Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) research agenda for healthcare epidemiology.

This SHEA white paper identifies knowledge gaps and challenges in healthcare epidemiology research related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with a focus on core principles of healthcare epidemiology. These gaps, revealed during the worst phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, are described in 10 sections: epidemiology, outbreak investigation, surveillance, isolation precaution practices, personal protective equipment (PPE), environmental contamination and disinfection, drug and supply shortages, antimicrobial stewardship, healthcare personnel (HCP) occupational safety, and return to work policies. Each section highlights three critical healthcare epidemiology research questions with detailed description provided in supplementary materials. This research agenda calls for translational studies from laboratory-based basic science research to well-designed, large-scale studies and health outcomes research. Research gaps and challenges related to nursing homes and social disparities are included. Collaborations across various disciplines, expertise and across diverse geographic locations will be critical.

Burden of healthcare-associated infections among hospitalized children within community hospitals participating in an infection control network.

We describe the frequency of pediatric healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) identified through prospective surveillance in community hospitals participating in an infection control network. Over a 6-year period, 84 HAIs were identified. Of these 51 (61%) were pediatric central-line-associated bloodstream infections, and they often occurred in children <1 year of age.

Infection Prevention in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Although many aspects of infection prevention and control (IPC) mirror institutional efforts, optimization of IPC practices in the neonatal intensive care unit requires careful consideration of its unique population and environment, addressed here for key IPC domains. In addition, innovative mitigation efforts to address challenges specific to limited resource settings are discussed.

Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Youth and Staff Attending Day Camps.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: As schools reopen nationwide, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in youth settings remains a concern. Here, we describe transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among >6800 youth and staff at YMCA of the Triangle day camps in North Carolina (March to August 2020). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of deidentified SARS-CoV-2 cases reported by YMCA day camps in 6 counties (Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Lee, Orange, Wake) over 147 days. Inclusion criteria were youth and staff who enrolled or worked in camps during the study period. Individual-level youth and staff demographics (age, sex, race and ethnicity) were self-reported and linked to SARS-CoV-2 case data by using unique identifiers. RESULTS: Youth (n = 5344; 66% white, 54% male, mean age 8.5 years) had a mean camp attendance rate of 88%; staff (n = 1486) were 64% white and 60% female (mean age 22 years). Seventeen primary SARS-CoV-2 infections occurred during the study period among 9 youth (mean age 9.7 years) and 8 staff (mean age 27 years) who were linked to 3030 contacts present in-person during the week before positive cases. Only 2 secondary infections (1 youth and 1 staff) were linked to primary cases. SARS-CoV-2 primary case attack rate was 0.6% (17/3030), and secondary case transmission rate was 0.07% (2/3011). CONCLUSIONS: Extremely low youth and staff symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 attack and transmission rates were observed over a 147-day period across 54 YMCA camps from March to August 2020, when local coronavirus disease 2019 prevalence peaked. These findings suggest that the benefit of in-person programming in recreation settings with appropriate mitigation may outweigh the risk of viral transmission.

Incidence and Secondary Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Schools.

BACKGROUND: In an effort to mitigate the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), North Carolina closed prekindergarten through grade 12 public schools to in-person instruction on March 14, 2020. On July 15, 2020, North Carolina's governor announced schools could open via remote learning or a hybrid model that combined in-person and remote instruction. In August 2020, 56 of 115 North Carolina school districts joined The ABC Science Collaborative (ABCs) to implement public health measures to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission and share lessons learned. We describe secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within participating school districts during the first 9 weeks of in-person instruction in the 2020-2021 academic year. METHODS: From August 15, 2020 to October 23, 2020, 11 of 56 school districts participating in ABCs were open for in-person instruction for all 9 weeks of the first quarter and agreed to track incidence and secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Local health department staff adjudicated secondary transmission. Superintendents met weekly with ABCs faculty to share lessons learned and develop prevention methods. RESULTS: Over 9 weeks, 11 participating school districts had >90 000 students and staff attend school in person. Among these students and staff, 773 community-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infections were documented by molecular testing. Through contact tracing, health department staff determined an additional 32 infections were acquired within schools. No instances of child-to-adult transmission of SARS-CoV-2 were reported within schools. CONCLUSIONS: In the first 9 weeks of in-person instruction in North Carolina schools, we found extremely limited within-school secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2, as determined by contact tracing.

Impact of COVID-19-related School Closures on the Drivers of Child Health.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in large-scale school closures in an effort to reduce the spread of disease. This article reviews the potential impact of COVID-19-related school closures on the health of children in North Carolina, with particular attention to the impact of school closures on drivers of child health.

Early experience with universal preprocedural testing for SARS-CoV-2 in a relatively low-prevalence area.

We implemented universal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) testing of patients undergoing surgical procedures as a means to conserve personal protective equipment (PPE). The rate of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was <0.5%, which suggests that early local public health interventions were successful. Although our protocol was resource intensive, it prevented exposures to healthcare team members.

Antibiotic Susceptibility of Escherichia coli Among Infants Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units Across the US From 2009 to 2017.

Importance: Escherichia coli is a leading cause of serious infection among term and preterm newborn infants. Surveillance of antibiotic susceptibility patterns of E coli among infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units should inform empirical antibiotic administration. Objective: To assess the epidemiologic characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of E coli in infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units in the US over time. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used the Premier Health Database, a comprehensive administrative database of inpatient encounters from academic and community hospitals across the US. Participants included newborn infants admitted to centers contributing microbiology data from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2017, with E coli isolated from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine cultures. Data were collected and analyzed from December 1, 2018, to November 30, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: Changes in annual antibiotic susceptibility of E coli during the study period. The proportion of infants with nonsusceptible organisms (resistant or intermediate susceptibility) in antibiotic categories by year, birth weight, infection source, and timing of infection and patient and center characteristics associated with neonatal E coli infection and antibiotic susceptibility were assessed. Results: A total of 721 infants (434 male [60.2%]; median age at E coli infection, 14 days [interquartile range, 1-33 days]) from 69 centers had at least 1 episode of E coli infection and available susceptibility results. No significant changes were observed over time in the overall annual proportions of antibiotic nonsusceptibility to ampicillin (mean [SD], 66.8% [1.5%]; range, 63.3% to 68.6%; estimated yearly change, -0.28% [95% CI, -1.75% to 1.18%]), nonsusceptibility to aminoglycosides (mean [SD], 16.8% [4.5%]; range, 10.7% to 23.2%; estimated yearly change, -0.85% [95% CI, -1.93% to 0.23%]), or extended-spectrum ß-lactamase phenotype (mean [SD], 5.0% [3.7%]; range, 0% to 11.1%; estimated yearly change, 0.46% [95% CI, -0.18% to 1.11%]). No isolates with nonsusceptibility to carbapenems were identified. Among 218 infants with early-onset infection, 22 (10.1%) had isolates with nonsusceptibility to both ampicillin and gentamicin, the antibiotics most commonly administered to newborns as empirical therapy. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, nonsusceptibility to commonly administered antibiotics was found in substantial proportions of neonatal E coli isolates, with no significant change from 2009 to 2017. These findings may inform empirical antibiotic choices for newborn infants.

Principles, policy and practice of antibiotic stewardship.

Antibiotic stewardship is a quality improvement and patient safety initiative focused on optimizing antibiotic use to improve patient outcomes, limit the emergence of antibiotic resistance, and adverse drug effects. Here, we discuss the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship-leadership commitment, accountability, pharmacy expertise, action, tracking, reporting, and education-as they apply to the care of patients in the neonatal intensive care unit. Specifically, we consider neonatal intensive care unit-specific data and unique practices to frame some of the important targets necessary for successful antibiotic stewardship implementation in this setting.

Microbiology of Bloodstream Infections in Children After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Single-Center Experience Over Two Decades (1997-2017).

BACKGROUND: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) occur frequently after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We examined the microbiology of BSI in pediatric HSCT recipients over a 2-decade period at our institution to inform empirical antimicrobial prescribing and infection prevention strategies. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children (<18 years) who underwent HSCT at Duke University between 1997 and 2015. We used recurrent-event gap-time Cox proportional hazards models to determine the hazards of all-cause and cause-specific BSI according to HSCT year. We compared the median time to BSI by causative organism type and evaluated for temporal trends in the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among causative organisms. RESULTS: A total of 865 BSI occurred in 1311 children, including 412 (48%) Gram-positive bacterial, 196 (23%) Gram-negative bacterial, 56 (6%) fungal, 23 (3%) mycobacterial, and 178 (21%) polymicrobial BSI. The hazard of all BSIs did not change substantially over time during the study period, but the hazard of fungal BSIs declined over time during the study period (P = .04). Most fungal BSIs (82%) occurred in the first 100 days after HSCT, whereas mycobacterial BSIs occurred later after HSCT than BSIs caused by other organisms (P < .0001). The prevalence of vancomycin resistance among BSIs caused by Enterococcus faecium increased during the study period (P = .0007). The risk of 2-year mortality in children was increased with BSI (P = .02), Gram-negative bacterial BSI (P = .02), and fungal BSI (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite expanded practices for BSI prevention over the past several decades, the incidence of BSI remains high in pediatric HSCT recipients at our institution. Additional strategies are urgently needed to effectively prevent BSIs in this high-risk population.

A Pediatric Infectious Diseases Perspective of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Children.

Understanding the role that children play in the clinical burden and propagation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, is emerging. While the severe manifestations and acute clinical burden of COVID-19 have largely spared children compared with adults, understanding the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostics, management, and prevention opportunities and the social and behavioral impacts on child health is vital. Foremost is clarifying the contribution of asymptomatic and mild infections to transmission within the household and community and the clinical and epidemiologic significance of uncommon severe post-infectious complications. Here, we summarize the current knowledge, identify resources, and outline research opportunities. Pediatric infectious diseases clinicians have a unique opportunity to advocate for the inclusion of children in epidemiological, clinical, treatment, and prevention studies to optimize their care as well as to represent children in the development of guidance and policy during pandemic response.

Microbiology and Risk Factors for Hospital-Associated Bloodstream Infections Among Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are at high risk for hospital-associated bloodstream infections (HA-BSIs). This study aimed to describe the incidence, microbiology, and risk factors for HA-BSI in pediatric HSCT recipients. METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of children and adolescents (<18 years of age) who underwent HSCT over a 20-year period (1997-2016). We determined the incidence and case fatality rate of HA-BSI by causative organism. We used multivariable Poisson regression to identify risk factors for HA-BSI. RESULTS: Of 1294 patients, the majority (86%) received an allogeneic HSCT, most commonly with umbilical cord blood (63%). During the initial HSCT hospitalization, 334 HA-BSIs occurred among 261 (20%) patients. These were classified as gram-positive bacterial (46%), gram-negative bacterial (24%), fungal (12%), mycobacterial (<1%), or polymicrobial (19%). During the study period, there was a decline in the cumulative incidence of HA-BSI (P = .021) and, specifically, fungal HA-BSIs (P = .002). In multivariable analyses, older age (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.06), umbilical cord blood donor source (vs bone marrow; IRR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.19-2.40), and nonmyeloablative conditioning (vs myeloablative; IRR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.21-2.82) were associated with a higher risk of HA-BSIs. The case fatality rate was higher for fungal HA-BSI than other HA-BSI categories (21% vs 6%; P = .002). CONCLUSIONS: Over the past 2 decades, the incidence of HA-BSIs has declined among pediatric HSCT recipients at our institution. Older age, umbilical cord blood donor source, and nonmyeloablative conditioning regimens are independent risk factors for HA-BSI among children undergoing HSCT.

Evaluating congenital syphilis in a reverse sequence testing environment.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of maternal reverse-sequence (RS) syphilis screening on management of infants at risk for congenital syphilis (CS) using a standardized approach. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study from 2011 to 2014 at an academic medical center using RS testing, involving chemiluminescent immunoassay (CIA), rapid plasma  reagin (RPR), and fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) assays for syphilis. Clinical management and outcomes of infants born to mothers with discordant (CIA+/RPR-/FTA+) serology were compared with national or internal guidelines. RESULTS: Sixty-three infants were classified as discordant (n = 21), presumed false positive (CIA+/RPR-/FTA-; n = 16), or true positive (CIA+/RPR+; n = 26) based on maternal serology. Only 24% of cases in the discordant group underwent recommended full evaluation. None of the evaluated infants in the discordant group (n = 8) were diagnosed with CS. CONCLUSIONS: Management of infants with discordant maternal RS serology remained reliant on clinical judgment. In our high-risk population, RS testing did not identify additional cases of CS.

Increasing Clindamycin and Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Resistance in Pediatric Staphylococcus aureus Infections.

The epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus infection in children is dynamic. We conducted a retrospective observational study on pediatric clinical cultures, performed between 2005 and 2017, that grew S aureus to determine temporal trends in antibiotic resistance. Although methicillin resistance declined, clindamycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistance increased significantly, especially among community-onset isolates.

Epidemiology and risk factors for recurrent Staphylococcus aureus colonization following active surveillance and decolonization in the NICU.

OBJECTIVES: To examine neonatal risk factors associated with recurrent Staphylococcus aureus colonization and to determine the genetic relatedness of S. aureus strains cultured from neonates before and after decolonization.Study designSingle-center retrospective cohort study of neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) from April 2013 to December 2015, during which weekly nasal cultures from hospitalized NICU patients were routinely obtained for S. aureus surveillance. SETTING: Johns Hopkins Hospital's 45-bed level IV NICU in Baltimore, Maryland. METHODS: Demographics and clinical data were collected on all neonates admitted to the NICU with S. aureus nasal colonization who underwent mupirocin-based decolonization during the study period. A decolonized neonate was defined as a neonate with ≥1 negative culture after intranasal mupirocin treatment. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used for strain typing. RESULTS: Of 2,060 infants screened for S. aureus, 271 (13%) were colonized, and 203 of these 271 (75%) received intranasal mupirocin. Of those treated, 162 (80%) had follow-up surveillance cultures, and 63 of these 162 infants (39%) developed recurrent colonization after treatment. The S. aureus strains were often genetically similar before and after decolonization. The presence of an endotracheal tube or nasal cannula/mask was associated with an increased risk of recurrent S. aureus colonization (hazard ratio [HR], 2.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-5.90; and HR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.02-4.75, respectively). CONCLUSION: Strains identified before and after decolonization were often genetically similar, and the presence of invasive respiratory devices increased the risk of recurrent S. aureus nasal colonization in neonates. To improve decolonization efficacy, alternative strategies may be needed.