Use of expert consensus to develop a shared list of procedures with potential for aerosol generation during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the lack of agreement regarding the definition of aerosol-generating procedures and potential risk to healthcare personnel. We convened a group of Massachusetts healthcare epidemiologists to develop consensus through expert opinion in an area where broader guidance was lacking at the time.

Epidemiological and clinical features of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) toxin in Staphylococcus aureus has been associated with both severe pneumonia and skin and soft tissue infections. However, there are only limited data on how this virulence factor may influence the clinical course or complications of bacteremic S. aureus infections. METHODS: Between September 2016 and March 2018, S. aureus isolates from clinical cultures from hospitals in an academic medical center underwent comprehensive genomic sequencing. Four hundred sixty-nine (29%) of 1681 S. aureus sequenced isolates were identified as containing the genes that encode for PVL. Case patients with one or more positive blood cultures for PVL were randomly matched with control patients having positive blood cultures with lukF/lukS-PV negative (PVL strains from a retrospective chart review). RESULTS: 51 case and 56 control patients were analyzed. Case patients were more likely to have a history of injection drug use, while controls more likely to undergo hemodialysis. Isolates from 78.4% of case patients were methicillin resistant as compared to 28.6% from control patients. Case patients had a higher incidence of pneumonia and skin and soft tissue infection and longer duration of fever without differences in length of bacteremia. Clinical cure or expiration was comparable. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with prior observations associating the PVL toxin with both community-acquired MRSA strains as well as severe staphylococcal pneumonia. The presence of the PVL toxin does not appear to otherwise influence the natural history of bacteremic S. aureus disease other than in prolonging the duration of fever.

Expanded Access Use of Rezafungin for Salvage Therapy of Invasive Candida glabrata Infection: A Case Report.

Rezafungin is a semisynthetic, long-acting echinocandin with broad-spectrum activity against many Candida species and Aspergillus species, including a subset of drug-resistant strains. It is currently in phase III trials and was found to be safe and effective for the treatment of candidemia and/or invasive Candida infections in a phase II trial. However, there are no long-term safety or efficacy data. We report on the successful ongoing compassionate use of rezafungin obtained through expanded access for over 1 year in a patient with a multidrug-resistant Candida glabrata mediastinal infection from a vascular graft infection and retained foreign material.

Addressing decontaminated respirators: Some methods appear to damage mask integrity and protective function.

Decontamination of N95 respirators is being used by clinicians in the face of a global shortage of these devices. Some treatments for decontamination, such as some vaporized hydrogen peroxide methods or ultraviolet methods, had no impact on respiratory performance, while other treatments resulted in substantial damage to masks.

Candida auris outbreak involving liver transplant recipients in a surgical intensive care unit.

Candida auris is a yeast that is difficult to eradicate and has caused outbreaks in health care facilities. We report a cluster of 5 patients in 1 intensive care unit who were colonized or infected in 2017. The initial 2 patients were recipients of liver transplants who had cultures that grew C auris within 3 days of each other in June 2017 (days 43 and 30 posttransplant). Subsequent screening cultures identified 2 additional patients with C auris colonization. Respiratory and urine cultures from a fifth patient yielded C auris. All isolates were fluconazole resistant but susceptible to echinocandins. Whole genome sequencing showed the strains were clonal, suggesting in-hospital transmission, and related but distinct from New York/New Jersey strains, consistent with a separate introduction. However, no source or contact was found. Two of the 5 patients died. C auris infection likely contributed to 1 patient death by infecting a vascular aneurysm at the graft anastomosis. Strict infection control precautions were initiated to control the outbreak. Our experience reveals that although severe disease from C auris can occur in transplant recipients, outbreaks can be controlled using recommended infection control practices. We have had no further patients infected with C auris to date.

Impact of Changes in Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Location and Ownership on the Practice of Infectious Diseases.

The number of onsite clinical microbiology laboratories in hospitals is decreasing, likely related to the business model for laboratory consolidation and labor shortages, and this impacts a variety of clinical practices, including that of banking isolates for clinical or epidemiologic purposes. To determine the impact of these trends, infectious disease (ID) physicians were surveyed regarding their perceptions of offsite services. Clinical microbiology practices for retention of clinical isolates for future use were also determined. Surveys were sent to members of the Infectious Diseases Society of America's (IDSA) Emerging Infections Network (EIN). The EIN is a sentinel network of ID physicians who care for adult and/or pediatric patients in North America and who are members of IDSA. The response rate was 763 (45%) of 1,680 potential respondents. Five hundred forty (81%) respondents reported interacting with the clinical microbiology laboratory. Eighty-six percent of respondents thought an onsite laboratory very important for timely diagnostic reporting and ongoing communication with the clinical microbiologist. Thirty-five percent practiced in institutions where the core microbiology laboratory has been moved offsite, and an additional 7% (n = 38) reported that movement of core laboratory functions offsite was being considered. The respondents reported that only 24% of laboratories banked all isolates, with the majority saving isolates for less than 30 days. Based on these results, the trend toward centralized core laboratories negatively impacts the practice of ID physicians, potentially delays effective implementation of prompt and targeted care for patients with serious infections, and similarly adversely impacts infection control epidemiologic investigations.

Integration of genomic and clinical data augments surveillance of healthcare-acquired infections.

BACKGROUND: Determining infectious cross-transmission events in healthcare settings involves manual surveillance of case clusters by infection control personnel, followed by strain typing of clinical/environmental isolates suspected in said clusters. Recent advances in genomic sequencing and cloud computing now allow for the rapid molecular typing of infecting isolates. OBJECTIVE: To facilitate rapid recognition of transmission clusters, we aimed to assess infection control surveillance using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of microbial pathogens to identify cross-transmission events for epidemiologic review. METHODS: Clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were obtained prospectively at an academic medical center, from September 1, 2016, to September 30, 2017. Isolate genomes were sequenced, followed by single-nucleotide variant analysis; a cloud-computing platform was used for whole-genome sequence analysis and cluster identification. RESULTS: Most strains of the 4 studied pathogens were unrelated, and 34 potential transmission clusters were present. The characteristics of the potential clusters were complex and likely not identifiable by traditional surveillance alone. Notably, only 1 cluster had been suspected by routine manual surveillance. CONCLUSIONS: Our work supports the assertion that integration of genomic and clinical epidemiologic data can augment infection control surveillance for both the identification of cross-transmission events and the inclusion of missed and exclusion of misidentified outbreaks (ie, false alarms). The integration of clinical data is essential to prioritize suspect clusters for investigation, and for existing infections, a timely review of both the clinical and WGS results can hold promise to reduce HAIs. A richer understanding of cross-transmission events within healthcare settings will require the expansion of current surveillance approaches.

Public support for bicycling and transport policies in inner Sydney, Australia: a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the degree of community support - and factors associated with this support - for a number of potential transport policy options among an inner-city sample of residents in Sydney, Australia. METHODS: This study analysed data collected from a cross-sectional online survey: Wave 3 of the Sydney Transport and Health Study, conducted in September-October 2015 (n=418). RESULTS: There was a high level of overall support for policies to make public transport cheaper (85%), have more bicycle paths separated from motor vehicles (82%) and have a public bike-share program (72%), with similar levels of support across usual commute mode, age and sex. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a natural tendency for respondents to support transport policies that were of most relevance to themselves, it appeared that, in this sample, public support for public transport and bicycling policies remained strong across all respondents. Implications for public health: Policies that support public transport and active travel and achieve positive health outcomes would be well received by inner-Sydney residents.

Reemergence of Intravenous Drug Use as Risk Factor for Candidemia, Massachusetts, USA.

The epidemic of illicit intravenous drug use (IVDU) in the United States has been accompanied by a surge in drug overdose deaths and infectious sequelae. Candida albicans infections were associated with injection of contaminated impure brown heroin in the 1970s-1990s; however, candidiasis accompanying IVDU became considerably rarer as the purity of the heroin supply increased. We reviewed cases of candidemia occurring over a recent 7-year period in persons >14 years of age at a tertiary care hospital in central Massachusetts. Of the 198 patients with candidemia, 24 cases occurred in patients with a history of IVDU. Compared with non-IVDU patients, those with a history of IVDU were more likely to have non-albicans Candida, be co-infected with hepatitis C, and have end-organ involvement, including endocarditis and osteomyelitis. Thus, IVDU appears to be reemerging as a risk factor for invasive candidiasis.

A 10-Year Review of Total Hospital-Onset ICU Bloodstream Infections at an Academic Medical Center.

BACKGROUND: The rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in U.S. ICUs have decreased significantly, and a parallel reduction in the rates of total hospital-onset bacteremias in these units should also be expected. We report 10-year trends for total hospital-onset ICU-associated bacteremias at a tertiary-care academic medical center. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of all positive-result blood cultures among patients admitted to seven adult ICUs for fiscal year 2005 (FY2005) through FY2014 according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network definitions. The rate of change for primary and secondary hospital-onset BSIs was determined, as was the distribution of organisms responsible for these BSIs. Data from three medical, two general surgical, one combined neurosurgical/trauma, and one cardiac/cardiac surgery adult ICU were analyzed. RESULTS: Across all ICUs, the rates of primary BSIs progressively fell from 2.11/1,000 patient days in FY2005 to 0.32/1,000 patient days in FY2014; an 85.0% decrease (P < .0001). Secondary BSIs also progressively decreased from 3.56/1,000 to 0.66/1,000 patient days; an 81.4% decrease (P < .0001). The decrease in BSI rates remained significant after controlling for the number of blood cultures obtained and patient acuity. CONCLUSIONS: An increased focus on reducing hospital-onset infections at the academic medical center since 2005, including multimodal multidisciplinary efforts to prevent central line-associated BSIs, pneumonia, Clostridium difficile disease, surgical site infections, and urinary tract infections, was associated with progressive and sustained decreases for both primary and secondary hospital-onset BSIs.

Ebola Virus Persistence in Semen of Male Survivors.

We investigated the duration of Ebola virus (EBOV) RNA and infectious EBOV in semen specimens of 5 Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors. EBOV RNA and infectious EBOV was detected by real-time RT-PCR and virus culture out to 290 days and 70 days, respectively, after EVD onset.

Uveitis and Systemic Inflammatory Markers in Convalescent Phase of Ebola Virus Disease.

We report a case of probable Zaire Ebola virus-related ophthalmologic complications in a physician from the United States who contracted Ebola virus disease in Liberia. Uveitis, immune activation, and nonspecific increase in antibody titers developed during convalescence. This case highlights immune phenomena that could complicate management of Ebola virus disease-related uveitis during convalescence.

Reversion From Methicillin Susceptibility to Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus During Treatment of Bacteremia.

Approximately 3% of Staphylococcus aureus strains that, according to results of conventional phenotypic methods, are highly susceptible to methicillin-like antibiotics also have polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results positive for mecA. The genetic nature of these mecA-positive methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strains has not been investigated. We report the first clearly defined case of reversion from methicillin susceptibility to methicillin resistance among mecA-positive MSSA within a patient during antibiotic therapy. We describe the mechanism of reversion for this strain and for a second clinical isolate that reverts at a similar frequency. The rates of reversion are of the same order of magnitude as spontaneous resistance to drugs like rifampicin. When mecA is detected by PCR in the clinical laboratory, current guidelines recommend that these strains be reported as resistant. Because combination therapy using both a ß-lactam and a second antibiotic suppressing the small revertant population may be superior to alternatives such as vancomycin, the benefits of distinguishing between mecA-positive MSSA and MRSA in clinical reports should be evaluated.

A Prospective Controlled Trial of an Electronic Hand Hygiene Reminder System.

Background. The use of electronic hand hygiene reminder systems has been proposed as an approach to improve hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers, although information on efficacy is limited. We prospectively assessed whether hand hygiene activities among healthcare workers could be increased using an electronic hand hygiene monitoring and reminder system. Methods. A prospective controlled clinical trial was conducted in 2 medical intensive care units (ICUs) at an academic medical center with comparable patient populations, healthcare staff, and physical layout. Hand hygiene activity was monitored concurrently in both ICUs, and the reminder system was installed in the test ICU. The reminder system was tested during 3 administered phases including: room entry/exit chimes, display of real-time hand hygiene activity, and a combination of the 2. Results. In the test ICU, the mean number of hand hygiene events increased from 1538 per day at baseline to 1911 per day (24% increase) with the use of a combination of room entry/exit chimes, real-time displays of hand hygiene activity, and manager reports (P < .001); in addition, the ratio of hand hygiene to room entry/exit events also increased from 26.1% to 36.6% (40% increase, P < .001). The performance returned to baseline (1473 hand hygiene events per day) during the follow-up phase. There was no significant change in hand hygiene activity in the control ICU during the course of the trial. Conclusions. In an ICU setting, an electronic hand hygiene reminder system that provided real-time feedback on overall unit-wide hand hygiene performance significantly increased hand hygiene activity.

Isolated perivesicular hematoma after military parachuting.

BACKGROUND: Isolated perivesicular hematomas are uncommonly described and not an injury typically reported in the literature after parachuting or skydiving. CASE REPORT: Herein, we described a series of three patients with isolated perivesicular hematomas sustained after military parachuting. All three patients were managed nonoperatively after a somewhat prolonged hospital course. Despite the lack of orthopedic injuries, all required physical therapy consultation and required an assisting device to aide with ambulation at the time of discharge. For all three individuals, follow-up imaging months after the injury demonstrated a continued presence of the hematoma. Clinically, the patients continued to have ambulatory and urological difficulties for several months after their injury. DISCUSSION: This injury pattern is uncommonly reported in the literature. An appropriate index of suspicion must be maintained or there may be a delay in diagnosis. Management of these injuries requires coordinated care between the trauma service, urology, and physical therapy.