Comparison of clinical characteristics of wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effect of mutations by comparing wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron regarding clinical features in patients with COVID-19. It also aimed to assess whether SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold value could predict COVID-19 severity.

METHODS

A total of 960 wild-type and 411 Omicron variant patients with positive results in SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test from oropharyngeal and/or nasopharyngeal samples during their hospital admissions were included in this retrospective study. The reference symptoms of the patients were obtained from the hospital database. The correlation between chest computed tomography findings and the "cycle threshold" of patients with wild-type SARS-CoV-2 was assessed.

RESULTS

Cough, fever, shortness of breath, loss of taste and smell, and diarrhea were found to be statistically significantly higher (p=0.001; 0.001; 0.001; 0.001; and 0.006; respectively) in the wild-type cohort, while in the Omicron cohort, sore throat and headache were found to be statistically significantly higher (p=0.001 and 0.003, respectively). An inverse relationship was found between chest computed tomography findings and viral load.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that the Omicron variant tended to infect predominantly the upper respiratory tract and showed decreased lung infectivity, and the disease progressed with a milder clinical course. Therefore, the study showed that the tropism of the virus was changed and the viral phenotype was affected. It was also found that SARS-CoV-2 viral load did not predict COVID-19 severity in patients with wild-type SARS-CoV-2.

Evaluation of extensively drug-resistant gram-negative bacteremia among solid-organ transplant recipients: a multicenter study

Background/aim

The aim of this study is to evaluate the distribution, sources, clinical features, and mortality rates of bacteremia due to evaluation of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) gram negative among solid-organ transplant (SOT) recipients.

Materials and methods

A retrospective study of SOT recipients with bacteremia due to XDR gram-negative pathogens in 11 centers between 2016 and 2018 was conducted. Patients’ records were evaluated.

Results

Of 171 bacteremia that occurred in 164 SOT recipients, 93 (56.7%) were liver, 46 (28%) kidney, 14 (8.5%) heart, and 11 (6.7%) lung recipients. Bacteremia episodes were recorded in the first year in 63.7% of the patients (n = 109), early-onset bacteremia was recorded in 45% (n = 77) of the episodes. In multivariate analysis, catheter-associated bacteremia was an independent risk factor for 7-day mortality (p = 0.037), and early-onset bacteremia was found as an independent risk factor for 30-day mortality (p = 0.017).

Conclusion

Difficult-to-treat infections due to XDR bacteria in SOT recipients shadow the success of transplantation. Central venous catheters seem to be the main risk factor. Judicious use of medical devices is of pivotal importance.

COVID-19 in a Lung Transplant Patient: Rapid Progressive Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction

The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, known as COVID-19, has continued to show its effect all over the world. The clinical course of the disease in solid-organ transplant recipients is a matter of concern. Lung transplant recipients also demonstrate special features because the graft encounters the COVID-19 pathogen directly as a result of inhalation, and the lungs are the most important organs affected by the disease. We shared the development process of acute rejection followed by rapid progression of chronic lung allograft dysfunction after COVID-19 in a recipient who was followed-up in the fifth year after lung transplant.

[Daptomycin in left-sided endocarditis: A single center experience]

OBJECTIVE

Infective endocarditis (IE) carries a high risk of cardiac morbidity and mortality, despite advances in the contemporary armamentarium. Along with the development of antibiotic resistant strains, research focusing on the efficacy of novel agents other than standard antibiotic regimens continues. Daptomycin, one of these antibiotics, is approved for the treatment of Staphylococcus bacteremia and right-sided endocarditis. This retrospective study was an investigation of the effectiveness of daptomycin in patients with left-sided IE.

METHODS

Fourteen patients (mean age 50.9±16.5; range 24 to 70 years) with the diagnosis of left-sided IE based on modified Duke criteria received daptomycin as monotherapy. Outcome was evaluated according to clinical improvement, microbiological eradication, and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Blood culture was positive in 13 patients (92.8%) and staphylococci were isolated in all but 1 patient (92.3%). Daptomycin was administered as monotherapy at a dose of 6 or 8 mg/kg/day for mean of 40.6±4.4 days. Clinical recovery rate was 71.4% and microbiological eradication rate was 85.7%. Mean duration of clinical recovery was 8.7±3.2 days and duration of microbiological eradication was 11.1±3.6 days. Side effects developed in 6 patients, but drug discontinuation was not required in any patient. Ten patients improved without complications. Two patients were lost due to heart failure and multiple-organ failure while treatment was continuing, and 2 patients died in early cardiac postoperative period.

CONCLUSION

Daptomycin is an effective and safe alternative to standard antibiotic therapy for the treatment of left-sided IE.

An outbreak of Streptococcus pyogenes surgical site infections in a cardiovascular surgery department

BACKGROUND

We report an outbreak of surgical site infections due to genetically related strains of Streptococcus pyogenes in a cardiovascular surgery department.

METHODS

The practices that were possibly related to the outbreak were investigated through direct observation and interviews with staff by an infection control team. Surveillance sampling from patients, health-care workers, and environment were done for the investigation of the source. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used to investigate a clonal relationship among the S. pyogenes isolates.

RESULTS

Four patients operated on in the cardiovascular surgery department developed surgical site infection due to S. pyogenes. Molecular characterization of S. pyogenes done by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed the same strain.

CONCLUSIONS

Although a definite source for the outbreak could not be identified, probably lack of adherence to hand hygiene practices during surgical dressings, contamination, and cross contamination led to this outbreak.

Tigecycline as a therapeutic option in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) is recommended as the treatment of choice for Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections. However, when the administration of TMP-SMZ is not possible, alternative treatment options for S. maltophilia infections has not been clearly established. We compare the efficacy of tigecycline treatment with TMP-SMZ in nosocomial S. maltophilia infections during a 3-year period. For the treatment of S. maltophilia infection, 26 (57.8%) patients received TMP-SMZ and 19 (42.2%) patients received tigecycline. Culture positivity rate was 95.7% in TMP-SMZ group and 70.6% in tigecycline group at the seventh day (P = 0.028), whereas 26.3% versus 18.8% at the fourteenth day (P = 0.700). Clinical improvement was observed 69.2% in TMP-SMZ group and 68.4% in tigecycline group at the fourteenth day (P = 0.954). Mortality rates at the thirtieth day were respectively, 30.8 and 21.1% in TMP-SMZ and tigecycline groups (P = 0.517). There were no significant differences in mortality and clinical response rates between TMP-SMZ and tigecycline treatment. Tigecycline can be considered as an alternative option beyond TMP-SMZ in treatment of S. maltophilia infections.