Demographic, clinical and microbiological characteristics of the first 30 human monkeypox confirmed cases attended in a tertiary hospital in Madrid (Spain), during the May-June 2022 international outbreak / Características demográficas, clínicas y microbiológicas de los primeros 30 casos humanos confirmados de viruela del mono atendidos en un hospital terciario de Madrid (España), durante el brote internacional de mayo-junio de 2022

The present outbreak of Human Monkeypox (HMPX) that has begun in May 2022 and has spread across all continents in less than two months has qualitative and quantitative characteristics that make it different from the pattern of human disease previously caused by this virus. It has spread with enormous ease, affects almost exclusively adults, behaves as a sexually transmitted disease and focuses on very specific groups and transmission conditions. The high incidence in the city of Madrid in males that have sex with males (MSM) has allowed us to observe and report the experience with the first 30 cases diagnosed in our institution. Patients presented with febrile symptoms, genital and paragenital skin lesions reminiscent of smallpox, but less extensive and severe. The disease may also cause proctitis, pharyngitis and perioral lesions. The PCR test for diagnostic confirmation has been shown to be very sensitive and effective, not only in skin lesions but also in blood and other fluids such as pharyngeal, rectal exudates and blood. A very high proportion of patients with HMPX also have other sexually transmitted diseases that must be actively detected in this context. The spontaneous evolution of our patients has been good and hospitalization has been practically unnecessary. Transmission to non-sexual cohabitants and health personnel has been nonexistent and the lesions have disappeared in less than 30 days without leaving sequelae and no need for specific antiviral treatment. (AU)

El actual brote de la enfermedad por el virus de la viruela del mono humana (HMPX), que ha comenzado en mayo de 2022 y se ha extendido por todos los continentes en menos de dos meses, tiene unas características cualitativas y cuantitativas que lo diferencian del patrón de enfermedad humana causado anteriormente por este virus. Se ha extendido con enorme facilidad, afecta casi exclusivamente a adultos, se comporta como una enfermedad de transmisión sexual y se centra en grupos y condiciones de transmisión muy específicas. La alta incidencia en la ciudad de Madrid en varones que tienen sexo con varones (HSH) nos ha permitido observar y comunicar la experiencia con los primeros 30 casos diagnosticados en nuestra institución. Los pacientes se presentaron con síntomas febriles, lesiones cutáneas genitales y paragenitales que recuerdan a la viruela, pero menos extensas y graves. La enfermedad también puede causar proctitis, faringitis y lesiones periorales. La prueba PCR para la confirmación del diagnóstico ha demostrado ser muy sensible y eficaz, no sólo en las lesiones cutáneas sino también en la sangre y otros fluidos como los exudados faríngeos y rectales y la sangre. Una proporción muy elevada de pacientes con HMPX presentan también otras enfermedades de transmisión sexual que deben ser detectadas activamente en este contexto. La evolución espontánea de nuestros pacientes ha sido buena y la hospitalización ha sido prácticamente innecesaria. La transmisión a convivientes no sexuales y al personal sanitario ha sido inexistente y las lesiones han desaparecido en menos de 30 días sin dejar secuelas y sin necesidad de tratamiento antiviral específico. (AU)

A prevalence survey of intravascular catheter use in a general hospital.

PURPOSE: Survey of intravascular catheter management is an essential step in the control and prevention of catheter-related infection. In recent years, most surveillance studies only included catheters from intensive care units (ICUs). Data regarding the level of care and adherence to international guidelines in a whole general institution are scarce. Our objective was to evaluate the care situation of intravascular catheters in our adult units of a General Hospital. METHODS: We surveyed adults hospitalized in non-psychiatric/maternity wards. In a week, a nurse visited all the adult hospitalized patients. Data were registered in a protocol that included variables, such as no. of catheters, location of catheter, type of catheter, date of placement and the need of an indication of each catheter in the visit day. RESULTS: We included in the study a total of 753 adult patients. Of them, 653 (86.7%) had one or more inserted catheters at the moment of the study visit (total: 797 catheters). Of all the catheters, 144 (18.0%) were central venous catheters and 653 (81.9%) were peripheral lines. The hospitalization units where the patients were admitted were ICU, 52 (6.9%); and non-ICU, 601 (92.0%). There were 183 (22.9%) catheters with no need to remain in place in the day of the study. Overall, we found 464 (71.0%) patients with one or more opportunities for catheter care improvement. CONCLUSIONS: A rapid survey of the care situation of intravascular catheters is feasible and easy to do with our methodology. The data show great opportunity for improvement, mainly in the non-ICU areas.

Ethanol lock therapy (E-Lock) in the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI) after major heart surgery (MHS): a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Lock-therapy with antimicrobials has been used for the treatment and prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CR-BSI). Experiences with Ethanol-Locks (E-locks) have included therapeutic interventions with variable results. Patients undergoing Major Heart Surgery (MHS) are a high-risk population for CR-BSI.The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerance to E-Locks in the prevention of CR-BSI of patients undergoing MHS. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This is an academic, prospective, randomized, non-blinded and controlled clinical trial assessing the incidence of CR-BSI of patients with E-locks (E-lock) and the tolerance to the procedure in comparison with patients receiving conventional catheter-care (CCC). Patients undergoing MHS with intravascular catheters for more than 48 hours were randomly assigned into treatment or control group by a computer-generated list of randomly assigned numbers. In the treatment group, all their catheter lumens were locked with an ethanol solution at 70% for two hours, every three days (E-Locks). The control group received conventional catheter-care (CCC). Overall, 200 patients with 323 catheters were included in the study, which was stopped after 10 months due to adverse events. Of them, 179 catheters (113 patients) had E-Locks and 144 catheters (87 patients) were CCC. Euroscore Surgical Risk in both groups was 4.04 vs 4.07 p = 0.94 respectively. The results for the E-Locks and CCC were as follows: Incidence of CR-BSI/1000 days of exposure 2.1 vs 5.2 (p = 0.33), catheter tip colonization 14 (7.8%) vs 6 (4.2%) patients (p = 0.17), median length of hospital stay, 15 vs 16 days (p = 0.77). Seven patients (6.19%), all in the ethanol branch, had to discontinue the trial due to intolerance or adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: We do not recommend prophylaxis of CR-BSI with ethanol-lock on a routine basis in patients undergoing Major Heart Surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials.gov NCT01229592.

Impact of four sequential measures on the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in cardiac surgery patients.

INTRODUCTION: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most frequent infection in patients admitted to intensive care units. METHODS: We compared rates of VAP, days on mechanical ventilation (MV), and cost of antimicrobial agents before and during implementation. RESULTS: We collected data from 401 patients before the intervention and from 1,534 patients during the intervention. Both groups were comparable. No significant differences in EuroSCORE were observed between the patients of both periods (6.4 versus 6.3; P = 0.7). The rates of VAP (episodes/1,000 days of ventilation) were, respectively, 23.9 versus 13.5 (P = 0.005). Mean number of days of MV/1,000 days of stay was 507 versus 375 (P = 0.001), and the cost of antimicrobial therapy (Euros/1,000 days of stay) was €70,612 versus €52,775 (P = 0.10). The main effect of sequential application of preventive measures in time achieved a relative-rate reduction of VAP of 41% (IRR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.62). The mortality rate before and during the intervention was 13.0% and 10.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A sequentially applied bundle of four preventive measures reduces VAP rates, days of MV, and the cost of antimicrobial therapy in patients admitted to the major heart surgery ICU. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials.gov: NCT02060045. Registered 4 February 2014.

Continuous aspiration of subglottic secretions in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in the postoperative period of major heart surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Aspiration of endotracheal secretions is a major step in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). We compared conventional and continuous aspiration of subglottic secretions (CASS) procedures in ventilated patients after major heart surgery (MHS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomized comparison during a 2-year period. RESULTS: A total of 714 patients were randomized (24 patients were excluded from the study; 359 CASS patients; 331 control subjects). The results for CASS patients and control subjects (per protocol and intention-to-treat analysis) were as follows: VAP incidence, 3.6% vs 5.3% (p = 0.2) and 3.8% vs 5.1%, respectively; incidence density, 17.9 vs 27.6 episodes per 1,000 days of mechanical ventilation (MV) [p = 0.18] and 18.9 vs 28.7 episodes per 1,000 days of MV, respectively; hospital antibiotic use in daily defined doses (DDDs), 1,213 vs 1,932 (p < 0.001) and 1,392 vs 1,932, respectively (p < 0.001). In patients who had received mechanical ventilation for > 48 h, the comparisons of CASS patients and control subjects were as follows: VAP incidence, 26.7% vs 47.5% (p = 0.04), respectively; incidence density, 31.5 vs 51.6 episodes per 1,000 days of MV, respectively (p = 0.03); median length of ICU stay, 7 vs 16.5 days (p = 0.01), respectively; hospital antibiotic use, 1,206 vs 1,877 DDD (p < 0.001), respectively; Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, 6.7% vs 12.5% (p = 0.3), respectively; and overall mortality rate, 44.4% vs 52.5% (p = 0.3), respectively. Reintubation increased the risk of VAP (relative risk [RR], 6.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.20 to 16.60; p < 0.001), while CASS was the only significant protective factor (RR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.99; p = 0.04). No complications related to CASS were observed. The cost of the CASS tube was 9 vs 1.5 euro for the conventional tube. CONCLUSIONS: CASS is a safe procedure that reduces the use of antimicrobial agents in the overall population and the incidence of VAP in patients who are at risk. CASS use should be encouraged, at least in patients undergoing MHS.

A randomized and prospective study of 3 procedures for the diagnosis of catheter-related bloodstream infection without catheter withdrawal.

BACKGROUND: Suspicion of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) leads frequently to unnecessary catheter withdrawals, and many catheter-tip cultures yield negative results. The objective of this study was to compare the yield of 3 microbiological procedures to assess CR-BSI without catheter withdrawal. METHODS: The study was prospectively performed in a group of patients without neutropenia or blood disorders who were admitted to the intensive care unit during a 37-month period with sepsis suspected on clinical grounds and who had central venous catheters inserted for >48 h. The microbiological procedures compared were semiquantitative cultures from hub and skin (superficial), differential quantitative blood cultures, and differential time to positivity between cultures of blood obtained from catheter hubs and peripheral blood. RESULTS: Of the 204 episodes of suspected CR-BSI included in the study, 28 were confirmed to be CR-BSI. We obtained the following results for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy: superficial cultures, 78.6%, 92.0%, 61.1%, 96.4%, and 90.2%, respectively; differential quantitative blood cultures, 71.4%, 97.7%, 83.3%, 95.6%, and 94.1%, respectively; and differential time to positivity, 96.4%, 90.3%, 61.4%, 99.4%, and 91.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CR-BSI can be assessed without catheter withdrawal in patients without neutropenia or blood disorders who have catheters inserted for a short time and are hospitalized in the intensive care unit. Convenience, use of resources, and expertise should determine the technique of choice in different medical contexts. Because of ease of performance, low cost, and wide availability, we recommend combining semiquantitative superficial cultures and peripheral vein blood cultures to screen for CR-BSI, leaving differential quantitative blood cultures as a confirmatory and more specific technique.

Cultures of sternal wound and mediastinum taken at the end of heart surgery do not predict postsurgical mediastinitis.

The aim of the study was to assess of the role of intraoperative cultures taken at the end of major heart surgery (MHS) in the prediction of postoperative mediastinitis (PM) in patients undergoing MHS over a 6-month period in a tertiary university hospital. Just before wound closure, a sample of the sternal border was taken, swabbing back and forth the sternal border and the subcutaneous tissues. A second sample was taken after irrigation of the deep mediastinal structures with 10 mL of Ringer lactate. Swabs were processed semiquantitatively and the mediastinal fluid with a quantitative technique. The observation of one or more colonies per plate was considered a positive culture. Cultures obtained at the end of 229 surgical interventions (227 patients) were positive with the semiquantitative or with the quantitative procedures in 31.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 25.1-37.4%) and 34.5% (95% CI, 28.4-41.0%) of the times, respectively (P = NS). The number of microorganisms isolated in the wound swab or mediastinal fluid was 91 and 110, respectively. Of the 227 patients, 7 developed an episode of PM (3.1%; 95% CI, 1.2-6.2%) after a median time of 11 days (range, 5-19 days). The microorganisms causing the 7 cases of mediastinitis were not isolated in the intraoperative cultures in any of the cases. The value of intraoperative cultures as a test for prediction of PM depending on the breakpoint chosen were as follows: sensitivity (0%), specificity (66.2-97.3%), and positive (0%) and negative predictive values (96.8-98.0%). We recommend against surveillance cultures taken intraoperatively in patients undergoing MHS.

The challenge of anticipating catheter tip colonization in major heart surgery patients in the intensive care unit: are surface cultures useful?

OBJECTIVE: Patients undergoing heart surgery show a high risk of catheter colonization and catheter-related bloodstream infections. We evaluated whether skin insertion site and catheter hub surveillance cultures ("surface cultures") could predict catheter colonization and help establish the origin of bloodstream infections. DESIGN: : Prospective cohort study. SETTING: An 11-bed heart surgery intensive care unit in a tertiary university hospital. PATIENTS: Heart surgery patients spending >4 days in intensive care over an 11-month period. INTERVENTIONS: All catheters were surveyed. Cultures were obtained from the skin insertion site and all hubs on day 5 after surgery, every 72 hrs thereafter, and on catheter removal. Swabs were processed semiquantitatively by streaking the surface of a Columbia agar plate. Catheters were processed using Maki's method. The observation of > or = 15 colonies/plate was taken to indicate a positive skin or catheter colonization culture result. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Over the study period, 561 catheters were inserted in 130 patients. The median time a catheter was in place was 6 days (interquartile range 3-11), and 3,712 surface cultures were obtained (median four per patient). Catheter colonization occurred in 133 catheters, and there were 15 episodes of catheter-related bloodstream infection (incidence density of colonization 29.3 and of catheter-related bloodstream infection 8.8 per 1,000 catheter-days). Validity indexes for the capacity of surface cultures to predict catheter colonization and catheter-related bloodstream infection, respectively, were as follows: accuracy, 71.4, 65.6; sensitivity, 83.5%, 100%; specificity, 67.1%, 64.7%; positive predictive value, 47.6%, 7.2%; negative predictive value, 91.9%, 100%; positive likelihood ratio, 2.5, 2.83; and negative likelihood ratio, 0.2, 0. Surface cultures correctly predicted 77.4% of all bacteremia episodes (catheter-related and non-catheter-related). CONCLUSIONS: Systematic surveillance cultures of catheter hub and skin insertion sites in patients admitted to a heart surgery intensive care unit could help identify patients who would benefit from decontamination and preventive measures and establish whether catheters are the portal of entry of bloodstream infection.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae fungemia: an emerging infectious disease.

BACKGROUND: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is well known in the baking and brewing industry and is also used as a probiotic in humans. However, it is a very uncommon cause of infection in humans. METHODS: During the period of 15-30 April 2003, we found 3 patients with S. cerevisiae fungemia in an intensive care unit (ICU). An epidemiological study was performed, and the medical records for all patients who were in the unit during the second half of April were assessed. RESULTS: The only identified risk factor for S. cerevisiae infection was treatment with a probiotic containing Saccharomyces boulardii (Ultralevura; Bristol-Myers Squibb). This probiotic is used in Europe for the treatment and prevention of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. The 3 patients received the product via nasograstric tube for a mean duration of 8.5 days before the culture result was positive, whereas only 2 of 41 control subjects had received it. Surveillance cultures for the control patients admitted at the same time did not reveal any carriers of the yeast. Strains from the probiotic capsules and the clinical isolates were identified as S. cerevisiae, with identical DNA fingerprinting. Discontinuation of use of the product in the unit stopped the outbreak of infection. A review of the literature identified another 57 cases of S. cerevisiae fungemia. Overall, 60% of these patients were in the ICU, and 71% were receiving enteral or parenteral nutrition. Use of probiotics was detected in 26 patients, and 17 patients died. CONCLUSIONS: Use of S. cerevisiae probiotics should be carefully reassessed, particularly in immunosuppressed or critically ill patients.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia after heart surgery: a prospective analysis and the value of surveillance.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency, etiology, and risk factors of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and purulent tracheobronchitis (TBX) in patients who have undergone heart surgery. To study the predictive role of systematic surveillance cultures. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Heart surgery intensive care unit. PATIENTS: Intubated heart surgical patients. INTERVENTIONS: Systematic tracheal aspirate and protected brush catheter cultures of all intubated patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Studied were the frequency of lower respiratory tract infection in ventilated patients and the role of surveillance cultures. The frequency of VAP was 7.87% (34.5 per 1,000 days of mechanical ventilation), and the criteria for purulent tracheobronchitis was fulfilled by 8.15% of patients (31.13 per 1,000 days of mechanical ventilation). After multivariate analysis, the variables independently associated with the development of respiratory tract infection were central nervous system disorder (relative risk [RR] = 4.7), ulcer disease (RR = 3.6), New York Heart Association score >/=3 (RR = 4), need for mechanical circulatory support (RR = 6.8), duration of mechanical ventilation >96 hrs (RR = 12.3), and reintubation (RR = 63.7). Mortality in our study was as follows: VAP patients, 57.1%; purulent tracheobronchitis patients, 20.7%; colonized patients, 11.5%; and noncolonized patients, 1.6%. Regular surveillance cultures were taken from all ventilated patients to assess the anticipative value of the cultures in predicting respiratory tract infection. A total of 1,626 respiratory surveillance samples were obtained. Surveillance cultures effectively predicted only one episode of VAP and one of tracheobronchitis. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing heart surgery have a high frequency of VAP. VAP is associated with a poor prognosis. In this study, surveillance cultures failed as an anticipative diagnostic method.