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Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Isolates from Korea, and the Activity of Antimicrobial Combinations against the Isolates

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The aim of this study was to determine antimicrobial susceptibility of recent clinical Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates from Korea, and to compare the activity levels of several combinations of antimicrobials. A total of 206 non-duplicate clinical isolates of S. maltophilia was collected in 2010 from 11 university hospitals. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute agar dilution method. In vitro activity of antimicrobial combinations was tested using the checkerboard method. The susceptibility rates to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and minocycline were 96% and 99%, respectively. The susceptibility rate to levofloxacin was 64%. All of four antimicrobial combinations showed synergy against many S. maltophilia isolates. A combination of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus ticarcillin-clavulanate was most synergistic among the combinations. None of the combinations showed antagonistic activity. Therefore, some of the combinations may be more useful than individual drugs in the treatment of S. maltophilia infection. Further clinical studies are warranted to validate our in vitro test results.
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Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
Isolates from Korea, and the Activity of Antimicrobial
Combinations against the Isolates
The aim of this study was to determine antimicrobial susceptibility of recent clinical
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates from Korea, and to compare the activity levels of
several combinations of antimicrobials. A total of 206 non-duplicate clinical isolates of S.
maltophilia was collected in 2010 from 11 university hospitals. Antimicrobial susceptibility
testing was performed using the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute agar dilution
method. In vitro activity of antimicrobial combinations was tested using the checkerboard
method. The susceptibility rates to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and minocycline were
96% and 99%, respectively. The susceptibility rate to levofloxacin was 64%. All of four
antimicrobial combinations showed synergy against many S. maltophilia isolates. A
combination of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus ticarcillin-clavulanate was most
synergistic among the combinations. None of the combinations showed antagonistic
activity. Therefore, some of the combinations may be more useful than individual drugs in
the treatment of S. maltophilia infection. Further clinical studies are warranted to validate
our in vitro test results.
Key Words: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia; Combination Drug Therapy; Trimethoprim-
Sulfamethoxazole; Ticarcillin-Clavulanate
Hae-Sun Chung,1 Seong Geun Hong,2
Young Ree Kim,3 Kyeong Seob Shin,4
Dong Hee Whang,5 Jee Young Ahn,6
Yeon-Joon Park,7 Young Uh,8
Chulhun L. Chang,9 Jong Hee Shin,10
Hye Soo Lee,11 Kyungwon Lee,1
and Yunsop Chong1
1Department of Laboratory Medicine and Research
Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance, Yonsei University
College of Medicine, Seoul; 2Department of
Laboratory Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center,
CHA University, Seongnam; 3Department of
Laboratory Medicine, Jeju National University
School of Medicine, Jeju; 4Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of
Medicine, Cheongju; 5Department of Laboratory
Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul;
6Department of Laboratory Medicine,
Sooncheonhyang University College of Medicine,
Gumi; 7Department of Laboratory Medicine, The
Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine,
Seoul; 8Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei
University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju;
9Department of Laboratory Medicine, Pusan
National University School of Medicine, Busan;
10Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonnam
National University Medical School, Gwangju;
11Department of Laboratory Medicine, Chonbuk
National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea
Received: 24 July 2012
Accepted: 15 November 2012
Address for Correspondence:
Seong Geun Hong, MD
Department of Laboratory Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical
Center, CHA University, 59 Yatap-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam
463-712, Korea
Tel: +82.31-780-5463, Fax: +82.31-780-5476
E-mail: hlseo@cha.ac.kr
This research was supported by the Happy Tech. Program
through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)
funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
(grant number 20110004679).
http://dx.doi.org/10.3346/ jkms.2013.28.1.62 J Korean Med Sci 2013; 28: 62-66
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Infectious Diseases, Microbiology & Parasitology
INTRODUCTION
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an environmental global
emerging Gram-negative multiple-drug-resistant organism that
is most commonly associated with respiratory infections (1).
Isolation of S. maltophilia from human specimens may repre-
sent colonization rather than infection. Although not highly
virulent, S. maltophilia can infect immunocompromised hosts
and hospitalized patients being predisposed to infection (2).
e mortality rates ranged from 14% to 69% in patients with bac-
teremia by S. maltophilia (3, 4). S. maltophilia exhibits high-level
intrinsic resistance to a broad spectrums of antibiotics, includ-
Chung H-S, et al. Antimicrobial Synergies for S. maltophilia
http://jkms.org 63
http://dx.doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.1.62
ing β-lactams, quinolones, aminoglycosides, tetracycline, disin-
fectants, and heavy metals (5, 6). S. maltophilia can also acquire
resistance through the uptake of resistance genes located inte-
grons, transposons, and plasmids (7). Therefore, infections
caused by S. maltophilia are particularly dicult to manage be-
cause they show resistance to many classes of antimicrobial
agents. e recommended therapeutic agents for S. maltophila
infection is trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole by the evidences of
case reports and in vitro susceptibility studies (2). Recently, com-
binations of antimicrobials have been recommended as treat-
ment for S. maltophilia infection, especially in severe septic,
neuropenic, debilitated or immunocompromised patients, or
when trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole cannot be used or toler-
ated (2, 8, 9). However, there is no study focused on the antimi-
crobial activity of the antibiotics combinations to S. maltophilia
in Korea.
e aim of this study was to determine antimicrobial suscep-
tibility of recent clinical S. maltophilia isolates from Korea, and
to compare the activity levels of several combinations of anti-
microbials.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Bacterial strains
A total of 206 non-duplicate clinical isolates of S. maltophilia
were collected in 2010 from 11 university hospitals. e species
were identied using conventional methods and/or the VITEK2
system (bioMerieux, Marcy l’Etoile, France). Among the 206
isolates, 30 were selected for the checkerboard method based
on susceptibility: 10 isolates with resistant to trimethoprim-sul-
famethoxazole, 26 with resistant to ceftazidime, 22 with nonsu-
ceptible to ticarcillin-clavulanate, and 25 with nonsusceptible
to levooxacin.
Antimicrobial susceptibility test
Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the
CLSI agar dilution method (10). e antimicrobial agents used
were trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Dong Wha, Seoul, Korea),
levooxacin (Daiichi, Tokyo, Japan), moxioxacin (Bayer Korea,
Seoul, Korea), minocycline (SK Chemicals Life Science, Seoul,
Korea), tigecycline (Wyeth Research, Pearl River, NY, USA), cef-
tazidime (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, MO, USA), ticarcillin-cla-
vulanate (Dong-A, Yongin, Korea), chloramphenicol (Chong
Kun Dang, Seoul, Korea), and amikacin (Sigma Chemicals). e
breakpoints recommended by CLSI for S. maltophilia were ap-
plied to interpret the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs)
(10). Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
ATCC 27853 were used as controls.
In vitro activity of antimicrobial combinations
In vitro activity of antimicrobial combinations was tested by the
checkerboard method. e antimicrobial combinations tested
were trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole + ticarcillin-clavulanate,
levooxacin + ceftazidime, ceftazidime + amikacin, and ticar-
cillin-clavulanate + amikacin. Fractional inhibitory concentra-
tion (FIC) index was calculated according to the following for-
mula:
FICA=MIC of A in combination
MIC of A alone
FICB=MIC of B in combination
MIC of B alone
FIC index = FICA + FICB
e FIC indices were interpreted as follows: 0.5, synergis-
tic; > 0.5 to 4, indierent; > 4, antagonistic (11).
RESULTS
Antimicrobial susceptibility test
MIC ranges, MIC50s, MIC90s, and the percentages of resistant
isolates for various antimicrobial agents are shown in Table 1.
e MIC of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole ranged from 0.06
to 128 μg/mL, and the MIC50 and MIC90 were 1 and 2 μg/mL,
respectively. e susceptibility rate was 96%. e MIC of levo-
oxacin ranged from 0.12 to 64 μg/mL, and the MIC50 and MIC90
Table 1. Antimicrobial activity of various antimicrobial agents against S. maltophilia by the agar dilution method
Antimicrobial MIC (µg/mL) Susceptibility (%)
Range 50% 90% S I R
Cotrimoxazole 0.06-128 1 2 96
-
4
Levofloxacin 0.12-64 2 16 64 16 20
Moxifloxacin 0.06-32 0.5 8
- - -
Minocycline 0.12-16 0.5 2 99 < 1 < 1
Tigecycline 0.06-8 1 4
- - -
Ceftazidime 1- > 128 64 > 128 21 8 71
Ticarcillin-clavulanate 1-16 32 > 128 38 38 24
Chloramphenicol 8-128 16 64 7 45 49
Amikacin 1- > 128 > 128 > 128
- - -
S, susceptible; I, intermediate; R, resistant.
Chung H-S, et al. Antimicrobial Synergies for S. maltophilia
64 http://jkms.org http://dx.doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.1.62
were 2 and 16 μg/mL, respectively, which were higher than those
of moxioxacin (0.5 and 8 μg/mL, respectively). e resistance
rate to levooxacin was 20%. e MIC50 and MIC90 of minocy-
cline were 0.5 and 2 μg/mL, respectively, and only one isolate
was resistant to minocycline (the resistance rate < 1%). e MICs
of tigecycline ranged from 0.06 to 8 μg/mL, and the MIC50 and
MIC90 were 1 and 4 μg/mL, respectively, which were two-fold
higher than those of minocycline. e MIC50 of amikacin was
> 128 μg/mL. e MIC50 of ceftazidime 64 μg/mL and the resis-
tance rate was 71%. e MIC50 of ticarcillin-clavulanate was 32
μg/mL and the resistance rate was 24%. e MIC range of chlor-
amphenicol was 8-128 μg/mL, the MIC50 and MIC90 were 16 and
64 μg/mL, restectively. e resistance rate to chloramphenicol
was 49%.
In vitro activity of antimicrobial combinations
All of four antimicrobial combinations showed synergy against
many S. maltophilia isolates. A combination of trimethoprim-
sulfamethoxazole plus ticarcillin-clavulanate was most syner-
gistic among the combinations. FIC index of a combination of
ticarcillin-clavulanate plus amikacin was 0.38 for 50% of S. malto-
philia isolates. None of the combinations showed antagonistic
activity (Table 2). The FIC index for synergistic S. maltophilia
ranged 0.09 to 0.5.
Antimicrobial combinations of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxa-
zole plus ticarcillin-clavulanate, ceftazidime plus amikacin, and
ticarcillin-clavulanate plus amikacin were synergistic for major-
ity of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-resistant isolates. Trime-
thoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus ticarcillin-clavulanate demon-
strated synergy for the four trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-
resistant isolates with high MIC levels of trimethoprim-sulfa-
methoxazole ( 64 μg/mL), but MIC values of trimethoprim-
sulfamethoxazole did not decrease below susceptibility break-
points (16-32 μg/mL ). On the other hand, synergistic FICs were
not found against the two trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-re-
sistant isolates with low MIC levels of trimethoprim-sulfamethox-
azole (4 μg/mL), but MICs of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
in combination with ticarcillin-clavulanate were within suscep-
tible range. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole MICs of trime-
thoprim-sulfamethoxazole-susceptible isolates for trimetho-
prim-sulfamethoxazole plus ticarcillin-clavulanate became 2 to
8-fold lower than those used alone (data not shown).
DISCUSSION
Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole showed the lowest MIC90 (2
μg/mL) and the isolates showed a high susceptibility rate of 96%
to this agent. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is still consid-
ered the treatment of choice for suspected or culture-proven S.
maltophilia infections. Resistance rates to trimethoprim-sulfa-
methoxazole have been reported to vary geographically, which
were generally less than 10% (2, 12, 13). In this study, all hospi-
tals showed low resistance rate of 5%-10% except one hospital
(26%). Some studies with isolates from cystic brosis patients
and from some Asian countries, such as Taiwan and Turkey,
showed high resistance rates (31.3%-100%) (13-25).
In this study, the resistance rate to levooxacin was 20%, which
was higher than the rates of 3% to 11% seen in previous studies
(13, 20, 21, 26). Especially, three of hospitals showed high resis-
tance rates over 30%. MIC90 of levooxacin was also higher than
our previous study (27). Moxioxacin was more active than levo-
oxacin considering low MICs. Moxioxacin could be suggest-
ed as an alternative to levooxacin. Further clinical studies are
necessary to evaluate the eectiveness of moxioxacin in treat-
ing S. maltophilia infections, because there is little data pub-
lished on the clinical ecacy of moxioxacin.
e tetracycline derivatives minocycline and tigecycline have
shown good in vitro activity against clinical isolates of S. malto-
philia, but there is little clinical data for treating S. maltophilia
infections (28, 29). In this study, two isolates were intermediate
and one isolate were resistant to minocycline. But, minocycline
shows highest in vitro activity against S. maltophilia strains, and
this data was similar to that of Taiwan, Brazil, Spain, and the USA
(16, 21, 22, 30). MICs of tigecycline ranged from 0.06 to 8 μg/
mL, and MIC50 and MIC90 were 1 and 4 μg/mL, respectively. An-
timicrobial susceptibilities of a worldwide collection of 1,586 S.
maltophilia tested against tigecycline, MIC50 and MIC90 of tige-
cycline were 0.5 and 2 μg/mL (31). e tigecycline in vitro sur-
veillance in Taiwan collected a total of 903 S. maltophilia, MIC
range of tigecycline was from 0.13 to 16 μg/mL, and MIC50 and
MIC90 were 2 and 4 μg/mL (32).
e rates of susceptibility to ceftazidime and ticarcillin-cla-
vulanate were similar with other studies (13-25). e β-lactams
and/or β-lactamase inhibitor combinations show little activity
against S. maltophilia, because the organism has a high intrin-
Table 2. Activities of antimicrobial combinations against S. maltophilia
Antimicrobial combinations Syn (%) Ind (%) Ant (%) FIC*
Range 50% 90%
Cotrimoxazole + ticarcillin-clavulanate 19 (66) 10 (34) 0 (0) 0.16-1.13 0.5 0.75
Levofloxacin + Ceftazidime 10 (34) 19 (66) 0 (0) 0.09-1 0.56 0.75
Ceftazidime + amikacin 15 (52) 14 (48) 0 (0) 0.13-1 0.5 1
Ticarcillin-clavulanate + amikacin 18 (60) 12 (40) 0 (0) 0.16-0.75 0.38 0.75
*50% and 90%, FICs for 50% and 90% of the isolates, respectively. Syn, Synergistic; Ind, indifferent; Ant, antagonistic; FIC, fractional inhibitory concentration.
Chung H-S, et al. Antimicrobial Synergies for S. maltophilia
http://jkms.org 65
http://dx.doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2013.28.1.62
sic resistance to most penicillins and cephalosporins, and to all
carbapenems (7). Chloramphenicol showed similar resistant
rate with previous reports, but much lower susceptibility rate
due to high intermediate rate (45%) (15, 19, 21, 23).
Considering of the highest MIC, amikacin demonstrated the
least active drug to S. maltophilia among the tested drugs. e
aminoglycosides show poor activity against S. maltophilia be-
cause of high intrinsic resistance and therefore is not useful in
monotherapy (7).
Because of historical evidence, case reports and high in vitro
susceptibility rates, cotrimoxazole is usually considered the treat-
ment of choice for S. maltophilia infection (2). However, increas-
ing resistance to cotrimoxazole and the alternate antimicrobials
may cause problems for the empirical treatment of S. maltophilia
infections. erefore, combination therapy may be indicated in
the setting of severe sepsis, neutropenia or polymicrobial infec-
tions, but clinical evidence is still lacking (2, 7). Combination
therapy may be more practical when cotrimoxazole therapy is
contraindicated. We assessed the activity of four antimicrobial
combinations by the checkerboard method, since these combi-
nations had been reported to have synergistic eects to S. malto-
philia (7). Synergistic eect was demonstrated by all combina-
tions (34%-66%) (Table 2). Synergy for trimethoprim-sulfame-
thoxazole resistant S. maltophilia isolates were shown by trime-
thoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus ticarcillin-clavulanate (4/6),
ceftazidime plus amikacin (4/6), and ticarcillin-clavulanate plus
amikacin (5/6).
Poulos et al. (33) demonstrated synergy between trimetho-
prim-sulfamethoxazole and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid by the
chequerboard method and by the time-kill assay in 19 dierent
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-resistant strains. In our study,
synergistic activities by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus
ticarcillin-clavulanate were shown in 67% of trimethoprim-sul-
famethoxazole-resistant S. maltophilia, MIC values of trime-
thoprim-sulfamethoxazole were not decreased below suscepti-
ble breakpoint. Likewise, other antimicrobial combinations (cef-
tazidime plus amikacin, ticarcillin-clavulanate plus amikacin)
were synergistic, MIC value of each antibiotic agent sometimes
was not clearly decreased (data not shown). Antibiotics for com-
bination therapy should be chosen on the basis of in vitro sus-
ceptibility test (7). erefore, it is uncertain and needs to be eval-
uated that combination therapy with trimethoprim-sulfame-
thoxazole plus ticarcillin-clavulanate inhibit the growth in vivo
of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistant S. maltophilia.
Although the choice of monotherapy or combination therapy
is a controversial issue, several authors suggest combination
treatment, especially in patients at risk (2, 7). Synergy testing
may help determine the most appropriate combination in each
special setting, but the problem is a lack of standardization of
the techniques to determine synergy (34). Clinical data of in vivo
combination therapy should be warranted.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
e microorgnisms were provided by the National Biobank of
Korea - Chonbuk National University Hospital, which is sup-
ported by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Family Aairs. All
materials derived from the National Biobank of Korea were ob-
tained with informed consent under institutional review board-
approved protocols. e authors have no conicts of interest to
disclose.
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... Moreover, several studies reported that S. maltophilia has increasing resistance to TMP/SMX, [5,9,10] making it difficult to determine the best antibiotics to control hospital-acquired infection, including 2 Korean studies. [11,12] Here, we analyzed trends in the susceptibility of S. maltophilia to TMP/ SMX over the past 20 years. Because the majority of S. maltophilia is isolated from respiratory samples, we also compared respiratory samples with other sample types. ...
... [18] In Korea, 2 studies examined its susceptibility to TMP/SMX: the former study examined 90 isolates and a latter study examined 206 isolates, and they reported susceptibility rates of 94% and 96%, respectively. [11,12] There was no significant change in the susceptibility rate over 20 years. A Taiwanese study found no significant change in the susceptibility rate from 1998 to 2008. ...
Article
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Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that can cause serious infection. We aimed to analyze the prevalence and susceptibility rates to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole of S. maltophilia. We conducted a retrospective study of S. maltophilia isolates from a university hospital from 2001 to 2020. Clinical information, the numbers of isolates and susceptibility rates were analyzed by year. Susceptibility rates and changes in respiratory and non-respiratory samples were compared. 1805 S. maltophilia isolates were identified, of which 81.4% (1469/1805) were from respiratory samples. There was a male predominance and 52% of the isolates were from general wards. The average susceptibility rate was 87.7% and there was no significant annual trend (P = .519). The susceptibility rate was 88.7% in respiratory samples and 84.1% in non-respiratory samples (P = .018). Susceptibility analyses using clinical data over long periods can guide the choice of antimicrobials especially for pathogen whose treatment options are limited.
... For the treatment of S. maltophilia infections, Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) is the most effective as the drug of choice; this study demonstrated that Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were still highly active against S. maltophilia isolates, despite increasing resistance to Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (11%) which is similar from the findings of previous studies [9,12,13,15] who reported 13% resistant to TM/SXT although, a resistance rates vary geographically but are generally less than 10% has been reported [7]. ...
... Few multi-center studies have investigated the efficacy of fluoroquinolones against S. maltophilia, the rates of susceptibility of fluoroquinolones have varied in different studies reveals a decrease in sensitivity of S. maltophilia to Levofloxacin, from 83.4% during the period 2003-2008 to 77.3% in 2011 [6,16]. Low susceptibility rates ranging from 64-69.6% have also been reported in Korea [7]. However, our finding seems that the high level of Levofloxacin resistance (23.2%) which were similar to a study conducted by other group [16,17]. ...
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Abstract Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of infection, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in diverse samples in the Delhi. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted over a period of three years, i.e., January 2019 to December 2021. All clinical samples received in the microbiology laboratory at Dr Lal Path Labs, Delhi during the study period were processed using standard microbiological procedures. Antibiotic susceptibility was performed for Levofloxacin, Minocycline and Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole by Vitek 2 system (bioMerieux, India) as per CLSI guidelines. Results and Discussion: A total of 9615 non fermenters were isolated, among the non-fermenters, 375 (3.9%) were Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The most prevalent source of S. maltophilia was largely isolated from blood (34.7%) followed by fluids (20.3%), respiratory (17.8%) and other specimens. This study highlighted potency and the limitation of available agent in the era of antibiotic resistance especially in Delhi, India. Our study describes the distribution and antibiotic resistance of Levofloxacin, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and Minocycline based on cumulative interpretation and MIC across all age groups. Conclusion: The Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates collected in our study had relatively high susceptibility to Minocycline, good susceptibility to Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, but low susceptible to Levofloxacin. Minocycline, could be useful alternative treatment options in Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and Levofloxacin resistant strains. Keywords: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia), Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TM/SXT), minocycline, Levofloxacin (LVX), non fermenters, nosocomial
... Hence, the administration of appropriate antibiotics is occasionally delayed, leading to high mortality [10][11][12]. TMP-SMX is the preferred antibiotic for treating S. maltophilia infections [13,14]. However, fluoroquinolones and minocycline are also alternative management options [15][16][17]. ...
... It is interesting that the resistance of colistin is relatively high at 35%. This finding is in line with the reports in several regions of the rising of colistin-resistant S. maltophilia [10,11,14]. Unlike the in vitro study of Enterobacteriaceae, the data on combination therapy of S. maltophilia remains unclear [25]. ...
Article
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This study aimed to establish the clinical features, outcomes, and factors associated with mortality in patients with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) septicemia. The characteristics and outcome data used in this retrospective study were collected from medical records at Songklanagarind Hospital. Risk factors for survival were analyzed using χ2-tests, Kaplan–Meier curves, and Cox regression. A total of 117 patients with S. maltophilia bacteremia were analyzed. The patients’ median age was 45 years, 77 (70%) were male, 105 (90%) had comorbidities, 112 (96%) had previously undergone carbapenem therapy, and over half of the patients were on invasive medical devices. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) and fluoroquinolone showed high susceptibility rates to S. maltophilia, with 93% and 88% susceptibility, respectively. Patients who received appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment had significantly reduced 14-day, 30-day, and in-hospital mortality rates than those who did not (p < 0.001). The days of hospital stay and costs for those who received appropriate and inappropriate empirical antimicrobial treatment were 21 and 34 days (p < 0.001) and 142,463 and 185,663 baht, respectively (p < 0.002). Our results suggest that an appropriate empirical antibiotic(s) is significantly associated with lower 30-day mortality in hospitalized patients with S. maltophilia septicemia.
... Strong studies to compare effectiveness of microbial agents and treatment of S. maltophilia are lacking, and majority of evidence are from case reports [10]. Like the current case, a study that reviewed antimicrobial susceptibilities for S. maltophilia also found trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, levofloxacin, and minocycline as the most effective antimicrobial agents [8]. Another study also described trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline and tigecycline as effective single agents, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus ceftazidime and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus ticarcillin/clavulanate as effective synergistic agents [9]. ...
Article
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Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an opportunistic infection commonly encountered in various systems of the human body and has been noted to be a rare cause of osteomyelitis. This report examines a rare case of osteomyelitis of the foot caused by S. maltophilia from a poorly managed foot wound and highlights the successful treatment of this condition with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole monotherapy.
... For S. maltophilia infections, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) is considered as the first choice, and fluoroquinolone is the proposed alternative. 8,9 The epidemiology of bacterial infections varies greatly, depending on the healthcare institution profile and geographical location. Therefore it is essential to evaluate the local data of bacterial infections to assess trends over time and initiate appropriate treatment. ...
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Objective: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) is an opportunistic and nosocomial pathogen with high mortality. And it has intrinsic resistance to a number of antibiotics classes. In this study, we investigated risk factors for death due to S. maltophilia bacteremia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary-care hospital in Beijing, China. The patients from the hospital database with S. maltophilia bacteremia between January 2011 and December 2020 were investigated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with mortality. Results: 51 patients with S. maltophilia bacteremia were identified. The mortality rate was 37.3%. Based on the univariate analysis, pulmonary disease (P=0.019), chronic kidney disease (P=0.014), shock (P=0.002), foley catheter (P=0.011), the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score (P<0.001), procalcitonin (PCT) (P=0.045) and using antifungal agent (P=0.033) were significantly related to mortality. Based on the multivariate analysis, the APACHE II score (odds ratio [OR] =1.211; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.061, 1.382; P=0.005) was independent factor associated with mortality. S. maltophilia was the most susceptible to minocycline (94.7%), followed by trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX, 92.2%). Conclusion: Our findings suggested that the APACHE II score was a significantly independent predictor in S. maltophilia bacteremia patients. The use of TMP/SMX or minocycline might be the first choice for the treatment of S. maltophilia bacteremia.
Article
Antibiotics as micro-pollutants enter the environment through pharmaceutical effluents, human urine and faeces, and sweat and increase antibiotic resistance genes. The purpose of this study was to isolate amoxicillin (AMX) and co-amoxiclav (AMC) biodegrading bacteria from agricultural soil. From 15 isolates, Stenotrofomonas maltophilia strain DF1 (accession no. MW898434) was identified by phenotypic and molecular methods as the best degrading strain in the base mineral medium contained AMX or AMC. S. maltophilia strain DF1 was capable of removing 88.7% (w/v) of 43 ppm AMX and nearly 100% (w/v) of 15.2 ppm clavulanic acid after 72 h, which was measured by UV spectrophotometry and HPLC analysis. The maximum antibiotic biodegradation for S. maltophilia DF1 strain by one factor at a time was obtained after 72 h, without any additional carbon source, at 150 rpm shaking, the inoculum size of 5% (v/v), pH 7, and temperature 30 °C. According to the one-way ANOVA, the pH was affected on the AMX and AMC biodegradation. Optimal condition AMX and AMC biodegradation were determined by response surface method (RSM) with Design Expert12 software for three factors included inoculum level (1, 3, 5% (v/v)), pH (6.5, 7.25, and 8), and incubation time (40, 55, 70 h). Optimum degradation of AMC predicted by RSM at pH 7.12, inoculum level 4.78% (v/v), and 60.19 h. According to the results of this study, microbial degradation of AMX and AMC by S. maltophilia DF1 is a suitable strategy for the elimination of these micropollutants from aquatic media in aerobic conditions.
Article
Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia) is a nosocomial pathogen causing life-threatening invasive infections with a high mortality rate in some patient populations, especially those who are severely ill or immunocompromised. There is a need for data on mortality in patients with S. maltophilia bacteremia. Objective: In this meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate risk factors for mortality in S. maltophilia bacteremia. Methods: Studies comparing patients who died from S. maltophilia bacteremia with patients who survived were considered for inclusion. Studies were included if they reported one or more risk factors for mortality. Mortality risk factors included clinical predisposing factors, predisposing comorbidities and appropriateness of antibiotic therapy. Results: Nineteen studies with 1248 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Five hundred and six (40.5%) patients died. The following risk factors for mortality were identified: ICU admission, septic shock, need for mechanical ventilation, indwelling central venous catheter, neutropenia, comorbid hematological malignancies, chronic kidney disease, inappropriate antimicrobial therapy and prior antibiotic use. Conclusions: Appropriate antimicrobial therapy had a protective effect against mortality in S. maltophilia bacteremia. Indwelling central venous catheter, neutropenia, hematological malignancies and chronic kidney disease were also risk factors for mortality.
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In recent years, the bacterial pathogen Stenotrophomonas maltophiliahas emerged as a significant clinical concern, challenging healthcare providers and researchers alike. Once considered an opportunistic pathogen of limited clinical importance, this gram-negative bacterium is increasingly recognized as a formidable adversary, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems, chronic respiratory conditions, or those undergoing invasive medical procedures. A fundamental aspect of its clinical success lies in its ability to adhere to biotic and abiotic surfaces within the host environment, facilitating colonization and subsequent infection. In this review, we delve into the intricate world of S. maltophilia, exploring its taxonomy, morphology, genetic characteristics, ecological habitat, clinical manifestations, respiratory tract infection, bacterial pneumonia, S. maltophiliaand Cystic fibrosis, malignant tumor, and S. maltophiliaand Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI)
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Introduction Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a little-known environmental opportunistic bacterium that can cause broad-spectrum infections. Despite the importance of this bacterium as an emerging drug-resistant opportunistic pathogen, a comprehensive analysis of its prevalence and resistance to antibiotics has not yet been conducted. Methods A systematic search was performed using four electronic databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science) up to October 2019. Out of 6,770 records, 179 were documented in the current meta-analysis according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria, and 95 studies were enrolled in the meta-analysis. Results Present analysis revealed that the global pooled prevalence of S. maltophilia was 5.3 % [95% CI, 4.1–6.7%], with a higher prevalence in the Western Pacific Region [10.5%; 95% CI, 5.7–18.6%] and a lower prevalence in the American regions [4.3%; 95% CI, 3.2–5.7%]. Based on our meta-analysis, the highest antibiotic resistance rate was against cefuroxime [99.1%; 95% CI, 97.3–99.7%], while the lowest resistance was correlated with minocycline [4·8%; 95% CI, 2.6–8.8%]. Discussion The results of this study indicated that the prevalence of S. maltophilia infections has been increasing over time. A comparison of the antibiotic resistance of S. maltophilia before and after 2010 suggested there was an increasing trend in the resistance to some antibiotics, such as tigecycline and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid. However, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is still considered an effective antibiotic for treating S. maltophilia infections.
Article
Background and aim: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia), an opportunistic pathogen, causes infection in patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, mechanical ventilation, or catheters, and long-term hospitalized patients. Due to its extensive resistance to various antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents, S. maltophilia is challenging to treat. Using case reports, case series, and prevalence studies, the current study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of antibiotic resistance profiles across clinical isolates of S. maltophilia. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed for original research articles published in Medline, Web of Science, and Embase databases from 2000 to 2022. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 14 software to report antibiotic resistance of S. maltophilia clinical isolates worldwide. Results: 223 studies (39 case reports/case series and 184 prevalence studies) were collected for analysis. A meta-analysis of prevalence studies demonstrated that the most antibiotic resistance worldwide was to levofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX), and minocycline (14.4%, 9.2%, and 1.4%, respectively). Resistance to TMP/SMX (36.84%), levofloxacin (19.29%), and minocycline (1.75%) were the most prevalent antibiotic resistance types found in evaluated case reports/case series studies. The highest resistance rate to TMP/SMX was reported in Asia (19.29%), Europe (10.52%), and America (7.01%), respectively. Conclusions: Considering the high resistance to TMP/SMX, more attention should be paid to patients' drug regimens to prevent the emergence of multidrug-resistant S. maltophilia isolates.
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We determined the antimicrobial susceptibility of 90 clinical isolates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia collected in 2009 at a tertiary care hospital in Korea. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, minocycline, and levofloxacin were active against most of the isolates tested. Moxifloxacin and tigecycline were also active and hold promise as therapeutic options for S. maltophilia infections.
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Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an emerging multidrug-resistant global opportunistic pathogen. The increasing incidence of nosocomial and community-acquired S. maltophilia infections is of particular concern for immunocompromised individuals, as this bacterial pathogen is associated with a significant fatality/case ratio. S. maltophilia is an environmental bacterium found in aqueous habitats, including plant rhizospheres, animals, foods, and water sources. Infections of S. maltophilia can occur in a range of organs and tissues; the organism is commonly found in respiratory tract infections. This review summarizes the current literature and presents S. maltophilia as an organism with various molecular mechanisms used for colonization and infection. S. maltophilia can be recovered from polymicrobial infections, most notably from the respiratory tract of cystic fibrosis patients, as a cocolonizer with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Recent evidence of cell-cell communication between these pathogens has implications for the development of novel pharmacological therapies. Animal models of S. maltophilia infection have provided useful information about the type of host immune response induced by this opportunistic pathogen. Current and emerging treatments for patients infected with S. maltophilia are discussed.
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The Tigecycline In Vitro Surveillance in Taiwan (TIST) study, a nationwide, prospective surveillance during 2006 to 2010, collected a total of 7,793 clinical isolates, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (n = 1,834), penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) (n = 423), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) (n = 219), extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (n = 1,141), ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 1,330), Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 1,645), and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (n = 903), from different specimens from 20 different hospitals in Taiwan. MICs of tigecycline were determined following the criteria of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST-2011). Among drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens, all of the PRSP isolates were susceptible to tigecycline (MIC90, 0.03 μg/ml), and only one MRSA isolate (MIC90, 0.5 μg/ml) and three VRE isolates (MIC90, 0.125 μg/ml) were nonsusceptible to tigecycline. Among the Gram-negative bacteria, the tigecycline susceptibility rates were 99.65% for ESBL-producing E. coli (MIC90, 0.5 μg/ml) and 96.32% for ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae (MIC90, 2 μg/ml) when interpreted by FDA criteria but were 98.7% and 85.8%, respectively, when interpreted by EUCAST-2011 criteria. The susceptibility rate for A. baumannii (MIC90, 4 μg/ml) decreased from 80.9% in 2006 to 55.3% in 2009 but increased to 73.4% in 2010. A bimodal MIC distribution was found among carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii isolates, and a unimodal MIC distribution was found among carbapenem-nonsusceptible A. baumannii isolates. In Taiwan, tigecycline continues to have excellent in vitro activity against several major clinically important drug-resistant bacteria, with the exception of A. baumannii.
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Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a ubiquitous organism associated with opportunistic infections. In the immunocompromised host, increasing prevalence and severity of illness is observed, particularly opportunistic bloodstream infections and pneumonia syndromes. In this article, the classification and microbiology are outlined, together with clinical presentation, outcomes and management of infections due to S. maltophilia. Although virulence mechanisms and the genetic basis of antibiotic resistance have been identified, a role for standardized and uniform reporting of antibiotic sensitivity is not defined. Infections due to S. maltophilia have traditionally been treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, or fluoroquinolone agents. The use of combination therapies, newer fluoroquinolone agents and tetracycline derivatives is discussed. Finally, measures to prevent transmission of S. maltophilia within healthcare facilities are reported, especially in at-risk patient populations.
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Accurate determination of resistance is important to ensure appropriate antimicrobial therapy in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia infections. This study was undertaken to evaluate the susceptibility results obtained by disc diffusion, E-test, Phoenix system, and reference agar dilution method and also to evaluate the in vitro activity of various antimicrobial combinations against multidrug-resistant S. maltophilia. Susceptibilities to several antimicrobial agents were determined by agar dilution, disc diffusion, and E-test according to the US Clinical Laboratory and Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results were also evaluated in the in Phoenix system for available agents. Twelve different antibiotic combinations were tested for synergy by the E-test method. Most synergic combinations were confirmed by microdilution checkerboard assay. Tigecycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) and doxycycline were the most effective drugs against S. maltophilia. Poorest agreement was determined by disc diffusion and E-test against ticarcillin/clavulanate and ciprofloxacin (κ < 0.4), by disc diffusion against colistin (κ < 0.4), and by the Phoenix system against piperacillin/tazobactam (κ < 0.4). Based on these data, disc diffusion seems to be unreliable for ticarcillin/clavulanate, ciprofloxacin, and colistin; E-test for ticarcillin/clavulanate and ciprofloxacin; and the Phoenix system for piperacillin/tazobactam for S. maltophilia susceptibility testing. Synergistic activity was detected predominantly with TMP-SMX + ticarcillin/clavulanate and TMP-SMX + ceftazidime. TMP-SMX + ceftazidime synergy was also supported by the checkerboard method. However, TMP-SMX + ticarcillin/clavulanate combination revealed indifferent effect by the checkerboard assay. As ticarcillin/clavulanate and ciprofloxacin E-test results were beyond the acceptable correlation limits, synergy testing performed with these agents was considered as unreliable. Further studies are required to standardize susceptibility testing, especially for colistin, ticarcillin/clavulanate, and ciprofloxacin for S. maltophilia. TMP-SMX-containing drug combinations seemed to be more synergistic on multidrug-resistant S. maltophilia; however, these results merit further evaluation.
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Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined for 1,586 isolates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia from globally diverse medical centers using the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution method. The combination trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (96.0% of isolates susceptible at ≤2 μg/ml trimethoprim and 38 μg/ml sulfamethoxazole) and tigecycline (95.5% of isolates sussceptible at ≤2 μg/ml) were the only antimicrobials tested with >94% susceptibility in all regions. Susceptibility rates for other commonly used were lower than expected and varied geographically. This in vitro data supports tigecycline as a potential candidate for clinical investigations into S. maltophilia infections.
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Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen in the debilitated host. S maltophilia is not an inherently virulent pathogen, but its ability to colonise respiratory-tract epithelial cells and surfaces of medical devices makes it a ready coloniser of hospitalised patients. S maltophilia can cause blood-stream infections and pneumonia with considerable morbidity in immunosuppressed patients. Management of infection is hampered by high-level intrinsic resistance to many antibiotic classes and the increasing occurrence of acquired resistance to the first-line drug co-trimoxazole. Prevention of acquisition and infection depends upon the application of modern infection-control practices, with emphasis on the control of antibiotic use and environmental reservoirs.
Article
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen in debilitated hosts. Clinical management of S. maltophilia is challenging due to its intrinsic resistance to a variety of antibiotics. This study investigated the trend and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in S. maltophilia from a nationwide surveillance study in Taiwan. S. maltophilia isolates were collected biennially between 1998 and 2008 as part of the Taiwan Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (TSAR) program from medical centers and regional hospitals throughout Taiwan. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute reference broth microdilution method. A total of 377 non-duplicate S. maltophilia isolates were collected from 38 hospitals. The majority of the isolates were from the respiratory tract (256, 67.9%), followed by blood (48, 12.7%). Overall, 376 (99.7%) isolates were susceptible to minocycline, 362 (96%) to tigecycline, 311 (82.5%) to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), 300 (79.6%) to levofloxacin, 92 (24.4%) to ceftazidime, and 70 (18.6%) to ticarcillin-clavulanic acid. The MIC(50)/MIC(90) of minocycline, tigecycline, TMP-SMX, levofloxacin, ceftazidime, and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, were ≤0.5/1 μg/mL, 0.25/1 μg/mL, ≤0.25/8 μg/mL, 1/4 μg/mL, 32/128 μg/mL, and 64/128 μg/mL, respectively. A trend of increased non-susceptibility to levofloxacin (p=0.014) was observed over the 10-year study period. Compared to TMP-SMX-susceptible isolates, TMP-SMX-resistant isolates were less susceptible to levofloxacin (54.5% vs. 84.9%, p<0.001). In this 10-year study, minocycline and TMP-SMX remained the two antimicrobials with better in vitro activities against S. maltophilia than ceftazidime, levofloxacin, and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid. The activity of levofloxacin against S. maltophilia in Taiwan declined during the past 10 years.