORDEN, ELENA MUÑEZ, ANTONIO RAMOS-MARTINEZ           

Objective. To analyse the clinical presentation of candidaemia in elderly patients.
Methods. A comparison of clinical presentation of candidaemia cases was carried out in a Spanish tertiary hospital between January 2010 and September 2015.
Results. Forty-five cases (32%) corresponded to elderly patients (≥ 75 years) and 95 cases (68%) to non-elderly patients (16-74 years). A higher proportion of elderly patients presented solid tumour (51% versus 32%, p=0.026) and a lower proportion had undergone solid or hematopoietic transplantation (0% versus 28%, p<0.001). Fewer elderly patients (16 patients, 36%) had a central venous line inserted than non-elderly patients (81 patients, 85%, p<0.001). Isolation of Candida parapsilosis was significantly lower among elderly (13.3%) than among non-elderly patients (32%, p=0.015). Fundoscopy was carried out in 20 elderly (44%) and in 64 younger patients (67%, p=0.009). The proportion of patients who underwent echocardiography was similar in both groups (56% vs 66%, respectively; p=0.218). Adequate antifungal treatment within the first 48 hours was administered in16 elderly patients (36%) and 58 younger patients (61%, p=0.005). Catheter removal was carried out in 9 elderly patients (68.1%) and in 40 non-elderly patients (49%, p=0.544). Mortality was higher among elderly patients (55.6%) than non-elderly patients (36.8%; p=0.037).
Conclusions. Elderly patients account for a substantial proportion of patients suffering from candidaemia in recent years. The clinical management of these patients was less appropriate than in younger patients with respect to fundus examination and the prescription of appropriate antifungal treatment. Mortality in elderly patients was higher than in younger patients.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; Mar 31 [pdf]

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017, Apr 5

Epidemiological surveillance for multidrug-resistant microorganisms in a general ICU                     

ANA FERNÁNDEZ-VERDUGO, JAVIER FERNÁNDEZ, DOLORES ESCUDERO, LUIS COFIÑO, LORENA FORCELLEDO,  MAURICIO TELENTI, EMILIO GARCÍA-PRIETO, RAQUEL RODRÍGUEZ-GARCÍA, LAURA ÁLVAREZ-GARCÍA, ANA PÉREZ-GARCÍA, CARLOS RODRÍGUEZ-LUCAS, FERNANDO VAZQUEZ           

Introduction. Multidrug resistant (MDR) microorganisms represent a threat for patients admitted in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The objective of the present study is to analyse the results of epidemiological surveillance cultures for these microorganisms in one of these units.
Material and methods. General ICU. Retrospective analysis, descriptive statistics. Analysis of epidemiological surveillance cultures for MDR microorganisms in 2015. Studied microorganisms: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), ESBL-and/or carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CESBL-KP) and MDR Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB).
Results. One thousand, two hundred and fifty nine patients admitted. A total of 2,234 specimens from 384 patients were analysed (690, 634, 62 and 286 were rectal, throat, nasal and skin swabs respectively). Global APACHE II was 18.3 ± 8 versus 21.7 ± 7.8 in patients colonized/infected on admission. Global mortality was 19.7% versus 22.3% in patients colonized/infected on admission. The higher sensitivities achieved with the different samples for the different microorganism detection were as follows. MRSA: 79% and 90% for nasal and nasal + throat swabs, respectively. MDRAB: 80% and 95% for throat and throat + rectal swabs, respectively. CESBL-KP: 95% and 98% for rectal and rectal + throat swabs, respectively. 94 out of the 384 patients (24.4%) were colonized/infected with MDR at admission. 134 patients (10.6% of the total patients admitted) were colonized/infected with a total of 169 MMR during the hospital stay. MRSA has the earliest colonization/infection (9.2 ± 6.4days) and ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, the latest (18.7± 16.4 days).
Conclusions. 24.4% of patients were colonized/infected by MDR at admission. Nasal, throat and rectal swabs were the most effective specimens for recovering MRSA, MDRAB and CESBL-KP, respectively. The combination of two specimens improves MDR detection except for CESBL-KP. Skin swabs are worthless. The most prevalent MDR at admission were ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae while the most frequent hospital acquired MDR was MDRAB.

Rev Esp Quimioter 2017; Apr 5 [pdf]