Investigate and mitigate a cluster of Candida auris cases among incarcerated patients in a maximum-security prison hospital utilizing contact tracing, screening, whole genome sequencing, and environmental sampling and decontamination.

Outbreak investigation.

Inpatient prison hospital affiliated with an academic tertiary referral center.

Inmates of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Epidemiologic and environmental investigations were conducted including contact tracing, point prevalence surveys, and environmental sampling. Whole genome sequencing was performed on positive patient isolates.

Following a clinical case of C. auris fungemia, 344 patients underwent C. auris surveillance screening. Eight (2.3%) patients were identified with C. auris colonization. All patients were male. Our index patient was the only clinical case and death. Whole genome sequencing was performed on the nine patient isolates. All isolates were clade III (Africa) and clustered together with the largest SNP difference being 21. Environmental cultures from 7 of 61 rooms (11.5%) were positive following terminal disinfection with bleach. Sites nearest to the patient were most often positive including the hospital bed rails and bedside table. The transmission cluster was successfully mitigated within 60 days of identification.

Implementation of an aggressive surveillance and decontamination program resulted in mitigation of a C. auris transmission cluster among our incarcerated patients. This investigation provides valuable insight into C. auris transmission in the incarcerated population, which is not considered a classic high-risk population as well as the challenges faced to stop transmission in a facility that requires the use of shared patient environments.

Veterans’ Affairs (VA) healthcare providers perceive that Veterans expect and base visit satisfaction on receiving antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URIs). No studies have tested this hypothesis. We sought to determine whether receiving and/or expecting antibiotics were associated with Veteran satisfaction with URI visits.

This cross-sectional study included Veterans evaluated for URI January 2018–December 2019 in an 18-clinic ambulatory VA primary-care system. We evaluated Veteran satisfaction via the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (RAND Corporation), an 18-item 5-point Likert scale survey. Additional items assessed Veteran antibiotic expectations. Antibiotic receipt was determined via medical record review. We used multivariable regression to evaluate whether antibiotic receipt and/or Veteran antibiotic expectations were associated with satisfaction. Subgroup analyses focused on Veterans who accurately remembered antibiotic prescribing during their URI visit.

Of 1,329 eligible Veterans, 432 (33%) participated. Antibiotic receipt was not associated with differences in mean total satisfaction (adjusted score difference, 0.6 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], −2.1 to 3.3). However, mean total satisfaction was lower for Veterans expecting an antibiotic (adjusted score difference −4.4 points; 95% CI −7.2 to −1.6). Among Veterans who accurately remembered the visit and did not receive an antibiotic, those who expected an antibiotic had lower mean satisfaction scores than those who did not (unadjusted score difference, −16.6 points; 95% CI, −24.6 to −8.6).

Veteran expectations for antibiotics, not antibiotic receipt, are associated with changes in satisfaction with outpatient URI visits. Future research should further explore patient expectations and development of patient-centered and provider-focused interventions to change patient antibiotic expectations.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate safety and efficacy end points of a postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis protocol in liver transplant (LT) patients, which was revised to limit antibiotic use.

In the routine antibiotics group (RA), patients routinely received prophylactic antibiotics for around 3 days postoperatively for a variety of rationales, versus the limited antibiotics group (LA), in which patients received antibiotics for the treatment of secondary peritonitis. Patients were included if they were 18 or older and underwent liver transplant between January 2016 and September 2019. In total, 216 patients remained after exclusion: 118 patients in the RA group and 98 patients in the LA group.

We detected a significant difference in the primary end point of postoperative antibiotic days of therapy. The median days of therapy was 2 for the RA group and 0 for the LA group (P < 0.005). Significantly fewer patients received only intraoperative antibiotics in the RA group versus the LA group: 42 (35.6%) versus 76 (73.5%) respectively (P < .005). There was no significant difference in secondary or safety outcomes, including surgical site infections.

This study provides evidence that limiting the duration of prophylactic antibiotics postoperatively and treating most patients with only intraoperative antibiotics is safe.

Among patients with a history of ESBL infection, uncertainty remains regarding whether all of these patients require ESBL-targeted therapy when presenting with a subsequent infection. We sought to determine the risks associated with a subsequent ESBL infection to help inform empiric antibiotic decisions.

A retrospective cohort study of adult patients with positive index culture for Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae (EC/KP) receiving medical care during 2017 was conducted. Risk assessments were performed to identify factors associated with subsequent infection caused by ESBL-producing EC/KP.

In total, 200 patients were included in the cohort, 100 with ESBL-producing EC/KP and 100 with ESBL-negative EC/KP. Of 100 patients (50%) who developed a subsequent infection, 22 infections were ESBL-producing EC/KP, 43 were other bacteria, and 35 had no or negative cultures. Subsequent infection caused by ESBL-producing EC/KP only occurred when the index culture was also ESBL-producing (22 vs 0). Among those with ESBL-producing index culture, the incidences of subsequent infection caused by ESBL-producing EC/KP versus other bacterial subsequent infection were similar (22 vs 18; P = .428). Factors associated with subsequent infection caused by ESBL-producing EC/KP include history of ESBL-producing index culture, time ≤180 days between index culture and subsequent infection, male sex, and Charlson comorbidity index score >3.

History of ESBL-producing EC/KP culture is associated with subsequent infection caused by ESBL-producing EC/KP, particularly within 180 days after the historical culture. Among patients presenting with infection and a history of ESBL-producing EC/KP, other factors should be considered in making empiric antibiotic decisions, and ESBL-targeted therapy may not always be warranted.

To describe national trends in testing and detection of carbapenemasesproduced by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) and associatetesting with culture and facility characteristics.

Retrospective cohort study.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs medical centers (VAMCs).

Patients seen at VAMCs between 2013 and 2018 with cultures positive for CRE,defined by national VA guidelines.

Microbiology and clinical data were extracted from national VA data sets.Carbapenemase testing was summarized using descriptive statistics.Characteristics associated with carbapenemase testing were assessed withbivariate analyses.

Of 5,778 standard cultures that grew CRE, 1,905 (33.0%) had evidence ofmolecular or phenotypic carbapenemase testing and 1,603 (84.1%) of these hadcarbapenemases detected. Among these cultures confirmed ascarbapenemase-producing CRE, 1,053 (65.7%) had molecular testing for≥1 gene. Almost all testing included KPC (n = 1,047, 99.4%), with KPCdetected in 914 of 1,047 (87.3%) cultures. Testing and detection of otherenzymes was less frequent. Carbapenemase testing increased over the studyperiod from 23.5% of CRE cultures in 2013 to 58.9% in 2018. The South USCensus region (38.6%) and the Northeast (37.2%) region had the highestproportion of CRE cultures with carbapenemase testing. High complexity (vslow) and urban (vs rural) facilities were significantly associated withcarbapenemase testing (P < .0001).

Between 2013 and 2018, carbapenemase testing and detection increased in theVA, largely reflecting increased testing and detection of KPC. Surveillanceof other carbapenemases is important due to global spread and increasingantibiotic resistance. Efforts supporting the expansion of carbapenemasetesting to low-complexity, rural healthcare facilities and standardizationof reporting of carbapenemase testing are needed.

Antimicrobial stewardship has special challenges in particular populations and facilities, including pediatrics. We sought to augment the information available to antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) by created a cumulative statewide antibiogram for neonatal and pediatric populations.

In the Antimicrobial Stewardship Collaborative of South Carolina (ASC-SC), we created statewide antibiograms, including a separate antibiogram accounting for the pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) populations. We collated data from the 4 pediatric and 3 NICU facilities in the state to provide a cumulative statewide antibiogram.

Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus was more prevalent than methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Citrobacter koserii, and Acinetobacter baumannii were isolated in only 1 NICU.

These antibiograms should improve empiric prescribing in both the inpatient and outpatient setting, providing data in some areas that historically do not have pediatric antibiogram to inform prescribing. The antibiogram alone is not sufficient independently to improve prescribing but is one important aspect of stewardship in the pediatric population of South Carolina.

In this study, we sought to determine the prevalence of bloodstream infection (BSI) in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and to determine the risk factors of BSI in critical COVID-19 patients.

Retrospective, descriptive study between March 2020 and January 2021.

An 1,007-bed university hospital.

Patients who were hospitalized due to severe COVID-19 disease and had an aerobic blood culture taken at least once during hospitalization

Case definitions were made according to National Institutes of Health clinical definitions. According to the blood culture results, the patients were grouped as with and without BSIs, and compared for BSIs risk factors.

In total, 195 patients were included in the study. Blood culture positivity was detected in 76 (39.0%) of 196 patients. Excluding blood culture positivity considered as contamination, the prevalence of BSI in all severe COVID-19 cases was 18.5% (n = 36). In intensive care unit patients the prevalence of BSI was 30.6% (n = 26). In multivariate analyses, central venous catheter (odds ratio [OR], 8.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.46–27.1; P < .01) and hospitalization in the multibed intensive care unit (OR, 4.28; 95% CI, 1.28–14.3; P < .01) were risk factors associated with the acquisition of BSI.

The prevalence of BSI in COVID-19 patients is particularly high in critically ill patients. The central venous catheter and multibed intensive care follow-up are risk factors for BSI. BSIs can be reduced by increasing compliance to infection control measures and central venous catheter insertion-care procedures. The use of single-bed intensive care units where compliance can be achieved more effectively is important for the prevention of BSIs.

Nurses perform several functions that are integral for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). However, nurses are underrepresented in research and underutilized in implementation of AMS interventions. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the effect of asynchronous microlearning on inpatient nursing staff knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding AMS principles.

A team of pharmacists, physicians, and nurses developed 9 case-based, multiple-choice questions with accompanying educational explanations on associated AMS principles. One case was delivered to participants daily via an institutional web-based application (QuizTime). A KAP survey with 20 questions on a 5-point Likert scale was administered before and after the intervention. Survey results were compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Participants’ mean survey score after the intervention demonstrated statistically significant improvement for 18 (90%) of 20 items compared to before the intervention. Participants’ confidence improved in key AMS activities: (1) differentiating between colonization and infection (mean difference, 0.63; P < .001), (2) identifying unnecessary urine cultures and inappropriate treatment of urinary tract infections (mean difference, 0.94; P < .001), (3) recognizing opportunities for intravenous to oral therapy conversion (mean difference, 1.07; P < .001), and (4) assessing for antibiotic-associated adverse effects (mean difference, 0.54; P < .001).

Nursing education provided through an asynchronous, microlearning format via a mobile platform resulted in statistically significant improvement in most KAP topics. Nurses are integral members of a multidisciplinary AMS team, and novel education methods can help equip them with the necessary AMS tools. This pilot study forms the basis for expanded AMS educational efforts in all healthcare professionals.

Antibiotic overuse is common in outpatient pediatrics and varies across clinical setting and clinician type. We sought to identify social, behavioral, and environmental drivers of outpatient antibiotic prescribing for pediatric patients.

We conducted semistructured interviews with physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) across diverse outpatient settings including pediatric primary, urgent, and retail care. We used the grounded theory constant comparative method and a thematic approach to analysis. We developed a conceptual model, building on domains of continuity to map common themes and their relationships within the healthcare system.

We interviewed 55 physicians and APPs. Clinicians across all settings prioritized provision of guideline-concordant care but implemented these guidelines with varying degrees of success. The provision of guideline-concordant care was influenced by the patient–clinician relationship and patient or parent expectations (relational continuity); the clinician’s access to patient clinical history (informational continuity); and the consistency of care delivered (management continuity). No difference in described themes was determined by setting or clinician type; however, clinicians in primary care described having more reliable relational and informational continuity.

Clinicians described the absence of long-term relationships (relational continuity) and lack of availability of prior clinical history (informational continuity) as factors that may influence outpatient antibiotic prescribing. Guideline-concordant outpatient antibiotic prescribing was facilitated by consistent practice across settings (management continuity) and the presence of relational and informational continuity, which are common only in primary care. Management continuity may be more modifiable than informational and relational continuity and thus a focus for outpatient stewardship programs.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs are very essential in addressing the problem of drug-resistant infections. The WHO Access, Watch, and Reserve (AWaRe) classification of antibiotics is essential in monitoring the rational use of antibiotics. Therefore, this study evaluated the awareness of the WHO AWaRe classification of antibiotics among pharmacy professionals in Zambia.

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 239 pharmacy professionals practicing in both private and public facilities in Zambia. A questionnaire was used to collect data which was subsequently analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.0.

Of the 239 participants, 63% were male and most were pharmacists employed in the public sector. This study found that 58% of the pharmacy professionals were aware of the AWaRe classification of antibiotics. Consequently, only 36% of the participants agreed that they implemented the AWaRe framework of antibiotics in their healthcare facilities. Most of the participants (74%) agreed that implementing the AWaRe tool can promote the rational use of antibiotics and 98% of the participants were willing to learn more about the AWaRe tool through training or meetings.

This study found a low awareness of the WHO AWaRe classification of antibiotics among pharmacy professionals. Our study further revealed that very few pharmacy professionals agreed that they had implemented the WHO AWaRe tool in their healthcare facilities. Hence, there is a need to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship programs by implementing the AWaRe framework and other recommended guidelines for monitoring the rational use of antibiotics.