Retrospective study of the incidence, risk factors, treatment outcomes of bacterial infections at uncommon sites in cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND Bacterial infections(BI)negatively affect the natural course of cirrhosis.The most frequent BI are urinary tract infections(UTI),pneumonia,and spontaneousbacterial peritonitis(SBP).AIM To assess the relevance of bacterial infections beyond the commonly recognized types in patients with cirrhosis and to investigate their relationship with other clinical variables.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed patients with cirrhosis and BI treated between 2015 and 2018 at our tertiary care center.BIs were classified as typical and atypical,and clinical as well as laboratory parameters were compared between the two groups.RESULTS In a cohort of 488 patients with cirrhosis,we identified 225 typical BI(95 UTI,73 SBP,72 pulmonary infections)and 74 atypical BIs,predominantly cholangitis and soft tissue infections(21 each),followed by intra-abdominal BIs(n=9),cholecystitis(n=6),head/throat BIs(n=6),osteoarticular BIs(n=5),and endocarditis(n=3).We did not observe differences concerning age,sex,or etiology of cirrhosis in patients with typical vs atypical BI.Atypical BIs were more common in patients with more advanced cirrhosis,as evidenced by Model of End Stage Liver Disease(15.1±7.4 vs 12.9±5.1;P=0.005)and Child-Pugh scores(8.6±2.5 vs 8.0±2;P=0.05).CONCLUSION Atypical BIs in cirrhosis patients exhibit a distinct spectrum and are associated with more advanced stages of the disease.Hence,the work-up of cirrhosis patients with suspected BI requires detailed work-up to elucidate whether typical BI can be identified.

Bacteriological Profile of Infections Encountered in a Pneumology Service in a Moderate-Income Country [Pneumology Department of CHU Cocody (Côte d’Ivoire)]

Introduction: Infections represent a real public health problem aggravating the morbidity and mortality of hospitalized patients. Methods: This was a retrospective study with descriptive purposes over a period of 05 years, in the Pneumology Department of the University Hospital of Cocody. Results: The average age in our population was 42 years. We observed a male predo- minance of 64.5%, with a sex ratio of 1.8. Medical history was dominated by HIV infection (23.5%), followed by tuberculosis (15.6%). Concerning lifestyle, smoking was found in 38% of cases. Symptoms progressed chronically in 80% of cases. An infectious syndrome was found in 75% of cases. Microbial culture was positive in 42% of cases. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae were encountered in 26.4% of cases each, followed by Echerichia coli in 10.4% of cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae in the first three years topped the list, but gradually. Pseudomonas aeruginosa maintained its leadership over the last three years. Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates expressed a resistance rate of 9.8% to ceftazidime and 8.1% to imipenem;to aztreonam (36%), ticarcillin (33.3%) and levofloxacin. These strains were susceptible to fosfomycin (100%), mero- penem (96.6%) and amikacin (96%). For isolated strains of Entero- bacteria- ceae, resistance was observed about ticarcillin (83.3%) and amoxicillin clavula- nic acid (71.2%). Streptococcaceae showed resistance to tetracycline (69.2%) and erythromycin (50%). Over the years there has been an increase in re- sistance to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid ceftriaxone. The death rate was 14%. Conclusion: The bacterial profile of infections is dominated by germs respon- sible for nosocomial infection with significant mortality.

Impact of multidrug resistance on the management of bacterial infections in cirrhosis

Patients with cirrhosis have an increased risk of infection and differently from other complications,that over the years are improving in their outcomes,infections in cirrhotic patients are still a major cause of hospitalization and death(up to 50%in-hospital mortality).Infections by multidrug-resistant organisms(MDRO)have become a major challenge in the management of cirrhotic patients with significant prognostic and cost-related impact.About one third of cirrhotic patients with bacterial infections is infected with MDR bacteria and their prevalence has increased in recent years.MDR infections have a worse prognosis compared to infections by non-resistant bacteria because they are associated with lower rate of infection resolution.An adequate management of cirrhotic patients with infections caused by MDR bacteria depends on the knowledge of some epidemiological aspects,such as the type of infection(spontaneous bacterial peritonitis,pneumonia,urinary tract infection and spontaneous bacteremia),bacteriological profile of antibiotic resistance at each health care unit and site of infection acquisition(community acquired,healthcare associated or nosocomial).Furthermore,regional variations in the prevalence of MDR infections determine that the choice of empirical antibiotic therapy must be adapted to the local microbiological epidemiology.Antibiotic treatment is the most effective measure to treat infections caused by MDRO.Therefore,optimizing antibiotic prescribing is critical to effectively treat these infections.Identification of risk factors for multidrug resistance is essential to define the best antibiotic treatment strategy in each case and the choice of an effective empirical antibiotic therapy and its early administration is cardinal to reduce mortality.On the other hand,the supply of new agents to treat these infections is very limited.Thus,specific protocols that include preventive measures must be implemented in order to limit the negative impact of this severe complication in cirrhotic patients.

High mortality associated with gram-negative bacterial bloodstream infection in liver transplant recipients undergoing immunosuppression reduction

BACKGROUND Immunosuppression is an important factor in the incidence of infections in transplant recipient.Few studies are available on the management of immunosuppression(IS)treatment in the liver transplant(LT)recipients complicated with infection.The aim of this study is to describe our experience in the management of IS treatment during bacterial bloodstream infection(BSI)in LT recipients and assess the effect of temporary IS withdrawal on 30 d mortality of recipients presenting with severe infection.AIM To assess the effect of temporary IS withdrawal on 30 d mortality of LT recipients presenting with severe infection.METHODS A retrospective study was conducted with patients diagnosed with BSI after LT in the Department of Liver Surgery,Renji Hospital from January 1,2016 through December 31,2017.All recipients diagnosed with BSI after LT were included.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis of risk factors for 30 d mortality was conducted in the LT recipients with Gram-negative bacterial(GNB)infection.RESULTS Seventy-four episodes of BSI were identified in 70 LT recipients,including 45 episodes of Gram-positive bacterial(GPB)infections in 42 patients and 29 episodes of GNB infections in 28 patients.Overall,IS reduction(at least 50%dose reduction or cessation of one or more immunosuppressive agent)was made in 28(41.2%)cases,specifically,in 5(11.9%)cases with GPB infections and 23(82.1%)cases with GNB infections.The 180 d all-cause mortality rate was 18.5%(13/70).The mortality rate in GNB group(39.3%,11/28)was significantly higher than that in GPB group(4.8%,2/42)(P=0.001).All the deaths in GNB group were attributed to worsening infection secondary to IS withdrawal,but the deaths in GPB group were all due to graft-versus-host disease.GNB group was associated with significantly higher incidence of intra-abdominal infection,IS reduction,and complete IS withdrawal than GPB group(P<0.05).Cox regression showed that rejection(adjusted hazard ratio 7.021,P=0.001)and complete IS withdrawal(adjusted hazard ratio 12.65,P=0.019)were independent risk factors for 30 d mortality in patients with GNB infections after LT.CONCLUSION IS reduction is more frequently associated with GNB infection than GPB infection in LT recipients.Complete IS withdrawal should be cautious due to increased risk of mortality in LT recipients complicated with BSI.

Association between infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria and mortality in critically ill patients

The incidence of gram-negative multidrug-resistant(MDR) bacterial pathogens is increasing in hospitals and particularly in the intensive care unit(ICU) setting. The clinical consequences of infections caused by MDR pathogens remain controversial. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available data concerning the impact of these infections on mortality in ICU patients. Twenty-four studies, conducted exclusively in ICU patients, were identified through Pub Med search over the years 2000-2015. Bloodstream infection was the only infection examined in eight studies, respiratory infections in four and variable infections in others. Comparative data on the appropriateness of empirical antibiotic treatment were provided by only seven studies. In ten studies the presence of antimicrobial resistance was not associated with increased mortality; on the contrary, in other studies a significant impact of antibiotic resistance on mortality was found, though, sometimes, mediated by inappropriate antimicrobial treatment. Therefore, a direct association between infections due to gram-negative MDR bacteria and mortality in ICU patients cannot be confirmed. Sample size, presence of multiple confounders and other methodological issues may influence the results. These data support the need for further studies to elucidate the real impact of infections caused by resistant bacteria in ICU patients.

Rice Bacterial Infection Detection Using Ensemble Technique on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Images

Establishing a system for measuring plant health and bacterial infection is critical in agriculture.Previously,the farmers themselves,who observed them with their eyes and relied on their experience in analysis,which could have been incorrect.Plant inspection can determine which plants reflect the quantity of green light and near-infrared using infrared light,both visible and eye using a drone.The goal of this study was to create algorithms for assessing bacterial infections in rice using images from unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)with an ensemble classification technique.Convolution neural networks in unmanned aerial vehi-cles image were used.To convey this interest,the rice’s health and bacterial infec-tion inside the photo were detected.The project entailed using pictures to identify bacterial illnesses in rice.The shape and distinct characteristics of each infection were observed.Rice symptoms were defined using machine learning and image processing techniques.Two steps of a convolution neural network based on an image from a UAV were used in this study to determine whether this area will be affected by bacteria.The proposed algorithms can be utilized to classify the types of rice deceases with an accuracy rate of 89.84 percent.

Diagnosis and management of bacterial infections in decompensated cirrhosis

Bacterial infections are one of the most frequent complications in cirrhosis and result in high mortality rates.Patients with cirrhosis have altered and impaired immunity,which favours bacterial translocation.Episodes of infections are more frequent in patients with decompensated cirrhosis than those with compensated liver disease.The most common and life-threatening infection in cirrhosis is spontaneous bacterial peritonitis followed by urinary tract infections,pneumonia,endocarditis and skin and soft-tissue infections.Patients with decompensated cirrhosis have increased risk of developing sepsis,multiple organ failure and death.Risk factors associated with the development of infections are severe liver failure,variceal bleeding,low ascitic protein level and prior episodes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP).The prognosis of these patients is closely related to a prompt and accurate diagnosis.An appropriate treatment decreases the mortality rates.Preventive strategies are the mainstay of the management of these patients.Empirical antibiotics should be started immediately following the diagnosis of SBP and the first-line antibiotic treatment is third-generation cephalosporins.However,the efficacy of currently recommended empirical antibiotic therapy is very low in nosocomial infections including SBP,compared to community-acquired episodes.This may be associated with the emergence of infections caused by Enterococcus faecium and extended-spectrum β-lactamaseproducing Enterobacteriaceae,which are resistant to the first line antimicrobial agents used for treatment.The emergence of resistant bacteria,underlines the need to restrict the use of prophylactic antibiotics to patients with the greatest risk of infections.Nosocomial infections should be treated with wide spectrum antibiotics.Further studies of early diagnosis,prevention and treatment are needed to improve the outcomes in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Management of bacterial and fungal infections in end stage liver disease and liver transplantation: Current options and future directions

Patients with liver cirrhosis are susceptible to infections due to various mechanisms, including abnormalities of humoral and cell-mediated immunity and occurrence of bacterial translocation from the intestine. Bacterial infections are common and represent a reason for progression to liver failure and increased mortality. Fungal infections, mainly caused by Candida spp., are often associated to delayed diagnosis and high mortality rates. High level of suspicion along with prompt diagnosis and treatment of infections are warranted. Bacterial and fungal infections negatively affect the outcomes of liver transplant candidates and recipients, causing disease progression among patients on the waiting list and increasing mortality, especially in the early posttransplant period. Abdominal, biliary tract, and bloodstream infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria [e.g., Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P. aeruginosa)] and Staphylococcus spp. are commonly encountered in liver transplant recipients. Due to frequent exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics, invasive procedures, and prolonged hospitalizations, these patients are especially at risk of developing infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria. The increase in antimicrobial resistance hampers the choice of an adequate empiric therapy and warrants the knowledge of the local microbial epidemiology and the implementation of infection control measures. The main characteristics and the management of bacterial and fungal infections in patients with liver cirrhosis and liver transplant recipients are presented.

Selective intestinal decontamination for the prevention of early bacterial infections after liver transplantation

Bacterial infection in the first month after liver transplantation is a frequent complication that poses a serious risk for liver transplant recipients as contributes substantially to increased length of hospitalization and hospital costs being a leading cause of death in this period. Most of these infections are caused by gramnegative bacilli, although gram-positive infections, especially Enterococcus sp. constitute an emerging infectious problem. This high rate of early postoperative infections after liver transplant has generated interest in exploring various prophylactic approaches to surmount this problem. One of these approaches is selective intestinal decontamination(SID). SID is a prophylactic strategy that consists of the administration of antimicrobials with limited anaerobicidal activity in order to reduce the burden of aerobic gram-negative bacteria and/or yeast in the intestinal tract and so prevent infections caused by these organisms. The majority of studies carried out to date have found SID to be effective in the reduction of gram-negative infection, but the effect on overall infection is limited due to a higher number of infection episodes by pathogenic enterococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci. However, difficulties in general extrapolation of the favorable results obtained in specific studies together with the potential risk of selection of multirresistant microorganisms has conditioned controversy about the routinely application of these strategies in liver transplant recipients.

Multidrug-resistant bacterial infections after liver transplantation: An ever-growing challenge

Bacterial infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among solid organ transplant recipients.Over the last two decades,various multidrug-resistant(MDR)pathogens have emerged as relevant causes of infection in this population.Although this fact reflects the spread of MDR pathogens in health care facilities worldwide,several factors relating to the care of transplant donor candidates and recipients render these patients particularly prone to the acquisition of MDR bacteria and increase the likelihood of MDR infectious outbreaks in transplant units.The awareness of this high vulnerability of transplant recipients to infection leads to the more frequent use of broad-spectrum empiric antibiotic therapy,which further contributes to the selection of drug resistance.This vicious cycle is difficult to avoid and leads to a scenario of increased complexity and narrowed therapeutic options.Infection by MDR pathogens is more frequently associated with a failure to start appropriate empiric antimicrobial ther-apy.The lack of appropriate treatment may contribute to the high mortality occurring in transplant recipients with MDR infections.Furthermore,high therapeutic failure rates have been observed in patients infected with extensively-resistant pathogens,such as carbapenemresistant Enterobacteriaceae,for which optimal treatment remains undefined.In such a context,the careful implementation of preventive strategies is of utmost importance to minimize the negative impact that MDR infections may have on the outcome of liver transplant recipients.This article reviews the current literature regarding the incidence and outcome of MDR infections in liver transplant recipients,and summarizes current preventive and therapeutic recommendations.

Strategies for combating bacterial biofilm infections

Formation of biofilm is a survival strategy for bacteria and fungi to adapt to their living environment, especially in the hostile environment. Under the protection of biofilm, microbial cells in biofilm become tolerant and resistant to antibiotics and the immune responses, which increases the difficulties for the clinical treatment of biofilm infections. Clinical and laboratory investigations demonstrated a perspicuous correlation between biofilm infection and medical foreign bodies or indwelling devices. Clinical observations and experimental studies indicated clearly that antibiotic treatment alone is in most cases insufficient to eradicate biofilm infections. Therefore, to effectively treat biofilm infections with currently available antibiotics and evaluate the outcomes become important and urgent for clinicians. The review summarizes the latest progress in treatment of clinical biofilm infections and scientific investigations, discusses the diagnosis and treatment of different biofilm infections and introduces the promising laboratory progress, which may contribute to prevention or cure of biofilm infections. We conclude that, an efficient treatment of biofilm infections needs a well-established multidisciplinary collaboration, which includes removal of the infected foreign bodies, selection of biofilm-active, sensitive and well-penetrating antibiotics, systemic or topical antibiotic administration in high dosage and combinations, and administration of anti-quorum sensing or biofilm dispersal agents.

Bacterial infections other than spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis

Cirrhotic patients are immunocompromised with a high risk of infection.Proinflammatory cytokines and hemodynamic circulation derangement further facilitate the development of serious consequences of infections.Other than spontaneous bacterial peritonitis,bacteremia and bacterial infections of other organ systems are frequently observed.Gram-negative enteric bacteria are the most common causative organism.Other bacterial infections,such as enterococci,Vibrio spp.,Aeromonas spp.,Clostridium spp.,Listeria monocytogenes,Plesiomonas shigelloides and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are more prevalent and more virulent.Generally,intravenous third generation cephalosporins are recommended as empirical antibiotic therapy.Increased incidences of gram-positive and drug-resistant organisms have been reported,particularly in hospitalacquired infections and in patients receiving quinolones prophylaxis.This review focuses upon epidemiology,microbiology,clinical features and treatment of infections in cirrhosis other than spontaneous bacterial peritonitis,including pathogen-specific and liver diseasespecific issues.

Clinical characteristics and 28-d outcomes of bacterial infections in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF),which includes hepatic and multiple extrahepatic organ failure,is a severe emergency condition that has high mortality.ACLF can rapidly progress and requires an urgent assessment of condition and referral for liver transplantation.Bacterial infections(BIs)trigger ACLF and play pivotal roles in the deterioration of clinical course.AIM To investigate the clinical characteristics and 28-d outcomes of first BIs either at admission or during hospitalization in patients with hepatitis B virus(HBV)-ACLF as defined by the Chinese Group on the Study of Severe Hepatitis B(COSSH).METHODS A total of 159 patients with HBV-ACLF and 40 patients with acute decompensation of HBV-related chronic liver disease combined with first BIs were selected for a retrospective analysis between October 2014 and March 2016.The characteristics of BIs,the 28-d transplant-free survival rates,and the independent predictors of the 28-d outcomes were evaluated.RESULTS A total of 194 episodes of BIs occurred in 159 patients with HBV-ACLF.Among the episodes,13.4%were community-acquired,46.4%were healthcare-associated,and 40.2%belonged to nosocomial BIs.Pneumonia(40.7%),spontaneous bacterial peritonitis(SBP)(34.5%),and bloodstream infection(BSI)(13.4%)were the most prevalent.As the ACLF grade increased,the incidence of SBP showed a downward trend(P=0.021).Sixty-one strains of bacteria,including 83.6%Gramnegative bacteria and 29.5%multidrug-resistant organisms,were cultivated from 50 patients with ACLF.Escherichia coli(44.3%)and Klebsiella pneumoniae(23.0%)were the most common bacteria.As the ACLF grade increased,the 28-d transplant-free survival rates showed a downward trend(ACLF-1,55.7%;ACLF-2,29.3%;ACLF-3,5.4%;P<0.001).The independent predictors of the 28-d outcomes of patients with HBV-ACLF were COSSH-ACLF score(hazard ratio[HR]=1.371),acute kidney injury(HR=2.187),BSI(HR=2.339),prothrombin activity(HR=0.967),and invasive catheterization(HR=2.173).CONCLUSION For patients with HBV-ACLF combined with first BIs,pneumonia is the most common form,and the incidence of SBP decreases with increasing ACLF grade.COSSH-ACLF score,acute kidney injury,BSI,prothrombin activity,and invasive catheterization are the independent predictors of 28-d outcomes.

Toll-like receptor 4 polymorphisms and bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis and ascites

AIM To assess the relationship between the presence of toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) polymorphisms and bacterial infections in cirrhotic patients with ascites. METHODS We prospectively included consecutive patients with cirrhosis and ascites hospitalized during a 6-year period. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) infection or any other immunodeficiency, patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(beyond Milan's criteria) or any other condition determining poor short-term prognosis, and patients with a permanent urinary catheter were excluded. The presence of D299 G and/or T399 I TLR4 polymorphisms was determined by sequencing and related to the incidence and probability of bacterial infections, other complications of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and mortality during follow-up. A multivariate analysis to identify predictive variables of mortality in the whole series was performed. RESULTS We included 258 patients: 28(10.8%) were carriers of D299G and/or T399I TLR4 polymorphisms(polymorphism group) and 230 patients were not(wildtype group). The probability of developing any bacterial infection at one-year follow-up was 78% in the polymorphism group and 69% in the wild-type group(P = 0.54). The one-year probability of presenting infections caused by gram-negative bacilli(51% vs 44%, P = 0.68), infections caused by gram-positive cocci(49% vs 40%, P = 0.53), and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis(29% vs 34%, respectively, P = 0.99) did not differ between the two groups. The oneyear probability of transplant-free survival was 55% in the polymorphism group and 66% in the wild-type group(P = 0.15). Multivariate analysis confirmed that age, Child-Pugh score, active alcohol intake, previous hepatic encephalopathy, hepatocellular carcinoma and serum creatinine were associated with a higher risk of death during follow-up. CONCLUSION Genetic polymorphisms D299 G and/or T399 I of TLR4 do not seem to play a relevant role in the predisposition of cirrhotic patients with ascites to bacterial infections.

New determinants of prognosis in bacterial infections in cirrhosis

Despite major advances in the knowledge and management of liver diseases achieved in recent decades,decompensation of cirrhosis still carries a high burden of morbidity and mortality.Bacterial infections are one of the main causes of decompensation.It is very important for clinical management to be aware of the population with the highest risk of poor outcome.This review deals with the new determinants of prognosis in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections reported recently.Emergence of multiresistant bacteria has led to an increasing failure rate of the standard empirical antibiotic therapy recommended by international guidelines.Moreover,it has been recently reported that endothelial dysfunction is associated with the degree of liver dysfunction and,in infected patients,with the degree of sepsis.It has also been reported that relative adrenal insufficiency is frequent in the non-critically ill cirrhotic population and it is associated with a higher risk of developing infection,severe sepsis,hepatorenal syndrome and death.We advise a change in the standard empirical antibiotic therapy in patients with high risk for multiresistant infections and also to take into account endothelial and adrenal dysfunction in prognostic models in hospitalized patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Increasing secondary bacterial infections with Enterobacteriaceae harboring bla_(CTX-M-15) and bla_(CMY-6) in patients with bronchogenic carcinoma:an emerging point of concern

Objective:To look for secondary bacterial infections in bronchogenic carcinoma（BCA） with resistant organisms harboring bla genes considering the paucity of relevant studies.Methods: A total of 137 confirmed cases of BCA and 34 healthy volunteers were studied for the occurrence and prevalence of blaCTX-M and and blaAmpC harboring-enterobacteriaceae.A subset of these patients（n=69） was previously reported for the secondary infection with the Aspergillus species. Bronchoalveolar lavages（BAL） were subjected for bacterial and fungal cultures and the bacterial isolates were screened by multiplex PCRs for the presence of blaCTX-M and blaAmpC.The isolates were also screened for the association of insertion sequence（IS26） by PCR and characterized by RAPD for any clonal relatedness.Results:A total of 143 bacterial isolates were obtained from 137 BAL specimens of BC,patients.The Enterobacteriaceae-isolates were multidrug-resistant showing concomitant resistance to fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides.Both blaCTX-M and blaAmpC of CIT family were detected in 77.4%and 27.4%isolates,respectively.Sequencing revealed the presence of blaCTX-M-15 and blaCMY-6.Twenty one percent of the isolates were simultaneously harboring blaampC and blaCTX-M-15.IS26 PCR and RAPD typing revealed the presence of diverse bacterial population but no predominant clone was identified.The present study also suggests strong association of aspergillosis with lung cancer and further strengthens the potential use of non-validated serological tests suggested earlier.Conclusions:We emphasize that all patients of bronchogenic carcinoma should also be screened for secondary bacterial infections,along with secondary fungal infections,so as to introduce early and specific antimicrobial therapy and to prevent unwanted deaths.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of the Bacterial Isolates in Post-Operative Wound Infections in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal

Unrestrained anti-microbial resistance (AMR) among bacterial pathogens has made the management and treatment of post-operative wound infections difficult. This study assessed the current AMR patterns of bacterial isolates in post-operative wound infections in a tertiary care hospital in Kathmandu,Nepal. Pus swabs collected from post-operative wound infections and submitted for culture and sensitivity were included in this study. Isolation and identification of the organism was done by standard microbiological methods. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method and result was interpreted as per National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) guide lines. Of the 120 pus swabs processed for culture, 96 showed bacterial growth. Staphylococcus aureus 36 (37.5%) was the predominant gram positive isolate and Escherichia coli 24 (25%) was the major gram negative isolate .The infection was most prevalent in the age group 20-40 years. All S. aureus isolates were sensitive to aminoglycosides and vancomycin. Out of 36 S. aureus, 15 (41.66%) isolates were methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Staphylococcus epidermidis showed high resistance (50%-100%) to all antibiotics but were sensitive to vancomycin. All gram negative isolates showed high resistance against cephalexin (75%-100%) and ceftriaxone (25%-100%). Overall multi-drug resistant isolates were 66.7%. A high level of AMR was observed in gram negative bacterial isolates. Rational use of antibiotics and a regular monitoring of AMR patterns in post-operative wound infections are essential and mandatory to avert further emergence and spread of anti-microbial resistance among bacterial pathogens.

Risk factors and outcome of bacterial infections in cirrhosis

Viable and non-viable pathological bacterial translocation promote a self-perpetuating circle of dysfunctional immune activation and systemic inflammation facilitating infections and organ failure in advanced cirrhosis.Bacterial infections and sepsis are now recognized as a distinct stage in the natural progression of chronic liver disease as they accelerate organ failure and contribute to the high mortality observed in decompensated cirrhosis.The increasing knowledge of structural,immunological and hemodynamic pathophysiology in advanced cirrhosis has not yet translated into significantly improved outcomes of bacterial infections over the last decades.Therefore,early identification of patients at the highest risk for developing infections and infectionrelated complications is required to tailor the currently available measures of surveillance,prophylaxis and therapy to the patients in need in order to improve the detrimental outcome of bacterial infections in cirrhosis.

Multiresistant bacterial infections in liver cirrhosis: Clinical impact and new empirical antibiotic treatment policies

Recently, important changes have been reported regarding the epidemiology of bacterial infections in liver cirrhosis. There is an emergence of multiresistant bacteria in many European countries and also worldwide, including the United States and South Korea. The classic empirical antibiotic treatment(third-generation cephalosporins, e.g., ceftriaxone, cefotaxime or amoxicillin-clavulanic acid) is still effective in infections acquired in the community, but its failure rate in hospital acquired infections and in some health-care associated infections is high enough to ban its use in these settings. The current editorial focuses on the different epidemiology of bacterial infections in cirrhosis across countries and on its therapeutic implications.

Update and actual trends on bacterial infections following liver transplantation

Recent advances in effective antimicrobial prophylactic strategies have led to a decline in the incidence of opportunistic infections in liver transplant recipients. However, morbidity and mortality due to infectious diseases remain as major problems. Bacterial infections occurring early after transplant are mainly related to the technical aspects of the procedure. By contrast, after the first postoperative days and beyond, the nature and variety of infectious complications change. Opportunistic bacterial infections are uncommon after 6 mo in patients receiving stable and reduced maintenance doses of immunosuppression with good graft function and little is documented about these cases in the literature. Transplant recipients may be more susceptible to some pathogens, such as the Nocardia species, Legionella species, Listeria monocytogenes , Mycoplasma species, Salmonella species or Rhodococcus equi. Respiratory infections due to capsulated bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus inf uenza, can be life- threatening if not promptly treated in this population. These late bacterial infections may be very diffi cult to recognize and treat in this population. In this article, we review what has been described in the literature with regards to late bacterial infections following liver transplantation.