title: Characteristics of Xanthomonas infections in critically ill surgical patients.
abstract: The aim of our study was to describe the characteristics of Xanthomonas infections in a population of critically ill surgical patients. The clinical records and microbiological data on 93 patients in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) developing Xanthomonas infections were reviewed. Xanthomonas was isolated in 125 sites in the 93 patients. Their average age was 48 years (range, 14-94). Mortality occurred in 25 patients (26.9%) versus 10.3 per cent of SICU patients in general (P < 0.05). Patients were in the SICU for an average of 11.9 days before developing a positive Xanthomonas culture, and 87 per cent (81/93) of patients developed an infection at some other site before isolation of Xanthomonas. Trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole was the only drug to which the isolates were commonly sensitive (123/125 = 98.4%). We conclude that Xanthomonas 1) is associated with increased mortality; 2) is resistant to many of the drugs that usually cover Gram-negative infections; and 3) commonly complicates a prolonged intensive care stay, thus serving as a marker for severity of illness.
authors.affiliation: Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Cornwell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Willey
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Belzberg
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Berne
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demetriades
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003422:Critical Care; D016638:Critical Illness; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D015996:Survival Rate; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014974:Xanthomonas / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination