Active Surveillance Cultures Research Articles

The effect of routine surveillance and decolonization on the rate of Staphylococcus aureus infections in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit.

To evaluate the impact of active surveillance cultures (ASC) for Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and decolonization on the rate of infection in neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Using a quasi-experimental design with control groups, rates of SA infections before and after implementing weekly ASC and topical mupirocin decolonization in a level IV NICU were compared. Comparators were the rates of gram negative bloodstream infections (BSI) and of SA BSI at an affiliated NICU where the intervention was not implemented. There was a 77% (p < 0.010) reduction in rate of NICU-wide methicillin-susceptible SA (MSSA) BSI, but no significant change in rate of methicillin-resistant SA BSI, likely due to a prevalent mupirocin-resistant clone. Rates of gram negative BSI and SA BSI at an affiliated NICU did not change significantly. Weekly ASC and decolonization were associated with a unit-wide reduction in MSSA infections in a NICU.

Clinical and Financial Implications for Discontinuing Active Surveillance Culturing (ASC) for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus & Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in Community Hospitals

Background Active surveillance culturing (ASC) is widely used to prevent the spread of select multi-drug resistant organisms. As infection prevalence changes over time, the value and effectiveness of ACS requires periodic re-assessment. The two primary objectives of this study were to determine whether discontinuation of ASC for MRSA and VRE was associated with any increased incidence of hospital-acquired MRSA or VRE infection, and to estimate the financial impact of discontinuing MRSA and VRE ASC. Methods Rates of hospital-acquired (HA) infection or colonization with MRSA & VRE (excluding screening tests) were compared before and after discontinuation of VRE ASC and limitation of MRSA ASC in two separate community hospitals in eastern North Carolina between 2016 and 2019. Financial costs were estimated from direct laboratory costs and personal protective equipment (PPE) use pre- and post-elimination of ASC. Results HA-VRE rates were similar between sites and showed no significant difference following discontinuation of VRE ASC (risk ratio 0.79, 95% CI: 0.24-2.52, p=0.69). HA-MRSA rates were more difficult to interpret as rates differed between sites, and one site only had 2 months of data available following ASC limitation. Despite these limitations, within-site MRSA rates showed no significant change before or after limitation of MRSA ASC. Aggregate HA-MRSA rates actually fell slightly following limitation of MRSA ASC (risk ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.18-0.91, p=0.04). Complete cost data for PPE usage was available for facility A and complete laboratory cost data for facility B. Both showed significant reductions after limiting ASC (p<0.001). Conclusions Rates of MRSA and VRE infection/colonization were overall low, but showed no significant change following discontinuation of ASC at two separate community hospitals. The discontinuation of ASC lead to cost savings for both facilities with no increased harm observed. Active surveillance culturing (ASC) is widely used to prevent the spread of select multi-drug resistant organisms. As infection prevalence changes over time, the value and effectiveness of ACS requires periodic re-assessment. The two primary objectives of this study were to determine whether discontinuation of ASC for MRSA and VRE was associated with any increased incidence of hospital-acquired MRSA or VRE infection, and to estimate the financial impact of discontinuing MRSA and VRE ASC. Rates of hospital-acquired (HA) infection or colonization with MRSA & VRE (excluding screening tests) were compared before and after discontinuation of VRE ASC and limitation of MRSA ASC in two separate community hospitals in eastern North Carolina between 2016 and 2019. Financial costs were estimated from direct laboratory costs and personal protective equipment (PPE) use pre- and post-elimination of ASC. HA-VRE rates were similar between sites and showed no significant difference following discontinuation of VRE ASC (risk ratio 0.79, 95% CI: 0.24-2.52, p=0.69). HA-MRSA rates were more difficult to interpret as rates differed between sites, and one site only had 2 months of data available following ASC limitation. Despite these limitations, within-site MRSA rates showed no significant change before or after limitation of MRSA ASC. Aggregate HA-MRSA rates actually fell slightly following limitation of MRSA ASC (risk ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.18-0.91, p=0.04). Complete cost data for PPE usage was available for facility A and complete laboratory cost data for facility B. Both showed significant reductions after limiting ASC (p<0.001). Rates of MRSA and VRE infection/colonization were overall low, but showed no significant change following discontinuation of ASC at two separate community hospitals. The discontinuation of ASC lead to cost savings for both facilities with no increased harm observed.

SIMULATION ANALYSIS ON COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF SANITARY AND MEDICAL MATERIAL USAGE AT URINARY TRACT INFECTION OUTBREAK CAUSED BY ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA IN UROLOGICAL WARD

(Purpose) The purpose of this study is to compare the costs of active surveillance culture (ASC) and of an environmental cleaner and disinfectant, with the medical costs for inhibiting hospitalized urinary tract infection (UTI) outbreaks in a urology ward over a 3 year 8 months period by simulation calculation. (Methods) We previously reported a UTI outbreak via antibiotic resistant bacteria transmission in 9 hospitalized patients, for which we initiated ASC and introduced a potassium peroxymonosulfate-based product (RUBYSTA® (RST)) as a disinfectant environmental cleaner, then prevented recurrence for 3 years and 8 months. This study compared the actual costs of ASC and RST use to the calculated medical expense for an outbreak leading to urosepsis on the same scale caused by transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria. (Results) Based on our simulation calculation, ASC and disinfectant costs were about 770,000 Japanese yen lower than the medical expense of resolving an outbreak without recurrence for a period of 3 years and 8 months, based on our direct clinical experience. (Conclusion) Even though it is needless to say that education for medical stuffs, patients and their families is the most important as to the measures for prevention of infections, our simulation study suggests that ASC and RST use may reduce medical costs for resolving such outbreaks and preventing their recurrence for an extended period of time.

Containing Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in an endemic setting

BackgroundCarbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CP-Kp) has been established as important nosocomial pathogen in most tertiary care hospitals in Greece. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of an enhanced infection control program on the containment of CP-Kp in a haematology unit where the incidence of CP-Kp infections was high.MethodsThe study was conducted from June 2011 to December 2014 in a haematology unit of a tertiary-care 500-bed hospital located in Athens, Greece. A bundled intervention (active surveillance cultures, separation of carriers from non-carriers, assignment of dedicated nursing staff, contact precautions, environmental cleaning, and promotion of hand hygiene) was tested whether would reduce colonization and infection caused by CP-Kp.ResultsA total of 2507 rectal swabs were obtained; 1199 upon admission from June 2011 to June 2013 and 1307 during hospitalization from June 2011 to December 2012. During intervention the admission prevalence of CP-Kp colonization (p < 0.001 for linear trend), the hospitalization prevalence (p = 0.001 for linear trend) and the incidence rate of CP-Kp colonization (p = 0.072 for linear trend) were declining. Application of segmented linear regression revealed that both the change in the level of CP-Kp BSI incidence rates (p = 0.001) as well as the difference between pre- and post-intervention slopes were statistically significant (p < 0.001).ConclusionsA bundled intervention including active surveillance cultures on admission can attain maximum containment of CP-Kp colonization and infection in endemic acute healthcare settings.

Genetic Relatedness of NDM-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Co-Occurring VIM, KPC, and OXA-48 Enzymes from Surveillance Cultures from an Intensive Care Unit.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen most commonly associated with nosocomial infections, especially in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Routine surveillance cultures for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae have become a common practice for hospital infection prevention. The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic relatedness of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae carrying blaNDM gene across multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme. Surveillance rectal swabs from 4,463 ICU patients admitted to the Rio de Janeiro hospital (March 2016-2017) were screened on CHROMagar mSuperCARBA. Of these, 631 isolates were subjected to VITEK 2 system for phenotypic microbial identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Out of 631 isolates, 108 were identified as K. pneumoniae, 103 of which were confirmed by PCR of 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Eleven blaNDM-positive isolates were subsequently screened for blaKPC, blaBKC, blaIMP, blaVIM, blaSPM, blaOXA-48, and mcr-1-8 genes. Twenty-seven percent (3/11) revealed co-occurrence with KPC, OXA-48, and VIM, 46% (5/11) with KPC and VIM, and 18% (2/11) with VIM type. No strains harbored the blaBKC, blaSPM, blaIMP, and mcr-1 to 8 resistance genes. All 11 isolates were resistant to β-lactams, ciprofloxacin 90%, tigecycline 82%, gentamicin 73%, and amikacin 18%, and were classified as multidrug resistant (MDR), extensively drug resistant (XDR), and pandrug resistant (PDR). Molecular epidemiology data based on MLST revealed 11 different STs, 8 of which were novel and 3 were previously described. Six out of the eight new STs were associated with MDR and PDR strains and two clonal complexes were reported, including CC258 and CC15. The coexistence of NDM-producing K. pneumoniae and other carbapenemase has been frequently described worldwide. Moreover, we report for the first time K. pneumoniae co-harboring up to four carbapenemases from active surveillance cultures.

Justice in control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus transmission: a fair question to ask?

Active surveillance cultures and contact precautions is a strategy to control the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) within healthcare facilities. Whether to implement this strategy to routinely screen and isolate inpatients with MRSA in non-outbreak (endemic) settings, or to remove it and use standard infection control precautions only is scientifically and ethically controversial, in view of the potential adverse effects of contact precautions on patients. To support the use of standard precautions only, it has been argued that active surveillance to identify patients who are asymptomatically colonised with MRSA to place them in contact precautions is unjust or unfair to these patients in various ways. This paper will unpack and examine four distinct arguments, which are advanced from a medical ethics or quality improvement ethical framework, for why this is so. Our analysis shows that while these arguments highlight the injustice of current practices, they do not provide strong ethical reasons for justifying the removal of active surveillance and contact precautions to control MRSA transmission and infection. An implication of our arguments is that the ethical frame for evaluating prevention and control strategies for MRSA, a multi-drug resistant bacteria, should shift from healthcare to primarily public health. From a public health ethics perspective, whether a strategy is unjust, or how ethically significant its lack of fairness is, depends on assessing the evidence for its public health effectiveness and necessity in a given setting, and the extent of the harms and burdens patients with MRSA bear when they are on contact precautions, which remain matters of scientific debate or uncertainty. As an ethical consideration in the debate, the chief normative implication of justice is to provide us further reasons to revise current active surveillance-contact precautions practices, and for the need for research and interventions to minimise their potential adverse effects on patients.

Successful control of an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST307 outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit

BackgroundIn this study, we evaluated the genetic relatedness of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-KPN) isolates from an outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in August 2017, We implemented an active countermeasure to control this outbreak successfully.MethodsThe incidence of healthcare-associated ESBL-KPN bacteremia was evaluated before and after initiating enhanced infection control (IC) practices in January 2018. Surveillance cultures were set up and monitored for neonates, medical personnel, and NICU environments. Molecular analyses, including pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), sequence typing, and ESBL genotyping, were performed for the isolated KPN strains.ResultsAfter implementing the enhanced IC procedures, the healthcare-associated bacteremia rate decreased from 6.0 to 0.0 per 1000 patient-days. Samples from neonates (n = 11/15, 73.3%), medical personnel (n = 1/41, 2.4%), and medical devices and the environments (6/181, 3.3%) tested positive for ESBL-KPN in the surveillance cultures in December 2017. Active surveillance cultures revealed that 23 of 72 neonates who were screened (31.9%) were colonized with ESBL-KPN between January and March 2018. All the isolates demonstrated closely related PFGE patterns and were identified as ST307 strain carrying the CTX-M-15 gene.ConclusionsContaminated NICU environments and medical devices, as well as transmission by medical personnel, appeared to be the source of the outbreak of ESBL-KPN infection. We employed an enhanced IC strategy during January–March 2018 and successfully controlled the clonal outbreak of CTX-M-15-positive KPN. ST307 has emerged as an important bacteremia-causing pathogen in the NICU and should be carefully monitored.

Contact isolation versus standard precautions to decrease acquisition of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales in non-critical care wards: a cluster-randomised crossover trial

The effectiveness of contact isolation for decreasing the spread of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) has been questioned. The aim of this study was to establish the benefits of contact isolation over standard precautions for reducing the incidence density of ESBL-E colonisation and infection in adult medical and surgical wards with an active surveillance culture programme. We did a cluster-randomised crossover trial in adult wards in four European university hospitals. Medical, surgical, or combined medical-surgical wards without critical care were randomised to continue standard precautions alone or implement contact isolation alongside standard precautions for 12 months, followed by a 1 month washout period and 12 months of the alternate strategy. Randomisation was done via a computer-generated sequence, with a block size of two consecutive wards. Only laboratory technicians and data analysts were masked to allocation. Patients were screened for ESBL-E carriage within 3 days of admission, once a week thereafter, and on discharge. The primary outcome was the incidence density of ESBL-E, defined as the acquisition rate per 1000 patient-days at risk at the ward level and assessed in the per-protocol population, which included all patients screened at least twice with a length of stay of more than 1 week for each intervention period. No specific safety measures were assessed given the minimal risk of adverse events. The trial is registered, ISRCTN57648070. We enrolled 20 wards from four hospitals in Germany (eight wards), the Netherlands (four wards), Spain (four wards), and Switzerland (four wards). Between Jan 6, 2014, and Aug 31, 2016, 38 357 patients were admitted to these wards. Among 15 184 patients with a length of stay of more than 1 week, 11 368 patients (75%) were screened at least twice. The incidence density of ward-acquired ESBL-E was 6·0 events per 1000 patient-days at risk (95% CI 5·4-6·7) during periods of contact isolation and 6·1 (5·5-6·7) during periods of standard precautions (p=0·9710). Multivariable analysis adjusted for length of stay, percentage of patients screened, and prevalence in first screening cultures yielded an incidence rate ratio of 0·99 (95% CI 0·80-1·22; p=0·9177) for care under contact isolation compared with standard precautions. Contact isolation showed no benefit when added to standard precautions for controlling the spread of ESBL-E on non-critical care wards with extensive surveillance screening. European Commission.

Predictors for vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium transforming from colonization to infection: a case control study

BackgroundLittle is known about risk factors for subsequent infections among vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) colonizers, especially characterized by concordant pulsotypes (CP) of paired colonization and infection-related isolates.MethodsThis case-control study was conducted at a teaching hospital between 2011 and 2014. Targeted patients received active surveillance culture for VREfm by anal swabs at admission. Cases were those who developed VREfm infection within 180 days after colonization of VREfm. Controls were those colonized with VREfm without subsequent VREfm infection. CP were defined by similarities ≥86.7% using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis between paired colonization and infection-related isolates.ResultsNinety-seven cases and 194 controls were enrolled. By conditional multivariable logistic regression analysis, the risk factors for subsequent infection among VREfm colonizers were intensive care unit (ICU) admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 9.32; 95% CI, 3.61–24.02), receipt of central venous catheters (CVC) (aOR, 3.38; 95% CI, 1.30–8.82), and utilization of third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins (aOR, 4.06; 95% CI, 1.79–9.20, and aOR, 5.32; 95% CI, 1.85– 10.29, respectively) (all P ≤ 0.01). Fifty-six (57.7%) of case patients belonged to the CP group, which were associated with ICU admission (aOR, 3.74; 95% CI, 1.38–10.13), and infection developing within 30 days after colonization (aOR, 3.34; 95% CI, 1.25–8.91).ConclusionsAmong VREfm colonizers, being admitted to ICU and receiving CVC or broad spectrum cephalosporins, were the risk factors for subsequent infections. These findings highlight the importance of conducting more strict infection control measures on specific groups of VREfm colonizers.

1165. Risk Factors for Bloodstream Infections During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

BackgroundAlthough bloodstream infections (BSIs) are important complications of ECMO, data on clinical characteristics of ECMO-associated BSIs remain limited. This study aimed to investigate clinical characteristics of ECMO-associated BSIs and evaluate the role of routine active surveillance cultures (ASCs) in predicting subsequent BSIs.MethodsWe reviewed the medical records of adult patients who received ECMO for >48 hours in 2 teaching hospitals between January 2013 and March 2019. ECMO-associated BSIs were defined as bacteremia occurring from 48 hours after ECMO initiation. ASCs for multidrug-resistant organisms were obtained from nasal, axillary, inguinal, and rectal swabs when patients were admitted to the ICUs.ResultsOverall, 28 of 110 (25.4%) patients had BSIs within the median 7 days after ECMO initiation. Table 1 shows the clinical characteristics of patients with ECMO-associated BSIs. Among BSI cases, the most common pathogens were Candida spp. (25%). Longer ECMO days (P < 0.01), steroid use (P = 0.02), and more blood transfusions (P < 0.01) were associated with BSIs. However, there was no association between the results of ASCs and subsequent pathogens of BSIs.ConclusionBSIs during ECMO were associated with longer ECMO duration, steroid use and blood transfusion. The pathogens of BSIs could not be related to ASCs. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Colonization in Intensive Care Units

Active surveillance culture (ASC) can help detect hidden reservoirs, but the routine use of ASC for extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae is controversial in an endemic situation. We aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (EBSL-Kpn) colonization among intensive care unit (ICU)-admitted patients. Prospective screening of ESBL-Kpn colonization was performed for ICU-admitted patients within 48 hours for two months. A perirectal swab sample was inoculated on MacConkey agar supplemented with 2 µg/mL ceftazidime. ESBL genotype was determined by PCR-sequencing, and clonal relatedness was evaluated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The risk factors of ESBL-Kpn colonization were evaluated. The ESBL-Kpn colonization rate among the 281 patients at ICU admission was 6.4% (18/281), and blaCTX-M-15 was detected in all isolates. ESBL producers also showed resistance to fluoroquinolone (38.9%, 7/18). All isolates had the same ESBL genotype (blaCTX-M-15) and a highly clustered PFGE pattern, suggesting cross-transmission without a documented outbreak. In univariate analysis, the risk factor for ESBL-Kpn colonization over the control was the length of hospital stay (odds ratio=1.062; P=0.019). Routine use of ASC could help control endemic ESBL–Kpn for ICU patients.

A survey of the implementation status of selected infection control strategies in neonatal intensive care units in Japan

Infection control strategies are implemented in all neonatal intensive care units (NICUs); however, the details of the strategies seem to differ among institutions. The purpose of this survey was to investigate the current implementation status of infection control strategies in NICUs in Japan and to identify and recommend appropriate strategies for the prevention of outbreaks in neonatal units. This survey documented the current implementation status and methods of selected infection prevention and control measures (active surveillance cultures and standard precaution) in 453 Japanese NICUs/neonatal units registered with the Japan Society of Perinatal and Neonatal Medicine, using questionnaires, in May 2018. The response rate was 48.1% (level I institutions, 25.5%; level II, 55.9%; level III, 64.2%). Surveillance cultures were performed every week and targeted all bacteria in most units. The proportion of level III institutions that experienced outbreaks over the previous five years was significantly higher than that of level II institutions (55% vs 27%, P=0.0003). However, wearing a mask was less frequently recommended in level III institutions (55.7%) than in level II institutions (67.9%). Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was the most frequently reported bacterial pathogen responsible for NICU outbreaks. Infection prevention and control practices regarding active pathogen surveillance cultures and the use of barrier precautions varied widely in Japanese neonatal units. National guidelines and evidence-based recommendations are needed to rationalize and standardize current infection prevention and control practices in neonatal units in Japan.

Infection Prevention Technician: a new role to support enhanced hospital environment-of-care rounding

BACKGROUND Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Studies suggest that environmental contamination plays a role in the transmission of pathogens. Several common pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), are able to survive for prolonged periods of?time in the environment, and infections have been found to be associated?with surface contamination in hospitals. METHODS A Midwest healthcare system implemented a new position, the Infection Prevention Technician (IP Technician), to support the hospital's Infection Preventionist by performing environment-of-care (EOC) rounds. From July 2017-June 2018, the IP Technician at a 350-bed hospital performed focused EOC rounds. Findings were documented at the unit level and reported daily to department leadership. The report included a photo if applicable. Active surveillance culture data was monitored to measure rates of transmissions. RESULTS An educational tool was included that led to knowledge and collaboration between a multidisciplinary team. Findings decreased by an average of 46% over the 12-month period. Pre-intervention, the C. difficile standardized infection ratio (SIR) was 0.670. One year post-intervention, the SIR was 0.574. MRSA bloodstream infections continued to be sporadic with many months at zero. The MRSA transmission rate decreased from 0.48 (per 1000 patient days) to 0.35 post-intervention. During the same period, the VRE transmission rate decreased from 0.56 to 0.52 respectively. CONCLUSIONS Sustainment of infection control practices requires constant rounding, education, and communication to staff. The IP Technician role has proven to be a success with sustainment of our prevention efforts, mainly providing the additional support needed to implement focused EOC rounding. The daily report has proven to be a valuable tool as the healthcare team became more knowledgeable of EOC concerns. Collectively, these efforts have mitigated risks that may lead to HAIs.

A cost analysis of active surveillance culture in a neonatal intensive care unit

Active surveillance culture (ASC) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) has been implemented to monitor horizontal transmission and choose appropriate antimicrobials when neonates experience late-onset infections (LOIs). To perform a cost analysis of ASC in the NICU, we evaluated data from a NICU ward in a Japanese community hospital. This was a retrospective study of neonates admitted to the NICU of Nara Prefecture General Medical Center, Nara City, Japan, from April 2012 to May 2017. We implemented biweekly ASC (nasal, stool and umbilical cultures) during this period. We assessed the detection rate for methicillin-sensitive and -resistant S. aureus (MSSA and MRSA) in each culture and reviewed the cases of LOI. Among the 785 cases, MSSA and MRSA were detected in 158 and 75 cases, respectively. Nasal culture was the most sensitive method for detecting MSSA and MRSA. Three cases benefitted from changing the empiric treatment based on previous ASC results, with an annual cost of ¥808,331 (£5773.80 or $7282.30) for ASC. The total cost per one benefited case during the study period was calculated as ¥1,392,126 (£9943.80 or $12,541.70). The total cost per benefited case in risk factor targeted ASC, nasal culture targeted ASC and MRSA-targeted ASC was ¥1,332,264 (£9516.20 or $12,002.30), ¥692,222 (£4944.40 or $6236.20) and ¥858,547 (£6132.50 or $7734.70), respectively. Considering the frequency of S. aureus detection and the cost of each culture, our ASC was modified to use only nasal cultures. This study suggests that the cost performance of ASC should be evaluated with consideration of the characteristics of each NICU.

Active surveillance culture in a critical care unit of a tertiary care hospital of West Bengal, India: a prospective study

Background: Hospital-acquired infections are a common and serious public health problem and their management and control are essential to minimize hospital-related morbidity and mortality. The aim was to acquire the base line data regarding prevalence of Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) organism in a tertiary care institution and to help in ensuring proper practice guidelines like contact isolation, cohorting and sterile barrier precaution. The study design was an observational descriptive hospital based cross sectional study.Methods: The study was conducted in a critical care unit of a tertiary care hospital for a duration of 6months. Patients with the age more than 18yrs, duration of stay more than 48hrs were included in the study. Categorical data are expressed in percentages.Results: In the study 111 patients more than 18 yrs of age were enrolled of which 68 were male and 43 females. The sample collected from the axillary site were 110, nasal site 108, urine 96 and respiratory site 95. The culture positivity for pathogenic organisms were maximum for axillary site (95.5%) followed by nasal site (83.33%), respiratory site (36.8%) and urine (26%). Of all the organisms isolated multidrug resistance were as follows: MRSA 63% and MSSA 37% (of all S. aureus), MR CoNS 41.32% (of all CoNS), ESBL producer 22.2% and carbapenemase producer 22.2% (of all Klebsiella species), ESBL producer 37.5% and carbapenemase producer 31.26% (of all E. coli), non albicans Candida 57.14% (of all Candida species).Conclusions: Early identification of the causative pathogen in nosocomial and community-acquired infection is crucial for initiating the correct antibiotics as well as preventing further spread.

Systematic Review of the Clinical Utility of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Nasal Screening for MRSA Pneumonia.

To describe the diagnostic performance characteristics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal screening for patients with pneumonia. PubMed and Scopus were searched from 1 January 1990 to 12 December 2018 using terms methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus AND (screening OR active surveillance OR surveillance culture OR targeted surveillance OR chromogenic OR PCR OR polymerase chain reaction OR rapid test) AND (nares OR nasal) AND (pneumonia OR respiratory). Relevant studies in humans and English were considered. In all, 19 studies, including 21 790 patients, were included. Nasal screening for MRSA had a high negative predictive value (NPV; 76% to 99.4% for relevant studies) across all types of pneumonia. Time from nasal screening to culture varied across studies. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: MRSA nasal screening has a high NPV for MRSA involvement in pneumonia. Utilizing this test for antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) purposes can provide a valuable tool for reducing unwarranted anti-MRSA agents and may provide additional cost benefits. A cutoff of 7 days between nasal swab and culture or infection onset seems most appropriate for use of this test for anti-MRSA agent de-escalation for ASP purposes. Consideration for the inclusion of the utility of MRSA nasal screening in MRSA pneumonia should be made for future pneumonia and ASP guidelines. Additional studies are warranted to fully evaluate specific pneumonia classifications, culture types, culture timing, and clinical outcomes associated with the use of this test in patients with pneumonia.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae Acquisition in an Emergency Intensive Care Unit in a Tertiary Hospital in Korea: a Case-Control Study.

BackgroundInfections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are associated with high mortality rates and their treatment is difficult because treatment is limited to certain antibiotics, such as colistin and tigecycline. We aimed to perform active surveillance culture of CRE (ASC-CRE) to monitor the prevalence of CRE acquisition during intensive care unit (ICU) care and to examine the potential risk factors associated with CRE acquisition.MethodsWe conducted ASC-CRE on patients who were admitted to the ICU in the emergency room at a tertiary hospital. Rectal swabs were analyzed using methods established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To detect carbapenemase-producing CRE, a polymerase chain reaction assay to detect five carbapenemase genes (blaNDM, blaKPC, blaVIM, blaIMP-1, and blaOXA-48) was performed.ResultsThere were 22 CRE acquisition in 21 patients (2.6%, 21/810) and the incidence of CRE acquisition was 4.3/1,000 person-days, respectively. The most common species detected was Klebsiella pneumoniae (72.7%, 16/22), and 9 carbapenemase-producing CREs (7 blaKPC and 2 blaNDM) were detected. Independent risk factors associated with CRE acquisition were men gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3–21.3), history of admission within one year (aOR, 3.9; 95% CI, 1.2–12.1), co-colonization with multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (aOR, 15.6; 95% CI, 3.6–67.8) and extended-spectrum β-lactamases-producing bacteria (aOR, 4.7; 95% CI, 1.5–14.6), and exposure to glycopeptide antibiotics (aOR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.3–9.9).ConclusionThe identification of patients with risk factors for CRE acquisition and early detection of CRE acquisition using ASC-CRE may be useful for CRE control.

Control of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Healthcare Facilities: A Systematic Review and Reanalysis of Quasi-experimental Studies.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPsA) are a serious cause of healthcare-associated infections, although the evidence for their control remains uncertain. We conducted a systematic review and reanalysis to assess infection prevention and control (IPC) interventions on CRE-CRAB-CRPsA in inpatient healthcare facilities to inform World Health Organization guidelines. Six major databases and conference abstracts were searched. Before-and-after studies were reanalyzed as interrupted time series if possible. Effective practice and organization of care (EPOC) quality criteria were used. Seventy-six studies were identified, of which 17 (22%) were EPOC-compatible and interrupted time series analyses, assessing CRE (n = 11; 65%), CRAB (n = 5; 29%) and CRPsA (n = 3; 18%). IPC measures were often implemented using a multimodal approach (CRE: 10/11; CRAB: 4/5; CRPsA: 3/3). Among all CRE-CRAB-CRPsA EPOC studies, the most frequent intervention components included contact precautions (90%), active surveillance cultures (80%), monitoring, audit and feedback of measures (80%), patient isolation or cohorting (70%), hand hygiene (50%), and environmental cleaning (40%); nearly all studies with these interventions reported a significant reduction in slope and/or level. The quality of EPOC studies was very low to low.

Screening for Intestinal Carriage of Extended-spectrum Beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Critically Ill Patients: Expected Benefits and Evidence-based Controversies.

The rising burden of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infections due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) strengthens the requirement for efficient prevention strategies. The detection of intestinal carriage of ESBL-E through active surveillance cultures (ASC) and the implementation of contact precautions (CP) in carriers are currently advocated in most high-income countries, to prevent cross-transmission and subsequent ESBL-E infections in critically-ill patients. Yet, recent studies have challenged the benefit of ASC and CP in controlling the spread of ESBL-E in ICUs with high compliance to standard hygiene precautions and no ongoing outbreak of ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae or Enterobacter spp. Besides, given their debated performance to positively predict which patients are at risk of ESBL-E infections, ASC results appear of limited value to rationalize the empirical use of carbapenems in the ICU, emphasizing the urgent need for novel anticipatory and diagnostic approaches. This Viewpoint article summarizes the available evidence on these issues.

Risk for subsequent infection and mortality after hospitalization among patients with multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria colonization or infection

BackgroundRisks for subsequent multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDRGNB) infection and long-term outcome after hospitalization among patients with MDRGNB colonization remain unknown.MethodsThis observational study enrolled 817 patients who were hospitalized in the study hospital in 2009. We defined MDRGNB as a GNB resistant to at least three different antimicrobial classes. Patients were classified into MDRGNB culture-positive (MDRGNB-CP; 125 patients) and culture-negative (MDRGNB-CN; 692 patients) groups based on the presence or absence of any MDRGNB identified from either active surveillance or clinical cultures during index hospitalization. Subsequent MDRGNB infection and mortality within 12 months after index hospitalization were recorded. We determined the frequency and risk factors for subsequent MDRGNB infection and mortality associated with previous MDRGNB culture status.ResultsIn total, 129 patients had at least one subsequent MDRGNB infection (MDRGNB-CP, 48.0%; MDRGNB-CN, 10.0%), and 148 patients died (MDRGNB-CP, 31.2%; MDRGNB-CN, 15.9%) during the follow-up period. MDR Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii were the predominant colonization microorganisms; patients with Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa had the highest hazard risk for developing subsequent infection. After controlling for other confounders, MDRGNB-CP during hospitalization independently predicted subsequent MDRGNB infection (hazard ratio [HR], 5.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.72–7.71), all-cause mortality (HR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.67–3.50), and subsequent MDRGNB infection-associated mortality (HR, 4.88; 95% CI, 2.79–8.52) after hospitalization.ConclusionsHarboring MDRGNB significantly increases patients’ risk for subsequent MDRGNB infection and mortality after hospitalization, justifying the urgent need for developing effective strategies to prevent and eradicate MDRGNB colonization.