Trends in Bacterial Blood Culture Isolates and Resistance in Children in Two Microbiologic Eras from a Tertiary Health Facility in North East Nigeria

Introduction: Antimicrobial Resistance surveillance is predicated on blood culture as a priority clinical specimen in especially resource limited settings. Establishing trends in blood stream infections and resistance patterns can inform institutional and national policy on antimicrobial stewardship, surveillance, infection prevention and control. Methodology: Blood Culture isolates in children (0 - 18 years) by conventional method from 2008-2012 and Bactec Automated culture system from 2015-2020 were retrieved. Information analyzed included age, sex, month, and year and culture growth/identity of microorganisms and their sensitivity/resistance patterns. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline for antibiotic susceptibility testing was used. Results: 20,540 children were admitted: 8964 (44.6%) and 11,630 (55.4%) in the Manual and Bactec blood culture era respectively. Blood cultures were done in 5271 in the manual culture era and 1077 in the Bactec culture era;of these cultures, 514 (9.7%) and 461 (42.8%) were positive for isolates in the respective era (p = 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in trend between positive and negative blood cultures in males and females. Newborns, followed by children 1 - 5 years had more blood culture performed on them than other age categories. In general, there is no significant relationship in blood culture outcomes between the age categories and sex of the patients. The isolation of Staph aureus, Citrobacter and Alkaligenes increased two-fold with Bactec automated system. Resistance to the quinolones and the penicillin was high. Resistance trend to Genticin, an aminoglycoside was less than 40%. Resistance to Ceftazidime was high. Conclusion: Antimicrobial resistance surveillance is critical to reduce AMR related morbidity and mortality.

Transitioning to Automated Microbiologic Era: Blood Culture Isolates in Children and Adults in Federal Teaching Hospital in Gombe, North East Nigeria 2016-2020

Introduction: Automated blood culture systems for incubation and growth monitoring have become the standard in high-income countries (HICs), but are still relatively expensive and not universally available for implementation in most low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). We aimed to report blood culture isolates using Automated technique in children and adults admitted into the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe from 2016 to 2020. Materials and Methods: Blood Culture Isolates in children (0 - 18 years) and adults (>19 yrs) by Bactec 9050 Automated culture system from 2016-2020 were retrieved from the medical and laboratory register. Information analyzed included, age, sex, month, and year and culture growth and reported antibiotic sensitivity. A Bactec Blood culture tests is $20 in this facility. In Nigeria, the minimum monthly wage is $70 (Official currency exchange rate is N423/US Dollar). Results: Of the 1713 blood cultures performed, children 0 - 18 years were 1322 (77.2%) and adult (19 years above) (22.8%). Overall positivity was 733 (42.2%) with males 385 (52.5%). Of the 1322 Blood cultures (BC) in children 615 (46.5%) were positive for isolates and adults 118 (30.2)%. Blood culture positivity decreased with increasing age with newborns 251 (34.5%) and adults > 65 years 18 (2.5%). Staphylococcus aureus constituted 61.3% of all isolates and was the leading isolates in all age groups;Alkaligenes (9.1%);Citrobacter 8.1%, Klebsiella 6.7%;Pseudomonas 6.1%;E. coli 2.7%;Enterococcus 2%;Proteus 1%. Of the Antimicrobial resistance priority isolates E. coli susceptibility ranged from 71% to Gentamycin and 100% to Cefixime;Klebsiella from 25% sensitivity to Amikacin to 78% each to chloramphenicol and ciprofloxacin;Salmonella was 100% sensitive to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin and cefuroxime. Klebsiella was 100% sensitive to Cefoxitin;Proteus sensitivity ranged from 35% to ampicillin and 100% to ciprofloxacin and cefuroxime. Staph aureus sensitivity was 35% to cefoxitin, 70% to amoxicillin/clavulanate and 70% to cefuroxime. Conclusion: Blood culture yield by Automated method was high. Staph aureus was the predominant pathogen and bacterial yield reduced with increasing age. Antibiotic sensitivity was variably reduced against gram negative bacteria.

Gemini Dressing with Both Super‑hydrophilicity and ‑hydrophobicity Pursuing Isolation of Blood Cells for Hemostasis and Wound Healing

Achieving efficient hemostasis and wound management is vital to preserve life and restore health in case of extensive hemor-rhagic skin damage.Here,we develop a filter pump-like hierarchical porous-structure(HPS)dressing based on a non-woven substrate,konjac glucomannan(KGM)aerogel,and bi-functional microporous starch(BMS).The KGM aerogel intercalates into the non-woven network structure,forming a hydrophilic frame to stimulate the plasma permeation toward the interior in synergy with the hydrophilic pores of the BMS.The BMS surface forms a hydrophobic matrix that fills the spaces of the KGM hydrophilic frame,contributing to the isolation and aggregation of blood cells on the surface of the HPS dressing to establish rapid hemostasis.Animal model experiments suggest reliable HPS dressing hemostatic capacity,as it is able to stop ear artery and liver bleeding within 97.6±15.2 s and 67.8±5.4 s,respectively.Furthermore,the dressings exhibit antibacterial properties and enabled wound healing within 2 weeks.In vitro hemolysis and cytotoxicity tests also confirm the biocompatibility of HPS dressings.This novel“two-in-one”hemostatic dressing facilitates tissue repair of bleeding wounds over the entire recovery period,thereby providing a convenient strategy for wound management.

Clinical Study of Western Medicine Combined with Chinese Medicine Based on Syndrome Differentiation in the Patients with Polarized Hypertension

Objective： To investigate the effects and safety of Western medicine combined with Chinese medicine （CM） based on syndrome differentiation in the treatment of elderly polarized hypertension （PHPT）, or isolated systolic hypertension with low diastolic blood pressure （DBP）. Methods： A total of 125 elderly patients with PHPT were randomly assigned to two groups： 59 in the control group treated by Western medicine and 66 in the intervention group treated by Western medicine combined with CM treatment. Based on syndrome differentiation, the patients in the intervention group were further divided into subgroups of yang-qi deficiency and yin-qi deficiency. All subjects were treated with Western medicine of Amlodipine Besylate Tablets and Irbesartan Tablets （or Irbesartan and Hydrochlorothiazide Tablets）, to decrease their systolic blood pressure （SBP） slowly to 125-135 mm Hg in 2-6 weeks. In the intervention group, Shiyiwei Shenqi Capsule （十一味参芪） was given additionally to the subgroup of yang-qi deficiency at the dosage of 3-5 capsules, thrice a day, while Dengzhan Shengmai Capsule （灯盏生脉胶囊） was given additionally to the subgroup of yin-qi deficiency at the dosage of 2 capsules, 2-3 times per day. For all subjects, SBP, pulse pressure （PP）, and DBP were measured before treatment and at the terminal of a 6-week treatment. For subjects in the intervention group, left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） was also recorded. Results： After a 6-week treatment, the SBP in the two groups and the PP in the intervention group decreased significantly compared to those before treatment （P〈0.05）, while the PP in the control group showed no significant difference between prior and post-treatment （P〉0.05）. After treatment, the DBP in the control group decreased （P〉0.05）, while the DBP and LVEF in the intervention group showed an increase tendency although it had no statistical significance （P〉0.05）. When subjects in the intervention group were classified further by the course of disease, the DBP and LVEF of subjects whose course of disease were less than 2 years, increased significantly after treatment （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： Western medicine combined with CM treatment based on syndrome differentiation was safer and more effective than Western medicine alone in the treatment of elderly PHPT, because it not only reduced SBP but also improved DBP, which might lower the incidence of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.