Surgical blades as bacteria dissemination vehicles in dogs undergoing surgery – a pilot study

Surgical site infections (SSI) are post-surgical incisional infections in superficial or deep tissues, including organs. Due to their importance in veterinary medicine, the role of surgical blades in bacterial dissemination to internal tissues of dogs undergoing surgery was evaluated. A total of 46 dogs presented for orthopedic or soft tissue surgery in different anatomical regions were included in this study. From each animal two swab samples were collected, from the skin post-asepsis and from the scalpel blade after skin incision, for bacterial growth evaluation in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) agar and detection of methicillin-resistant species. Results showed that 30.4% (14/46) and 28.3% (13/46) of the post-asepsis and blade samples originated positive bacterial cultures in BHI agar, respectively. However, only 10.8% (5/46) of the positive blade samples also corresponded to a positive post-asepsis sample. Nevertheless, all samples were negative for methicillin-resistant bacteria. Although no dog has developed SSI, the present report showed that the scalpel blade may act as a dissemination vehicle of potential bacterial pathogens to superficial or internal tissues of dogs undergoing surgery, potentially leading to SSI development. Therefore, it is recommended to use a single blade for skin incision and a new blade for the remaining surgical approach, reducing the potential of bacteria dissemination into deeper tissues by the first skin incision blade.

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Emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria isolated from surgical site infection in dogs and cats

Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia ◽

10.1590/1678-4162-10978 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 72 (4) ◽

pp. 1213-1220

Author(s):

C.M.M. Corsini ◽

V.O. Silva ◽

O.V. Carvalho ◽

R.V. Sepúlveda ◽

F.L. Valente ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Prophylaxis ◽

Surgical Site Infections ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Gram Negative Bacteria ◽

Multidrug Resistant Bacteria ◽

Methicillin Resistant ◽

Amoxicillin Clavulanic Acid ◽

Veterinary Hospital ◽

Surgical Clinic

ABSTRACT Surgical site infections (SSIs) and antimicrobial resistance among pathogens causing SSI are a growing concern in veterinary hospitals. One major reason, the widespread use of antimicrobials, has led to increased incidence of SSIs. This study identified bacteria and resistance profiles to antimicrobials in the SSI cases diagnosed at the Surgical Clinic of Small Animals in the Veterinary Hospital, Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil. The main genus identified was Staphylococcus, followed by Escherichia, Enterococcus, Bacillus, Shigella, Citrobacter, Proteus, Morganella, Serratia, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella were also found, but in small number. The results indicated the predominance of Gram-negative bacteria among the collected samples. Most of isolates identified were resistant to more than one of the following antimicrobials: ampicillin, tetracycline, enrofloxacin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and cephalotin. Of the 17 Staphylococcus sp. isolates, two (11.8%) were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 11 (64.7%) of them were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP). There were bacterial genera identified with resistance to all tested antimicrobials in different proportions. This should alert veterinary hospitals to the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria and to the requirement for the revision of surgical protocols with regard to antimicrobial prophylaxis and therapy.

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Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Elective Surgical Patients at a Public Teaching Hospital: An Analysis of 1039 Patients

The American Surgeon ◽

10.1177/000313481207801019 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 78 (10) ◽

pp. 1096-1099 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jesse Manunga ◽

Jemi Olak ◽

Carmen Rivera ◽

Maureen Martin

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Elective Surgery ◽

Surgical Site Infections ◽

Surgical Patients ◽

Oral Swab ◽

Methicillin Resistant ◽

Mrsa Infection ◽

The Cost

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an increasingly common cause of postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs). It is unclear, however, whether asymptomatic colonization or nosocomial acquisition of MRSA results in postoperative SSI. We conducted a retrospective review of patients screened for MRSA between May 2008 and October 2010 at our institution. End points included rates of MRSA infection, SSI, and the cost of routine MRSA screening of patients undergoing elective surgery. Of the 1039 patients screened preoperatively, 48 (4.6%) tested positive for MRSA by nasal or oral swab, whereas 991 (95.4%) tested negative. Forty-five (93.8%) MRSA-positive patients received vancomycin or linezolid and three (6.25%) received cefazolin peri-operatively. Three (6.25%) MRSA-positive patients developed postoperative SSIs. Two required rehospitalization for intravenous antimicrobials, whereas a third patient required removal of infected abdominal mesh. Twenty (2.02%) MRSA-negative patients and four (5.26%) unscreened patients developed non-MRSA SSIs. Regardless of MRSA status, none of 609 patients who had a laparoscopic procedure or inguinal hernia repair developed SSI. Twenty-two patients needed to be screened to obtain one positive test. The role of MRSA screening and longer perioperative coverage for MRSA-positive patients undergoing complex elective procedures remains to be determined.

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The Role of Mitochondria in the Genesis of Neuroaxonal Dystrophy in the Brains of Aging Mice

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100115481 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 372-373

Author(s):

J.E. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Present Report ◽

Light And Electron Microscopy ◽

Dorsal Column ◽

Neuroaxonal Dystrophy ◽

Nucleus Gracilis ◽

Dystrophic Axons ◽

The Brain ◽

Nucleus Cuneatus

Although neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) has been examined by light and electron microscopy for years, the nature of the components in the dystrophic axons is not well understood. The present report examines nucleus gracilis and cuneatus (the dorsal column nuclei) in the brain stem of aging mice.Mice (C57BL/6J) were sacrificed by aldehyde perfusion at ages ranging from 3 months to 23 months. Several brain areas and parts of other organs were processed for electron microscopy.At 3 months of age, very little evidence of NAD can be discerned by light microscopy. At the EM level, a few axons are found to contain dystrophic material. By 23 months of age, the entire nucleus gracilis is filled with dystrophic axons. Much less NAD is seen in nucleus cuneatus by comparison. The most recurrent pattern of NAD is an enlarged profile, in the center of which is a mass of reticulated material (reticulated portion; or RP).

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The Role of the Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) in Infective Endocarditis; A Narrative Review from 2000 to 2020

Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology ◽

10.2174/1389201021666200423110359 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (12) ◽

pp. 1140-1153 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohammad A. Noshak ◽

Mohammad A. Rezaee ◽

Alka Hasani ◽

Mehdi Mirzaii

Keyword(s):

Foreign Body ◽

Infective Endocarditis ◽

Prosthetic Valve ◽

Human Life ◽

Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis ◽

Surgical Site Infections ◽

Coagulase Negative Staphylococci ◽

Native Valve ◽

Native Valve Endocarditis

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are part of the microbiota of human skin and rarely linked with soft tissue infections. In recent years, CoNS species considered as one of the major nosocomial pathogens and can cause several infections such as catheter-acquired sepsis, skin infection, urinary tract infection, endophthalmitis, central nervous system shunt infection, surgical site infections, and foreign body infection. These microorganisms have a significant impact on human life and health and, as typical opportunists, cause peritonitis in individuals undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Moreover, it is revealed that these potential pathogens are mainly related to the use of indwelling or implanted in a foreign body and cause infective endocarditis (both native valve endocarditis and prosthetic valve endocarditis) in patients. In general, approximately eight percent of all cases of native valve endocarditis is associated with CoNS species, and these organisms cause death in 25% of all native valve endocarditis cases. Moreover, it is revealed that methicillin-resistant CoNS species cause 60 % of all prosthetic valve endocarditis cases. In this review, we describe the role of the CoNS species in infective endocarditis, and we explicated the reported cases of CoNS infective endocarditis in the literature from 2000 to 2020 to determine the role of CoNS in the process of infective endocarditis.

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Vescalagin and Castalagin Present Bactericidal Activity toward Methicillin-Resistant Bacteria

ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering ◽

10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c01698 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ana R. Araújo ◽

Ana C. Araújo ◽

Rui L. Reis ◽

Ricardo A. Pires

Keyword(s):

Bactericidal Activity ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Methicillin Resistant

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Management of superficial and deep surgical site infection: an international multidisciplinary consensus

Updates in Surgery ◽

10.1007/s13304-021-01029-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Gabriele Sganga ◽

Mohamed Baguneid ◽

Pascal Dohmen ◽

Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis ◽

Emilio Romanini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Length Of Hospital Stay ◽

Surgical Site Infections ◽

Early Discharge ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Steering Committee ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Modified Delphi ◽

Hospital Stays ◽

New Treatment ◽

The Impact

AbstractSurgical site infections represent a considerable burden for healthcare systems. To obtain a consensus on the impact and future clinical and economic needs regarding SSI management in an era of multidrug resistance. A modified Delphi method was used to obtain consensus among experts from five European countries. The Delphi questionnaire was assembled by a steering committee, verified by a panel of experts and administered to 90 experts in 8 different surgical specialities (Abdominal, Cancer, Cardiac, General surgery, Orthopaedic, Thoracic, Transplant and Vascular and three other specialities (infectious disease, internal medicine microbiology). Respondents (n = 52) reached consensus on 62/73 items including that resistant pathogens are an increasing matter of concern and increase both treatment complexity and the length of hospital stay. There was strong positive consensus on the cost-effectiveness of early discharge (ED) programs, improvement of quality of life with ED and association between increased length of stay and economic burden to the hospital. However, established ED protocols were not widely available in their hospitals. Respondents expressed a positive consensus on the usefulness of antibiotics that allow ED. Surgeons are aware of their responsibility in an interdisciplinary team for the treatment of SSI, and of the impact of multidrug-resistant bacteria in the context of SSI. Reducing the length of hospital stays by applying ED protocols and implementing new treatment alternatives is crucial to reduce harm to patients and costs for the hospital.

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Post-Translational Modifications Drive Success and Failure of Fungal–Host Interactions

Journal of Fungi ◽

10.3390/jof7020124 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 124

Author(s):

Charmaine Retanal ◽

Brianna Ball ◽

Jennifer Geddes-McAlister

Keyword(s):

Fungal Pathogens ◽

Fungal Infections ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Global Scale ◽

Host Cells ◽

Candida Spp ◽

Post Translational Modifications ◽

Fungal Host ◽

Resistant Species

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) change the structure and function of proteins and regulate a diverse array of biological processes. Fungal pathogens rely on PTMs to modulate protein production and activity during infection, manipulate the host response, and ultimately, promote fungal survival. Given the high mortality rates of fungal infections on a global scale, along with the emergence of antifungal-resistant species, identifying new treatment options is critical. In this review, we focus on the role of PTMs (e.g., phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, glycosylation, and methylation) among the highly prevalent and medically relevant fungal pathogens, Candida spp., Aspergillus spp., and Cryptococcus spp. We explore the role of PTMs in fungal stress response and host adaptation, the use of PTMs to manipulate host cells and the immune system upon fungal invasion, and the importance of PTMs in conferring antifungal resistance. We also provide a critical view on the current knowledgebase, pose questions key to our understanding of the intricate roles of PTMs within fungal pathogens, and provide research opportunities to uncover new therapeutic strategies.

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