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Current treatment of cervical spine spondylodiscitis generally involves a radical surgical debridement and stable reconstruction together with antibiotic therapy until complete healing. But this classical approach could be difficult for patients who have been treated previously for an esophageal carcinoma and received radiotherapy.

•CRE rates increased significantly in APAC, EUR, LATAM, and MEA regions (2018–2022)•CRE rates decreased in the NA region from 2018 to 2022•CRPA and CRAB rates remained stable, while DTR rates increased in all regions•Increased CRE rates were attributable to hospital-acquired infections in most regions•NDM incidence is increasing among meropenem-nonsusceptible Enterobacterales

Introduction: The impact of remdesivir on mortality in patients with COVID-19 is still controversial. We aimed to identify clinical phenotype clusters of COVID-19 hospitalized patients with highest benefit from remdesivir use and validate these findings in an external cohort. Methods: We included consecutive patients hospitalized between February 2020 and February 2021 for COVID-19. The derivation cohort comprised subjects admitted to Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. The validation cohort included patients from Hospital Universitari Mutua de Terrassa (Terrassa) and Hospital Universitari La Fe (Valencia), all tertiary centers in Spain. We employed K-means clustering to group patients according to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) cycle threshold (Ct) values and lymphocyte counts at diagnosis, and pre-test symptom duration. The impact of remdesivir on 60-day mortality in each cluster was assessed. Results: A total of 1160 patients (median age 66, interquartile range (IQR) 55–78) were included. We identified five clusters, with mortality rates ranging from 0 to 36.7%. Highest mortality rate was observed in the cluster including patients with shorter pre-test symptom duration, lower lymphocyte counts, and lower Ct values at diagnosis. The absence of remdesivir administration was associated with worse outcome in the high-mortality cluster (10.5% vs. 36.7%; p< 0.001), comprising subjects with higher viral loads. These results were validated in an external multicenter cohort of 981 patients. Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 exhibit varying mortality rates across different clinical phenotypes. K-means clustering aids in identifying patients who derive the greatest mortality benefit from remdesivir use.

n-Butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NCBA) is an effective therapeutic option for bleeding gastric varices but can sometimes be associated with adverse effects. Persistent bacteraemia is an unusual complication with a high mortality rate. We report the case of a 34-year-old man with history of cirrhosis due to Wilson’s disease and severe portal hypertension who was hospitalized as a result of upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to fundic varices that were treated with NCBA. Eight weeks after the bleeding episode he was readmitted with a 14-day history of fever and chills. Pseudomonas aeruginosawas isolated from blood cultures. He presented with persistent P. aeruginosabacteraemia despite correct antibiotic treatment. A PET-CT scan was performed to rule out infection source, and inflammatory changes at the NCBA site plug were found. A presumptive diagnosis of NCBA plug infection was considered. The case was evaluated by multidisciplinary board and indicated liver transplantation as treatment. However, the patient’s bacteraemia persisted and therefore a vertical gastrectomy to remove the NCBA plug was performed. P. aeruginosawas also isolated from the plug. The patient was discharged with ceftazidime plus ciprofloxacin to complete 6 weeks after surgery and he remained asymptomatic. Any foreign material such as NCBA is susceptible to being infected and should be considered in patients with persistent breakthrough bloodstream infections. The individualized treatment is recommended in this complex scenario.

Introduction: There is no reliable microbiological marker to guide responses to antiviral treatment in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) with COVID-19. We aimed to evaluate the dynamics of subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) RT-PCR before and after receiving treatment with remdesivir compared with genomic RNA (gRNA) RT-PCR and its use as a surrogate marker of viral replication. Methods: We analyzed gRNA and sgRNA at baseline and after remdesivir treatment in KTR who received remdesivir for SARS-CoV-2 infection from November 2021 to February 2022. Results: Thirty-four KTR received remdesivir for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The median time since transplantation was 80 months (IQR 3–321) and 75% of patients had previously received 3 doses of a mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Three patients (8%) were classified with mild, 25 (73%) with moderate, and 6 (17%) with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thirty-two (94%) patients received 5 doses of remdesivir and two patients received 2 doses. The median time between symptom onset to remdesivir treatment was 5 days (IQR 3–8.5). The median days of hospitalization were 6 (IQR 2–112). gRNA was positive in all patients at baseline and after remdesivir. Five (15%) patients had negative sgRNA at baseline and 20 (59%) after receiving remdesivir. Patients presenting with negative sgRNA at baseline were discharged from hospital in ≤ 6 days without complications. Moreover, those with negative sgRNA after remdesivir therapy did not require ICU admission and had favorable outcomes. Nevertheless, patients with positive sgRNA after antiviral treatment presented worse outcomes, with 47% requiring ICU admission and the three (9%) recorded deaths in the study were in this group. Conclusions: Based on these data, we hypothesize that sgRNA may have clinical utility to help monitor virologic response more accurately than gRNA in KTR who receive remdesivir. Moreover, patients with negative sgRNA at baseline may not require antiviral treatment and others presenting positive sgRNA at day 5 could benefit from prolonged or combined therapies.

Rezafungin is a next-generation, once-a-week echinocandin in development for the treatment of candidaemia and invasive candidiasis and for the prevention of invasive fungal disease caused by Candida, Aspergillus, and Pneumocystisspp after blood and marrow transplantation. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous rezafungin versus intravenous caspofungin in patients with candidaemia and invasive candidiasis.

Introduction: There are no data on community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(CA-MRSA) infections in the context of the chemsex phenomenon. This study aimed to characterize CA-MRSA-related infections in a cohort of people living with HIV (PLWH) who engage in chemsex. Methods: At the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, from February 2018 to January 2022, we analyzed CA-MRSA infections diagnosed in a cohort of PLWH who engage in chemsex. Epidemiological, behavioral and clinical variables were assessed. Mass spectrometry identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed on MRSA isolates. Pulse field electrophoresis was used to assess the clonality of the MRSA strains. The presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin was also investigated. Results: Among the cohort of 299 participants who engage in chemsex, 25 (8%) with CA-MRSA infections were identified, 9 at baseline and 16 with incident cases; the cumulative incidence was 5.5% (95% CI: 3.2%, 8.8%). The most common drugs were methamphetamine (96%) and GHB/GBL (92%). Poly-consumption and slamming were reported by 32% and 46%, respectively. CA-MRSA was isolated from the infection sites of 20 participants, and CA-MRSA colonization was confirmed in the remaining 5 persons. Seventy-one percent had used antibiotics in the previous year. All participants presented with skin and soft tissue infections, 28% required hospitalization, and 48% had recurrence. Of the 23 MRSA isolates further studied, 19 (82,6%) belonged to the same clone. Panton-Valentine leukocidin was detected in all isolates. Conclusion: PLWH who engage in chemsex may present with CA-MRSA infections. Clinical suspicion and microbiological diagnosis are required to provide adequate therapy, and CA-MRSA prevention interventions should be designed.

Introduction: Real-life data about cefiderocol use to treat extensively drug-resistant bacteria are scarce. We aim to report our early experience in patients with difficult-to-treat infections and limited therapeutic options. Methods: Patients treated with cefiderocol from March 2018 to April 2022 in a tertiary-care hospital in Spain were included. Demographic, clinical, and microbiological data were collected up to 90 days after the end of treatment or until death. Survival status was recorded at 30 and 90 days. Results: Ten patients were included, seven of them critically ill. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (40%) and bacteremia (40%) were the main infections. Multidrug-resistant or extensively drug-resistant P. aeruginosawas the most frequently isolated pathogen (70%, of which six patients were infected with bacteria with difficult-to-treat resistance), followed by A. baumannii, E. coli, and A. xylosoxidans(10% each). Seven patients received combination therapy. Clinical and microbiological cures were achieved in 90% and 80% of patients, respectively. Two previously susceptible strains (20%) developed resistance to cefiderocol. Overall, 30-day and 90-day mortality rates were 10% and 50%, respectively, although two out of five patients died due to the infection. No serious adverse events were reported, except for one patient who developed thrombocytopenia. Conclusion: Cefiderocol seems to be an effective and safe rescue therapy for patients infected with difficult-to-treat pathogens, although there is a definite risk of the emergence of resistance.

Introduction: Ceftazidime–avibactam has proven activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in clinical trials and real-world studies. This study was conducted to describe the patterns of use of ceftazidime–avibactam (including indications and associated antibiotics), and the effectiveness and safety of ceftazidime–avibactam in real-world clinical practice. Methods: This non-interventional medical chart review study was conducted in 11 countries across the European and Latin American (LATAM) regions. Consecutive patients treated in clinical practice with at least one dose of ceftazidime–avibactam for an approved indication per country label since 01 January 2018 (or launch date in the country if posterior) were enrolled. Effectiveness analyses were conducted in patients treated with ceftazidime–avibactam for at least 72 h. Results: Of the 569 eligible patients enrolled, 516 (90.7%) were treated for at least 72 h (354 patients from Europe and 162 patients from LATAM); 390 patients (75.7%) had switched from another antibiotic line for Gram-negative coverage. Infection sources were intra-abdominal, urinary, respiratory, bloodstream infections, and other infections (approximately 20% each). K. pneumoniaewas the most common microorganism identified in the latest microbiological evaluation before starting ceftazidime–avibactam (59.3%). Two-thirds of microorganisms tested for susceptibility were MDR, of which 89.3% were carbapenem-resistant. The common MDR mechanisms for K. pneumoniaewere carbapenemase (33.9%), oxacillinase 48 (25.2%), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (21.5%), or metallo-beta-lactamase (14.2%) production. Without prior patient exposure, 17 isolates (mostly K. pneumoniae) were resistant to ceftazidime–avibactam. Treatment success was achieved in 77.3% of patients overall (88.3% among patients with urinary infection), regardless of first or second treatment line. In-hospital mortality rate was 23.1%. Adverse events were reported for six of the 569 patients enrolled. Conclusion: This study provides important real-world evidence on treatment patterns, effectiveness, and safety of ceftazidime–avibactam in clinical practice through its recruitment in the European and LATAM regions. Ceftazidime–avibactam is one of the antibiotics to consider for treatment of MDR bacteria. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT03923426.

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Introduction: Increased mortality has been reported in the Latin American population. The objective is to compare the clinical characteristics and outcome of Latin American and Spanish populations in a cohort of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic. Methods: We retrospectively analysed all the Latin American patients (born in South or Central America) hospitalized in our centre from February 2020 to February 2021 and compared them with an age- and gender-matched group of Spanish subjects. Variables included were demographics, co-morbidities, clinical and analytical parameters at admission and treatment received. The primary outcomes were ICU admission and mortality at 60 days. A conditional regression analysis was performed to evaluate the independent baseline predictors of both outcomes. Results: From the 3216 patients in the whole cohort, 216 pairs of case-controls (Latin American and Spanish patients, respectively) with same age and gender were analysed. COPD was more frequent in the Spanish group, while HIV was more prevalent in the Latin American group. Other co-morbidities showed no significant difference. Both groups presented with similar numbers of days from symptom onset, but the Latin American population had a higher respiratory rate (21 vs. 20 bpm, P= 0.041), CRP (9.13 vs. 6.22 mg/dl, P= 0.001), ferritin (571 vs. 383 ng/ml, P= 0.012) and procalcitonin (0.10 vs. 0.07 ng/ml, P= 0.020) at admission and lower cycle threshold of PCR (27 vs. 28.8, P= 0.045). While ICU admission and IVM were higher in the Latin American group (17.1% vs. 13% and 9.7% vs. 5.1%, respectively), this was not statistically significant. Latin American patients received remdesivir and anti-inflammatory therapies more often, and no difference in the 60-day mortality rate was found (3.2% for both groups). Conclusion: Latin American patients with COVID-19 have more severe disease than Spanish patients, requiring ICU admission, antiviral and anti-inflammatory therapies more frequently. However, the mortality rate was similar in both groups.

Recently published studies have found an impaired immune response after SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination in solid organ recipients. However, most of these studies have not assessed immune cellular responses in liver and heart transplant recipients. We prospectively studied heart and liver transplant recipients eligible for SARS‐CoV‐2 vaccination. Patients with past history of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection or SARS‐CoV‐2 detectable antibodies (IgM or IgG) were excluded. We assessed IgM/IgG antibodies and ELISpot against the S protein 4 weeks after receiving the second dose of the mRNA‐1273 (Moderna) vaccine. Side effects, troponin I, liver tests and anti‐HLA donor‐specific antibodies (DSA) were also assessed. A total of 58 liver and 46 heart recipients received two doses of mRNA‐1273 vaccine. Median time from transplantation to vaccination was 5.4 years (IQR 0.3–27). Sixty‐four percent of the patients developed SARS‐CoV‐2 IgM/IgG antibodies and 79% S‐ELISpot positivity. Ninety percent of recipients developed either humoral or cellular response (87% in heart recipients and 93% in liver recipients). Factors associated with vaccine unresponsiveness were hypogammaglobulinemia and vaccination during the first year after transplantation. Local and systemic side effects were mild or moderate, and none presented DSA or graft dysfunction after vaccination. Ninety percent of our patients did develop humoral or cellular responses to mRNA‐1273 vaccine. Factors associated with vaccine unresponsiveness were hypogammaglobulinemia and vaccination during the first year after transplantation, highlighting the need to further protect these patients. The vast majority of heart and liver transplant patients develop humoral or cellular responses to mRNA‐1273 vaccine. See editorial by Danziger‐Isakov and Sester on page 3827.

Recently published studies have found an impaired immune response after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in solid organ recipients. However, most of these studies have not assessed immune cellular responses in liver and heart transplant recipients. We prospectively studied heart and liver transplant recipients eligible for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Patients with past history of SARS-CoV-2 infection or SARS-CoV-2 detectable antibodies (IgM or IgG) were excluded. We assessed IgM/IgG antibodies and ELISpot against the S protein 4 weeks after receiving the second dose of the mRNA-1273 (Moderna) vaccine. Side effects, troponin I, liver tests and anti-HLA donor-specific antibodies (DSA) were also assessed. A total of 58 liver and 46 heart recipients received two doses of mRNA-1273 vaccine. Median time from transplantation to vaccination was 5.4 years (IQR 0.3–27). Sixty-four percent of the patients developed SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG antibodies and 79% S-ELISpot positivity. Ninety percent of recipients developed either humoral or cellular response (87% in heart recipients and 93% in liver recipients). Factors associated with vaccine unresponsiveness were hypogammaglobulinemia and vaccination during the first year after transplantation. Local and systemic side effects were mild or moderate, and none presented DSA or graft dysfunction after vaccination. Ninety percent of our patients did develop humoral or cellular responses to mRNA-1273 vaccine. Factors associated with vaccine unresponsiveness were hypogammaglobulinemia and vaccination during the first year after transplantation, highlighting the need to further protect these patients.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the world radically since 2020. Spain was one of the European countries with the highest incidence during the first wave. As a part of a consortium to monitor and study the evolution of the epidemic, we sequenced 2,170 samples, diagnosed mostly before lockdown measures. Here, we identified at least 500 introductions from multiple international sources and documented the early rise of two dominant Spanish epidemic clades (SECs), probably amplified by superspreading events. Both SECs were related closely to the initial Asian variants of SARS-CoV-2 and spread widely across Spain. We inferred a substantial reduction in the effective reproductive number of both SECs due to public-health interventions (Re< 1), also reflected in the replacement of SECs by a new variant over the summer of 2020. In summary, we reveal a notable difference in the initial genetic makeup of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain compared with other European countries and show evidence to support the effectiveness of lockdown measures in controlling virus spread, even for the most successful genetic variants.

Introduction: The study aim was to assess the influence of inflammatory response modifiers, including anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) biologics and corticosteroids, on the incidence of hospital-acquired infections in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: Case–control study performed at a university hospital from February 26 to May 26, 2020. Cases were defined as patients with COVID-19 who developed hospital-acquired infections. For each case, two controls were selected among patients without infections. Cases and controls were matched obeying three criteria in a hierarchical sequence: length of hospital stay up until the first infection; comorbidity; and need for Intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association of exposures with being a case. Results: A total of 71 cases and 142 controls were included. Independent predictors for acquiring a hospital infection were chronic liver disease [odds ratio (OR) 16.56, 95% CI 1.87–146.5, p= 0.012], morbid obesity (OR 6.11, 95% CI 1.06–35.4, p= 0.043), current or past smoking (OR 4.15, 95% CI 1.45–11.88, p= 0.008), exposure to hydroxychloroquine (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.041–1, p= 0.053), and invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 61.5, 95% CI 11.08–341, p≤ 0.0001). Conclusions: Inflammatory response modifiers had no influence on acquisition of nosocomial infections in admitted patients with COVID-19. Hospital-acquired infections primarily occurred in the critically ill and invasive mechanical ventilation was the main exposure conferring risk.

Introduction: We aimed to assess risk factors for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (MDR-GNB) from a large amount of data retrieved from electronic health records (EHRs) and determine whether machine learning (ML) may be useful in assessing the risk of MDR-GNB infection at febrile neutropenia (FN) onset. Methods: Retrospective study of almost 7 million pieces of structured data from all consecutive episodes of FN in hematological patients in a tertiary hospital in Barcelona (January 2008–December 2017). Conventional multivariate analysis and ML algorithms (random forest, gradient boosting machine, XGBoost, and GLM) were done. Results: A total of 3235 episodes of FN in 349 patients were documented; MDR-GNB caused 180 (5.6%) infections in 132 patients. The most frequent MDR-GNBs were MDR-Pseudomonas aeruginosa(53%) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (46%). According to conventional logistic regression analysis, independent factors associated with MDR-GNB infection were age older than 45 years (OR 2.07; 95% CI 1.31–3.24), prior antibiotics (2.62; 1.39–4.92), first-ever FN in this hospitalization (2.94; 1.33–6.52), prior hospitalizations for FN (1.72; 1.02–2.89); at least 15 prior hospital visits (2.65; 1.31–5.33), high-risk hematological diseases (3.62; 1.12–11.67), and hospitalization in a room formerly occupied by patients with MDR-GNB isolation (1.69; 1.20–2.38). ML algorithms achieved the following AUC and F1 score for MDR-GNB prediction: random forest, 0.79–0.9711; GMB, 0.79–0.9705; XGBoost, 0.79–0.9670; and GLM, 0.78–0.9716. Conclusion: Data generated in EHRs proved useful in assessing risk factors for MDR-GNB infections in patients with FN. The great number of analyzed variables allowed us to identify new factors related to MDR infection, as well as to train ML algorithms for infection predictions. This information may be used by clinicians to make better clinical decisions.

Introduction: We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of bloodstream infections (BSI) in cancer patients presenting febrile neutropenia with and without HIV infection, and analyze the prognostic factors for mortality. Methods: BSI episodes in febrile neutropenic patients following chemotherapy were prospectively collected (1997–2018). A case (HIV-infected)–control (non-HIV-infected) sub-analysis was performed (1:2 ratio), matching patients by age, gender, baseline disease, and etiological microorganism. Results: From 1755 BSI episodes in neutropenic cancer patients, 60 (3.4%) occurred in those with HIV. HIV characteristics: 51.7% were men who have sex with men; 58.3% had &lt; 200 CD4; 51.7% had a detectable HIV-1 RNA viral load before the BSI episode; 70.0% met AIDS-defining criteria; and 93.3% were on antiretroviral therapy, with a protease inhibitor-based regimen being the most common (53.0%). HIV-infected patients were younger, more frequently male and more commonly presenting chronic liver disease (p&lt; 0.001 for all). BSI due to Enterococcusspp. was significantly more frequent among patients with HIV (p= 0.017) with no differences in other pathogens. HIV-infected patients with cancer presented with shock more frequently (p= 0.014) and had higher mortality (31.7% vs. 18.1%, p= 0.008). In the case–control analysis, cases (HIV-infected) had chronic liver disease (p= 0.003) more frequently, whereas acute leukemia (p= 0.013) and hematopoietic stem-cell transplant (p= 0.023) were more common among controls. There was a non-significant trend for cases to have higher mortality (p= 0.084). However, in multivariate analysis, HIV infection was not associated with mortality (p= 0.196). Conclusion: HIV-infected patients with cancer developing febrile neutropenia and BSI have different epidemiological and clinical profiles, and experience higher mortality. However, HIV infection by itself was not associated with mortality.

•Characteristics and outcomes of bloodstream infection (BSI) change depending on time since hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).•Inappropriate empiric antibiotic therapy occurred in more than one-quarter of BSIs.•Inappropriate empiric antibiotic therapy was more frequent in Pseudomonas aeruginosaand multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli.•BSI occurring ≥30 days after HSCT and shock were associated with increased mortality.•BSI caused by multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosaand receipt of inappropriate empiric antibiotic therapy were associated with higher mortality.

Clostridioides difficileinfection (CDI) is the leading cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a successful treatment for recurrent CDI (rCDI), and in some patients FMT has been associated with the resolution of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTI). Recent evidence suggests that the origin of most bacterial infections in the urinary tract is the gut. Thus, the possibility of using FMT to displace pathogens commonly involved in rUTIs has major therapeutic implications. We report the case of a 93-year-old female patient with a rCDI and rUTI that underwent FMT and reported a complete clinical resolution of CDI; unexpectedly, no new symptomatic UTI episodes were diagnosed post-FMT. We characterized the gut microbiota of the stool donor and of the patient before and after the procedure. Our patient presented a dysbiosis with clear predominance of Enterobacteriaceae (74%) before FMT, which was significantly reduced to 0.07% after FMT. These findings were maintained for almost a year. We also observed an increase in microbial diversity indices compared with the pre-FMT sample reaching diversity values comparable to the donor stool samples. We reasoned that the disappearance of UTIs in our patient resulted from the reduction of Enterobacteriaceae in the gut microbiota. Our findings support previous evidence suggesting the potential of FMT for rUTI, particularly in cases due to multi-drug resistant pathogens where conventional antibiotic treatment is not an option.

Around 2·5 million deaths and more than 110 million COVID-19 cases have been reported globally. Although it initially appeared that HIV infection was not a risk factor for COVID-19 or more severe disease, more recent large studies suggest that people living with HIV (particularly with low CD4 cell counts or untreated HIV infection) might have a more severe clinical course than those who are HIV-negative. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted HIV prevention and treatment services worldwide, creating huge challenges to the continuity of essential activities. We have reviewed the most relevant features of COVID-19 in people living with HIV and highlighted topics where further research is required.

Introduction: The surface of tunnelled cuffed catheters provides an optimal environment for the development of biofilms, which have recently been described as conditioning films because of the presence of adherent biological materials. These biofilms are associated with infection and thrombosis and potentially increase patients’ inflammatory response. These complications could be reduced by the use of locking solutions.Objective: To analyse biofilm formation, using confocal and electron microscopy, in tunnelled cuffed catheters locked with three different solutions and to determine the relationship between these solutions and inflammatory response.Study design: This prospective study included 35 haemodialysis patients with tunnelled cuffed catheter removal for non–infection-related reasons. The participants were divided into three groups according to the lock solution used: (1) heparin 1: 5000 IU; (2) citrate 4%; and (3) taurolidine 1.35%, citrate 4% and heparin 500 IU (taurolock); in the latter group, 25,000 IU taurolidine–urokinase was used in the last weekly session. All tunnelled cuffed catheters were cultured, and the inner surface was evaluated with confocal and electron microscopy. The inflammatory profile of included patients was determined at tunnelled cuffed catheter removal.Results: There were no differences in clinical or demographic variables between the three subgroups. Biofilm thickness was lower in the taurolidine group than in the citrate 4% and heparin groups (28.85 ± 6.86 vs 49.99 ± 16.56 vs 56.2 ± 15.67 µm, respectively; p< 0.001), as was biofilm volume (1.01 ±1.18 vs 3.7 ± 2.15 vs 5.55 ±2.44, µm3, respectively; p< 0.001). The mean interleukin-6 value was 39%, which was 50% lower than in the citrate and heparin groups, but without significance differences.Conclusion: Our results show that biofilms were found in all tunnelled cuffed catheters, but the thickness and volume were significantly lower in tunnelled cuffed catheters locked with taurolidine solution. Therefore, the type of locking solution used in tunnelled cuffed catheters should maintain tunnelled cuffed catheter sterility and prevent catheter-related bloodstream infections. No significant difference was observed in the inflammatory profile according to the type of locking solution.

La transferencia de microbiota fecal (TMF) es un tratamiento eficaz y seguro para tratar la infección recurrente por Clostridioides difficile.Es esencial extremar esfuerzos para que la TMF se realice con rigor y en base a los conocimientos científicos. La selección del donante de microbiota fecal es un punto clave del proceso para garantizar la seguridad del receptor. Es necesario disponer de protocolos de actuación que permitan a los clínicos actuar con las máximas garantías y minimizar los riesgos del procedimiento. Por este motivo se ha constituido un grupo de trabajo multidisciplinario con el objetivo de establecer unas recomendaciones para la selección del donante de microbiota fecal.

The immense impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health systems has motivated the scientific community to search for clinical prognostic factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Low cycle threshold values (Ct) of diagnostic real-time RT-PCR assays in hospitalized patients have been associated with a poor prognosis in several studies, whereas other studies did not find this association. We explored whether SARS-CoV-2 Ct values at diagnosis were associated with a poor outcome (admission to hospital and death) in 604 community patients diagnosed at primary health centers. Although lower Ct values were found in patients who died of COVID-19, the Ct value was not significantly associated with a worse outcome in a multivariate analysis, while age remained an independent prognostic factor. We did not find evidence to support the role of Ct values as a prognostic factor of COVID-19 in community cases.

La profilaxis antibiótica en cirugía es una de las medidas más eficaces para la prevención de la infección de localización quirúrgica, aunque su uso es con frecuencia inadecuado, pudiendo incrementar el riesgo de infección, toxicidades y resistencias bacterianas. Debido al avance en las técnicas quirúrgicas y la emergencia de microorganismos multirresistentes las actuales pautas de profilaxis precisan ser revisadas.

Introduction: A systematic literature review was undertaken to evaluate real-world use of ceftazidime-avibactam for infections due to aerobic Gram-negative organisms in adults with limited treatment options. Methods: Literature searches retrieved peer-reviewed publications and abstracts from major international infectious disease congresses from January 2015 to February 2021. Results were screened using pre-defined criteria to limit the dataset to relevant publications (notable exclusions were paediatric data and outcomes data for bacteria intrinsically resistant to ceftazidime-avibactam). Data for included publications were subjected to qualitative synthesis. Results: Seventy-three relevant publications (62 peer-reviewed articles; 10 abstracts) comprising 1926 patients treated with ceftazidime-avibactam (either alone or combined with other antimicrobials) and 1114 comparator/control patients were identified. All patients were hospitalised for serious illness and most had multiple comorbidities. The most common infections were pneumonia, bacteraemia, and skin/soft tissue, urinary tract, or abdominal infections; smaller numbers of patients with meningitis, febrile neutropenia, osteomyelitis, and cystic fibrosis were also included. Carbapenem-resistant or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CRE; n= 1718) and carbapenem-resistant, multidrug-resistant (MDR), and extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa(n= 150) were the most common pathogens. Most publications reported positive outcomes for ceftazidime-avibactam treatment (clinical success rates ranged from 45 to 100% and reported 30-day mortality from 0 to 63%), which were statistically superior versus comparators in some studies. ceftazidime-avibactam resistance emergence occurred infrequently and mostly in Klebsiella pneumoniaecarbapenemase (KPC)-producing K. pneumoniaestrains. Conclusion: This review provides qualitative evidence of successful use of ceftazidime-avibactam for the treatment of hospitalised patients with CRE and MDR P. aeruginosainfections with limited treatment options.