Vincent Jarlier

Prognostic significance of bacterial infection in bleeding cirrhotic patients: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS In cirrhotic patients, bacterial infection is frequently associated with gastrointestinal bleeding and seems to increase mortality. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of bacterial infections in bleeding cirrhotic patients and the influence of infections on the risk of rebleeding and death. METHODS Cirrhotic patients admitted for gastrointestinal bleeding who had not received antimicrobial chemotherapy in the previous 7 days were included. Blood, urine, and ascitic fluid cultures were systematically performed 1, 2, 4, and 7 days after admission. RESULTS Sixty-four patients were enrolled. Forty-two bacterial infections were documented in 23 patients (36%) within 7 days of admission. In patients with bacterial infection, mean Child-Pugh score and mean number of blood units transfused were significantly higher, early rebleeding was more frequent (43.5% vs. 9.8%; P < 0.01), and 4-week mortality was higher (47.8% vs. 14.6%; P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis only identified bacterial infections as predictive of early rebleeding (P < 0.02) and a high Child-Pugh score as predictive of death (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In bleeding cirrhotic patients, bacterial infections only increase the risk of early rebleeding, and mortality is related to the severity of cirrhosis.

Assessment of Clarithromycin Susceptibility in Strains Belonging to the Mycobacterium abscessus Group by erm(41) and rrl Sequencing

ABSTRACT Clarithromycin was the drug of choice for Mycobacterium abscessus infections until inducible resistance due to erm(41) was described. Because M. abscessus was split into M. abscessus sensu stricto, Mycobacterium massiliense, and Mycobacterium bolletii, we looked for erm(41) in the three species and determined their clarithromycin susceptibility levels. Ninety strains were included: 87 clinical strains from cystic fibrosis patients (61%) and others (39%), representing 43 M. abscessus, 30 M. massiliense, and 14 M. bolletii strains identified on a molecular basis, and 3 reference strains. Clarithromycin and azithromycin MICs were determined by broth microdilution and Etest with a 14-day incubation period. Mutations in rrl (23S rRNA gene) known to confer acquired clarithromycin resistance were also sought. erm(41) was detected in all strains but with two deletions in all M. massiliense strains. These strains were indeed susceptible to clarithromycin (MIC90 of 1 μg/ml) except for four strains with rrl mutations. M. abscessus strains harbored an intact erm(41) but had a T/C polymorphism at the 28th nucleotide: T28 strains (Trp10 codon) demonstrated inducible clarithromycin resistance (MIC90 of >16 μg/ml), while C28 strains (Arg10) were susceptible (MIC90 of 2 μg/ml) except for two strains with rrl mutations. M. bolletii strains had erm(41) sequences similar to the sequence of the T28 M. abscessus group, associated with inducible clarithromycin resistance (MIC90 of >16 μg/ml). erm(41) sequences appeared species specific within the M. abscessus group and were fully concordant with clarithromycin susceptibility when erm(41) sequencing was associated with detection of rrl mutations. Clarithromycin-resistant strains, including the six rrl mutants, were more often isolated in cystic fibrosis patients, but this was not significantly associated with a previous treatment.

The changing epidemiology of bacteraemias in Europe: trends from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System

We investigated bacteraemia trends for five major bacterial pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium, and determined how expanding antimicrobial resistance influenced the total burden of bacteraemias in Europe. Aetiological fractions of species and antibiotic phenotypes were extracted from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (EARSS) database for laboratories, which consistently reported between 2002 and 2008. Trend analyses used generalized linear models. Robustness of results was assessed by iterative analysis for different geographic regions. From 2002 to 2008, the overall number of reports increased annually by 6.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.2-6.5%), from 46 095 to 67 876. In the subset of laboratories providing denominator information, the overall incidence increased from 0.58/1000 patient-days to 0.90/1000 patient-days (7.2% per year; 95% CI 6.9-7.5%). The frequency of reported bacteraemia isolates of S. aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae increased moderately, while increase in E. coli and Enterococcus faecium was more pronounced. Bacteraemias caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus increased until 2005 (7.6% per year; 95% CI 6.1-9.1%), and then decreased (-4.8% per year; 95% CI -6.1 to -3.5%), whereas the number attributable to methicillin-sensitive S. aureus increased continuously (3.4% per year; 95% CI 3.0-3.7). Increasing rates of E. coli were mainly caused by antibiotic-resistant phenotypes. Our data suggest that the burden of bacterial bloodstream infection has been increasing for all species during EARSS surveillance. Trends were mainly driven by resistant strains and clearly dissociated between resistant and susceptible isolates. It appears that infections with resistant clones add to rather than replace infections caused by susceptible bacteria. As a consequence, expansion of antibiotic resistance creates an additional strain on healthcare systems.

Antimicrobial resistance : a global view from the 2013 World Healthcare-Associated Infections Forum

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is now a global threat. Its emergence rests on antimicrobial overuse in humans and food-producing animals; globalization and suboptimal infection control facilitate its spread. While aggressive measures in some countries have led to the containment of some resistant gram-positive organisms, extensively resistant gram-negative organisms such as carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae and pan-resistant Acinetobacter spp. continue their rapid spread. Antimicrobial conservation/stewardship programs have seen some measure of success in reducing antimicrobial overuse in humans, but their reach is limited to acute-care settings in high-income countries. Outside the European Union, there is scant or no oversight of antimicrobial administration to food-producing animals, while evidence mounts that this administration leads directly to resistant human infections. Both horizontal and vertical infection control measures can interrupt transmission among humans, but many of these are costly and essentially limited to high-income countries as well. Novel antimicrobials are urgently needed; in recent decades pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned antimicrobial discovery and development given their high costs and low yield. Against this backdrop, international and cross-disciplinary collaboration appears to be taking root in earnest, although specific strategies still need defining. Educational programs targeting both antimicrobial prescribers and consumers must be further developed and supported. The general public must continue to be made aware of the current scale of AMR’s threat, and must perceive antimicrobials as they are: a non-renewable and endangered resource.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA Gyrase: Interaction with Quinolones and Correlation with Antimycobacterial Drug Activity

ABSTRACT Genome studies suggest that DNA gyrase is the sole type II topoisomerase and likely the unique target of quinolones in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Despite the emerging importance of quinolones in the treatment of mycobacterial disease, the slow growth and high pathogenicity of M. tuberculosis have precluded direct purification of its gyrase and detailed analysis of quinolone action. To address these issues, we separately overexpressed the M. tuberculosis DNA gyrase GyrA and GyrB subunits as His-tagged proteins in Escherichia coli from pET plasmids carrying gyrA and gyrB genes. The soluble 97-kDa GyrA and 72-kDa GyrB subunits were purified by nickel chelate chromatography and shown to reconstitute an ATP-dependent DNA supercoiling activity. The drug concentration that inhibited DNA supercoiling by 50% (IC50) was measured for 22 different quinolones, and values ranged from 2 to 3 μg/ml (sparfloxacin, sitafloxacin, clinafloxacin, and gatifloxacin) to >1,000 μg/ml (pipemidic acid and nalidixic acid). By comparison, MICs measured against M. tuberculosis ranged from 0.12 μg/ml (for gatifloxacin) to 128 μg/ml (both pipemidic acid and nalidixic acid) and correlated well with the gyrase IC50s (R2 = 0.9). Quinolones promoted gyrase-mediated cleavage of plasmid pBR322 DNA due to stabilization of the cleavage complex, which is thought to be the lethal lesion. Surprisingly, the measured concentrations of drug inducing 50% plasmid linearization correlated less well with the MICs (R2 = 0.7). These findings suggest that the DNA supercoiling inhibition assay may be a useful screening test in identifying quinolones with promising activity against M. tuberculosis. The quinolone structure-activity relationship demonstrated here shows that C-8, the C-7 ring, the C-6 fluorine, and the N-1 cyclopropyl substituents are desirable structural features in targeting M. tuberculosis gyrase.

Detection by GenoType MTBDRsl Test of Complex Mechanisms of Resistance to Second-Line Drugs and Ethambutol in Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Isolates

ABSTRACT The GenoType MTBDRsl test rapidly detects resistance to ethambutol, fluoroquinolones, and second-line aminoglycosides (amikacin and kanamycin) and cyclic peptide (capreomycin) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A set of 41 multidrug-resistant (MDR) M. tuberculosis strains, 8 extensively drug-resistant (XDR) M. tuberculosis strains, and 3 non-MDR M. tuberculosis strains were tested by the MTBDRsl test and by DNA sequencing of the resistance-determining regions in gyrA and gyrB (fluoroquinolones [FQ]), rpsL (streptomycin), rrs and tlyA (aminoglycosides and/or cyclic peptide), and embB (ethambutol). The sensitivity and specificity of the MTBDRsl test were as follows: 87% and 96%, respectively, for fluoroquinolones; 100% for both for amikacin; 77% and 100%, respectively, for kanamycin, 80% and 98%, respectively, for capreomycin; and 57% and 92%, respectively, for ethambutol. Analysis of the discrepant results indicated that three FQ-resistant strains (including one XDR strain) with mutations in gyrB were missed by the MTBDRsl test and that one FQ-susceptible strain, identified as resistant by the MTBDRsl test, had a double mutation (T80A-A90G) in GyrA that did not confer resistance to FQ. Five strains (including two XDR strains) without mutations in rrs were monoresistant to aminoglycosides or cyclic peptide and were missed by the MTBDRsl test. Finally, 12/28 ethambutol-resistant strains had no mutation at codon 306 in embB, while 2/24 ethambutol-susceptible strains had such a mutation. In conclusion, the MTBDRsl test efficiently detects the most common mutations involved in resistance to fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides/cyclic peptide, and ethambutol and accurately assesses susceptibility to amikacin. However, due to mutations not included in the test (particularly in gyrB) or resistance mechanisms not yet characterized (particularly those related to ethambutol resistance and to monoresistance to aminoglycosides or cyclic peptide), the wild-type results yielded by the MTBDRsl test should be confirmed by drug susceptibility testing.

Novel Gyrase Mutations in Quinolone-Resistant and -Hypersusceptible Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Functional Analysis of Mutant Enzymes

ABSTRACT Mutations in the DNA gyrase GyrA2GyrB2 complex are associated with resistance to quinolones in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. As fluoroquinolones are being used increasingly in the treatment of tuberculosis, we characterized several multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis carrying mutations in the genes encoding the GyrA or GyrB subunits associated with quinolone resistance or hypersusceptibility. In addition to the reported putative quinolone resistance mutations in GyrA, i.e., A90V, D94G, and D94H, we found that the GyrB N510D mutation was also associated with ofloxacin resistance. Surprisingly, several isolates bearing a novel combination of gyrA T80A and A90G changes were hypersusceptible to ofloxacin. M. tuberculosis GyrA and GyrB subunits (wild type [WT] and mutants) were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity, and used to reconstitute highly active gyrase complexes. Mutant proteins were produced similarly from engineered gyrA and gyrB alleles by mutagenesis. MICs, enzyme inhibition, and drug-induced DNA cleavage were determined for moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, and enoxacin. Mutant gyrase complexes bearing GyrA A90V, D94G, and D94H and GyrB N510D were resistant to quinolone inhibition (MICs and 50% inhibitory concentrations [IC50s] at least 3.5-fold higher than the concentrations for the WT), and all, except the GyrB mutant, were less efficiently trapped as a quinolone cleavage complex. In marked contrast, gyrase complexes bearing GyrA T80A or A90G were hypersusceptible to the action of many quinolones, an effect that was reinforced for complexes bearing both mutations (MICs and IC50s up to 14-fold lower than the values for the WT). This is the first detailed enzymatic analysis of hypersusceptibility and resistance in M. tuberculosis.

Curbing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 38 French hospitals through a 15-year institutional control program.

BACKGROUND The Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) institution administers 38 teaching hospitals (23 acute care and 15 rehabilitation and long-term care hospitals; total, 23 000 beds) scattered across Paris and surrounding suburbs in France. In the late 1980s, the proportion of methicillin resistance among clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) reached approximately 40% at AP-HP. METHODS A program aimed at curbing the MRSA burden was launched in 1993, based on passive and active surveillance, barrier precautions, training, and feedback. This program, supported by the strong commitment of the institution, was reinforced in 2001 by a campaign promoting the use of alcohol-based hand-rub solutions. An observational study on MRSA rate was prospectively carried out from 1993 onwards. RESULTS There was a significant progressive decrease in MRSA burden (-35%) from 1993 to 2007, whether recorded as the proportion (expressed as percentage) of MRSA among S aureus strains (41.0% down to 26.6% overall; 45.3% to 24.2% in blood cultures) or incidence of MRSA cases (0.86 down to 0.56 per 1000 hospital days). The MRSA burden decreased more markedly in intensive care units (-59%) than in surgical (-44%) and medical (-32%) wards. The use of ABHR solutions (in liters per 1000 hospital days) increased steadily from 2 L to 21 L (to 26 L in acute care hospitals and to 10 L in rehabilitation and long-term care hospitals) following the campaign. CONCLUSION A sustained reduction of MRSA burden can be obtained at the scale of a large hospital institution with high endemic MRSA rates, providing that an intensive program is maintained for a long period.

Synergistic Activity of R207910 Combined with Pyrazinamide against Murine Tuberculosis

ABSTRACT In previous studies, the diarylquinoline R207910 (also known as TMC207) was demonstrated to have high bactericidal activity when combined with first- or second-line antituberculous drugs. Here we extend the evaluation of R207910 in the curative model of murine tuberculosis by assessing the activities of one-, two-, and three-drug combinations containing R207910 and isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), pyrazinamide (PZA), or moxifloxacin (MXF) in the setting of a high initial bacillary load (7.2 log10 CFU). Two months of treatment with the combinations R207910-PZA, R207910-PZA-INH, R207910-PZA-RIF, or R207910-PZA-MXF resulted in culture-negative lung homogenates in 70 to 100% of the mice, while mice treated with INH-RIF-PZA (the reference regimen) or RIF-MXF-PZA remained culture positive. Combinations including R207910 but not PZA (e.g., R207910-INH-RIF and R207910-MXF-RIF) were less active than R207910-PZA-containing regimens administered either alone or with the addition of INH, RIF, or MXF. These results reveal a synergistic interaction between R207910 and PZA. Three-drug combinations containing these two drugs and INH, RIF, or MXF have the potential to significantly shorten the treatment duration in patients, provided that these results can be confirmed in long-term experiments including periods of relapse.

Rapid Identification of Mycobacterial Whole Cells in Solid and Liquid Culture Media by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

ABSTRACT Mycobacterial identification is based on several methods: conventional biochemical tests that require several weeks for accurate identification, and molecular tools that are now routinely used. However, these techniques are expensive and time-consuming. In this study, an alternative method was developed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). This approach allows a characteristic mass spectral fingerprint to be obtained from whole inactivated mycobacterial cells. We engineered a strategy based on specific profiles in order to identify the most clinically relevant species of mycobacteria. To validate the mycobacterial database, a total of 311 strains belonging to 31 distinct species and 4 species complexes grown in Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) and liquid (mycobacterium growth indicator tube [MGIT]) media were analyzed. No extraction step was required. Correct identifications were obtained for 97% of strains from LJ and 77% from MGIT media. No misidentification was noted. Our results, based on a very simple protocol, suggest that this system may represent a serious alternative for clinical laboratories to identify mycobacterial species.