Risk Factors for Bloodstream Infections Due to ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., and Proteus mirabilis.

(1) Background: Risk factors for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) infections could vary geographically. The purpose of this study was to identify local risk factors for ESBL production in patients with Gram-negative bacteremia. (2) Methods: This retrospective observational study included adult patients admitted from January 2019 to July 2021 and had positive blood cultures for E. coli, K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, and P. mirabilis. Patients with ESBL infection were matched to a non-ESBL-producing infection with the same organism. (3) Results: A total of 150 patients were included: 50 in the ESBL group and 100 in the non-ESBL group. Patients in the ESBL group had a longer length of stay (11 vs. 7 days, p < 0.001), but not increased mortality (14% vs. 15%, p = 0.87) Multivariate analysis identified the receipt of >1 antibiotic in the last 90 days as a risk factor for ESBL infection (OR = 3.448, 95% CI = 1.494-7.957; p = 0.004); (4) Conclusions: Recent antimicrobial use was identified as an independent risk factors for ESBL-producing Enterobacterales infections. Knowledge of this risk may improve empirical therapy and reduce inappropriate use.

Evaluation of an Antifungal Stewardship Initiative Targeting Micafungin at an Academic Medical Center.

Delays in the treatment of proven invasive fungal disease have been shown to be harmful. However, empiric treatment for all patients at risk of infection has not demonstrated benefit. This study evaluates the effects of a micafungin stewardship initiative on the duration of therapy and clinical outcomes at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi. This single-center quasi-experiment evaluated patients who received micafungin. Adult inpatients who received at least one treatment dose of micafungin in the pre-intervention (1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021) or post-intervention (1 October 2021 to 30 April 2022) groups were included. Patients were placed on micafungin for prophylaxis and those who required definitive micafungin therapy were excluded. An algorithm was used to provide real-time recommendations in order to assess change in the treatment days of micafungin therapy. A total of 282 patients were included (141 pre-group versus 141 post-group). Over 80% of the patients included in the study were in an intensive care unit, and other baseline characteristics were similar. The median number of treatment days with micafungin was 4 [IQR 3-6] in the pre-group and 3 [IQR 2-6] in the post-group (p = 0.005). Other endpoints, such as time to discontinuation or de-escalation, hospital mortality, and hospital length of stay, were not significantly different between the groups. An antifungal stewardship initiative can be an effective way to decrease unnecessary empiric antifungal therapy for patients who are at risk of invasive fugal disease.

Routine Donor and Recipient Screening for Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma Species in Lung Transplant Recipients.

Background: Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Ureaplasma parvum may cause post-transplant infections in lung transplant recipients. We evaluated routine pretransplant screening for these Mollicutes. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of lung transplant recipients at our tri-site institution from 01/01/2015 to 11/15/2019. M. hominis and/or Ureaplasma polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on pretransplant recipient urine specimens and donor bronchial swabs at the time of transplantation. Development of Mollicute infection and hyperammonemia syndrome (HS) was recorded. Results: A total of 268 patients underwent lung transplantation during the study period, of whom 105 were screened with at least 1 Mollicute PCR. Twelve (11%) screened positive; 10 donors, 1 recipient, and 1 both. Among positive donors, 3 were positive for M. hominis, 5 for U. urealyticum, and 4 for U. parvum. Preemptive therapy included doxycycline, levofloxacin, and/or azithromycin administered for 1-12 weeks. Despite therapy, 1 case of M. hominis mediastinitis and 1 case of HS associated with Ureaplasma infection occurred, both donor-derived. Of those screened before transplant, cases with positive screening were more likely (P < 0.05) to develop Mollicute infection despite treatment (2/12, 17%) than those who screened negative (1/93, 1%). Conclusions: Pretransplant recipient urine screening had a low yield and was not correlated with post-transplant Mollicute infection, likely because most M. hominis and U. parvum/urealyticum infections in lung transplant recipients are donor-derived. Routine donor bronchus swab PCR for M. hominis, U. urealyticum, and U. parvum followed by preemptive therapy did not obviously impact the overall incidence of Mollicute infection or HS in this cohort.

Approach to fever in patients with neutropenia: a review of diagnosis and management.

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is associated with mortality rates as high as 40%, highlighting the importance of appropriate clinical management in this patient population. The morbidity and mortality of FN can be attributed largely to infectious processes, with specific concern for infections caused by pathogens with antimicrobial resistance. Expeditious identification of responsible pathogens and subsequent initiation of empiric antimicrobial therapy is imperative. There are four commonly used guidelines, which have variable recommendations for empiric therapy in these populations. All agree that changes could be made once patients are stable and/or with an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) over 500 cells/mcL. Diagnostic advances have the potential to improve knowledge of pathogens responsible for FN and decrease time to results. In addition, more recent data show that rapid de-escalation or discontinuation of empiric therapy, regardless of ANC, may reduce days of therapy, adverse effects, and cost, without affecting clinical outcomes. Antimicrobial and diagnostic stewardship should be performed to identify, utilize, and respond to appropriate rapid diagnostic tests that will aid in the definitive management of this population.

Metagenomic shotgun sequencing of blood to identify bacteria and viruses in leukemic febrile neutropenia.

Despite diagnostic advances in microbiology, the etiology of neutropenic fever remains elusive in most cases. In this study, we evaluated the utility of a metagenomic shotgun sequencing based assay for detection of bacteria and viruses in blood samples of patients with febrile neutropenia. We prospectively enrolled 20 acute leukemia patients and obtained blood from these patients at three time points: 1) anytime from onset of neutropenia until before development of neutropenic fever, 2) within 24 hours of onset of neutropenic fever, 3) 5-7 days after onset of neutropenic fever. Blood samples underwent sample preparation, sequencing and analysis using the iDTECT® Dx Blood v1® platform (PathoQuest, Paris, France). Clinically relevant viruses or bacteria were detected in three cases each by metagenomic shotgun sequencing and blood cultures, albeit with no concordance between the two. Further optimization of sample preparation methods and sequencing platforms is needed before widespread adoption of this technology into clinical practice.

COVID-19 Pathogenesis and Clinical Manifestations.

In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the virology, the host-pathogen interactions and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 in humans. We also describe the various clinical presentations of the disease including respiratory system and extrapulmonary manifestations.

Increased rates of blood culture contamination during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

We observed a higher rate of blood-culture contamination during the COVID-19 pandemic at our institution compared to a prepandemic period. Given the potential implications of blood contamination in antibiotic and diagnostic test utilization as well as added cost, it is imperative to continue efforts to minimize these episodes during the pandemic.

Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria From Septic Patients Using 16S Ribosomal RNA Gene-Targeted Metagenomic Sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Conventional blood cultures were compared to plasma cell-free DNA-based 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/next-generation sequencing (NGS) for detection and identification of potential pathogens in patients with sepsis. METHODS: Plasma was prospectively collected from 60 adult patients with sepsis presenting to the Mayo Clinic (Minnesota) Emergency Department from March through August 2019. Results of routine clinical blood cultures were compared to those of 16S rRNA gene NGS. RESULTS: Nineteen (32%) subjects had positive blood cultures, of which 13 yielded gram-negative bacilli, 5 gram-positive cocci, and 1 both gram-negative bacilli and gram-positive cocci. 16S rRNA gene NGS findings were concordant in 11. For the remaining 8, 16S rRNA gene NGS results yielded discordant detections (n = 5) or were negative (n = 3). Interestingly, Clostridium species were additionally detected by 16S rRNA gene NGS in 3 of the 6 subjects with gastrointestinal sources of gram-negative bacteremia and none of the 3 subjects with urinary sources of gram-negative bacteremia. In the 41 remaining subjects, 16S rRNA gene NGS detected at least 1 potentially pathogenic organism in 17. In 15, the detected microorganism clinically correlated with the patient's syndrome. In 17 subjects with a clinically defined infectious syndrome, neither test was positive; in the remaining 7 subjects, a noninfectious cause of clinical presentation was identified. CONCLUSIONS: 16S rRNA gene NGS may be useful for detecting bacteria in plasma of septic patients. In some cases of gram-negative sepsis, it may be possible to pinpoint a gastrointestinal or urinary source of sepsis based on the profile of bacteria detected in plasma.

D-index as a marker of bloodstream infections in patients with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Neutropenia is a risk factor for development of infections; however, the direct effect of neutropenia on development of bloodstream infection (BSI) is not known. D-index, which is area between the neutrophil time curve and a neutrophil count of 0.5 × 109 /L, incorporates the combined effect of severity and duration of neutropenia. We aimed to evaluate whether D-index can be used as a marker for BSI in patients with allogeneic stem cell transplantation. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation between January 1, 2005, and September 30, 2015. The primary outcome measure was the development of BSI within 30 days of transplantation. RESULTS: A total of 714 patients were included in the study of whom 101 developed BSI. Patients with BSI had a significantly higher median D-index value compared with patients who did not have BSI (4990 vs. 3570, P < .001). As a marker, the performance of the D-index was similar to that of the duration of profound neutropenia (P = .18) and significantly better than the total duration of neutropenia (P = .001). CONCLUSION: The D-index performed better than the total duration of neutropenia as a marker for BSI in patients with allogeneic stem cell transplantation. There was no difference between D-index and, a more easily calculable indicator, duration of profound neutropenia.

Management of Bloodstream Infections in Left Ventricular Assist Device Recipients: To Suppress, or Not to Suppress?

BACKGROUND: Ascertaining involvement of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in a patient presenting with bloodstream infection (BSI) can be challenging, frequently leading to use of chronic antimicrobial suppressive (CAS) therapy. We aimed to assess the efficacy of CAS therapy to prevent relapse of BSI from LVAD and non-LVAD sources. METHODS: We retrospectively screened adults receiving LVAD support from 2010 through 2018, to identify cases of BSI. Bloodstream infection events were classified into LVAD-related, LVAD-associated, and non-LVAD BSIs. RESULTS: A total of 121 episodes of BSI were identified in 80 patients. Of these, 35 cases in the LVAD-related, 14 in the LVAD-associated, and 46 in the non-LVAD BSI groups completed the recommended initial course of therapy and were evaluated for CAS therapy. Chronic antimicrobial suppressive therapy was prescribed in most of the LVAD-related BSI cases (32 of 35, 91.4%) and 12 (37.5%) experienced relapse. Chronic antimicrobial suppressive therapy was not prescribed in a majority of non-LVAD BSI cases (33, 58.9%), and most (31, 93.9%) did not experience relapse. Chronic antimicrobial suppressive therapy was prescribed in 9 of 14 (64.2%) cases of LVAD-associated BSI and none experienced relapse. Of the 5 cases in this group that were managed without CAS, 2 had relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting with LVAD-related BSI are at high risk of relapse. Consequently, CAS therapy may be a reasonable approach in the management of these cases. In contrast, routine use of CAS therapy may be unnecessary for non-LVAD BSIs.

Discriminative Ability and Reliability of Transesophageal Echocardiography in Characterizing Cases of Cardiac Device Lead Vegetations Versus Noninfectious Echodensities.

BACKGROUND: Approximately one-third of cases of cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infection present as CIED lead infection. The precise transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) definition and characterization of "vegetation" associated with CIED lead infection remain unclear. METHODS: We identified a sample of 25 consecutive cases of CIED lead infection managed at our institution between January 2010 and December 2017. Cases of CIED lead infection were classified using standardized definitions. Similarly, a sample of 25 noninfected patients who underwent TEE that showed a defined lead echodensity during the study period was included as a control group. TEEs were reviewed by 2 independent echocardiologists who were blinded to all linked patient demographic, clinical, and microbiological information. Reported echocardiographic variables of the infected vs noninfected cases were compared, and the overall diagnostic performance was analyzed. RESULTS: Descriptions of lead echodensities were variable and there were no significant differences in median echodensity diameter or mobility between infected vs noninfected groups. Among infected cases, blinded echocardiogram reports by either reviewer correctly made a prediction of infection in 6 of 25 (24%). Interechocardiologist agreement was 68%. Sensitivity of blinded TEEs ranged from 31.5% to 37.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Infectious vs noninfectious lead echodensities could not be reliably distinguished on the basis of size, mobility, and general shape descriptors obtained from a retrospective blinded TEE examination without knowledge of clinical and microbiological parameters. Therefore, a reanalysis of criteria used to support a diagnosis of CIED lead infection may be warranted.

The Impact of Surgical Strategy and Rifampin on Treatment Outcome in Cutibacterium Periprosthetic Joint Infections.

BACKGROUND: Cutibacterium species are common pathogens in periprosthetic joint infections (PJI). These infections are often treated with ß-lactams or clindamycin as monotherapy, or in combination with rifampin. Clinical evidence supporting the value of adding rifampin for treatment of Cutibacterium PJI is lacking. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective study, we evaluated patients with Cutibacterium PJI and a minimal follow-up of 12 months. The primary endpoint was clinical success, defined by the absence of infection relapse or new infection. We used Fisher's exact tests and Cox proportional hazards models to analyze the effect of rifampin and other factors on clinical success after PJI. RESULTS: We included 187 patients (72.2% male, median age 67 years) with a median follow-up of 36 months. The surgical intervention was a 2-stage exchange in 95 (50.8%), 1-stage exchange in 51 (27.3%), debridement and implant retention (DAIR) in 34 (18.2%), and explantation without reimplantation in 7 (3.7%) patients. Rifampin was included in the antibiotic regimen in 81 (43.3%) cases. Infection relapse occurred in 28 (15.0%), and new infection in 13 (7.0%) cases. In the time-to-event analysis, DAIR (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 2.15, P = .03) and antibiotic treatment over 6 weeks (adjusted HR = 0.29, P = .0002) significantly influenced treatment failure. We observed a tentative evidence for a beneficial effect of adding rifampin to the antibiotic treatment-though not statistically significant for treatment failure (adjusted HR = 0.5, P = .07) and not for relapses (adjusted HR = 0.5, P = .10). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that a rifampin combination is not markedly superior in Cutibacterium PJI, but a dedicated prospective multicenter study is needed.

India Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance (INTEREST) 2018: A needs assessment survey.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major problem in India with limited understanding of whether this issue is related to systems, prescriber characteristics, patient characteristics, or diagnostic technologies. In our survey, most of the issues lie in the easy availability of antimicrobials and the lack of electronic storage of medical and microbiological records.

Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

In this systematic review, we investigate the epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA). We identified 85 cases from 22 studies. The frequency of CAPA is currently unknown but ranges between <5% to >30% in different case series; the possibility of colonization rather than invasive disease is the most important confounder. The vast majority of patients with CAPA did not have any of the classic host risk factors, such as immunosuppression from organ transplant or neutropenia, although a significant proportion (46%) had received corticosteroids. Age, pulmonary comorbidities and male sex were associated with higher mortality. Patients treated with voriconazole had numerically lower case-fatality rate. Clinical vigilance for CAPA is advisable in critically ill patients with COVID-19 who are not improving, even those who do not meet classic host criteria for invasive mycoses, especially if they are receiving corticosteroids. A thorough, multi-faceted diagnostic work-up and early initiation of a mold-active triazole may be lifesaving. Further research studies using standardized, uniform definitions of invasive disease and colonization are urgently needed.

Management and Outcome of Left Ventricular Assist Device Infections in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative management of patients undergoing cardiac transplantation with an infected left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively screened all adults with an LVAD who underwent cardiac transplantation at our institution from 2010 through 2018. We selected all cases of LVAD-specific and LVAD-related infections who were receiving antimicrobial therapy as initial treatment course or chronic suppression at the time of cardiac transplantation. Non-LVAD infections, superficial driveline-infection, or concurrent use of right ventricular assist device or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 54 cases met study criteria with 18 of 54 (33.6%) classified as LVAD- specific or related infections and 36 of 54 (66.6%) as noninfected. cases of lvad infection had a higher median charlson comorbidity Index score at the time of transplantation compared with noninfected cases (P = .005). Of the 18 cases of infection, 13 of 18 (72.2%) were classified as LVAD-specific and 5 of 18 (27.8%) were classified as LVAD-related. Nine of 13 (69.2%) cases had proven LVAD-specific infections. Antimicrobial therapy was extended posttransplant to treat preceding LVAD-specific infection in all 9 cases (9 of 13, 69.2%) with a median duration of 14 days (interquartile range, 14-28). After LVAD removal, antimicrobial treatment was not continued for preceding LVAD-related infections. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with an LVAD-specific infection were treated with 2 weeks of pathogen-directed therapy postheart transplant without any relapses. For those without LVAD-specific infection or uncomplicated LVAD-related bacteremia who had completed antimicrobial therapy pretransplant, antibiotics were discontinued after standard perioperative prophylaxis and no relapses were observed.

Treatment Considerations for COVID-19: A Critical Review of the Evidence (or Lack Thereof).

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is causing a worldwide pandemic that may lead to a highly morbid and potentially fatal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is currently no drug that has been proven as an effective therapy for COVID-19. Several candidate drugs are being considered and evaluated for treatment. This includes clinically available drugs, such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and lopinavir/ritonavir, which are being repurposed for the treatment of COVID-19. Novel experimental therapies, such as remdesivir and favipiravir, are also actively being investigated for antiviral efficacy. Clinically available and investigational immunomodulators, such as the interleukin 6 inhibitors tocilizumab and sarilumab and the anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor lenzilumab, are being tested for their anticipated effect in counteracting the pro-inflammatory cytokine environment that characterizes severe and critical COVID-19. This review article examines the evidence behind the potential use of these leading drug candidates for the treatment of COVID-19. The authors conclude, based on this review, that there is still no high-quality evidence to support any of these proposed drug therapies. The authors, therefore, encourage the enrollment of eligible patients to multiple ongoing clinical trials that assess the efficacy and safety of these candidate therapies. Until the results of controlled trials are available, none of the suggested therapeutics is clinically proven as an effective therapy for COVID-19.

A Dimorphic Diagnosis of a Pleomorphic Disease: An Unusual Cause of Hypercalcemia.

BACKGROUND: Histoplasmosis is a rare cause of 1, 25-dihydroxy vitamin-D-mediated hypercalcemia. In this study, we report 2 cases of hypercalcemia secondary to histoplasmosis seen at Mayo Clinic, Rochester and a review of cases reported in the literature. METHODS: We conducted a PubMed search using the keywords "hypercalcemia" and "histoplasmosis." Fourteen cases of hypercalcemia secondary to histoplasmosis were reported between 1977 and 2020. We identified an additional 2 patients from our institution. RESULTS: We reviewed a total of 16 cases. The median age at presentation was 58.5 years (interquartile range, 41.5-68.75 years), and 13 of 16 patients (81.2%) were men. Serum parathyroid hormone level was available in 13 of 16 (81.25%) patients, of whom 11 patients (84.6%) had a low level, 1 patient (7.6%) had a normal level, and 1 patient (7.6%) had an elevated level. 1, 25-dihydroxy vitamin D level was reported in 9 of 16 (56.25%) patients. Of these, 5 patients (55.5%) had levels within normal limits, and 4 patients (44.4%) had levels above normal. Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme level was evaluated in 4 of 16 patients (25%), and it was elevated in all 4 (100%) cases. Four patients received corticosteroids before a diagnosis of histoplasmosis was made, which resulted in rapidly progressive disease and death in 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with granulomatous disorder and hypercalcemia, it is crucial to rule out infectious etiologies before initiating steroids. Histoplasmosis can cause nonparathyroid hormone-mediated hypercalcemia and, if not suspected, may have catastrophic implications.