https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Index ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 Genomic epidemiology of severe community-onset Acinetobacter baumannii infection https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:35705 Acinetobacter baumannii causes severe, fulminant, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in tropical and subtropical regions. We compared the population structure, virulence and antimicrobial resistance determinants of northern Australian community-onset A. baumannii strains with local and global strains. We performed whole-genome sequencing on 55 clinical and five throat colonization A. baumannii isolates collected in northern Australia between 1994 and 2016. Clinical isolates included CAP (n=41), healthcare-associated pneumonia (n=7) and nosocomial bloodstream (n=7) isolates. We also included 93 publicly available international A. baumannii genome sequences in the analyses. Patients with A. baumannii CAP were almost all critically unwell; 82 % required intensive care unit admission and 18 % died during their inpatient stay. Whole-genome phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that community-onset strains were not phylogenetically distinct from nosocomial strains. Some non-multidrug-resistant local strains were closely related to multidrug-resistant strains from geographically distant locations. Pasteur sequence type (ST)10 was the dominant ST and accounted for 31/60 (52 %) northern Australian strains; the remainder belonged to a diverse range of STs. The most recent common ancestor for ST10 was estimated to have occurred in 1738 (95 % highest posterior density, 1626–1826), with evidence of multiple introduction events between Australia and Southeast Asia between then and the present day. Virulence genes associated with biofilm formation and the type 6 secretion system (T6SS) were absent in many strains, and were not associated with in-hospital mortality. All strains were susceptible to gentamicin and meropenem; none carried an AbaR resistance island. Our results suggest that international dissemination of A. baumannii is occurring in the community on a contemporary timescale. Genes associated with biofilm formation and the T6SS may not be required for survival in community niches. The relative contributions of host and bacterial factors to the clinical severity of community-onset A. baumannii infection require further investigation.]]> Wed 15 Dec 2021 16:09:07 AEDT ]]> Clinical effects and antivenom dosing in brown snake (Pseudonaja spp.) envenoming: Australian Snakebite Project (ASP-14) https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:14408 Wed 11 Apr 2018 14:19:05 AEST ]]> Death Adder envenoming causes neurotoxicity not reversed by antivenom - Australian Snakebite Project (ASP-16) https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:14862 Wed 11 Apr 2018 13:51:59 AEST ]]> Hot water immersion v icepacks for treating the pain of Chironex fleckeri stings: a randomised controlled trial https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:30917 Wed 11 Apr 2018 13:49:58 AEST ]]> Nocardiosis in the tropical Northern Territory of Australia, 1997-2014 https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:28622 Nocardia asteroides and Nocardia cyriacigeorgica (each 11%). Linezolid was the only antimicrobial to which isolates were universally susceptible; 89% (48 of 54), 60% (32 of 53), and 48% (26 of 54) of isolates were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ceftriaxone, and imipenem, respectively. Eighteen patients (30%) required intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and 1-year mortality was 31%. Conclusions: The incidence of nocardiosis in tropical Australia is amongst the highest reported globally. Nocardiosis occurs in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts, and it is associated with high rates of ICU admission, 1-year mortality, and resistance to commonly recommended antimicrobials. Diagnosis should be considered in patients with consistent clinical features, particularly if they are Indigenous or have chronic lung disease.]]> Wed 11 Apr 2018 12:43:54 AEST ]]> Whole-genome sequencing to differentiate relapse from reinfection in community-onset bacteremic Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:45198 Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia recurred in 3 of 30 (10%) patients followed prospectively, all with ongoing hazardous alcohol intake, 3-56 months after initial pneumonia. Paired isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis showed that recurrence strains were all distinct from preceding strains, indicating reinfection in susceptible individuals rather than relapse.]]> Tue 14 Nov 2023 14:44:58 AEDT ]]> A 16-Year prospective study of community-onset bacteremic acinetobacter pneumonia low mortality with appropriate initial empirical antibiotic protocols https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:18011 60%. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of all episodes of bacteremic, community-onset, and radiologically confirmed pneumonia due to Acinetobacter species at a tertiary referral hospital in tropical Australia from 1997 to 2012 following the introduction of routine empirical treatment protocols covering Acinetobacter. Demographic, clinical, microbiologic, and outcome data were collected. RESULTS: There were 41 episodes of bacteremic community-onset Acinetobacter pneumonia, of which 36 had no indicators suggesting health-care-associated infection. Of these, 38 (93%) were Indigenous Australians, one-half were men, the average age was 44.1 years, and 36 episodes (88%) occurred during the rainy season. All patients had at least one risk factor, with hazardous alcohol intake in 82%. Of the 37 isolates available for molecular speciation, 35 were Acinetobacter baumannii and two were Acinetobacter nosocomialis. All isolates were susceptible in vitro to gentamicin, meropenem, and ciprofloxacin, but only one was fully susceptible to ceftriaxone. ICU admission was required in 80%. All 41 patients received appropriate antibiotics within the first 24 h of admission, and 28- and 90-day mortality were both low at 11%. CONCLUSIONS: Community-acquired Acinetobacter pneumonia is a severe disease, with the majority of patients requiring ICU admission. Most patients have risk factors, particularly hazardous alcohol use. Despite this severity, correct initial empirical antibiotic therapy in all patients was associated with low mortality.]]> Sun 21 Jun 2015 17:37:28 AEST ]]> Changes in serial laboratory test results in snakebite patients: when can we safely exclude envenoming? https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:10953 1.2 (abnormal) on admission, and the remaining 28 had an INR > 1.2 within 12 hours of the bite. Of 33 patients with myotoxicity, a combination of CK > 250 U/L and an abnormal aPTT identified all but two cases by 12 hours; one of these two was identified within 12 hours by leukocytosis. Nine cases of isolated neurotoxicity had a median time of onset after the bite of 4 hours (range, 35 min - 12 h). The combination of serial INR, aPTT and CK tests and repeated neurological examination identified 213 of 222 severe envenoming cases (96%) by 6 hours and 238 of 240 (99%) by 12 hours. Conclusion: Laboratory parameters (INR, aPTT and CK) and neurological reassessments identified nearly all severe envenoming cases within 12 hours of the bite, even in this conservative analysis that assumed normal test results if the test was not done.]]> Sat 24 Mar 2018 08:14:15 AEDT ]]> Vancomycin dosing nomogram for haemodialysis patients (letter) https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:18576 Sat 24 Mar 2018 07:50:19 AEDT ]]> Snakebite-associated thrombotic microangiopathy: an Australian prospective cohort study [ASP30] https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:44777  25% decrease in platelets from the presentation. Patients with TMA were significantly older than non-TMA patients with VICC (53 [35–61] versus 41 [24–55] years, median [IQR], p < 0.0001). AKI developed in 94% (98/104) of TMA patients, with 34% (33/98) requiring dialysis (D-AKI). There were four deaths. In D-AKI TMA cases, eventual dialysis-free survival (DFS) was 97% (32/33). TPE was used in five D-AKI cases, with no significant difference in DFS or time to independence from dialysis. >90-day follow-up for 25 D-AKI cases (130 person-years) showed no end-stage kidney disease but 52% (13/25) had ≥ stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD). Conclusion: Our findings support a definition of snakebite-associated TMA as anemia with schistocytosis and either thrombocytopenia or >25% drop in platelet count. AKI occurring with snakebite-associated TMA varied in severity, with most achieving DFS, but with a risk of long-term CKD in half. We found no evidence of benefit for TPE in D-AKI.]]> Mon 24 Oct 2022 09:10:44 AEDT ]]> Snakebite associated thrombotic microangiopathy: a systematic review of clinical features, outcomes, and evidence for interventions including plasmapheresis https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:42371 Mon 22 Aug 2022 14:22:32 AEST ]]> Snakebite Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy and Recommendations for Clinical Practice https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:45353 1.0% schistocytes on blood film examination, together with absolute thrombocytopenia (<150 x 109 /L) or a relative decrease in platelet count of >25% from baseline. Patients are at risk of long-term chronic kidney disease and long term follow up is recommended.]]> Fri 28 Oct 2022 12:03:47 AEDT ]]> Schistocyte quantitation, thrombotic microangiopathy and acute kidney injury in Australian snakebite coagulopathy [ASP28] https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:49422 Fri 12 May 2023 15:09:20 AEST ]]>