Highly drug-resistant bacteria: Is intra- and inter-hospital communication optimal?

OBJECTIVES: Communication represents a key component of the control of highly drug-resistant bacteria (HDRB) in healthcare settings. This survey assessed communication strategies developed and adopted in a large hospital network. METHODS: An online survey was sent to 83 infection control specialists working in hospitals of the Pays de la Loire region, France, in June 2016. Internal and external systems of identification and communication of HDRB status (colonized and contact patients) were assessed at the following steps of the hospital pathway: patient admission, during the stay, at discharge, and at readmission. RESULTS: Sixty-one hospitals (73%) participated in the survey: 31 (51%) had recently managed colonized patients and 51 (93%) had recently managed contact patients. At patient admission, 28 (46%) hospitals had an identification system for repatriated patients. During hospital stay, the colonized or contact status was informed in computerized patient records for 47/57 (82%) and 43 (75%) hospitals, respectively. At patient discharge, 56/61 (92%) hospitals declared transmitting the HDRB status to the downstream ward. Twenty-six and 25/60 (43% and 42%) hospitals had an automated alert system at readmission of colonized or contact patients, respectively. This strategy met the expectations of 15/61 (26%) infection control specialists. CONCLUSION: Efforts are still required in terms of communication for HDRB control. Sharing experiences and tools developed by hospitals may be beneficial for the entire hospital network.

Control strategy for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in nursing homes: perspectives inspired from three outbreaks.

Three outbreaks of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in three nursing homes in western France were retrospectively assessed. In all, ten cases of colonization or infection with CPE were detected upon admission in neighbouring hospitals. Antibiotic consumption or high frailty was infrequent among them. Nursing homes should be included in a regional strategy to limit CPE spread.

HLA-B*38:02:01 predicts carbimazole/methimazole-induced agranulocytosis.

Thioamides antithyroid-drugs (ATDs) are important in hyperthyroid disease management. Identification of the susceptibility locus of ATD-induced agranulocytosis is important for clinical management. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 20 patients with ATD-induced agranulocytosis and 775 healthy controls. The top finding was further replicated. A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs185386680, showed the strongest association with ATD-induced agranulocytosis in GWAS (odds ratio (OR) = 36.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 12.8-103.7; P = 1.3 × 10(-24)) and replication (OR = 37; 95% CI = 3.7-367.4; P = 9.6 × 10(-7)). HLA-B*38:02:01 was in complete linkage disequilibrium with rs185386680. High-resolution HLA typing confirmed that HLA-B*38:02:01 was associated with carbimazole (CMZ)/methimazole (MMI)-induced agranulocytosis (OR = 265.5; 95% CI = 27.9-2528.0; P = 2.5 × 10(-14)), but not associated with propylthiouracil (PTU). The positive and negative predictive values of HLA-B*38:02:01 in predicting CMZ/MMI-induced agranulocytosis were 0.07 and 0.999. Approximately 211 cases need to be screened to prevent one case. Screening for the risk allele will be useful in preventing agranulocytosis in populations in which the frequency of the risk allele is high.