GERMS最新文献

{"title":"Arbovirus and its potential to lead the next global pandemic from sub-Saharan Africa: What lessons have we learned from COVID-19?","authors":"Elizabeth N Mbim, Uwem Okon Edet, Henshaw Uchechi Okoroiwu, Francisca O Nwaokorie, Asanga Effiong Edet, Ayo Owolabi, Mboto Clement I","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1358","DOIUrl":"10.18683/germs.2022.1358","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Risk and predisposing factors for viral zoonoses abound in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region with significant public health implications. For several decades, there have been several reports on the emergence and re-emergence of arbovirus infections. The lifetime burden of arboviral diseases in developing countries is still poorly understood. Studies indicate significant healthcare disruptions and economic losses attributed to the viruses in resource-poor communities marked by impairment in the performance of daily activities. Arboviruses have reportedly evolved survival strategies to aid their proliferation in favorable niches, further magnifying their public health relevance. However, there is poor knowledge about the viruses in the region. Thus, this review presents a survey of zoonotic arboviruses in SSA, the burden associated with their diseases, management of diseases as well as their prevention and control, mobility and determinants of infections, their vectors, and co-infection with various microorganisms. Lessons learned from the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic coupled with routine surveillance of zoonotic hosts for these viruses will improve our understanding of their evolution, their potential to cause a pandemic, control and prevention measures, and vaccine development.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10660220/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138463379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of hematological parameters in patients with leprosy in Southern Nigeria.","authors":"Inyeneobong Ernest Inyang, Iya Eze Bassey, Henshaw Uchechi Okoroiwu","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1354","DOIUrl":"10.18683/germs.2022.1354","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease caused by <i>Mycobacterium leprae</i> that mostly result in immunological reactions that affect the skin, peripheral nervous system and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract. This study aimed to evaluate hematological parameters among subjects with leprosy and deduce biomarkers for onset of leprosy reaction.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-sectional study performed from September 1, 2018 to August 1, 2019. Sixty patients with leprosy (30 on multidrug therapy (MDT) and 30 that had completed MDT) and 30 apparently healthy controls were enrolled. Hematology auto-analyzer (Sysmex KX-21N by Sysmex Corporation Kobe, Japan) was used in sample analysis. ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis were used for mean comparison. Eta squared was used to assess effect size. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Association was checked using bivariate logistics regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The majority (68.3%) of the patients with leprosy were males and a larger proportion were either farmers or unemployed. The prevalence of leprosy reaction in the studied population was 40%. The following parameters were significantly (p<0.05) reduced: red cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit in patients with leprosy compared to controls. Total white cell count, absolute lymphocyte, neutrophil, monocyte and eosinophil counts were significantly elevated in patients with leprosy compared to controls. The hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume of patients with leprosy on treatment were significantly higher compared to those who had completed treatment, while the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was significantly reduced. Overall, 65% of patients with leprosy were anemic. Eosinophil count showed good biomarker potential for leprosy reaction onset with AUC 0.709. Sex and absolute eosinophil count were associated with leprosy reaction (OR=11.194; 95%CI: 1.775-70.586).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study has shown a high frequency of anemia in patients with leprosy, both those on treatment and those that had completed MDT, necessitating incorporation of post treatment plan in the management of leprosy. This study has reported absolute eosinophil as potential biomarker of leprosy reaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10660229/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138463382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distribution of chlorhexidine resistance genes among <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> clinical isolates: the challenge of antiseptic resistance.","authors":"Amira M Sultan, Mohammad A Ahmed","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1352","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2022.1352","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Chlorhexidine is an antiseptic agent which is extensively used to prevent nosocomial infections; however, this could result in reduction of its susceptibility. The aim of this work was to determine chlorhexidine susceptibility among <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> isolates and to detect <i>qacA/B</i> and <i>smr</i> antiseptic resistance genes among these isolates. Furthermore, we aimed to identify possible risk factors for the reduction of chlorhexidine susceptibility among <i>S</i>. <i>aureus</i> isolates.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Various clinical samples were collected from patients with evidence of <i>S. aureus</i> infection. Antimicrobial susceptibilities of identified <i>S. aureus</i> isolates were determined by disk diffusion method. Resistance to methicillin was identified by cefoxitin disk diffusion test besides <i>mecA</i> gene detection by PCR. Chlorhexidine minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were measured by broth microdilution method while <i>qacA/B</i> and <i>smr</i> resistance genes were detected by multiplex PCR.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total percentage of 25.9% of <i>S. aureus</i> isolates showed reduced susceptibility to chlorhexidine. Methicillin resistant <i>S. aureus</i> (MRSA) had a reported percentage of 39.5%, which was significantly higher than the 11.3% reported for methicillin susceptible <i>S. aureus</i> (MSSA), p<0.001. <i>S. aureus</i> isolates were found to harbor <i>qacA/B</i> and <i>smr</i> genes at 23.2% and 7.7% respectively. Risk factors for reduced susceptibility to chlorhexidine included; ICU setting (OR=2.02, 95%CI: 0.3-1.6), prolonged ICU stay (OR=1.7, 95%CI: 0.4-1.1), presence of central vascular catheter (OR=2.3, 95%CI: 0.2-1.9), mechanical ventilation (OR=1.88, 95%CI: 0.4-1.7) and acquisition of <i>qacA/B</i> (OR=15.7, 95%CI: 3.4-12.1) or <i>smr</i> gene (OR=15.7, 95%CI: 3.4-12.1).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our work highlighted the current challenge of antiseptic resistance in our locality. The frequencies of <i>qacA/B</i> and <i>smr</i> genes were significantly higher among MRSA than MSSA isolates. About two thirds of chlorhexidine tolerant isolates displayed an MDR profile. To maintain chlorhexidine efficiency, biocidal stewardship program and ongoing surveillance are essential.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10660228/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138463381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distribution of bacterial, viral and parasitic gastroenteritis agents in children under 18 years of age in Erzurum, Turkey, 2010-2020.","authors":"Bahar Çimen, Osman Aktaş","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1350","DOIUrl":"10.18683/germs.2022.1350","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Diarrheal diseases have existed since antiquity, resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates, particularly among children in developing countries. To eradicate these diseases, it is crucial to identify the pathogens that cause them and immediately initiate appropriate treatment. This retrospective study aims to investigate the incidence of childhood gastroenteritis and the epidemiological features of its causative agents.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>During an 11-year period (2010-2020), as many as 51159 stool samples were obtained from children aged 0-17 years. These samples were examined for the presence of parasitic, bacterial, and/or viral gastroenteritis agents and evaluated retrospectively. The records obtained from the \"ENLIL Hospital Information Management System Modules\" were used to collect patient-related information.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The most frequently observed pathogens were rotavirus (22.4%), adenovirus (2.2), <i>Giardia lamblia</i> (1.6%), and <i>Campylobacter</i> spp. (3.0%), considering the number of samples examined for each organism. The total incidence of viruses was about 25%, parasites 5% and the rate of pathogenic bacteria was 2%. In one-way ANOVA analysis, pathogen positivity was found to be significantly higher in children aged 3-5 years compared to those aged 15-17 and 0-2 [F (5, 51153, 17,588, p<0.001)]. The highest demand for the investigation of GE factors from stool samples was made in August, September and July. According to the number of samples examined, the highest pathogen positivity was in February, October, May, December and March, respectively. The most common pathogens involved in coinfections, occurring in 0.04% of the studied cases, were rotavirus and <i>Giardia lamblia</i>.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Parasitic, viral, and bacterial gastroenteritis maintain their current status with a high prevalence in children under 18 years of age, especially in children aged 0-4 years in Erzurum, Turkey.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10660226/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138463380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Zika virus: an opportunity to revisit reproductive health needs and disparities.","authors":"Richard A Stein, Alexis Grayon, Adi Katz, Frank A Chervenak","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1357","DOIUrl":"10.18683/germs.2022.1357","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>First isolated in 1947, the Zika virus was initially connected only to limited or sporadic human infections. In late 2015, the temporal clustering of a Zika outbreak and microcephaly in newborn babies from northeastern Brazil, and the identification of a causal link between the two, led to the characterization of the congenital Zika syndrome. In the wake of the epidemic, several countries from Latin America advised women to postpone pregnancies for periods ranging from six months to two years. These recommendations initiated critical conversations about the challenges of implementing them in societies with limited access to contraception, widespread socioeconomic inequalities, and high rates of unplanned and adolescent pregnancies. The messaging targeted exclusively women, despite a high prevalence of imbalances in the relationship power, and addressed <i>all</i> women as a group, failing to recognize that the decision to postpone pregnancies will impact different women in different ways, depending on their age at the time. Finally, in several countries affected by the Zika epidemic, due to restrictive reproductive policies, legally terminating a pregnancy is no longer an option even at the earliest time when brain malformations as part of the congenital Zika syndrome can be detected by ultrasonography. The virus continued to circulate after 2016 in several countries. Climate change models predict an expansion of the geographical area where local Zika transmission may occur, indicating that the interface between the virus, teratogenesis, and reproductive rights is a topic of considerable interest for medicine, social sciences, and public health for years to come.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10660223/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138463401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antimicrobial resistance pattern in clinical <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> isolates obtained from a secondary-care hospital prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait.","authors":"Walid Q Alali, Naglaa M Abdo, Wadha AlFouzan, Rita Dhar","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1341","DOIUrl":"10.18683/germs.2022.1341","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The study objective was to compare the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in clinical <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> isolates obtained from a secondary-care hospital prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kuwait.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective descriptive study was conducted based on AMR profiles of clinical Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. The AMR data represented isolates from five specimen types (body fluids; blood; respiratory; wound, bone, or other tissues; and urine) of patients admitted to four wards (surgical, medical, pediatric, and maternal-postnatal). Tested isolates between January 2019 and February 2020 represented the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period in Kuwait, whereas those from February 2020 until April 2021 represented the 'during COVID-19' period.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1,303 isolates (57.2% <i>E. coli</i> and 42.8% <i>P. aeruginosa</i>) were analyzed. For ceftazidime, ertapenem and meropenem, the prevalence of AMR in <i>E. coli</i> was significantly (p<0.05) lower in pre-COVID-19 wards compared to that during COVID-19, whereas for other antibiotics (i.e., cefepime, gentamicin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole), the prevalence of AMR in pre-COVID-19 was significantly higher than that during COVID-19. The prevalence of AMR to gentamicin in <i>P. aeruginosa</i> isolates from non-COVID-19 wards (52.8%) was significantly higher (p<0.001) than that from COVID-19 wards (35.0%) and from the pre-COVID-19 period (32.9%). The multidrug-resistance (MDR) prevalence was 37.4% for <i>E. coli</i> and 32.1% for <i>P. aeruginosa</i> isolates. The odds of MDR in <i>E. coli</i> isolates from the COVID-19 medical wards were significantly lower (OR=0.27, [95%CI: 0.09-0.80], p=0.018) compared to the pre-COVID-19 wards. The odds of MDR <i>E. coli</i> and <i>P. aeruginosa</i> isolates by COVID-19 status stratified by specimen type were not different (p>0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>No major differences in AMR in <i>E. coli</i> and <i>P. aeruginosa</i> prevalence by specimen type and wards prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic was observed at this hospital. The high reported MDR prevalence calls for better infection control and prevention.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2022-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10482471/pdf/germs-12-03-372.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10187692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antimicrobial resistance trends - a single-center retrospective study of healthcare-associated pathogens - postmortem sampling from medico-legal autopsies in Bucharest.","authors":"Iuliana Diac,&nbsp;Cătălin Dogăroiu,&nbsp;Arthur-Atilla Keresztesi,&nbsp;Mihaela Horumbă","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1339","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2022.1339","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Healthcare-associated infections are a major concern for healthcare systems around the world. Microorganisms developing resistance to potent antibiotics are an urgent threat to public health.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The present study is a retrospective, single-center study performed at the Mina Minovici National Institute of Legal Medicine, Bucharest, Romania, over a period of ten years (2011-2020). Autopsies for deaths occurring in the hospital setting for which postmortem bacteriological examination was solicited were screened and the recovered data consisted of demographics, hospital stay duration, autopsy data, and postmortem microbiology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the 516 autopsies recovered we found that carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) isolates from postmortem bacteriology results increased in 2019. Positive postmortem microbiology results were associated with histological infection in over 80% of cases. Positive results for healthcare-related pathogens were associated with prolonged hospital stay. In our data vancomycin-resistant enterococci were isolated from 2015.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Postmortem bacteriology results from medico-legal autopsies mirror antimicrobial resistance trends from hospital settings with several limitations due to the scarcity of solicitations.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10482475/pdf/germs-12-03-352.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10189147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbiological and drug resistance patterns of bronchoalveolar lavage samples taken from hospitalized patients in Iran.","authors":"Zahra Tahmasebi,&nbsp;Parisa Asadollahi,&nbsp;Nourkhoda Sadeghifard,&nbsp;Sobhan Ghafourian,&nbsp;Behrooz Sadeghi Kalani,&nbsp;Esmail Ghasemi Pasha Kalaei,&nbsp;Iraj Pakzad","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2022.1337","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Pulmonary diseases are amongst the most common causes of premature death and distressing disorders worldwide. This study aimed to detect the fastidious and routine infectious agents, and their drug resistance patterns in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 44 BAL samples were collected by bronchoscopy from patients with respiratory disorders hospitalized at 2 teaching hospitals in Ilam, Iran. The samples were cultured on routine bacterial culture media to identify the bacterial agents and calculate the colony count. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion method according to the CLSI protocol. PCR was used to detect the fastidious bacteria <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> and <i>Chlamydia pneumoniae</i> using the <i>16srRNA</i> specific primers and Legionella pneumophila using the mip specific primers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 100 bacterial isolates were isolated by culture from the 44 BAL samples including: <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (24, 31.2%), <i>Streptococcus pyogenes</i> (18, 23.4%), <i>Enterococcus spp.</i> (11, 14.3%), <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> (11, 14.3%), <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> (11, 14.3%), <i>Enterococcus spp.</i> (10, 13%), <i>Micrococcus spp.</i> (5, 6.5%), <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> (5, 6.5%) and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (5, 6.5%). PCR detected 4 positive samples (9.1%) for <i>Chlamydia pneumoniae</i> but no positive cases for <i>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</i> and <i>Legionella pneumophila</i>. <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> showed the highest resistance rate (81.8%) to aztreonam and ceftazidime. Seventy-five percent of the <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> isolates were resistant to cefoxitin (MRSA) and 83.3% had the <i>mecA</i> gene. Vancomycin resistance was observed in 27.3% of the <i>Enterococcus</i> species (VRE). Resistance to piperacillin, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and imipenem was observed in 54.5%, 45.5%, and 36.4% of the <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> isolates, respectively. The frequency of organisms isolated from the ICU was higher (46%) than from other wards.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The presence of MRSA, cephalosporins-resistant Enterobacteriaceae as well as <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> and <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> resistant against piperacillin, imipenem, cefotaxime, aztreonam and ciprofloxacin amongst different wards, especially the ICU ward of the surveyed hospitals, is a major healthcare concern and it is necessary to wisely scrutinize the preventive strategies for antibiotic resistant infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10482477/pdf/germs-12-03-333.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10189148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transient hypertension with urinary tract infection in congenital hydronephrosis.","authors":"Haruka Fukayama,&nbsp;Hiro Nakao,&nbsp;Kentaro Nishi,&nbsp;Mitsuru Kubota,&nbsp;Akira Ishiguro","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1344","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2022.1344","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Hypertension is occasionally associated with congenital hydronephrosis.</p><p><strong>Case report: </strong>The authors report a four-month-old boy with severe left congenital hydronephrosis and transient hypertension triggered by his first urinary tract infection (UTI). Despite the satisfactory UTI clinical course, he suddenly developed severe hypertension (130/80 mmHg) on the ninth day of UTI. His aldosterone level was within the reference range and his plasma renin activity was slightly elevated. Although his hypertension was refractory to calcium channel blockers, an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor was effective for hypertension. On day 24, he was able to discontinue the antihypertensive without organ damage.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although the precise cause of hypertension was unclear in our case, we considered it to be temporary renin-associated hypertension due to decreasing renal blood flow due to UTI in a patient with severe congenital hydronephrosis. In pediatric UTI, particularly in patients with unilateral hydronephrosis, blood pressure monitoring is very important.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10482482/pdf/germs-12-03-400.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10180579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> contamination in the healthcare environment and instruments: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Soroush Borji,&nbsp;Mosayeb Rostamian,&nbsp;Sepide Kadivarian,&nbsp;Sara Kooti,&nbsp;Shirin Dashtbin,&nbsp;Somayeh Hosseinabadi,&nbsp;Ramin Abiri,&nbsp;Amirhooshang Alvandi","doi":"10.18683/germs.2022.1340","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18683/germs.2022.1340","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Worldwide, <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> infection is becoming one of the most common healthcare-associated infections. Management and control of this infection in healthcare facilities are associated with screening for environmental and instrumental <i>C. difficile</i> contamination. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the overall prevalence of <i>C. difficile</i> in hospital settings, medical devices, and instruments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Four main databases, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus, were searched using the keywords <i>Clostridioides difficile, Clostridium difficile, C. difficile</i>, clostridia, <i>Clostridium</i> spp., hospital environments, antibiotic associate colitis, intensive care unit, and ward in combination as a search strategy. The PRISMA checklist was used for selecting eligible studies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 11 eligible articles published between 2012 and 2021 were included. The overall pooled prevalence of <i>C. difficile</i> in hospital environments was 14.9%. The highest and lowest prevalence were reported for India (51.1%) and the USA (1.6%), respectively. The highest prevalence was reported for beds (46.3%). A significant heterogeneity was seen between <i>C. difficile</i> prevalence in hospital environments in different samples. The highest and lowest prevalence was reported for floor corners (63.2%) and privacy curtains (1.4%), respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In conclusion, hospitals' medical devices and environmental surfaces are considered a crucial source of <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> infection. In this regard, we strongly recommend revising and improving the cleaning and disinfection methods in hospitals and quality control of cleaning adequacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":45107,"journal":{"name":"GERMS","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10482474/pdf/germs-12-03-361.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10189151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}