Pseudomembraneous enterocolitis--an unwelcome gastrointestinal complication of antibiotic therapy.
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Cyclophosphamide (CY, 250 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to mice. Four days after, a rifampicin-resistant strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, S. aureus 1-6 RFPr) was intravenously inoculated at the level of 10(7) cfu/mouse. Distribution and localization of the inoculated organism were chronologically investigated by means of whole body autobacteriography. CY (100 mg/kg) was consecutively administered for 4 days following the inoculation. As a result, dense colonies of the organism were detected from many organs and tissues, that is, the liver spleen, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, urinary bladder and bone (bone marrow) on the day after the inoculation. Following 3 days after the inoculation, the distribution and localization in CY-treated mice remained substantially unchanged and some animals died. It is demonstrated that in an experimental mouse model of MRSA infectious disease under immunosuppressed condition, the inoculated organism can stand still and proliferate not only in the gastrointestinal tract but also in the urinary tract and lymphhemopoietic organs.
Polyglycolic acid (PGA) sutures and Polyglactin-910 sutures show only minimal tissue reaction, nearly no scar formation and no immunological reactions. PGA sutures of the third generation have the same advantages, but surgical handling is to much improved that they may be technically employed in unfavourable locations, e.g. gastrointestinal tract and respiratory organs. PGA sutures of the third generation and the new monofil Polydioxanon suture need special knot techniques.
A fixed combination of pivmecillinam-pivampicillin (PMPA) in a dosage of 200 + 250 mg b.i.d. was compared with pivmecillinam (PM) 400 mg b.i.d. in treatment of various types of complicated urinary tract infections in hospital patients. Urinary pathogens sensitive in vitro to both regimens, were eradicated from urine in 28/29 patients on PM and in 37/38 patients on PMPA. During the 10-day treatment, however, a new infection appeared in 10/29 patients on PM compared with 5/38 patients on PMPA. There was a good correlation between bacteriological effect and clinical response, and clinically 22/29 on PMPA showed a success or improvement compared with 14/25 on PM. Both treatments were well tolerated with mild gastrointestinal discomfort as the only side effect.
Between 1982 and 1985, 21 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (20 men and one woman; mean age, 36 years) underwent 31 surgical procedures at the Harbor/UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, or the UCLA Medical Center (skin, lymph node, and endoscopic biopsies were excluded). The operations included seven emergencies and 24 elective operations (eight major and 16 minor). Pathologic findings included cytomegalovirus colon perforation (two), disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of the small and large bowel (one), cystic duct obstruction by KS (one), poorly differentiated gastrointestinal lymphoma (one), Candida acalculous cholecystitis (one), central nervous system toxoplasmosis (two), amebic encephalitis with abscess (one), staphylococcal botryomycosis of the pericardium (one), pulmonary KS (one), and cytomegalovirus (one). The overall operative (30 days) mortality rate was 48% (10/21). The emergency surgery rate was 57% (4/7), elective, 43% (6/14). The high operative mortality rate in these patients was usually due to progression of opportunistic infections or malignancy.
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Imipenem-cilastatin was evaluated for efficacy and toxicity as an antistaphylococcal agent in 23 patients; 11 of these patients were infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and 12 were infected with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA). There were 15 soft tissue, 5 endovascular, and 3 skeletal infections and a total of nine patients with bacteremia. As determined by in vitro susceptibility testing, the MICs for 90% of the MRSA and MSSA isolates tested were 6.25 and 0.39 micrograms/ml, respectively. Two MRSA isolates were resistant to a concentration of greater than 16 micrograms/ml. When 11 MRSA isolates and 7 MSSA isolates were incubated for 48 h the MICs for 90% of the isolates increased to greater than 50 micrograms/ml for the MRSA isolates and 6.25 micrograms/ml for the MSSA isolates. Three S. aureus isolates emerged resistant. Ten of 11 (91%) MRSA infections and 11 of 12 (92%) MSSA infections were clinically cured. Adverse reactions occurred in 25% of the imipenemcilastatin-treated patients. These reactions included gastrointestinal intolerance (7% of the patients), rash or pruritus (6%), eosinophilia (6%), thrombocytosis (4%), and a positive, direct Coomb test without hemolysis (3%). One of the two patients for whom therapy was discontinued because of gastrointestinal intolerance had antibiotic-associated colitis. Imipenem appears to be an effective antistaphylococcal agent against both MRSA and MSSA infections.
A case of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) in a male continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient is described. The prodromal phase started with staphylococcal peritonitis and deteriorated to the malignant phase of TSS approximately 48 hours from the time he presented to the local emergency room. Desquamation first affected the extremities and likely involved his gastrointestinal tract. His course of peritonitis involved unusual pain, with progression into toxic shock in spite of appropriate antibiotic coverage.
Gastric involvement is a rare complication of chronic granulomatous disease of childhood that may present at any time during the course of the disease. This case study presents the findings on CT and upper gastrointestinal examinations in a 10-year-old boy who developed symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction during treatment for hepatic abscesses.
Infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are increasingly community acquired. We investigated an outbreak in which a food handler, food specimen, and three ill patrons were culture positive for the same toxin-producing strain of MRSA. This is the first report of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness caused by community-acquired MRSA.
Rats receiving nonlethal thermal burns over 20 or 40% of their total body surface area were tested at various intervals for the translocation of indigenous bacteria from their gastrointestinal tracts to their mesenteric lymph nodes, peritoneal cavities, and bloodstreams. No indigenous bacteria were cultured from these organs of control rats or from rats receiving 20% burns. However, 44% of the rats receiving 40% burns exhibited viable Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus sp. and Clostridium sp. in their mesenteric lymph nodes 2 days after thermal injury. Bacterial translocation after burn stress also was tested in antibiotic-decontaminated rats monoassociated with E. coli. E. coli attained population levels in these animals of 10(8) to 10(9) per g cecum. E. coli translocated to 100% of the mesenteric lymph nodes of both the control and 40% burned rats. However, E. coli translocated at a greater incidence to the spleens, livers, and peritoneal cavities of the burned rats compared with translocation to these organs in control rats. The numbers of E. coli translocating to the mesenteric lymph nodes, spleens, and livers also were greater in the 40% burned rats than in control rats. By 14 days after thermal injury, the rats were able to clear E. coli from their spleens and livers, and the infection remained localized in the mesenteric lymph nodes. These results support the concept that the indigenous gastrointestinal flora or exogenous organisms colonizing the gastrointestinal tract are potential sources of septicemia after thermal injury.
Pyomyositis is a bacterial infection of skeletal muscle. We describe the clinical case of a 77-year-old woman affected by gait disturbance, repetitive falls, low back pain and left thigh and groin pain, but without symptoms of systemic infection. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and pelvis showed abscesses in the left psoas and adductor brevis muscles. Investigations of urogenital tract and gastrointestinal system were normal. Systemic antibiotic treatment alone was not efficient, while surgical drainage improved the clinical picture. The aetiological organism, isolated from the abscess, was Staphylococcus aureus. We suggest that this patient had a primary pyomyositis rather than a secondary form. This is the first report of concomitant abscesses of psoas and adductor brevis muscles with early neurological involvement.
In a prospective, randomized, comparative study, the renal, hepatic and gastrointestinal toxicity and effects on the vitamin K dependent coagulation factors of gentamicin and cefotetan were compared. Gentamicin, which in all but one patient was combined with a penicillin, was found to cause a significant decrease of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) after 1 week of treatment. In 6/14 patients a further decrease of GFR was found during the week following the last treatment day. The renal proximal tubular cells were affected by gentamicin, as evident from significant increases in urinary activity of 2 tubular enzymes, alanine aminopeptidase (AAP) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), as well as rises of urinary beta 2-microglobulin. Changes in GFR and tubular function were reversible. No statistically significant changes of these variables were seen with cefotetan. One cefotetan treated patient developed diarrhoea of moderate severity and 2 patients in the same group developed minor increases of liver transaminases. A small but statistically significant decrease of the activity of the vitamin K dependent coagulation factors occurred during cefotetan treatment. No gastrointestinal or hepatic adverse reactions were observed in the gentamicin treated patients.
The infectious etiologic agents of gastroenteritis are manifold and have only recently been studied in greater depth. Part of the problem in studies pertaining to diarrhea is the difficulty in identifying fecal "pathogens" among an enormous number of indigenous fecal microorganisms. Finally, the recognition of the pathogenicity of enterotoxins has created an awareness of the complexity of gastrointestinal physiology with host-parasite interactions.
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We have previously discussed the general principles of antibacterial prophylaxis in surgery, and its use in orthopaedic surgery, gastrointestinal and biliary surgery and urogenital, obstetric and gynaecological surgery. Here we consider the role of prophylaxis in reconstructive surgery involving the arteries of the abdomen, pelvis and legs.
A small number of patients manifest wound infections several months to several years after their operations. A study was undertaken to delineate the clinical characteristics of patients whose infections became apparent after a prolonged time interval from surgery. Twenty-six patients were admitted to the New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center, with wound infections that occurred more than six months postoperatively. There were three distinct groups. The first group consisted of patients with Staphylococcus aureus infections related to superficial stitch abscesses. The second group comprised patients with pacemaker infections; S epidermidis was the most frequently recovered organism. The third group consisted of patients with more clinically significant infections. These infectious complications followed genitourinary, gastrointestinal, and biliary surgery. The findings of this study suggest that most of these infections are caused by organisms introduced into the wound at the time of surgery; these organisms may become active because of alterations in the host's resistance.
Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is an acute illness that affects multiple organ systems. It is a disorder of particular interest to obstetricians and gynecologists because it primarily affects otherwise healthy menstruating women who use tampons. The pathogenesis remains unknown. However, Staphylococcus aureus has been isolated from either focal lesions or the vagina in most cases and a staphylococcal exotoxin is believed to be the causative agent. The epidemiologic characteristics, risk factors, clinical findings, criteria for diagnosis, and recommendations for treatment are reviewed.