Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) occur frequently in pediatric inpatients, and they are associated with increased morbidity and cost. Few studies have investigated ambulatory CAUTIs, despite at-risk children utilizing home urinary catheterization. This retrospective cohort and case-control study determined incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of pediatric patients with ambulatory CAUTI.

Broad electronic queries identified potential patients with ambulatory urinary catheters, and direct chart review confirmed catheters and adjudicated whether ambulatory CAUTI occurred. CAUTI definitions included clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Our matched case-control analysis assessed risk factors.

Five urban, academic medical centers, part of the New York City Clinical Data Research Network.

Potential patients were age <22 years who were seen between October 2010 and September 2015.

In total, 3,598 eligible patients were identified; 359 of these used ambulatory catheterization (representing186,616 ambulatory catheter days). Of these, 63 patients (18%) experienced 95 ambulatory CAUTIs. The overall ambulatory CAUTI incidence was 0.51 infections per 1,000 catheter days (1.35 for indwelling catheters and 0.47 for CIC; incidence rate ratio, 2.88). Patients with nonprivate medical insurance (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–6.3) were significantly more likely to have ambulatory CAUTIs in bivariate models but not multivariable models. Also, 45% of ambulatory CAUTI resulted in hospitalization (median duration, 3 days); 5% resulted in intensive care admission; 47% underwent imaging; and 88% were treated with antibiotics.

Pediatric ambulatory CAUTIs occur in 18% of patients with catheters; they are associated with morbidity and healthcare utilization. Ambulatory indwelling catheter CAUTI incidence exceeded national inpatient incidence. Future quality improvement research to reduce these harmful infections is warranted.

Patients tested for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) using a 2-step algorithm with a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) followed by toxin assay are not reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network as a laboratory-identified CDI event if they are NAAT positive (+)/toxin negative (−). We compared NAAT+/toxin− and NAAT+/toxin+ patients and identified factors associated with CDI treatment among NAAT+/toxin− patients.

Retrospective observational study.

The study was conducted across 36 laboratories at 5 Emerging Infections Program sites.

We defined a CDI case as a positive test detected by this 2-step algorithm during 2018–2020 in a patient aged ≥1 year with no positive test in the previous 8 weeks.

We used multivariable logistic regression to compare CDI-related complications and recurrence between NAAT+/toxin− and NAAT+/toxin+ cases. We used a mixed-effects logistic model to identify factors associated with treatment in NAAT+/toxin− cases.

Of 1,801 cases, 1,252 were NAAT+/toxin−, and 549 were NAAT+/toxin+. CDI treatment was given to 866 (71.5%) of 1,212 NAAT+/toxin− cases versus 510 (95.9%) of 532 NAAT+/toxin+ cases (P < .0001). NAAT+/toxin− status was protective for recurrence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.55–0.77) but not CDI-related complications (aOR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.87–1.28). Among NAAT+/toxin− cases, white blood cell count ≥15,000/µL (aOR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.28–2.74), ≥3 unformed stools for ≥1 day (aOR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.40–2.59), and diagnosis by a laboratory that provided no or neutral interpretive comments (aOR, 3.23; 95% CI, 2.23–4.68) were predictors of CDI treatment.

Use of this 2-step algorithm likely results in underreporting of some NAAT+/toxin− cases with clinically relevant CDI. Disease severity and laboratory interpretive comments influence treatment decisions for NAAT+/toxin− cases.

To describe an outbreak of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (cotrimoxazole)–resistant and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CMRSA) in a unit housing patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Prospective study involving patients colonized or infected with CMRSA.

15 hospitalized patients with cultures positive for CMRSA.

Isolates of CMRSA were collected and characterized. Molecular typing of the epidemic strains was carried out after total DNA extraction by restriction endonuclease analysis and random amplification of polymorphic DNA.

The epidemic was brought under control with the reinforcement of nosocomial transmission measures and with systematic nasal decontamination with mupirocin of all patients admitted to the HIV unit. Molecular typing techniques showed the existence of two epidemic strains: strain A was present in the 12 patients admitted to the HIV unit and strain B in the remaining 3 patients hospitalized elsewhere.

Cotrimoxazole may no longer be a reliable and effective alternative for glycopeptides in patients with infection caused by MRSA strains, and HIV units should be particularly alert for CMRSA strains.

To describe an outbreak of bacteremia caused by vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus faecalis (VSEfe).

An investigation by retrospective case control and molecular typing by whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

A tertiary-care neonatal unit in Melbourne, Australia.

Risk factors for 30 consecutive neonates with VSEfe bacteremia from June 2011 to December 2014 were analyzed using a case control study. Controls were neonates matched for gestational age, birth weight, and year of birth. Isolates were typed using WGS, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was determined.

Bacteremia for case patients occurred at a median time after delivery of 23.5 days (interquartile range, 14.9–35.8). Previous described risk factors for nosocomial bacteremia did not contribute to excess risk for VSEfe. WGS typing results designated 43% ST179 as well as 14 other sequence types, indicating a polyclonal outbreak. A multimodal intervention that included education, insertion checklists, guidelines on maintenance and access of central lines, adjustments to the late onset sepsis antibiotic treatment, and the introduction of diaper bags for disposal of soiled diapers after being handled inside the bed, led to termination of the outbreak.

Typing using WGS identified this outbreak as predominately nonclonal and therefore not due to cross transmission. A multimodal approach was then sought to reduce the incidence of VSEfe bacteremia.

Inpatient surgical site infections (SSIs) cause morbidity in children. The SSI rate among pediatric ambulatory surgery patients is less clear. To fill this gap, we conducted a multiple-institution, retrospective epidemiologic study to identify incidence, risk factors, and outcomes.

We identified patients aged <22 years with ambulatory visits between October 2010 and September 2015 via electronic queries at 3 medical centers. We performed sample chart reviews to confirm ambulatory surgery and adjudicate SSIs. Weighted Poisson incidence rates were calculated. Separately, we used case–control methodology using multivariate backward logistical regression to assess risk-factor association with SSI.

In total, 65,056 patients were identified by queries, and we performed complete chart reviews for 13,795 patients; we identified 45 SSIs following ambulatory surgery. The weighted SSI incidence following pediatric ambulatory surgery was 2.00 SSI per 1,000 ambulatory surgeries (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37–3.00). Integumentary surgeries had the highest weighted SSI incidence, 3.24 per 1,000 ambulatory surgeries (95% CI, 0.32–12). The following variables carried significantly increased odds of infection: clean contaminated or contaminated wound class compared to clean (odds ratio [OR], 9.8; 95% CI, 2.0–48), other insurance type compared to private (OR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.6–9.8), and surgery on weekend day compared to weekday (OR, 30; 95% CI, 2.9–315). Of the 45 instances of SSI following pediatric ambulatory surgery, 40% of patients were admitted to the hospital and 36% required a new operative procedure or bedside incision and drainage.

Our findings suggest that morbidity is associated with SSI following ambulatory surgery in children, and we also identified possible targets for intervention.