Evaluation of oral herpes simplex virus shedding among solid organ transplant recipients: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) frequently reactivate during immunosuppression and may be a risk factor for adverse outcomes after solid organ transplant (SOT). While suppressive antiviral therapy reduces the risk of symptomatic HSV reactivation, the kinetics of asymptomatic viral shedding with chronic immunosuppression after transplant are not well understood. We report the characteristics of oral HSV shedding among 15 HSV-1 seropositive SOT recipients (n = 8 liver, n = 7 kidney, median age 58.5 years, median 20 months post-transplant) who were not taking daily antiviral suppressive therapy. METHODS: Participants self-collected oral swabs three times daily for 6 weeks for HSV quantification and recorded the presence of oral symptoms or lesions in a diary. RESULTS: Sample collection adherence was high (median 122 swabs/person, range: 85.7%-101.6% of expected swabs). Most participants (n = 12, 80%) experienced at least one shedding episode, with a median shedding rate of 8.9% (range: 0%-33.6%). There were 32 total shedding episodes, 24 (75%) of which occurred without symptoms or lesions. For episodes of known duration, the median length was 21.8 hrs (interquartile range: 10.8-46.1 hrs). CONCLUSION: Most shedding episodes (78.1%) lasted >12 hrs, suggesting that twice-daily sampling may be sufficient to detect most episodes. These data show that self-collection of oral swabs is feasible for patients who have undergone SOTs and can provide insight into the frequency of oral HSV reactivation, which can be used to design future studies in this population.

SHEA position statement on pandemic preparedness for policymakers: building a strong and resilient healthcare workforce.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many areas in the United States experienced healthcare personnel (HCP) shortages tied to a variety of factors. Infection prevention programs, in particular, faced increasing workload demands with little opportunity to delegate tasks to others without specific infectious diseases or infection control expertise. Shortages of clinicians providing inpatient care to critically ill patients during the early phase of the pandemic were multifactorial, largely attributed to increasing demands on hospitals to provide care to patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and furloughs.1 HCP shortages and challenges during later surges, including the Omicron variant-associated surges, were largely attributed to HCP infections and associated work restrictions during isolation periods and the need to care for family members, particularly children, with COVID-19. Additionally, the detrimental physical and mental health impact of COVID-19 on HCP has led to attrition, which further exacerbates shortages.2 Demands increased in post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) settings, which already faced critical staffing challenges difficulty with recruitment, and high rates of turnover. Although individual healthcare organizations and state and federal governments have taken actions to mitigate recurring shortages, additional work and innovation are needed to develop longer-term solutions to improve healthcare workforce resiliency. The critical role of those with specialized training in infection prevention, including healthcare epidemiologists, was well-demonstrated in pandemic preparedness and response. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need to support growth in these fields.3 This commentary outlines the need to develop the US healthcare workforce in preparation for future pandemics.

SHEA position statement on pandemic preparedness for policymakers: introduction and overview.

Throughout history, pandemics and their aftereffects have spurred society to make substantial improvements in healthcare. After the Black Death in 14th century Europe, changes were made to elevate standards of care and nutrition that resulted in improved life expectancy.1 The 1918 influenza pandemic spurred a movement that emphasized public health surveillance and detection of future outbreaks and eventually led to the creation of the World Health Organization Global Influenza Surveillance Network.2 In the present, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed many of the pre-existing problems within the US healthcare system, which included (1) a lack of capacity to manage a large influx of contagious patients while simultaneously maintaining routine and emergency care to non-COVID patients; (2) a "just in time" supply network that led to shortages and competition among hospitals, nursing homes, and other care sites for essential supplies; and (3) longstanding inequities in the distribution of healthcare and the healthcare workforce. The decades-long shift from domestic manufacturing to a reliance on global supply chains has compounded ongoing gaps in preparedness for supplies such as personal protective equipment and ventilators. Inequities in racial and socioeconomic outcomes highlighted during the pandemic have accelerated the call to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within our communities. The pandemic accelerated cooperation between government entities and the healthcare system, resulting in swift implementation of mitigation measures, new therapies and vaccinations at unprecedented speeds, despite our fragmented healthcare delivery system and political divisions. Still, widespread misinformation or disinformation and political divisions contributed to eroded trust in the public health system and prevented an even uptake of mitigation measures, vaccines and therapeutics, impeding our ability to contain the spread of the virus in this country.3 Ultimately, the lessons of COVID-19 illustrate the need to better prepare for the next pandemic. Rising microbial resistance, emerging and re-emerging pathogens, increased globalization, an aging population, and climate change are all factors that increase the likelihood of another pandemic.4.

Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America position statement on pandemic preparedness for policymakers: mitigating supply shortages.

The COVID-19 has had major direct (e.g., deaths) and indirect (e.g., social inequities) effects in the United States. While the public health response to the epidemic featured some important successes (e.g., universal masking ,and rapid development and approval of vaccines and therapeutics), there were systemic failures (e.g., inadequate public health infrastructure) that overshadowed these successes. Key deficiency in the U.S. response were shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and supply chain deficiencies. Recommendations are provided for mitigating supply shortages and supply chain failures in healthcare settings in future pandemics. Some key recommendations for preventing shortages of essential components of infection control and prevention include increasing the stockpile of PPE in the U.S. National Strategic Stockpile, increased transparency of the Stockpile, invoking the Defense Production Act at an early stage, and rapid review and authorization by FDA/EPA/OSHA of non-U.S. approved products. Recommendations are also provided for mitigating shortages of diagnostic testing, medications and medical equipment.

SHEA position statement on pandemic preparedness for policymakers: pandemic data collection, maintenance, and release.

The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology in America (SHEA) strongly supports modernization of data collection processes and the creation of publicly available data repositories that include a wide variety of data elements and mechanisms for securely storing both cleaned and uncleaned data sets that can be curated as clinical and research needs arise. These elements can be used for clinical research and quality monitoring and to evaluate the impacts of different policies on different outcomes. Achieving these goals will require dedicated, sustained and long-term funding to support data science teams and the creation of central data repositories that include data sets that can be "linked" via a variety of different mechanisms and also data sets that include institutional and state and local policies and procedures. A team-based approach to data science is strongly encouraged and supported to achieve the goal of a sustainable, adaptable national shared data resource.

How Immunocompromised Hosts Were Left Behind in the Quest to Control the Covid-19 Pandemic.

The immunocompromised population was disproportionately affected by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, these individuals were largely excluded from clinical trials of vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and small molecule antivirals. While the community of scientists, clinical researchers, and funding agencies have proven that these therapeutics can be made and tested in record time, extending this progress to vulnerable and medically complex individuals from the start has been a missed opportunity. Here we advocate that it is paramount to plan for future pandemics by investing in specific clinical trial infrastructure for the immunocompromised population to be prepared when the need arises.

Clinical outcomes and frequency of persistent infection among immunosuppressed patients treated with bebtelovimab for COVID-19 infection at an ambulatory cancer center.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on clinical outcomes associated with the use of bebtelovimab for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among cancer patients. We aimed to define the clinical characteristics and outcomes among patients receiving bebtelovimab as part of the COVID-19 therapeutics program at our cancer center. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of immunosuppressed adult patients who received bebtelovimab at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center between March 2022, and November 2022. We reviewed medical records to capture the date of the first positive COVID-19 test, clinical characteristics, outcomes, and follow-up COVID-19 testing for 60 days after the first positive. Persistent infection was defined as a positive test beyond day 30; these patients were reviewed beyond day 60. RESULTS: Among 93 patients who received bebtelovimab, 64 (69%) had hematologic malignancy. Sixty-nine (74%) patients received bebtelovimab within 2 days after diagnosis. Two (2%) patients were hospitalized, none required ICU care, and one patient died on day 52; although it is unknown if death was directly related to COVID-19. Ten (11%) patients had persistent COVID-19 infection; of these, four received additional COVID-19 therapy with either nirmatrelvir/ritonavir or remdesivir, and five out of six patients with sequencing data available had spike protein mutations associated with bebtelovimab resistance. CONCLUSION: A coordinated systems-based approach led to prompt initiation of bebtelovimab within two days of testing positive in most patients. We observed few hospitalizations or deaths. Persistent infection was noted in 11% of patients with four requiring additional therapies, highlighting a need for novel strategies to manage immunosuppressed patients.

Analysis of health care facility-onset Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in a hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) unit: A call for diagnostic stewardship in a complex patient population.

Nearly half the patients identified as having health care facility-onset Clostridioides difficile infections on a hematopoietic cell transplant unit had an alternative clinical explanation for diarrhea, including conditioning regimen toxicity or other medications. Our study supports that targeted diagnostic stewardship interventions should be explored and that additional risk-adjustments considered for facilities with oncology hematopoietic cell transplant wards in the National Healthcare Safety Network LabID Clostridioides difficile infection standardized infection ratio model.

Association of Self-Reported COVID-19 Vaccination Status with COVID-19 Infection among Adult Long-Term Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Survivors.

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients experience significant morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) infection. Data are limited regarding long-term HCT survivors' uptake of and experiences with COVID-19 vaccination and infection. This study aimed to characterize COVID-19 vaccination uptake, use of other prevention measures, and COVID-19 infection outcomes in adult HCT recipients at our institution. Between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, long-term adult HCT survivors were surveyed regarding overall health, chronic graft-versus-host (cGVHD) status, and experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations, prevention measures, and infections. Patients reported COVID-19 vaccination status, vaccine-related adverse effects, use of nonpharmaceutical prevention measures, and infections. Comparisons by response and vaccination status were performed using the chi-square test and Fisher exact test for categorical variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables. Of 4758 adult HCT survivors who underwent HCT between 1971 and 2021 and consented to participate in annual surveys, 1719 (36%) completed the COVID-19 module, and 1598 of 1705 (94%) reported receiving ≥1 dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Severe vaccine-related adverse effects were infrequent (5%). Among respondents receiving an mRNA vaccine, completion of doses according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine recommendations at the time of survey return was 2 doses in 675 of 759 (89%), 3 doses in 610 of 778 (78%), and 4 doses in 26 of 55 (47%). Two hundred fifty respondents (15%) reported COVID-19 infection; 25 (10%) required hospitalization. Vaccinated respondents reported significantly higher uptake of household vaccination (1284 of 1404 [91%] versus 18 of 88 [20%]; P < .001) and the use of nonpharmaceutical interventions (P < .001). Vaccinated respondents were significantly less likely to have contracted COVID-19 (85 of 1480 [6%] versus 130 of 190 [68%]; P < .001), as were their household members (149 of 1451 [10%] versus 85 of 185 [46%]; P < .001). Receipt of additional COVID-19 vaccine doses beyond the first dose was associated with a reduced risk of COVID-19 infection (odds ratio, .63; 95% confidence interval, .47 to .85; P = .002). Vaccination was well tolerated and associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 infection among HCT survivors and their household contacts. Vaccination and booster doses should be encouraged as part of a multifaceted approach in this high-risk population.

Successful Treatment of Persistent Symptomatic Coronavirus Disease 19 Infection With Extended-Duration Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir Among Outpatients With Hematologic Cancer.

Persistent symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a distinct clinical entity among patients with hematologic cancer and/or profound immunosuppression. The optimal medical management is unknown. We describe 2 patients who had symptomatic COVID-19 for almost 6 months and were successfully treated in the ambulatory setting with extended courses of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir.

Analysis of Antibiotic Exposure and Development of Acute Graft-vs-Host Disease Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Importance: Certain antibiotic exposures have been associated with increased rates of acute graft-vs-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Since antibiotic exposure can both affect and be affected by infections, analyzing time-dependent exposure in the presence of multiple potential confounders, including prior antibiotic exposures, poses specific analytical challenges, necessitating both a large sample size and unique approaches. Objective: To identify antibiotics and antibiotic exposure timeframes associated with subsequent aGVHD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study assessed allo-HCT at a single center from 2010 to 2021. Participants included all patients aged at least 18 years who underwent their first T-replete allo-HCT, with at least 6 months of follow-up. Data were analyzed from August 1 to December 15, 2022. Exposures: Antibiotics between 7 days before and 30 days after transplant. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was grade II to IV aGVHD. The secondary outcome was grade III to IV aGVHD. Data were analyzed using 3 orthogonal methods: conventional Cox proportional hazard regression, marginal structural models, and machine learning. Results: A total of 2023 patients (median [range] age, 55 [18-78] years; 1153 [57%] male) were eligible. Weeks 1 and 2 after HCT were the highest-risk intervals, with multiple antibiotic exposures associated with higher rates of subsequent aGVHD. In particular, exposure to carbapenems during weeks 1 and 2 after allo-HCT was consistently associated with increased risk of aGVHD (minimum hazard ratio [HR] among models, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.77-4.28), as was week 1 after allo-HCT exposure to combinations of penicillins with a ß-lactamase inhibitor (minimum HR among models, 6.55; 95% CI, 2.35-18.20). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of allo-HCT recipients, antibiotic choices and schedules in the early course of transplantation were associated with aGVHD rates. These findings should be considered in antibiotic stewardship programs.

Antiviral Prescribing Among Patients at an Ambulatory Cancer Center With Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza.

Among 133 cancer outpatients diagnosed with influenza between 2016 and 2018, 110 (83%) were prescribed oseltamivir. Among 109 with a known symptom onset date, 53% presented for care and 31% were prescribed oseltamivir within 48 hours. Patient/provider education and rapid diagnostics are needed to improve early oseltamivir use among cancer patients with influenza.

Infectious complications after intensive chemotherapy with CLAG-M versus 7+3 for AML and other high-grade myeloid neoplasms.

Contemporary data on infections after intensive chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are scarce. Cladribine, high-dose cytarabine, G-CSF, and dose-escalated mitoxantrone ("CLAG-M") may result in higher remission rates than standard-dose cytarabine plus anthracycline ("7 + 3") but may result in more infections. We compared moderate to severe infections occurring up to 90 days after the first induction cycle for AML or other high-grade myeloid neoplasms in patients receiving CLAG-M for newly diagnosed (n = 196) or relapsed/refractory disease (n = 131) or 7 + 3 for newly diagnosed disease (n = 115). For newly diagnosed disease, microbiologically documented infections were more frequent after CLAG-M compared to 7 + 3 (adjusted rate ratio, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.06-2.58]; P = 0.03), with a cumulative incidence of 27.8% and 16.5% by day 90, respectively. Patients receiving CLAG-M for relapsed/refractory disease had the highest cumulative incidence of 50.7%. Bacterial bloodstream infections were the most frequent followed by respiratory tract infections. Among 29 patients (7%) who died, infection was a primary or contributing cause of death in 59%. These data indicate that infections continue to cause substantial morbidity in patients treated for AML, especially those treated for relapsed/refractory disease, and are more common with newer, more myelosuppressive regimens such as CLAG-M. Improved strategies for infection prevention are needed.

Frequently Asked Questions on Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Recipients From the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy and the American Society of Hematology.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), disproportionately affects immunocompromised and elderly patients. Not only are hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell recipients at greater risk for severe COVID-19 and COVID-19-related complications, but they also may experience suboptimal immune responses to currently available COVID-19 vaccines. Optimizing the use, timing, and number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccines in these patients may provide better protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection and better outcomes after infection. To this end, current guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination in HCT and CAR T-cell recipients from the American Society of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Transplant Infectious Disease Special Interest Group and the American Society of Hematology are provided in a frequently asked questions format.

Antibiotic prescribing knowledge: A brief survey of providers and staff at an ambulatory cancer center during Antibiotic Awareness Week 2019.

We surveyed healthcare professionals at a cancer center regarding their knowledge and perceptions of antibiotic use. Most knew the term "antimicrobial stewardship." Nurses and other staff were less likely than pharmacists or providers to answer knowledge-based questions correctly. Opportunities exist to improve antibiotic knowledge among cancer center staff.