Implementation Of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs Research Articles

Antimicrobial stewardship programs in a Mexican private healthcare system: a self-assessment of core elements.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) refer to a set of coordinated actions that improve the quality of care and combat antimicrobial resistance. Currently, information regarding the status of ASPs in Mexico is scarce. We aimed to describe the status of ASPs in 12 hospitals from Christus Muguerza Healthcare System. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 hospitals, with a previously developed self-assessment tool to calculate each hospital's ASP development score. The self-assessment tool includes 7 standards with 23 items. Score categories were defined as; high, medium, low, or none. The overall ASP development score was calculated using the proportional weight of each standard. Participating hospitals were divided into 2 groups according to their bed count. Statistical analysis was conducted in Excel program (Microsoft, Redmont, Washington). 12 hospitals completed the self-assessment survey. The median overall ASP development score was 32.3%. The highest overall development scores were observed for hospitals with > 40 beds. The core elements with the lowest development scores were Education and training, and Reporting and feedback. Unlike hospitals with over 40 beds, those with 40 beds or less had a low development score for Hospital leadership support. The core element with the highest development score was Infection prevention and control. This is the first multicenter assessment of ASPs in Mexico, revealing a high proportion of low-score hospitals. National implementation of ASPs is required to combat antimicrobial resistance.

Impact of a hub-and-spoke approach to hospital antimicrobial stewardship programmes on antibiotic use in Zambia.

Antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) aim to optimize antibiotic use and prevent antimicrobial resistance. This study assessed the impact of ASPs, initiated using a hub-and-spoke approach, on antibiotic use in Zambian public hospitals. A pre-post study was conducted in 10 ASP-naive hospitals across Zambia using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s hospital-based ASP core elements (i.e. leadership, accountability, pharmacy expertise, stewardship actions, tracking progress, reporting and education) checklist and the global point prevalence survey methodology. The intervention involved technical staff from a national 'hub' hospital with an established ASP providing on-site orientation and mentorship to multidisciplinary teams of healthcare workers at 10 'spoke' hospitals to build capacity in antimicrobial stewardship. ASP core elements and inpatient antibiotic use prevalence (AUP) were assessed before and 12 months after ASP implementation. Data were statistically analysed. The adoption of ASP core elements improved significantly (P = 0.001, 95% CI: -17.8 to -5.42). AUP decreased from 50.1% (±5.8, n = 1477) to 44.3% (±4.6, n = 1400) after 12 months, though the reduction was not statistically significant (P = 0.442; 95% CI: -9.8 to 21.6), with 'Watch' list antibiotics remaining the most commonly prescribed across the hospitals. The hub-and-spoke approach successfully catalysed ASPs in public hospitals in Zambia, demonstrating the potential for improving antibiotic use practices over time, provided structural challenges are addressed. This approach and insights can guide stakeholders in Zambia and similar settings in enhancing hospital ASPs.

Dispensing of antibiotics in community pharmacies before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background Antibiotic resistance threatens our capability to successfully treat bacteriological infections, becoming a major threat to public health. Therefore, measures must be taken to minimize de incidence of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. Antimicrobial Stewardship is a systemic healthcare approach devised to foster, enhance, oversee, and assess the judicious application of antimicrobials, aiming to safeguard their efficacy in the future, whilst advocating and safeguarding public health. In the initial phase, a correct diagnosis of antimicrobial utilization is pivotal for the proper implementation of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. Methods A cross-sectional study encompassing the Alentejo region, Portugal, with a specific focus on central Alentejo, was conducted to analyze the dispensing of antimicrobials in community pharmacies, alongside the examination of the prescribing locations, before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2019 to 2023. Results The number of antibiotic packages dispensed decreased, as expected, during the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned to pre-pandemic levels after its conclusion. In several prescribing locations, the proportion of cephalosporins and quinolones exceeded the maximum expected value. Conclusions The implementation of an appropriate Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in this region is necessary to ensure the correct prescription of antimicrobials, decreasing the risk that antibiotic resistance pose to public health. Emphasis on the application of the Clinical Practice Guidelines issued by the Portuguese Directorate-General of Health regarding the proper approach to bacterial infections should be intensified so that all prescribing locations exhibit proportions of cephalosporins and quinolones below the maximum expected value. Key messages • Antimicrobial resistance poses a threat to public health. • Stewardship is crucial for appropriately safeguarding public health by reducing antimicrobial resistance emergence.

Trends in Antimicrobial Consumption in Tertiary Care Hospitals in Costa Rica from 2017 to 2021: A Comparative Analysis of Defined Daily Doses per 100 Bed Days and per 100 Discharges.

Background: Antimicrobial consumption (AMC) data in Latin America are scarce and usually spread out across different sources used to make AMC calculations, making it difficult to both standardize and compare regions through similar time frames. The main objective was to analyze AMC trends in Social Security tertiary care hospitals in Costa Rica in the period spanning January 2017 to December 2021, using both the defined daily dose (DDD)/100 bed days and DDD/100 discharges. Methods: This is a retrospective observational study of antimicrobial consumption. Global consumption trends were calculated and expressed as DDD/100 bed days and DDD/100 discharges. Trends in antimicrobial consumption were analyzed using a simple linear regression model to determine potential differences in antimicrobial usage throughout the study's duration. Results: A statistically significant increase in the consumption expressed in DDD/100 discharges was observed in the following groups: carbapenems, 7.6% (trend: 64.68, p < 0.0001), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: 12.6% (trend: 16.45, p < 0.0001), quinolones 9.4% (trend: 36.80, p = 0.02), vancomycin 2.0% (trend: 16.30, p = 0.03), echinocandins: 6.0% (trend: 15.17, p = 0.01) and azole antifungals: 12.10% (trend: 102.05, p < 0.0001). Additionally, a statistically significant increase of 10.30% in the consumption of azole antifungals expressed in DDD/100 bed days was observed (p = 0.0008). In contrast, a statistically significant decrease in consumption, expressed in DDD/100 discharges, was identified for cephalosporins -6.0% (p < 0.0001) and macrolides -16.5% (p < 0.0001). Macrolides also showed a downward trend in consumption, as expressed in DDD/100 bed days (-14.3%, p < 0.0001). According to World Health Organization (WHO) access, watch and reserve (AWaRe) classification trend analysis, only the reserve group showed a statistically significant upward change of 9.2% (p = 0.016). Conclusions: This five-year analysis demonstrated trends over time in overall antimicrobial consumption measured in DDD/100 bed days and DDD/100 discharge rates that correlate. In general, for all antimicrobials, after the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP), a downward trend is reported; in contrast, during the COVID-19 pandemic the AMC shows a general upward trend. The comparison between DDD/100 bed days and DDD/100 discharges allows for complementary comparisons to be made regarding antimicrobial exposure in a clinical setting.

The Spectrum of Pathogens Associated with Infections in African Children with Severe Acute Malnutrition: A Scoping Review.

Understanding the interplay between infections and severe acute malnutrition is critical in attaining good clinical outcomes when managing malnourished children. However, review studies describing the profile of the associated pathogens in the malnourished African paediatric population are sparse in the literature. We aimed to identify the spectrum of pathogens from studies reporting infections in severely malnourished African children, as well as the antibiotic resistance pattern and clinical outcomes. A systematic literature review of the PubMed database was conducted following PRISMA guidelines from January 2001 to June 2024. The search algorithm was ((marasmus) OR (kwashiorkor) OR (severe acute malnutrition) OR (protein energy malnutrition)) AND (Africa). For a more comprehensive retrieval, an additional search algorithm was deployed: ((HIV) OR (tuberculosis)) AND (severe acute malnutrition). We included 60 studies conducted between 2001 and 2024. Most of the studies were from East Africa (n = 45, 75%) and Southern Africa (n = 5, 8.3%). A total of 5845 pathogens were identified comprising 2007 viruses, 2275 bacteria, 1444 parasites, and 119 fungal pathogens. The predominant pathogens were HIV, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and malaria parasites accounting for 33.8%, 30%, and 24.2% of pathogens identified. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was documented in only three studies. Fatality rates were reported in 45 studies and ranged from 2% to 56% regardless of the category of pathogen. This review affirms the deleterious effect of infections in malnourished patients and suggests a gross underdiagnosis as studies were found from only 17 (31.5%) African countries. Moreover, data on fungal infections in severely malnourished African children were nearly absent despite this population being at risk. Thus, there is an urgent need to prioritize research investigating African children with severe acute malnutrition for fungal infections besides other pathogens and improve the availability of diagnostic tools and the optimized usage of antibiotics through the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes.

A nationwide mixed-methods study of gaps and barriers to implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in hospitals in Indonesia

There is an urgent need to understand the implementation barriers of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) in low- and middle-income countries. We conducted a mixed-methods study in public and private hospitals across all provinces in Indonesia (March-December 2023). We used a self-assessment questionnaire with a scoring system, and multilevel ordinal regression to assess associations with hospital and district-level characteristics. Focus group discussions (FGD) with hospital stakeholders examined barriers and enablers. We applied a patient safety framework to integrate results. 575 (19%) of 3026 hospitals completed the self-assessment, of whom 516 (89.7%) had a formal ASP (median 4 [IQR1-5] years), and 14 participated in FGD. The median overall ASP development score was 48.4% (35.9-62.5%), classifying 41 (8.0%) hospitals as inadequate (0-25%), 237 (45.9%) as basic (26-50%), 179 (34.7%) as intermediate (51-75%) and 59 (11.4%) as advanced (76-100%). Scores were highest for hospital leadership support (83.4% [66.7-100%]), followed by ASP team and infectious disease training (66.7% [55.6-77.8%]); education (50% [0.0-75.0%]); ASP interventions (43.8% [18.7-68.7%]); hospital infrastructure (42.9% [14.3-71.4%]); and monitoring, reporting and feedback (40.9% [27.3-54.5%]). A higher ASP development score was associated with higher hospital tiered level, longer ASP duration, and higher district-level public health development index and per capita domestic expenditure, but not with hospital ownership or geographic region. FGDs highlighted barriers related to hospital leadership support, staff technical and behavioral skills, cross-disciplinary collaboration, fear of loss of prescriber autonomy, microbiology and IT support, and hospital accreditation. Identified implementation barriers can inform actions for context-specific, sustainable improvement of ASPs.

Antibiotic Resistance in the Elderly: Mechanisms, Risk Factors, and Solutions.

Antibiotic resistance presents a critical challenge in healthcare, particularly among the elderly, where multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) contribute to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This review focuses on the mechanisms underlying resistance in key bacterial pathogens and highlights how aging-related factors like immunosenescence, frailty, and multimorbidity increase the burden of infections from MDROs in this population. Novel strategies to mitigate resistance include the development of next-generation antibiotics like teixobactin and cefiderocol, innovative therapies such as bacteriophage therapy and antivirulence treatments, and the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs to optimize antibiotic use. Furthermore, advanced molecular diagnostic techniques, including nucleic acid amplification tests and next-generation sequencing, allow for faster and more precise identification of resistant pathogens. Vaccine development, particularly through innovative approaches like multi-epitope vaccines and nanoparticle-based platforms, holds promise in preventing MDRO infections among the elderly. The role of machine learning (ML) in predicting resistance patterns and aiding in vaccine and antibiotic development is also explored, offering promising solutions for personalized treatment and prevention strategies in the elderly. By integrating cutting-edge diagnostics, therapeutic innovations, and ML-based approaches, this review underscores the importance of multidisciplinary efforts to address the global challenge of antibiotic resistance in aging populations.

Prescription of oral antibiotics and its appropriateness for outpatients in a tertiary care hospital in Korea

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) have gained prominence with increased awareness regarding the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. However, ASP implementation for outpatient antibiotic prescriptions is uncommon, particularly in South Korea. This study aimed to analyse the patterns and appropriateness of outpatient antibiotic prescriptions at a tertiary care hospital in Korea. We analysed the patterns of oral antibiotic prescription from June 1, 2018 to May 31, 2023, at the outpatient department of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. Appropriateness was assessed for prescriptions issued between May 15 and May 19, 2023. The assessment criteria included: indications for antibiotic use, antibiotic choice, duration, dose, and frequency. Pharmacists and infectious diseases specialists performed evaluations. A total of 7,282,407 outpatient visits were recorded within the 5-year duration. Of these, 243,967 (3.4%) were prescribed oral antibiotics. The frequency of antibiotic prescription was highest in dentistry, dermatology, and urology departments. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were cephalosporins, penicillins, and sulphonamides. Of the 423 prescriptions evaluated, 289 (68.3%) and 134 (31.7%) were for treatment and prophylaxis, respectively. Inappropriate prescriptions were identified in 28.4% (82/289) and 70.9% (95/134) of the treatment and prophylaxis cases, respectively. The primary reason for inadequacy in both treatment and prophylaxis was inappropriate indications, accounting for 46.3% (38/82) of treatment prescriptions and 96.8% (92/95) of prophylaxis prescriptions. Antibiotics were administered in 3.4% of all outpatient visits, with 28.4% of treatment and 70.9% of prophylactic antibiotics prescribed inappropriately. Proactive and expansive ASP activities by pharmacists should be considered in outpatient settings.

Assessment of De-Escalation of Empirical Antimicrobial Therapy in Medical Wards with Recognized Prevalence of Multi-Drug-Resistant Pathogens: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study in Non-ICU Patients with Microbiologically Documented Infection.

Antimicrobial resistance poses a major threat to human health worldwide and the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs), including antimicrobial de-escalation (ADE), is a multifaceted tool for minimizing unnecessary or inappropriate antibiotic exposure. This was a prospective observational study of 142 non-Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients with microbiologically documented infection who were initially administered empirical antimicrobial therapy and admitted to the medical wards of 6 tertiary-care hospitals in Greece from January 2017 to December 2018. Patients were divided into two groups, the ADE and non-ADE group, based on whether ADE was applied or not, respectively. Exploratory end-points were ADE feasibility, safety and efficacy. ADE was applied in 76 patients at a median time of 4 days (IQR: 3, 5). An increased likelihood of ADE was observed in patients with urinary tract (OR: 10.04, 95% CI: 2.91, 34.57; p < 0.001), skin and soft tissue (OR: 16.28, 95% CI: 1.68, 158.08; p = 0.016) and bloodstream infections (OR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1, 6.36; p = 0.05). Factors significantly associated with higher rates of ADE were clarithromycin administration, diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI), isolation of E. coli, age and symptoms type on admission. Mortality was lower in the ADE group (18.4% vs. 30.3% p < 0.1) and ADE was not significantly associated with the probability of death (p = 0.432). ADE was associated with favorable clinical outcomes and can be performed even in settings with high prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens without compromising safety.

“It’s easier to take a pill than fix a problem:” qualitative analysis of barriers and facilitators to antimicrobial stewardship program implementation in carceral settings

BackgroundWidespread antibiotic prescribing contributes to globally emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Despite stewardship recommendations by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, there is a lack of literature identifying barriers and facilitators to antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) in United States (U.S.) carceral settings.MethodsGuided by the Theoretic Domains Framework, we performed in-depth interviews with 68 key stakeholders in Massachusetts carceral settings to contextualize barriers and facilitators to ASP implementation. We recruited 32 people incarcerated in Massachusetts jails and 36 carceral clinicians, correctional officers/administrators in Massachusetts and other U.S. states, and Massachusetts community clinicians for interviews.ResultsFrom the completed semi-structured in-depth interviews, we identified seven salient themes—four barriers and three facilitators—both specific to and across stakeholder groups. Barriers included the following: (1) jail being viewed as a “dirty place” that increases the risk of infections; (2) variable awareness and knowledge of AMR and ASPs; (3) clinicians’ opposition to change and oversight of their antibiotic prescribing; (4) competing priorities taking precedence over ASP implementation. Facilitators included (5) interest in changing the narrative about carceral healthcare through ASP implementation; (6) opportunities for education about ASP and AMR; and (7) the development of systems, policies, and regulations to improve antibiotic prescribing.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first qualitative study to leverage broad criminal-legal stakeholder groups to inform the next steps in developing and implementing ASPs in carceral settings in the U.S.

Distribution and Antimicrobial Resistance of Complicated Intraabdominal Infection Pathogens in Two Tertiary Hospitals in Egypt.

Background: Management of complicated intraabdominal infections (cIAIs) requires containment of the source and appropriate initial antimicrobial therapy. Identifying the local data is important to guide the empirical selection of antimicrobial therapy. In this study, we aimed to describe the pathogen distribution and antimicrobial resistance of cIAI. Methods: In two major tertiary care hospitals in Egypt, we enrolled patients who met the case definition of cIAI from October 2022 to September 2023. Blood cultures were performed using the BACTAlert system (BioMerieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France). A culture of aspirated fluid, resected material, or debridement of the infection site was performed. Identification of pathogens and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were conducted by the VITEK-2 system (BioMerieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France). Gram-negative resistance genes were identified by PCR and confirmed by whole bacterial genome sequencing using the Nextera XT DNA Library Preparation Kit and sequencing with the MiSeq Reagent Kit 600 v3 (Illumina, USA) on the Illumina MiSeq. Results: We enrolled 423 patients, 275 (65.01%) males. The median age was 61.35 (range 25-72 years). We studied 452 recovered bacterial isolates. Gram-negative bacteria were the vast majority, dominated by E. coli, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Proteus mirabilis (33.6%, 30.5%, 13.7%, 13%, and 5.4%, respectively). High rates of resistance were detected to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. No resistance was detected to colistin. Resistance to amikacin and tigecycline was low among all isolates. Resistance to meropenem and ceftazidime/avibactam was moderate. ESBL genes were common in E. coli and K. pneumoniae. CTX-M15 gene was the most frequent. Among Enterobacterales, blaOXA-48 and blaNDM were the most prevalent carbapenemase genes. Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates harbored a wide variety of carbapenemase genes (OXA, NDM, VIM, SIM, GIM, SPM, IMP, AIM), dominated by metallo-beta-lactamases. In 20.6% of isolates, we identified two or more resistance genes. Conclusion: High resistance rates were detected to third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. Amikacin and tigecyclines were the most active antimicrobials. Our data call for urgent implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs and reinforcement of infection control.

Barriers to the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in long-term care facilities: a scoping review.

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) present specific challenges for the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes. A growing body of literature is dedicated to AMS in LTCFs. We aimed to summarize barriers to the implementation of full AMS programmes, i.e. a set of clinical practices, accompanied by recommended change strategies. A scoping review was conducted through Ovid-MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and Cochrane Central. Studies addressing barriers to the implementation of full AMS programmes in LTCFs were included. Implementation barriers described in qualitative studies were identified and coded, and main themes were identified using a grounded theory approach. The electronic search revealed 3904 citations overall. Of these, 57 met the inclusion criteria. All selected studies were published after 2012, and the number of references per year progressively increased, reaching a peak in 2020. Thematic analysis of 13 qualitative studies identified three main themes: (A) LTCF organizational culture, comprising (A1) interprofessional tensions, (A2) education provided in silos, (A3) lack of motivation and (A4) resistance to change; (B) resources, comprising (B1) workload and staffing levels, (B2) diagnostics, (B3) information technology resources and (B4) funding; and (C) availability of and access to knowledge and skills, including (C1) surveillance data, (C2) infectious disease/AMS expertise and (C3) data analysis skills. Addressing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in LTCFs through AMS programmes is an area of growing interest. Hopefully, this review could be helpful for intervention developers and implementers who want to build on the most recent evidence from the literature.

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of MRSA amongst Patients from an Indian Tertiary Care Hospital: An Eye Opener

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a very common human pathogenic microorganism that can cause a variety of infectious diseases, including skin and soft tissue infections, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, bacteremia, and lethal pneumonia. About one-third of the common population is colonized with S. aureus. MRSA is a formidable pathogen known to cause high mortality &amp; morbidity, that poses a significant threat to public health worldwide. Presence of MRSA strains, resistant to multiple antibiotics especially in hospital stay, has complicated the management of infections caused by this bacterium. The aim of this study was to shed light on the prevalence and antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of MRSA among patients in a tertiary care center located in Faridabad, Haryana. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, ESIC Medical College &amp; Hospital, a 510 bedded tertiary care teaching hospital in Faridabad, Haryana, India. All wound samples including pus, exudates, wound swab and tissue samples received for aerobic culture and antimicrobial sensitivity from various clinical departments from January 2019 to July 2019 were included in this study. A total of 747 samples were received from January 2019-July 2019. Mean age of this study population was found to be 50.7 ± 14.8 years. Out of 747 samples, 226 (30.25%) were culture positive. Among the S. aureus isolates, methicillin resistance was seen amongst 39 (58.2%). Antibiotic Susceptibility results of S. aureus showed 100% resistance to Penicillin along with 100% resistance to Fluoroquinolones in both MRSA and MSSA. High prevalence of MRSA amongst patients highlights the importance of continued surveillance and implementation of antimicrobial stewardship program to control the menace of antimicrobial resistance. Strict adherence to Infection Control practices its regular follow up to assess the effectiveness of any hospital infection control measures taken is the key.

A Questionnaire Based Study to Assess the Antimicrobial Stewardship Practices in the Tertiary Care Hospitals in India

Background: Due to emergence of antimicrobial-resistant healthcare associated infections (HAIs), the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs (AMSP) is the need of hour at institutional and national levels. We conducted an assessment of the current status of infrastructure, manpower, and education and training (E&amp;T) in relation to Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) in the tertiary care hospitals of India. Methods: Healthcare professionals from 30 tertiary care hospitals in North-western India (public &amp; private) were invited to participate in online survey from Nov 2022 to Apr 2023 by sending a pre-designed questionnaire about the current existing antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) practices at their hospitals through email. The answers received on various parameters of AMS were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: 72 healthcare professionals from 30 hospitals responded to the survey. 63% of the respondents had received education and training (E&amp;T) on AMS during undergraduate or postgraduate training. 65% had not received any E&amp;T at induction to the hospital. The positive responses were 36%, 47% and 33% for leadership support, accountability and availability of drug expertise in form of pharmacologist/pharmacist respectively. A policy to support optimal antibiotic use was present in 25% of respondents. Broad interventions to improve antibiotic use were scored as 28%, 7% and 6% for antibiotic time out, pre-authorization and prospective audit with feedback respectively. Conclusion: The findings reveal the enablers and barriers to implementation of antimicrobial stewardship and highlighted the need for establishing a framework for stricter implementation and monitoring of antimicrobial stewardship in Indian tertiary care hospitals. Few key areas which require immediate attention are: need for government level endorsement and leadership support of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) activities; lack of AMS programs in hospitals; and lack of undergraduate/ postgraduate/at induction education and training in AMS for staff.

Investigation of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, risk factors and their impact on mortality in cancer patients at a tertiary care cancer hospital- A prospective study

BackgroundCancer patients are vulnerable to infections due to immunosuppression caused by cancer itself and its treatment. The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria further complicates the treatment of infections and increases the mortality and hospital stays. This study aimed to investigate the microbial spectrum, antimicrobial resistance patterns, risk factors, and their impact on clinical outcomes in these patients.MethodsA prospective study was conducted at a tertiary care cancer hospital in Patna, Bihar, India, which included cancer patients aged 18 years and older with positive microbial cultures.ResultsThis study analysed 440 patients, 53% (234) of whom were females, with an average age of 49.27 (± 14.73) years. A total of 541 isolates were identified, among which 48.01% (242) were multidrug resistant (MDR), 29.76% (150) were extensively drug resistant (XDR), and 19.84% (112) were sensitive. This study revealed that patients who underwent surgery, chemotherapy, were hospitalized, had a history of antibiotic exposure, and had severe neutropenia were more susceptible to MDR and XDR infections. The average hospital stays were 16.90 (± 10.23), 18.30 (± 11.14), and 22.83 (± 13.22) days for patients with sensitive, MDR, and XDR infections, respectively. The study also revealed overall 30-day mortality rate of 31.81% (140), whereas the MDR and XDR group exhibited 38.92% and 50.29% rates of 30-day mortality respectively (P < 0.001). Possible risk factors identified that could lead to mortality, were cancer recurrence, sepsis, chemotherapy, indwelling invasive devices such as foley catheter, Central venous catheter and ryles tube, MASCC score (< 21) and pneumonia.ConclusionsThis study emphasizes the necessity for personalized interventions among cancer patients, such as identifying patients at risk of infection, judicious antibiotic use, infection control measures, and the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs to reduce the rate of antimicrobial-resistant infection and associated mortality and hospital length of stay.

The Impact of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program on Antibiotic Use, Resistance Patterns, and Cost in Madinat Zayed Hospital

Antimicrobial resistance and excessive antibiotic usage are a growing public health concern. Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) aim to optimize antibiotic use and curb resistance. This retro-respective study evaluated the impact of an ASP at Madinat Zayed Hospital, Abu Dhabi (January 2021-December 2022). It analyzed electronic health records to assess the ASP's impact on antibiotic consumption, resistance patterns, and economic outcomes. Patients from intensive care units, medical wards, and outpatient settings were included, though patients admitted to obstetrics/gynaecology, paediatrics, neonatal intensive care, and surgical wards were excluded. The primary objective of this study was to report on the ASP experience and measure the prescribing appropriateness percentage of empirical antibiotic therapy along with the de-escalation of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, after ASP implementation at Madinat Zayed Hospital in Al Dhafra Region, United Arab Emirates. The secondary objectives were to reflect on the rate of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms (MDROs), total utilization using defined daily dose, and the total direct cost of antibiotics. Descriptive analysis, proportions, mean values, and percentage changes were employed for data analysis. The ASP achieved high compliance rates with restricted antibiotics (&gt;90%) and approved guidelines (inpatient 97-100%, outpatient 93-98%). Antibiotic de-escalation rates were also high (&gt;80%). Significant reductions in use were observed for cefixime (91.3%), levofloxacin (46.3%), and several others. Notably, cefepime use increased (1137.5%). Direct antibiotic expenditure decreased by 2% (saving Dhs2.6 million), and resistance decreased in some bacteria. However, a concerning rise in ceftazidime resistance against Pseudomonas aeruginosa was identified. This study concluded that the implementation of a new Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at Madinat Zayed Hospital demonstrated effectiveness in promoting responsible antibiotic use. The program achieved high compliance with restricted antibiotic use and approved guidelines, leading to significant reductions in overall antibiotic consumption. Keywords: Antimicrobial, resistance, Multidrug-Resistant Organisms, de-escalation, consumption

Impact of the introduction of the national antimicrobial stewardship standard across Queensland Health hospitals: ecological observational study exploring patterns of antimicrobial use

Antimicrobial stewardship programmes are a critical tool for addressing the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance. To determine changes in patterns of antimicrobial use in Queensland public hospitals following introduction of the National Safety and Quality Health Service antimicrobial stewardship standard. A retrospective pre/post intervention study was conducted across Queensland public hospitals at the ecological level using Queensland Health's MedTRx database. An interrupted time-series analysis was performed using linear regression models to determine rates of antimicrobial use by quarterly aggregated defined daily dose per 1000 patient-days, for groups of hospitals stratified by peer group classification. Pre-defined time-periods for antimicrobial stewardship programme implementation in response to the introduction of the standard were analysed. In the post-intervention period, there was a decrease in overall use of systemic antimicrobials, glycopeptides, carbapenems and fluoroquinolones in principal referral and public acute group A hospitals. A decrease in overall use was also observed for smaller regional and remote public acute group C and D hospitals; however, increases in glycopeptide and fluoroquinolone use were observed. Third-generation cephalosporin use was unchanged for all hospital peer groups. The proportion of overall use that was accounted for by narrow-spectrum penicillin was low for all facilities, with modest improvements in the post-intervention period observed in principal referral facilities only. These findings add to current knowledge on the effectiveness of legislative quality standards on antimicrobial stewardship at the macro level and highlight gaps to target for future programmes.

Impacts of pharmacist-led multi-faceted antimicrobial stewardship on antibiotic use and clinical outcomes in urology department of a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, China: an interrupted time-series study

Research on the effectiveness of pharmacist-led antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) in the urology department is limited. To evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led multi-faceted ASPs on antibiotic use and clinical outcomes. A prescription review of inpatients receiving one or more antibiotics in the urology department of a large teaching hospital in Guangzhou, China, was conducted from April 2019 to March 2023. The pharmacist-led multi-faceted ASP intervention included guideline development, training, medication consultation, review of medical orders, indicator monitoring, and consultation. The primary outcome was antibiotic consumption. The data were analysed using interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis. Following the implementation of ASPs, an immediate decrease was observed in total antibiotic consumption, antibiotic use rate, second-generation cephalosporins, third-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and WHO Watch category antibiotics. No differences were observed in mortality rate before and after the intervention, and no significant short- or long-term effects were found on length of hospital stay (LOS) using ITS. However, there was a significant short-term effect on average antibiotic cost. The implementation of pharmacist-led multi-faceted ASPs had positive impacts on reducing antimicrobial consumption without increasing LOS, antibiotic cost, or mortality rate.

Carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacterial infections and risk factors for acquisition in a Kenyan intensive care unit

BackgroundCarbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB) are a critical public health threat globally; however, there are inadequate surveillance data, especially in intensive care units (ICU), to inform infection prevention and control in many resource-constrained settings. Here, we assessed the prevalence of CR-GNB infections and risk factors for acquisition in a Kenyan ICU.MethodsA hospital-based cross-sectional study design was adopted, recruiting 162 patients clinically presenting with bacterial infection after 48 h of ICU admission, from January to October 2022 at the Nairobi West Hospital, Kenya. Demographics and clinical data were collected by case report form. The type of sample collected, including blood, tracheal aspirate, ascitic tap, urine, stool, and sputum depended on the patient’s clinical presentation and were transported to the hospital Microbiology laboratory in a cool box for processing within 2 h. The samples were analyzed by cultured and BD Phoenix system used for isolates’ identity and antimicrobial susceptibility.ResultsCR-GNB infections prevalence was 25.9% (42/162), with Klebsiella pneumoniae (35.7%, 15/42) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (26.2%, 11/42) predominating. All isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii were 100% colistin-resistant, while K. pneumoniae (33.3%) was tigecycline-resistant. History of antibiotics (aOR = 3.40, p = 0.005) and nasogastric tube (NGT) use (aOR = 5.84, p = < 0.001) were the risk factors for infection.ConclusionOur study highlights high MDR- and CR-GNB infections in ICU, with prior antibiotic exposure and NGT use as risk factors, and diminishing clinical value of colistin and tigecycline. In this study setting and beyond, strict implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs and adherence to infection prevention and control through monitoring, evaluation and feedback are warranted to curb CR-GNB infections, especially among the risk groups.

Environmental reservoirs of multidrug-resistant pseudomonads in a geographical location in Kenya with high community-acquired infections

Background Pseudomonads are gram negative bacteria and readily form biofilms in the environment, allowing long-term colonization and persistence in sinks, water systems. They pose a risk of life-threatening opportunistic infections in immune-compromised individuals. MDR strains, make treatment increasingly difficult. Environmentally persistent MDR strains are typically problematic within healthcare facilities, however, data on MDR pseudomonad reservoirs in settings with community-acquired infections to inform preventive interventions, in resource-constrained settings is scarce. Here, we determined reservoirs and antibiotic susceptibility of Pseudomonas species in water sources in Kisumu County, Kenya with reported high levels of community acquired pseudomonad infections. Methods We adopted a cross-sectional design, randomly collecting 297 samples from tap heads, sinks, tanks, vendor and household storage containers in six selected sub-locations and one hospital (KCRH). Standard microbiological procedures were used for identification and AST of the isolates. Results We isolated Pseudomonads from 14.1% of the samples collected, predominantly from the community 10.4%. Seven different pseudomonads were identified, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa predominating 6.7% overall, in the community samples 5.7%, and among isolates from water tanks 21.4%. Pseudomonad isolates were 62% non-susceptible to piperacillin, 57% to tigecycline, 24% meropenem, 21% cefepime, 19% levofloxacin and 14% colistin. Carbapenem resistance was mainly detected in P. aeruginosa 80% (8/10) from Milimani sub-location 75% (6/8). 45% of the isolates recovered were MDR, mainly community-associated carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) 42%, strains susceptible to colistin. The MDR pseudomonads exhibited high multiple antibiotic resistance indices, ranging from 0.43 to 1. Conclusion This study reveals a higher prevalence of MDR pseudomonads, including CRPA strains in community water sources. These potential conduits of drug resistance present a critical public health threat, especially among immunocompromised. Regular cleaning of water storage facilities, water treatment and implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs, are required to prevent a rise in AMR and eliminate the environmental reservoirs that put the vulnerable populations at risk.