Evaluation of Inflammatory Markers and Clinical Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients with Concurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection: A Comparative Cohort Analysis - PubMed
C. difficile co-infection in COVID-19 patients is associated with an intensified inflammatory response and worse clinical outcomes. Among the evaluated markers, CAR and PNI emerged as robust predictors of severe disease. Timely recognition of C. difficile co-infection and use of target …
Can Gut Microbiota Analysis Reveal Clostridioides difficile Infection? Evidence from an Italian Cohort at Disease Onset - PubMed
A diverse and well-functioning gut microbiota normally serves as a protective shield against the invasion of harmful bacteria or the proliferation of opportunistic pathogens. iClostridioides difficile/i infection (CDI) is predominantly associated with the overuse of antibiotics, resulting in a s …
A Review of Therapies for Clostridioides difficile Infection - PubMed
spaniClostridioides difficile/i is an urgent public health threat that affects approximately half a million patients annually in the United States. Despite concerted efforts aimed at the prevention of iClostridioides difficile/i infection (CDI), it remains a leading cause of healthcare-associate/span …
Fecal microbiota changes associated with pathogenic and non-pathogenic diarrheas in foals - PubMed
Foal diarrhea samples tested positive or negative for common equine neonatal diarrhea pathogens by diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which allowed for samples to be segregated as pathogenic or non-pathogenic. Pathogenic samples tested positive for combinations of Clostridium perfringens an …
Whole genome sequencing characterization of Clostridioides difficile from Bulgaria during the COVID-19 pandemic - PubMed
Increased incidence of Clostridioides difficile infections were documented in Bulgarian hospitals during COVID-19. WGS was performed on 39 isolates from seven hospitals during 2015-2022. Antimicrobial resistance and toxin genes were inferred from genomes. MLST profiles, cgMLST, and wgMLST phylogeny …
Safety and Efficacy of Fecal Microbiota, Live-jslm (REBYOTA®), for the Prevention of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection in Participants With Inflammatory Bowel Disease in PUNCH CD3-OLS - PubMed
The results of this subgroup analysis of PUNCH CD3-OLS suggest RBL is safe and efficacious in patients with IBD.
Inflammatory Markers and Severity in COVID-19 Patients with Clostridioides Difficile Co-Infection: A Retrospective Analysis Including Subgroups with Diabetes, Cancer, and Elderly - PubMed
Concurrent CDI intensifies systemic inflammation and adverse clinical trajectories in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Elevations in inflammatory markers and severity scores predict worse outcomes, especially in high-risk subgroups. Early recognition and targeted interventions, including infection co …
Metronidazole and Vancomycin Have a Synergic Effect, with Plant Extracts as Helpful Tools to Combat Clostridioides difficile Infections - PubMed
Background/Objectives: The prolonged use of antibiotics is closely related to increased infections caused by Clostridioides difficile (Cdiff). Plant-origin compounds have been expanding in recent years as the best opportunity to identify new synergic therapies to combat antibiotic-asso …
Whole genome sequencing characterization of Clostridioides difficile from Bulgaria during the COVID-19 pandemic - PubMed
Increased incidence of Clostridioides difficile infections were documented in Bulgarian hospitals during COVID-19. WGS was performed on 39 isolates from seven hospitals during 2015-2022. Antimicrobial resistance and toxin genes were inferred from genomes. MLST profiles, cgMLST, and wgMLST phylogeny …
Does routine use of sporicidal disinfectants for all post-discharge hospital rooms reduce environmental contamination with Clostridioides difficile spores? - PubMed
In a culture survey of 30 U.S. hospitals, rates of Clostridioides difficile spore contamination after cleaning and disinfection of non-C. difficile infection (CDI) rooms were lower in facilities using sporicidal disinfectants in all post-discharge rooms versus only in CDI rooms (3.6% versus 5.1%, re …
Global burden and trends of the Clostridioides difficile infection-associated diseases from 1990 to 2021: an observational trend study - PubMed
The global burden of CDI has significantly increased, particularly in regions with high SDI and among individuals aged 70 years and above. During the COVID-19 pandemic period from 2020 to 2021, the burden of CDI further increased in regions with low, low-middle, and middle SDI. These findings unders …
Impacts of perR on oxygen sensitivity, gene expression, and murine infection in Clostridioides difficile 630∆ erm - PubMed
Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), characterized by colitis and diarrhea, afflicts approximately half a million people in the USA every year, burdening both individuals and the healthcare system. C. difficile 630Δerm is an erythromycin-sensitive variant of the clinical is …
Impact of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on perioperative cardiac, pulmonary and neurocognitive complications in elderly patients: study protocol for an observative cohort study
Background Postoperative delirium is considered a serious complication in elderly patients. Elderly patients often suffer from several concomitant diseases. The reduced physical condition can increase the risk of cardiac, pulmonary and neurocognitive complications during and after surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection primarily affects the respiratory tract but can also damage other organ systems such as the heart and brain. Given the wide range of pulmonary, cardiac and neurocognitive complications caused by SARS-CoV-2, these risks must be given special consideration during planned surgical procedures. Both surgical procedures and anesthesia are risk factors for postoperative complications in themselves. The specific impact of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on perioperative complications in elderly patients has not been sufficiently researched. The aim of this study is to understand how a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection influences the occurrence of perioperative complications. Methods In this case-control study, the data of patients over 60 years of age undergoing elective surgery are analyzed. Subjects are divided into two groups based on their SARS-CoV-2 infection status: those with a documented previous infection and those without. Confirmation of infection will be based on written evidence and anamnestic information. The primary endpoint of the examination is the occurrence of delirium within the first five postoperative days. In addition, further cardiac, pulmonary and neurocognitive complications are recorded in the perioperative period. The occurrence of postoperative delirium is recorded during the daily ward round in the first five days after the operation. The 3DCAM test and the 4AT are used for this purpose. In addition, the CAM-ICU will be used in the intensive care unit. The recruitment will include 266 patients. Statistical analyses will be performed to determine the correlation between a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and the observed clinical outcomes. Discussion The results of this study will provide new insights into the impact of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on perioperative complications in elderly patients undergoing elective surgery. Trial registration: Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien DRKS00034861 ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement The study is financed from own funds. ### Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München (LMU Munich). The ethics committee reviewed and approved the study protocol under the reference number 23-0552. Informed written consent was obtained from all participants involved in the study. I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes * 3DCAM : 3-dimensional confusion assessment method 4AT : alertness, attention, acute change and abbreviated mental test-4 ACE2 : angiotensin-converting-enzyme-2-receptors ALI : acute lung injury ARDS : acute respiratory distress syndrome ASA : American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Physical Status BDSG : Bundesdatenschutzgesetz (Federal Data Protection Act) BMI : body-mass index CARDS : COVID-19-associated Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome COVID-19 : coronavirus disease 2019 CRP : C-reactive protein eCRF : electronic Case Report Form FiO2 : fraction of inspired oxygen GCP : good clinical practice GI : gastrointestinal ICU : intensive care unit KAS : Krankenhaus-Informations-und Verwaltungssystem (hospital information and administration system) LMU : Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität MAP : mean Arterial Pressure MOCA : Montreal Cognitive Assessment NarkoPrämed : Narkose Prämedikation (anesthesia premedication) NRS : numerical Rating Scale PaO2 : partial pressure of arterial oxygen PaCO2 : partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide PCPF : Post-COVID pulmonary fibrosis PCR : polymerase chain reaction test PEEP : positive end-expiratory pressure Pmean : mean pressure PONV : postoperative nausea and vomiting Ppeak : peak pressure REDCap : research electronic data capture RKI : Robert Koch Institut SARS-CoV-2 : severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SpO2 : oxygen saturatios SSRI : selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor TIVA : total intravenous anesthesia VT : tidal volume
SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular and Renal Morbidity
Importance Cardiovascular and renal consequences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have been studied intensively in high-risk groups, but the consequences of mild infection for the general population, particularly beyond the acute phase of infection, remain unclear.
Objective To examine long-term associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cardiovascular and kidney disease (CVD, KD) in the general population, with emphasis on age and vaccination status at the time of infection, mild infection, and SARS-CoV-2 variant.
Design Register-based cohort study.
Setting Denmark
Participants All Danish residents with ≥1 PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 infection, March 2020-December 2022.
Exposure Positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Main Outcomes Hazard ratios for 15 CVD outcomes and six KD outcomes, comparing persons testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection and persons who only ever tested negative for infection.
Results The cohort for CVD analyses included 4,508,489 persons without pre-existing CVD (median follow-up 25.2 months/person, interquartile range [IQR] 21.7-27.5 months); 2,698,261 persons (59.8%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection during the study period. The cohort for the KD analyses included 5,150,480 persons without pre-existing KD (median follow-up 25.1 months, IQR 21.7-27.4 months), 2,983,233 (57.9%) of whom tested positive for infection. SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with slight increases in the risks of pulmonary embolism, venous embolism/thrombosis, arrhythmias, chronic renal failure, unspecified renal failure, and other/unspecified KD up to a year after infection; infection was not associated with the other disease groups tested. The strongest associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and CVD and KD were observed among unvaccinated persons and persons infected with earlier (pre-omicron) variants.
Conclusions and Relevance We found little evidence that infection with SARS-CoV-2 was associated with increased long-term risks of CVD or KD in the general population. Increased CVD risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection appeared limited to three outcomes (pulmonary embolism, venous embolism/thrombosis, arrhythmias) and the potential increases in risk were small. Our KD results also suggested that any persistent risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were minimal; however, these findings need to be confirmed in other populations. Most importantly, in a largely vaccinated population, long-term CVD and KD risks differed little for omicron-infected and uninfected persons.
Question Does SARS-CoV-2 infection increase the long-term risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or kidney disease (KD) in a general population cohort with predominantly mild infection?
Findings In a cohort study of 4.5 million persons that compared SARS-CoV-2 test-positive and test-negative persons, relative risks were slightly increased for 6 of 21 CVD and KD outcomes up to 1 year after infection. Among vaccinated individuals and omicron-infected persons, existing associations diminished dramatically.
Meaning In the general population, long-term increases in CKD and KD risks associated with infection were small, limited to a few outcomes, and attenuated with vaccination and the omicron variant.
### Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
### Funding Statement
This study was funded by the Lundbeck Foundation.
### Author Declarations
I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.
Yes
The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:
By Danish law, studies based solely on data from the Danish national registers require neither informed consent nor approval from the Danish research bioethics committees. This study was authorized by the Department of Data Protection and Information Security at Statens Serum Institut under the terms of an agreement between Statens Serum Institut and the Danish Data Protection Agency governing the use of personal data in research.
I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.
Yes
I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).
Yes
I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.
Yes
The data used in this study were retrieved from Danish national registers and do not belong to the authors but to the Danish Health Data Authority. The authors are therefore not permitted to make the data publicly available. However, upon receipt of approval from the Danish Data Protection Agency, data from the registers are available by applying to the Danish Health Data Authority via their online request system.
Impact of order set implementation on appropriate treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) - PubMed
Implementing an order set significantly improved inpatient antibiotic prescribing for CAP with no difference in clinical or safety outcomes. Antibiotic order sets will be a useful tool for antimicrobial stewardship program expansion into other common community-acquired infections.
Synergistic and off-target effects of bacteriocins in a simplified human intestinal microbiome: implications for Clostridioides difficile infection control - PubMed
spaniClostridioides difficile/i is a major cause of nosocomial diarrhea. As current antibiotic treatment failures and recurrence of infections are highly frequent, alternative strategies are needed for the treatment of this disease. This study explores the use of bacteriocins, specifically lacticin/span …
Synergistic and off-target effects of bacteriocins in a simplified human intestinal microbiome: implications for Clostridioides difficile infection control - PubMed
Clostridioides difficile is a major cause of nosocomial diarrhea. As current antibiotic treatment failures and recurrence of infections are highly frequent, alternative strategies are needed for the treatment of this disease. This study explores the use of bacteriocins, specifically lacticin …
Clostridioides difficile colonization is not mediated by bile salts and utilizes Stickland fermentation of proline in an in vitro model - PubMed
Treatment with antibiotics is a major risk factor for iClostridioides difficile/i infection, likely due to depletion of the gastrointestinal microbiota. Two microbiota-mediated mechanisms thought to limit iC. difficile/i colonization include the conversion of conjugated primary bile salts in …
Mapping C. difficile TcdB interactions with host cell-surface and intracellular factors using proximity-dependent biotinylation labeling - PubMed
Many bacterial toxins exert their cytotoxic effects by enzymatically inactivating one or more cytosolic targets in host cells. To reach their intracellular targets, these toxins possess functional domains or subdomains that interact with and exploit various host factors and biological processes. Des …
The evolving landscape of live biotherapeutics in the treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection - PubMed
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) is common after antibiotic exposure and presents significant morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs worldwide. The rising incidence of recurrent CDI, driven by hypervirulent strains, widespread antibiotic use and increased community transmis …
TRPV4 modulates inflammatory responses and apoptosis in enteric glial cells triggered by Clostridioides difficile toxins A and B - PubMed
Clostridioides difficile, a spore-forming anaerobic bacterium, is the primary cause of hospital antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Key virulence factors, toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB), significantly contribute to C. difficile infection (CDI). Yet, the specific impact of these toxins, particularly on ent …
Polysaccharide lyase PL3.3 possibly potentiating Clostridioides difficile clinical symptoms based on complete genome analysis of RT046/ST35 and RT012/ST54 - PubMed
Clostridioides difficile has rapidly become a major cause of nosocomial infectious diarrhea worldwide due to the misuse of antibiotics. Our previous study confirmed that RT046/ST35 strain is associated with more severe clinical symptoms compared to RT012/ST54 strain. We conducted genome comparison o …
Fiber- and acetate-mediated modulation of MHC-II expression on intestinal epithelium protects from Clostridioides difficile infection - PubMed
Here, we explore the relationship between dietary fibers, colonic epithelium major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) expression, and immune cell interactions in regulating susceptibility to Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). We find that a low-fiber diet increases MHC-II expression …
Natural History of Clostridioides difficile-related Disease Progression in the Two-Step Testing Era - PubMed
C. difficile NAAT+/toxin- status was associated with subsequent toxin positivity, especially after antibiotic receipt, though absolute risk was low overall. Further research is needed to determine whether and for whom presumptive treatment might be beneficial.
Phenotypic analysis of various Clostridioides difficile ribotypes reveals consistency among core processes - PubMed
C. difficile infections impact thousands of individuals every year many of whom experience recurring infections. Clinical studies have reported an unexplained correlation between some clades / ribotypes of C. difficile and disease severity / recurrence. Here, we demonstrate that C. …
Systemic Absorption of Oral and Rectal Vancomycin in a Critically Ill Patient: A Case Report - PubMed
Enteral administration of vancomycin is the standard treatment for Clostridioides difficile (Clostridium difficile) colitis and is presumed to have no systemic absorption. In critically ill patients, however, especially with multi-organ failure, enteral absorption of vancomycin is unpr …