Obtaining Blood Cultures Research Articles

2024 Clinical Practice Guideline Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America on Complicated Intra-abdominal Infections: Utility of Blood Cultures in Adults, Children, and Pregnant People.

This article is part of a clinical practice guideline update on the risk assessment, diagnostic imaging, and microbiological evaluation of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults, children, and pregnant people, developed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. In this guideline, the panel provides recommendations for obtaining blood cultures in patients with known or suspected intra-abdominal infection. The panel's recommendations are based on evidence derived from systematic literature reviews and adhere to a standardized methodology for rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendation according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach.

Prudent Use of Blood Cultures for Hospitalized Patients With Cirrhosis.

Background No reliable risk stratification method is available to guide the extent of infectious work-up among hospitalized patients with cirrhosis. Therefore, we aimed to create a risk stratification method for obtaining blood cultures from hospitalized patients with cirrhosis. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project - National Readmission Database 2019. Adult patients who were not immunocompromised comprised the final cohort. The primary outcome was the incidence of bacteremia among hospitalized patients with cirrhosis. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay, inpatient mortality, and 30-day readmission rate among cirrhosis patients with and without bacteremia. After propensity score matching, the χ2 test was used to assess the primary outcome and inpatient mortality. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the length of hospital stay. Readmission rates were compared via survival analysis. Concomitant bacterial infection, cirrhosis causes, and complications were assessed as potential risk factors for bacteremia using binomial regression. Results The risk ratio (RR) of bacteremia was 1.66 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.55-1.78) among patients with cirrhosis compared to those without cirrhosis. A concomitant bacterial infection was found to have a strong association with bacteremia in patients with cirrhosis (RR: 3.3, 95% CI: 3.03-3.59). Among cirrhosis patients without concomitant bacterial infection, the incidence of bacteremia was 0.76% (<1%). Among the causes of cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis was found to have a strong association with bacteremia (RR: 3.88, 95% CI: 2.3-6.04, P < 0.001). Patients with cirrhosis who had bacteremia were hospitalized three days longer than those without bacteremia. There was no difference in inpatient mortality or 30-day readmission rates between cirrhotic patients with and without bacteremia. Conclusion This study suggests that, in the absence of another concomitant bacterial infection and primary sclerosing cholangitis, we can avoid unnecessary blood cultures among immunocompetent patients with cirrhosis. However, given some inherent limitations associated with the database (such as the unavailability of vitals or laboratory values), additional studies are needed to validate its findings.

Mitral Valve Culture Negative Endocarditis Complicated by Severe Mitral Regurgitation and Chordae Tendinea Rupture

Infective endocarditis has a high mortality rate. Criterion for diagnosis is a positive blood culture, however, some cases present with negative blood culture. We present a 65-year-old male complaining of palpitations. EKG showed atrial fibrillation with RVR. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed severe mitral regurgitation and possible vegetation. Transesophageal echocardiogram revealed endocarditis with ruptured chordae and vegetation on the posterior leaflet. All obtained blood cultures remained negative. Cardiothoracic surgery and infectious disease specialties were consulted. Patient was started on broad spectrum antibiotics. Patient underwent a mitral valve replacement and pathology showed focal myxoid degeneration with no inflammation and cultures of the specimen were negative. The hospital course was complicated by hemopericardium, treated by pericardial window, and drain placement. The patient was ultimately discharged to an acute rehabilitation center. Culture-negative endocarditis presents a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma for clinicians and should be promptly identified and treated to avoid complications.

Diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin for bacteremia in the emergency department: a systematic review

Obtaining blood cultures (HC) is performed in 15% of the patients treated with suspicion of infection in the Hospital Emergency Services (ED) with a variable diagnostic yield (2-20%). The 30-day mortality of patients with bacteremia is two or three times higher than the rest with the same process. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker that has been used as a tool to help predict bacteremia in HEDs. The main objective of this systematic review is to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of PCT in predicting true bacteraemia in adult patients treated with clinical suspicion of infection in the ED, as well as to identify a specific PCT value as the most relevant from the clinical decision diagnostic point of view that can be recommended for decision making. A systematic review was performed following the PRISMA guidelines in the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Lilacs, Cochrane, Epistemonikos, Tripdatabase and ClinicalTrials.gov databases from January 2010 to May 31, 2023 without language restrictions and using a combination of MESH terms: "Bacteremia/ Bacteraemia/ Blood Stream Infection", "Procalcitonin", "Emergencies/ Emergency/ Emergency Department" and "Adults". Observational cohort studies and partially an systematic review were included. No meta-analysis techniques were performed, but the results were compared narratively. A total of 1,372 articles were identified, of which 20 that met the inclusion criteria were finally analyzed. The included studies represent a total of 18,120 processed HC with 2,877 bacteraemias (15.88%). Ten studies were rated as high, 9 moderate and 1 low quality. The AUC-COR of all the studies ranges from 0.68 (95% CI: 0.59-0.77) to 0.98 (95% CI: 0.97-0.99). The PCT value >0.5 ng/ml is the most widely used and proposed in up to ten of the works included in this systematic review, whose estimated mean yield is an AUC-COR of 0.833. If only the results of the 6 high-quality studies using a cut-off point (PC) >0.5 ng/mL PCT are taken into account, the estimated mean AUC-COR result is 0.89 with Se of 77.6% and It is 78%. PCT has a considerable diagnostic accuracy of bacteraemia in patients treated in EDs for different infectious processes. The CP>0.5 ng/ml has been positioned as the most suitable for predicting the existence of bacteraemia and can be used to reasonably rule it out.

Utility of Routine Blood Cultures for Upper Extremity Abscesses.

Patients with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are often admitted by the emergency department for intravenous antibiotic therapy and surgical drainage of abscesses if necessary. As part of the initial diagnostic workup, blood cultures are routinely drawn at our institution in patients with SSTIs. This study seeks to identify the utility of performing blood cultures in patients with upper extremity abscesses as it relates to the number of incision and drainage (I&D) procedures performed, patient readmission rates, and length of hospital stay. A retrospective chart review of 314 patients aged 18 to 89 years who underwent 1 or more I&D procedures of upper extremity abscesses were included in the study. Patient demographic data, comorbidities, laboratory values, wound and blood culture results, number of I&D procedures performed, length of stay, and readmission rates were evaluated. Increasing age and white blood count were associated with an increased number of I&Ds performed. Obtaining blood cultures, whether positive or negative, was associated with increased length of stay. There was no association between obtaining blood cultures and number of procedures performed on multivariable analysis. Positive blood cultures were associated with increased readmission rates. Routinely obtaining blood cultures in patients with upper extremity abscesses may not be beneficial. Obtaining blood cultures is not associated with an increased number of I&D procedures or readmission rates. Furthermore, obtaining blood cultures, regardless of positivity, is associated with increased lengths of hospital stay.

229. Predictive markers for bacteremia in patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support

Abstract Background Patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support are critically ill, which can confound the usual metrics clinician use to diagnose bacteremia. The best methods to detect bacteremia in patients receiving ECMO support are unknown, and we sought to evaluate the accuracy of various metrics used in determining bacteremia. Methods A retrospective review of patients receiving ECMO support at Yale New Haven Hospital from April 2020 to September 2021 who had blood cultures obtained for any reason was performed. Reasons for blood culture and metrics associated with bacteremia, including white blood cell count (WBC), maximum daily temperature, and procalcitonin, were evaluated for each blood culture event. If patients became bacteremic, only the first positive blood cultures were included in the analysis. Receiver operator curves for each metric were performed to generate areas under the curve (AUC) for assessing diagnostic accuracy. Results 60 patients who required ECMO support had 132 blood cultures performed, 22 (16.7%) with bacteremia and 110 (83.3%) without. In blood cultures with bacteremia compared to those without, there was no difference in WBC count (17.4 vs 17.9, p = 0.825), maximum daily temperature (37.1 vs 36.9 C, p = 0.572), or procalcitonin (2.0 vs 2.2, p = 0.776) on the day of culture. The most predictive reason for obtaining blood cultures with confirmed bacteremia was hemodynamic instability (AUC 0.668), followed by temperature dysregulation (AUC 0.623). Reasons for obtaining blood cultures minimally associated with bacteremia included adding ice to the ECMO circuit (AUC 0.527), leukocytosis (AUC 0.523), respiratory decompensation (AUC 0.500), surveillance culturing (AUC 0.432), and other reasons not specified but per clinician discretion (AUC 0.386). Conclusion Hemodynamic instability as the reason for obtaining blood cultures was the most predictive of bacteremia in patients on ECMO support, while leukocytosis, temperature change, and surveillance cultures were less well associated. There was no difference in WBC counts, maximum daily temperature, and procalcitonin in patients with bacteremia versus those without. Optimizing clinical criteria to determine bacteremia in patients on ECMO remains challenging and warrants further study. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Positive Rate and Utility of Blood Culture among Nursing and Healthcare-associated Pneumonia Inpatients: A Cross-sectional Study.

Objective Although blood cultures to identify the presence of bacteremia are recommended for nursing- and healthcare-associated pneumonia (NHCAP), the incidence of true bacteremia and the relationship between true bacteremia and the outcome remain unclear. Physicians can therefore sometimes be confused regarding whether or not blood cultures should be obtained for NHCAP patients. This study assessed the incidence of true bacteremia and the relationship between true bacteremia and the outcome of NHCAP in a Japanese hospital setting. Methods We retrospectively analyzed NHCAP patients hospitalized between April 2016 and March 2021. The primary outcome was the incidence of true bacteremia in blood cultures. The incidence of true bacteremia was also examined according to quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) and A-DROP scores. In addition, we compared the incidence of true bacteremia between survivors and non-survivors. Results In total, 205 patients were included in this study. Blood cultures were obtained from 150 of the 205 patients (73.2%). Positive blood cultures were detected in 26 patients (17.3%), of which only 8 cases (5.3%; 95% confidence interval, 2.3-10.2%) were considered true bacteremia. Trend analyses for the incidence of true bacteremia according to qSOFA and A-DROP scores did not show any statistically significant results (p=0.49 for qSOFA; p=0.14 for A-DROP). The proportion of true bacteremia cases did not differ significantly between survivors and non-survivors. Conclusions The incidence of true bacteremia among NHCAP patients was very low. A strategy for determining indications for obtaining blood cultures from NHCAP patients needs to be established.

Outcomes of Care-bundle Implementation for Children With Cancer and Suspected Bloodstream Infection in a Pediatric Oncology Unit in a Resource-limited Setting.

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are a major cause of mortality among pediatric oncology patients in resource-limited settings. Effective, innovative strategies are needed to improve care and survival. In a pediatric oncology unit in Mexico, we retrospectively analyzed the risk factors for mortality related to BSI and the results of using a care-bundle intervention. The care-bundle consisted of a swift clinical evaluation, initial fluid-resuscitation support, obtaining blood cultures, and administration of effective empirical antibiotic therapy for suspected BSI. The outcomes of patients who received the care-bundle during a 12-month period were compared with those of patients treated with standard care during the 12 months preceding its implementation. The primary outcomes were BSI diagnosis, choice of antibiotics, and mortality. Of the 261 suspected BSIs treated with standard care, 33 (12.6%) infections were confirmed, and of the 308 treated with the care-bundle, 67 (21.7%) BSIs were confirmed. Thus, after implementation of the care-bundle, significantly more BSIs were diagnosed ( P =0.004), and BSI-related mortality was significantly reduced by 22.2% ( P = 0.035). Surgical resection and mechanical ventilation support were independently associated with BSI-related mortality, and receiving effective initial empirical antibiotic therapy was protective against mortality (odds ratio, 0.013; 95% CI: 0.002-0.105; P =0.001), which comprising cefepime plus amikacin or meropenem in 44 (80.0%) of the cases alive. Consistent use of a care-bundle with initial fluid resuscitation, obtaining a blood culture, and administering effective antibiotics to children with cancer and suspected BSI can decrease mortality.

Blood Culture Positivity Rate: Antibiotical Therapy Impact Before Sample Collection in Sepsis Patients

Sepsis is one of the significant causes of global morbidity and mortality. One of the keystones of sepsis diagnosis and treatment is the Blood Culture (BC) test. BC performed after intravenous Antibiotic Administration (AA) appears to reduce the culture positivity rate. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of AA before obtaining blood culture samples on the positivity rate. This was a retrospective cohort study, conducted from January to February 2020 on patients with suspected sepsis at the Mataram General Hospital from January to December 2019. Patients with valid blood culture tests were included. Out of 178 suspected sepsis patients, 138 samples were culture-negative, and 40 samples were culture-positive. Out of 40 culture-positive patients, 23 (57.5%) samples were obtained before AA, whereas other 17 samples (42.5%) were obtained after AA. In addition, among 138 culture-negative patients, 101 (73.2%) subjects received antibiotics before sampling, and only 37 (26.8%) subjects received antibiotics after sampling. There was a significant difference in the blood culture positivity results between samples taken before and after AA (p=0.001). Samples were taken before AA had a 3.69 times greater possibility of positive culture results than samples taken after AA (OR 3.69; 95% CI 1.77-7.67; p= 0.0005). The percentage of positive culture results among subjects receiving antibiotics before sampling was highest (20%) in those whose samples were taken less than an hour before the next AA. Antibiotics administration of sepsis patients before blood culture sampling gives a lower positivity rate than AA after blood culture sampling.

Management of septic shock by pediatric residents: An area for quality improvement

BackgroundCompliance with sepsis guidelines has been shown to be linked to better outcomes in patients with septic shock; however, adherence to these guidelines is not consistent among pediatric healthcare providers. In Tunisia, the management of children with septic shock is initiated by the pediatric resident on call. MethodsThis study assessed the compliance of Tunisian pediatric residents with the 2020 “Surviving Sepsis Campaign” guidelines and identified factors that could improve compliance. We conducted a cross-sectional national study based on an online survey (SurveyMonkey) presenting a clinical pediatric case of septic shock. The survey was sent to the 200 residents registered in the Tunisian pediatric residency program. ResultsThe response rate was 72%, with 144 residents replying to the survey. Up to 72.9% of the residents had good compliance with the 1-h bundle: obtaining blood cultures prior to antibiotics, early administration of intravenous (IV) antibiotics, IV fluid expansion, and vasopressor for fluid-refractory septic shock. Factors independently associated with good compliance were a pediatric intensive care unit rotation (odds ratio [OR]: 5.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.44–18.58; p = 0.012), availability of a written protocol (OR: 9.09, 95% CI: 2.67–30.97; p<0.001), an on-call senior supervisor on site (OR: 6.76, 95% CI: 2.24–20.40; p = 0.001), and European Pediatric Advanced Life Support (EPALS) certification (OR: 13.47, 95% CI: 3.05–59.31; p = 0.001). ConclusionThese factors could be considered in the process of a quality improvement strategy that ultimately better promotes performance in pediatric sepsis management and may improve patient outcomes.

Comparison Between Peripheral and Central Blood Cultures in Pediatric Oncology Patients With Blood Stream Infections.

Current guidelines for fever in children with cancer recommend obtaining blood cultures from all lumens of the central venous catheter (CVC) and to consider a concurrent peripheral blood culture. We assessed the characteristics of blood stream infections (BSI) in oncology children and compared central and peripheral pathogen growth. A prospective, computerized surveillance of BSI in children treated at the oncology unit between May 2014 and July 2020. The growth of the same organism within a month was considered a single episode, ≥2 organisms in the same culture were defined as different episodes. Only children with concomitant cultures, drawn at presentation before initiation of antibiotics were included in the comparison between CVC and peripheral cultures. A total of 139 episodes in 81 children (with implanted Port-A-catheters) were considered true BSI. Of the 94/139 (67.6%) cases where a central and peripheral culture were concomitantly obtained, 52/94 (55.3%) had positive central/peripheral cultures that grew the same organism, 31/94 (33.0%) had positive central cultures only, and 11/94 (11.7%) had positive peripheral cultures only. In 3/94 cases, the organisms that grew from the CVC were not identical to those from the peripheral site. Four of 52 (7.7%) of the same positive central/peripheral pathogens had different susceptibility testing results. Higher CVC removal rates were observed when both peripheral and CVC cultures were positive ( P =0.044). Overall, 11.7% of BSI episodes were identified only by peripheral culture and 7.7% of paired organisms did not share the same susceptibility test results which emphasizes the importance of a peripheral culture in managing fever in oncology children.

Blood culture collection practices in NICU; A national survey.

Sepsis is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in neonates. Blood cultures are the gold standard in diagnosing neonatal sepsis; however, there are currently no consensus guidelines for blood culture collection in neonates and significant practice variation exists in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) globally. To examine current practices in obtaining blood cultures in the evaluation of neonatal sepsis in NICUs across Canada. A nine-item electronic survey was sent to each of the 29 level-3 NICUs in Canada, which are equipped to provide highly specialized care for newborns. Responses were received from 90% (26/29) of sites. Sixty-five percent (17/26) of sites have blood culture collection guidelines for the investigation of neonatal sepsis. Forty-eight percent (12/25) of sites routinely target 1.0 mL per culture bottle. In late-onset sepsis (LOS), 58% (15/26) of sites process one aerobic culture bottle, whereas four sites routinely add anaerobic culture bottles. In early-onset sepsis (EOS) in very low birth weight infants (BW <1.5 kg), 73% (19/26) of sites use umbilical cord blood, and 72% (18/25) use peripheral venipuncture. Two sites routinely collect cord blood for culture in EOS. Only one site applies the concept of differential time-to-positivity to diagnose central-line-associated bloodstream infection. There is significant practice variation in methods used to obtain blood cultures in level-3 NICUs across Canada. Standardization of blood culture collection practices can provide reliable estimates of the true incidence of neonatal sepsis and help to develop appropriate antimicrobial stewardship strategies.

Assessing a standardized decision-making algorithm for blood culture collection in the intensive care unit

PurposeBlood cultures are commonly ordered for patients with low risk of bacteremia. Indications for obtaining blood cultures are often broad and ill defined, and decision algorithms for appropriate blood cultures have not been comprehensively evaluated in critically-ill populations. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis to assess the frequency of inappropriate blood cultures in the ICUs at Montefiore Medical Center based on an evidence-based guidance algorithm. Blood cultures were reviewed against this algorithm to determine their appropriateness. We calculated the prevalence of inappropriate blood culture and explored the reasons for these collected cultures. Results300 patients were randomly selected from an initial cohort of 3370 patients. 294 patients were included and of these, 167 patients had at least 1 blood culture drawn. 125 patients had one or more inappropriate blood culture. 61.4% of blood cultures drawn were assessed to be inappropriate. The most common reason for inappropriate cultures was a culture drawn as a result of isolated fever or leukocytosis. ConclusionIn a cohort of critically-ill patients, inappropriate blood cultures were common. The indications for blood cultures are often not evidence-based, and evidence-based algorithms to guide the collection of blood cultures may offer a way to decrease inappropriate culture orders.

Contamination of Blood Cultures From Arterial Catheters and Peripheral Venipuncture in Critically Ill Patients: A Prospective Multicenter Diagnostic Study

Collecting blood cultures from indwelling arterial catheters is an attractive option in critically ill adult patients when peripheral venipuncture is difficult. However, whether the contamination proportion of blood cultures from arterial catheters is acceptable compared with that from venipuncture is inconclusive. Is contamination of blood cultures from arterial catheters noninferior to that from venipuncture in critically ill adult patients with suspected bloodstream infection? In this multicenter prospective diagnostic study conducted at five hospitals,we enrolled episodes of paired blood culture collection, each set consisting of blood drawn from an arterial catheter and another by venipuncture, were obtained from critically ill adult patients with cilinical indication. The primary measure was the proportion of contamination, defined as the number of false-positive results relative to the total number of procedures done. The reference standard for true bloodstream infection was blinded assessment by infectious disease specialists. We examined the noninferiority hypothesis that the contamination proportion of blood cultures from arterial catheters did not exceed that from venipuncture by 2.0%. Of 1,655 episodes of blood culture from December 2018 to July 2021, 590 paired blood cultureepisodes were enrolled, and 41 of the 590 episodes (6.9%) produced a true bloodstream infection. In blood cultures from arterial catheters, 33 of 590 (6.0%) were positive, and two of 590 (0.3%) were contaminated; in venipuncture, 36 of 590 (6.1%) were positive, and four of 590 (0.7%) were contaminated. The estimated difference in contamination proportion (arterial catheter - venipuncture) was -0.3%(upper limit of one-sided 95%CI,+0.3%). The upper limit of the 95%CI did not exceed the predefined margin of+2.0%, establishing noninferiority (P for noninferiority< .001). Obtaining blood cultures from arterial catheters is an acceptable alternative to venipuncture in critically ill patients. University Hospital Medical Information Network Center (UMIN-CTR); No.: UMIN000035392; URL: https://center6.umin.ac.jp/.

Isolated tricuspid valve infective endocarditis: A report of three cases

Abstract This is a case report of three patients who were managed for right sided infective endocarditis, each posing diagnostic challenges due to atypical clinical presentations and negative blood culture results. Case 1 is a 20-year-old female intravenous (IV) drug user who presented with septic emboli to the lung. Case 2 is a 43-year-old woman with a tunnel catheter for dialysis who had huge vegetations on the tricuspid valve which turned out to be fungal in origin. Case 3 is a 45-year-old female with background Ehlers-Danlos syndrome who developed tricuspid endocarditis following IV injections/line in a peripheral hospital. In this report, we discussed the factors causing late diagnosis of isolated tricuspid valve infective endocarditis in our environment, challenges of diagnosing this condition in patients with underlying health issues and the difficulties of obtaining blood culture results.

2030. Risk Factors for Recurrent Percutaneous Nephrostomy Tube Infections in Patients with Gynecological Malignancies

Abstract Background Percutaneous nephrostomy tube infections (PCNIs) are complex, affect quality of life, necessitate implant exchanges, and increase health care costs. Here, we analyzed risk factors for recurrent PCNIs in patients treated with our standardized institutional algorithm. Methods At our institution, we prospectively evaluated consecutive patients with gynecological malignancies who developed PCNIs between July 2019 to September 2021. All patients were treated using our institutional algorithm for PCNI, which consists of obtaining blood cultures plus urine analyses and cultures from each percutaneous nephrostomy tube (PCN); utilizing ultrasound or abdominal pelvic computed tomography scans to rule out obstructive hydronephrosis, pyelonephritis, or renal abscess; exchanging the PCN once patients are receiving concordant antimicrobial therapy; and having patients complete an adequate course of targeted antimicrobials. Thereafter, patients were followed up until reinfection, routine PCN exchange at 3 months, being lost to follow-up, or death. Results We treated 100 patients. Their median age was 54 years; 53% were White. The most common malignancies were cervical (61%), ovarian (23%), and endometrial (13%), with 60% being metastatic. To analyze the risk factors for developing a recurrent PCNI, patients were placed in 3 different groups: those reinfected with the same organism (19%), reinfected with a different organism (17%), and not reinfected (64%). Overall, there were no differences among the patient groups regarding demographics, comorbidities, clinical presentation, infection timing, PCN exchange (Table 1) or microorganisms encountered (Table 2). However, patients with prior radiation therapy or pelvic fistulas (urinary-vaginal-rectal or their permutations) had higher rates for developing a recurrent PCNIs with the same organism (P&amp;lt; .002). Conclusion Patients with prior radiation therapy and underlying pelvic fistulas have an increased risk for reinfection with the same pathogen. Therefore, further studies should be performed to mitigate this increased risk of recurrent infections with more frequent PCN exchanges or, more invasive procedure such as ureteral embolization, sclerosis, or ligation to dissociate the upper and lower urinary tracts. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Utility of Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing in Infective Endocarditis: A Systematic Review.

Blood cultures have been the gold standard for identifying pathogens in infective endocarditis (IE). Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE), however, occurs in 40% or more of IE cases with the bulk of them due to recent antibiotic exposure prior to obtaining blood cultures. Increasingly, molecular techniques are being used for pathogen identification in cases of BCNE and more recently has included metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). We therefore performed a literature search on August 31, 2022, that assessed the mNGS in IE and 13 publications were identified and included in a systematic review. Eight (61.5%) of them focused only on IE with mNGS performed on cardiac valve tissue in four studies, plasma in three studies and cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) in one study. Gram-positive cocci, including Staphylococcus aureus (n = 31, 8.9%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (n = 61, 17.6%), streptococci (n = 130, 37.5%), and Enterococcus&amp;nbsp;faecalis (n = 23, 6.6%) were the predominant organisms identified by mNGS. Subsequent investigations are needed to further define the utility of mNGS in BCNE and its impact on patient outcomes. Despite some pitfalls, mNGS seems to be of value in pathogen identification in IE cases, particularly in those with BCNE. This study was registered and on the Open Science Framework platform.

Effective Following: A Counterpart to Leadership

Effective Following: A Counterpart to Leadership

QSOFA does not predict bacteremia in patients with severe manifestations of sepsis.

Bloodstream infections in septic patients may be missed due to preceding antibiotic therapy prior to obtaining blood cultures. We leveraged the FABLED cohort study to determine if the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score could reliably identify patients at higher risk of bacteremia in patients who may have false negative blood cultures due to previously administered antibiotic therapy. We conducted a multi-centre diagnostic study among adult patients with severe manifestations of sepsis. Patients were enrolled in one of seven participating centres between November 2013 and September 2018. All patients from the FABLED cohort had two sets of blood cultures drawn prior to the administration of antimicrobial therapy, as well as additional blood cultures within 4 hours of treatment initiation. Participants were categorized according to qSOFA score, with a score ≥2 being considered positive. Among 325 patients with severe manifestations of sepsis, a positive qSOFA score (defined as a score ≥2) on admission was 58% sensitive (95% CI 48% to 67%) and 41% specific (95% CI 34% to 48%) for predicting bacteremia. Among patients with negative post-antimicrobial blood cultures, a positive qSOFA score was 57% sensitive (95% CI 42% to 70%) and 42% specific (95% CI 35% to 49%) to detect patients who were originally bacteremic prior to the initiation of therapy. Our results suggest that the qSOFA score cannot be used to identify patients at risk for occult bacteremia due to the administration of antibiotics pre-blood culture.

Physician practices in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases in home care settings: A questionnaire study.

To elucidate the current practices of infectious disease management in home care settings in Japan, we sent a questionnaire to 36 physicians working at 13 clinics that specialize in providing care to patients in their homes or residential care facilities. The questionnaire described three hypothetical scenarios (aspiration pneumonia, pyelonephritis, and neoplastic fever) in older patients with terminal cancer, and 25 respondents answered questions on testing and treatment strategies. Most respondents chose to obtain cultures for aspiration pneumonia (sputum) and for pyelonephritis (urine), although fewer respondents chose to obtain blood cultures. For neoplastic fever, most of respondents elected to continue observation without antibiotic treatment. The most frequently selected antibiotics were cephalosporins and quinolones. The results indicated that most respondents would perform bacterial culture tests before prescribing antibiotics and observe patients when bacterial infections are not suspected. Standardized guidelines are needed to optimize infectious disease management in home care.