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Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Treponema pallidum. It progresses in phases and undiagnosed disease can cause considerable morbidity. Tertiary syphilis causes the formation of gummas. Liver involvement is rarely described and usually limited to transaminase elevation during primary syphilis. We present a case of tertiary syphilis in an HIV patient. Microbiological, clinical, and radiological information were retrieved from the patient’s record. Gummatous syphilis is rarely described in the literature, and practicing physicians should be aware of its existence and include this manifestation in the differential diagnosis of patients with a positive serology and focal liver lesions.

P. aeruginosa is still one of the most threatening pathogens responsible for serious hospital-acquired infections. It is intrinsically resistant to many antimicrobial agents and additional acquired resistance further complicates the management of such infections. High rates of combined antimicrobial resistance persist in many countries, especially in the eastern and south-eastern parts of Europe. The aim of this narrative review is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the epidemiology, latest data, and clinical evidence on the current and new available drugs active against P. aeruginosa isolates with limited treatment options. The latest evidence and recommendations supporting the use of ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam, characterized by targeted clinical activity against a significant proportion of P. aeruginosa strains with limited treatment options, are described based on a review of the latest microbiological and clinical studies. Cefiderocol, with excellent in vitro activity against P. aeruginosa isolates, good stability to all β-lactamases and against porin and efflux pumps mutations, is also examined. New carbapenem combinations are explored, reviewing the latest experimental and initial clinical evidence. One section is devoted to a review of new anti-pseudomonal antibiotics in the pipeline, such as cefepime-taniborbactam and cefepime-zidebactam. Finally, other “old” antimicrobials, mainly fosfomycin, that can be used as combination strategies, are described.

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents, among the nosocomial pathogens, one of the most serious threats, both for the severity of its clinical manifestations and its ability to develop complex profiles of resistance; Methods: we retrospectively collected the data of 21 patients admitted to a tertiary-care University Hospital of Rome with infections due to XDR-P. aeruginosa isolates during the second half of 2020; Results: in our institution, the percentage of XDR-P. aeruginosa isolates is 3.1%. None of the patients was admitted to the intensive care unit at the moment of the infection’s onset. Susceptibility to colistin was preserved in all the tested isolates. Rates of resistance to ceftolozane/tazobactam and ceftazidime/avibactam in these XDR strains were consistent; Conclusions: XDR-P. aeruginosa can be a threatening problem even outside the ICUs, especially in frail patients in wards with features of long-term acute care hospitals. In such a setting, ceftolozane/tazobactam and ceftazidime/avibactam should be administered with caution taking into account the microbiological susceptibility results. Colistin, even with its known safety and efficacy limits, could represent the only available therapeutic option due to its highly preserved susceptibility against XDR isolates of P. aeruginosa.

We aimed to describe the characteristics of patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and to evaluate the risk factors associated with early (7-day) and late (30-day) mortality. We performed an observational study including all consecutive episodes of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia diagnosed at two Italian university hospitals during 2010-2014. A total of 337 patients were included. Mean age was 69 years (range, 57-78) and 65% were males. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was identified in 132/337 (39%)cases. Overall 7- and 30-day mortality were 13% and 26%, respectively. Early mortality was associated with increased Charlson scores (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.5), MRSA bacteremia (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.4-8.1), presentation with septic shock (OR 13.5, 95% CI 5.4-36.4), and occurrence of endocarditis (OR 4.5, 95%CI 1.4-14.6). Similar risk factors were identified for late mortality, including increased Charlson scores (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.4), MRSA bacteremia (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2-3.9), presentation with septic shock (OR 4, 95%CI 1.7-9.7), occurrence of endocarditis (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.4-10.2) as well as Child C cirrhosis (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.1-14.4) and primary bacteremia (OR 2.5, 95%CI 1.3-5). Infectious disease consultation resulted in better outcomes both at 7 (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.05-0.4) and at 30 days (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.7). In conclusion, our study highlighted high rates of MRSA infection in nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. Multiple comorbidities, disease severity and methicillin-resistance are key factors for early and late mortality in this group. In patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, infectious disease consultation remains a valuable tool to improve clinical outcome.