Chiara Iaria

Post-neurosurgical multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii meningitis successfully treated with intrathecal colistin. A new case and a systematic review of the literature

INTRODUCTION Post-neurosurgical nosocomial meningitis has become an important subgroup of bacterial meningitis in the hospital setting. The increase in meningitis caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii has resulted in a significant reduction in available treatment options. CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW We report the case of a 36-year-old man with a complex craniofacial trauma, who developed a nosocomial meningitis due to MDR A. baumannii that was cured by intrathecal colistin. The case is contextualized among all the published cases of Acinetobacter meningitis treated with topical colistin found through a MEDLINE search of the literature. To date, including the present case, eight reported cases of Acinetobacter meningitis have been treated with colistin administered by an intrathecal route and 24 by an intraventricular route. The daily dose of colistin used ranged from 1.6 mg every 24 h to 20 mg every 24 h in adult patients. The median time necessary to obtain cerebrospinal fluid sterilization was 4.1 days, and treatment was always successful even if in two cases Acinetobacter meningitis relapsed. Toxicity probably or possibly related to the topical administration of colistin was noted in five out of the 32 patients. CONCLUSIONS Topical colistin can be an effective and safe treatment for MDR Acinetobacter meningitis.

Haemophagocytic syndrome and rickettsial diseases

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is a rare but potentially fatal disease resulting from dysregulated activation and proliferation of lymphocytes. We present a case of haemophagocytic syndrome occurring in a 5-year-old Italian boy as a complication of Mediterranean spotted fever. The characteristics of this case have been analysed and contextualized among those of another 15 cases of haemophagocytic syndrome associated with rickettsial diseases found through a systematic review of the international literature.

Enterococcal meningitis caused by Enterococcus casseliflavus. First case report

BackgroundEnterococcal meningitis is an uncommon disease usually caused by Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium and is associated with a high mortality rate. Enterococcus casseliflavus has been implicated in a wide variety of infections in humans, but never in meningitis.Case presentationA 77-year-old Italian female presented for evaluation of fever, stupor, diarrhea and vomiting of 3 days duration. There was no history of head injury nor of previous surgical procedures. She had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for 30 years, for which she was being treated with steroids and methotrexate. On admission, she was febrile, alert but not oriented to time and place. Her neck was stiff, and she had a positive Kernigs sign. The patients cerebrospinal fluid was opalescent with a glucose concentration of 14 mg/dl, a protein level of 472 mg/dl, and a white cell count of 200/μL with 95% polymorphonuclear leukocytes and 5% lymphocytes. Gram staining of CSF revealed no organisms, culture yielded E. casseliflavus. The patient was successfully treated with meropenem and ampicillin-sulbactam.ConclusionsE. casseliflavus can be inserted among the etiologic agents of meningitis. Awareness of infection of central nervous system with Enterococcus species that possess an intrinsic vancomycin resistance should be increased.

Cytomegalovirus pneumonia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review

BACKGROUND Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are at increased risk of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation, and although CMV pneumonia may be a fatal disease in IBD patients, little information is available on this issue. The objectives of this study were to identify risk factors for the development of CMV pneumonia in IBD patients and to find useful information to better manage this potentially fatal complication. METHODS A computerized search without language restrictions was conducted using PubMed and SCOPUS. An article was considered eligible for inclusion in the systematic review if it reported detailed data on patients with IBD presenting with pneumonia due to CMV. RESULTS Overall, 12 articles describing the history of 13 patients, published between the years 1996 and 2011, were finally considered. All patients were adults with a mean age of 33 years, and 11/13 were females. Fever and dyspnea were the most frequent symptoms. The most frequent radiological signs were bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. Six cases were complicated by hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Eight of the 13 were transferred to intensive care units and four of them died. CONCLUSIONS CMV pneumonia should always be suspected in IBD patients who present with fever and tachypnea, especially if the latter is worsening and/or is associated with dyspnea. Treatment must be early and specific.

Vitamin D Deficiency in HIV Infection: Not Only a Bone Disorder.

Hypovitaminosis D is a worldwide disorder, with a high prevalence in the general population of both Western and developing countries. In HIV patients, several studies have linked vitamin D status with bone disease, neurocognitive impairment, depression, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, infections, autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes mellitus, and cancer. In this review, we focus on the most recent epidemiological and experimental data dealing with the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and HIV infection. We analysed the extent of the problem, pathogenic mechanisms, clinical implications, and potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation in HIV-infected subjects.

No Findings of Dental Defects in Children Treated with Minocycline

ABSTRACT Forty-one children <8 years of age treated for brucellosis with oral minocycline (2.5 mg/kg) twice daily for 3 weeks were recalled and examined to check for dental staining and defects. Dental staining and defects were found in 14 of 41 exposed children (34.1%) and in 30 of 82 matched controls (36.6%), respectively (P > 0.2).

Involvement of the aorta in brucellosis: the forgotten, life-threatening complication. A systematic review.

Human brucellosis is a disease of protean manifestations, and has been implicated in complications and focal disease in many human organ systems. However, little is collectively known about the background, the course, the clinical characteristics, the diagnostic issues raised, and the short- and long-term therapeutic approaches in patients with aortic involvement as a complication of brucellosis. With the aim to glean from the literature useful information to better understand and manage this complication, a computerized search without language restriction was conducted using PubMed and SCOPUS. An article was considered eligible for inclusion in the systematic review if it reported data on patients with involvement of the aorta due to a Brucella infection. The epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of 44 cases of brucellar aortic involvement found through the systematic review of the literature were analyzed together with those of two new cases that we treated in the recent past. This complication involved the ascending thoracic aorta in 18 cases (in 16 of them as a consequence of brucellar endocarditis), and the descending thoracic aorta or the abdominal aorta in the remaining 30 cases. In the latter it was associated with spondylodiscitis of the lumbar spine in 13 cases. History of or symptoms indicative of brucellosis were not universally present. Brucellar aortic involvement represents a possibly underdiagnosed and underreported complication with major morbidity and mortality potential. Experience with novel invasive therapeutic approaches remains limited. Early suspicion through detailed history and diagnosis, aided by advances in aortic imaging, would allow for better planning of therapeutic interventions.

Leishmaniasis and Biologic Therapies for Rheumatologic Diseases

049-0172/10/

Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: forget me not!

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Measles and secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

A. David, C. Iaria, S. Giordano, M. Iaria, A. Cascio. Secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: forget me not! Transpl Infect Dis 2012: 14: E121–E123. All rights reserved A. David, C. Iaria, S. Giordano, M. Iaria, A. Cascio Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric and Anesthesiological Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy, Infectious Diseases Unit–Azienda Ospedaliera Piemonte-Papardo, Messina, Italy, Unità Operativa Complessa di Malattie Infettive–ARNAS “Civico, Di Cristina, Benfratelli”, Palermo, Italy, Division of General Surgery and Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgical Sciences, Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy, Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy