amoxicillin-potassium-clavulanate-combination and Meningococcal-Infections

This prospective multicenter study was conducted to define more clearly clinical and laboratory criteria that predict a strong probability of occult bacteremia and to evaluate the effect of empiric broad spectrum antimicrobial treatment of these children. Children 3 to 36 months old with fever > or = 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) or, > or = 39.5 degrees C (103 degrees F) with white blood cells (WBC) > or = 15 x 10(9)/liter, and no focus of infection had blood cultures obtained and were randomized to treatment with oral amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate or intramuscular ceftriaxone. Sixty of 519 (11.6%) study patients had positive blood cultures: Streptococcus pneumoniae, 51; Haemophilus influenzae b, 6; Neisseria meningitidis, 2; and Group B Streptococcus, 1. Subgroups of high risk were identified as fever > or = 39.5 degrees C and WBC > or = 15 x 10(9)/liter, 55 of 331 or 16.6% positive with increasing incidence of positive culture with increasing increments of degrees of leukocytosis to WBC > or = 30 x 10(9)/liter where 9 of 21 or 42.9% were positive. Subgroups of significantly lower risk were identified as fever > or = 39.5 degrees C and WBC < 15 x 10(9)/liter, 5 of 182 or 2.7% positive and those with WBC < 10 x 10(9)/liter, 0 of 99 or 0.0% positive. Children with positive cultures who received ceftriaxone were nearly all afebrile after 24 hours whereas a significant number who received amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate remained febrile. In the 459 culture-negative children more amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate-treated children developed diarrhea and had less improvement in clinical scores after 24 hours than ceftriaxone-treated children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Administration, Oral; Amoxicillin; Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteremia; Ceftriaxone; Child, Preschool; Clavulanic Acids; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Fever; Follow-Up Studies; Haemophilus Infections; Humans; Infant; Injections, Intramuscular; Leukocytosis; Male; Meningococcal Infections; Multivariate Analysis; Pneumococcal Infections; Prospective Studies; Regression Analysis; Treatment Outcome

Neisseria meningitidis is associated with severe invasive infections such as meningitis and fulminant septicemia. Septic arthritis due to N. meningitidis is rare and bone infections have been reported exceptionally. We report the case of a 7-year-old boy who presented with septic arthritis of the right hip associated with a septic location on the pelvis and pyomyositis of the adjacent muscle. Culture of the joint fluid was sterile but universal 16S polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of this fluid revealed group B N. meningitidis. Our patient had never presented any symptoms of meningitis or septicemia and blood cultures were all sterile. Despite appropriate antibiotic treatment, the course of the disease was unusually long and his status did not improve until surgical lavage of the hip was performed. Moreover, MRI imaging showed bilateral hypersignals of the adjacent muscles and revealed an abscess formation in the left gluteus maximus muscle. Presumptive diagnosis bacterial myositis was confirmed by an elevation of creatine phosphokinase in the sera up to 21-fold the normal value but the culture of the abscess, performed 10 days after initiation of antibiotics, was sterile. Despite an initially unfavorable course, this patient's status improved after surgical drainage and he fully recovered 1 month later. This observation illustrates an unusual presentation of invasive meningococcal infection. The respective roles of infection and an inflammatory phenomenon during the course of the disease are discussed. Moreover, this case emphasizes the value of PCR for bacteriological diagnosis of bone and joint infections.

Topics: Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arthritis, Infectious; Child; Creatine Kinase; Drainage; Hip Joint; Humans; Male; Meningococcal Infections; Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B; Osteomyelitis; Pyomyositis; Therapeutic Irrigation

Topics: Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteremia; Comorbidity; Female; France; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Meningococcal Infections; Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup W-135; Pneumonia, Bacterial

Topics: Aged; Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Male; Meningococcal Infections; Neisseria meningitidis; Peritonitis