Tobacco smoking clusters in households affected by tuberculosis in an individual participant data meta-analysis of national tuberculosis prevalence surveys: Time for household-wide interventions?

Tuberculosis (TB) and non-communicable diseases (NCD) share predisposing risk factors. TB-associated NCD might cluster within households affected with TB requiring shared prevention and care strategies. We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis of national TB prevalence surveys to determine whether NCD cluster in members of households with TB. We identified eligible surveys that reported at least one NCD or NCD risk factor through the archive maintained by the World Health Organization and searching in Medline and Embase from 1 January 2000 to 10 August 2021, which was updated on 23 March 2023. We compared the prevalence of NCD and their risk factors between people who do not have TB living in households with at least one person with TB (members of households with TB), and members of households without TB. We included 16 surveys (n = 740,815) from Asia and Africa. In a multivariable model adjusted for age and gender, the odds of smoking was higher among members of households with TB (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.23; 95% CI: 1.11-1.38), compared with members of households without TB. The analysis did not find a significant difference in the prevalence of alcohol drinking, diabetes, hypertension, or BMI between members of households with and without TB. Studies evaluating household-wide interventions for smoking to reduce its dual impact on TB and NCD may be warranted. Systematically screening for NCD using objective diagnostic methods is needed to understand the actual burden of NCD and inform comprehensive interventions.

Determining the risk-factors for molecular clustering of drug-resistant tuberculosis in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) epidemic is driven mainly by the effect of ongoing transmission. In high-burden settings such as South Africa (SA), considerable demographic and geographic heterogeneity in DR-TB transmission exists. Thus, a better understanding of risk-factors for clustering can help to prioritise resources to specifically targeted high-risk groups as well as areas that contribute disproportionately to transmission. METHODS: The study analyzed potential risk-factors for recent transmission in SA, using data collected from a sentinel molecular surveillance of DR-TB, by comparing demographic, clinical and epidemiologic characteristics with clustering and cluster sizes. A genotypic cluster was defined as two or more patients having identical patterns by the two genotyping methods used. Clustering was used as a proxy for recent transmission. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were used. RESULT: The study identified 277 clusters, with cluster size ranging between 2 and 259 cases. The majority (81.6%) of the clusters were small (2-5 cases) with few large (11-25 cases) and very large (≥ 26 cases) clusters identified mainly in Western Cape (WC), Eastern Cape (EC) and Mpumalanga (MP). In a multivariable model, patients in clusters including 11-25 and ≥ 26 individuals were more likely to be infected by Beijing family, have XDR-TB, living in Nelson Mandela Metro in EC or Umgungunglovo in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) provinces, and having history of imprisonment. Individuals belonging in a small genotypic cluster were more likely to infected with Rifampicin resistant TB (RR-TB) and more likely to reside in Frances Baard in Northern Cape (NC). CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic, clinical and bacterial risk-factors influenced rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) genotypic clustering. Hence, high-risk groups and hotspot areas for clustering in EC, WC, KZN and MP should be prioritized for targeted intervention to prevent ongoing DR-TB transmission.

Association of diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use with subclinical-to-symptomatic spectrum of tuberculosis in 16 countries: an individual participant data meta-analysis of national tuberculosis prevalence surveys.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and NCD risk factors, such as smoking, increase the risk for tuberculosis (TB). Data are scarce on the risk of prevalent TB associated with these factors in the context of population-wide systematic screening and on the association between NCDs and NCD risk factors with different manifestations of TB, where ∼50% being asymptomatic but bacteriologically positive (subclinical). We did an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis of national and sub-national TB prevalence surveys to synthesise the evidence on the risk of symptomatic and subclinical TB in people with NCDs or risk factors, which could help countries to plan screening activities. Methods: In this systematic review and IPD meta-analysis, we identified eligible prevalence surveys in low-income and middle-income countries that reported at least one NCD (e.g., diabetes) or NCD risk factor (e.g., smoking, alcohol use) through the archive maintained by the World Health Organization and by searching in Medline and Embase from January 1, 2000 to August 10, 2021. The search was updated on March 23, 2023. We performed a one-stage meta-analysis using multivariable multinomial models. We estimated the proportion of and the odds ratio for subclinical and symptomatic TB compared to people without TB for current smoking, alcohol use, and self-reported diabetes, adjusted for age and gender. Subclinical TB was defined as microbiologically confirmed TB without symptoms of current cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss and symptomatic TB with at least one of these symptoms. We assessed heterogeneity using forest plots and I2 statistic. Missing variables were imputed through multi-level multiple imputation. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021272679). Findings: We obtained IPD from 16 national surveys out of 21 national and five sub-national surveys identified (five in Asia and 11 in Africa, N = 740,815). Across surveys, 15.1%-56.7% of TB were subclinical (median: 38.1%). In the multivariable model, current smoking was associated with both subclinical (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.27-2.40) and symptomatic TB (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.34-1.66). Self-reported diabetes was associated with symptomatic TB (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.17-2.40) but not with subclinical TB (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.55-1.55). For alcohol drinking ≥ twice per week vs no alcohol drinking, the estimates were imprecise (OR 1.59, 95% CI 0.70-3.62) for subclinical TB and OR 1.43, 95% CI 0.59-3.46 for symptomatic TB). For the association between current smoking and symptomatic TB, I2 was high (76.5% (95% CI 62.0-85.4), while the direction of the point estimates was consistent except for three surveys with wide CIs. Interpretation: Our findings suggest that current smokers are more likely to have both symptomatic and subclinical TB. These individuals can, therefore, be prioritised for intensified screening, such as the use of chest X-ray in the context of community-based screening. People with self-reported diabetes are also more likely to have symptomatic TB, but the association is unclear for subclinical TB. Funding: None.

Healthcare seeking patterns for TB symptoms: Findings from the first national TB prevalence survey of South Africa, 2017-2019.

BACKGROUND: Although tuberculosis (TB) symptoms have limited sensitivity they remain an important entry point into the TB care cascade. OBJECTIVES: To investigate self-reported healthcare seeking for TB symptoms in participants in a community-based survey. METHODS: We compared reasons for not seeking care in participants reporting ≥1 of four TB screening symptoms (cough, weight loss, night sweats, fever) in the first South African national TB prevalence survey (2017-2019). We used logistic regression analyses to identify sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with healthcare seeking. RESULTS: 5,168/35,191 (14.7%) survey participants reported TB symptoms and 3,442/5168 had not sought healthcare. 2,064/3,442(60.0%) participants intended to seek care, 912 (26.5%) regarded symptoms as benign, 399 (11.6%) reported access barriers(distance and cost), 36 (1.0%) took other medications and 20(0.6%) reported health system barriers. Of the 57/98 symptomatic participants diagnosed with bacteriologically confirmed TB who had not sought care: 38(66.7%) intended to do so, 8(14.0%) regarded symptoms as benign, and 6(10.5%) reported access barriers. Among these 98, those with unknown HIV status(OR 0.16 95% CI 0.03-0.82), p = 0.03 and those who smoked tobacco products(OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.17-0.89, p = 0.03) were significantly less likely to seek care. CONCLUSIONS: People with TB symptoms delayed seeking healthcare, many regarded symptoms as benign while others faced access barriers. Those with unknown HIV status were significantly less likely to seek care. Strengthening community-based TB awareness and screening programmes together with self-screening models could increase awareness of the significance of TB symptoms and contribute to improving healthcare seeking and enable many people with TB to enter the TB care cascade.

Prior Pulmonary Tuberculosis Is a Risk Factor for Asymptomatic Cryptococcal Antigenemia in a Cohort of Adults With Advanced Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease.

The greater mortality risk among people with advanced human immunodeficiency virus disease and cryptococcal antigenemia, despite treatment, indicates an increased susceptibility to other infections. We found that prior tuberculosis was an independent risk factor for cryptococcal antigenemia (adjusted odds ratio, 2.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-6.52; P = .03) among patients with CD4 counts <100 cells/µL.

Treatment outcomes 24 months after initiating short, all-oral bedaquiline-containing or injectable-containing rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis treatment regimens in South Africa: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for short and safe all-oral treatment of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis. We compared outcomes up to 24 months after treatment initiation for patients with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis in South Africa treated with a short, all-oral bedaquiline-containing regimen (bedaquiline group), or a short, injectable-containing regimen (injectable group). METHODS: Patients with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis, aged 18 years or older, eligible for a short regimen starting treatment between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2017, with a bedaquiline-containing or WHO recommended injectable-containing treatment regimen of 9-12 months, registered in the drug-resistant tuberculosis database (EDRWeb), and with known age, sex, HIV status, and national identification number were eligible for study inclusion; patients receiving linezolid, carbapenems, terizidone or cycloserine, delamanid, or para-aminosalicylic acid were excluded. Bedaquiline was given at a dose of 400 mg once daily for two weeks followed by 200 mg three times a week for 22 weeks. To compare regimens, patients were exactly matched on HIV and ART status, previous tuberculosis treatment history, and baseline acid-fast bacilli smear and culture result, while propensity score matched on age, sex, province of treatment, and isoniazid-susceptibility status. We did binomial linear regression to estimate adjusted risk differences (aRD) and 95% CIs for 24-month outcomes, which included: treatment success (ie, cure or treatment completion without evidence of recurrence) versus all other outcomes, survival versus death, disease free survival versus survival with treatment failure or recurrence, and loss to follow-up versus all other outcomes. FINDINGS: Overall, 1387 (14%) of 10152 patients with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis treated during 2017 met inclusion criteria; 688 in the bedaquiline group and 699 in the injectable group. Four patients (1%) had treatment failure or recurrence, 44 (6%) were lost to follow-up, and 162 (24%) died in the bedaquiline group, compared with 17 (2%), 87 (12%), and 199 (28%), respectively, in the injectable group. In adjusted analyses, treatment success was 14% (95% CI 8-20) higher in the bedaquiline group than in the injectable group (70% vs 57%); loss to follow-up was 4% (1-8) lower in the bedaquiline group (6% vs 12%); and disease-free survival was 2% (0-5) higher in the bedaquiline group (99% vs 97%). The bedaquiline group had 8% (4-11) lower risk of mortality during treatment (17·0% vs 22·4%), but there was no difference in mortality post-treatment. INTERPRETATION: Patients in the bedaquiline group experienced significantly higher rates of treatment success at 24 months. This finding supports the use of short bedaquiline-containing regimens in eligible patients. FUNDING: WHO Global TB Programme. TRANSLATION: For the French translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in South Africa, 2017-19: a multistage, cluster-based, cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis remains an important clinical and public health issue in South Africa, which has one of the highest tuberculosis burdens in the world. We aimed to estimate the burden of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis among people aged 15 years or older in South Africa. METHODS: This multistage, cluster-based, cross-sectional survey included eligible residents (age ≥15 years, who had slept in a house for ≥10 nights in the preceding 2 weeks) in 110 clusters nationally (cluster size of 500 people; selected by probability proportional-to-population size sampling). Participants completed face-to-face symptom questionnaires (for cough, weight loss, fever, and night sweats) and manually read digital chest X-ray screening. Screening was recorded as positive if participants had at least one symptom or an abnormal chest X-ray suggestive of tuberculosis, or a combination thereof. Sputum samples from participants who were screen-positive were tested by the Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra assay (first sample) and Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube culture (second sample), with optional HIV testing. Participants with a positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex culture were considered positive for bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis; when culture was not positive, participants with a positive Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra result with an abnormal chest X-ray suggestive of active tuberculosis and without current or previous tuberculosis were considered positive for bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis. FINDINGS: Between Aug 15, 2017, and July 28, 2019, 68 771 people were enumerated from 110 clusters, with 53 250 eligible to participate in the survey, of whom 35 191 (66·1%) participated. 9066 (25·8%) of 35 191 participants were screen-positive and 234 (0·7%) were identified as having bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis. Overall, the estimated prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis was 852 cases (95% CI 679-1026) per 100 000 population; the prevalence was highest in people aged 35-44 years (1107 cases [95% CI 703-1511] per 100 000 population) and those aged 65 years or older (1104 cases [680-1528] per 100 000 population). The estimated prevalence was approximately 1·6 times higher in men than in women (1094 cases [95% CI 835-1352] per 100 000 population vs 675 cases [494-855] per 100 000 population). 135 (57·7%) of 234 participants with tuberculosis screened positive by chest X-ray only, 16 (6·8%) by symptoms only, and 82 (35·9%) by both. 55 (28·8%) of 191 participants with tuberculosis with known HIV status were HIV-positive. INTERPRETATION: Pulmonary tuberculosis prevalence in this survey was high, especially in men. Despite the ongoing burden of HIV, many participants with tuberculosis in this survey did not have HIV. As more than half of the participants with tuberculosis had an abnormal chest X-ray without symptoms, prioritising chest X-ray screening could substantially increase case finding. FUNDING: Global Fund, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID.

Rapid urine-based screening tests increase the yield of same-day tuberculosis diagnoses among patients living with advanced HIV disease.

OBJECTIVE: Investigation of the diagnostic yield of urine-based tuberculosis (TB) screening in patients with advanced HIV disease. DESIGN: A cross-sectional screening study. SETTING: HIV outpatient clinics and wards at two hospitals in Johannesburg, South Africa, between June 2015 and October 2017. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and one patients living with advanced HIV disease (CD4+ T-lymphocytes <100 cells/µl) attending healthcare facilities following cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening. INTERVENTION: Screening for TB using sputum for microscopy, culture, and Xpert MTB/Rif and urine for lipoarabinomannan (LAM) and Xpert Ultra. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of positive results using each testing modality, sensitivity, and specificity of urine-based testing compared with culture, and survival outcomes during 6 months follow up. RESULTS: Urine was obtained from 177 of 181 (98%) participants and sputum from 91 (50%). Urine-based screening increased same-day diagnostic yield from 7 (4%) to 31 (17%). A positive urine test with either LAM or Xpert Ultra had 100% sensitivity (95% confidence interval, 59-100%) for detecting culture-positive TB at any site. Patients with newly diagnosed TB on urine-based screening were initiated on treatment and did not have excess mortality compared with the remainder of the cohort. CONCLUSION: Urine is an easily obtainable sample with utility for detecting TB in patients with advanced HIV disease. Combining urine and sputum-based screening in this population facilitates additional same-day TB diagnoses and early treatment initiation, potentially reducing the risk of TB-related mortality. Urine-based as well as sputum-based screening for TB should be integrated with CrAg screening in patients living with advanced HIV disease.

Assessment of epidemiological and genetic characteristics and clinical outcomes of resistance to bedaquiline in patients treated for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Bedaquiline improves outcomes of patients with rifampicin-resistant and multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis; however, emerging resistance threatens this success. We did a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis evaluating the epidemiology, genetic basis, and treatment outcomes associated with bedaquiline resistance, using data from South Africa (2015-19). METHODS: Patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis starting bedaquiline-based treatment had surveillance samples submitted at baseline, month 2, and month 6, along with demographic information. Culture-positive baseline and post-baseline isolates had phenotypic resistance determined. Eligible patients were aged 12 years or older with a positive culture sample at baseline or, if the sample was invalid or negative, a sample within 30 days of the baseline sample submitted for bedaquiline drug susceptibility testing. For the longitudinal study, the first surveillance sample had to be phenotypically susceptible to bedaquiline for inclusion. Whole-genome sequencing was done on bedaquiline-resistant isolates and a subset of bedaquiline-susceptible isolates. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases tuberculosis reference laboratory, and national tuberculosis surveillance databases were matched to the Electronic Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Register. We assessed baseline resistance prevalence, mutations, transmission, cumulative resistance incidence, and odds ratios (ORs) associating risk factors for resistance with patient outcomes. FINDINGS: Between Jan 1, 2015, and July 31, 2019, 8041 patients had surveillance samples submitted, of whom 2023 were included in the cross-sectional analysis and 695 in the longitudinal analysis. Baseline bedaquiline resistance prevalence was 3·8% (76 of 2023 patients; 95% CI 2·9-4·6), and it was associated with previous exposure to bedaquiline or clofazimine (OR 7·1, 95% CI 2·3-21·9) and with rifampicin-resistant or MDR tuberculosis with additional resistance to either fluoroquinolones or injectable drugs (pre-extensively-drug resistant [XDR] tuberculosis: 4·2, 1·7-10·5) or to both (XDR tuberculosis: 4·8, 2·0-11·7). Rv0678 mutations were the sole genetic basis of phenotypic resistance. Baseline resistance could be attributed to previous bedaquiline or clofazimine exposure in four (5·3%) of 76 patients and to primary transmission in six (7·9%). Odds of successful treatment outcomes were lower in patients with baseline bedaquiline resistance (0·5, 0·3-1). Resistance during treatment developed in 16 (2·3%) of 695 patients, at a median of 90 days (IQR 62-195), with 12 of these 16 having pre-XDR or XDR. INTERPRETATION: Bedaquiline resistance was associated with poorer treatment outcomes. Rapid assessment of bedaquiline resistance, especially when patients were previously exposed to bedaquiline or clofazimine, should be prioritised at baseline or if patients remain culture-positive after 2 months of treatment. Preventing resistance by use of novel combination therapies, current treatment optimisation, and patient support is essential. FUNDING: National Institute for Communicable Diseases of South Africa.

Corrigendum: Brucellosis - Laboratory workers' nightmare come true: A case study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.4102/ajlm.v9i1.1114.].

Distribution and Clonality of drug-resistant tuberculosis in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in South Africa (SA) is clonal and is caused mostly by transmission. Identifying transmission chains is important in controlling DR-TB. This study reports on the sentinel molecular surveillance data of Rifampicin-Resistant (RR) TB in SA, aiming to describe the RR-TB strain population and the estimated transmission of RR-TB cases. METHOD: RR-TB isolates collected between 2014 and 2018 from eight provinces were genotyped using combination of spoligotyping and 24-loci mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-units-variable-number tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) typing. RESULTS: Of the 3007 isolates genotyped, 301 clusters were identified. Cluster size ranged between 2 and 270 cases. Most of the clusters (247/301; 82.0%) were small in size (< 5 cases), 12.0% (37/301) were medium sized (5-10 cases), 3.3% (10/301) were large (11-25 cases) and 2.3% (7/301) were very large with 26-270 cases. The Beijing genotype was responsible for majority of RR-TB cases in Western and Eastern Cape, while the East-African-Indian-Somalian (EAI1_SOM) genotype accounted for a third of RR-TB cases in Mpumalanga. The overall proportion of RR-TB cases estimated to be due to transmission was 42%, with the highest transmission-rate in Western Cape (64%) and the lowest in Northern Cape (9%). CONCLUSION: Large clusters contribute to the burden of RR-TB in specific geographic areas such as Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga, highlighting the need for community-wide interventions. Most of the clusters identified in the study were small, suggesting close contact transmission events, emphasizing the importance of contact investigations and infection control as the primary interventions in SA.

Brucellosis - laboratory workers' nightmare come true: A case study.

INTRODUCTION: Brucella spp. are rarely encountered organisms in the medical microbiology laboratory and, when encountered, can cause concern in laboratory workers. Laboratory personnel may in fact develop serious disease as a result of this exposure. This case highlights shortcomings in recognition of Brucella spp. from a patient presenting atypically as well as the follow-up and management of an infected patient. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was an 8-year-old boy from a rural area of South Africa who presented to an academic hospital with a bladder mass and history of enuresis in September 2016. Brucella melitensis was isolated from a blood culture submitted to the laboratory. The child was subsequently treated for brucellosis in November 2016. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: The source of infection in the patient was traced to consumption of unpasteurised milk from a local farmer. The patient was treated with doxycycline 100 mg twice daily and rifampicin 600 mg daily for 6 weeks and completed treatment, however he was not followed up at our hospital. The laboratory personnel, however, did not handle the specimen as a Biosafety Level 3 pathogen as this organism is not commonly encountered; they were provided with prophylaxis for brucellosis (rifampicin and doxycycline). CONCLUSION: Brucella spp. is a dangerous pathogen, easily capable of causing significant exposure in an unsuspecting and unprepared laboratory. The case discusses the management of brucellosis in the infected patient as well as the management of laboratory exposure to Brucella spp. Our case also describes the public health response to a case of brucellosis.

An outbreak of cutaneous abscesses caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin-producing methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus among gold mine workers, South Africa, November 2017 to March 2018.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to describe an outbreak of cutaneous abscesses caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-producing methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) among gold mine workers. METHODS: In February 2018, we retrospectively reviewed a random sample of 50 medical records from 243 cases and conducted face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Pus aspirates were sent to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases from prospectively-identified cases (November 2017-March 2018). Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected during a colonisation survey in February 2018. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were screened with a conventional PCR for lukS/F-PV. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed to determine the genetic relatedness among the isolates. A sample of isolates were selected for whole genome sequencing (WGS). We conducted an assessment on biological risks associated with mining activities. RESULTS: From January 2017 to February 2018, 10% (350/3582) of mine workers sought care for cutaneous abscesses. Forty-seven medical files were available for review, 96% were male (n = 45) with a mean age of 43 years (SD = 7). About 52% (24/46) were involved in stoping and 28% (13/47) worked on a particular level. We cultured S. aureus from 79% (30/38) of cases with a submitted specimen and 14% (12/83) from colonisation swabs. All isolates were susceptible to cloxacillin. Seventy-one percent of S. aureus isolates (30/42) were PVL-PCR-positive. Six PFGE clusters were identified, 57% (21/37) were closely related. WGS analysis found nine different sequence types. PFGE and WGS analysis showed more than one cluster of S. aureus infections involving closely related isolates. Test reports for feed and product water of the mine showed that total plate counts were above the limits of 1000 cfu/ml, coliform counts > 10 cfu/100 ml and presence of faecal coliforms. Best practices were poorly implemented as some mine workers washed protective clothing with untreated water and hung them for drying at the underground surface. CONCLUSIONS: PVL-producing MSSA caused an outbreak of cutaneous abscesses among underground workers at a gold mining company. To our knowledge, no other outbreaks of PVL-producing S. aureus involving skin and soft tissue infections have been reported in mining facilities in South Africa. We recommend that worker awareness of infection prevention and control practices be strengthened.

Outbreak of Ralstonia mannitolilytica bacteraemia in patients undergoing haemodialysis at a tertiary hospital in Pretoria, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Ralstonia species are Gram-negative bacilli of low virulence. These organisms are capable of causing healthcare associated infections through contaminated solutions. In this study, we aimed to determine the source of Ralstonia mannitolilytica bacteraemia in affected patients in a haemodialysis unit. METHODS: Our laboratory noted an increase in cases of bacteraemia caused by Ralstonia mannitililytica between May and June 2016. All affected patients underwent haemodialysis at the haemodialysis unit of an academic hospital. The reverse osmosis filter of the haemodialysis water system was found to be dysfunctional. We collected water for culture at various points of the dialysis system to determine the source of the organism implicated. ERIC-PCR was used to determine relatedness of patient and environmental isolates. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were found to have Ralstonia mannitolilytica bacteraemia during the outbreak period. We cultured Ralstonia spp. from water collected in the dialysis system. This isolate and patient isolates were found to have the identical molecular banding pattern. CONCLUSIONS: All patients were septic and received directed antibiotic therapy. There was 1 mortality. The source of the R. mannitolilytica infection in these patients was most likely the dialysis water as the identical organism was cultured from the dialysis water and the patients. The hospital management intervened and repaired the dialysis water system following which no further cases of R. mannitolilytca infections were detected. A multidisciplinary approach is required to control healthcare associated infections such as these. Routine maintenance of water systems in the hospital is essential to prevent clinical infections with R.mannitolilytica.

Epidemiological cut-offs for Sensititre susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: interpretive criteria cross validated with whole genome sequencing.

Universal drug susceptibility testing (DST) is an important requirement of the End TB Strategy. The Sensititre broth micro-dilution assay (BMD) tests multiple drugs quantitatively. We defined interpretive criteria for this assay and analysed genotypic-phenotypic relationships. 385 Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates were processed for BMD and whole genome sequencing. The epidemiological cut-off value 99% (ECV99) amongst genotypically wild type (gWT) strains defined susceptibility. Minimum inhibitory concentration distributions of the resistance-associated variants (RAVs) for each drug were analysed. Susceptibility (µg/mL) criteria were determined as follows: rifampicin (≤0.125), isoniazid (≤0.25), ethambutol (≤2.0), moxifloxacin (≤0.5), levofloxacin (≤1.0), amikacin (≤2.0), kanamycin (≤8.0), capreomycin (≤4.0), clofazimine (≤0.25) and linezolid (≤2.0). Most drugs showed clear separation between gWT and RAV. Isoniazid showed a tri-modal pattern with 14/17 strains at ECV99 harbouring a fabG1 c. -15C > T RAV. Ethambutol RAVs at embB codons 306, 405 and 497 were responsible for resistance and showed differential distributions. Moxifloxacin RAVs (gyrA codon 90) were a dilution or two higher than the ECV99 while gyrB RAVs were uncommon and showed drug specific resistance propensity. Interpretive criteria established were robust facilitating progress towards universal DST and individualised precision medicine. This study demonstrates the value of quantitative DST to accurately interpret mutation data.

Whole genome sequencing for drug resistance determination in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

South Africa remains challenged with a high tuberculosis burden accompanied by an increase in drug resistant cases. We assessed the use of the Illumina MiSeq, a next-generation sequencing platform for whole genome sequencing, followed by bioinformatic analysis using a commercial software package to determine resistance to selected drugs used for Mycobacterium tuberculosis treatment in our setting. Whole genome sequencing shows potential as a diagnostic platform for the detection of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with the provision of information for several drugs simultaneously.

Drug resistant tuberculosis in Africa: Current status, gaps and opportunities.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization End TB Strategy targets for 2035 are ambitious and drug resistant tuberculosis is an important barrier, particularly in Africa, home to over a billion people. OBJECTIVE: We sought to review the current status of drug resistant tuberculosis in Africa and highlight key areas requiring improvement. METHODS: Available data from 2016 World Health Organization global tuberculosis database were extracted and analysed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The true burden of drug resistant tuberculosis on the continent is poorly described with only 51% of countries having a formal survey completed. In the absence of this data, modelled estimates were used and reported 92 629 drug resistant tuberculosis cases with 42% of these occurring in just two countries: Nigeria and South Africa. Of the cases estimated, the majority of patients (70%) were not notified, representing 'missed cases'. Mortality among patients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis was 21%, and was 43% among those with extensively drug resistant tuberculosis. Policies on the adoption of new diagnostic tools was poor and implementation was lacking. A rifampicin result was available for less than 10% of tuberculosis cases in 23 of 47 countries. Second-line drug resistance testing was available in only 60% of countries. The introduction of the short multi-drug resistant tuberculosis regimen was a welcome development, with 40% of countries having implemented it in 2016. Bedaquiline has also been introduced in several countries. CONCLUSION: Drug resistant tuberculosis is largely missed in Africa and this threatens prospects to achieve the 2035 targets. Urgent efforts are required to confirm the true burden of drug resistant tuberculosis in Africa. Adoption of new tools and drugs is essential if the 2035 targets are to be met.

Acinetobacter baumannii: Epidemiological and Beta-Lactamase Data From Two Tertiary Academic Hospitals in Tshwane, South Africa.

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic pathogen that is increasingly responsible for hospital-acquired infections. The increasing prevalence of carbapenem resistant A. baumannii has left clinicians with limited treatment options. Last line antimicrobials (i.e., polymyxins and glycylcyclines) are often used as treatment options. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of selected ß-lactamase genes from A. baumannii isolates obtained from patients with hospital-acquired infections and to determine the genetic relationship and epidemiological profiles among clinical A. baumannii isolates collected from two tertiary academic hospitals in the Tshwane region, South Africa (SA). Multiplex-PCR (M-PCR) assays were performed to detect selected resistance genes. The collected isolates' genetic relatedness was determined by using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The acquired oxacillinase (OXA) genes, notably blaOXA-23-like were prevalent in the A. baumannii isolates. The M-PCR assays showed that the isolates collected from hospital A contained the OXA-23-like (96%; n = 69/72) genes and the isolates collected from hospital B contained the OXA-23-like (91%; n = 63/69) and OXA-58-like (4%; n = 3/69) genes. Colistin resistance was found in 1% of the isolates (n = 2/141) and tigecycline intermediate resistance was found in 6% of the isolates (n = 8/141). The A. baumannii isolates were genetically diverse. Molecular epidemiological data showed that specific sequence types (STs) (ST106, ST229, ST258 and ST208) were established in both hospitals, while ST848 was established in hospital A and ST502, ST339 and the novel ST1552 were established in hospital B. ST848 (established in hospital A) was predominately detected in ICU wards whereas ST208, ST339 and the novel ST1552 (established in hospital B) were detected in ICUs and the general wards. The origin of the A. baumannii isolates in the hospitals may be due to the dissemination and adaptation of a diverse group of successful clones. Poor infection control and prevention strategies and possibly the overuse of antimicrobials contributed to the establishment of these A. baumannii clones in the studied hospitals.