Colonisation by multidrug-resistant organisms in health workers in primary care: narrow spectrum oral antimicrobials are a risk factor.

BACKGROUND: Limited information exists on carriage of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) by health workers (HWs) in primary care settings. This study aims to determine the prevalence of MDRO carriage among HWs in primary care and to identify associated risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted across all 12 primary care units in São Caetano do Sul-SP, Brazil, from October to December 2023. Self-collected samples (nasal, oropharyngeal, and inguinal) were obtained. Environment cultures (potable water, sewage and stream water) were evaluated. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates (human and environmental) were typed. RESULTS: The study included 265/288 (92%) of HWs in primary care teams, mostly women with a median age of 47 years (IQR 38-57); 78% had no comorbidities. MDRO colonisation was found in 8.7% (23 HWs). The following bacteria were found: S. maltophilia (n = 9; 3.4%) in inguinal swabs; methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (n = 8; 3%) from all sites; extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing bacteria (n = 5; 2%) in inguinal swabs; and vancomycin-resistant enterococci in an inguinal swab (n = 1; 0.4%). Previous antibiotic use was significantly associated with MDRO colonisation (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.19-7.09, p = 0.018), mainly narrow spectrum oral beta-lactams and macrolides. S. malthophilia was polyclonal and human and environmental isolates differed. CONCLUSION: Colonisation by MRSA, VRE, and ESBL-producing bacteria was low; however, 4% were surprisingly colonized by polyclonal S. maltophilia. This pathogen may also suggest using narrow-spectrum rather than the expected broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Antibiotic use was the only risk factor found, mainly with oral narrow-spectrum drugs.

Strategies for deployment of ultraviolet disinfection in an acute care facility: A quality improvement initiative.

BACKGROUND: Mobile ultraviolet (UV) disinfection uses UV-C light to render microorganisms nonviable and reduce environmental transmission of pathogens in hospital settings. Optimal strategies for deployment must consider the cost, physical layout, and staffing resources. The aim of this quality improvement study was to increase UV disinfection utilization by developing novel deployment strategies without adding resources. METHODS: A novel deployment strategy and tools were developed by a multidisciplinary group that included infection prevention, environmental services, and nursing unit staff. Utilization was tracked via a manufacturer-supported database. The infection prevention team analyzed the weekly UV disinfection minutes, cycles, and proportions of cycles completed in defined areas across 4 periods: baseline, pilot, baseline 2, and intervention. RESULTS: The median (range) disinfection cycle times per week during a geographically confined pilot (4,985 minutes [3,476-6,551] minutes) and the intervention period (1,454 [512-3,085] minutes) were lower than either baseline period (5,394 [3,953-6,987] and 6,641 [2,830-7,276] minutes, respectively). Cycles per week were lower in the intervention period than in the preceding 3 periods. CONCLUSIONS: Use of UV disinfection in acute care settings should be guided by multidisciplinary groups balancing resources against efficacy and using tailored tools to promote efficiency.

Decrease in Mortality from Sepsis: Impact of the Multidisciplinary Program for the Hematologic Patient at Very High Risk.

A program for the hematologic patient at very high risk of infections (HAR, from its initials in Spanish) was implemented, based on a multidisciplinary team and six measures intended to reduce the colonization and subsequent sepsis by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO). We aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the HAR program in terms of MDRO infections mainly caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing and multidrug-resistant Pseudomona aeruginosa, and sepsis-related mortality. We established retrospective comparisons between the pre-HAR period (2016-2018) and the post-HAR period (2018-2019), in patients who received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and/or intensive chemotherapy to treat non-M3 acute myeloid leukemia (CH-AML). We included 262 patients: 176 pre-HAR and 86 post-HAR. MDRO infection was 4.6% at 30 days and 6.1% at 90 days (all the cases during the pre-HAR period). Sepsis-related mortality was 6.5%, considering a median follow-up of 608 days: 6.1% in the HSCT group and 12.4% in the CH-AML group (p = 0.306). Sepsis-related mortality was 8.7% in the pre-HAR period and 0% in the post-HAR period (p = 0.014). The implementation of this multidisciplinary program based in preventive measures and the appropriate use of antibiotics enabled a decrease in sepsis-related mortality in very high-risk hematologic patients.

Characterization of Antibiotic Use, Documented Infection and Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Palliative Care Patients Admitted to a Private Hospital in Brazil: A Retrospective, Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Antibiotic use in palliative care patients is a frequent dilemma. The benefits of their use in terms of quality of end-of-life care or survival improvement are not clear and the potential harm and futility of this practice not well established. Our aim was to characterise the prevalence of antibiotic use, documented infection and multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) colonisation among palliative care patients admitted to a private hospital in Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all palliative care patients admitted to our hospital during 1 year, including demographic characteristics, diagnosis of infectious disease at admission, antibiotic use during hospital stay, infectious agents isolated in cultures, documented MDRO colonisation and hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 114 patients were included in the analysis. Forty-five (39%) were male and the median age was 83 years. About 78% of the patients had an infectious diagnosis at hospital admission and 80% of the patients not admitted with an infectious diagnosis used antibiotics during their stay, out of which a great proportion of large spectrum antibiotics. Previous MDRO colonisation and hospital mortality were similar between patients admitted with or without an infectious diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Infection is the leading cause of hospital admission in palliative care patients. However, antibiotics prescription is also very prevalent during hospital stay of patients not admitted with an infectious condition. Mortality is very high regardless of the initial reason for hospital admission. Therefore, the impact of multiple large spectrum antibiotics prescription and consequent significant cost burden should be urgently confronted with the real benefit to these patients.

Infectious complications related to medical tourism.

BACKGROUND: Medical tourism has been increasing dramatically globally, with people travelling from developed countries to low-income or middle-income countries, often to avoid high costs or long delays associated with seeking healthcare in their countries of origin. The current review summarizes healthcare-related infections associated with medical tourism, focusing on cosmetic surgery and organ transplantation. METHODS: A systematic MEDLINE and PubMed search from January 2010 to December 2019 yielded 80 relevant articles, including 49 articles on medical tourism-related infections focusing on cosmetic surgery and organ transplantation, which were included in this reviews. RESULTS: The literature reveals specific types of cross-border, healthcare-related infections depending on medical intervention. Destinations include low-income countries such as countries of Asia and the Indian subcontinent, middle-income countries including Central and South America, and high-income countries such as the United States and Europe. In terms of type of infections, in 36 (68%) and 15 (28.3%) studies, wound and blood-borne infections were documented, respectively, while in 21 studies (58.3%) non-tuberculous mycobacteria were isolated, including Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium chelonae, Mycobacterium senegalense and Mycobacterium fortuitum. The choices of medical tourists could have significant consequences for them and their home countries, including infectious complications and importation of pathogens, particularly antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, with public health implications. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for public health strategies in order to prevent morbidity and mortality as well as future management and education of patients engaging in medical tourism.

Fecal Microbiome Characteristics and the Resistome Associated With Acquisition of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms Among Elderly Subjects.

Infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) lead to considerable morbidity and mortality. The elderly population residing in nursing homes are a major reservoir of MDRO. Our objective was to characterize the fecal microbiome of 82 elderly subjects from 23 nursing homes and compare their resistome to that of healthy young persons. Comparisons of microbiome composition and the resistome between subjects who acquired MDRO or not were analyzed to characterize specific microbiome disruption indices (MDI) associated with MDRO acquisition. An approach based on both 16S rRNA amplicon and whole metagenome shotgun (WMS) sequencing data was used. The microbiome of the study cohort was substantially perturbed, with Bacteroides, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria predominating. Compared to healthy persons, the cohort of elderly persons had an increased number, abundance, and diversity of antimicrobial resistance genes. High proportions of study subjects harbored genes for multidrug-efflux pumps (96%) and linezolid resistance (52%). Among the 302 antimicrobial resistance gene families identified in any subject, 60% were exclusively detected within the study cohort, including Class D beta-lactamase genes. Subjects who acquired MDRO or not had significant differences in bacterial taxa; Odoribacter laneus, and Akkermansia muciniphila were significantly greater among subjects who did not acquire MDRO whereas Blautia hydrogenotrophica predominated among subjects who acquired MDRO. These findings suggest that specific MDI may identify persons at high risk of acquiring MDRO.

Factores de riesgo en infecciones por organismos multidroga resistentes en pacientes pediátricos oncológicos en la Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica (UNOP) de Guatemala

Introducción: Las infecciones por organismos multidroga resistentes (MDR) en pacientes oncológicos pediátricos se han convertido en una causa frecuente de morbilidad y mortalidad. Objetivos: El objetivo principal de este estudio fue determinar la incidencia y los factores de riesgo para estas infecciones en una muestra de pacientes de la UNOP. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de tipo retrospectivo. Se incluyeron pacientes de la unidad de nosocomiales con infección por organismos MDR con cultivo positivo (hemocultivo, uro cultivo, aspirado oro traqueal cultivo de secreción). Se revisaron los registros comprendidos entre 1 de enero del 2015 al 31 de diciembre del 2015; obteniendo los registros médicos de 30 pacientes que cumplían con los criterios de inclusión. Resultados: Se observó que el 60% de los pacientes con infecciones por organismo MDR son del sexo femenino, el 70% poseen el diagnóstico de un tumor hematológico y el 37% tuvieron como diagnóstico bacteriemia/sepsis, siendo la incidencia de ésta de 3.49%. Palabras Claves: factores de riesgo, Infecciones por organismos multidroga resistentes, pacientes oncológicos pediátricos. A. baumannii, K. pneumonie; cancer pediátrico.

Introduction: Multidrug resistant (MDR) organism infections in pediatric oncology patients have become a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. The main objective of the following study was to determine the incidence and risk factors associated to MDR organisms infections in a sample of patients from UNOP. Methods: Retrospective study. The inclusion criteria were documented MDR infection with positive culture (blood, urinary, tissue or endotracheal aspirate). We reviewed medical records between January 1st, 2015 to December 31st, 2015; obtaining the medical records of 30 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Results: Sixty percent (60%) of patients female; 70% had the diagnosis of hematologic malignancy; 37% of patients were diagnosed with clinical sepsis and the incidence of sepsis was 3.49%. Key words: risk factors, infections by multidrug-resistant organisms, pediatric cancer patients. A. baumannii, K. pneumonie; pediatric cancer

Predominance of Lactobacillus spp. Among Patients Who Do Not Acquire Multidrug-Resistant Organisms.

BACKGROUND: The emergence and dissemination of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) is a global threat. Characterizing the human microbiome among hospitalized patients and identifying unique microbial signatures among those patients who acquire MDROs may identify novel infection prevention strategies. METHODS: Adult patients admitted to 5 general medical-surgical floors at a 649-bed, tertiary care center in Boston, Massachusetts, were classified according to in-hospital antimicrobial exposure and MDRO colonization status. Within 48 hours of hospital admission (baseline) and at discharge (follow-up), rectal swab samples were obtained, and compared with samples from an external control group of healthy persons from the community. DNA was extracted from samples, next-generation sequencing performed, and microbial community structure and taxonomic features assessed, comparing those who acquired MDROs and those who had not, and the external controls. RESULTS: Hospitalized patients (n = 44) had reduced microbial diversity and a greater abundance of Escherichia spp. and Enterococcus spp. than healthy controls (n = 26). Among hospitalized patients, 25 had no MDROs at the time of the baseline sample and were also exposed to antimicrobials. Among this group, 7 (28%) acquired ≥1 MDRO; demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between MDRO-acquisition and MDRO-nonacquisition groups. Patients in the nonacquisition group had consistently higher Lactobacillus spp. abundance than those in the acquisition group (linear discriminant score, 3.97; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: The fecal microbiota of the hospitalized subjects had abnormal community composition, and Lactobacillus spp. was associated with lack of MDRO acquisition, consistent with a protective role.

Aerobic bacterial profile and antibiotic resistance in patients with diabetic foot infections

ABSTRACTINTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine the frequencies of bacterial isolates cultured from diabetic foot infections and assess their resistance and susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics.METHODS: This prospective study included 41 patients with diabetic foot lesions. Bacteria were isolated from foot lesions, and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern was determined using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method and/or broth method [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)].RESULTS: The most common location of ulceration was the toe (54%), followed by the plantar surface (27%) and dorsal portion (19%). A total of 89 bacterial isolates were obtained from 30 patients. The infections were predominantly due to Gram-positive bacteria and polymicrobial bacteremia. The most commonly isolated Gram-positive bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The most commonly isolated Gram-negative bacteria were Proteus spp. and Enterobacterspp., followed by Escherichia coli, Pseudomonasspp., and Citrobacterspp. Nine cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) had cefoxitin resistance, and among these MRSA isolates, 3 were resistant to vancomycin with the MIC technique. The antibiotic imipenem was the most effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and gentamicin was effective against Gram-negative bacteria.CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirmed the high prevalence of multidrug-resistant pathogens in diabetic foot ulcers. It is necessary to evaluate the different microorganisms infecting the wound and to know the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolates from the infected wound. This knowledge is crucial for planning treatment with the appropriate antibiotics, reducing resistance patterns, and minimizing healthcare costs.

Burden of isolation for multidrug-resistant organisms in a tertiary public hospital in Southern Brazil.

We aimed to describe the use of isolation beds between September 2011 and August 2013 at a tertiary hospital located in Southern Brazil. The main cause for isolation was gram-negative carbapenem-resistant bacteria. Huge costs were associated with isolation practices. Considering the high burden on the isolation ward, practice of surveillance cultures and contact isolation should be balanced with other infection control practices.

Prompt control of an outbreak caused by extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in a neonatal intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of a set of multidisciplinary interventions aimed at limiting patient-to-patient transmission of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-KP) during a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) outbreak, and to identify risk factors associated with ESBL-KP colonization and disease in this setting. STUDY DESIGN: A 61-infant cohort present in the NICU during an outbreak of ESBL-KP from April 26, 2011, to May 16, 2011, was studied. Clinical characteristics were compared in infected/colonized infants and unaffected infants. A multidisciplinary team formulated an outbreak control plan that included (1) staff reeducation on recommended infection prevention measures; (2) auditing of hand hygiene and environmental services practices; (3) contact precautions; (4) cohorting of infants and staff; (5) alleviation of overcrowding; and (6) frequent NICU-wide screening cultures. Neither closure of the NICU nor culturing of health care personnel was instituted. RESULTS: Eleven infants in this level III NICU were infected/colonized with ESBL-KP. The index case was an 18-day-old infant born at 25 weeks' gestation who developed septicemia from ESBL-KP. Two other infants in the same room developed sepsis from ESBL-KP within 48 hours; both expired. Implementation of various infection prevention strategies resulted in prompt control of the outbreak within 3 weeks. The ESBL-KP isolates presented a single clone that was distinct from ESBL-KP identified previously in other units. Being housed in the same room as the index infant was the only risk factor identified by logistic regression analysis (P = .002). CONCLUSION: This outbreak of ESBL-KP affected 11 infants and was associated with 2 deaths. Prompt control with eradication of the infecting strain from the NICU was achieved with multidisciplinary interventions based on standard infection prevention practices.

Cost of antimicrobial treatment in patients infected with multidrug-resistant organisms in the Intensive Care Unit / Costo de la terapia antimicrobiana en pacientes infectados con microorganismos multirresistentes en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos

This study aims to compare the costs of antimicrobial drugs used in the treatment of patients infected with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) or those not infected with this type of organisms in an intensive care unit (ICU). It is a retrospective comparative case-control study, performed in a public hospital in the capital city of Brazil, comprising the years 2007, 2008 and 2009. Information on age, sex, length of hospitalization, clinical outcome, antimicrobial drugs, microorganisms and microbial sensitivity to antibiotics was collected. Spearman and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. The sample consisted of 401 patients with a mean age of 51.36 years (± 19.68) being 226 (56.4%) male. As for the length of stay, 32.9% of the patients remained more than 20 days, with 195 discharged and 206 deaths. Global cost of antimicrobial treatment was US$ 1113 221.55 during the three year period. Treatment cost for patients with MDRO was higher than for those without (p = 0.010). At least one MDR strain was isolated in 54.6% of the patients. According to these results, nosocomial infections due to MDRO and the high costs involved may endanger the effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy in ICU and Health Centers.

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo comparar los costos del tratamiento con fármacos antimicrobianos para las infecciones debidas a organismos multirresistentes (OMDR) versus aquellas debidas a gérmenes no multirresistentes, en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) de un hospital público de Brasilia, Distrito Federal. Fue un estudio retrospectivo, de casos y controles y abarcó un período de tres años (2007, 2008, 2009). Se recolectó información sobre edad, sexo, tiempo de internación, resultados clínicos, antimicrobianos usados, microorganismos aislados y su sensibilidad a los antibióticos. Se utilizaron en el análisis estadístico las pruebas de Spearman y de Mann-Whitney, con p < 0.05. La muestra consistió en 401 pacientes con media de edad de 51.36 años (± 19.68), siendo 226 varones (56.4%). En cuanto al tiempo de internación, un 32.9% de los pacientes permanecieron más de 20 días, con 195 altas y 206 óbitos. El tratamiento antimicrobiano costó US$ 1113 221.55 en los tres años, siendo éste mayor para los que presentaron OMDR que para los que no los presentaron (p = 0.01). Se comprobó la presencia de, por lo menos, un microorganismo multirresistente en el 54.6% de los pacientes. La infección intrahospitalaria con OMDR y el elevado costo del tratamiento de los pacientes infectados con estos microorganismos puede comprometer la efectividad de la terapia antimicrobiana en estas Unidades y Centros de Salud.

Política de prevenção da disseminação de germes multirresistentes no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre / Policy for prevention of transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

O aumento da incidência de germes multirresistentes (GMR) e a falta de opções terapêuticas a curto ou médio prazo representam um grande desafio aos hospitais no que se refere à prevenção da disseminação destas bactérias. Para a prevenção da transmissão de agentes infecciosos no ambiente hospitalar é preconizada a adoção de medidas de bloqueio epidemiológico. Essas políticas de bloqueio devem estar claramente estabelecidas, divulgadas aos profissionais de saúde e adotadas por estes a fim de minimizar a incidência de GMR. Revisamos aqui a política de prevenção da disseminação de germes multirresistentes no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre.

The increasing incidence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and the lack of therapeutic options in the short and medium term pose a major challenge to hospitals with regard to preventing the spread of these bacteria. Infection control measures are recommended to prevent transmission of infectious agents in hospital settings. These infection control policies should be clearly established and disseminated among health professionals in order to minimize the incidence of MDROs. We reviewed a hospital policy for prevention of transmission of MDROs at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, southern Brazil.