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A carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) outbreak in an intensive care unit (ICU) was contained by an improved infection-control measure that included a disinfectant policy. In our retrospective cohort study, we describe the epidemiological investigations and infection-control measures during this outbreak. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize patient demographics, neurological diseases, surgical treatment, underlying diseases, infection, and outcomes. In December 2023, two CARB-positive patients were observed in the ICU, and four more patients became CRAB-positive in January. During this outbreak, there was an overlap of hospitalization periods among the CRAB-positive patients, and CRAB was isolated from the environment; the isolated CRAB strain was identical. Infection-control measures, including hand hygiene, contact precautions and isolation, surveillance, decolonization, environmental cleaning, and disinfection, were reviewed and modified. The aim of this study was to examine the molecular background of the effectiveness of the disinfectant shift used during successful outbreak control. Experiments were carried out to study the phenotypic sensitivity and genetic background of different disinfectant agents. A thorough analysis of the detected CRAB strain included whole-genome sequencing (WGS), investigation of the qacE and qacEΔ1 genes' relative expression by qPCR after exposure to different disinfectant solutions, as well as an analysis of biofilm formation. WGS analysis of the CRAB strain identified that an ST2 high-risk clone was responsible for the outbreak, which produced OXA-83 and ADC-30 beta-lactamases; in addition, qacE and qacEΔ1 genes were also detected, which confer resistance to disinfectants containing quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs). A qPCR analysis demonstrated that after exposure to different disinfectants, the gene expression levels of qacE and qacEΔ1 increased and correlated with concentrations of QACs of disinfectants. During the outbreak, the standard-of-care QAC-based disinfectant was changed to a mainly alcohol-based agent in the ICU, which contributed to the successful control of this outbreak, and no additional patients were identified with CRAB. We conclude that continuous surveillance and hand hygiene training combined with fast identification and reaction to new cases, as well as an in-depth analysis of multidrug-resistant outbreak strains and investigation of their disinfectant tolerance/resistance during an outbreak, are essential to effectively control the spread of nosocomial pathogens. The smart policy of disinfectant agent selection played a crucial role in controlling the outbreak and ensuring patient safety in the ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) pose a significant challenge to healthcare systems. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the infection policy to COVID-19 on the incidence of HAIs caused by MDROs. Methods: We conducted an eight-years retrospective analysis at a hospital in Shanghai, China. Bloodstream, sputum, and urinary tract cultures of MDROs obtained 48h after admission were collected monthly from January 2016 to Dec 2023. Occupied bed days (OBDs) were used to generate monthly HAI incidences per 10,000 OBDs. The study period was divided into pre-control, in-control, and post-control cohorts, in January 2020 and January 2022. The incidence was compared using interrupted time-series regression. Results: In total, 6763 MDRO cultures were identified, comprising 1058 bloodstream, 4581 sputum, and 1124 urine cultures derived from 4549 patients. The incidence rates of all HAIs were 8.68 per 10,000 OBDs in the pre-control cohort, 9.76 per 10,000 OBDs in the in-control cohort and 12.58 per 10,000 OBDs in the post-control cohorts, respectively. A downward trend in the incidence of HAI was observed in the post-control cohort (p< 0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that while the COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant challenge to infection control within hospitals, it provides a unique opportunity to enhance infection control measures and evaluate their effectiveness. In addition, these findings highlight the need for more targeted prevention and control strategies against different pathogens in future epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly impacted the prevalence and antibiotic sensitivity patterns of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). This study aimed to investigate the MDRO incidence and antibiotic sensitivity trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic at Dr. M. Djamil Central General Hospital in Padang, Indonesia. Methods: A total of 5539 clinical samples were collected and analyzed using the VITEK2 system to identify MDRO types. The study periods were defined as before (prepandemic), during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The incidence of MDROs increased significantly during and after the pandemic, with 1.64 and 1.42 times higher rates compared to the prepandemic period, respectively. Specific MDRO types that showed increased prevalence included Escherichia coli-producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (Eco-ESBL), carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), carbapenem-resistant E. coli (CREC), carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Antibiotic sensitivity decreased during and after the pandemic for K. pneumoniae-producing ESBL s, CRKP, and CRAB, as well as for CREC and CRPA during the pandemic. In contrast, antibiotic sensitivity increased for Eco-ESBL and MRSA during and after the pandemic. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly contributed to the increased incidence of MDROs and decreased antibiotic effectiveness against these pathogens in the study setting. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive infection control measures and antimicrobial stewardship programs to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on MDRO epidemiology.

Background Candida auris (C. auris), a multidrug-resistant fungus first described in Japan in 2009, has since spread rapidly around the world. More recently, cases of C. auris have increased substantially, which may have been affected by the strain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic placed on health care resources. We describe the epidemiology of C. auris infection and colonization at a tertiary care hospital in New York City before, during, and after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and describe our approach to surveillance. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review for all incident cases of C. auris , defined as a patient without a known history of infection or colonization who had a positive surveillance or clinical culture detected at our institution from 2019 through 2022. Clinical and demographic data were collected using the electronic medical record. Results Sixty-four incident cases of C. auris were identified. Thirty-four of these were identified by surveillance and 30 by clinical culture. There was a statistically significant increase in the number of cases identified in 2022 compared with 2019, with incidence rates of 2.6 cases per 10 000 admissions in 2019 and 7.8 cases per 10 000 admissions in 2022 (p =.002), respectively. Conclusions The incidence of C. auris colonization or infection increased significantly at our institution during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the potential impact the pandemic had on C. auris transmission. Targeted admission surveillance allows for the early identification of C. auris cases and can serve as a valuable tool to combat the increasing transmission of C. auris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xiaofeng Wang,1,2,&ast; Shuo Li,3,&ast; Da Huo,4,&ast; Zhiyuan Zhu,1,2,&ast; Wenlong Wang,1,2 Hongxia He,1,2 Qian Zhang,1,2 Jiantao Li,2,5 Xu Wang1,2 1Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease and Fuwai Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Clinical Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Infection Control, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Institute for Infectious Disease and Endemic Disease Control, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Infection Control, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease and Fuwai Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xu Wang, Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease and Fuwai Hospital, No. 167 North Lishi Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100037, People’s Republic of China, Email fwpicu@163.comPurpose: Infection prevention and control (IPC) has a significant impact on the prognosis after pediatric cardiac surgery. This study aimed to provide surveillance data on the incidence and density of various infections during the COVID-19 epidemic and explore the influence of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO) on in-hospital prognosis after congenital heart disease surgery.Methods: This single-center retrospective study included pediatric patients who underwent cardiac surgery between 2021 and 2022. The results of the postoperative bacterial and fungal cultures and antimicrobial stewardship were collected. The demographic characteristics (age and weight), operation-related parameters (RACHS-1 grade, duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic cross clamp), and surgical outcomes (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, delayed sternal closure, mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of intensive care unit stay and hospital stay, and hospitalization costs) of MDRO and non-MDRO patients were compared.Results: A total of 4776 patients were included. There were 101 infectious culture results after the operation, with a nosocomial infection rate of 2.1%. There were 40 MDRO specimens from 36 patients, 50 non-MDRO specimens from 30 patients, and 11 fungal specimens from 10 patients. The incidence of pneumonia was 1.5%, with a ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence density of 7.2/1000 patient-days. The incidence of sepsis was 0.4%, with a catheter-related bloodstream infection incidence density of 0.24/ 1000 patient-days. The incidence density of catheter-associated tract infection was 0.45/ 1000 patient-days. The incidence of surgical site infection was 0.06%. The culture proportion before commencing antibiotics was 93% and the antibiotic consumption intensity was 30.7 DDD/100 bed-days. The length of intensive care unit stay in MDRO infection patients increased compared with that in non-MDRO infection patients, 30 (18,52) vs 17 (7,62) days, p=0.05).Conclusion: The IPC performance of Fuwai Hospital achieved satisfactory results. MDRO infection can lead to prolonged intensive care unit stay.Plain language summary: Developed countries have advanced infection prevention and control systems and comprehensive postoperative infection monitoring data for congenital heart disease. While developing countries have initiated efforts in infection prevention and control, global attention remains substantial. This study aimed to provide comprehensive infection surveillance data and identify possible implementation for further improvement in the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in China (Fuwai Hospital).This was a retrospective single-center study. We included pediatric patients who underwent cardiac surgery at a pediatric surgical center between 2021 and 2022, with an age limit of 14 years. Exclusion criteria included patients undergoing medical therapy, interventional therapy, or surgical therapy in other centers in Fuwai Hospital.This study, for the first time, reports the incidence of comprehensive healthcare-associated infection surveillance and targeted surveillance (encompassing device-associated infection, surgical site infection, and multi-drug resistant organisms) after pediatric cardiac surgery at the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in China. In addition, we report the data on antimicrobial stewardship. We compared the surgical outcome and hospitalization costs between patients with multi-drug resistant organism infection and those without multi-drug resistant organism infection and found that multi-drug resistant organism infection can lead to prolonged intensive care unit length of stay.The Fuwai Hospital achieved satisfactory infection prevention and control results. However, because China is a large developing country exhibiting notable variations in medical conditions across its diverse regions, prospective, multicenter, observational studies should be carried out for future research based on existing evidence.Keywords: nosocomial infections, pediatric cardiac surgery, multidrug-resistant organism, surgical outcomes

Co-infection with carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) is associated with poor outcomes and historically relied on combination therapy with toxic agents for management. However, several novel β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination agents have been developed, offering potential monotherapy options. Here, we compare the in vitro activity of ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA), imipenem-relebactam (IRL), and meropenem-vaborbactam (MVB) against both CRKP and CRPA clinical isolates. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for each agent were determined using broth microdilution. Carbapenemase gene detection was performed for representative isolates of varying carbapenem resistance phenotypes. IRL demonstrated excellent activity against CRKP and CRPA with susceptibility rates at 95.8% and 91.7%, respectively. While CZA and MVB showed comparable susceptibility to IRL against CRKP (93.8%), susceptibility of CRPA to CZA was modest at 79.2%, whereas most CRPA strains were resistant to MVB. Of the 35 CRKP isolates tested, 91.4% (32/35) carried a blaKPC gene. Only 1 of 37 (2.7%) CRPA isolates tested carried a blaVIM gene, which conferred phenotypic resistance to all three agents. None of the CRKP strains were cross-resistant to all three agents. Source of infection and co-infection did not significantly influence antimicrobial activity for IRL and CZA; none of the CRPA isolates from co-infected patients were susceptible to MVB. Our results suggest that novel β-lactam agents with antipseudomonal activity and stability against carbapenemases, such as IRL and CZA, offer potential monotherapy options for the treatment of co-infection involving both CRKP and CRPA, but not MVB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The 2019 Infectious Diseases Society of America guideline for the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) emphasizes the need for clinician to understand local epidemiological data to guide selection of appropriate treatment. Currently, the local distribution of causative pathogens and their associated resistance patterns in CAP is unknown. A retrospective observational study was performed of patients admitted to an 870-bed safety net hospital between March 2016 and March 2021 who received a diagnosis of CAP or healthcare-associated pneumonia within the first 48 hours of admission. The primary outcome was the incidence of CAP caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PsA) as determined by comparing the number of satisfactory sputum cultures or blood cultures with these drug-resistant organisms to the total number of reviewed patients. Secondary outcomes studied included risk factors associated with CAP caused by drug-resistant organisms, utilization of broad-spectrum antibiotics, appropriate antibiotic de-escalation within 72 hours, and treatment duration. In this 220-patient cohort, MRSA or PsA was isolated from three sputum cultures and no blood cultures. The local incidence of drug-resistant pathogens among the analyzed sample of CAP patients was 1.4% (n = 3/220). The overall incidence of CAP caused by MRSA or PsA among admitted patients is low at our safety-net county hospital. Future research is needed to identify local risk factors associated with the development of CAP caused by drug-resistant pathogens.IMPORTANCEThis study investigates the incidence of drug-resistant pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa among community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients at a safety net hospital. Understanding local bacteria resistance patterns when treating CAP is essential and supported by evidence-based guidelines. Our findings empower other clinicians to investigate resistance patterns at their own institutions and identify methods to improve antibiotic use. This has the potential to reduce the unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotic agents and combat the development of antibiotic resistance.

Background: Despite multiple reports of increased incidence of bacterial respiratory tract infections following COVID-19 globally, the microbiology is not yet fully elucidated. In this study, we describe the microbiology of bacterial infections and the prevalence of multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) which includes both non-ventilated hospital acquired pneumonia (NVHAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). To our knowledge, this is the first study that compares the microbiology of VAP and NVHAP in COVID-19 patients. Methods: This is a longitudinal retrospective cohort study conducted at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a tertiary-care centre in Lebanon. Adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 and concurrent bacterial respiratory infections with an identifiable causative organism who were hospitalized between March 2020 and September 2021 were included. Bacterial isolates identified in hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) were divided into 3 groups based on the time of acquisition of pneumonia after admission: hospital day 3–14, 15–28 and 29–42. Results: Out of 1674 patients admitted with COVID-19, 159 (9.5%) developed one or more respiratory infections with an identifiable causative organism. Overall, Gram-negative bacteria were predominant (84%) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was the most common pathogen, particularly in HAP. Among 231 obtained isolates, 59 (26%) were MDROs, seen in higher proportion in HAP, especially among patients with prolonged hospital stay (> 4 weeks). Non-fermenter Gram-negative bacilli (NFGNB) (OR = 3.52, p-value

ABSTRACT: Background: To investigate the clinical distribution and changing trend of antibiotic resistance profiles of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), a retrospective study was undertaken. Methods: The characteristics of MDROs isolated from 2016 to March 2023 were retrospectively analysed. The detection rate of these MDROs was compared prior to COVID-19 (Period 1, 2016–2019), during the COVID-19 pandemic with restrictions (Period 2, 2020–2022), and after the end of zero-policy (Period 3, Jan-March, 2023). Antibiotic-resistant genes were detected. Results: The overall detection rates of CRPA, CRAB, CREC, CRKP, MRSA, and VREfm were 22.6%, 22.6%, 1.3%, 4.0%, 19.5%, and 3.1%, respectively. The detection rate of CRAB was significantly lower in Period 2 and 3 compared with Period 1 (P < 0.0001). The detection rate of CRPA and VREfm was significantly increased in Period 3 compared with Period 1 and 2 (P < 0.0001). The resistance rate to ticarcillin/clavulanic acid (TIM) and piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP) has gradually increased in CRPA since 2018. NDM and KPC were the most common carbapenemase genes identified in CREC (60.0%) and CRKP isolates (47.8%), respectively. All the 10 VREfm isolates carried the vanA gene. Conclusions: The detection rate of CRAB has decreased since 2018, but a significantly increased prevalence of CRPA and VREfm was seen after the end of zero-policy. An increasing resistance rate to TIM and TZP was seen in CRPA. NDM, KPC, and vanA were the common genes harboured by CREC, CRKP, and VREfm, respectively. Ongoing surveillance after the COVID-19 era is suggested.

Background: Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen that represents a current serious threat to healthcare settings. Objective: The objective was to determine the prevalence of C. auris in a Riyadh hospital since its initial detection in late 2019. Methods: Using an adapted risk assessment tool, we reviewed the charts and medical files of all suspected and confirmed cases of C. auris infections reported at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, between November 2019 and December 2022. Anonymized data were retrieved in a pre-established datasheet and analyzed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of C. auris infections in our facility. We analyzed prevalence by age, gender, risk factors, and according to sampling source. Results: Of the 53 confirmed C. auris-positive cases during the study period, 33 (62%) were males. Their ages ranged between 15 and 98, with most positive cases occurring in those aged 50 and above. Only one of the confirmed cases was hospital-acquired. All patients had at least one risk factor, and urine samples yielded the greatest number of positive cases, while admission to healthcare facilities constituted the highest risk in our study. Conclusion: Establishing a local prevalence pattern could serve as a baseline/benchmark to compare with regional and international benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite multiple reports of increased incidence of bacterial respiratory tract infections following COVID-19 globally, the microbiology is not yet fully elucidated. In this study, we describe the microbiology of bacterial infections and the prevalence of multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) which includes both non-ventilated hospital acquired pneumonia (NVHAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). To our knowledge, this is the first study that compares the microbiology of VAP and NVHAP in COVID-19 patients. This is a longitudinal retrospective cohort study conducted at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a tertiary-care centre in Lebanon. Adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 and concurrent bacterial respiratory infections with an identifiable causative organism who were hospitalized between March 2020 and September 2021 were included. Bacterial isolates identified in hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) were divided into 3 groups based on the time of acquisition of pneumonia after admission: hospital day 3–14, 15–28 and 29–42. Out of 1674 patients admitted with COVID-19, 159 (9.5%) developed one or more respiratory infections with an identifiable causative organism. Overall, Gram-negative bacteria were predominant (84%) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was the most common pathogen, particularly in HAP. Among 231 obtained isolates, 59 (26%) were MDROs, seen in higher proportion in HAP, especially among patients with prolonged hospital stay (> 4 weeks). Non-fermenter Gram-negative bacilli (NFGNB) (OR = 3.52, p-value<0.001), particularly S. maltophilia (OR = 3.24, p-value = 0.02), were significantly more implicated in VAP compared to NVHAP. NFGNB particularly S. maltophilia were significantly associated with COVID-19 VAP. A high rate of bacterial resistance (25%), especially among Gram-negative bacteria, was found which may compromise patients' outcomes and has important implications in guiding therapeutic decisions in COVID-19 patients who acquire bacterial respiratory infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) screening may identify high-risk patients for MDRO infection and curb the spread of these resistant pathogens. However, the heterogeneous practices in MDRO screening and the diversity of MDRO risk factors necessitate a tailored approach for successful implementation. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of tailored MDRO screening in predicting MDRO carriage compared to universal screening. Methods Critically ill patients who underwent MDRO screening tests upon intensive care unit admission between September 2015 and December 2019 were included in the study. A risk-predicting model was developed using risk factors identified through multivariable logistic regression analysis. If an individual had one or more identified risk factors, the individual was deemed to be at risk of MDRO carriage and undergo tailored screening. The sensitivity of tailored screening was compared with universal screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales). Results The use of tracheostomy or endotracheal tubes, previous antibiotic exposure, previous multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli carriage history, admission to the medical department, peripheral vascular disease, and liver disease were associated with positive screening for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli. These six risk factors accounted for all positive screening for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli, requiring 38.6% of all tests. Notably, MRSA had different risk factor profiles, and the risk factor-based screening approach detected only 43.1% (31 out of 72) of MRSA-positive cases. Conclusions Tailored screening based on identified risk factors showed variable sensitivities to individual MDROs compared to universal screening. A tailored screening approach for individual MDROs may enhance the overall effectiveness of MDRO screening programs.

Abstract Background and Aim Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is used to treat recurrent or refractory Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). In the past, screening of fecal donors required surveillance of personal behavior, medical history, and diseases that could be transmitted by the blood or fecal–oral route. In addition, the exclusion of multidrug‐resistant organisms (MDROs) has been recommended since 2018. This task has become more complicated in the era of the coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. To prevent fecal transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), it is crucial to commence screening for SARS‐CoV‐2, alongside other traditional tests. Our aim was to investigate whether hidden carriers of SARS‐CoV‐2 were enrolled for stool donation, and the status of the presence or incidence of MDRO during fecal donation in Taiwan. Methods Fecal products collected from March 2019 to December 2022 were tested for MDRO and nucleic acid amplification tests for SARS‐CoV‐2 using the pooling method. The period of fecal product collection crossed the time before and during the COVID pandemic in Taiwan. Results A total of 151 fecal samples were collected. The fecal products were tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect SARS‐CoV‐2. The results were negative for all stocks. This was similar to the results of MDRO testing. The safety of FMT products has been guaranteed during the pandemic. Conclusion Our FMT center produced MDRO‐free and COVID‐19‐free products before and during the COVID‐19 outbreak in Taiwan. Our protocol was effective for ensuring the safety of FMT products.

Abstract Background The prevalence of infections with multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) pose great challenges for anti-infective therapy. Previous research on MDRO infections after cardiac surgery was limited. Therefore, understanding and mastering the clinical characteristics and risk predictors of MDRO infection after cardiac surgery is of great significance for standardized management of perioperative patients. Methods The medical records of adult patients with MDRO infection after cardiac surgery from January 2018 to October 2021 were collected, and patients were divided into MDR infection group (n = 176) and non-MDR infection group (n = 233). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis of variables was performed to determine the risk predictors of MDRO infection. Results The incidence of MDRO infection was 8.6%. Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common, accounting for 37.3%, 23.5% and 18.0%, respectively. The main infection type were lower respiratory tract infection (LTRI = 29.0%). Univariate analysis showed that underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (P = 0.001) and secondary operation (P = 0.008), pre-infection exposure to vancomycin (P

Few data are available on incidence of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) colonization and infections in mechanically ventilated patients, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We retrospectively evaluated all patients admitted to the COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) of Hub Hospital in Milan, Italy, during October 2020‒May 2021. Microbiologic surveillance was standardized with active screening at admission and weekly during ICU stay. Of 435 patients, 88 (20.2%) had MDROs isolated ≤48 h after admission. Of the remaining patients, MDRO colonization was diagnosed in 173 (51.2%), MDRO infections in 95 (28.1%), and non-MDRO infections in 212 (62.7%). Non-MDRO infections occurred earlier than MDRO infections (6 days vs. 10 days; p

Yuting Luo,1,&ast; Zhaowang Guo,2,&ast; Ying Li,1,&ast; Hui Ouyang,1 Shanfeng Huang,1 Yuanli Chen,3 Kenan Li,1 Yuxin Ji,1 Hongqiong Zhu,1 Wentao Luo,1 Xu Liu,1,4 Xinghua Li,1 Jinyu Xia,1 Xi Liu1 1Department of Infectious Diseases, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China; 2Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Hospital Infection Control, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China; 4Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xi Liu; Xinghua Li, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 52 Meihua East Road, Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai, 519000, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86-756-252-8592, Email liuxi26@mail.sysu.edu.cn; lixh79@mail.sysu.edu.cnObjective: The incidence of inappropriate and excessive empirical antibiotic therapy is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of different empirical antibiotic therapy prescriptions, related factors, and outcomes in hospitalized patients with bacterial infection.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed and patients with bacterial infection who were admitted between October 1, 2019, and September 30, 2020, were included. Multivariable analysis was performed by the logistic regression model.Results: A total of 536 (42.6%) of the 1257 included patients received inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy (IEAT), and 368 (29.3%) patients received appropriate but unnecessarily broad-spectrum empirical antibiotic therapy (AUEAT). MDRO (adjusted OR 2.932 [95% CI 2.201~3.905]; p < 0.001) and fever on admission (adjusted OR 0.592 [95% CI 0.415~0.844]; p = 0.004) were correlates of IEAT; sepsis (adjusted OR 2.342 [95% CI 1.371~3.999]; p = 0.002), age (adjusted OR 1.019 [95% CI 1.008~1.030]; p < 0.001), MDRO (adjusted OR 0.664 [95% CI 0.469~0.941]; p = 0.021), and urinary tract infection (adjusted OR 0.352 [95% CI 0.203~0.611]; p < 0.001) were correlates of AUEAT. Patients who received AUEAT were more likely to have a poor prognosis (63 [17.8%] vs 101 [27.4%]; p = 0.002). Both IEAT (median [IQR], 24,971 [13,135– 70,155] vs 31,489 [14,894– 101,082] CNY; p = 0.007) and AUEAT (median [IQR], 24,971 [13,135– 70,155] vs 30,960 [16,475– 90,881] CNY; p = 0.002) increased hospital costs. 45.3% (570/1257) of patients were infected with MDRO and 62.9% of them received IEAT.Conclusion: Inappropriate and excessive empirical antibiotic use was widely prevalent among hospitalized patients. Either inappropriate or excessive use of antibiotics may increase the burden of healthcare costs, the latter of which may be associated with poor prognosis. Clinicians need to be more judicious in choosing antibiotic(s). The MDRO epidemic was severe, especially in patients who received IEAT. It is imperative to take effective measures to improve the current situation of antibiotic abuse and antimicrobial resistance.Keywords: antimicrobial resistance, bacterial culture-positive, empirical antibiotic therapy, patient outcome, multidrug-resistant organism

Background: Multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) screening may identify high-risk patients for MDRO infection and curb the spread of these resistant pathogens. However, the heterogeneous practices in MDRO screening and the diversity of MDRO risk factors necessitate a tailored approach for successful implementation. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of tailored MDRO screening in predicting MDRO carriage compared to universal screening. Methods: Critically ill patients who underwent MDRO screening tests upon intensive care unit admission between September 2015 and December 2019 were included in the study. A risk-predicting model was developed using risk factors identified through multivariable logistic regression analysis. If an individual had one or more identified risk factors, the individual was deemed to be at risk of MDRO carriage and undergo tailored screening. The sensitivity of tailored screening was compared with universal screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales). Results: The use of tracheostomy or endotracheal tubes, previous antibiotic exposure, previous multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli carriage history, admission to the medical department, peripheral vascular disease, and liver disease were associated with positive screening for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli. These six risk factors accounted for all positive screening for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli, requiring 38.6% of all tests. Notably, MRSA had different risk factor profiles, and the risk factor-based screening approach detected only 43.1% (31 out of 72) of MRSA-positive cases. Conclusions: Tailored screening based on identified risk factors showed variable sensitivities to individual MDROs compared to universal screening. A tailored screening approach for individual MDROs may enhance the overall effectiveness of MDRO screening programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is used to treat recurrent or refractory Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). In the past, screening of fecal donors required surveillance of personal behavior, medical history, and diseases that could be transmitted by the blood or fecal–oral route. In addition, the exclusion of multidrug‐resistant organisms (MDROs) has been recommended since 2018. This task has become more complicated in the era of the coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. To prevent fecal transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), it is crucial to commence screening for SARS‐CoV‐2, alongside other traditional tests. Our aim was to investigate whether hidden carriers of SARS‐CoV‐2 were enrolled for stool donation, and the status of the presence or incidence of MDRO during fecal donation in Taiwan. Methods: Fecal products collected from March 2019 to December 2022 were tested for MDRO and nucleic acid amplification tests for SARS‐CoV‐2 using the pooling method. The period of fecal product collection crossed the time before and during the COVID pandemic in Taiwan. Results: A total of 151 fecal samples were collected. The fecal products were tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect SARS‐CoV‐2. The results were negative for all stocks. This was similar to the results of MDRO testing. The safety of FMT products has been guaranteed during the pandemic. Conclusion: Our FMT center produced MDRO‐free and COVID‐19‐free products before and during the COVID‐19 outbreak in Taiwan. Our protocol was effective for ensuring the safety of FMT products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prevalence of infections with multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) pose great challenges for anti-infective therapy. Previous research on MDRO infections after cardiac surgery was limited. Therefore, understanding and mastering the clinical characteristics and risk predictors of MDRO infection after cardiac surgery is of great significance for standardized management of perioperative patients. Methods: The medical records of adult patients with MDRO infection after cardiac surgery from January 2018 to October 2021 were collected, and patients were divided into MDR infection group (n = 176) and non-MDR infection group (n = 233). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis of variables was performed to determine the risk predictors of MDRO infection. Results: The incidence of MDRO infection was 8.6%. Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the most common, accounting for 37.3%, 23.5% and 18.0%, respectively. The main infection type were lower respiratory tract infection (LTRI = 29.0%). Univariate analysis showed that underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (P = 0.001) and secondary operation (P = 0.008), pre-infection exposure to vancomycin (P < 0.001) and linezolid (P = 0.002), combination antibiotics (P < 0.001), four antibiotics in combination (P = 0.005), glucocorticoid use (P = 0.029), preoperative hypoalbuminemia (P = 0.003) were risk factors for post-operative MDRO infection. Multivariate regression analysis showed that underwent CABG (OR = 1.228, 95%CI = 1.056∽1.427, P = 0.008), secondary operation (OR = 1.910, 95%CI = 1.131∽3.425, P = 0.015) and pre-infection exposure to linezolid (OR = 3.704, 95%CI = 1.291∽10.629, P = 0.005) were independent risk predictors for MDRO infection. The risk of MDRO infection increased with the length of stay in the ICU (P < 0.001) and the length of stay before diagnosis of infection (P = 0.003), and the difference was statistically significant. Meanwhile, the length of stay after infection (P = 0.005) and the total length of hospital stay (P < 0.001) were significantly longer in the MDRO infection group, and the all-cause mortality was numerically higher in the MDRO infection group (31.3% versus 23.2%). Conclusions: The morbidity and mortality of MDRO infection was high in adult cardiac surgery, and many risk factors influence the occurrence of MDRO infection. In the future, clinicians should focus on high-risk patients, strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration on infection prevention and control measures, reduce the morbidity and mortality of MDRO infection, and improve the prognosis of in-hospital patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-infection with carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) is associated with poor outcomes and historically relied on combination therapy with toxic agents for management. However, several novel β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combination agents have been developed, offering potential monotherapy options. Here, we compare the in vitro activity of ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA), imipenem-relebactam (IRL), and meropenem-vaborbactam (MVB) against both CRKP and CRPA clinical isolates. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for each agent were determined using broth microdilution. Carbapenemase gene detection was performed for representative isolates of varying carbapenem resistance phenotypes. IRL demonstrated excellent activity against CRKP and CRPA with susceptibility rates at 95.8% and 91.7%, respectively. While CZA and MVB showed comparable susceptibility to IRL against CRKP (93.8%), susceptibility of CRPA to CZA was modest at 79.2%, whereas most CRPA strains were resistant to MVB. Of the 35 CRKP isolates tested, 91.4% (32/35) carried a blaKPC gene. Only 1 of 37 (2.7%) CRPA isolates tested carried a blaVIM gene, which conferred phenotypic resistance to all three agents. None of the CRKP strains were cross-resistant to all three agents. Source of infection and co-infection did not significantly influence antimicrobial activity for IRL and CZA; none of the CRPA isolates from co-infected patients were susceptible to MVB. Our results suggest that novel β-lactam agents with antipseudomonal activity and stability against carbapenemases, such as IRL and CZA, offer potential monotherapy options for the treatment of co-infection involving both CRKP and CRPA, but not MVB.

Objective:To determine whether a single-use stethoscope diaphragm barrier surface remains aseptic when placed on pathogen-contaminated stethoscopes. Methods:From May 31 to August 5, 2019, we tested 2 separate barriers using 3 different strains of 7 human pathogens, including extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium. Results:For all diaphragms with either of the 2 barriers tested, no growth was recorded for any of the pathogens. Stethoscopes with aseptic barriers remained sterile for up to 24 hours. These single-use barriers also provided aseptic surfaces when stethoscope diaphragms were inoculated with human specimens, including saliva, stool, urine, and sputum. Conclusion:Disposable aseptic diaphragm barriers may provide robust and efficient solutions to reduce transmission of pathogens via stethoscopes.

Abstract Background The emergence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) has become a major public health concern. Long-term care facilities (LTCF) are potential reservoirs for multidrug-resistant micro-organisms (MDRO). However, data on CPB is limited. The study aims to determine the prevalence of MDRO and risk factors for CPB colonization among residents of LTCFs. Methods A point-prevalence study was conducted at 14 LTCFs in Tenerife (Spain) between October 2020 and May 2021. Nasal and rectal swabs were cultured for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, MDR Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-Ab) and MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and molecular detection of resistance genes were performed. Risk factors for colonization by carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results A total of 760 LTCF residents were recruited. The prevalence of colonization by CPB was 9.3% (n = 71) with the following distribution: 35 (49.3%) K. pneumoniae, 26 (36.6%) MDR-Ab, 17 (23.9%) E. coli, and 1 (1.4%) C. koseri. In addition, the prevalence of colonization by MRSA was 28.1% (n = 215) and only one case of VRE was isolated. Multivariate analysis identified male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86–3.11; P = 0.01), having a high health requirement (OR, 6.32; 95% CI, 1.91–20.92; P = 0.003) and previous hospitalization (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 1.59–8.15 P = 0.002) as independent risk factors for CPB rectal carriage. Conclusions LTCFs are an important reservoir for MDRO, including CPB. We have identified some predictors of colonization by CPB, which enable a more targeted management of high-risk residents. Antimicrobial stewardship programmes and infection control preventive measures are needed to stop acquisition and transmission of MDRO.

SuWen Yang,1– 3,&ast; Bing Wang,2,4,5,&ast; Jing Li,6 Xue Zhao,7 Yan Zhu,8 Qian Sun,9 HongMei Liu,2,4,5 XiaoJun Wen1 1School of Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Medical School, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People’s Republic of China; 2Engineering Research Centre of Medical Biotechnology, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, People’s Republic of China; 3People’s Hospital of Kaiyang, Guiyang, 550300, People’s Republic of China; 4Key Laboratory of Biology and Medical Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, People’s Republic of China; 5School of Biology and Engineering, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Microbial Immunology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, People’s Republic of China; 7Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First People’s Hospital of Guiyang, Guiyang, 550002, People’s Republic of China; 8Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fourth People’s Hospital of Guiyang, Guiyang, 550002, People’s Republic of China; 9Department of Emergency Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Guiyang, Guiyang, 550002, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: XiaoJun Wen; HongMei Liu, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550025, People’s Republic of China, Email 2547285543@qq.com; hmliu@gmc.edu.cnPurpose: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common pathogens of community- and hospital-acquired infections, and its prevalence is increasing globally. Guiyang is the capital city of Guizhou Province, Southwest China; as the transport and tourism centre of Southwest China, Guizhou Province is bordered by Yunnan, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guangxi Provinces. Although MRSA prevalence is increasing, little is known about its aspects in the area. The purpose of this study was to analyse MRSA molecular characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence genes in Guiyang.Methods: In total, 209 MRSA isolates from four hospitals (2019– 2020) were collected and analysed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and molecular classification by the MLST, spa, and SCCmec typing methods. Isolate antibiotic resistance rates were detected by a drug susceptibility assays. PCR amplification was used to detect the virulence gene-carrying status.Results: Twenty-four STs, including 4 new STs (ST7346, ST7347, ST7348, and ST7247) and 3 new allelic mutations, were identified based on MLST. The major prevalent ST type and clone complex were ST59 (49.8%) and CC59 (62.7%), respectively. Spa type t437 (42.1%) and SCCmec IV (55.5%) were identified by spa and SCCmec typing methods as the most important types. Drug sensitivity data showed that the multidrug resistance rate was 79.0%. There were significant differences in multidrug resistance rates and virulence gene-carrying rates for seb, hla, hlb, cna and bap between ST59 and non-ST59 types.Conclusion: ST59-SCCmecIV-t437 is a major epidemic clone in Guiyang that should be monitored by local medical and health institutions. The situation differs from other adjacent or middle provinces of China, which may be due to the special geographical location of the region and the trend in antibiotic use or lifestyle. This study provides empirical evidence for local medical and health departments to prevent and control the spread of MRSA.Keywords: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA, multilocus sequence type, MLST, Staphylococcal protein A type, SPA, Staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec type, SCCmec, multidrug-resistant organism, virulence gene

Yared Abate Getahun,1 Destaw Asfaw Ali,2 Bihonegn Wodajnew Taye,3 Yismaw Alemie Alemayehu4 1Livestock and Fishery Research Center, College of Agriculture, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Southern Nation Nationalities and Peoples Regional State, Ethiopia; 2Department of Paraclinical Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gondar University, Gondar City, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia; 3Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture, Assosa University, Assosa City, Benshangul Gumez Regional State, Ethiopia; 4Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Wollega University, Nekemtie City, Oromia Regional State, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Yared Abate Getahun, Email abateyared06@gmail.comAbstract: The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant microbes become a serious threat to animal and human health globally because of their less responsiveness to conventional antimicrobial therapy. Multidrug-resistant microbial infection poses higher morbidity and mortality rate with significant economic losses. Currently, antimicrobial peptides and the CRISPR/Cas9 system are explored as alternative therapy to circumvent the challenges of multidrug-resistant organisms. Antimicrobial peptides are small molecular weight, cationic peptides extracted from all living organisms. It is a promising drug candidate for the treatment of multidrug-resistant microbes by direct microbial killing or indirectly modulating the innate immune system. The CRISPR/Cas9 system is another novel antimicrobial alternative used to manage multidrug-resistant microbial infection. It is a versatile gene-editing tool that uses engineered single guide RNA for targeted gene recognition and the Cas9 enzyme for the destruction of target nucleic acids. Both the CRISPR/Cas9 system and antimicrobial peptides were used to successfully treat nosocomial infections caused by ESKAPE pathogens, which developed resistance to various antimicrobials. Despite, their valuable roles in multidrug-resistant microbial treatments, both the antimicrobial peptides and the CRISPR/Cas systems have various limitations like toxicity, instability, and incurring high manufacturing costs. Thus, this review paper gives detailed explanations of the roles of the CRISPR/Cas9 system and antimicrobial peptides in circumventing the challenges of multidrug-resistant microbial infections, its limitation and prospects in clinical applications.Keywords: antimicrobial peptides, clinical applications, CRISPR/cas system, multidrug-resistant organism

Background: Colonization by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) is a frequent complication in hematologic departments, which puts patients at risk of life-threatening bacterial sepsis. Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a condition related to the delivery of chemotherapy in hematologic malignancies, in which the use of antibiotics is debated. The incidence, risk factors, and influence on the outcome of these conditions in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are not clearly defined. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 132 consecutive admissions of non-promyelocytic AML patients at the Hematology Unit of the University Tor Vergata in Rome between June 2019 and February 2022. MDRO swab-based screening was performed in all patients on the day of admission and once weekly after that. FUO was defined as fever with no evidence of infection. Results: Of 132 consecutive hospitalizations (69 AML patients), MDRO colonization was observed in 35 cases (26%) and resulted independently related to a previous MDRO colonization (p=0.001) and length of hospitalization (p=0.03). The colonization persistence rate in subsequent admissions was 64%. MDRO-related bloodstream infection was observed in 8 patients (23%) and correlated with grade III/IV mucositis (p=0.008) and length of hospitalization (p=0.02). FUO occurred in 68 cases (51%) and correlated with an absolute neutrophilic count <500µ/L at admission (0.04). Conclusion: In our experience, MDRO colonization is a frequent and difficult-to-eradicate condition that can arise at all stages of treatment. Prompt discharge of patients as soon as clinical conditions allow could limit the spread of MDRO. In addition, the appropriate use of antibiotics, especially in the case of FUO, and the contraction of hospitalization length, when feasible, are measures to tackle the further spread of MDRO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) has become a major public health concern. Long-term care facilities (LTCF) are potential reservoirs for multidrug-resistant micro-organisms (MDRO). However, data on CPB is limited. The study aims to determine the prevalence of MDRO and risk factors for CPB colonization among residents of LTCFs. Methods: A point-prevalence study was conducted at 14 LTCFs in Tenerife (Spain) between October 2020 and May 2021. Nasal and rectal swabs were cultured for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales, MDR Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-Ab) and MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and molecular detection of resistance genes were performed. Risk factors for colonization by carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: A total of 760 LTCF residents were recruited. The prevalence of colonization by CPB was 9.3% (n = 71) with the following distribution: 35 (49.3%) K. pneumoniae, 26 (36.6%) MDR-Ab, 17 (23.9%) E. coli, and 1 (1.4%) C. koseri. In addition, the prevalence of colonization by MRSA was 28.1% (n = 215) and only one case of VRE was isolated. Multivariate analysis identified male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86–3.11; P = 0.01), having a high health requirement (OR, 6.32; 95% CI, 1.91–20.92; P = 0.003) and previous hospitalization (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 1.59–8.15 P = 0.002) as independent risk factors for CPB rectal carriage. Conclusions: LTCFs are an important reservoir for MDRO, including CPB. We have identified some predictors of colonization by CPB, which enable a more targeted management of high-risk residents. Antimicrobial stewardship programmes and infection control preventive measures are needed to stop acquisition and transmission of MDRO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo understand the antibiotic residues in ice/fresh chicken collected from retail market and the antibiotic susceptibility of Escherichia coli （E.coli）isolated from these chicken in Henan Province. This study will provide data basis for chicken safety risk assessment.MethodsA total of 60 ice/fresh chicken were collected from retail market and tested for antibiotic residues by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry tandem method from May to November in 2020 in He’nan Province； Totally， 300 E. coli isolates were recovered from these chicken and tested for antibiotic susceptibility by micro-broth dilution method.ResultsNo antibiotic residues were detected in these chicken samples. All the E. coli isolates are susceptible to imipenem. The antibiotic resistant rates of the E. coli isolates to the other 14 antibiotics were from 8% to 86.33%. The antibiotic resistant rate ≥50% were： tetracycline 86.33% （259/300）， ampicillin 69.00% （207/300）， chloramphenicol 63.33% （190/300）， cefazolin 50.67 （152/300）， nalidixic acid 50.00% （150/300）. The proportion of multidrug-resistant organism （MDRO） is up to 81.75% （224/274）. The antibiotic resistance rates were significant difference among different regions （χ2=31.331， P

Abstract Background Our aim was to evaluate the effect of setting up a full-time infection control nursing service on reducing the prevalence of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) in the orthopedic ward. Methods From January 2015 to March 2019, routine prevention and control measures were taken for patients infected/colonized with MDRO in this ward, which was set as the pre-intervention period. The intervention period was from April 2019 to June 2021. The study was designed to evaluate whether the establishment of a full-time infection control nursing service could reduce the positive density of MDRO in the hospital by using an interrupted time-series model of a quasi experimental study. Results There were 11,759 patients during pre-intervention period and 8142 patients during intervention period. The total number of MDRO isolated before intervention was 177, of which 145 were obtained in hospital and 32 were brought in from outside hospital. The total number of MDRO isolated after intervention was 47, of which 29 were obtained in hospital and 18 were brought in from outside hospital. Before intervention, the positive density of MDRO in the orthopedic ward showed an increasing trend (β1 = 0.02, P = 0.003). After intervention, the positive density of MDRO showed a downward trend (β3 = − 0.05, P = 0.018). Conclusions The establishment of the full-time infection control nursing service in the orthopedic ward can effectively reduce the nosocomial prevalence of MDRO.

Abstract Background Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are associated with prolonged hospitalisation, increased medical costs, and severe infections. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as an important strategy for decolonisation. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic response of MDROs to FMT. Methods A single-centre prospective study was conducted on patients infected with VRE, CPE, or VRE/CPE who underwent FMT between May 2018 and April 2019. Genetic response was assessed as the change in the expression of the resistance genes VanA, bla KPC, bla NDM, and bla OXA on days 1, 7, 14, and 28 by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results Twenty-nine patients received FMT, of which 26 (59.3%) were infected with VRE, 5 (11.1%) with CPE, and 8 (29.6%) with VRE/CPE. The mean duration of MDRO carriage before FMT was 71 days. Seventeen patients (63.0%) used antibiotics within a week of FMT. In a culture-dependent method, the expression of VanA and overall genes significantly decreased (p = 0.011 and p = 0.003 respectively). In a culture-independent method, VanA, bla NDM, and overall gene expression significantly decreased over time after FMT (p = 0.047, p = 0.048, p = 0.002, respectively). Similar results were confirmed following comparison between each time point in both the culture-dependent and -independent methods. Regression analysis did not reveal important factors underlying the genetic response after FMT. No adverse events were observed. Conclusion FMT in patients infected with MDROs downregulates the expression of resistance genes, especially VanA, and facilitates MDRO decolonisation.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the common gram-negative organisms that cause severe invasive infections in different organ systems. P. aeruginosa has unique intrinsic mechanisms to develop antimicrobial resistance quickly, making it extremely difficult to treat. We report a case of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) P. aeruginosa panophthalmitis due to contaminated artificial tears. This report investigates the role of systemic and intravitreal antimicrobials, summarizes the resistance mechanisms of P. aeruginosa, and provides an overview on cefiderocol, a novel antimicrobial that targets multidrug-resistant (MDR) and XDR Gram-negative pathogens.

Background: Fecal microbiota transplantation against gut colonization using a multidrugresistant organism is a technique used to treat infections through normalizing the gut microbiota via fecal microbiota transplantation in patients with confirmed colonization by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) or vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) based on a fecal culture test within the past one week. In this study, we aimed to determine the safety and effectiveness of this technique. Methods: The safety and effectiveness were assessed via a systematic review. A literature search was conducted using five Korean databases, such as KoreaMed, and international databases, including Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Results: Main results are described here. From the studies retrieved using the aforementioned search strategy, the remaining 581 studies were screened using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in the selection of nine studies for further consideration. In terms of safety, many studies reported deaths and adverse reactions associated with different causes. Fewer studies reported the rate of colonization; however, the effect of colony rate was inconsistent when compared to no treatment group. Additionally, none of the studies assessed the recurrence rate, a decrease in the prevalence of diseases related to infection by multidrugresistant bacteria, and the quality of life. Conclusion: Fecal bacterial colonization for the decolonization of intestinal multidrugresistant bacteria was evaluated using a technique that requires further research as there is insufficient literature evidence to validate its safety and efficacy in treating infections through normalizing the intestinal flora of patients with confirmed colonization by CRE or VRE.

Objectives: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, strict infection control measures have been implemented in healthcare settings and hospitals, including respiratory and hand hygiene. This study investigated the impact of these control measures on the incidence rates of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in a Taiwan medical center. Methods: This study compared the consumption of personal prevention resources and the incidence density of HAI and MDRO in a medical center in Taiwan from January to May 2020, encapsulating the COVID-19 outbreak period in the study, to baseline data from the same timeframe in 2018 and 2019. Results: There was no significant difference between the number of inpatient days in 2020, 2018 and 2019. The consumption of either alcohol for hand hygiene or surgical masks significantly increased in 2020. However, the overall HAI incidence density did not significantly differ from the rate at the baseline period. It was found that the incidence density of MDRO was significantly lower in 2020, especially in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. Conclusions: A collateral benefit of the COVID-19 prevention measures on the incidence density of MDRO was observed in a hospital in Taiwan where the incidence of COVID-19 was low.

Background: Our aim was to evaluate the effect of setting up a full-time infection control nursing service on reducing the prevalence of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) in the orthopedic ward.Methods: From January 2015 to March 2019, routine prevention and control measures were taken for patients infected/colonized with MDRO in this ward, which was set as the pre-intervention period. The intervention period was from April 2019 to June 2021. The study was designed to evaluate whether the establishment of a full-time infection control nursing service could reduce the positive density of MDRO in the hospital by using an interrupted time-series model of a quasi experimental study.Results: There were 11,759 patients during pre-intervention period and 8142 patients during intervention period. The total number of MDRO isolated before intervention was 177, of which 145 were obtained in hospital and 32 were brought in from outside hospital. The total number of MDRO isolated after intervention was 47, of which 29 were obtained in hospital and 18 were brought in from outside hospital. Before intervention, the positive density of MDRO in the orthopedic ward showed an increasing trend (β1 = 0.02, P = 0.003). After intervention, the positive density of MDRO showed a downward trend (β3 = - 0.05, P = 0.018).Conclusions: The establishment of the full-time infection control nursing service in the orthopedic ward can effectively reduce the nosocomial prevalence of MDRO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vulnerable patients with intestinal colonization of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are recognized to be at increased risk of invasive MDRO-driven infection. Intestinal microbiota transplantation (IMT, also called faecal microbiota transplant) is the transfer of healthy screened donor stool to an affected recipient, and recent interest has focused on its impact on the reduction of invasive MDRO infection. To describe how to establish a clinical IMT pathway for patients at risk of MDRO invasive infection, with special considerations for optimizing administration and assessment of endpoints. Expert guidelines and peer-reviewed clinical studies are encompassed and discussed. IMT is offered to patients with MDROs detected on rectal or stool screening and either at risk of MDRO invasive infection due to altered immune status or those with recurrent MDRO-mediated invasive disease and considered at risk of further disease. Donor screening should include pathogens with theoretical or demonstrated risk of transmission (including MDROs themselves and SARS-CoV-2) and take into consideration the relative immunosuppressed state of potential recipients. Delivery of IMT is timed for when the patient is free from active infection, but no additional antibiotics are indicated. If administered when future immunosuppression is to take place, IMT is aligned at least 2 weeks beforehand to ensure sufficient time for engraftment. Patients are followed up in terms of adverse effects from IMT and clinicians are advised to discuss with the IMT multidisciplinary team on choice of antibiotics if needed to take into consideration the impact upon the intestinal microbiome. Prevention of invasive disease is the primary measure of success, rather than using intestinal decolonization as a binary outcome. Repeat IMT is considered case by case. Future research areas should include randomized studies that consider clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness, and better understanding of mechanisms to identify markers of treatment success and functional microbiome components that could be used therapeutically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and adverse effects in septic patients with impaired renal function who received different dosages of cefoperazone–sulbactam (CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g or 2 g/2 g every 12 h). The retrospective study was conducted using the Chang Gung Research Database to include adult patients who had renal insufficiency presented with septicemia caused by Gram-negative organisms and had received CFP–SUL for more than 1 week. A total of 265 patients (44 in the CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g group and 221 in the CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g group) were eligible to be included in this study. After 1:3 propensity score matching, 41 and 123 patients in the CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g and CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g groups, respectively, were included for analyses. There were no significant between-group differences in all-cause mortality rates and adverse effects, including prolonged prothrombin time. A logistic regression model showed that the Pitt bacteremia score was related to all-cause mortality rate and prolonged prothrombin time was associated with renal replacement therapy. The adverse effects of CFP–SUL did not increase in septic patients with impaired renal function receiving CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g Q12H. However, this study may be underpowered to reveal a difference in all-cause mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infections due to antibiotic resistant organisms (ARO) among hospitalized patients are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Longitudinal data about antimicrobial resistance are scarce in Lebanon and the region. The objective of this study is to describe the temporal trends of resistance of selected pathogens among hospitalized patients at a tertiary care center in Lebanon. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of surveillance data from 2010 until 2018. Six target organisms isolated from hospitalized patients were included: carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CREC), carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. (CRKP), multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE). Correlation analysis was performed to evaluate for temporal trends. Results: A total of 15,901 isolates were examined, most of which were obtained from urinary specimens. Among Gram-negative organisms, the highest resistance was found among CRAB (81.7%), followed by CRKP (6.5%) and CREC (3.3%). MDRPA overall prevalence was 0.8%. Among Gram-positive organisms, the prevalence of MRSA and VRE was 26.2% and 2.6%, respectively. CREC, MRSA, and VRE showed statistically significant increasing temporal trends, while CRAB decreased significantly from 2013 to 2018. Conclusion: These data are helpful in characterizing the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in Lebanon and show that controlling emerging resistance is achievable with concerted infection control and antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Caution should be exercised to contain early on the spread of CREC and of resistant Gram-positive pathogens.

Background: Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are associated with prolonged hospitalisation, increased medical costs, and severe infections. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as an important strategy for decolonisation. This study aimed to evaluate the genetic response of MDROs to FMT. Methods: A single-centre prospective study was conducted on patients infected with VRE, CPE, or VRE/CPE who underwent FMT between May 2018 and April 2019. Genetic response was assessed as the change in the expression of the resistance genes VanA, blaKPC, blaNDM, and blaOXA on days 1, 7, 14, and 28 by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: Twenty-nine patients received FMT, of which 26 (59.3%) were infected with VRE, 5 (11.1%) with CPE, and 8 (29.6%) with VRE/CPE. The mean duration of MDRO carriage before FMT was 71 days. Seventeen patients (63.0%) used antibiotics within a week of FMT. In a culture-dependent method, the expression of VanA and overall genes significantly decreased (p = 0.011 and p = 0.003 respectively). In a culture-independent method, VanA, blaNDM, and overall gene expression significantly decreased over time after FMT (p = 0.047, p = 0.048, p = 0.002, respectively). Similar results were confirmed following comparison between each time point in both the culture-dependent and -independent methods. Regression analysis did not reveal important factors underlying the genetic response after FMT. No adverse events were observed. Conclusion: FMT in patients infected with MDROs downregulates the expression of resistance genes, especially VanA, and facilitates MDRO decolonisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In dogs with bacterial cystitis that is resistant to multiple antibiotics, resulting from repeated infections and antimicrobial administration, especially if the dog has impaired renal function and the induction of systemic side effects by intravenous or oral administration is a concern, intravesical instillation of antibiotics might represent an alternative treatment option. In human and veterinary medicine, a number of studies showed intravesical instillation of antibiotics is effective for the therapy multidrug-resistant bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI). This report firstly illustrates successful intravesical meropenem treatment of a UTI caused by multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli with no systemic side effects in dog with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Case: A 15-year-old spayed female Maltese was presented with recurrent bacterial cystitis. The risk factors for the recurrent UTI were spinal cord injury and CKD which had been managed for 1 year. Ultrasound-guided cystocentesis was performed to obtain a urine sample for urinalysis, bacteriologic culture, and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Bacterial cystitis caused by multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli was diagnosed on the basis of bacterial culture, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Because the dog had CKD, reducing the clearance of meropenem, intravesical instillation of antibiotics was initiated. The intravesical instillation process consisted of the emptying of the urinary bladder, infusion of a diluted meropenem solution (8.5 mg/kg diluted in 20 mL of saline solution) into the bladder through a urethral catheter, and retention of the meropenem solution in the bladder for 1 h, and its removal. The procedure was repeated every 8 h. On day 8 of the intravesical instillation therapy, bactereologic culture yielded a growth of E. coli (50,000 CFUs/mL), which was less than previously obtained. the concentration of the meropenem solution being administered was increased to 17 mg/kg diluted in 20 mL of saline solution, to improve the effectiveness of the therapy. After 21 days of the intravesical meropenem instillation, the bacterial cystitis was resolved. One year after completion of the treatment, the dog is still alive without any recurrence of bacterial cystitis. Discussion: Because resistant uropathogens can cause zoonotic infections, effective therapy is important with increasing incidence not only for patients, but also for public health. Intravesical instillation of antibiotics can be an effective treatment method for dogs with urinary tract infection in which oral antibiotics are likely to be ineffective and injectable antibiotics cannot be a treatment option. The antibiotics can be administered directly to the affected location, and systemic side effects can be minimized by the impermeabtility of the bladder wall via intravesical instillation procedure. Meropenem is likely to accumulate in dogs with impaired renal function, leading to systemic side effects and the aggravation of CKD in old dogs. This report describes the successful treatment of multidrug-resistant E. coli infection by intravesical instillation of meropenem without any side effects in dogs with CKD. Therefore, clinician should consider the use of intravesical instillation of antibiotics which predominately excreted in the urine for the control of urinary tract infection caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria in dogs showing reduced renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Infections with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) pose a serious threat to patients with dysregulated immunity such as in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), but such infections have rarely been comprehensively characterized. Here, we present a fatal case of HLH secondary to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection complicated by both anti-viral drug resistance and sepsis from multiple MDROs including pandrug-resistant superbug bacteria. Case presentation A previously healthy, six-year-old boy presented with a 45-day history of fever prior to a diagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and hemorrhagic colitis, both associated with CMV. On hospital admission, the patient was found to be colonized with multiple, multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria including vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and carbapenamase-producing organisms (CPO). He eventually developed respiratory, urine and bloodstream infections with highly drug-resistant, including pandrug-resistant bacteria, which could not be controlled by antibiotic treatment. Antiviral therapy also failed to contain his CMV infection and the patient succumbed to overwhelming bacterial and viral infection. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of the MDR bacteria and metagenomic analysis of his blood sample revealed an unusual accumulation of a wide range of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in a single patient, including antiviral resistance to ganciclovir, and resistance mechanisms to all currently available antibiotics. Conclusions The case highlights both the risk of acquiring MDR superbugs and the severity of these infections in HLH patients.

Abstract Background No-touch environmental disinfection using ultraviolet devices has been highlighted in the past several years to control the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). However, its effectiveness in non-US healthcare settings is yet to be examined. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of disinfection by portable pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) devices in controlling transmission of MDROs in a non-US healthcare setting. Methods All patients admitted in the intensive care unit in a 629-bed tertiary referral hospital in Japan from August 2016 to February 2019 were enrolled. During the study period, PX-UV disinfection was added to manual terminal cleaning after every patient transfer/discharge. For microbiological evaluation, surfaces were selected for sampling by contact plates before/after manual cleaning and after PX-UV. After overnight incubation, colonies on the plates were counted. Results The incidence of newly acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) declined significantly (13.8 to 9.9 per 10,000 patient days, incidence rate ratio 0.71, p = 0.002), as well as that of newly acquired drug-resistant Acinetobacter (48.5 to 18.1, 0.37, p

The 2019 Infectious Diseases Society of America guideline for the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) emphasizes the need for clinician to understand local epidemiological data to guide selection of appropriate treatment. Currently, the local distribution of causative pathogens and their associated resistance patterns in CAP is unknown. A retrospective observational study was performed of patients admitted to an 870-bed safety net hospital between March 2016 and March 2021 who received a diagnosis of CAP or healthcare-associated pneumonia within the first 48 hours of admission. The primary outcome was the incidence of CAP caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PsA) as determined by comparing the number of satisfactory sputum cultures or blood cultures with these drug-resistant organisms to the total number of reviewed patients. Secondary outcomes studied included risk factors associated with CAP caused by drug-resistant organisms, utilization of broad-spectrum antibiotics, appropriate antibiotic de-escalation within 72 hours, and treatment duration. In this 220-patient cohort, MRSA or PsA was isolated from three sputum cultures and no blood cultures. The local incidence of drug-resistant pathogens among the analyzed sample of CAP patients was 1.4% ( n = 3/220). The overall incidence of CAP caused by MRSA or PsA among admitted patients is low at our safety-net county hospital. Future research is needed to identify local risk factors associated with the development of CAP caused by drug-resistant pathogens.IMPORTANCEThis study investigates the incidence of drug-resistant pathogens including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa among community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients at a safety net hospital. Understanding local bacteria resistance patterns when treating CAP is essential and supported by evidence-based guidelines. Our findings empower other clinicians to investigate resistance patterns at their own institutions and identify methods to improve antibiotic use. This has the potential to reduce the unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotic agents and combat the development of antibiotic resistance., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: To investigate the clinical distribution and changing trend of antibiotic resistance profiles of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), a retrospective study was undertaken., Methods: The characteristics of MDROs isolated from 2016 to March 2023 were retrospectively analysed. The detection rate of these MDROs was compared prior to COVID-19 (Period 1, 2016-2019), during the COVID-19 pandemic with restrictions (Period 2, 2020-2022), and after the end of zero-policy (Period 3, Jan-March, 2023). Antibiotic-resistant genes were detected., Results: The overall detection rates of CRPA, CRAB, CREC, CRKP, MRSA, and VREfm were 22.6%, 22.6%, 1.3%, 4.0%, 19.5%, and 3.1%, respectively. The detection rate of CRAB was significantly lower in Period 2 and 3 compared with Period 1 (P < 0.0001). The detection rate of CRPA and VREfm was significantly increased in Period 3 compared with Period 1 and 2 (P < 0.0001). The resistance rate to ticarcillin/clavulanic acid (TIM) and piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP) has gradually increased in CRPA since 2018. NDM and KPC were the most common carbapenemase genes identified in CREC (60.0%) and CRKP isolates (47.8%), respectively. All the 10 VREfm isolates carried the vanA gene., Conclusions: The detection rate of CRAB has decreased since 2018, but a significantly increased prevalence of CRPA and VREfm was seen after the end of zero-policy. An increasing resistance rate to TIM and TZP was seen in CRPA. NDM, KPC, and vanA were the common genes harboured by CREC, CRKP, and VREfm, respectively. Ongoing surveillance after the COVID-19 era is suggested., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

BackgroundThe transmission and infection risk associated with multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) carriers necessitates surveillance and tracking to provide proper contact precautions. As MDROs increase in scope, automated electronic health record (EHR) systems may help with surveillance demands.MethodsWe created a system for MDROs and Clostridium difficile tracking that automated the following 3 main surveillance and tracking activities: monitoring of microbiology results and initiation of chart-based flags, ordering of contact precautions on admission, and ensuring appropriate removal of precautions.ResultsAutomation saved 43 infection preventionist hours per 1,000 admissions, in addition to previously unquantified hours spent reviewing MDRO history for every admission. Automatic retiring of certain MDRO flags ensured removal of contact precautions after a specified time. A point-prevalence assessment for eligibility for discontinuation found that all precautions were appropriate, with none eligible for removal. By integrating microbiology data, EHR tracking flags, and automated orders, this system assured rapid and comprehensive placement of patients into contact precautions without requiring oversight by infection prevention personnel.ConclusionWe show that automated systems embedded within EHRs can ensure tracking and application of appropriate contact precautions while simultaneously producing tremendous time savings for infection prevention programs.

Background: Premature newborns represent a vulnerable population, at high risk of acquiring nosocomial infections during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Multidrug-resistant organisms represent the greatest concern due to their intrinsic virulence and the limited therapeutic options. Resistant Enterobacterales are a growing threat for critically ill neonates, with increasing numbers of NICU outbreaks caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales being described. This study reports the early detection and successful control of an outbreak caused by ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-KP) in an Italian NICU in February 2021. Results: A total of 13 newborns tested positive for ESBL-KP between 2–9 February 2021, of whom four (31%) had a bloodstream infection. Two were critically ill, extremely premature newborns who died because of multiple comorbidities, and two were cured after treatment with meropenem. All other patients survived and were either discharged home or moved to other hospitals/wards in good clinical condition. ESBL-KP ST45 was found in all isolates by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. An outbreak control plan was set, including surveillance cultures for all neonates, NICU environments, and medical devices, along with the extended use of contact precautions and cohorting. In addition, the infection control plan was carried out through reinforcement and enhancement measures to guarantee maximal compliance. The outbreak was successfully controlled in seven days, given that no further cases were identified after 9 February. The source of the ESBL-KP outbreak was not identified through environmental sampling. Conclusions: Thanks to multidisciplinary management, a threatening outbreak of ESBL-KP in a NICU was controlled in few days. The prompt recognition of the event onset and the adoption of infection control interventions helped contain the bacteria spread on the ward.

• The consumption of alcohol for hand hygiene and personal prevention resources has increased during the COVID-19 outbreak. • The increased consumption of personal prevention resources did not affect the overall nosocomial infection incidence density in our hospital. • Incidence density of certain multidrug resistant organism significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic with strict personal hygiene. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, strict infection control measures have been implemented in healthcare settings and hospitals, including respiratory and hand hygiene. This study investigated the impact of these control measures on the incidence rates of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in a Taiwan medical center. This study compared the consumption of personal prevention resources and the incidence density of HAI and MDRO in a medical center in Taiwan from January to May 2020, encapsulating the COVID-19 outbreak period in the study, to baseline data from the same timeframe in 2018 and 2019. There was no significant difference between the number of inpatient days in 2020, 2018 and 2019. The consumption of either alcohol for hand hygiene or surgical masks significantly increased in 2020. However, the overall HAI incidence density did not significantly differ from the rate at the baseline period. It was found that the incidence density of MDRO was significantly lower in 2020, especially in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. A collateral benefit of the COVID-19 prevention measures on the incidence density of MDRO was observed in a hospital in Taiwan where the incidence of COVID-19 was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and adverse effects in septic patients with impaired renal function who received different dosages of cefoperazone–sulbactam (CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g or 2 g/2 g every 12 h). The retrospective study was conducted using the Chang Gung Research Database to include adult patients who had renal insufficiency presented with septicemia caused by Gram-negative organisms and had received CFP–SUL for more than 1 week. A total of 265 patients (44 in the CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g group and 221 in the CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g group) were eligible to be included in this study. After 1:3 propensity score matching, 41 and 123 patients in the CFP–SUL 1 g/1 g and CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g groups, respectively, were included for analyses. There were no significant between-group differences in all-cause mortality rates and adverse effects, including prolonged prothrombin time. A logistic regression model showed that the Pitt bacteremia score was related to all-cause mortality rate and prolonged prothrombin time was associated with renal replacement therapy. The adverse effects of CFP–SUL did not increase in septic patients with impaired renal function receiving CFP–SUL 2 g/2 g Q12H. However, this study may be underpowered to reveal a difference in all-cause mortality.

Infections due to antibiotic resistant organisms (ARO) among hospitalized patients are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Longitudinal data about antimicrobial resistance are scarce in Lebanon and the region. The objective of this study is to describe the temporal trends of resistance of selected pathogens among hospitalized patients at a tertiary care center in Lebanon. We conducted a retrospective review of surveillance data from 2010 until 2018. Six target organisms isolated from hospitalized patients were included: carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CREC), carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella spp. (CRKP), multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE). Correlation analysis was performed to evaluate for temporal trends. A total of 15,901 isolates were examined, most of which were obtained from urinary specimens. Among Gram-negative organisms, the highest resistance was found among CRAB (81.7%), followed by CRKP (6.5%) and CREC (3.3%). MDRPA overall prevalence was 0.8%. Among Gram-positive organisms, the prevalence of MRSA and VRE was 26.2% and 2.6%, respectively. CREC, MRSA, and VRE showed statistically significant increasing temporal trends, while CRAB decreased significantly from 2013 to 2018. These data are helpful in characterizing the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in Lebanon and show that controlling emerging resistance is achievable with concerted infection control and antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Caution should be exercised to contain early on the spread of CREC and of resistant Gram-positive pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida auris is an emerging fungal pathogen that typically affects patients in healthcare settings. Data on C. auris cases in correctional facilities are limited but are needed to guide public health recommendations. We describe cases and challenges of providing care for 13 patients who were transferred to correctional facilities during January 2020-December 2022 after having a positive C. auris specimen. All patients had positive specimens identified while receiving inpatient care at healthcare facilities in geographic areas with high C. auris prevalence. Correctional facilities reported challenges managing patients and implementing prevention measures; those challenges varied by whether patients were housed in prison medical units or general population units. Although rarely reported, C. auris cases in persons who are incarcerated may occur, particularly in persons with known risk factors. Measures to manage cases and prevent C. auris spread in correctional facilities should address setting-specific challenges in healthcare and nonhealthcare correctional environments.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to determine the incidence of health care-associated infections (HCAIs) and identify the main resistant microorganisms in intensive care unit (ICU) patients in a Brazilian university hospital. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a Brazilian teaching hospital between 2012 and 2014. RESULTS: Overall, 81.2% of the infections were acquired in the ICU. The most common resistant pathogenic phenotypes in all-site and bloodstream infections were oxacillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. (89.9% and 87.4%; 80.6% and 70.0%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is an urgent need to focus on HCAIs in ICUs in Brazil.