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Antibiotic resistance is one of the main menaces to public and individual health worldwide. In the last two decades, an increase in the detection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales has been reported. The treatment of infections caused by these strains is a therapeutic challenge. The use of carbapenems may be beneficial depending on MIC value and source of infection. New drugs, with different activity against the different classes of carbapenemases, are developed showing significant benefits.

Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)1,2 has been tracked via phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3–5. While the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, within Europe travel resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a novel SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that emerged in Spain in early summer, and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence of increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travelers, likely undermining local efforts to keep SARS-CoV-2 cases low. Our results demonstrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favorable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical to understanding how travel can impact SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes., This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) through grant numbers 31CA30 196046 (to RAN, EBH, CLA), 31CA30 196267 (to TS), European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme - project EpiPose (No 101003688) (MLR, CLA), core funding by the University of Basel and ETH Zürich, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM120553 to DV), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (DP1AI158186 and HHSN272201700059C to DV), a Pew Biomedical Scholars Award (DV), an Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease Awards from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund (DV and JDB), a Fast Grants (DV), and NIAID grants R01AI141707 (JDB) and F30AI149928 (KHDC). SeqCOVID-SPAIN is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III project COV20/00140, Spanish National Research Council and ERC StG 638553 to IC and BFU2017-89594R from MICIN to FGC. JDB is an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

The EUCAST EDef 9.3.2 procedure recommends visual readings of azole and amphotericin B MICs against Aspergillus spp. Visual determination of MICs may be challenging. In this work, we aim to obtain and compare visual and spectrophotometric MIC readings of azoles and amphotericin B against Aspergillus fumigatus sensu lato isolates. A total of 847 A. fumigatus sensu lato isolates (A. fumigatus sensu stricto [n = 828] and cryptic species [n = 19]) were tested against amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, and isavuconazole using the EUCAST EDef 9.3.2 procedure. Isolates were classified as susceptible or resistant/non-wild type according to the 2020 updated breakpoints. The area of technical uncertainty for the azoles was defined in the updated breakpoints. Visual and spectrophotometric (fungal growth reduction of >95% compared to the control, read at 540 nm) MICs were compared. Essential (±1 2-fold dilution) and categorical agreements were calculated. Overall, high essential (97.1%) and categorical (99.6%) agreements were found. We obtained 100% categorical agreements for amphotericin B, itraconazole, and posaconazole, and consequently, no errors were found. Categorical agreements were 98.7 and 99.3% for voriconazole and isavuconazole, respectively. Most of the misclassifications for voriconazole and isavuconazole were found to be associated with MIC results falling either in the area of technical uncertainty or within one 2-fold dilution above the breakpoint. The resistance rate was slightly lower when the MICs were obtained by spectrophotometric readings. However, all relevant cyp51A mutants were correctly classified as resistant. Spectrophotometric determination of azole and amphotericin B MICs against A. fumigatus sensu lato isolates may be a convenient alternative to visual endpoint readings.

We aimed to assess the rate and predictive factors of bloodstream infection (BSI) due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa in neutropenic cancer patients. We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study including oncohematological neutropenic patients with BSI due to P. aeruginosa conducted across 34 centers in 12 countries from January 2006 to May 2018. A mixed logistic regression model was used to estimate a model to predict the multidrug resistance of the causative pathogens. of a total of 1,217 episodes of BSI due to P. aeruginosa, 309 episodes (25.4%) were caused by MDR strains. the rate of multidrug resistance increased significantly over the study period (P = 0.033). Predictors of MDR P. aeruginosa BSI were prior therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam (odds ratio [OR), 3.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.29 to 5.30), prior antipseudomonal carbapenem use (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.87), fluoroquinolone prophylaxis (OR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.92 to 4.64), underlying hematological disease (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.26 to 3.44), and the presence of a urinary catheter (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.65 to 3.91), whereas older age (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97 to 0.99) was found to be protective. Our prediction model achieves good discrimination and calibration, thereby identifying neutropenic patients at higher risk of BSI due to MDR P. aeruginosa. the application of this model using a web-based calculator may be a simple strategy to identify high-risk patients who may benefit from the early administration of broad-spectrum antibiotic coverage against MDR strains according to the local susceptibility patterns, thus avoiding the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients at a low risk of resistance development., ESGBIES study group; ESGICH study group; Spanish Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2013-2016; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdireccion General de Redes y Centros de Investigacion Cooperativa, Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad, Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases [REIPI RD16/0016/0001]; European Development Regional Fund A Way To Achieve Europe, Operative Program Intelligent Growth 2014-2020; Promex Stiftung fur die Forschung (Carigest SA); GileadGilead Sciences; PfizerPfizer, We thank the ESGBIES and the ESGICH study groups for supporting the study.; This study was supported by the Spanish Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2013-2016 and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdireccion General de Redes y Centros de Investigacion Cooperativa, Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad, Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (grant REIPI RD16/0016/0001), cofinanced by the European Development Regional Fund A Way To Achieve Europe, Operative Program Intelligent Growth 2014-2020.; A.-S.B. received a grant from Promex Stiftung fur die Forschung (via Carigest SA) and funding from Gilead to attend the ECCMID Congress (2018). O.R.S. received speaker honoraria from MSD, Astellas, Novartis, and Pfizer. S.S.K. received speaker honoraria from Pfizer, MSD, Astellas. F.H. received speaker honoraria from MSD, and Pfizer and a research and educational grant from Pfizer. the rest of the authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Introducción: Una de las principales herramientas para optimizar el uso de los antibióticos es la formación de los prescriptores. El objetivo de este trabajo es conocer la opinión de los estudiantes de Medicina españoles sobre la formación en enfermedades infecciosas. Material y métodos: Se distribuyó un cuestionario on line anonimizado entre estudiantes de sexto curso a través de distintos canales. El cuestionario incluyó 45 preguntas sobre conocimientos, actitudes y percepciones sobre el diagnóstico, resistencia antimicrobiana, uso de antibióticos y la formación de pregrado en enfermedades infecciosas. Resultados: Se recibieron un total de 441 encuestas de 21 facultades. Se obtuvieron 374 respuestas (84, 8%) de las 8 facultades más representadas, con una tasa de respuesta del 28, 9%. La mayoría de los alumnos se sentían preparados para identificar los signos clínicos de infección (418; 94, 8%) y para interpretar correctamente las pruebas de laboratorio (382; 86, 6%). Reconocieron saber elegir un antibiótico con seguridad sin consultar libros ni guías (178; 40, 4%). Solo 107 alumnos (24, 3%) consideraron haber recibido suficiente formación en el uso prudente de los antimicrobianos. Respecto a los métodos de aprendizaje, se percibieron como más útiles la discusión de casos clínicos, los rotatorios en servicios o unidades de enfermedades infecciosas y los talleres de pequeños grupos: se evaluaron favorablemente en un 76, 9; en un 76 y en un 68, 8% de los casos, respectivamente. Conclusión: Los estudiantes de Medicina se encuentran más seguros en el diagnóstico de enfermedades infecciosas que en el tratamiento antibiótico. Asimismo, sienten la necesidad de recibir mayor formación en antibioterapia y uso prudente en antibióticos. Introduction: One of the main tools to optimize antibiotics use is education of prescribers. The aim of this article is to study undergraduate education in the field of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic stewardship from the perspective of Spanish medical students. Material and methods: An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed among sixth grade students using different channels in Europe, within the ESGAP Student-Prepare survey. The questionnaire included 45 questions about knowledge, attitudes and perceptions about diagnosis, bacterial resistance, use of antibiotics and undergraduate training in infectious diseases. We present here the Spanish results. Results: A total of 441 surveys were received from 21 medical schools. A total of 374 responses (84.8%) were obtained from the 8 most represented faculties, with a response rate of 28.9%. Most students felt adequately prepared to identify clinical signs of infection (418; 94.8%) and to accurately interpret laboratory tests (382; 86.6%). A total of 178 (40.4%) acknowledged being able to choose an antibiotic with confidence without consulting books or guidelines. Only 107 (24.3%) students considered that they had received sufficient training in judicious use of antibiotics. Regarding learning methods, the discussion of clinical cases, infectious diseases units rotatories and small group workshops were considered the most useful, being evaluated favorably in 76.9%, 76% and 68.8% of the cases. Conclusion: Medical students feel more confident in the diagnosis of infectious diseases than in antibiotic treatment. They also feel the need to receive more training in antibiotics and judicious antibiotic use.