Disinfecting handheld electronic devices with UV-C in a healthcare setting.

Handheld Electronic Devices (HEDs) play a central role in the hospital environment. However, they can be a vehicle for transmitting (pathogenic) microorganisms. We studied whether disinfection with UV-C light is successful in disinfecting three different HEDs in a clinical setting. Disinfection with UV-C light was performed with the UV-Smart® D25. We took a total of 800 samples on two departments and counted colony forming units. More than half of the baseline measurements were moderately (>10CFU) or highly (>50 CFU) contaminated. Post-disinfection the CFU was 0 in 87% of measurements. We conclude that the UV-Smart® D25 can be used to disinfect non-critical HEDs in clinical healthcare.

The Transmissibility of Antibiotic-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Intensive Care Units.

Background: The global emergence of infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae resistant to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs) in intensive care units (ICUs) is, at least partly, driven by cross-transmission. Yet, individual transmission capacities of bacterial species have not been quantified. Methods: In this post hoc analysis of a multicenter study in 13 European ICUs, prospective surveillance data and a mathematical model were used to estimate transmission capacities and single-admission reproduction numbers (RA) of Escherichia coli and non-E. coli Enterobacteriaceae (non-EcE), all being ESC resistant. Surveillance was based on a chromogenic selective medium for ESC-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, allowing identification of E. coli and of Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, and Citrobacter species, grouped as non-EcE. Results: Among 11420 patients included, the admission prevalence was 3.8% for non-EcE (74% being Klebsiella pneumoniae) and 3.3% for E. coli. Acquisition rates were 7.4 and 2.6 per 100 admissions at risk for non-EcE and E. coli, respectively. The estimated transmission capacity of non-EcE was 3.7 (95% credibility interval [CrI], 1.4-11.3) times higher than that of E. coli, yielding single-admission reproduction numbers (RA) of 0.17 (95% CrI, .094-.29) for non-EcE and 0.047 (95% CrI, .018-.098) for E. coli. Conclusions: In ICUs, non-EcE, mainly K. pneumoniae, are 3.7 times more transmissible than E. coli. Estimated RA values of these bacteria were below the critical threshold of 1, suggesting that in these ICUs outbreaks typically remain small with current infection control policies.

Within-Host and Population Transmission of blaOXA-48 in K. pneumoniae and E. coli.

During a large hospital outbreak of OXA-48 producing bacteria, most K. pneumoniaeOXA-48 isolates were phenotypically resistant to meropenem or imipenem, whereas most E. coliOXA-48 isolates were phenotypically susceptible to these antibiotics. In the absence of molecular gene-detection E. coliOXA-48 could remain undetected, facilitating cross-transmission and horizontal gene transfer of blaOXA-48. Based on 868 longitudinal molecular microbiological screening results from patients carrying K. pneumoniaeOXA-48 (n = 24), E. coliOXA-48 (n = 17), or both (n = 40) and mathematical modelling we determined mean durations of colonisation (278 and 225 days for K. pneumoniaeOXA-48 and E. coliOXA-48, respectively), and horizontal gene transfer rates (0.0091/day from K. pneumoniae to E. coli and 0.0015/day vice versa). Based on these findings the maximum effect of horizontal gene transfer of blaOXA-48 originating from E. coliOXA-48 on the basic reproduction number (R0) is 1.9%, and it is, therefore, unlikely that phenotypically susceptible E. coliOXA-48 will contribute significantly to the spread of blaOXA-48.

The association between colonization with carbapenemase-producing enterobacteriaceae and overall ICU mortality: an observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Infections caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae are increasing worldwide, especially in ICUs, and have been associated with high mortality rates. However, unequivocally demonstrating causality of such infections to death is difficult in critically ill patients because of potential confounding and competing events. Here, we quantified the effects of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae carriage on patient outcome in two Greek ICUs with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae endemicity. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: Two ICUs with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae endemicity. PATIENTS: Patients admitted to the ICU with an expected length of ICU stay of at least 3 days were included. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae colonization was established through screening in perineum swabs obtained at admission and twice weekly and inoculated on chromogenic plates. Detection of carbapenemases was performed phenotypically, with confirmation by polymerase chain reaction. Risk factors for ICU mortality were evaluated using cause-specific hazard ratios and subdistribution hazard ratios, with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae colonization as time-varying covariate. One thousand seven patients were included, 36 (3.6%) were colonized at admission, and 96 (9.5%) acquired carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae colonization during ICU stay, and 301 (29.9%) died in ICU. Of 132 carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolates, 125 (94.7%) were Klebsiella pneumoniae and 74 harbored K. pneumoniae carbapenemase (56.1%), 54 metallo-ß-lactamase (40.9%), and four both (3.0%). Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae colonization was associated with a statistically significant increase of the subdistribution hazard ratio for ICU mortality (subdistribution hazard ratio=1.79; 95% CI, 1.31-2.43), not explained by an increased daily hazard of dying (cause-specific hazard ratio for death=1.02; 95% CI, 0.74-1.41), but by an increased length of stay (cause-specific hazard ratio for discharge alive=0.73; 95% CI, 0.51-0.94). Other risk factors in the subdistribution hazard model were Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (subdistribution hazard ratio=1.13; 95% CI, 1.11-1.15), female gender (subdistribution hazard ratio=1.29; 95% CI, 1.02-1.62), presence of solid tumor (subdistribution hazard ratio=1.54; 95% CI, 1.15-2.06), hematopoietic malignancy (subdistribution hazard ratio=1.61; 95% CI, 1.04-2.51), and immunodeficiency (subdistribution hazard ratio=1.59; 95% CI, 1.11-2.27). CONCLUSIONS: Patients colonized with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae have on average a 1.79 times higher hazard of dying in ICU than noncolonized patients, primarily because of an increased length of stay.

Interventions to reduce colonisation and transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in intensive care units: an interrupted time series study and cluster randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care units (ICUs) are high-risk areas for transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, but no controlled study has tested the effect of rapid screening and isolation of carriers on transmission in settings with best-standard precautions. We assessed interventions to reduce colonisation and transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in European ICUs. METHODS: We did this study in three phases at 13 ICUs. After a 6 month baseline period (phase 1), we did an interrupted time series study of universal chlorhexidine body-washing combined with hand hygiene improvement for 6 months (phase 2), followed by a 12-15 month cluster randomised trial (phase 3). ICUs were randomly assigned by computer generated randomisation schedule to either conventional screening (chromogenic screening for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] and vancomycin-resistant enterococci [VRE]) or rapid screening (PCR testing for MRSA and VRE and chromogenic screening for highly resistant Enterobacteriaceae [HRE]); with contact precautions for identified carriers. The primary outcome was acquisition of resistant bacteria per 100 patient-days at risk, for which we calculated step changes and changes in trends after the introduction of each intervention. We assessed acquisition by microbiological surveillance and analysed it with a multilevel Poisson segmented regression model. We compared screening groups with a likelihood ratio test that combined step changes and changes to trend. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00976638. FINDINGS: Seven ICUs were assigned to rapid screening and six to conventional screening. Mean hand hygiene compliance improved from 52% in phase 1 to 69% in phase 2, and 77% in phase 3. Median proportions of patients receiving chlorhexidine body-washing increased from 0% to 100% at the start of phase 2. For trends in acquisition of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, weekly incidence rate ratio (IRR) was 0·976 (0·954-0·999) for phase 2 and 1·015 (0·998-1·032) for phase 3. For step changes, weekly IRR was 0·955 (0·676-1·348) for phase 2 and 0·634 (0·349-1·153) for phase 3. The decrease in trend in phase 2 was largely caused by changes in acquisition of MRSA (weekly IRR 0·925, 95% CI 0·890-0·962). Acquisition was lower in the conventional screening group than in the rapid screening group, but did not differ significantly (p=0·06). INTERPRETATION: Improved hand hygiene plus unit-wide chlorhexidine body-washing reduced acquisition of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, particularly MRSA. In the context of a sustained high level of compliance to hand hygiene and chlorhexidine bathings, screening and isolation of carriers do not reduce acquisition rates of multidrug-resistant bacteria, whether or not screening is done with rapid testing or conventional testing. FUNDING: European Commission.

Chlorhexidine body washing to control antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in intensive care units: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (AMRB) are increasing worldwide, especially in intensive care units (ICUs). Chlorhexidine body washing (CHG-BW) has been proposed as a measure to limit the spread of AMRB. We have systematically assessed the evidence on the effectiveness of CHG-BW in reducing colonization and infection with AMRB in adult ICU patients. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and OpenSigle databases were searched using synonyms for "intensive care unit," "hospital," and "chlorhexidine." All potentially relevant articles were examined by two independent reviewers. Inclusion was limited to studies with ICU patients as domain, providing outcomes related to colonization or infection with AMRB. Data from 16 studies were extracted; 9 were excluded because of assessed high risk of bias or inadequate analyses. The remaining studies differed markedly in (co-)interventions and case mix, which precluded pooling of data in a formal meta-analysis. RESULTS: Incidences of MRSA acquisition were reduced significantly in three studies in which this was the primary endpoint. Significant reduction in MRSA infection rates was observed in only one of five studies. Carriage and bacteremia rates of VRE were assessed in one study, and both significantly declined. There were hardly any data on the effects of CHG-BW on antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria (ARGNB). CONCLUSIONS: CHG-BW may be effective in preventing carriage, and possibly bloodstream infections, with MRSA and VRE in different ICU settings. As CHG-BW protocols, co-interventions and case mix varied widely, attribution of these effects to CHG-BW alone should be done with care. Evidence that CHG-BW reduces carriage of or infections with ARGNB is lacking.

Recent trends in antibiotic resistance in European ICUs.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Antimicrobial resistance is an emerging problem in ICUs worldwide. As numbers of published results from national/international surveillance studies rise rapidly, the amount of new information may be overwhelming. Therefore, we reviewed recent trends in antibiotic resistance in ICUs across Europe in the past 18 months. RECENT FINDINGS: In this period, infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus appeared to stabilize (and even decrease) in some countries, and infection rates due to Gram-positive bacteria resistant to vancomycin, linezolid or daptomycin have remained low. In contrast, we are witnessing a continent-wide emergence of infections caused by multiresistant Gram-negative bacteria, especially Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, with easily exchangeable resistance genes located on plasmids, producing enzymes such as extended spectrum ß-lactamases and carbapenamases. In the absence of new antibiotics, prevention of infections, reducing unnecessary antibiotic use, optimizing adherence to universal hygienic and infection control measures, and improving implementation of diagnostic tests are our only tools to combat this threat. SUMMARY: As the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance in ICUs is rapidly changing toward more frequently occurring epidemics and endemicity of multi and panresistant Gram-negative pathogens, better infection control and improved diagnostics will become even more important than before.