The morbidity and mortality of pulmonary infection are high among infectious diseases worldwide. Rapid and accurate etiological diagnosis is the key to timely and effective treatment. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology has brokenthrough the limitations of traditional pathogenic microorganism detection methods and improved the detection rate of pathogens. In this paper, the application and advantages of mNGS technology in the diagnosis of bacteria, fungi, viruses and mixed infections in the lungs are analyzed, and the challenges and breakthroughs in RNA detection, wall breaking of firmicutes and host DNA clearance are described, in order to achieve targeted and accurate etiological diagnosis through mNGS, so as to effectively treat pulmonary infections.
Objective To explore clinical effect of failure mode and effect analysis in improving the submission rate of pathogen examination in counterpart supported high-altitude county hospitals, and formulate practical measures and methods suitable for high-altitude county hospitals to improve the submission rate of pathogen examination. Methods Patients admitted to the People’s Hospital of Ganzi County between January and December 2024 were selected. The data of hospitalized patients between January and June 2024 were as the control group, and the data of hospitalized patients between July and December 2024 were as the intervention group. The study analyzed and compared the submission rate of pathogen testing and the pass rate of microbiological test specimens before antimicrobial treatment between the two groups. Results A total of 3 984 patients were included. Among them, there were 1 748 cases in the control group and 2 236 cases in the intervention group. A total of 10 risk factors and 2 high-risk points were identified. There were statistically significant differences in the submission rate of pathogen specimens before antibiotic treatment [36.21% (633/1 748) vs. 49.33% (1 103/2 236); χ2=68.646, P<0.001] and the qualified rate of microbiological test specimens [26.75% (122/456) vs. 36.45% (261/716); χ2=11.910, P=0.001] between the control group and the intervention group. Conclusions Failure mode and effect analysis can effectively find out the weak points in low pathogen examination submission rate in high-altitude county hospitals. According to the high-risk points to guide the formulation of relevant measures, the pathogen submission rate in the region can be effectively improved.
In recent years, with the wide application of metagenomics next-generation sequencing, more and more rare pathogens have been detected in our clinical work, including non-tuberculous Mycobacterium, Corynebacterium, Fusarium, Cryptococcus pneumoniae, human herpes virus, torque teno virus, parvovirus, Tropheryma whipplei, Bartonella, Chlamydia psittaci, etc. It is difficult to determine whether these rare pathogens are clinically significant and need treatment. This article puts forward some suggestions and discussions on the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary infections with some rare pathogens.
Objective To establish rabbit models of mixture-infectious endophthalmitis induced by exogenous Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Methods A total of 84 eyes of 42 New Zealand white albino rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups. There were 21 eyes in each group. Rabbit eyes in group 1, 2, 3 and 4 received an intravitreal injection of 0.1 ml of mix bacterium (2times;104 CFU/ ml, including 103 S. aureus and 103 E. coli), S. aureus (104 CFU/ ml), E. coli (104 CFU/ml), and sterilized saline respectively. The eyes were examined by slit-lamp microscopy, ophthalmoscopy, A/B scan, electroretinography (ERG) and bacterial culture of vitreous humors at the timepoints of 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours, and 4, 7, 10, 14 days after intravitreal injection. All eyeballs were then enucleated for histopathological examination. Results Various degrees of inflammatory reactions were presented in the 3 experimental groups after the injection, and the development trend of the disease was nearly the same. In group 1 active intraocular inflammation like anterior chamber exudates, started at 12 hours after injection (which was early than that in group 2 and 3), aggravated between 48 and 72 hours, alleviated slowly from 4 to 7 days, and was obviously better after 10 to 14 days while the corneal neovascularization and vitreous gray opacity begun to form. The bacterial culture was positive in group 1 (100％, 6 hours to 14 days after injection), group 2 (100%, 6 hours to 3 days after injection) and group 3 (100% from 6 hours to 7 days, and 67.67% at 14 days after injection). It was negative for group 2 (7 to 14 days after injection) and group 4 (6 hours to 14 days after injection). The amplitude of ERG b wave dissapeard in group 1 to 3, and decreased less than 30% in group 4 from the 48th hour after injection. Histopathological examination revealed that all intraocular structures infiltrated with inflammatory cells. Conclusion Complicated endophthalmitis rabbit models can be successfully established by intravitreal injection with S. aureus and E. coli.
Objective To analyze the characteristics of pathogens causing bloodstream infection (BSI) after cardiovascular surgery, and provide instructions for prevention and treatment of such kind of disease. Methods A retrospective investigation of clinical and pathogenic data of the patients suffering from BSI after cardiovascular surgery in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2015 to December 2016 was performed. There were 61 patients with 36 males and 25 females at average age of 48.2±17.1 years. A percentage of 65.6% (40/61) of the underlying diseases was rheumatic heart disease. Results Sixty-five strains were isolated from the blood culture specimens of the 61 patients. Gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and fungi isolates accounted for 56.9% (37/65), 35.4% (23/65), and 7.7% (5/65), respectively. Among these isolates, Streptococcus spp. was predominant (19/65, 29.2%), followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (8/65, 12.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (6/65, 9.2%), Acinetobacter calcoaceticus- A. baumannii (5/65, 7.7%) and Escherichia coli (5/65, 7.7%). The resistance rate of Streptococcus spp. to erythromycin and clindamycin was 73.4% (14/19) and 63.2% (12/19), while its resistance to cefepime, vancomycin or linezolid was not observed. Staphylococcus spp. showed the resistance rate of 71.4% (10/14) to oxacillin. All of A. calcoaceticus-A. baumannii isolates were multidrug resistant (5/5, 100.0%), and 80.0% (4/5) of them were resistant to imipenem. The isolates producing extended spectrum beta-lactamase accounted for 80.0% (4/5) of E. coli. Conclusion Streptococcus spp. was the common pathogen causing BSI after cardiovascular surgery. Staphylococcus spp. and gram-negative bacilli show high resistance.
Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the common degenerative joint diseases, which is more common in the middle-aged and elderly population. It shows significant gender differences, with a significantly higher incidence rate in women than in men, seriously affecting the quality of life of patients. However, there are few research reports on the correlation between gender differences and the incidence of KOA both domestically and internationally. Therefore, this article will summarize and analyze the potential causes of gender differences related to the incidence of KOA from five aspects: hormone levels, anatomical biomechanical characteristics, genes, obesity, and exercise-muscle factors. Through a comprehensive review of research progress, the aim is to provide a theoretical basis for gender based personalized treatment of KOA in clinical practice.
ObjectiveTo review the research progress on etiology and pathogenesis of spina bifida. MethodsBy consulting relevant domestic and foreign research literature on spina bifida, the classification, epidemic trend, pathogenesis, etiology, prevention and treatment of it were analyzed and summarized. ResultsSpina bifida, a common phenotype of neural tube defects, is classified based on the degree and pattern of malformation associated with neuroectodermal involvement and is due to the disturbance of neural tube closure 28 days before embryonic development. The prevalence of spina bifida varies greatly among different ethnic groups and regions, and its etiology is complex. Currently, some spina bifida patients can be prevented by folic acid supplements, and with the improvement of treatment technology, the short-term and long-term survival rate of children with spina bifida has improved. ConclusionThe research on the pathogenesis of spina bifida will be based on the refined individual information on exposure, genetics, and complex phenotype, and will provide a theoretical basis for improving prevention and treatment strategies through multidisciplinary cooperation.
ObjectiveTo investigate the incidence, pathogens, risk factors and clinical outcomes for ventilator- associated pneumonia (VAP) in children after tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) surgical correction, in order to offer reliable data for the prevention of VAP.MethodsThis was a retrospective study performed in Guangdong General Hospital and 181 children (121 males, 60 females, mean age of 11.2±10.4 months) undergoing surgical correction for TOF were included. ALL the children who received mechanical ventilation for 48 hours or longer between January 2013 and December 2017 were classified into a VAP group (n=44) and a non-VAP group (n=137). T test, χ2 test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to identify the possible risk factors for VAP.ResultsThis study enrolled 181 patients , of which 44 were diagnosed as VAP. And the incidence of VAP was 24.3%. The most frequent isolated pathogen was Gram-negative bacteria (69.7%). Single factor analysis showed that the variables significantly associated with a risk factor of VAP were: hypoxic spells, preoperative pneumonia, preoperative mechanical ventilation support, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, reintubation, pulmonary atelectasis, low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), intra-abdominal drainage and transfusion of fresh frozen plasma. The multiple logistic regression showed CPB time (OR=1.011), reintubation (OR=14.548), pulmonary atelectasis (OR=6.139) and LCOS (OR=3.054) were independent risk factors for VAP in children after TOF surgical correction. Patients with VAP had prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation, a longer ICU stay and longer hospitalization time.ConclusionsThe VAP rate in this population is higher than that reported abroad, which leads to prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation and a longer hospital stay. The effective measures for prevention of VAP should be taken according to the related risk factors for VAP to decrease the incidence of VAP in children after TOF surgical correction.
In recent years, pathogenic metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology has become more and more widely used in the field of clinical infection. Driven by clinical needs, mNGS technology is constantly being optimized and developed. From manual operation to automated process, from simple qualitative detection to quantitative monitoring, from infection identification to multi-dimensional diagnosis of “infection+tumor”, certain research results have been achieved. Of course, there are still some limitations in clinical application of this technology. For example, there are many mNGS detection related reagents in China, but a systematic and complete quality management control and evaluation system has not been established. Further research is needed. This article summarizes the development and application of pathogen metagenomic sequencing technology in recent years, as well as the standardization and normalized process of mNGS detection, in order to provide a reference for pathogen mNGS sequencing to better assist clinical infection diagnosis.
Objective To understand the current rate of nosocomial infection and its changing trend in a grade A comprehensive hospital in 10 years, and to provide scientific basis for the monitoring, control and management of nosocomial infection. Methods Using the method of cross-sectional survey, the inpatients in Mianyang Central Hospital from 2011 to 2020 were selected for bedside survey, and the questionnaire was filled in after review of medical records. The data of cross-sectional survey of nosocomial infection were collected, and the infection-related data of nosocomial and community-acquired infection of patients in each department were statistically analyzed. Results A total of 19 595 cases were investigated. The prevalence rate of nosocomial infection was 3.79%, and the the case prevalence rate of nosocomial infection was 4.04%. The prevalence of community-acquired infection was 33.44%, and the case prevalence rate of community-acquired infection was 35.30%. The departments with higher prevalence rate in nosocomial infection were intensive care unit, neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery and hematology. The departments with high prevalence rate in the community-acquired infection were burn department, pediatrics department, neonatology department, respiratory medicine department and pediatric intensive care unit. The most common site of nosocomial infection was lower respiratory tract infection, followed by upper respiratory tract sensation, urinary tract, abdominal tissue and blood. The main pathogens of nosocomial infections were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The utilization rate of antibacterial drugs was 42.93%. There was a downward trend in prophylactic drug use, mainly one drug combination, and the proportion of combination drug decreased.Conclusion Through the investigation, it can be seen that the key points of nosocomial infection management and prevention and control should be lower respiratory tract infection, postoperative surgical infection, multi-drug resistant bacteria management and rational use of antibiotics.