Transmission of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales in an Overcrowded Emergency Department: Controlling the Spread to the Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Overcrowded emergency departments (EDs) may increase the risk of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) transmission. METHODS: We conducted a quasi-experimental study divided into 2 phases (baseline and intervention) to investigate the impact of an intervention on the acquisition rate and identify risk factors for CRE colonization in an ED of a tertiary academic hospital in Brazil. In both phases, we did universal screening with rapid molecular test (blaKPC, blaNDM, blaOXA48, blaOXA23, and blaIMP) and culture. At baseline, both screening test results were not reported, and patients were put under contact precautions (CP) based on previous colonization or infection by multidrug-resistant organisms. During the intervention, all patients hospitalized in the ED were placed in empiric CP and the result of CRE screening was reported; if negative, patients were released from CP. Patients were rescreened if they stayed >7 days in the ED or were transferred to an intensive care unit. RESULTS: A total of 845 patients were included: 342 in baseline and 503 in intervention. Colonization at admission was 3.4% by culture and molecular test. Acquisition rates during ED stay dropped from 4.6% (11/241) to 1% (5/416) during intervention (P = .06). The aggregated antimicrobial use in the ED decreased from phase 1 to phase 2 (804 defined daily doses [DDD]/1000 patients to 394 DDD/1000 patients, respectively). Length of stay >2 days in the ED was a risk factor for CRE acquisition (adjusted odds ratio, 4.58 [95% confidence interval, 1.44-14.58]; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Early empiric CP and rapid identification of CRE-colonized patients reduce cross-transmission in ED. Nevertheless, staying >2 days in ED compromised efforts.

Critical preparedness and operational response actions directed for the acute and post-acute COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: the experience of a nationwide outpatient healthcare group.

ABSTRACT: While the new Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly spread across the world, South America was reached later in relation to Asia, Europe and the United States of America (USA). Brazil concentrates now the largest number of cases in the continent and, as the disease speedily progressed throughout the country, prompt and challenging operational strategies had to be taken by institutions caring for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients in order to assure optimal workflows, triage, and management. Although hospitals in the USA, Europe and Asia have shared their experience on this subject, little has been discussed about such strategies in South America or by the perspective of outpatient centers, which are paramount in the radiology field. This article shares the guidelines adopted early in the pandemic by a nationwide outpatient healthcare center composed by a network of more than 200 patient service centers and nearly 2,000 radiologists in Brazil, discussing operational and patient management strategies, staff protection, changes adopted in the fellowship program, and the effectiveness of such measures.

Evolution and epidemic spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil.

Brazil currently has one of the fastest-growing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemics in the world. Because of limited available data, assessments of the impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on this virus spread remain challenging. Using a mobility-driven transmission model, we show that NPIs reduced the reproduction number from >3 to 1 to 1.6 in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Sequencing of 427 new genomes and analysis of a geographically representative genomic dataset identified >100 international virus introductions in Brazil. We estimate that most (76%) of the Brazilian strains fell in three clades that were introduced from Europe between 22 February and 11 March 2020. During the early epidemic phase, we found that SARS-CoV-2 spread mostly locally and within state borders. After this period, despite sharp decreases in air travel, we estimated multiple exportations from large urban centers that coincided with a 25% increase in average traveled distances in national flights. This study sheds new light on the epidemic transmission and evolutionary trajectories of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Brazil and provides evidence that current interventions remain insufficient to keep virus transmission under control in this country.

Deficiência auditiva neurossensorial associada à doença de Kawasaki / Sensorineural hearing loss associated with Kawasaki disease

Objetivo: a doença de Kawasaki (DK) é uma vasculite sistêmica idiopática, autolimitada, de pequenos e médios vasos. Foram descritos na literaura treze casos de deficiência auditiva neurossensorial, durante a evolução dessa doença. Descreve-se o caso de um lactente com doença de Kawasaki com evolução, durante a fase aguda, para deficiência auditiva neurossensorial. A descrição do caso justifica-se por ilustrar uma complicação grave da DK, pouco mencionada na literatura, que reforça a recomendação de cautela na avaliação global destes pacientes. Descrição: menino hígido de 1 ano e sete meses de idade apresentou-se com febre diária persistente, iniciada havia sete dias, associada à irritabilidade,conjutivite bilateral não-exsudativa, reitema máculo-papular em tronco. Evoluiu com artrite em punhos, cotovelos, joelhos e tornozelos e edema e descamação de mãos e pés, que impossibilitava a deambulação. O diagnóstico de doença de Kawasaki foi estabelecido de acordo com os critérios da American Heart Association (AHA), e a criança foi tratada de forma convencional. Houve regressão das manifestações clínicas três dias após o inicio do tratamento. Contudo, um mês após o início dos sintomas, os familiares notaram resposta insatisfatória a estímulos sonoros. A avaliação da acuidade auditiva através do BERA (Brainstem Evoked Responses Audiometry - Audiometria de Potenciais Evocados de Tronco Cerebral) disgnosticou perda auditiva neurossensorial bilateral, grau severo a profundo. Comentários: é possível que o exame rotineiro de acuidade auditiva em crianças com doença de Kawasaki possa identificar precocemente a deficiência auditiva neurossensorial

[Sensorineural hearing loss associated to Kawasaki Disease] / Deficiência auditiva neurossensorial associada à doença de Kawasaki.

OBJECTIVE: Kawasaki disease is a systemic idiopathic self-limited vasculitis of small and medium-sized vessels. Thirteen cases of sensorineural hearing loss during the evolution of this disease have been described in the literature. We describe a case of an infant with Kawasaki disease who developed sensorineural hearing loss during the acute phase. This case report shows a complication of Kawasaki disease, with few citations in literature, enhancing the importance of careful evaluation of these patients. DESCRIPTION: Nineteen-month-old-boy, formerly healthy, with persistent daily fever seven days before admission, associated with irritability, bilateral nonexudative conjunctivitis and maculopapular erythema on his trunk. There was later development of arthritis on wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles, and swelling associated with desquamation of hands and feet, which prevented him from walking. The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease was established according to the American Heart Associations criteria, and the child was conventionally treated. There was regression of clinical manifestations three days after the beginning of treatment. However, one month after the onset of symptoms, the family noticed an unsatisfactory response to sound stimuli. The evaluation of auditory acuity through BERA (Brainstem Evoked Responses Audiometry) revealed severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. COMMENTS: Routine examination of auditory acuity in children with Kawasaki disease may help identify sensorineural hearing loss at an early stage.