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International Journal of Pediatric... Jul 2021Arcanobacterium haemolyticum causes pharyngotonsillitis in children and young adults. It is rarely isolated in pharyngeal swabs as testing for it is not routine. Data on... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Arcanobacterium haemolyticum causes pharyngotonsillitis in children and young adults. It is rarely isolated in pharyngeal swabs as testing for it is not routine. Data on complications, management, and antibiotic susceptibility testing is limited. We sought to review the available literature on the presentation and management of A. haemolyticum pharyngotonsillitis in this age group.
METHODS
A systematic review of eligible studies reporting pharyngotonsillitis and related complications in children and young adults caused by A. haemolyticum was conducted. Literature from case reports, case series, and available cohorts was compiled. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
RESULTS
The initial database search yielded 63 articles, after applying exclusion criteria 17 studies were included. 191 patients were identified with a median age of 16.5 years. The most common presentation was throat pain reported in 93.7% of patients. Tonsillar exudates, fever at presentation and rash were present in more than half of the reviewed cases. The diagnosis was established by a positive culture on a pharyngeal swab in 98.8% of swabs collected. Complications described included peritonsillar abscesses, Lemierre's syndrome, pneumonia, and sepsis. Penicillin was the first line antibiotic in 81% of patients followed by macrolides in 19 patients (18%).
CONCLUSIONS
A. haemolyticum occurs in children and young adults and may result in complications. Our review supports its susceptibility to penicillin. We suggest a diagnostic and management algorithm to guide clinicians in targeted testing and aid with decision making regarding timely and appropriate antibiotic therapy, in an effort to reduce the burden of its complications.
Topics: Actinomycetales Infections; Adolescent; Algorithms; Arcanobacterium; Child; Humans; Pharyngitis; Young Adult
PubMed: 34038812
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2021.110759 -
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases Apr 2021Hepatic Actinomycosis (HA) is one of the infections that causes disorders in patients when diagnosed untimely and inappropriately. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Hepatic Actinomycosis (HA) is one of the infections that causes disorders in patients when diagnosed untimely and inappropriately.
METHODS
Case reports on HA in patients published between 2000 and April 2020 were gathered by carrying out a structured search through PubMed/Medline.
RESULTS
Through a survey of the Medline database, 130 studies were identified and then, 64 cases with HA were included in the final analysis. Asia had the largest share of cases with 37.5% (24 reports), followed by Europe and the Americas. Affected patients were predominantly males (64%) and the overall mortality rate was 1% with only one male patient in his 50 s dying. Nearly all patients (92%) were immunocompetent. However, in four patients, the use of immunosuppressive medication led to depression of the immune system. Most of the patients (80%) experienced complications. In terms of the complications, the most frequent ones were previous history of abdominal surgery (32%) and foreign bodies in the abdominopelvic region (20%). Actinomyces israelii was the most common pathogen isolated from patients. Abdominal pain (66%), fever (62%), weight loss (48%), night sweat, malaise, and anorexia (14%) over about 3.1 months were the most frequently reported clinical symptoms. Extension to one or more surrounding organs was evident in 18 patients (28%). Histopathologic examination confirmed infection in 67% of the patients and samples obtained from liver puncture biopsy (32%) were most frequently used in diagnosis. Surgery or puncture drainage + anti-infection was the most common method to treat patients and penicillin, Amoxicillin, Doxycycline, and ampicillin were the most frequently used drugs to control infection.
CONCLUSION
HA should be considered in patients with a subacute or chronic inflammatory process of the liver. With accurate and timely diagnosis of infection, extensive surgery can be prevented.
Topics: Actinomyces; Actinomycosis; Asia; Europe; Humans; Male
PubMed: 33931097
DOI: 10.1186/s13023-021-01821-5 -
ANZ Journal of Surgery Jul 2020Abdominal actinomycosis (AA) is a rare infection. The aim of this study was to summarize the evidence available on AA.
BACKGROUND
Abdominal actinomycosis (AA) is a rare infection. The aim of this study was to summarize the evidence available on AA.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted. Data sources included Trip Database, BIREME, SciELO, Cochrane Library, WoS, MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, IBECS and LILACS. Eligibility criteria included: studies related to surgically treated AA, in adult population, without language and sex restriction, published between 1966 and 2019. The following variables were analysed: publication year, age, sex, geographical origin, location of lesions, clinical manifestations, risk factors, species isolated and treatments used.
RESULTS
A total of 1505 studies were initially identified. After scrutinizing titles and abstracts, and checking duplications, 221 articles including 406 subjects with AA were included. All were case reports or series. Mean age of subjects was 49.2 years and 56.2% were female. The highest proportion of articles was published between 2015 and 2019 (18.7%). Publications were predominantly from the USA (12.2%). Structures usually involved were abdominal wall, colon and appendix. The most common presentation was abdominal mass (39.2%). In 42.1% of patients, an associated factor was found, highlighting intrauterine devices (14.3%). The microbiology studies highlighted Actinomyces israelli. Morbidity, recurrence and verified mortality were 18.2%, 1.0% and 2.2%, respectively. Penicillin was the most used antibiotic.
CONCLUSION
Evidence about AA is scarce and dispersed within a reduced range of articles and cases.
Topics: Abdominal Wall; Actinomyces; Actinomycosis; Adult; Female; Humans; Intrauterine Devices; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors
PubMed: 32729660
DOI: 10.1111/ans.16141 -
Journal of Chemotherapy (Florence,... Apr 2023Actinomycosis, is a slowly progressive infection that may mimic malignancy due to the invasiveness of tissues and the ability to form sinus tracts. Infective...
Actinomycosis, is a slowly progressive infection that may mimic malignancy due to the invasiveness of tissues and the ability to form sinus tracts. Infective Endocarditis (IE) is a rare disease with significant morbidity and mortality. Interestingly, even though there are scarce data of IE by spp. in the literature, a review adequately summarizing all available evidence on the topic in a systematic way is lacking. The aim of this study was to systematically review all cases of IE by spp. in the literature and describe the epidemiology, microbiology, clinical characteristics, treatment and outcomes of this infection. A systematic review of PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane library (through 19 August 2021) for studies providing epidemiological, clinical, microbiological as well as treatment data and outcomes of IE by spp. was performed. A total of 31 studies providing data for 31 patients were included. A prosthetic valve was present in 12.9%, while the most common microorganism was . Aortic valve was the most commonly infected intracardiac site, followed by the mitral valve. Diagnosis was most commonly performed with transesophageal echocardiography, while the diagnosis was made at autopsy in 16.1%. Penicillin, cephalosporins and aminopenicillins were the most commonly used antimicrobials. Clinical cure was noted in 80.6%, while mortality was 19.4%. Development of heart failure was associated with mortality by IE. This systematic review thoroughly describes IE by and provides information on epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatment and outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Actinomyces; Endocarditis, Bacterial; Endocarditis; Mitral Valve; Actinomycosis
PubMed: 35383546
DOI: 10.1080/1120009X.2022.2061182 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Apr 2020Mycetoma is considered a neglected tropical disease globally. However, data on its burden and the associated complications in Uganda are limited. Hence we aimed to...
Mycetoma is considered a neglected tropical disease globally. However, data on its burden and the associated complications in Uganda are limited. Hence we aimed to estimate its burden in Uganda. Firstly, a systematic PubMed search for all studies of any design on mycetoma in Uganda without restriction to the year of publication was conducted. A retrospective review of all the biopsy reports at the Pathology Reference Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda from January 1950 to September 2019 was conducted to identify any reports on mycetoma histological diagnosis. During the 70-years study period, 30 cases were identified by the literature review, with 249 additional cases identified by review of biopsy reports (total of 279 cases). The average incidence was estimated at 0.32/100,000 persons and prevalence of 8.32/100,000 persons per decade. However, there was a general decline in the number of cases detected recently. Males and the age group of 21-30 years were the most affected by mycetoma in Uganda, and only 7% of the cases were children. The highest number of cases was recorded from Kampala (n = 30) and Jinja (n = 19) districts. The majority of the cases (68%) were referred from surgical units. The foot was the most affected part of the body (72%). Ten per cent of the cases had bone involvement of which 58% required amputation. Fungi were the most common causative agents (89%) followed by Nocardia species (5%) and Actinomycetes (4%). The index of clinical suspicion of mycetoma was low (45%) with a very large differential diagnosis. Mycetoma is a relatively rare disease in Uganda, mostly caused by fungi, and there is a big gap in data and epidemiological studies. More systematic studies are warranted to define the true burden of mycetoma in Uganda.
Topics: Actinomycetaceae; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Child, Preschool; Cost of Illness; Female; Fungi; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Middle Aged; Mycetoma; Neglected Diseases; Nocardia; Prevalence; Sex Factors; Tropical Climate; Uganda; Young Adult
PubMed: 32348300
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008240 -
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics Mar 2020Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are widely used to treat acid-related disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, large observational studies have raised...
BACKGROUND
Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are widely used to treat acid-related disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, large observational studies have raised concerns about PPI-associated adverse events. In recent years, data from next-generation sequencing studies suggested that PPIs affect the composition of the intestinal microbiota, while a balanced gut microbiome is essential for maintaining health.
AIM
To review the available evidence from next-generation sequencing studies on the effect of PPIs on the intestinal microbiome and to discuss possible implications of PPI-induced dysbiosis in health and disease.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. A PubMed query yielded 197 results. 19 publications met the prespecified eligibility criteria.
RESULTS
Twelve observational study cohorts with 708 PPI users and 11 interventional cohorts with 180 PPI users were included in the review. In most studies, PPI treatment did not affect microbiological richness and diversity, but was associated with distinct taxonomic alterations: In the upper gastrointestinal tract, PPI users showed overgrowth of orally derived bacteria, mostly Streptococcaceae (findings based on six independent cohorts with 126 PPI users). In faecal samples, PPIs increased multiple taxa from the orders Bacillales (eg, Staphylococcaceae), Lactobacillales (eg, Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Streptococcaceae) and Actinomycetales (eg, Actinomycetaceae, Micrococcaceae), the families Pasteurellaceae and Enterobacteriaceae and the genus Veillonella. Taxa decreased by PPIs include Bifidobacteriaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae and Mollicutes (findings in faecal samples based on 19 independent cohorts with 790 PPI users).
CONCLUSION
PPI use is associated with moderate alterations to upper and distal gut microbiota. The available data suggest that PPI-induced hypochlorhydria facilitates colonization of more distal parts of the digestive tract by upper gastrointestinal microbiota.
Topics: Bacteria; Cohort Studies; DNA, Bacterial; Dysbiosis; Feces; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Gastrointestinal Tract; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; Observational Studies as Topic; Proton Pump Inhibitors; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 31990420
DOI: 10.1111/apt.15604 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Oct 2020Numerous studies relate differences in microbial communities to human health and disease; however, little is known about microbial changes that occur postmortem or the...
Numerous studies relate differences in microbial communities to human health and disease; however, little is known about microbial changes that occur postmortem or the possible applications of microbiome analysis in the field of forensic science. The aim of this review was to study the microbiome and its applications in forensic sciences and to determine the main lines of investigation that are emerging, as well as its possible contributions to the forensic field. A systematic review of the human microbiome in relation to forensic science was carried out by following PRISMA guidelines. This study sheds light on the role of microbiome research in the postmortem interval during the process of decomposition, identifying death caused by drowning or sudden death, locating the geographical location of death, establishing a connection between the human microbiome and personal items, sexual contact, and the identification of individuals. , , , and play an important role in determining the postmortem interval. can be used to determine the cause of death, and or can be used to ascertain personal identity or geographical location. Several studies point to a promising future for microbiome analysis in the different fields of forensic science, opening up an important new area of research.
Topics: Bacteria; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; Forensic Sciences; Humans; Microbiota
PubMed: 32887714
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01451-20 -
BMC Infectious Diseases Jan 2024Actinomyces turicensis is rarely responsible of clinically relevant infections in human. Infection is often misdiagnosed as malignancy, tuberculosis, or nocardiosis,...
BACKGROUND
Actinomyces turicensis is rarely responsible of clinically relevant infections in human. Infection is often misdiagnosed as malignancy, tuberculosis, or nocardiosis, therefore delaying the correct identification and treatment. Here we report a case of a 55-year-old immunocompetent adult with brain abscess caused by A. turicensis. A systematic review of A. turicensis infections was performed.
METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The databases MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Clinicaltrials.gov and Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technology in Health (CADTH) were searched for all relevant literature.
RESULTS
Search identified 47 eligible records, for a total of 67 patients. A. turicensis infection was most frequently reported in the anogenital area (n = 21), causing acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) including Fournier's gangrene (n = 12), pulmonary infections (n = 8), gynecological infections (n = 6), cervicofacial district infections (n = 5), intrabdominal or breast infections (n = 8), urinary tract infections (n = 3), vertebral column infections (n = 2) central nervous system infections (n = 2), endocarditis (n = 1). Infections were mostly presenting as abscesses (n = 36), with or without concomitant bacteremia (n = 7). Fever and local signs of inflammation were present in over 60% of the cases. Treatment usually involved surgical drainage followed by antibiotic therapy (n = 51). Antimicrobial treatments most frequently included amoxicillin (+clavulanate), ampicillin/sulbactam, metronidazole or cephalosporins. Eighty-nine percent of the patients underwent a full recovery. Two fatal cases were reported.
CONCLUSIONS
To the best of our knowledge, we hereby present the first case of a brain abscess caused by A. turicensis and P. mirabilis. Brain involvement by A. turicensis is rare and may result from hematogenous spread or by dissemination of a contiguous infection. The infection might be difficult to diagnose and therefore treatment may be delayed. Nevertheless, the pathogen is often readily treatable. Diagnosis of actinomycosis is challenging and requires prompt microbiological identification. Surgical excision and drainage and antibiotic treatment usually allow for full recovery.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Middle Aged; Actinomyces; Actinomycosis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Brain Abscess; Canada
PubMed: 38245682
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-08995-w