The rapid and broad microbiological diagnosis of meningoencephalitis (ME) has been possible thanks to the development of multiplex PCR tests applied to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We aimed to assess a new multiplex PCR panel (the QIAstat-Dx ME panel), which we compared to conventional diagnostic tools and the Biofire FilmArray ME Panel. The pathogens analyzed using both methods were Escherichia coli K1, Haemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes, Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterovirus, herpes simplex virus 1–2, human herpesvirus 6, human parechovirus, varicella zoster virus, and Cryptococcus neoformans/gattii. We used sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and kappa correlation index parameters to achieve our objective. Fifty CSF samples from patients with suspected ME were included. When conventional methods were used, 28 CSF samples (56%) were positive. The sensitivity and specificity for QIAstat-Dx/ME were 96.43% (CI95%, 79.8–99.8) and 95.24% (75.2–99.7), respectively, whereas the PPV and NPV were 96.43% (79.8–99.8) and 95.24% (75.1–99.7), respectively. The kappa value was 91.67%. Conclusions: A high correlation of the QIAstat-Dx ME panel with reference methods was shown. QIAstat-Dx ME is a rapid-PCR technique to be applied in patients with suspected ME with a high accuracy.

In recent years we have witnessed an increase in infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms in kidney transplant recipients (KTR). In our setting, we have observed a dramatic increase in infections caused by extended-spectrum betalactamase-producing (ESBL) Enterobacteriaceae in KTR. In 2014 we changed surgical prophylaxis from Cefazolin 2 g to Ertapenem 1 g. We compared bacterial infections and their resistance phenotype during the first post-transplant month with an historical cohort collected during 2013 that had received Cefazolin. During the study period 110 patients received prophylaxis with Cefazolin and 113 with Ertapenem. In the Ertapenem cohort we observed a non-statistically significant decrease in the percentage of early bacterial infection from 57 to 47%, with urine being the most frequent source in both. The frequency of infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae spp. decreased from 64% in the Cefazolin cohort to 36% in the Ertapenem cohort (p = 0.005). In addition, percentage of ESBL-producing strains decreased from 21 to 8% of all Enterobacteriaceae isolated (p = 0.015). After adjusted in multivariate Cox regression analysis, male sex (HR 0.16, 95%CI: 0.03–0.75), cefazolin prophylaxis (HR 4.7, 95% CI: 1.1–22.6) and acute rejection (HR 14.5, 95% CI: 1.3–162) were associated to ESBL- producing Enterobacteriaceae infection. Perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis with a single dose of Ertapenem in kidney transplant recipients reduced the incidence of early infections due to ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae without increasing the incidence of other multidrug-resistant microorganisms or C. difficile.

Background/Objectives: We evaluated the diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) microbiome in clinical situations identified as risk factors for a worse outcome and explored the roles of the most abundant microorganisms. Methods: A prospective multicenter cohort of diabetic patients with DFU were followed up for 6 months. We obtained a DFU tissue biopsy for microbiome analysis at the baseline visit. Genomic DNA was extracted (QIAamp DNA Mini Kit, Qiagen, Hilden, Germany) and quantified (QuantiFluor dsDNA System, Promega, Madison, WI, USA), with analysis of bacterial communities focusing on relative abundances (RA) and on alpha and beta diversity. Results: Overall, 59 DFUs were analyzed. DFUs of long duration (≥4 weeks) presented a higher RA of Gammaproteobacteria compared with ulcers of short duration (p = 0.02). Non-infected DFUs had a higher proportion of Actinobacteriota phyla than infected DFUs and, particularly, a higher RA of Corynebacterium genera (means ± SD: 0.063 ± 0.14 vs. 0.028 ± 0.13, respectively; p = 0.03). Regarding the pathogenic role of Staphylococcus aureus, DFUs with low S. aureus bacterial loads (<10⁶ CFU/mL) compared with those with high loads (≥10⁶ CFU/mL) showed a higher Corynebacterium RA (0.045 ± 0.08 vs. 0.003 ± 0.01, respectively; p = 0.01). Conclusions: In clinical situations associated with poor DFU outcomes, we observed a predominance of Gammaproteobacteria in the microbiome of long-duration ulcers and a higher RA of Corynebacterium in non-infected DFUs. An inverse relationship between the predominance of Corynebacterium and the S. aureus bacterial load in DFUs was also noted, which may suggest these commensals have a modulatory role. Further studies should explore the clinical utility of microbiome analysis for DFUs.

Background: The direct identification of uropathogens from urine samples, in combination with the rapid detection of resistance, would allow early adjustment of empirical antimicrobial treatment. Methods: Two hundred and ninety-eight urine samples processed between 1 June and 31 December 2020, selected with flow cytometry, with direct identification by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and rapid detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemases-producing strains by lateral flow were analyzed. Results: The positive predictive value of the direct identification of the 86 samples that met the flow cytometry criterion (>5000 bacteria/µL) was 96.4%. Reliable direct identification was obtained in 14 of the 27 (51.8%) urinary source bacteraemias. There was 100% agreement between the lateral flow and antibiogram in the detection of ESBL and carbapenemases. Conclusion: the protocol for the direct identification and rapid detection of ESBL and carbapenemases-producing strains from urine samples is a reliable and useful tool.

The objective of this study was to evaluate our preliminary results after changing our surgical strategy from 2-stage revision arthroplasty to 1-stage revision arthroplasty for patients with chronic knee periprosthetic joint infection. We conducted a prospective study of knee arthroplasty patients that had been diagnosed with chronic infection and treated using a 1-stage revision regardless of the traditional criteria applied for indication thereof. We evaluated two main variables: infection control and economic costs. The definitive diagnosis of infection of the revision was determined by using the criteria proposed by the Musculoskeletal Infection Society. The costs were calculated as average costs in USD, as described by Srivastava (2019), for 1-stage or 2-stage revisions. Eighteen patients were included in the study, and infection was controlled in 17 patients. The total economic savings for our hospital from these 18 patients amounted to USD 291,152. This clinical success has led to major changes in how our hospital approaches the treatment of chronically infected knee replacements, in addition to substantial economic advantages for the hospital.