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Introduction: During the severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 pandemic, intensive care units (ICUs) were pivotal in treating severe cases. In the ICU, invasive procedures and the use of immunosuppressive drugs have been associated with an increased risk of infection. We aimed to compare the antibiotic use, infection types, culture positivity, and resistance patterns among patients in the ICU during and after the pandemic period. Materials and Methods: The patients who were followed up in the adult ICU at our hospital were retrospectively assessed after being divided into two groups. Group 1 included patients admitted between December 1, 2020, and May 5, 2021, (pandemic group). Group 2 consisted of patients admitted between June 1, 2021, and November 1, 2023 (post-pandemic). Results: Antibacterial (100% vs. 92.7%, p=0.003), and antifungal (33.3% vs. 10.7%, p

Introduction: The healthcare burden of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) infections is growing. The newly developed beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination, ceftazidime-avibactam, shows promise in the treatment of such infections. We aimed to explore the in vitro efficacy of ceftazidime-avibactam against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates carrying the blaOXA-48 gene. Materials and Methods: The isolates were identified using MALDI-TOF MS (Brucker, USA). The isolates that were non-susceptible to imipenem, meropenem, or ertapenem by the disk diffusion method using the European Committee of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) breakpoints were screenes. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined via broth microdilution according to the EUCAST criteria. A time-kill study was performed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Beta-lactamase genes were screened for using polymerase chain reaction with previously published primers. Results: A total of 129 K. pneumoniae isolated between April 2011 and February 2021 were studied. Of these, 98, 23, and eight isolates carried the blaOXA-48, blaNDM, and blaOXA-48 with blaNDM genes, respectively. All isolates carrying the blaNDM gene were resistant to ceftazidime-avibactam. Approximately 79.6% of the blaOXA-48-positive isolates were susceptible to ceftazidime-avibactam. The time-kill study for ceftazidime-avibactam was performed with one blaOXA-48-positive isolate (MIC, 4 mg/l). Ceftazidime-avibactam time-kill kinetics were evaluated in multiples of MIC. There was a decrease of ≥3-log10 in CFU/ml count at a concentration of 8, 16, and 32 MIC at 6 hours. The minimum bactericidal concentration was 8 mg/l. Conclusion: Ceftazidime-avibactam is an important treatment alternative alternative for blaOXA-48 positive carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae infections. The most rational approach to the treatment of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae infections appears to be the initiatiion of targeted therapy according to culture antibiogram results or revision of the empirically initiated combination or monotherapy as early as possible according to culture antibiogram results.

Background: Broad-spectrum empirical antimicrobials are frequently prescribed for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) despite the lack of evidence for bacterial coinfection. Aims: We aimed to cross-sectionally determine the frequency of antibiotics use, type of antibiotics prescribed, and the factors influencing antibiotics use in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. Study Design: The study was a national, multicenter, retrospective, and single-day point prevalence study. Methods: This was a national, multicenter, retrospective, and single-day point-prevalence study, conducted in the 24-h period between 00:00 and 24:00 on November 18, 2020, during the start of the second COVID-19 peak in Turkey. Results: A total of 1500 patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were included in the study. The mean age ± standard deviation of the patients was 65.0 ± 15.5, and 56.2% (n = 843) of these patients were men. Of these hospitalized patients, 11.9% (n = 178) were undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation or ECMO. It was observed that 1118 (74.5%) patients were receiving antibiotics, of which 416 (37.2%) were prescribed a combination of antibiotics. In total, 71.2% of the patients had neither a clinical diagnosis nor microbiological evidence for prescribing antibiotics. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, hospitalization in a state hospital (p < 0.001), requiring any supplemental oxygen (p = 0.005), presence of moderate/diffuse lung involvement (p < 0.001), C-reactive protein > 10 ULT coefficient (p < 0.001), lymphocyte count < 800 (p = 0.007), and clinical diagnosis and/or confirmation by culture (p < 0.001) were found to be independent factors associated with increased antibiotic use. Conclusion: The necessity of empirical antibiotics use in patients with COVID-19 should be reconsidered according to their clinical, imaging, and laboratory findings.

INTRODUCTION: The prognostic assessment tools such as pulmonary embolism severity ındex (PESI) and simplified PESI (sPESI) are used to predict the mortality in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. The aim of this study is to assess PESI and sPESI accuracy for the prediction of the prognostic outcomes in coronavirus disease (COVID). METHODS: This retrospective single-center was done as a cohort study. Data on hospital admission obtained from medical records were used to calculate PESI and sPESI. All the consecutive patients were assigned to low risk and high-risk groups using of PESI and sPESI. The primary outcome was hospital mortality. Accuracy of the models was assessed to predict mortality by calculating specificity, predictive values, and sensitivity of the patients at low to high risk. The area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was calculated to compare the discriminative power of the models. RESULTS: The PESI and sPESI had similar sensitivities (82.1% vs. 84.6%), negative predictive values (96.7% vs. 97%) for predicting mortality. The area under the ROC curve for predicting mortality was 0.82 (p

Introduction: In this study, it was aimed to obtain information about the perspectives of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology (IDCM) specialists on online education applications and web-based seminars, and their usage and utilization rates. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, online survey responses of the IDCM specialists in who were members of Infectious Diseases Clinical Microbiology Specialty Society of Turkey (EKMUD) were evaluated. Results: A total of 184 IDCM specialists answered the survey questions. Of the participants, 77.2% thought that the pandemic disrupted post-graduate medical education and 84.8% thought that the pandemic disrupted pre-graduate medical education. Medical educators involved in education during the Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic reported that they mostly continued online education. Of the participants, 84.9% reported that they were able to use the internet in an effective way to gain access to information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the responders, 58.2% reported that they followed online training programs, such as web-based seminars and lectures, and 51.6% reported that these online programs contributed to their learning. Participants found online training programs such as web-based seminars and lectures useful in terms of learning competence, that online training programs provided people with gain in space and time, and that they found them more instructive because they gave them the chance to receive training in subjects of their interest. Participants reported that these programs provided learning competency in that these programs were more beneficial to the participants in view of place, the subject that they need/they are interested in and saving time for the trainer and the participants. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the participants mostly wanted the 2020 EKMUD congress to be held online. A total 92.9% of the participants reported that online congresses and seminars would decrease travel, participation and sponsorship costs. Only 24.5% of the participants considered that online congresses and seminars would be more effective in terms of social interaction and gaining information than face-to-face congresses. Conclusion: The IDCM specialists reported that online educational practices such as webinars were benefical. The rate of participation in webinars and online education practices were high during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of colistin resistance and other predictors on fatality among patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infections (Kp-BSI) and to describe the effect of amikacin and tigecycline on the outcome in an OXA-48 dominant country. Method: This was a retrospective study performed among patients >16 years of age in a tertiary hospital with 465 beds. All cases had ≥1 positive blood culture for K. pneumoniae 48 h after admission. Results: Among 210 patients with Kp-BSI, the 30-day mortality rate after isolation of the microorganism was 58%. The rate of carbapenem resistance was higher (64% vs. 38%, p

Background: The current knowledge about novel coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) indicates that the immune system and inflammatory response play a crucial role in the severity and prognosis of the disease. In this study, we aimed to investigate prognostic value of systemic inflammatory biomarkers including C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with severe COVID-19. Methods: This single-center, retrospective study included a total of 223 patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19. Primary outcome measure was mortality during hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors associated with mortality in patients with severe COVID-19. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine cut-offs, and area under the curve (AUC) values were used to demonstrate discriminative ability of biomarkers. Results: Compared to survivors of severe COVID-19, non-survivors had higher CAR, NLR, and PLR, and lower LMR and lower PNI ( P < .05 for all). The optimal CAR, PNI, NLR, PLR, and LMR cut-off values for detecting prognosis were 3.4, 40.2, 6. 27, 312, and 1.54 respectively. The AUC values of CAR, PNI, NLR, PLR, and LMR for predicting hospital mortality in patients with severe COVID-19 were 0.81, 0.91, 0.85, 0.63, and 0.65, respectively. In ROC analysis, comparative discriminative ability of CAR, PNI, and NLR for hospital mortality were superior to PLR and LMR. Multivariate analysis revealed that CAR (⩾0.34, P = .004), NLR (⩾6.27, P = .012), and PNI (⩽40.2, P = .009) were independent predictors associated with mortality in severe COVID-19 patients. Conclusions: The CAR, PNI, and NLR are independent predictors of mortality in hospitalized severe COVID-19 patients and are more closely associated with prognosis than PLR or LMR.

Introduction: In this study, it was aimed to determine the problems encountered by Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology residents during residency training in order to identify solutions to these difficulties. Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted between December 19 and 31, 2018 using a 46-item questionnaire. Participants were able to participate in the survey anonymously via the website of the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialty Society of Turkey. Residents were informed via text message and e-mail to encourage participation. The survey included questions about current problems with the physical conditions, access to scientific information resources, the quality of residency education, examinations, night shifts, mobbing, rotations, and the possibility of following up special patient subgroups. Results: A total of 134 residents completed the questionnaire, 73 of whom were in university educational hospitals and 61 were in training and research hospitals operating under the Ministry of Health. Around 68% of the participants stated that they were working in unsuitable physical conditions and 33% had no access to medical information resources outside of the hospital. Ninety-four participants (61%) declared that their clinic had a regular training program which was renewed annually, but only 36% of these asserted that it was adequate for their training. When asked about the frequency of coworking with faculty members for scientific data/study production, 46% of the respondents answered once a year or less. Fifty-nine participants (44%) had seven or more night shifts per month. Thirty-six percent of the participants reported that they were subject to workplace bullying, which they said was perpetrated most frequently by faculty members (36%). Only 22 participants (16%) considered the microbiology training was adequate and 15% rated the training received during rotations as adequate. Thirty-three of the residents had performed a liver biopsy or been trained in this procedure. Fifty-five participants (46%) had never worked at a vaccine outpatient clinic. According to the trainees, the most important problem was inadequate education (28%) and 55% declared that they would not choose the same specialty if they entered the national medical specialty exam again. Conclusion: Residents describe many problems during their specialty training, such as inadequate education, excessive night shifts, increased workload, and workplace bullying. These problems should be presented more frequently with valid scientific data within the professional societies, and in light of this information, physician working groups should be formed to develop solutions.

Sepsis is a major healthcare problem worldwide. Its mortality and morbidity is still high. Early diagnosis of sepsis and appropriate management in the initial hours improve outcomes. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign published new definitions for sepsis in 2016. In Sepsis-3 definitions, sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Organ dysfunction can be identified as an acute change in total SOFA score of at least two points consequent to the infection. However, this definition is endorsed by two international societies and there is much discussion regarding new definitions. Prospective validation of this definition on different levels is needed. The infectious source in sepsis depends on patients" underlying diseases and origin of the infection (community-acquired or healthcare-associated). In the literature, urinary tract and skin-soft tissue infection are the common sites in community-acquired sepsis, whereas respiratory system and intraabdominal infections are more common in nosocomial sepsis. Another challenge in sepsis management is the increasing incidence of sepsis due to multidrugresistant bacteria and limited treatment options. New antibiotics may be treatment options in the future. In this review, current definitions of sepsis, physiopathology of sepsis, foci of sepsis and causative microorganisms, microbiological diagnosis and rapid diagnosis methods, biomarkers used in the diagnosis of sepsis, antimicrobial treatment and resistance, new antibiotics and non-antibiotic therapy are discussed.

Background: Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) is a diagnostic challenge, therefore our objective was to pinpoint high-risk cohorts for BCNE. Methods: The study included adult patients with definite endocarditis. Data were collected via the Infectious Diseases International Research Initiative (ID-IRI). The study analysing one of the largest case series ever reported was conducted across 41 centers in 13 countries. We analysed the database to determine the predictors of BCNE using univariate and logistic regression analyses. Results: Blood cultures were negative in 101 (11.65 %) of 867 patients. We disclosed that as patients age, the likelihood of a negative blood culture significantly decreases (OR 0.975, 95 % CI 0.963–0.987, p

Background: Fever of unknown origin (FUO) in developing countries is an important dilemma and further research is needed to elucidate the infectious causes of FUO. Methods: A multi-center study for infectious causes of FUO in lower middle-income countries (LMIC) and low-income countries (LIC) was conducted between January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2023. In total, 15 participating centers from seven different countries provided the data, which were collected through the Infectious Diseases-International Research Initiative platform. Only adult patients with confirmed infection as the cause of FUO were included in the study. The severity parameters were quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) ≥2, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, vasopressor use, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Results: A total of 160 patients with infectious FUO were included in the study. Overall, 148 (92.5%) patients had community-acquired infections and 12 (7.5%) had hospital-acquired infections. The most common infectious syndromes were tuberculosis (TB) (n=27, 16.9%), infective endocarditis (n=25, 15.6%), malaria (n=21, 13.1%), brucellosis (n=15, 9.4%), and typhoid fever (n=9, 5.6%). Plasmodium falciparum, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Brucellae, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Rickettsiae were the leading infectious agents in this study. A total of 56 (35.0%) cases had invasive procedures for diagnosis. The mean qSOFA score was 0.76±0.94 {median (interquartile range [IQR]): 0 (0–1)}. ICU admission (n=26, 16.2%), vasopressor use (n=14, 8.8%), and IMV (n=10, 6.3%) were not rare. Overall, 38 (23.8%) patients had at least one of the severity parameters. The mortality rate was 15 (9.4%), and the mortality was attributable to the infection causing FUO in 12 (7.5%) patients. Conclusions: In LMIC and LIC, tuberculosis and cardiac infections were the most severe and the leading infections causing FUO.

Abstract Background The core components (CCs) of infection prevention and control (IPC) from World Health Organization (WHO) are crucial for the safety and quality of health care. Our objective was to examine the level of implementation of WHO infection prevention and control core components (IPC CC) in a developing country. We also aimed to evaluate health care-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in intensive care units (ICUs) in association with implemented IPC CCs. Methods Members of the Turkish Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Specialization Association (EKMUD) were invited to the study via e-mail. Volunteer members of any healt care facilities (HCFs) participated in the study. The investigating doctor of each HCF filled out a questionnaire to collect data on IPC implementations, including the Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (IPCAF) and HAIs/AMR in ICUs in 2021. Results A total of 68 HCFs from seven regions in Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus participated while 85% of these were tertiary care hospitals. Fifty (73.5%) HCFs had advanced IPC level, whereas 16 (23.5%) of the 68 hospitals had intermediate IPC levels. The hospitals’ median (IQR) IPCAF score was 668.8 (125.0) points. Workload, staffing and occupancy (CC7; median 70 points) and multimodal strategies (CC5; median 75 points) had the lowest scores. The limited number of nurses were the most important problems. Hospitals with a bed capacity of > 1000 beds had higher rates of HAIs. Certified IPC specialists, frequent feedback, and enough nurses reduced HAIs. The most common HAIs were central line-associated blood stream infections. Most HAIs were caused by gram negative bacteria, which have a high AMR. Conclusions Most HCFs had an advanced level of IPC implementation, for which staffing was an important driver. To further improve care quality and ensure everyone has access to safe care, it is a key element to have enough staff, the availability of certified IPC specialists, and frequent feedback. Although there is a significant decrease in HAI rates compared to previous years, HAI rates are still high and AMR is an important problem. Increasing nurses and reducing workload can prevent HAIs and AMR. Nationwide “Antibiotic Stewardship Programme” should be initiated.

We explored the self-reported antibiotic stewardship (AS), and infection prevention and control (IPC) activities in intensive care units (ICUs) of different income settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire to collect data about IPC and AS measures in participating ICUs. The study participants were Infectious Diseases–International Research Initiative (IDI-IR) members, committed as per their institutional agreement form. We analyzed responses from 57 ICUs in 24 countries (Lower-middle income (LMI), n = 13; Upper-middle income (UMI), n = 33; High-income (HI), n = 11). This represented (~5%) of centers represented in the ID-IRI. Surveillance programs were implemented in (76.9%−90.9%) of ICUs with fewer contact precaution measures in LMI ones (p = 0.02); (LMI:69.2%, UMI:97%, HI:100%). Participation in regional antimicrobial resistance programs was more significantly applied in HI (p = 0.02) (LMI:38.4%,UMI:81.8%,HI:72.2%). AS programs are implemented in 77.2% of institutions with AS champions in 66.7%. Infectious diseases physicians and microbiologists are members of many AS teams (59%&50%) respectively. Unqualified healthcare professionals(42.1%), and deficient incentives(28.1%) are the main barriers to implementing AS. We underscore the existing differences in IPC and AS programs’ implementation, team composition, and faced barriers. Continuous collaboration and sharing best practices on APM is needed. The role of regional and international organizations should be encouraged. Global support for capacity building of healthcare practitioners is warranted.

Background: Mpox is a rare zoonotic disease caused by the Mpox virus. On May 21, 2022, WHO announced the emergence of confirmed Mpox cases in countries outside the endemic areas in Central and West Africa. Methods: This multicentre study was performed through the Infectious Diseases International Research Initiative network. Nineteen collaborating centres in 16 countries participated in the study. Consecutive cases with positive Mpoxv-DNA results by the polymerase chain reaction test were included in the study. Results: The mean age of 647 patients included in the study was 34.5.98.6% of cases were males, 95.3% were homosexual-bisexual, and 92.2% had a history of sexual contact. History of smallpox vaccination was present in 3.4% of cases. The median incubation period was 7.0 days. The most common symptoms and signs were rashes in 99.5%, lymphadenopathy in 65.1%, and fever in 54.9%. HIV infection was present in 93.8% of cases, and 17.8% were followed up in the hospital for further treatment. In the two weeks before the rash, prodromal symptoms occurred in 52.8% of cases. The incubation period was 3.5 days shorter in HIV-infected Mpox cases with CD4 count

Abstract Background Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) represents a diagnostic and management challenge to clinicians. The “Thwaites’ system” and “Lancet consensus scoring system” are utilized to differentiate TBM from bacterial meningitis but their utility in subacute and chronic meningitis where TBM is an important consideration is unknown. Methods A multicenter retrospective study of adults with subacute and chronic meningitis, defined by symptoms greater than 5 days and less than 30 days for subacute meningitis (SAM) and greater than 30 days for chronic meningitis (CM). The “Thwaites’ system” and “Lancet consensus scoring system” scores and the diagnostic accuracy by sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of receiver operating curve (AUC-ROC) were calculated. The “Thwaites’ system” and “Lancet consensus scoring system” suggest a high probability of TBM with scores ≤4, and with scores of ≥12, respectively. Results A total of 395 patients were identified; 313 (79.2%) had subacute and 82 (20.8%) with chronic meningitis. Patients with chronic meningitis were more likely caused by tuberculosis and had higher rates of HIV infection (P

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in patients presenting with only sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHNL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study included five male patients who presented with the sole complaint of unilateral SSNHL to the otolaryngology outpatient clinic between 03–12 April 2020. The patients were referred to the infectious diseases clinic to be evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Results: RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 was positive in one of the patients and negative in the other four patients. A positive response to COVID-19-specific treatment in the SARS-CoV-2 positive SSNHL patient was noted. Conclusion: It should be remembered that non-specific symptoms such as SSNHL could be the only sign with which to recognize a COVID-19 case. Awareness of such a non-specific presentation of COVID-19 patients is crucial during this pandemic period for preventing infectious spread through isolation and early initiation of COVID-19 targeted treatment.

In the present study, we report on the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Tilia Tomentosa (Ihlamur) leaves extract followed by calcination at 400 °C for 15 min. The prepared ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by XRD and SEM to study the phase and microstructure, respectively. The XRD analysis showed the absence of impurity peaks and the SEM image confirmed the spherical nature of the prepared ZnO nanoparticles with an average particle size of 80 nm. UV-Visible spectroscopy was used to study the optical properties, and the bandgap was calculated to be 3.55 eV. This large bandgap is attributed to the property of the semiconductor, which can be explored for solar cell applications. Therefore, we used green synthesized ZnO nanoparticles to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). From the J-V curves, we calculated the DSSC parameters such as open-circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), fill factor (FF) and efficiency (η), and their values were 0.65 V, 6.26 mA, 48.5%, and 1.97%, respectively, at 100 mW/cm2.

The aim of the study was to compare the performance of various computed tomography (CT) reporting tools, including zonal CT visual score (ZCVS), the number of involved lobes, and Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) categorization in predicting adverse outcomes among patients hospitalized due to the lower respiratory symptoms during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A total of 405 patients admitted with severe respiratory symptoms who underwent a chest CT were enrolled. The primary adverse outcome was intensive care unit (ICU) admission of patients. Predictive performances of reporting tools were compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC ROC). Among the 405 patients, 39 (9.63%) required ICU support during their hospital stay. At least two or more observers reported a typical and indeterminate COVID-19 pneumonia CT pattern according to RSNA categorization in 70% (285/405) of patients. Among these, 63% (179/285) had a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The median number of lobes involved according to CT was higher in patients who required ICU support (median interquartile range [IQR], 5[3; 5] vs. 3[0; 5]). The median ZCVS score was higher among the patients that subsequently required ICU support (median [IQR], 4[0; 12] vs. 13[5.75; 24]). The bootstrap comparisons of AUC ROC showed significant differences between reporting tools, and the ZCVS was found to be superior (AUC ROC, 71-75%). The ZCVS score at the first admission showed a linear and significant association with adverse outcomes among patients with the lower respiratory tract symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background:Candida auris has emerged globally as a multi-drug resistant yeast and is commonly associated with nosocomial outbreaks in ICUs. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational multicentre study to determine the epidemiology of C. auris infections, its management strategies, patient outcomes, and infection prevention and control practices across 10 centres from five countries. Results: Significant risk factors for C. auris infection include the age group of 61–70 years (39%), recent history of ICU admission (63%), diabetes (63%), renal failure (52%), presence of CVC (91%) and previous history of antibiotic treatment (96%). C. auris was commonly isolated from blood (76%). Echinocandins were the most sensitive drugs. Most common antifungals used for treatment were caspofungin (40%), anidulafungin (28%) and micafungin (15%). The median duration of treatment was 20 days. Source removal was conductedin 74% patients. All-cause crude mortality rate after 30 days was 37%. Antifungal therapy was associated with a reduction in mortality (OR:0.27) and so was source removal (OR:0.74). Contact isolation precautions were followed in 87% patients. Conclusions:C. auris infection carries a high risk for associated mortality. The organism is mainly resistant to most azoles and even amphotericin-B. Targeted antifungal therapy, mainly an echinocandin, and source control are the prominent therapeutic approaches.

BACKGROUND: Knowing risk factors for colistin resistance is important since colistin is the only remaining choice for the treatment of infections caused by multi-drug resistant microorganisms. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate risk factors associated with infection by colistin-resistant microorganisms. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTINGS: Tertiary healthcare centers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An e-mail including the title and purpose of the study was sent to 1500 infectious disease specialists via a scientific and social web portal named “Infeksiyon Dunyasi (Infection World)”. Demographic and clinical data was requested from respondents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Colistin-resistance. RESULTS: Eighteen infectious disease specialists from twelve tertiary care centers responded to the invitation. Data was collected on 165 patients, 56 cases (39.9%) and 109 (66.0%) age- and sex-matched controls. The colistin-resistant microorganisms isolated from cases were 29 Acinetobacter baumannii (51.8%), 18 Pseudomonas aeruginosa (32.1%) and 9 Klebsiella spp. Colistin, carbapenem, and quinolone use in the last three months were risk factors for colistin resistance in the univariate analysis. Previous quinolone use in the last three months (P=.003; RR:3.2; 95% CI:1.5-6,7) and previous colistin use in the last three months (P=.001; RR: 3.6; 95% CI: 1.63-7.99) were significant risk factors in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should limit the use of quinolones and remain aware of the possibility of resistance developing during colistin use. LIMITATIONS: The lack of a heteroresistance analysis on the isolates. No data on use of a loading dose or the use of colistin in combination.

Previous multicenter/multinational studies were evaluated to determine the frequency of the absence of cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis in patients with central nervous system infections, as well as the clinical impact of this condition. It was found that 18% of neurosyphilis, 7.9% of herpetic meningoencephalitis, 3% of tuberculous meningitis, 1.7% of Brucella meningitis, and 0.2% of pneumococcal meningitis cases did not display cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis. Most patients were not immunosuppressed. Patients without pleocytosis had a high rate of unfavorable outcomes and thus this condition should not be underestimated. Keywords: CSF, Pleocytosis, Leukocyte, Meningitis, Encephalitis

Invasive candidiasis remains one of the most prevalent systemic mycoses, and several studies have documented the presence of mixed yeast (MY) infections. Here, we describe the epidemiology, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of MY infections causing invasive candidiasis in a multicenter prospective study. Thirty-four centers from 14 countries participated. Samples were collected in each center between April to September 2018, and they were sent to a reference center to confirm identification by sequencing methods and to perform antifungal susceptibility testing, according to the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). A total of 6895 yeast cultures were identified and MY occurred in 150 cases (2.2%). Europe accounted for the highest number of centers, with an overall MY rate of 4.2% (118 out of 2840 yeast cultures). Of 122 MY cases, the most frequent combinations were Candida albicans/C. glabrata (42, 34.4%), C. albicans/C. parapsilosis (17, 14%), and C. glabrata/C. tropicalis (8, 6.5%). All Candida isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B, 6.4% were fluconazole-resistant, and two isolates (1.6%) were echinocandin-resistant. Accurate identification of the species involved in MY infections is essential to guide treatment decisions.

Sepsis is a severe clinical syndrome owing to its high mortality. Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score has been proposed for the prediction of fatal outcomes in sepsis syndrome in emergency departments. Due to the low predictive performance of the qSOFA score, we propose a modification to the score by adding age. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study among regional referral centers from various regions of the country. Participants recruited data of patients admitted to emergency departments and obtained a diagnosis of sepsis syndrome. Crude in-hospital mortality was the primary endpoint. A generalized mixed-effects model with random intercepts produced estimates for adverse outcomes. Model-based recursive partitioning demonstrated the effects and thresholds of significant covariates. Scores were internally validated. The H measure compared performances of scores. A total of 580 patients from 22 centers were included for further analysis. Stages of sepsis, age, time to antibiotics, and administration of carbapenem for empirical treatment were entered the final model. Among these, severe sepsis (OR, 4.40; CIs, 2.35-8.21), septic shock (OR, 8.78; CIs, 4.37-17.66), age (OR, 1.03; CIs, 1.02-1.05) and time to antibiotics (OR, 1.05; CIs, 1.01-1.10) were significantly associated with fatal outcomes. A decision tree demonstrated the thresholds for age. We modified the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (mod-qSOFA) score by adding age (> 50 years old = one point) and compared this to the conventional score. H-measures for qSOFA and mod-qSOFA were found to be 0.11 and 0.14, respectively, whereas AUCs of both scores were 0.64. We propose the use of the modified qSOFA score for early risk assessment among sepsis patients for improved triage and management of this fatal syndrome.

Il-VI bileşik yarı iletkenleri çeşitli elektro-optik aygıtlardaki uygulamalarından dolayı oldukça önemlidir. Bu filmler çeşitli opto-elektronik aygıtlarda etkin olarak kullanılmaktadırlar. Bu çalışmada, CdZnS ve ZnO filmleri püskürtnıe (spray pyrolysis) yöntemi ile farklı koşullarda elde edilmiştir. Filmierin optik özellikleri incelenmiştir. Bu filmterin yasak enerji aralıkları, 200-900nm dalgaboyu bölgesindeki soğurma spektrumları ile belirlenmiştir. Bu filmler doğrudan bant araliğına sahip olup, yasak enerji aralıkları CdZnS'1 tilıni için 2.90eV, CdZnSb filmi için 2.97e\1 ve Zn O filmi için de 3. lle V olarak bulunnıuştur.Il-VI bileşik yarı iletkenleri çeşitli elektro-optik aygıtlardaki uygulamalarından dolayı oldukça önemlidir. Bu filmler çeşitli opto-elektronik aygıtlarda etkin olarak kullanılmaktadırlar. Bu çalışmada, CdZnS ve ZnO filmleri püskürtnıe (spray pyrolysis) yöntemi ile farklı koşullarda elde edilmiştir. Filmierin optik özellikleri incelenmiştir. Bu filmterin yasak enerji aralıkları, 200-900nm dalgaboyu bölgesindeki soğurma spektrumları ile belirlenmiştir. Bu filmler doğrudan bant araliğına sahip olup, yasak enerji aralıkları CdZnS'1 tilıni için 2.90eV, CdZnSb filmi için 2.97e\1 ve Zn O filmi için de 3. lle V olarak bulunnıuştur.