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Background We report the results of INICC surveillance study from 2013 to 2018, in 664 intensive care units (ICUs) in 133 cities, of 45 countries, from Latin-America, Europe, Africa, Eastern-Mediterranean, Southeast-Asia, and Western-Pacific. Methods Prospective data from patients hospitalized in ICUs were collected through INICC Surveillance Online System. CDC-NHSN definitions for device-associated healthcare-associated infection (DA-HAI) were applied. Results We collected data from 428,847 patients, for an aggregate of 2,815,402 bed-days, 1,468,216 central line (CL)-days, 1,053,330 mechanical ventilator (MV)-days, 1,740,776 urinary catheter (UC)-days. We found 7,785 CL-associated bloodstream infections (CLAB), 12,085 ventilator-associated events (VAE), and 5,509 UC-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). Pooled DA-HAI rates were 5.91% and 9.01 DA-HAIs/1,000 bed-days. Pooled CLAB rate was 5.30/1,000 CL-days; VAE rate was 11.47/1,000 MV-days, and CAUTI rate was 3.16/1,000 UC-days. P aeruginosa was non-susceptible (NS) to imipenem in 52.72% of cases; to colistin in 10.38%; to ceftazidime in 50%; to ciprofloxacin in 40.28%; and to amikacin in 34.05%. Klebsiella spp was NS to imipenem in 49.16%; to ceftazidime in 78.01%; to ciprofloxacin in 66.26%; and to amikacin in 42.45%. coagulase-negative Staphylococci and S aureus were NS to oxacillin in 91.44% and 56.03%, respectively. Enterococcus spp was NS to vancomycin in 42.31% of the cases. Conclusions DA-HAI rates and bacterial resistance are high and continuous efforts are needed to reduce them.

Pandrug-resistant A. baumannii (PDRAB) is increasingly being reported but remains rare. Several case studies show that A. baumannii can acquire resistance to last resort antibiotics during treatment by single-step chromosomal mutations. However, re-emergence of the ancestral susceptible strain after withdrawal of antibiotics has been described, possibly due to fitness cost associated with acquired resistance. Therefore, PDRAB may be a transient phenotype. Epidemiological data to show this process in larger cohorts are currently lacking. In this study of 91 hospitalized patients with PDRAB we showed the frequent (60%) isolation of non-PDRAB, often susceptible only to colistin, aminoglycosides and/or tigecycline, preceding and/or following PDRAB isolation. However, the isolation of PDRAB in two outpatients, 25 and 36 days after their discharge from the hospital, suggests the potential of some PDRAB strains to persist even in the absence of antimicrobial pressure.

The management of carbapenem-resistant infections is often based on polymyxins, tigecycline, aminoglycosides and their combinations. However, in a recent systematic review, we found that Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) co-resistant to carbapanems, aminoglycosides, polymyxins and tigecycline (CAPT-resistant) are increasingly being reported worldwide. Clinical data to guide the treatment of CAPT-resistant GNB are scarce and based exclusively on few case reports and small case series, but seem to indicate that appropriate (in vitro active) antimicrobial regimens, including newer antibiotics and synergistic combinations, may be associated with lower mortality. In this review, we consolidate the available literature to inform clinicians dealing with CAPT-resistant GNB about treatment options by considering the mechanisms of resistance to carbapenems. In combination with rapid diagnostic methods that allow fast detection of carbapenemase production, the approach proposed in this review may guide a timely and targeted treatment of patients with infections by CAPT-resistant GNB. Specifically, we focus on the three most problematic species, namely Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Several treatment options are currently available for CAPT-resistant K. pneumonia. Newer β-lactam-β-lactamase combinations, including the combination of ceftazidime/avibactam with aztreonam against metallo-β-lactamase-producing isolates, appear to be more effective compared to combinations of older agents. Options for P. aeruginosa (especially metallo-β-lactamase-producing strains) and A. baumannii remain limited. Synergistic combination of older agents (e.g., polymyxin- or fosfomycin-based synergistic combinations) may represent a last resort option, but their use against CAPT-resistant GNB requires further study.

A Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) study was conducted at the end of May 2021 engaging 1456 healthcare workers (HCWs) from 20 hospitals throughout Greece. Acceptance of vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was estimated at 77.7%, with lower vaccine acceptance identified in nurses compared to physicians. Fears related to vaccine safety, lack of information and general knowledge about vaccinations, influenza vaccine acceptance, education level and years of practice were among the factors independently associated with vaccine acceptance. A strong association was identified between vaccination of HCWs in each health region and the population coverage, indicating that HCWs may be role models for the general population. Information campaigns should continue despite decisions taken regarding mandatory vaccinations.

A serosurvey of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was conducted in Greece between May and August 2020. It was designed as a cross-sectional survey and was repeated at monthly intervals. The leftover sampling methodology was used and a geographically stratified sampling plan was applied. Of 20,110 serum samples collected, 89 (0.44%) were found to be positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, with higher seroprevalence (0.35%) observed in May 2020. The highest seroprevalence was primarily observed in the “30–49” year age group. Females presented higher seroprevalence compared to males in May 2020 (females: 0.58% VS males: 0.10%). This difference reversed during the study period and males presented a higher proportion in August 2020 (females: 0.12% VS males: 0.58%). Differences in the rate of seropositivity between urban areas and the rest of the country were also observed during the study period. The four-month infection fatality rate (IFR) was estimated to be 0.47%, while the respective case fatality rate (CFR) was at 1.89%. Our findings confirm low seroprevalence of COVID-19 in Greece during the study period. The young adults are presented as the most affected age group. The loss of the cumulative effect of seropositivity in a proportion of previous SARS-CoV-2 infections was indicated.

Background Consensus guidelines caution against colistin (COL) monotherapy due to efficacy and resistance development concerns. The COL + meropenem (MEM) combination often displays in vitro synergy against carbapenem-resistant (CR) Gram-negative bacilli (GNB). We recently completed a clinical trial comparing outcomes in patients receiving COL vs. COL + MEM. Herein we assess if, amongst patients receiving COL + MEM, outcomes differed as a function of the presence (or absence) of in vitro synergy against the index pathogen. Methods OVERCOME was an international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study comparing COL + placebo and COL + MEM for the treatment of pneumonia and/or bloodstream infection (BSI) due to CR GNB. Baseline isolates were COL susceptible (MIC ≤ 2 mg/L) and underwent synergy testing to COL + MEM in 24-hour time kill experiments (TKE). Synergy was defined as a >2-log CFU/ml reduction with combination therapy compared to the most active single agent. Outcomes assessed included 28-day mortality, clinical failure, and the development of COL resistance (MIC ≥ 4 mg/L) for both the overall cohort and the subgroup with A. baumannii. Results Of the 211 patients who received COL + MEM in OVERCOME, 186 had baseline synergy testing performed and were eligible for this analysis. The median age of the cohort was 70 years, 35% were female, 48% were white, and 44% Asian. Sixty-eight percent were in the intensive care unit (ICU) at infection onset. A. baumannii was the most common pathogen (78%) and pneumonia was the most common infection (68%). Synergy was demonstrated in most isolates (76%). Baseline characteristics, clinical, and microbiological outcomes were similar amongst patients infected with isolates against which COL + MEM demonstrated synergy and those where no synergy was demonstrated (Table 1). In patients with A. baumannii infections, the presence of in vitro synergy was associated with a decrease in clinical failure (53% vs. 79%; p = 0.04). No significant impact of synergy on 28-day mortality or development of COL resistance was demonstrated (Table 2). Conclusion The presence of in vitro synergy via TKE was associated with a decrease in clinical failure in patients treated with COL + MEM for invasive infections due to CR A. baumannii. Disclosures Jason M Pogue, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, Merck (Consultant)QPex (Consultant)Shionogi (Consultant)Utility Therapeutics (Consultant)VenatoRX (Consultant) Michael J. Rybak, PharmD, MPH, PhD, Paratek Pharmaceuticals (Research Grant or Support) Emmanuel Roilides, MD, PhD, FIDSA, FAAM, FESCMID, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. (Consultant, Grant/Research Support) Matthew Sims, MD, PhD, Astra Zeneca (Independent Contractor)Diasorin Molecular (Independent Contractor)Epigenomics Inc (Independent Contractor)Finch (Independent Contractor)Genentech (Independent Contractor)Janssen Pharmaceuticals NV (Independent Contractor)Kinevant Sciences gmBH (Independent Contractor)Leonard-Meron Biosciences (Independent Contractor)Merck and Co (Independent Contractor)OpGen (Independent Contractor)Prenosis (Independent Contractor)Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (Independent Contractor)Seres Therapeutics Inc (Independent Contractor)Shire (Independent Contractor)Summit Therapeutics (Independent Contractor)

BACKGROUND Surveillance is essential to all aspects of management of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in critically ill children, where data are limited. We conducted an active surveillance study to elucidate epidemiology, resistance, antimicrobial treatment practices and outcomes of pediatric intensive care unit-acquired HAIs in a southern European country. METHODS Four Greek pediatric intensive care unit encounters (153 patients, 2183 patient-days) during a 6-month period participated using the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control HAI-net ICU (v2.2) protocol. Bloodstream infections and device-associated HAIs were recorded. Clinical severity, isolated pathogens, antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic prescriptions were collected on a daily basis. Mortality and excess length of stay due to HAI were also assessed. RESULTS Overall rate of HAIs was 18.3 per 1000 patient-days. Aggregate rates for device-associated HAI were: catheter-related bloodstream infection 2.32, intubation-associated pneumonia 10.5, and catheter-associated urinary tract infection 4.6 per 1000 device-days. Children with HAI (n = 28, 18.3%) had higher severity of illness (Pediatric Risk Mortality Score 7.5 vs. 4, P < 0.001), longer hospitalization (23 vs. 6 days, P < 0.001), but not higher mortality, compared with those without. Most frequent recovered pathogens were Klebsiella pneumoniae (40%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22.5%), Acinetobacter baumannii (12.5%), with respective carbapenem resistance 50%, 44% and 80%, and Staphylococcus aureus (12.5%). Total antibiotic use was 2142 days of treatment per 1000 patient-days. CONCLUSIONS Our study, based on the updated ECDC HAI-net ICU (v2.2) protocol, effectively addresses the significant burden of HAIs in critically ill children in Greece. Using a well-standardized system facilitates inter- and intra-countries reliable recordings and comparative assessments of infection control programs.

The management of carbapenem-resistant infections is often based on colistin, tigecycline, aminoglycosides and their combinations. However, in a recent systematic review we found that Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) co-resistant to carbapanems, aminoglycosides, colistin and tigecycline (CACT-resistant) are increasingly being reported worldwide. Clinical data to guide the treatment of CACT-resistant GNB are scarce and based exclusively on few case reports and small case series but seem to indicate that appropriate (in vitro active) antimicrobial regimens, including newer antibiotics and synergistic combinations, may be associated with lower mortality. In this review we consolidate the available literature to inform clinicians dealing with CACT-resistant GNB about treatment options by considering the mechanisms of resistance to carbapenems. In combination with rapid diagnostic methods that allow fast detection of carbapenemase production, the approach proposed in this review may guide a timely and targeted treatment of patients with infections by CACT-resistant GNB. Specifically, we focus on the three most problematic species, namely Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Several treatment options are currently available for CACT-resistant K. pneumonia. Newer β-lactam-β-lactamase combinations, including the combination of ceftazidime/avibactam with aztreonam against metallo-β-lactamase-producing isolates, appear to be more effective compared to combinations of older agents. Options for P. aeruginosa (especially metallo-β-lactamase-producing strains) and A. baumannii remain limited. Synergistic combination of older agents (e.g. colistin- or fosfomycin-based synergistic combinations) may represent a last resort option but their use against CACT-resistant GNB requires further study.

Elderly patients are underrepresented in the studies concerning anticoagulation therapy (AT) in atrial fibrillation (AF), while patients’ frailty status is lacking in most of the studies. Our objective was to evaluate AT in AF elderly patients and study the effect of patients’ frailty status on their long-term AT. We conducted an observational prospective study that enrolled consecutive AF patients (≥ 75 years) who were hospitalized in the Department of Internal Medicine of the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece from 1 June 2015 to 1 June 2016. We recorded the AT on admission and at discharge, all-cause mortality, and hospital readmission in a follow-up period of 1 year after hospital discharge. Frailty status was assessed by pre-established scores. One hundred and four consecutive patients (49% male; median age 87 years) were enrolled, 78 (78.8%) of whom received AT at discharge. Patients who did not receive AT at discharge had a higher HEMORR2HAGES (Hepatic or renal disease, Ethanol abuse, Malignancy, Older age, Reduced platelet count or function, Re-bleeding, Hypertension, Anemia, Genetic factors, Excessive fall risk and Stroke) score (5.5 ± 1.15 vs. 4.79 ± 1.68; p = 0.032), a lower Katz score (2.48 ± 2.23 vs. 4.08 ± 2.25; p = 0.006), and a higher Clinical Frailty Scale score (7 ± 1.95 vs. 5.57 ± 2.05; p = 0.006). Sixty-five patients (62.5%) were readmitted to a hospital during the follow-up period. In-hospital death occurred in five patients (4.8%) and 57 patients (57.6%) died within the follow-up period. A high percentage of the elderly AF patients did not receive AT, even at discharge. Patients who did not receive AT at discharge had higher bleeding and frailty scores. In the 1-year follow-up period after hospital discharge, high all-cause mortality and a high number of hospital readmissions were recorded.

BACKGROUND: mcr-1 has been reported as first plasmid gene to confer colistin-resistance. In KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-KP) isolates, however, colistin resistance is rapidly emerging through other mechanisms. This is frequently the result of disruption of mgrB gene by insertion sequences, for instance ISL3. The aim of this study is to investigate the expansion of mgrB-mutated KPC-KP. In addition, we identify localization and targets of ISL3 sequences within the core and accessory genome of common KPC-KP lineages.METHODS: Twenty-nine clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae collected from Italian patients were randomly selected. Whole genome sequences (WGS) were analysed for resistance genes, plasmids, and insertion sequences. Additionally, 27 colistin-resistant KPC-KP isolates from a previous study from Crete was assessed.FINDINGS: We observed clonal expansion of KPC-KP isolates with various mutations in mgrB among all lineages. In two Italian MLST ST512 isolates, and eight Greek ST258 isolates an identical copy of the ISL3 was inserted in mgrB nucleotide position 133. ISL3s, transposable restriction modification systems of 8154 nucleotides, were positioned on pKpQIL carrying isolates and may transpose into the chromosome. In 4 isolates, chromosomal integration of ISL3 in diverse inner-membrane proteins other than mgrB was identified.INTERPRETATION: Colistin resistance is most often explained by clonal expansion of isolates with mutated mgrB. pKpQIL-like plasmids, which are omnipresent in KPC-KP, carry insertion sequences such as ISL3 that have mgrB as a target hotspot for transposition. Transposition of insertion sequences from plasmids and subsequent clonal expansion may contribute to the emerging colistin resistance in KPC-KP.

KARABAY, OGUZ/0000-0003-1514-1685; Kaya, Sehnaz/0000-0003-0002-1517; Gan, Chin Seng/0000-0002-6758-4798; Valderrama, Sandra/0000-0003-1833-1599; Abouqal, Redouane/0000-0002-6117-4341; Unal, Necmettin/0000-0002-9440-7893; Yousef, Reham H. A./0000-0003-4004-3008; Horhat, Florin George/0000-0001-6133-0204 WOS: 000522628200013 PubMed: 31676155 Background: We report the results of International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2012 to December 2017 in 523 intensive care units (ICUs) in 45 countries from Latin America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific. Methods: During the 6-year study period, prospective data from 532,483 ICU patients hospitalized in 242 hospitals, for an aggregate of 2,197,304 patient days, were collected through the INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI) were applied. Results: Although device use in INICC ICUs was similar to that reported from CDC-NHSN ICUs, DA-HAI rates were higher in the INICC ICUs: in the medical-surgical ICUs, the pooled central line-associated bloodstream infection rate was higher (5.05 vs 0.8 per 1,000 central line-days); the ventilator-associated pneumonia rate was also higher (14.1 vs 0.9 per 1,000 ventilator-days,), as well as the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (5.1 vs 1.7 per 1,000 catheter-days). From blood cultures samples, frequencies of resistance, such as of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to piperacillin-tazobactam (33.0% vs 18.3%), were also higher. Conclusions: Despite a significant trend toward the reduction in INICC ICUs, DA-HAI rates are still much higher compared with CDC-NHSN's ICUs representing the developed world. It is INICC's main goal to provide basic and cost-effective resources, through the INICC Surveillance Online System to tackle the burden of DA-HAIs effectively. (C) 2019 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium Surveillance Online System Funding for the design, development, maintenance, technical support, data validation, and report generation of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium Surveillance Online System, and the activities carried out at the International Nosocomial Infection Control headquarters were provided by Victor D. Rosenthal, and the Foundation to Fight against Nosocomial Infections.

Background Infections with multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria in hospital settings have substantial implications in terms of clinical and economic outcomes. However, due to clinical and methodological heterogeneity, estimates about the attributable economic and clinical effects of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) due to MDR microorganisms (MDR HAI) remain unclear. The objective was to review and synthesize the evidence on the impact of MDR HAI in adults on hospital costs, length of stay, and mortality at discharge. Methods and findings Literature searches were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases to select studies that evaluated the impact of MDR HAI on economic and clinical outcomes. Eligible studies were conducted in adults, in order to ensure homogeneity of populations, used propensity score matched cohorts or included explicit confounding control, and had confirmed antibiotic susceptibility testing. Risk of bias was evaluated, and effects were measured with ratios of means (ROM) for cost and length of stay, and risk ratios (RR) for mortality. A systematic search was performed on 14th March 2019, re-run on the 10th of June 2019 and extended the 3rd of September 2019. Small effect sizes were assessed by examination of funnel plots. Sixteen articles (6,122 patients with MDR HAI and 8,326 patients with nonMDR HAI) were included in the systematic review of which 12 articles assessed cost, 19 articles length of stay, and 14 mortality. Compared to susceptible infections, MDR HAI were associated with increased cost (ROM 1.33, 95%CI [1.15; 1.54]), prolonged length of stay (ROM 1.27, 95%CI [1.18; 1.37]), and excess in-hospital mortality (RR 1.61, 95%CI [1.36; 1.90]) in the random effects models. Risk of publication bias was only found to be significant for mortality, and overall study quality good. Conclusions MDR HAI appears to be strongly associated with increases in direct cost, prolonged length of stay and increased mortality. However, further comprehensive studies in this setting are warranted., GLC: unrestricted grant for the study of the consequences of antimicrobial resistance. Angelini SpA.The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) rarely causes disease in immunocompetent individuals but may cause severe disease in immunocompromised patients. We report the case of a young woman who had undergone multiple transfusions and splenectomy for homozygous β-thalassemia. She presented with prolonged fever and respiratory distress. Although broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy had initially been administered, the patient had clinically deteriorated. Serology and molecular blood testing established CMV infection and viremia. Computed tomography of the chest demonstrated pneumonitis and she was successfully treated with a 3-week administration of ganciclovir. In β-thalassemia patients who undergo splenectomy necessitating multiple blood transfusions, CMV infection should be considered as a differential diagnosis.

Introduction Acute cholecystitis and biliary colic may have signs and symptoms similar to those of Acute Coronary Syndrome(ACS) along with ischemic ECG changes. Cholecystitis and/or biliary colic have been both reported as trigger factors for bradyarrhythmia in the literature. Case Report A 78-year-old male patient was admitted to our Emergency Department (ED) due to acute abdominal pain. The ECG on admission showed sinus bradycardia with a rate of 40 beats per minute (bpm) without signs of acute ischemia and a brief period (7 s) of complete atrioventricular (AV) block. He was initially treated with analgesics. After the remission of the pain, a subsequent ECG was performed which showed sinus bradycardia of 55 bpm. The AV block terminated one hour after the patient's admission. The patient remained hemodynamically stable during the episode. He underwent an ultrasound of the abdomen in the ED which revealed sludge and one stone in the gallbladder without signs of inflammation. Laboratory test results for D-dimer and troponin were negative, while the coronary angiography showed coronary vessels without significant lesions. Conclusion Biliary colic can cause severe reversible reflex bradycardia (Cope's Sign), even complete heart block. Pain relief is very important in the management of such cases.

Objective Combined antiretroviral treatment (cART) results in profound immunologic improvement, but it is unclear whether CD4 cell counts return to levels similar to those of HIV-negative individuals. We explore long-term CD4 cell count evolution post-cART and its association with baseline levels, virologic suppression, pre-cART cumulative viremia and other factors. Design Data were derived from the AMACS. Included individuals were adults who started cART, at least 2003, while previously ART-naive. Methods Changes in CD4 cell counts were modeled through piecewise linear mixed models. Results A total of 3405 individuals were included. The majority was male (86.0%), homosexual (58.8%) with median (IQR) age at cART initiation 36 (31-44) years and a median (IQR) follow-up of 3.9 (2.0-6.9) years. Most persons (57%) starting cART with less than 200 cells/μl did not reach 600 cells/μl after 7 years of treatment. Those starting cART with 200-349 CD4 cells/μl could reach 600 cells/μl within less than 2 years of fully suppressive treatment. Probability of CD4 normalization (i.e. >800 cells/μl) after 7 years of suppressive treatment was 24 and 46% for those starting treatment with less than 200 or 200-349 CD4 cells/μl, respectively. Lower pre-cART cumulative viremia was associated with faster CD4 recovery. CD4 cell count increases after 4 years were either insignificant or very slow, irrespectively of baseline levels. Conclusion cART initiation before CD4 cell count drops below 350 cells/μl is crucial for achieving normal CD4 levels. These findings underline the importance of timely diagnosis and cART initiation as the risk of both AIDS and non-AIDS-related morbidity/mortality remains increased in patients with incomplete CD4 recovery.

BackgroundThe literature on the epidemiology, mortality and treatment of pandrug-resistant (PDR) Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) is scarce, scattered and controversial.ObjectivesTo consolidate the relevant literature and identify treatment options for PDR GNB infections.MethodsA systematic search in MEDLINE, Scopus and clinical trial registries was conducted. Studies reporting PDR clinical isolates were eligible for review if susceptibility testing for all major antimicrobials had been performed. Characteristics and findings of retrieved studies were qualitatively synthesized.ResultsOf 81 studies reviewed, 47 (58%) were published in the last 5 years. The reports reflected a worldwide dissemination of PDR GNB in 25 countries in 5 continents. Of 526 PDR isolates reported, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n=175), Acinetobacter baumannii (n=172) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=125) were most common. PDR GNB were typically isolated in ICUs, but several studies demonstrated wider outbreak potential, including dissemination to long-term care facilities and international spread. All-cause mortality was high (range 20%–71%), but appeared to be substantially reduced in studies reporting treatment regimens active in vitro. No controlled trial has been performed to date, but several case reports and series noted successful use of various regimens, predominantly synergistic combinations, and in selected patients increased exposure regimens and newer antibiotics.ConclusionsPDR GNB are increasingly being reported worldwide and are associated with high mortality. Several treatment regimens have been successfully used, of which synergistic combinations appear to be most promising and often the only available option. More pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and outcome studies are needed to guide the use of synergistic combinations.

Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder, commonly affecting older hospitalized individuals, however, the literature is not clear regarding its effect on mortality. The aim of this 2-year observational prospective cohort study was to evaluate the mortality and re-admission rates, the clinical and laboratory characteristics and the causes of hyponatremia in patients older than 65 years admitted with a corrected serum sodium of 130 mEq/L or less in an internal medicine ward of a tertiary Greek university hospital. During the observation period, 138 patients (mean age 80.5 years, 36.2% male) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were prospectively followed for 1 year after admission. Symptoms of hyponatremia were present in 59.4% of patients. Hypovolemia was the main sole cause of hyponatremia, but in about one third of patients, hyponatremia was multifactorial. Only a low proportion of patients (12.3%) fulfilled the criteria of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) at admission according to the current guidelines. The re-admission rates at 3- and 12-months following discharge was 34.2% and 51.8%, respectively. Mortality during hospitalization was 17.4% and was higher compared to non-hyponatremic admitted older patients, while the total mortality at 1 year after admission was 28.3%, indicating that hyponatremia at admission is a marker of significant mortality during and after hospitalization in elderly patients.

Molecular resistance markers for pan-resistant isolates of KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae were identified and showed core-genome MLST to be a promising tool for tracking outbreaks and transmission pathways.KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-KP) ST258 has been rapidly expanding and is often associated with serious nosocomial infections. Last-line antibiotics such as colistin and tigecycline often remain the only treatment option. We describe here the evolving genetic background of KPC-KP isolates in Crete, Greece.We tested the antibiotic susceptibility of 34 clinical isolates from patients hospitalized in 2010 and 2013-14. Whole-genome sequences of these isolates were analysed for acquired resistance genes and gene mutations.All KPC-KP isolates belonged to ST258 with the exception of one ST147 isolate. From 2014, 26% of isolates were non-susceptible to all antibiotics, compared with 0 of 11 isolates from 2010. Colistin resistance was associated with mutations in mgrB, which was present in 61% of isolates from 2014. Core-genome MLST analysis showed that pan-resistant isolates were closely related and appeared in two separate clusters.KPC-KP is rapidly evolving to pan-resistance in Crete. We identified molecular resistance markers for pan-resistant isolates and showed that core-genome MLST is a promising tool for molecular fingerprinting of KPC-KP ST258.

Key Clinical Message Acquired hemophilia is a rare but potentially fatal clinical condition requiring clinical suspicion to reach to a diagnosis, especially in elder patients. This diagnosis should be suspected in patients that present with unexplained persistent bleeding from skin, soft tissues, and mucosa and have a prolonged aPTT.

Burden of AMR Collaborative Group:National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, Lisbon, Portugal (Prof M Caniça PhD, Vera Manageiro PhD) Free PMC Article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6300481/ Background: Infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria are threatening modern health care. However, estimating their incidence, complications, and attributable mortality is challenging. We aimed to estimate the burden of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria of public health concern in countries of the EU and European Economic Area (EEA) in 2015, measured in number of cases, attributable deaths, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Methods: We estimated the incidence of infections with 16 antibiotic resistance–bacterium combinations from European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net) 2015 data that was country-corrected for population coverage. We multiplied the number of bloodstream infections (BSIs) by a conversion factor derived from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control point prevalence survey of health-care-associated infections in European acute care hospitals in 2011–12 to estimate the number of non-BSIs. We developed disease outcome models for five types of infection on the basis of systematic reviews of the literature. Findings: From EARS-Net data collected between Jan 1, 2015, and Dec 31, 2015, we estimated 671 689 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 583 148–763 966) infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, of which 63·5% (426 277 of 671 689) were associated with health care. These infections accounted for an estimated 33 110 (28 480–38 430) attributable deaths and 874 541 (768 837–989 068) DALYs. The burden for the EU and EEA was highest in infants (aged

Concern exists in Europe about the possibility of importation of infectious diseases due to the recent influx of migrants and refugees after 2011. In this retrospective 6-year study, we examined the epidemiology of fever of unknown origin (FUO) in Greece over the past years. Forty-eight patients with classical FUO were included. The proportion of infectious causes of FUO (29.2%) was similar to previous studies in Greece and all infections were endemic to the area. Disease-related mortality was 12.5% and no deaths due to infection were recorded. In conclusion, none of the diagnosed infectious causes of FUO raised concerns about the possibility of imported diseases or pathogens. These results re-inforce the perception that migrants and refugees are not carriers of communicable diseases that can cause public health problems to European countries.

Context Hypothyroidism is a significant cause of pericardial effusion. However, large pericardial effusions due to hypothyroidism are extremely rare. Hormone replacement therapy is the cornerstone of treatment for hypothyroidism and regular follow-up of patients after initiation of the therapy is indicated. Herein, the case of a 70-year-old woman with a massive pericardial effusion due to Hashimoto's disease is presented. Issues A 70-year-old female from a rural village on the island of Crete, Greece, was admitted to our hospital due to a urinary tract infection. She was under hormone replacement therapy with levothyroxine 100 mg once a day for Hashimoto's disease. Two years previously, the patient had had an episode of pericarditis due to hypothyroidism and had undergone a computed tomography-guided pericardiocentesis. The patient did not have regular follow-up and did not take the hormone replacement therapy properly. On admission, the patient's chest X-ray incidentally showed a possible pericardial effusion. The patient was referred for echocardiography, which revealed a massive pericardial effusion. Beck's triad was absent. Thyroid hormones were consistent with subclinical hypothyroidism: thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) 30.25 mIU/mL (normal limits: 0.25-3.43); free thyroxin 4 0.81 ng/dL (normal limits: 0.7-1.94). The patient had a score of 5 on the scale outlined by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) position statement on triage strategy for cardiac tamponade and, despite the absence of cardiac tamponade, a pericardiocentesis was performed after 48 hours. The patient was treated with 125 mg levothyroxine orally once daily. Lessons learned This was a rare case of an elderly female patient from a rural village with chronic massive pericardial effusion due to subclinical hypothyroidism without cardiac tamponade. Hypothyroidism should be included in the differential diagnosis of pericardial effusion, especially in a case of unexplained pericardial fluid. Initiation of hormone replacement therapy should be personalised in elderly patients. TSH levels >10 mU/L usually require therapy with levothyroxine in order to prevent adverse events. Rural patients usually do not have regular follow-up after the initiation of hormone replacement therapy. Pericardial effusions due to hypothyroidism grow slowly and subclinical hypothyroidism rarely shows signs and symptoms and can be underdiagnosed. The ESC position statement on triage strategy for pericardial diseases is a valuable clinical tool to estimate the necessity for pericardial drainage in such cases.

The various guidelines that are available for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are useful, and contain broad areas of agreement. However, there are also important areas of controversy between the guidelines in terms of the details of applying contact precautions, single-room isolation and active surveillance cultures, differences in the approach to environmental cleaning and disinfection, and whether or not to perform staff and patient cohorting, healthcare worker screening or patient decolonization. The evidence-base is extremely limited and further research is urgently required to inform an evidence-based approach to multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria prevention and control.

Background: In this first attempt to suggest achievable standards for improvement in hospital infection prevention and control (IPC) in Greece, we assessed main IPC structure and process indicators emphasizing on hand hygiene.\ud \ud Methods: Acute-care hospitals across the country participated in a cross-sectional survey by completing the World Health Organization Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework (HHSAF) and by providing hospital-level IPC indicators.\ud \ud Results: Seventeen hospitals completed the survey, comprising 14% of the country’s public hospitals. Median IPC staffing levels were 0.8 nurses and 0.5 doctors per 250 beds, respectively. Few hospitals implemented full multimodal IPC programs. HHSAF indicated that appropriate hand hygiene practices and promotion strategies were in place in most hospitals, but mean HHSAF score (289) was lower compared to studies in Italy (332, p=0.040) and the USA (373, p

Antimicrobial resistance poses a growing threat to public health and the provision of health care. Its surveillance should provide up-to-date and relevant information to monitor the appropriateness of therapy guidelines, antibiotic formulary, antibiotic stewardship programmes, public health interventions, infection control policies, and antimicrobial development. In Europe, although the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network provides annual reports on monitored resistant bacteria, national surveillance efforts are still fragmented and heterogeneous, and have substantial structural problems and issues with laboratory data. Most incidence and prevalence data cannot be linked with relevant epidemiological, clinical, or outcome data. Genetic typing, to establish whether trends of antimicrobial resistance are caused by spread of resistant strains or by transfer of resistance determinants among different strains and species, is not routinely done. Furthermore, laboratory-based surveillance using only clinical samples is not likely to be useful as an early warning system for emerging pathogens and resistance mechanisms. Insufficient coordination of surveillance systems of human antimicrobial resistance with animal surveillance systems is even more concerning. Because results from food surveillance are considered commercially sensitive, they are rarely released publicly by regulators. Inaccurate or incomplete surveillance data delay a translational approach to the threat of antimicrobial resistance and inhibit the identification of relevant target microorganisms and populations for research and the revitalisation of dormant drug-discovery programmes. High-quality, comprehensive, and real-time surveillance data are essential to reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance. Improvement of national antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems and better alignment between human and veterinary surveillance systems in Europe must become a scientific and political priority, coordinated with international stakeholders within a global approach to reduce the burden of antimicrobial resistance. Burden of health-care-associated infections and antimicrobial resis

The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant pathogens (CRPs) has increased worldwide. Given the importance of CRPs for public health and the high rates of carbapenem resistance observed in Greece, the Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention (HCDCP) under the auspices of the Ministry of Health has undertaken initiatives to develop an Action Plan (i) to estimate the burden of CRP infections in acute-care hospitals in Greece and (ii) to implement infection control measures to limit the intrahospital transmission of these organisms. Starting in November 2010, specific infections caused by CRPs were reported to the HCDCP weekly. Results showed that CRP infections constitute a significant public health problem in acute-care hospitals in this country, with a mean incidence of 0.48 per 1000 patient-days and a crude 28-day mortality rate of 34.4%. The second phase of the Action Plan consists of systemic evaluation for adherence to an infection control bundle including enhanced standard infection control practices, separation of carriers and infected patients from non-carriers, and strict implementation of contact precautions. Communication between hospitals and public health authorities has been established to facilitate rapid notification and feedback.

This paper examines the current National Food Safety System (NFSS) of Cyprus in contrast to NFSS of European Union (EU) countries and the EU central level. The main organizational structure of Cyprus, its legal framework, the competent authorities and division of their responsibilities are discussed. Particularly, we examine the roles and responsibilities of different agencies in order to identify possible similarities and differences with NFSS operating in Europe and determine which features are considered most successful. Cyprus is one of the EU countries that have not yet implemented institutional or organizational changes to establish a single National Food Safety Authority (NFSA) or a similar organization on the national level. The existing food safety system of Cyprus is characterized by an “off-hand” addition of structures and division of responsibilities among different government agencies, that are accountable to different Ministries. Therefore, the efforts to effectively manage the existing and emerging food safety risks are impeded due to duplication and overlapping of responsibilities among different agencies. The overall goal of our study was to develop a comprehensive proposal for the establishment of a single and independent NFSA in Cyprus based on EU experiences and good practices in an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the current system.

In a previous nationwide study in Greece, OXA-58 was the sole carbapenemase present among carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) isolated between 2000 and 2009. In this study, the antibiotic resistances, carbapenemase gene content and clonal relatedness of 194 single-patient CRAB clinical isolates collected randomly during 2015 from 11 tertiary hospitals located throughout Greece were investigated. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using commercial and dilution methods. PCR assays for carbapenemase genes were performed. Clonality was tested by a scheme based on two multiplex PCRs and single-locus blaOXA-51-like sequence-based typing. Furthermore, Pasteur's multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were applied to 31 selected representative isolates. The most active antibiotics were trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT) (34.6% of isolates susceptible), minocycline (71.6%), colistin (72.7%) and tigecycline (MIC50/90 values, 1/2 mg/L). The blaOXA-23-like gene was identified in 188 isolates (96.9%), blaOXA-23-like together with blaOXA-58-like in 3 isolates (1.5%), blaOXA-58-like in 2 isolates (1.0%) and blaOXA-40-like in 1 isolate (0.5%). ISAba1 was found upstream of the blaOXA-23-like gene in all isolates. International clone (IC) 2 comprised 157 isolates (80.9%), IC1 comprised 36 isolates (18.6%) and ST78 comprised 1 isolate (0.5%). All IC2 and IC1 isolates tested by MLST were ST2 and ST1, respectively. Seven PFGE types were detected. IC2 isolates were resistant to more antibiotics than IC1, except for SXT. This nationwide study showed that CRAB isolates in Greek hospitals currently produce almost uniformly the OXA-23 carbapenemase and belong mainly to IC2 and, to a lesser extent, IC1. Of particular concern, colistin susceptibility is recently severely reduced.

A 54-year-old otherwise healthy male, who was being evaluated for prolonged fever, developed clinical and ultrasonographic signs compatible with acute acalculous cholecystitis. Diagnosis of murine typhus was confirmed by serology and the patient was treated with doxycycline. He improved rapidly and all clinical and laboratory abnormalities returned to normal. The present case dictates that knowledge of the local epidemiology and keeping a high index of clinical suspicion can help recognize uncommon manifestations of murine typhus, in order to treat appropriately and avoid unnecessary investigations and interventions.

Data concerning clinical characteristics, microbiology, treatment and outcomes of external ventricular drainage-associated infections (EVDAI) are limited. All hospitalized patients with EVDAI in a University Hospital between January 2009 and December 2015 were retrospective recorded. Only the first episode per patient was included. An antibiotic was considered "active" when its pharmacokinetic properties were appropriate for EVDAI and the implicated microorganism was in vitro susceptible. During the 7-year study period, 36 EVDAI were identified. Median patient age was 53years and 23 (63.9%) were male. Catheter types were intraventricular (70.6%) and lumbar (29.4%). Median catheterization duration before infection was 14days. Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) predominated (57.9%), followed by gram-positives (36.8%) and fungi (5.3%). Administered antibiotics were considered "active" in 69.4% of empirical and in 86.1% of definitive treatment regimens. In 10 infections, intraventricular/intrathecal (IVT) antibiotics were administered. Eleven patients died (30.6%) during hospitalization. Patients who died had higher rates of EVDAI by GNB (p=0.011) and higher rates of treatment with intravenous colistin (p=0.019 for empirical and p=0.006 for definitive colistin). Compared to EVDAI by other pathogens, patients with EVDAI by GNB had longer catheter-days before infection (p

Objective Recent studies have shown that in carefully selected patients, conservative treatment alone can be an option in the management of spinal epidural abscess (SEA). The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors of outcome in patients with spontaneous SEA treated conservatively. Patients and methods A retrospective cohort study of all patients with spontaneous SEA treated with antibiotics alone from January 2012 to December 2015 was conducted in a 1200-bed tertiary referral center. Demographic, clinical, microbiological, and radiological characteristics were analyzed. Failure of medical treatment was defined as the need for delayed surgical intervention, no neurological improvement or deterioration, death due to the infection, or relapse after hospital discharge. Results We identified 21 patients diagnosed with spontaneous SEA treated conservatively. Median age was 72 years and 10 patients were male. Eleven patients presented with radicular weakness and/or radicular sensory deficit, or incomplete cord injury. Inflammatory markers were markedly elevated in all patients. Thirteen patients were successfully treated with conservative treatment, while among 8 patients with treatment failure, 1 died due to the infection. Presence of serious neurological deficits and infection due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were associated with failure of conservative treatment. Notably, neither the extension nor the location of the abscess on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was associated with failed medical management. Conclusions A significant proportion of patients with spontaneous SEA can respond to antibiotic treatment alone. However, in patients with infection due to MRSA or with severe neurological impairment, conservative management has an increased risk of failure.

Background: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect 6 in 100 patients in acute-care hospitals in Europe, but their burden on patients admitted with chronic lung disease (CLD) is not well documented. Aim: To assess the prevalence of HAIs and their impact on mortality 30 and 90 days after hospital admission in adult CLD patients. Methods: Cross-sectional study in a stratified cluster sample of 37 hospitals in Greece, June 2012. CLD was recorded as documented chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, or any structural lung disease. HAIs were identified using the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control criteria. A 3-month follow-up was performed to record patient outcome. Multiple Cox regression estimated the hazard ratio (HR) of death adjusting for important baseline predictors of mortality. Results: 741 patients with CLD were identified: mean age 72±13 years, 68% men, in medical (64%) & surgical (21%) wards and intensive care units (11%). A total of 108 HAIs were recorded in 99 CLD-patients (weighted prevalence: 14.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 12.1-16.7%), including lower respiratory tract (57 cases; 53%), urinary tract (11 cases; 10%), bloodstream (10 cases; 9%) and other (30 cases; 28%) infections. Mortality rates at 30 and 90 days were 12% and 32% for patients with HAI and 5% and 8% for uninfected patients, respectively. Patients with HAI had an adjusted HR of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.47-1.35) and 1.31 (95% CI: 0.84-2.05) for death within 30 and 90 days, respectively, compared to those without HAI. Conclusion: CLD patients carry a substantial HAI burden which is mainly, but not exclusively, due to lower respiratory tract infections. Long-term mortality risk is substantial.

Limited data exist regarding prognostic factors and optimal antimicrobial treatment of infections caused by extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (XDR-AB). This retrospective cohort study included 93 adult patients who developed ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) due to XDR-AB in the ICU of the University Hospital of Heraklion, Greece, from October 2012 to April 2015. XDR-AB isolates were mainly susceptible to colistin (93.5%) and tigecycline (25.8%), whereas 6 (6.5%) were pandrug-resistant. Prior to infection, patients had long durations of mechanical ventilation and hospital stay and multiple exposures to antibiotics. Median Charlson co-morbidity and APACHE II scores were 2 and 17, respectively. Mortality at 28 days of infection onset was high (34.4%) despite high rates of in-vitro-active empirical (81.7%) and definitive (90.3%) treatment. Active colistin-based combination therapy (n = 55) and monotherapy (n = 29) groups had similar 28-day mortality (27.6% vs. 30.9%, respectively) and Kaplan–Meier survival estimates over time. In multivariable Cox regression, advanced age (aHR = 1.05 per year increase, 95% CI 1.02–1.09), rapidly fatal underlying disease (aHR = 2.64, 95% CI 0.98–9.17) and APACHE II score (aHR = 1.06 per unit increase, 95% CI 0.99–1.14) were identified as independent predictors of 28-day mortality, but no difference in mortality hazards between the active colistin-based combination therapy and monotherapy groups was produced (aHR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.35–2.38). These results support the use of colistin as a first-line agent against VAP in settings where XDR-AB is endemic, but oppose the introduction of colistin-based combination therapy as standard treatment.\ud \ud

Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetti. Autoimmune phenomena associated with the disease may obscure the clinical picture, and in many reports mislead physicians to an initial diagnosis of an autoimmune disease. We present a case of chronic Q-fever, complicated by myocarditis/pericarditis, where patient’s initial signs, symptoms and laboratory findings (i.e., protracted fever, oligoarthritis, erythema nodosum, positive antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, monoclonal gammopathy) seemed to suggest an autoimmune disease. We also review the literature for autoimmune phenomena associated with Q-fever.

Objectives To identify the roles of various antibiotics as risk factors for carbapenem-resistant extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) infection (ESBL-KP infection). Methods Data were collected over 26 months in a tertiary care university hospital with established endemicity of carbapenem-resistant ESBL-KP (ESBL-CRKP). Using a case-case-control design, patients who presented an infection caused by carbapenem-susceptible ESBL-KP (ESBL-CSKP) and patients with ESBL-CRKP infection were compared with a common control group of hospitalized patients. Effects of treatment and duration of treatment with antibiotics were examined, adjusting for major non-antibiotic risk factors and controlling for confounding effects among the antibiotics via logistic regression models. Results Ninety-six ESBL-CRKP cases, 55 ESBL-CSKP cases and 151 controls were analysed. Multivariate analysis, adjusting for major non-antibiotic risk factors, showed that the risk of ESBL-CRKP infection rose with increasing duration of prior treatment with β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations [odds ratio (OR) 1.15 per day increase; P = 0.001] and revealed that increased duration of treatment with fluoroquinolones amplified the impact of exposure to carbapenems (and vice versa) on ESBL-CRKP infection risk (OR 1.02 for interaction term; P = 0.009). Duration of prior treatment with fluoroquinolones was also associated with increased risk of ESBL-CSKP infection (OR 1.07 per day increase; P = 0.028), while prior receipt of carbapenems presented a protective effect against ESBL-CSKP infection (OR 0.21; P = 0.003). Conclusions This study highlights the major role of treatment and duration of treatment with β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and combinations of carbapenems with fluoroquinolones. Clinicians should counterweight the potential benefits of administering these antibiotics against the increased risk of ESBL-CRKP infection.

Dikmen, Yalim/0000-0002-3122-5099; Erben, Nurettin/0000-0003-0373-0132; Tsioutis, Constantinos/0000-0002-7865-8529; Barnett, Adrian/0000-0001-6339-0374; Abouqal, Redouane/0000-0002-6117-4341; Medeiros, Eduardo A/0000-0002-6205-259X; Leblebicioglu, Hakan/0000-0002-6033-8543; Gikas, Achilleas/0000-0002-8455-9631; Unal, Necmettin/0000-0002-9440-7893; Kanj, Souha/0000-0001-6413-3396; Graves, Nicholas/0000-0002-5559-3267; Barahona G., Nayide/0000-0003-3559-6900 WOS: 000296428300015 PubMed: 21320374 Ventilator-associated pneumonias (VAPs) are a worldwide problem that significantly increases patient morbidity, mortality, and length of stay (LoS), and their effects should be estimated to account for the timing of infection. The purpose of the study was to estimate extra LoS and mortality in an intensive-care unit (ICU) due to a VAP in a cohort of 69 248 admissions followed for 283 069 days in ICUs from 10 countries. Data were arranged according to the multi-state format. Extra LoS and increased risk of death were estimated independently in each country, and their results were combined using a random-effects meta-analysis. VAP prolonged LoS by an average of 2.03 days (95% CI 1.52-2.54 days), and increased the risk of death by 14% (95% CI 2-27). The increased risk of death due to VAP was explained by confounding with patient morbidity.

Abouqal, Redouane/0000-0002-6117-4341; Leblebicioglu, Hakan/0000-0002-6033-8543; Dikmen, Yalim/0000-0002-3122-5099; Abouqal, Redouane/0000-0002-6117-4341; Barnett, Adrian/0000-0001-6339-0374; Yalcin, Ata Nevzat/0000-0002-7243-7354; Medeiros, Eduardo A/0000-0002-6205-259X; Unal, Necmettin/0000-0002-9440-7893; Kanj, Souha/0000-0001-6413-3396; Gikas, Achilleas/0000-0002-8455-9631; Graves, Nicholas/0000-0002-5559-3267; Barahona G., Nayide/0000-0003-3559-6900 WOS: 000286981200004 PubMed: 21168440 Objectives: To estimate the excess length of stay (LOS) and mortality in an intensive care unit (ICU) due to a Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), using a statistical model that accounts for the timing of infection in 29 ICUs from 10 countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Greece, India, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, and Turkey. Methods: To estimate the extra LOS due to infection in a cohort of 69,248 admissions followed for 371,452 days in 29 ICUs, we used a multi-state model, including specific censoring to ensure that we estimate the independent effect of urinary tract infection, and not the combined effects of multiple infections. We estimated the extra length of stay and increased risk of death independently in each country, and then combined the results using a random effects meta-analysis. Results: A CAUTI prolonged length of ICU stay by an average of 1.59 days (95% CI: 0.58, 2.59 days), and increased the risk of death by 15% (95% CI: 3, 28%). Conclusions: A CAUTI leads to a small increased LOS in ICU. The increased risk of death due to CAUTI may be due to confounding with patient morbidity. (C) 2011 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) has become an integral part of infection control programs in several countries, especially in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. In contrast, surveillance data on the epidemiology of ICU-acquired infections in Cyprus are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of ICU-acquired infections and to identify areas for improvement in Cypriot hospitals by comparing observed incidence rates with international benchmarks and by specifying the microbiological and antibiotic resistance profiles of infecting organisms. An active surveillance protocol was introduced in the ICUs of the four major public hospitals in Cyprus, based on the methodology of the US National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance system. During February to December 2007, 2,692 patients who were hospitalized in ICUs for a mean length of stay of 5 days acquired 214 infections for an overall incidence rate of 15.8 infections per 1,000 patient-days [95% confidence interval (CI): 13.8–18.1]. Bloodstream infections, pneumonias and urinary tract infections accounted for 80.4% of all infections; of these, 87.8% were device-related. Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CL-BSI) posed the greatest risk (18.6 cases per 1,000 central line-days; 95% CI 14.9–22.9), followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (6.4 cases per 1,000 ventilator-days; 95% CI 4.5–8.8) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (2.8 cases per 1,000 urinary catheter-days; 95% CI 1.9–4.1). Most frequently isolated pathogens included Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.6% of all isolates), coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (11.7%), Enterococcus spp. (11.3%) and Staphylococcus aureus (9.2%). Overall, 29.8% of P. aeruginosa isolates were imipenem-resistant and 68.2% of S. aureus were methicillin-resistant. The crude excess mortality rate associated with ICU-acquired infections was 33.2% (95% CI 24.9–41.9%) and the mean post-infection stay in the ICUs was 21.6 days (95% CI 17.0–26.2). In comparison to international benchmarks, the markedly high rate of CL-BSI, the high rate of VAP and the resistance patterns of major infecting pathogens identified in this study emphasize the need to improve current practices for appropriate use and management of invasive devices in Cypriot ICUs.