Cutibacterium acnes is normal skin flora but can cause sterile implant infections. We investigated a cluster of seven patients with C. acnes in anaerobic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures in November 2020. Further analysis identified a missed outbreak, highlighting ambiguity in diagnosis of indolent organisms in the 2017 IDSA meningitis guidelines.

Outbreak investigation.

Quaternary pediatric facility.

A case was defined as a hospitalized patient with C. acnes isolated from CSF culture from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2022.

We defined comparison periods based on timing of C. acnes culture positivity as 1) pre-outbreak (2016–2020), 2) outbreak (2020–2021), and 3) post-outbreak (2022). Rates of C. acnes positive cultures per 1000 CSF cultures and rate ratios were calculated by comparison periods.

We identified 9 positive C. acnes CSF cultures among 7 cases November 10–27, 2020, all with at least 1 CSF diversion device. The anaerobic culture media was substituted at the time of case cluster. In 2021, the culture media was implemented permanently with no increase in C. acnes culture positivity. The rate of C. acnes positive CSF cultures and rate ratio increased in the outbreak period (p=0.01) compared to pre-outbreak and post-outbreak periods. There was no difference between the pre- and post-outbreak periods.

Retrospective analysis of CSF culture data led to reclassifying a C. acnes pseudo-outbreak as a true outbreak in CSF diversion devices at our institution. Clearer guidance is needed to delineate the role of C. acnes in CSF diversion device infections.

The primary objectives of this study were to assess the usefulness of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in the diagnosis of bacterial co-infections in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and if their incorporation in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs is safe and useful, stratified by severity of disease as level of care, intensive care unit (ICU) or non-ICU. Our secondary objectives were to identify cut-off values for antibiotic decision-making and identify reported results from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

A scoping review of published literature, adhering to the PRISMA statement for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. The last search was performed in January 2024.

Fifty-nine studies were included in this scoping review: 20 studies reporting predictive values and/or sensitivity/specificity results for PCT, 8 reporting clear objectives on AMS, and 3 studies from LMICs.

In the context of non-ICU hospitalized COVID-19 patients in high-income countries, a PCT value below 0.25 mg/L can be a useful tool to rule out bacterial co-infection. The wide range of reported negative predictive values suggests that PCT should be interpreted in the context of other clinical findings. Our results do not support the use of CRP in the same manner as PCT. There is a clear need for more studies in LMICs.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an opportunistic pathogen. Metallo-β-lactamase producing PA (MBL-PA) poses a problematic issue given limited available treatments. In Argentina, it accounts for less than one percent of healthcare-associated infections.

To describe an outbreak of verona integron-encoded metallo-β-lactamase (VIM) Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Unit (HSCTU), and the strategies implemented to control it.

Investigation of an outbreak by MBL-PA in an HSCTU in May 2023. Active case search, environmental sampling, identification and susceptibility pattern of strains, mitigation strategies. Case: patient admitted to the HSCTU with positive sample for MBL-PA after 48 hours of admission. Mitigation strategies: biweekly rectal swabbing, contact precautions, dedicated nursing staff, waterless patient care, and disinfection of bacterial reservoirs.

In May 2023 two cases were identified. A retrospective search determined an additional case. One (10%) of the environmental samples was positive for VIM type MBL-PA in the drain of the hand hygiene station in the nurse’s office. Strains were susceptible to colistin and fosfomycin and intermediate to aztreonam. Incidence density (ID) of colonization and infection by MBL-PA in the HSCTU were .68/1,000 patient-days (pd) and 0, respectively, in the second semester of 2022. In the first semester of 2023, ID rose to 2.93/1,000 pd for colonization and .73/1,000 pd for infection.

Mitigation strategies aimed at reducing exposure of immunocompromised hosts to water. No new cases have been identified since.

We report an MBL-PA outbreak probably linked to the water distribution system in an HSCTU, and mitigation strategies put in place.

Compare the real-world impact of fidaxomicin (FDX) and vancomycin (VAN) on Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) recurrence in a high-risk patient population.

A retrospective, matched-cohort study evaluating hospitalized patients with CDI from January 1, 2016, to November 1, 2022, within a tertiary academic medical center.

Adult patients with at least 1 prior CDI case who received either FDX or VAN for non-fulminant CDI while admitted, and had at least 1 additional risk factor for recurrence. Risk factors included age >70, solid organ or bone marrow transplant recipients, broad-spectrum antibiotic use within 30 days, or receipt of chemotherapy/immune-modulating agents within 30 days of admission. FDX and VAN patients were matched according to risk factors.

A total of 415 patient admissions were identified. After the exclusion of 92 patients for fulminant CDI, diarrhea from another cause, or use of VAN taper therapy, and 15 unmatched patients, 308 patient admissions were included (68 FDX and 240 VAN patients). There were no significant differences in 4-week recurrence (26% vs 23%; OR 1.1; P = .51), 90-day CDI readmission (29% vs 23%; P = .65), or 90-day all-cause readmission (54% vs 53%; P = .91). There was a significant 17% decrease in 90-day mortality associated with the use of FDX (OR .3; P = .04).

In a real-world high-risk patient population, the use of FDX compared to oral VAN did not result in decreased CDI recurrence within 4 weeks or fewer hospital readmissions within 90 days. Further research is needed to better assess the value of FDX in this patient population.

The aim of this study is to determine the predictive values of MRSA swab screenings in patients with cancer.

This is a retrospective cohort observational study of adult patients admitted to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center between January 2019 and October 2022. Data collected from patients with documented MRSA nasal swab screenings and clinical cultures taken within 7 days were collected. The first documented MRSA swab screening and culture results from unique patients were included for analysis to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and NPV.

A total of 6475 patients with MRSA nasal swab cultures had 13129 clinical cultures from different anatomical sites. Of the patients included, 57% had a solid tumor and 37% had a hematological malignancy, with 82% of patients receiving an anti-MRSA antibiotic prior to MRSA nasal swab. There were 167 documented positive MRSA cultures, most commonly from a wound (41.3%) or respiratory source (24%). Overall sensitivity and specificity for all culture sites were 50.9% and 98.4%, respectively, with an overall NPV of 99.4%. The NPV was 99.8% for bloodstream infections, 98.5% for respiratory infections, 92.6% for wound infections, and greater than 99% for other culture sites.

The specificity and negative predictive value of MRSA swab screenings in patients with cancer was high overall and consistent with the literature in immunocompetent patients. These results may aid in antimicrobial stewardship activities that can help guide the discontinuation of empiric antibiotics in patients with cancer.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacillus that can cause serious infections but has limited treatment options. This study aims to establish trends in the treatment of S. maltophilia bloodstream infections (BSI) across the United States in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities.

Data was evaluated over a 10-year timeframe (2012 to 2021) in this retrospective cohort study. Veterans with ≥ 1 blood culture with S. maltophilia within a VA medical encounter were included. Microbiology, pharmacy, and patient information were collected through national VA data sources and chart review. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression were used to summarize patient demographics, facility characteristics, microbiologic data, and treatment trends.

A total of 374 blood cultures positive for S. maltophilia were identified across 75 VA facilities. Of 282 unique patients with BSI, the majority were male (93.6%), white (67.4%), with a mean age of 64 ± 13.1 years. Of those patients, 78% received treatment, 12.8% had a polymicrobial blood culture, and 5.3% had a documented sulfa allergy. Susceptibility results were most reported for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), levofloxacin, and ceftazidime, with 4.5%, 4.3%, and 44.4% resistant isolates, respectively. Antibiotics most prescribed included TMP-SMX (41.5%) and levofloxacin (39.4%), followed by ciprofloxacin (13.8%) and ceftazidime (12.4%). Combination therapy was prescribed in 33% of patients. No significant trends were found with antibiotic utilization over time.

TMP-SMX and levofloxacin were the most prescribed antibiotics for S. maltophilia BSI treatment. No significant changes were seen with antibiotic prescribing trends in Veterans from 2012 to 2021.

Bacterial resistance is known to diminish the effectiveness of antibiotics for treatment of urinary tract infections. Review of recent healthcare and antibiotic exposures, as well as prior culture results is recommended to aid in selection of empirical treatment. However, the optimal approach for assessing these data is unclear. We utilized data from the Veterans Health Administration to evaluate relationships between culture and treatment history and the subsequent probability of antibiotic-resistant bacteria identified in urine cultures to further guide clinicians in understanding these risk factors.

Using the XGBoost algorithm, a retrospective cohort of outpatients with urine culture results and antibiotic prescriptions from 2017 to 2022 was used to develop models for predicting antibiotic resistance for three classes of antibiotics: cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) obtained from urine cultures. Model performance was assessed using Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUC) and Precision-Recall AUC (PRAUC)

There were 392,647 prior urine cultures identified in 214,656 patients. A history of bacterial resistance to the specific treatment was the most important predictor of subsequent resistance for positive cultures, followed by a history of specific antibiotic exposure. The models performed better than previously established risk factors alone, especially for fluoroquinolone resistance, with an AUC of .84 and PRAUC of .70. Notably, the models’ performance improved markedly (AUC = .90, PRAUC = .87) when applied to cultures from patients with a known history of resistance to any of the antibiotic classes.

These predictive models demonstrate potential in guiding antibiotic prescription and improving infection management.

The present study aims to develop and discuss an extension of hospital-acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections (HA-SIs) definition which goes beyond the use of time parameters alone.

A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out to test a suitable definition for HA-SI.

A two-center cohort study was carried out at two tertiary public hospitals in the German state of lower Saxony. The study involved a population of 366 laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2-infected inpatients enrolled between March 2020 and August 2023.

The proposed model shows adequate fit indices (CFI.scaled = 0.959, RMSEA = 0.049). A descriptive comparison with existing classifications revealed strong features of our model, particularly its adaptability to specific regional outbreaks.

The use of the regional incidence as a proxy variable to better define HA-SI cases represents a pragmatic and novel approach. The model aligns well with the latest scientific results in the literature. This work successfully unifies, within a single model, variables which the recent literature described as significant for the onset of HA-SI. Further potential improvements and adaptations of the model and its applications, such as automating the categorization process (in terms of hospital acquisition) or employing a comparable model for hospital-acquired influenza classification, are subjects open for discussion.

Patients’ situations can impact their intentions to use antibiotics without medical guidance (non-prescription use) in the future. This survey determines the prevalence of intended (future) use of non-prescription antibiotics for 13 predefined situations and identifies the sociodemographic characteristics associated with intended use for these types of situations.

Patient surveys (N = 564) were conducted from January 2020 to June 2021 in the waiting rooms of 6 safety-net primary care clinics and 2 emergency departments in a private healthcare system. We used principal component analysis to identify 3 situational summary factors: barriers to a doctor visit, accessibility of non-prescription antibiotics, and previous symptom relief with antibiotics. Multivariate linear regression identified the sociodemographic predictors associated with each summary factor.

The most common situations triggering patients to use non-prescription antibiotics were a perceived high cost of doctor visits (29.8%), having leftover prescription antibiotics (50.4%), and experiencing symptom relief with prior use of antibiotics (47.5%). Multivariate regression results revealed that younger patients (P < 0.04) and patients attending the safety-net health system (P < 0.001) had more intended use of non-prescription antibiotics for all 3 summary factors.

Future stewardship interventions should consider the types of situations that drive patients’ decisions to use antibiotics without a prescription. Interventions aimed at reducing barriers to health care (eg, high costs and long waits associated with doctor appointments) and educating individuals on medically appropriate, nonantibiotic treatment options may reduce antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest global health problems for humans, animals, and the environment. Although the association between various factors and AMR is being increasingly researched, the need to understand the contribution of social and ecological determinants, especially in developing nations, remains. This review fills these knowledge gaps by synthesizing existing evidence on the social and ecological determinants of AMR in Africa.

Twenty-four studies were selected based on predefined criteria from PubMed. 58.33% (n = 14) and 29.17% (n = 7) of the studies reported on ecological and social determinants of AMR, respectively, and 3 (12.5%) studies documented both social and environmental determinants of AMR. Sociodemographic factors include increased household size, poor knowledge, attitudes toward AMR, low educational levels, and rural residences. Indicators of poor water sanitation and hygiene, framing practices, and consumption of farm products were among the common ecological determinants of AMR and AM misuse in Africa.

Our review demonstrates the importance of social and ecological determinants of AMR among African populations. The findings may be valuable to researchers, policymakers, clinicians, and those working in lower-income countries to implement AMR prevention programs utilizing a holistic approach.

Amoxicillin suspension is frequently prescribed to children; we hypothesized that prescribing convention system constraints lead to unusual dosing regimens and unnecessary waste of the drug.

Identify antibiotic dispensing practices by community pharmacists and/or technicians to understand opportunities to decrease wasted amoxicillin liquid and optimize prescribing convention of liquid amoxicillin to children.

Pilot online survey of Atlanta area and National Community Pharmacists Association pharmacists or pharmacy technicians that self-reported dispensing amoxicillin suspension. Questions regarding liquid amoxicillin dispensing practices and other open comments were asked about suggestions to decrease amoxicillin waste from March 13 to April 5, 2023.

Among 68 pharmacy staff that participated, over 90% reported dispensing extra liquid amoxicillin to patients for more than 10% of the doses they dispensed. Twenty-seven respondents (39.7%) felt that amoxicillin waste was a problem; waste was most often due to package/bottle sizing issues (n = 64 of 67 responses, 95.5%). Respondents reported instructing families to dispose of extra medication in the trash (n = 51, 75%); 11 (16.2%) instructed pour the remaining in the sink; none reported requesting return to the pharmacy, and 6 (8.8%) reported other instructions. Community pharmacists observed that computerized algorithms create odd dosing amounts and that some prescribers add to the overall amount needed routinely.

Community pharmacists in this pilot survey observed prescribing conventions, manufacturing, regulatory, and electronic medical record constraints that lead to liquid amoxicillin waste or confusing amounts for families to use.