Search

Tigecycline has in vitro activity against multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR/XDRAB), and may constitute an alternative therapy for treating pneumonia caused by MDR/XDRAB. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of tigecycline-based therapy with colistin-based therapy in patients with MDR/XDRAB pneumonia. Between January 2009 and December 2010, patients in the intensive care unit who were diagnosed with MDR/XDRAB pneumonia and treated with either tigecycline or colistin mono-/combination therapy were reviewed. A total of 70 patients were included in our analysis. Among them, 30 patients received tigecycline-based therapy, and 40 patients received colistin-based therapy. Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups. Clinical success rate was 47% in the tigecycline group and 48% in the colistin group (P = 0.95). There were no differences between the groups with regard to other clinical outcomes, with the exception that nephrotoxicity was observed only in the colistin group (0% vs. 20%; P = 0.009). Clinical and microbiological success rates were numerically higher, and mortality rates were numerically lower in combination therapy group than in the monotherapy group. Multivariate analysis indicated that monotherapy was independently associated with increased clinical failure (aOR, 3.96; 95% CI, 1.03-15.26; P = 0.046). Our results suggest that tigecycline-based therapy was tolerable and the clinical outcome was comparable to that of colistin-based therapy for patients with MDR/XDRAB pneumonia. In addition, combination therapy may be more useful than monotherapy in treatment of MDR/XDRAB pneumonia.

A case of successful therapy of the patient with viral and bacterial pneumonia, prolonged ventilation (137 days) and tracheoesophagealfistula presented. The possibility of optimizing the gas exchange in the lungs by selecting appropriate modes of mechanical ventilation with the use ofproportional assist ventilation of the lungs (PVVL or PAV +), rather than suppressing patient's own attempts is shown.

Aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms of pulmonary vasculature are uncommon occurrences that contribute to mortality and morbidity, without timely diagnosis and intervention. We report a fatal massive hemoptysis in a child due to a consolidation-related pulmonary arterial pseudoaneurysm, an extremely rare phenomenon.

High glucose concentration in the airway surface liquid (ASL) is an important feature of diabetes that predisposes to respiratory infections. We investigated the role of alveolar epithelial SGLT1 activity on ASL glucose concentration and bacterial proliferation. Non-diabetic and diabetic rats were intranasally treated with saline, isoproterenol (to increase SGLT1 activity) or phlorizin (to decrease SGLT1 activity); 2 hours later, glucose concentration and bacterial proliferation (methicillin-resistant Sthaphylococcus aureus, MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. aeruginosa) were analyzed in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL); and alveolar SGLT1 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. BAL glucose concentration and bacterial proliferation increased in diabetic animals: isoproterenol stimulated SGLT1 migration to luminal membrane, and reduced (50%) the BAL glucose concentration; whereas phlorizin increased the BAL glucose concentration (100%). These regulations were accompanied by parallel changes of in vitro MRSA and P. aeruginosa proliferation in BAL (r = 0.9651 and r = 0.9613, respectively, Pearson correlation). The same regulations were observed in in vivo P. aeruginosa proliferation. In summary, the results indicate a relationship among SGLT1 activity, ASL glucose concentration and pulmonary bacterial proliferation. Besides, the study highlights that, in situations of pulmonary infection risk, such as in diabetic subjects, increased SGLT1 activity may prevent bacterial proliferation whereas decreased SGLT1 activity can exacerbate it.

Objective: To investigate the etiology and clinical manifestation of hemoptysis in children., Method: A retrospective analysis was performed for 106 cases of hemoptysis who were admitted to The Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from January 2005 to December 2014.The clinical information including laboratory tests and image data were collected and analyzed., Result: A total of 106 patients (50 males and 56 females) were identified. The median age was 9.1 years (range 2 months to 18 years). Pneumonia (35, 31.1%) was the most common etiology of hemoptysis, which included bacterial pneumonia (27 cases), mycoplasmal pneumonia(4 cases), chlamydial pneumonia (3 cases), and influenza pneumonia(1 case). Other causes included bronchitis(15, 14.2%), pulmonary tuberculosis (11, 10.4%), bronchiectasis (11, 10.4%), diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (8, 7.5%), idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis(6, 5.7%), cardiovascular dysplasia(6, 5.7%), pulmonary contusion (4, 3.8%), foreign body in bronchus (2, 1.9%), allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (2, 1.9%). Eighty-six patients manifested mild hemoptysis; moderate and massive hemoptysis were found in nine and eleven patients, respectively. Pneumonia accounted for 33.7% of mild hemoptysis and 45.5% of massive hemoptysis were due to bronchiectasis; 80.2% were treated with antibiotics and 41.5% were given hemostatic agents; 8.5% received lobectomy. Ninety-six patients (90.6%) were cured and parents gave up treatment in 4 cases (3.8%). Six patients (5.7%) suffered from recurrent hemoptysis., Conclusion: Hemoptysis mainly occurred in children who were older than 6 years, the most common cause of hemoptysis was respiratory tract infection. In most cases, the amount of hemoptysis was small and the overall prognosis was good.

Background: Severe sepsis, may be present on hospital arrival in approximately one-third of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)., Objective: To determine the host characteristics and micro-organisms associated with severe sepsis in patients hospitalized with CAP., Results: We performed a prospective multicenter cohort study in 13 Spanish hospital, on 4070 hospitalized CAP patients, 1529 of whom (37.6%) presented with severe sepsis. Severe sepsis CAP was independently associated with older age (>65 years), alcohol abuse (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.07-1.61), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.50-2.04) and renal disease (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.21-2.03), whereas prior antibiotic treatment was a protective factor (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.52-0.73). Bacteremia (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.05-1.79), S pneumoniae (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.31-1.95) and mixed microbial etiology (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.10-2.49) were associated with severe sepsis CAP., Conclusions: CAP patients with COPD, renal disease and alcohol abuse, as well as those with CAP due to S pneumonia or mixed micro-organisms are more likely to present to the hospital with severe sepsis.

Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn), a common respiratory pathogen of humans, is associated with human cardiovascular disease and the acceleration of atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic animal models. Our laboratory has demonstrated that murine norovirus (MNV), a prevalent infection of laboratory mice, can unpredictably alter atherosclerosis in hyperlipidemic Ldlr(-/-) and ApoE(-/-) mice. Given that MNV has a tropism for macrophages and may exacerbate atherogenesis, we investigated whether coinfection with MNV and Cpn might alter macrophage phenotypes in vitro and atherosclerosis in ApoE(-/-) mice. In the presence of oxidized low-density lipoprotein, coinfection of ApoE(-/-) bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) with MNV and Cpn resulted in significant increases in gene expression of IL6, MCP1, iNOS, and TNFα compared with Cpn-monoinfected BMDM. On the basis of these findings, we hypothesized that concurrent MNV-Cpn infection might increase plaque lesion size in vivo. As expected, Cpn monoinfection of ApoE(-/-) mice increased mean plaque size by 62% compared with that in uninfected mice. However, MNV did not significantly alter plaque lesion size in MNV-Cpn-coinfected mice compared with Cpn-monoinfected mice. There were no differences in aortic cytokines locally at the site of plaque development or in peritoneal macrophages at 1 wk after infection in MNV-Cpn-coinfected mice compared with Cpn-monoinfected mice. MNV was not detected in the aortic tissue of MNV-infected mice at 1 or 8 wk after infection regardless of Cpn status. These data suggest that MNV infection does not appreciably alter plaque development in Cpn-accelerated atherosclerosis in ApoE(-/-) mice.

Background: Immunocompromised patients, especially those receiving treatment with corticosteroids and cytotoxic chemotherapy are at increased risk for developing Legionella pneumonia., Objective: The aim of this study was to determine clinical and radiographic characteristics of pulmonary infection due to Legionella in persons undergoing treatment for cancer and stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients., Methods: Retrospective review of Legionella cases at MSKCC over a fifteen-year study period from January 1999 and December 2013. Cases were identified by review of microbiology records., Results: During the study period, 40 cases of Legionella infection were identified; nine among these were due to non-pneumophila species. Most cases occurred during the summer. The majority [8/9, (89%)] of patients with non-pneumophila infection had underlying hematologic malignancy, compared to 18/31 (58%) with Legionella pneumophila infections. Radiographic findings were varied-nodular infiltrates mimicking invasive fungal infection were seen only among patients with hematologic malignancy and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients and were frequently associated with non-pneumophila infections (50% vs 16%; P = 0.0594). All cases of nodular Legionella pneumonia were found incidentally or had an indolent clinical course., Conclusions: Legionella should be considered in the differential diagnosis of nodular lung lesions in immunocompromised patients, especially those with hematologic malignancy and SCT recipients. Most cases of nodular disease due to Legionella are associated with non-pneumophila infections., (Copyright © 2015 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Nocardia, a branching, filamentous bacteria, is widely distributed in the environment and can cause human infection in immune-compromised hosts. Inhalation of Nocardia leads to pulmonary disease. Microbiology laboratory processed the clinical samples from patients with respiratory infections. Smears were prepared from the samples and were stained and cultured. Five cases were positive for Nocardia. They were treated with the trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole combination. The disease was cured in three patients, and two died due to other comorbid conditions leading to complications. Nocardiosis is encountered in parts of the world even where it is not endemic due to increased world travel. So physicians and laboratory staff should be aware of this and try to diagnose it. Early detection can lead to the prompt initiation of treatment and reduced mortality in these patients. Patients with disseminated or severe nocardiosis should be treated with combination therapy with two or more active agents.

Background: Among patients in the emergency department, dyspnea is a common complaint and can pose a diagnostic challenge. Biomarkers are used increasingly to improve diagnostic accuracy and aid with prognostication in dyspneic patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical utility of serum procalcitonin (PCT) for the diagnosis of pneumonia in patients presenting to the emergency department with dyspnea. A secondary objective was to evaluate the prognostic value of PCT for death to 1 year., Methods: This study pooled the patient populations of 2 prospective cohorts that previously enrolled patients presenting to 2 urban emergency departments with dyspnea. A total of 453 patients had serum samples available for biomarker analysis. Clinician certainty for the diagnosis of acutely decompensated heart failure was reviewed. Discrimination, calibration, and net reclassification improvement for the diagnosis of pneumonia as well as fatal outcomes were considered. The main outcome was accuracy of PCT for diagnostic categorization of pneumonia. The prognostic value of PCT for survival to 1 year was a secondary outcome., Results: Pneumonia alone was diagnosed in 30 patients (6.6%), heart failure without pneumonia in 212 patients (47%), and both diagnoses in 30 patients (6.6%). Procalcitonin concentrations were higher in subjects with pneumonia (0.38 vs 0.06 ng/mL; P < .001). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the diagnosis of pneumonia based on PCT was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-0.91; P < .001). Across all levels of clinician-based estimates of heart failure, PCT was sensitive and specific; notably, in patients judged with diagnostic uncertainty (n = 70), a PCT value of 0.10 ng/mL had the optimal balance of sensitivity and specificity (80% and 77%, respectively) for pneumonia. Adding PCT results to variables predictive of pneumonia resulted in a net reclassification improvement of 0.54 (95% CI, 0.24-0.83; P < .001) for both up- and down-reclassifying events. In adjusted analyses, elevated PCT was a predictor of 1-year mortality (hazard ratio 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4-2.3; P < .001) and was additive when elevated in conjunction with natriuretic peptides for this application., Conclusion: In emergency department patients with acute dyspnea, PCT is an accurate diagnostic marker for pneumonia and adds independent prognostic information for 1-year mortality., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous environmental organisms that can cause chronic pulmonary infection, particularly in individuals with pre-existing inflammatory lung disease such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Pulmonary disease caused by NTM has emerged as a major threat to the health of individuals with CF but remains difficult to diagnose and problematic to treat. In response to this challenge, the US Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) and the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) convened an expert panel of specialists to develop consensus recommendations for the screening, investigation, diagnosis and management of NTM pulmonary disease in individuals with CF. Nineteen experts were invited to participate in the recommendation development process. Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) methodology and systematic literature reviews were employed to inform draft recommendations. An anonymous voting process was used by the committee to reach consensus. All committee members were asked to rate each statement on a scale of: 0, completely disagree, to 9, completely agree; with 80% or more of scores between 7 and 9 being considered 'good' agreement. Additionally, the committee solicited feedback from the CF communities in the USA and Europe and considered the feedback in the development of the final recommendation statements. Three rounds of voting were conducted to achieve 80% consensus for each recommendation statement. Through this process, we have generated a series of pragmatic, evidence-based recommendations for the screening, investigation, diagnosis and treatment of NTM infection in individuals with CF as an initial step in optimising management for this challenging condition., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/)

Background/aims: Pneumonia is a significant risk factor for the development of venous thrombosis (VT). Cell-adhesion molecules (CAMs) are linked to the pathogenesis of both pneumonia and VT. We hypothesized that remote infection would confer a prothrombogenic milieu via systemic elevation of CAMs., Methods: Lung injury was induced in wild-type (C57BL/6) mice by lung contusion or intratracheal inoculation with Klebsiella pneumoniae or saline controls. K. pneumoniae-treated mice and controls additionally underwent inferior vena cava (IVC) ligation to generate VT., Results: Lung-contusion mice demonstrated no increase in E-selectin or P-selectin whereas mice infected with K. pneumoniae demonstrated increased circulating P-selectin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes. Mice with pneumonia formed VT 3 times larger than controls, demonstrated significantly more upregulation of vein-wall and systemic CAMs, and formed erythrocyte-rich thrombi., Conclusion: Elevated CAM expression was identified in mice with pneumonia, but not lung contusion, indicating that the type of inflammatory stimulus and the presence of infection drive the vein-wall response. Elevation of CAMs was associated with amplified VT and may represent an alternate mechanism by which to target the prevention of VT., (© 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Setting: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While interactions among bacterial pathogens in the respiratory tract have been studied, the impact of polybacterial aetiology on mortality has not been fully elucidated., Objective: To investigate the impact of polybacterial aetiology on mortality, prevalence, microbial patterns and clinical characteristics among CAP patients., Design: Retrospective data analysis., Results: Bacterial aetiology was established in 711 (46.0%) of 1544 enrolled hospitalised CAP patients. Of these, polybacterial aetiology was identified in 89 (12.5%): Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most frequently identified pathogen (n = 55, 61.8%). The most prevalent microbial combination was S. pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae (n = 19, 21.3%). Alcoholism and lack of previous antibiotic therapy were independent predictors of polybacterial aetiology. The proportion of patients with severe pneumonia was significantly higher in the polybacterial aetiology group than in the monobacterial group. Multivariate analysis showed that polybacterial aetiology was a predictor of 30-day mortality (OR 2.14, 95%CI 1.07-4.24, P = 0.030), independently of severe pneumonia status, pneumonia severity index, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and inappropriate empirical therapy., Conclusion: Polybacterial CAP tends to advance in severity, and indicates adverse outcomes.

A 73-year-old woman was diagnosed with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection and received no treatment. Disease progression was evident one year later with the development of myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) titers and systemic symptoms of a fever, polyarthritis, purpura, and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. Her symptoms did not improve with antibiotic treatment. A renal biopsy revealed crescentic glomerulonephritis with immunodeposition. According to these findings, she was diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) superimposed on infection-related glomerulonephritis (IRGN). Although there was a risk of aggravating an underlying infection, the combination therapy of corticosteroid and antibiotics improved AAV, IRGN, and even the lung radiological findings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of AAV and IRGN secondary to pulmonary MAC infection.

Rationale: Mycobacterium abscessus group lung infection is characterized by low cure rates. Improvement in quality of life may be a reasonable treatment goal., Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate change in quality of life in response to therapy, predictors of improvement in quality of life, and association of quality of life with traditional outcome measures., Methods: Forty-seven patients were treated for Mycobacterium abscessus group lung infection (including one with Mycobacterium chelonae) and were followed prospectively for 2 years between December 2009 and May 2012. St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was administered, chest computed tomography (CT) imaging was carried out, and culture data were collected at multiple time points. Predictors of improvement in the SGRQ total score greater than or equal to a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) at 12 months were evaluated., Measurements and Main Results: Patients were 85% female and 94% white, with a mean age of 65 years. Nine (20%) had a genetic diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (none F508del homozygous). Coinfection with Mycobacterium avium complex occurred in 28% and Pseudomonas in 26%. Chest CT imaging universally indicated bronchiectasis and nodules; 51% had lung cavities. Treatment included a mean of 17 months of antibiotics, and lung resection in 34%. Seventeen patients with M. avium complex (36%) and one with Mycobacterium kansasii were treated for coinfection. The mean SGRQ total score (SD) at baseline was 35 (20). At all follow-up time points, the mean SGRQ total score (SD) was significantly lower (better) than at baseline: 27 (17) at 3 months, P < 0.01; 27 (19) at 6 months, P < 0.01; 27 (20) at 12 months, P < 0.01; and 30 (22) at 24 months, P = 0.02. At 12 and 24 months, respectively, 60% and 56% had improvement greater than or equal to the MCID in SGRQ total score. Improvement greater than or equal to the MCID at 12 months was positively associated with a history of respiratory exacerbation, isolate susceptible to imipenem-cilastatin, and lung resection surgery, and negatively associated with nodules >4 mm in diameter on chest CT imaging, but these associations were not statistically significant in multivariable analysis. At 24 months, 16 patients (48%) with complete data were culture negative for 1 year and had discontinued M. abscessus group treatment., Conclusions: Quality of life was a sensitive indicator of treatment response and has the potential to be a useful parameter to guide treatment.

Background: Legionella species cause 5% of all community acquired pneumonias. However, Legionella pneumonia results relatively often in admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). A significant complication is the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The ICU mortality rate for Legionella pneumonia is > 30% with conventional treatments., Case Description: A 64-year-old male was admitted to the ICU with respiratory failure due to Legionella pneumonia complicated by ARDS. Despite maximum conventional therapy being given, including lung-protective invasive mechanical ventilation and prone positioning, progressive hypoxaemia persisted. In collaboration with an extracorporeal life support (ECLS) centre, venovenous ECLS was initiated. Pulmonary function recovered and the patient was successfully weaned from VV-ECLS after 17 days. After three months of hospitalisation and rehabilitation, the patient was discharged home and able to perform his activities of daily living without assistance., Conclusion: Legionella pneumonia relatively frequently results in ICU admission, and carries a high mortality with conventional treatments. ECLS may offer a solution if conventional therapies are not sufficiently effective.

Introduction: Immunodepression induced by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) modifies the clinical, radiological and microbiological manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis; leading to similarities between pulmonary tuberculosis and acute community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. A consequence is the high proportion of discordant pre- and post-mortem diagnoses of pneumonia. The aim of our study was to contribute to the improvement in the diagnosis of acute bacterial pneumonia in HIV positive patients in areas where tuberculosis is endemic., Methods: This retrospective study in HIV positive patients has compared 94 cases of positive smear cases pulmonary tuberculosis and 78 cases of acute community-acquired bacterial pneumonia., Results: Using logistic regression, the following features were positively associated with bacterial pneumonia: the sudden onset of signs (OR=8.48 [CI 95% 2.50-28.74]), a delay in the evolution of symptoms of less than 15 days (OR=3.70 [CI 95% 1.11-12.35]), chest pain (OR=2.81 [CI 95% 1.10-7.18]), radiological alveolar shadowing (OR=12.98 [CI 95% 4.66-36.12) and high leukocytosis (OR=3.52 [CI 95% 1.19-10.44]). These five variables allowed us to establish a diagnostic score for bacterial pneumonia ranging from 0 to 5. The area under the ROC curve was 0.886 [CI 95% 0.84-0.94, P<0.001]). Its specificity was >96.8% for a score of greater than or equal to 4., Conclusion: The diagnostic score for acute community-acquired pneumonia may improve the management of bacterial pneumonia in areas where tuberculosis is endemic., (Copyright © 2015 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the present study was to analyze clinical and cytokine features of recurrent respiratory system diseases in children with toxocariasis. 50 children aged 1 to 17 years (mean age - 10±5 years) with recurrent current of respiratory system disorders were studied. During the survey such clinical manifestations of the respiratory system disorders as obstructive bronchitis (50%), bronchial asthma (30%), pneumonia (10%) and laryngotracheitis (10%) have been revealed. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using the software package STATISTICA 6.1 (SNANSOFT). We have shown that the disorders of respiratory system in case of toxocariasis invasion often occur with severe intoxication and bronchial obstruction syndromes, temperature reaction, respiratory insufficiency and hepatomegaly. A prolonged course of the disease has been noted. "Inflammatory" indicators of general blood analysis, such as leukocytosis and increased of ESR have been recorded in patients with respiratory system disorders in children with T.canis infection significantly more often, significant "allergic" laboratory changes were in the form of eosinophilia. High average levels of pro-inflammatory IL-6, as well as low levels of IL 5 have been determined in children suffering from the respiratory system disorders and with toxocariasis invasion in the anamnesis. The obtained findings require further study.

This report details a case of reversible cold agglutinins in a dog with Mycoplasma cynos pneumonia. An 11-month-old female spayed Rhodesian Ridgeback was presented for lethargy and cough. Thoracic radiographs revealed an alveolar pattern present bilaterally in the cranioventral lung lobes. Septic neutrophilic inflammation with suspected Mycoplasma sp. organisms was noted on cytologic examination of a trans-tracheal wash, and the dog was treated empirically with IV ampicillin/sulbactam and enrofloxacin pending culture results. Red blood cell agglutination was noted unexpectedly on several blood film reviews during hospitalization; however, the dog never developed clinical or laboratory evidence of hemolysis. Cold agglutinins were demonstrated based on the results of a saline dilution and cold agglutinin test that showed agglutination at 4°C but not at room temperature (21°C) or 37°C. Based on a positive culture for M cynos, the dog was treated for 8 weeks with oral enrofloxacin. After clinical and radiographic resolution of the pneumonia, repeated saline dilution and cold agglutinin tests of peripheral blood were negative at all temperatures. Reversible, asymptomatic cold agglutinins are common in human patients with mycoplasma pneumonia, but this is the first reported case in a dog., (© 2015 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.)

Background: Brain injuries (BI) induce a state of systemic immunosuppression, leading to a high risk of pneumonia. In this pilot study, we investigated the status of B cell compartment in BI patients., Methods: A prospective observational study was performed in 2 intensive care units in a university hospital. Blood samples were collected in 14 patients at day 1 and day 7 after acute BI. The phenotype and the ability of B cells to secrete IL-10 were compared to 11 healthy volunteers (HV)., Results: Among the circulating lymphocytes, the frequency of B cells was significantly higher in BI patients compared to HV (p<0.001). B cells from BI patients displayed an activated profil on day 7 after BI, reflected by a significantly higher proportion of CD27(+) memory (p=0.01) and CD27(+) IgD(-) switched memory B cells (p=0.02), as well as a significantly higher blood level of IgA (p=0.001) and IgM (p<0.001) as compared to day 1. The frequency of IL-10 secreting B cells (IL-10(+) B cells) on day 1 and day 7 was significantly lower in BI patients compared to HV (p<0.05). Interestingly, we observed that all BI patients with high frequency of IL-10(+) B cells on day 1 displayed an episode of pneumonia, and had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay compared to BI patients with low proportion of IL-10(+) B cells., Conclusion: This study provides an extensive description of the phenotype and function of B cells in BI patients. Our results suggest that IL-10(+) B cells could play a major role in immunosuppression after BI., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Treatment of pediatric parapneumonic empyema (PPE) requires several weeks of antibiotic therapy that is typically completed in the outpatient setting. The route of outpatient therapy can be oral or intravenous (outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy [OPAT]). No studies have compared outcomes between oral therapy and OPAT for PPE., Methods: We identified children <18 years hospitalized from 2005 to 2014 at Primary Children's Hospital with PPE and discharged with oral therapy or OPAT. The primary outcome was the percentage of children who experienced all-cause complications after discharge. Complications included those that were related to pneumonia (including treatment failure, defined as readmission with reaccumulation of pleural fluid or abscess requiring drainage) or antibiotic therapy (eg, allergy, line clot) resulting in either a hospital readmission or emergency department/urgent care visit. All-cause complications were compared between oral therapy and OPAT by using propensity score-weighted logistic regression., Results: A total of 391 children were hospitalized with PPE; 337 (86%) were discharged with OPAT; 35 (9%) children experienced an all-cause complication, including 5 with oral (9.3%) and 30 (8.9%) with OPAT. Pneumonia and treatment-related complications were comparable (P = .25 and .78, respectively). Two patients treated with OPAT (1%) experienced treatment failure. After adjustment using propensity score weighting, the frequency of complications was similar between groups (adjusted odds ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.23-4.65)., Conclusions: The frequency of complications was similar with oral therapy and OPAT for children with PPE. Oral antibiotics may be considered safe and effective for children with PPE who will be discharged to complete therapy in the outpatient setting., (Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Francisella philomiragia is a very uncommon pathogen of humans. Diseases caused by it are protean and have been reported largely in near-drowning victims and those with chronic granulomatous disease. We present a case of F. philomiragia pneumonia with peripheral edema and bacteremia in a renal transplant patient and review the diverse reports of F. philomiragia infections.

Objective: We estimated species distribution and frequency of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens isolated from respiratory tract specimens of renal recipients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to pneumonia., Methods: We retrospectively collected patient demographics and clinical characteristics and microbiologic culture data with the use of standard microbiologic procedures and commercially available tests., Results: From January 2001 to August 2014, 320 respiratory tract specimens were obtained from 94 renal recipients with ARDS. Bacterial cultures were positive in 134 specimens from 68 recipients (72.3%), yielding 139 bacterial strains. The most commonly isolated species were gram-negative bacteria (111 isolates) with dominance of Acinetobacter baumanii (29.7%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.0%). The gram-negative bacteria were relatively resistant to 1st- and 2nd-generation cephalosporin and monocyclic beta-lactam and relatively sensitive to levofloxacin and meropenem, with rates of resistance of 80.2%, 76.6%, 73.9%, 36.0%, and 44.1%, respectively. The gram-positive bacteria, excluding Streptococcus uberis, were sensitive to glycopeptides and oxazolidone., Conclusions: Gram-negative bacteria predominated as 79.9% of isolates from respiratory tract specimens of renal recipients with ARDS. The gram-negative bacteria were relatively sensitive to levofloxacin and meropenem and the gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to glycopeptides and oxazolidone., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Respiratory viruses are increasingly recognized as significant etiologies of pneumonia among hospitalized patients. Advanced technologies using multiplex molecular assays and polymerase-chain reaction increase the ability to identify viral pathogens and may ultimately impact antibacterial use., Method: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study to evaluate the impact of antibacterials in viral pneumonia on clinical outcomes and subsequent multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infections/colonization. Patients admitted from March 2013 to November 2014 with positive respiratory viral panels (RVP) and radiographic findings of pneumonia were included. Patients transferred from an outside hospital or not still hospitalized 72 hours after the RVP report date were excluded. Patients were categorized based on exposure to systemic antibacterials: less than 3 days representing short-course therapy and 3 to 10 days being long-course therapy., Results: A total of 174 patients (long-course, n = 67; short-course, n = 28; mixed bacterial-viral infection, n = 79) were included with most being immunocompromised (56.3 %) with active malignancy the primary etiology (69.4 %). Rhinovirus/Enterovirus (23 %), Influenza (19 %), and Parainfluenza (15.5 %) were the viruses most commonly identified. A total of 13 different systemic antibacterials were used as empiric therapy in the 95 patients with pure viral infection for a total of 466 days-of-therapy. Vancomycin (50.7 %), cefepime (40.3 %), azithromycin (40.3 %), meropenem (23.9 %), and linezolid (20.9 %) were most frequently used. In-hospital mortality did not differ between patients with viral pneumonia in the short-course and long-course groups. Subsequent infection/colonization with a MDRO was more frequent in the long-course group compared to the short-course group (53.2 vs 21.1 %; P = 0.027)., Conclusion: This study found that long-course antibacterial use in the setting of viral pneumonia had no impact on clinical outcomes but increased the incidence of subsequent MDRO infection/colonization.

Background: Pulmonary infections remain more common in HIV-infected (HIV+) compared with uninfected individuals. The increase in chronic lung diseases among aging HIV+ individuals may contribute to this persistent risk. We sought to determine whether chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an independent risk factor for different pulmonary infections requiring hospitalization among HIV+ patients., Methods: We analyzed data from 41,993 HIV+ Veterans in the nationwide Veterans Aging Cohort Study Virtual Cohort from 1996 to 2009. Using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes, we identified baseline comorbid conditions, including COPD, and incident community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) requiring hospitalization within 2 years after baseline. We used multivariable Poisson regression to determine incidence rate ratios (IRRs) associated with COPD for each type of pulmonary infection, adjusting for comorbidities, CD4 cell count, HIV viral load, smoking status, substance use, vaccinations, and calendar year at baseline., Results: Unadjusted incidence rates of CAP, TB, and PCP requiring hospitalization were significantly higher among persons with COPD compared to those without COPD (CAP: 53.9 vs. 19.4 per 1000 person-years; TB: 8.7 vs. 2.8; PCP: 15.5 vs. 9.2; P ≤ 0.001). In multivariable Poisson regression models, COPD was independently associated with increased risk of CAP, TB, and PCP (IRR: 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.64 to 2.30; IRR: 2.60, 95% CI: 1.70 to 3.97; and IRR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.10 to 2.01, respectively)., Conclusions: COPD is an independent risk factor for CAP, TB, and PCP requiring hospitalization among HIV+ individuals. As the HIV+ population ages, the growing burden of COPD may confer substantial risk for pulmonary infections.

Objective: Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) bacteremia has increasingly emerged as a nosocomial pathogen in healthcare settings, associated with high patient morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to compare clinical features, risk factors, treatment outcome, and antibiotic resistance in patients with pneumonia- and non-pneumonia-related AB bacteremia., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a tertiary teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. The medical records of the 141 episodes of hospital-acquired AB bacteremia between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2012 were reviewed, and sorted into groups of AB bacteremia with (n = 59) and without pneumonia (n = 82)., Results: The hospital-acquired pneumonia-related AB bacteremia group were found to be significantly more frequently treated in intensive care units (49.2%, p < 0.001), but the AB bacteremia without pneumonia group were significantly more frequently treated on general wards (85.4%, p < 0.001). Patients with pneumonia tended to be older than the nonpneumonia group (72.8 years vs. 65.2 years in mean age, p < 0.01), and more likely to use mechanical ventilators (62.7% vs. 15.9 %, p < 0.001). Pneumonia patients were found to receive broad-spectrum antibiotics significantly earlier than nonpneumonia patients (p < 0.001). Compared to those without pneumonia, the patients with pneumonia had significantly higher incidence of antibiotic-resistance (p < 0.05), longer hospital stay (p < 0.01), and higher mortality rate (p < 0.001). The incidence of multidrug-resistant AB was significantly higher in patients with pneumonia (p < 0.05), and only colistin (p < 0.01) and tigecycline (p < 0.01) were significantly active against multidrug-resistant AB isolates., Conclusion: Pneumonia-related AB bacteremia has a worse outcome, more antibiotic resistance, and more comorbidity than the nonpneumonia group., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction: Parapneumonic pleural effusions arise from pneumonia and may develop into pleural empyema (PE). PE is defined as collection of pus in the pleural space with secondary inflammation of the visceral and parietal pleura. This review article describes the current treatment strategies for para- and postpneumonic PE both in children and adults., Material and Methods: Selective literature research via Medline (key words: pleural empyema, pleural empyema in children, thoracic empyema) and presentation of our own clinical experience with therapy recommendations., Results: The incidence of postpneumonic PE is increasing in both children and adults. PE is associated with a high morbidity and mortality if it is not treated early and adequate. Progression of PE follows a characteristic morphological course, which is classified in three stages: the exsudative, fibrinopurulent, and organizing phase. Treatment should be adapted to these three phases including systemic antibiotic therapy and drainage of the pleural space. Intrapleural fibrinolysis can be performed with good success independent of age in the transition of stage 1 and 2. In persistent PE (stage 2), thoracoscopic decortication is recommended to avoid progression into the organizing phase (stage 3) with the need of an open decortication. In debilitated elderly patients the increasing use of intrathoracic vacuum therapy (Mini-VAC/Mini-VAC-instill) offers an effective and less invasive therapy option., Conclusion: Para- and postpneumonic PE requires an individualized and stage adapted therapy using a combination of medical and surgical treatment strategies with the aims of removing the source of infection and ensuring re-establishment of lung expansion., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used in ambulatory medicine for their analgesic and antipyretic properties and are often used as self-medication. Their use in community-acquired pneumonia is associated with an increased risk of loco-regional complications, especially pleural empyema. Appropriate therapeutic care and hospital admissions are often delayed because of initial improvement of symptoms with NSAIDs. Despite worrying observational data, a causal link remains to be established. Currently, there is no recommendation cautioning against the use of NSAIDs in the management of community-acquired pneumonia., (Copyright © 2015 SPLF. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

There is no evidence supporting the use of de-escalation therapy (DET) among patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We assessed the outcomes associated with DET among bacteraemic CAP patients. We performed a secondary analysis of the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization database, which contains data on 660 bacteraemic patients hospitalized because of CAP in 35 countries (2001-2013). Exclusion criteria were death within 72 h from admission and an inappropriate empirical antibiotic regimen. DET was defined as changing an appropriate empirical broad-spectrum regimen to a narrower-spectrum regimen according to culture results within 7 days from hospital admission. Two study groups were identified: patients whose antibiotic therapy was de-escalated (the DET group), and patients whose antibiotic therapy was not de-escalated (the N-DET group). The primary study outcome was 30-day mortality. Two hundred and sixty-one bacteraemic CAP patients were included. Gram-positive bacteria were responsible for 88.1% of the cases (Streptococcus pneumoniae, 75.9%). Gram-negative bacteria were responsible for for 7.3% of the cases. DET was performed in 165 patients (63.2%). The N-DET group was characterized by a more severe presentation at admission. After adjustment for confounders, DET was not associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality. DET seems to be safe among bacteraemic patients with CAP. Randomized clinical trials are warranted to further explore these findings., (Copyright © 2015 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The incidence of community-acquired pneumonia complications has increased during the last decade. According to the records from several countries, empyema and necrotizing pneumonia became more frequent during the last few years. The optimal therapeutic approach for such conditions is still controversial. Both pharmacological management (antimicrobials and fibrinolysis), and surgical management (pleural drainage and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery), are the subject of continuous assessment. In this paper, the Spanish Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases and the Spanish Society of Paediatric Chest Diseases have reviewed the available evidence. Consensus treatment guidelines are proposed for complications of community-acquired pneumonia in children, focusing on parapneumonic pleural effusion. Recommendations are also provided for the increasing population of patients with underlying diseases and immunosuppression., (Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Herbaspirillum spp. are Gram-negative bacteria that inhabit soil and water. Infections caused by these organisms have been reported in immunocompromised hosts. We describe severe community-acquired pneumonia and bacteremia caused by Herbaspirillum aquaticum or H. huttiense in an immunocompetent adult male., (Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

Background: Beside their role in hemostasis, platelets serve as sentinel cells in host defense during infection. In sepsis, platelets have been implicated in both beneficial (antibacterial) and detrimental responses (thrombosis and organ damage). Toll-like receptors and their common adaptor, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), are essential for pathogen recognition and protective immunity. Platelets express functional Toll-like receptors and MyD88, which participate in platelet responsiveness to bacterial agonists., Objective: Considering the pivotal involvement of platelets and MyD88 in the host response to bacteria, we studied the role of platelet MyD88 in gram-negative sepsis using intravenous and airway infections with the common human sepsis pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae., Methods: Platelet-specific Myd88(-/-) mice were generated by crossing mice with a conditional Myd88 flox allele with mice expressing Cre recombinase controlled by the platelet factor 4 promoter. In a reverse approach, full Myd88(-/-) mice were transfused with wild-type platelets., Results: In both settings, platelet MyD88 did not impact on bacterial growth or dissemination. In addition, platelet MyD88 did not influence hallmark sepsis responses such as thrombocytopenia, coagulation or endothelial activation, or distant organ injury. Platelet MyD88 played no role in lung pathology during pneumonia-derived sepsis., Conclusion: Despite known literature, platelet MyD88-dependent TLR signaling does not contribute to the host response during gram-negative sepsis., (© 2015 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.)

Dysregulation of the innate immune system drives lung injury and its systemic sequelae due to breakdown of vascular barrier function, harmful hyperinflammation and microcirculatory failure, which contribute to the unfavourable outcome of patients with severe pneumonia. A variety of promising therapeutic targets have been identified and numerous innovative therapeutic approaches demonstrated to improve lung injury in experimental preclinical studies. However, at present specific preventive or curative strategies for the treatment of lung failure in pneumonia in addition to antibiotics are still missing. The aim of this mini-review is to give a short overview of some, but not all, adjuvant therapeutic strategies for pneumonia and its most important complications, sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, and briefly discuss future perspectives., (Copyright ©ERS 2015.)

A bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a life-threatening complication of cardiothoracic surgery and acute illness. There is no consensus on how best to treat a BPF. Recently, endobronchial one-way valves, designed for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction in emphysema, have been used to treat BPFs. We describe the use of an endobronchial oneway valve, placed at the bedside via flexible bronchoscopy, to treat a BPF in a patient with hypoxic respiratory failure, supported by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), secondary to pneumonia. We believe that this is the first published description of this technique being used in a patient needing ECMO support.

Background: Community-acquired-pneumonia is the leading cause of child mortality worldwide. Very few studies have explored the predictive value of Proadrenomedullin and Copeptin in pediatric severe pneumonia and bacteremia., Methods: Proadrenomedullin and Copeptin were assessed as predictors for complicated community-acquired pneumonia (bacteremia, empyema) in 88 children aged 0 to 16 years presenting to the pediatric emergency department, using B.R.A.H.M.S. Kryptor Compact pro-ADM and Copeptin with the TRACE technology (time-resolved amplified cryptase emission). STARD standard reporting was used., Results: A complicated community-acquired pneumonia was found in 11 out of 88 children (12.5 %). Proadrenomedullin median values increased more than twofold, in complicated vs. uncomplicated (0.18 vs. 0.08 nmol/L, p = 0.039), and fivefold in bacteremic vs. non-bacteremic pneumonia (0.40 vs. 0.08 nmol/L, p = 0.02). Proadrenomedullin > 0.16 nmol/L showed 100 % sensitivity (95 % CI 39.8 - 100.0) and 70 % (95 % CI 58.7 - 79.7) specificity for bacteremia. Copeptin showed no added-value., Conclusions: Proadrenomedullin seems a reliable and available predictor for complicated CAP, and could therefore help the physician with the decision to hospitalize, and choose the antibiotics administration route. Larger studies are needed.

A recent, frequently quoted study has suggested that for bloodstream infections (BSIs) due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL) Escherichia coli, treatment with β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors (BLBLIs) might be equivalent to treatment with carbapenems. However, the majority of BSIs originate from the urinary tract. A multicenter, multinational efficacy analysis was conducted from 2010 to 2012 to compare outcomes of patients with non-urinary ESBL BSIs who received a carbapenem (69 patients) vs those treated with piperacillin-tazobactam (10 patients). In multivariate analysis, therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam was associated with increased 90-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 7.9, P=.03). For ESBL BSIs of a non-urinary origin, carbapenems should be considered a superior treatment to BLBLIs.

Chryseobacterium indologenes is a rare opportunistic pathogen causing hospital-acquired infection. We present 4 patients with leukemia associated with C. indologenes infection. Two of the patients, undergoing peripheral blood allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) from human leukocyte antigen-identical sibling donors, died of pneumonia caused by C. indologenes with or without Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Blood infection with C. indologenes was found in the other 2 patients during chemotherapy, 1 of which was a central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection. Both patients were cured with or without the sensitive antibiotic. Three of these 4 isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole only in vitro. Although C. indologenes has a weak toxicity, it can be lethal for the super-immunocompromised patients, such as those treated with alloHSCT., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A previously healthy, immunocompetent 37-year-old man was hospitalized with a 3-month history of intermittent fevers and cough with mucopurulent sputum preceded by flu-like symptoms. Five episodes of similar symptoms had prompted two hospitalizations and three courses of outpatient antibiotics. The fever would subside with treatment but intermittent dry cough persisted. There was no history of weight loss, night sweats, wheezing, arthralgia, skin rash, hemoptysis, recent travel, sick contacts, or high-risk sexual behavior. He was a nonsmoker with no alcohol or recreational drug use. He was an accountant in the military with no history of significant organic or inorganic dust exposures.

Herbaspirillum spp. are rare causes of human infections associated primarily with bacteremia in cancer patients. We report the first fatal case of bacteremia secondary to pneumonia caused by Herbaspirillum seropedicae in a 65-year-old man with end-stage renal disease and multiple myeloma., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)