Etiology and Outcomes of Healthcare-Associated Meningitis and Ventriculitis—A Single Center Cohort Study

Scientific paper - Preliminary note / Short communication

• Author: Hana Panić
• Author: Branimir Gjurašin
• Author: Marija Santini
• Author: Marko Kutleša
• Author: Neven Papić
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine; (Department of Infectious Diseases)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences; Infectology

Abstract (english)

Healthcare associated meningitis and ventriculitis (HCAMV) are serious complications of neurosurgical procedures. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with HCAMV treated at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases Zagreb during the 2013–2019 period. A total of 144 patients with 151 episodes of HCAMV were included. The most common indications for neurosurgical procedures were brain tumor, hemorrhage and hydrocephalus. Etiology was identified in 90 (59.6%) episodes (either positive CSF culture or positive PCR), and in other 61 (40.39%) the diagnosis of HCAMV was made based on clinical and CSF parameters, without microbiologic confirmation. Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii was the most common pathogen (15.89%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (13.91%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.25%) and Coagulase negative staphylococci (7.95%). Overall, 24 (16.3%) patients died, and the majority had adverse outcomes, persistent vegetative state (8, 5.56%) and severe disability (31, 21.53%). The worst clinical outcomes were observed in A. baumannii infections. High rate of complications, the need for external ventricular drainage (re)placement often complicated with nosocomial infections and prolonged stay in intensive care units were observed. Clinicians should be aware of local microbial epidemiology on guiding proper empirical antimicrobial treatment in patients with HCAMV.

• Keywords (english): Acinetobacter baumannii; HCAMV; healthcare-associated meningitis and ventriculitis; nosocomial infections; postoperative meningitis
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Preliminary note / Short communication
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Infectious Disease Reports
• Numbering: vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 420-427
• e-ISSN: 2036-7449
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/idr14030045
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:992751
• Publication: 2022-06-03
• Document URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7449/14/3/45
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2022-12-06 09:46:33