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Query: UMLS:C0014118 (endocarditis)
 15,629 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The mortality of non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae endocarditis is high (27%). One explanation could be tolerance to amoxicillin. The aim of this work was to evaluate in vivo the tolerance phenomenon, in a rabbit endocarditis experimental model. Two strains of non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae were compared: a tolerant one and a non-tolerant one. EACH ANIMAL WAS RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING GROUPS: no treatment, continuous infusion of amoxicillin simulating 200 mg/kg/24 h in humans, or fractionated infusion of amoxicillin simulating 66 mg/kg/8 h in humans. Surviving bacteria were counted in vegetations after one or three days of treatment. The 24 h fractionated amoxicillin infusion was more efficacious on the non-tolerant strain than on the tolerant strain. On the tolerant strain, 24 h amoxicillin was more efficacious as a continuous infusion than as a fractionated one.
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PMID:[In vivo activity of amoxicillin in a non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae rabbit endocarditis experimental model]. 1249 Apr 12

THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS MAY BE DRAWN, BASED UPON THE RESULT OF OUR RESEARCHES: 1. Organisms of the pneumococcus or streptococcus group are present in the lungs of practically all cases, whether normal or showing a variety of lesions; strictly speaking, they were found by us in forty out of forty-two cases, or in 95% of our series. 2. The pneumococci and the streptococci were obtained in practically similar percentages-that is, in 50 % of the cases. 3. Pneumococci were not obtained more frequently in the small series of patients exposed for some time to hospital atmosphere; our tables show the contrary to obtain. The number of cases examined were, however, insufficient, and the findings may thus be accidental, and hence of no value. 4. Test micro-organisms, namely, small portions-half a drachm or less-of B. prodigiosus, introduced into the human mouth after death, were conveyed to and recovered from the lungs by culture in a little over half of the cases in which this experiment was tried. The test micro-organisms are, we believe, conveyed to the lungs with the fluid which collects in mouths of persons after death, and which in many cases collects just before death. The numerous manipulations entailed in the removal of the body from the wards to the morgue greatly facilitate the entrance of any fluid from the pharynx and buccal cavity into the lungs. It follows logically, from the results obtained in this experiment, that the cultural findings after death are no guide to the bacterial contents of the lungs during life, and that any deductions made from such findings are unreliable and deceptive. Granted that our explanation be correct, there is every reason to believe that any of the micro-organisms present in the mouths and pharynx and in many cases in the stomach contents may enter the lungs and, if the conditions be suitable, increase in numbers, during the time between death and the examination of the lungs. There exists, perhaps, more frequently than has hitherto been suspected, a series of diplococci, intermediate between the typical pneumococci and streptococci. The diplococci of this type have been found in forty (40) per cent. of our cases. The differential diagnosis of these atypical diplococci from the pneumococci and streptococci is a difficult one, depending, as it does, upon general cultural characteristics. No single character, such as the presence of capsules or the fermentation of inulin, virulence, etc., has been found to be a certain criterion. The few agglutinative reactions we have made seem to show that these intermediate diplococci, those of Groups II, III, and IV, have no or only slight agglutinative affinities to the typical pneumococcus. Further tests must, however, be made with the various methods at our disposal before this statement can be accepted as final. These diplococci are of interest from the fact that they have been found in the blood during life, and in the pial exudate of cases of meningitis, endocarditis, etc. 6. Our studies have thrown no light whatever upon the conditions which determine the onset of lobar pneumonia in apparently healthy persons. Moreover, we have been unable to draw conclusions as to the presence of pneumococci in the lungs during life, or as to the channels by which they gain access thereto.
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PMID:A STUDY OF PNEUMOCOCCI AND ALLIED ORGANISMS IN HUMAN MOUTHS AND LUNGS AFTER DEATH. 1986 10

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY To describe epidemiological and clinical features of pyogenic spinal infections in patients treated at the Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Tropical Diseases of the Hospital Na Bulovce in 2010-2014, and to analyse a predictive significance of selected variables. MATERIAL AND METHODS A single-centre retrospective cohort study carried out from 1.1.2010 to 31.12.2014 enrolled adult patients with septic spondylitis, discitis and facet joint infections. Recorded parameters included: demographics, chronic comorbidities, time to diagnosis, radiological work-up, anatomical level of spinal infection, source of infection, etiological agent, complications, treatment and outcomes. RESULTS Fifty-four patients were enrolled, 35 men (65%) and 19 women (35%), age range 33-90, mean age 63 years. Forty patients (74.1%) had a chronic comorbidity, 20 patients (37%) were obese. Time to diagnosis ranged between 1-90 days, mean 16.3 days. The diagnosis was assessed with MRI in 41 (75.9%) and CT in 11 patients (20.4%). Lumbosacral spine was affected in 38 (70.4%), thoracic in 14 (25.5%), cervical in 8 patients (14.8%), and 6 patients (11.1%) had a multilevel disease. Epidural abscess developed in 28 (51.9%), paravertebral oedema or abscess in 41 patients (75.9%). Endocarditis was diagnosed in 8 patients (14.8%). Aetiology was identified in 45 patients (83.3%), with Staphylococcus aureus isolated in 29 patients (53.7%). Twenty-two patients (40.7%) were treated surgically in addition to antibiotics. The mean length of hospital stay, parenteral antibiotic treatment and total antibiotic treatment was 48.7, 38.2 and 71.5 days, respectively. Thirty-six patients (66.6%) recovered with no or mild sequelae, 7 (13%) with severe sequelae, and 11 patients (20.4%) died. None of the analysed variables proved to be a statistically significant predictive factor of clinical outcome. DISCUSSION In accordance with previous studies pyogenic spinal infections were diagnosed mainly in elderly with chronic internal comorbidities, mostly with magnetic resonance imaging, they were often localized in lumbar spine, with staphylococci being the leading agents. In spite of unavailable CT-navigated biopsy, the aetiology was discovered in majority of patients. In contrast, this study found a more frequent posterior segments involvement, a shorter time to treatment, no tuberculous cases, a relatively high case fatality ratio, but less sequelae and no relapse. CONCLUSIONS The study confirmed an increasing incidence of pyogenic spinal infections, known predisposing factors, importance of MRI in diagnostics, disease predilection in lumbar spine, staphylococcal predominance in causative pathogens, and a relatively high case fatality ratio. Although time to treatment was not proved to be a negative predictive factor of clinical outcome, it is an imperative to strive for an early diagnosis and treatment. Predictors of clinical outcome have to be evaluated in a more extensive cohort of patients. Key words: spinal infection, discitis, spondylitis, spondylodiscitis, epidural abscess, psoas muscle abscess.
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PMID:[Pyogenic Spinal Infections in Adults: A 5-Year Experience from a Tertiary Care Centre]. 2825 45