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.

Epidemiology, Clinical Features, and Outcomes of Hospitalized Adults with COVID-19: Early Experience from an Academic Medical Center in Mississippi.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of hospitalized adults with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an academic medical center in the southern United States. METHODS: Retrospective, observational cohort study of all adult patients (18 years and older) consecutively admitted with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 infection between March 13 and April 25, 2020 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. All of the patients either survived to hospital discharge or died during hospitalization. Demographics, body mass index, comorbidities, clinical manifestations, and laboratory findings were collected. Patient outcomes (need for invasive mechanical ventilation and in-hospital death) were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred patients were included, 53% of whom were women. Median age was 59 years (interquartile range 44-70) and 66% were younger than 65. Seventy-five percent identified themselves as Black, despite representing 58% of hospitalized patients at our institution in 2019. Common comorbid conditions included hypertension (68%), obesity (65%), and diabetes mellitus (31%). Frequent clinical manifestations included shortness of breath (76%), cough (75%), and fever (64%). Symptoms were present for a median of 7 days (interquartile range 4-7) on presentation. Twenty-four percent of patients required mechanical ventilation and, overall, 19% died (67% of those requiring mechanical ventilation). Eighty-four percent of those who died were Black. On multivariate analysis, ever smoking (odds ratio [OR] 5.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-28.6) and history of diabetes mellitus (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.5-24.3) were associated with mortality, and those admitted from home were less likely to die (vs outside facility, OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.0-0.7). Neither age, sex, race, body mass index, insurance status, nor rural residence was independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our study adds evidence that Black patients appear to be overrepresented in those hospitalized with and those who die from COVID-19, likely a manifestation of adverse social determinants of health. These findings should help guide preventive interventions targeting groups at higher risk of acquiring and developing severe COVID-19 disease.

Health care personnel exposure to a patient with asymptomatic SARS-CoV2 infection during a prolonged surgical intervention.

There is ongoing debate regarding the role of aerosols in the transmission of SARS-CoV2 in the health care environment. Here, we report a case in which multiple operating room health care providers were exposed to a patient with asymptomatic SARS-CoV2 infection during a prolonged orthopedic surgical intervention and had no evidence of COVID-19 during the 14-day post-exposure period.

Seizures in an Immunocompetent Adult From Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection: Is Isoniazid to Blame?

Isoniazid-induced seizures are a rare adverse reaction especially in immunocompetent adults. We report a case of a healthy man with seizures shortly after ingestion of his first therapeutic dose of isoniazid with rifapentine therapy for treatment of latent tuberculosis infection. Only 6 other similar cases are reported in the literature.

How the Pathologist Can Help the Surgeon Collect Better Specimens for Microbiology Culture.

CONTEXT.­: Specimen quality is paramount for microbiology culture in order to ensure the testing is performed appropriately and the results, generated accurately, reflect the patient's clinical situation and guide proper treatment. Several factors play a critical role in guaranteeing the accuracy of the culture results, including adequate specimen collection by the surgeon, proper labeling, and timely transport to the laboratory. OBJECTIVE.­: To educate pathologists, surgeons, and other medical personnel involved in the collection and processing of surgical specimens submitted for microbiologic culture. To assure the pathogen is correctly identified, proper protocols must be followed. The accurate identification of the infectious microorganisms from surgical specimens is vital for the treating clinician to ensure the correct antimicrobial therapy is administered. DATA SOURCES.­: An analysis of relevant literature was performed by using PubMed. Articles were selected on the basis of their relevance to the topic as well as their date of publication. Articles published between 2000 and 2018 were deemed sufficient for inclusion, while older references, regardless of relevance, were excluded. CONCLUSIONS.­: The process of properly obtaining specimens for microbiology culture from the operating room is a complex process that requires collaboration between the collecting surgeon and the pathologist and microbiology laboratory in order to provide the highest quality of results from which important treatment decisions are then implemented. Engaging leadership to develop mutually agreed-upon institutional best practices will help not only to standardize practices but also to improve the quality of microbiology results reported.

Impact of a Multidisciplinary Infection Prevention Initiative on Central Line and Urinary Catheter Utilization in a Long-term Acute Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged central line (CL) and urinary catheter (UC) use can increase risk of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). METHODS: This interventional study conducted in a 76-bed long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) in Southeast Michigan was divided into 3 periods: pre-intervention (January 2015-June 2015), intervention (July-November 2015), and postintervention (December 2015-March 2017). During the intervention period, a multidisciplinary infection prevention team (MIPT) made weekly recommendations to remove unnecessary CL/UC or switch to alternate urinary/intravenous access. Device utilization ratios (DURs) and infection rates were compared between the study periods. Interrupted time series (ITS) and 0-inflated poisson (ZIP) regression were used to analyze DUR and CLABSI/CAUTI data, respectively. RESULTS: UC-DUR was 31% in the pre- and postintervention periods and 21% in the intervention period. CL-DUR decreased from 46% (pre-intervention) to 39% (intervention) to 37% (postintervention). The results of ITS analysis indicated nonsignificant decrease and increase in level/trend in DURs coinciding with our intervention. The CAUTI rate per catheter-days did not decrease during intervention (4.36) compared with pre- (2.49) and postintervention (1.93). The CLABSI rate per catheter-days decreased by 73% during intervention (0.39) compared with pre-intervention (1.45). Rates again quadrupled postintervention (1.58). ZIP analysis indicated a beneficial effect of intervention on infection rates without reaching statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that a workable MIPT initiative focusing on removal of unnecessary CL and UC can be easily implemented in an LTACH requiring minimal time and resources. A rebound increase in UC-DURs to pre-intervention levels after intervention end indicates that continued vigilance is required to maintain performance.

Comparison of complications in midlines versus central venous catheters: Are midlines safer than central venous lines?

BACKGROUND: With the rising use of midline catheters (MCs), validation of their safety is essential. Our study aimed to evaluate the incidence of bloodstream infections (BSIs) and other complications related to the use of MCs and central venous catheters (CVCs). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed at a tertiary care hospital in Detroit, Michigan, from March-September 2016. Adult patients with either MC or CVC were included. Outcomes assessed were catheter-related BSI (CRBSI), mechanical complications, hospital length of stay, readmission within 90 days of discharge (RA), and mortality. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS software. RESULTS: A total of 411 patients with MC and 282 patients with CVC were analyzed. More CRBSIs were seen in patients with CVC (10/282) than MC (1/411) (3.5% vs 0.2%, respectively; P = .0008). More mechanical complications were seen in patients with MC (2.6%) than CVC (0.3%; P = .03). Patients with CVC had a higher crude mortality (17.3% vs 5.3%; P < .0001), RA (58% vs 35%; P ≤ .0001), line-related RA (2.8% vs 0.2%; P = .0041), and transfer to intensive care unit after line placement (9% vs 5%; P = .01). CVC was a significant exposure for a composite of mortality, CRBSI, mechanical issues, thrombosis, and readmission because of a line-related complication (odds ratio, 3.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-5.8). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show use of MC is safer than CVC, but larger studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Bezlotoxumab: an emerging monoclonal antibody therapy for prevention of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common health care-acquired infection associated with high hospital expenditures. The incidence of subsequent recurrent CDI increases with prior episodes of CDI, 15%-35% risk after primary CDI to 35%-65% risk after the first recurrent episode. Recurrent CDI is one of the most challenging and a very difficult to treat infections. Standard guidelines provide recommendations on treatment of primary CDI. However, treatment choices for recurrent CDI are limited. Recent research studies have focused on the discovery of newer alternatives for prevention of recurrent CDI targeting prime virulence factors involved in C. difficile pathogenesis. Bezlotoxumab is a human monoclonal antibody directed against C. difficile toxin B. Multiple in vitro and in vivo animal studies have demonstrated direct binding of bezlotoxumab to C. difficile toxin B preventing intestinal epithelial damage and colitis. Furthermore, this monoclonal antibody mediates early reconstitution of gut microbiota preventing risk of recurrent CDI. Randomized placebo-controlled trials showed concomitant administration of a single intravenous dose of 10 mg/kg of bezlotoxumab, in patients on standard-of-care therapy for CDI, had no substantial effect on clinical cure rates but significantly reduced the incidence of recurrent CDI (~40%). It shows efficacy against multiple strains, including the epidemic BI/NAP1/027 strain. Bezlotoxumab is a US Food and Drug administration-approved, safe and well-tolerated drug with low risk of serious adverse events and drug-drug interactions. Bezlotoxumab has emerged as a novel dynamic adjunctive therapy for prevention of recurrent CDI. Further studies on real-world experience with bezlotoxumab and its impact in reducing rates of recurrent CDI are needed.

Candida auris: a worrisome, globally emerging pathogen.

INTRODUCTION: Candida auris is a recently discovered, rapidly emerging fungal pathogen. Infections due to C. auris are hospital-acquired, multidrug resistant and associated with high mortality. Areas covered: This review highlights epidemiology, pathogenesis, microbiological characteristics, clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges and treatment options of C. auris infections. Infection prevention measures to prevent spread of C. auris and special measures during an outbreak situation have also been reviewed. Expert commentary: Rapid emergence of hospital onset C. auris is worrisome. Early diagnosis of C. auris is essential for better outcomes and the implementation of infection prevention measures. Lack of widespread awareness, absence of general availability of diagnostic testing methods, and limited options for treatment of C. auris infections make it a difficult-to-treat pathogen. Further studies are needed for better understanding of this emerging pathogen.

Risk of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients on Concomitant Vancomycin and Piperacillin-Tazobactam Compared to Those on Vancomycin and Cefepime.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests that among patients receiving vancomycin, receipt of concomitant piperacillin-tazobactam increases the risk of nephrotoxicity. Well-controlled, adequately powered studies comparing rates of acute kidney injury (AKI) among patients receiving vancomycin + piperacillin-tazobactam (VPT) compared to similar patients receiving vancomycin + cefepime (VC) are lacking. In this study we compared the incidence of AKI among patients receiving combination therapy with VPT to a matched group receiving VC. METHODS: A retrospective, matched, cohort study was performed. Patients were eligible if they received combination therapy for ≥48 hours. Patients were excluded if their baseline serum creatinine was >1.2mg/dL or they were receiving renal replacement therapy. Patients receiving VC were matched to patients receiving VPT based on severity of illness, intensive care unit status, duration of combination therapy, vancomycin dose, and number of concomitant nephrotoxins. The primary outcome was the incidence of AKI. Multivariate modeling was performed using Cox proportional hazards. RESULTS: A total of 558 patients were included. AKI rates were significantly higher in the VPT group than the VC group (81/279 [29%] vs 31/279 [11%]). In multivariate analysis, therapy with VPT was an independent predictor for AKI (hazard ratio = 4.27; 95% confidence interval, 2.73-6.68). Among patients who developed AKI, the median onset was more rapid in the VPT group compared to the VC group (3 vs 5 days P =< .0001). CONCLUSION: The VPT combination was associated with both an increased AKI risk and a more rapid onset of AKI compared to the VC combination.

Intravenous Tigecycline Facilitates Cure of Severe Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) After Failure of Standard Therapy: A Case Report and Literature Review of Tigecycline Use in CDI.

Standard treatment for severe Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is oral vancomycin with metronidazole. After failure of this standard regimen, treatment becomes challenging. A young woman treated for septic shock developed CDI. Standard treatment failed and she was ineligible for fecal transplant. Addition of tigecycline to her regimen resulted in cure.

Epidemiology of Acute Kidney Injury among Patients Receiving Concomitant Vancomycin and Piperacillin-Tazobactam: Opportunities for Antimicrobial Stewardship.

Despite their common use as an empirical combination therapy for the better part of a decade, there has been a recent association between combination therapy with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam and high rates of acute kidney injury (AKI). The reasons for this increased association are unclear, and this analysis was designed to investigate the association. Retrospective cohort and case-control studies were performed. The primary objective was to assess if there is an association between extended-infusion piperacillin-tazobactam in combination with vancomycin and development of AKI. The secondary objectives were to identify risk factors for AKI in patients on the combination, regardless of infusion strategy, and to evaluate the impact of AKI on clinical outcomes. AKI occurred in 105/320 (33%) patients from the cohort receiving combination therapy with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam, with similar rates seen in those receiving intermittent (53/160 [33.1%]) and extended infusions (52/160 [32.5%]) of piperacillin-tazobactam. Independent risk factors for AKI in the cohort included having a documented Gram-positive infection, the presence of sepsis, receipt of a vancomycin loading dose (odds ratio [OR], 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05 to 4.71), and receipt of any concomitant nephrotoxin (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.41 to 4.22). For at-risk patients remaining on combination therapy, the highest rates of AKI occurred on days 4 (10.7%) and 5 (19.3%). The incidence of AKI in patients on combination therapy with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam is high, occurring in 33% of patients. Receipt of piperacillin-tazobactam as an extended infusion did not increase this risk. Modifiable risk factors for AKI include receipt of a vancomycin loading dose, concomitant nephrotoxins, and longer durations of therapy.

Clinical and economic benefits of fidaxomicin compared to vancomycin for Clostridium difficile infection.

We studied the clinical and economic impact of a protocol encouraging the use of fidaxomicin as a first-line drug for treatment of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients hospitalized during a 2-year period. This study evaluated patients who received oral vancomycin or fidaxomicin for the treatment of CDI during a 2-year period. All included patients were eligible for administration of fidaxomicin via a protocol that encouraged its use for selected patients. The primary clinical endpoint was 90-day readmission with a diagnosis of CDI. Hospital charges and insurance reimbursements for readmissions were calculated along with the cost of CDI therapy to estimate the financial impact of the choice of therapy. Recurrences were seen in 10/49 (20.4%) fidaxomicin patients and 19/46 (41.3%) vancomycin patients (P = 0.027). In a multivariate analysis that included determinations of severity of CDI, serum creatinine increases, and concomitant antibiotic use, only fidaxomicin was significantly associated with decreased recurrence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12 to 0.93). The total lengths of stay of readmitted patients were 183 days for vancomycin and 87 days for fidaxomicin, with costs of $454,800 and $196,200, respectively. Readmissions for CDI were reimbursed on the basis of the severity of CDI, totaling $151,136 for vancomycin and $107,176 for fidaxomicin. Fidaxomicin drug costs totaled $62,112, and vancomycin drug costs were $6,646. We calculated that the hospital lost an average of $3,286 per fidaxomicin-treated patient and $6,333 per vancomycin-treated patient, thus saving $3,047 per patient with fidaxomicin. Fidaxomicin use for CDI treatment prevented readmission and decreased hospital costs compared to use of oral vancomycin.