Prevalence and Risk Factors of Healthcare-Associated Infections among Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: Point Prevalence Survey in Thailand 2021.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose a grave threat to patient safety, morbidity, and mortality, contributing to antimicrobial resistance. Thus, we estimated the point prevalence, risk factors, types, and pathogens of HAIs in hospitalized pediatric patients. METHODS: A point prevalence survey (PPS) of HAIs in hospitalized pediatric patients < 18 years old was conducted from March to May 2021. Outcomes, risk factors, and types of HAIs associated with HAIs in 41 hospitals across Thailand were collected. RESULTS: The prevalence of HAIs was 3.9% (95% CI 2.9-5.0%) (56/1443). By ages < 1 month, 1 month-2 years, 2-12 years, and 12-18 years, the prevalence of HAIs was 4.2%, 3.3%, 4.1%, and 3.0%, respectively (p = 0.80). Significant independent risk factors were extended hospital length of stay (LOS) and central venous catheter (CVC) use. Compared to an LOS of <4 days, LOSs of 4-7 days, 8-14 days, and >14 days had adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of 2.65 (95% CI 1.05, 6.68), 5.19 (95% CI 2.00, 13.4), and 9.03 (95% CI 3.97, 20.5), respectively. The use of a CVC had an aOR of 2.45 (95% CI 1.06-5.66). Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) was the most common HAI type (46.4%: 26/56). The highest prevalence of HAIs was predominantly observed in LRTI diagnoses, with the highest among these in the <1 month age category at 2.3% (17/738). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HAIs in hospitalized pediatric patients was 3.9%. Extended LOS and use of CVC were HAI risk factors. A strategy for reducing LOS and reviewing insertion indications or the early planned removal of a CVC was implemented. The surveillance of HAIs stands as a cornerstone and fundamental component of IPC, offering invaluable insights that enhance hospital IPC interventions aimed at preventing HAIs.

Point prevalence survey of antibiotic use among hospitalized patients across 41 hospitals in Thailand.

Objectives: To describe the antibiotic use among hospitalized patients in Thailand. Methods: A standardized cross-sectional point prevalence survey (PPS) modified from the WHO PPS protocol was conducted in 41 selected hospitals in Thailand. All inpatients who received an antibiotic at 9 a.m. on the survey date were enrolled. The total number of inpatients on that day was the denominator. Results: Between March and May 2021, a total of 8958 inpatients were enumerated; 4745 inpatients received antibiotics on the day of the survey and there were 6619 prescriptions of antibiotics. The prevalence of antibiotic use was 53.0% (95% CI 51.1%-54.0%), ranging from 14.3% to 73.4%. The antibiotic use was highest among adults aged >65 years (57.1%; 95% CI 55.3%-58.9%). From 6619 antibiotics prescribed, 68.6% were used to treat infection, 26.7% for prophylaxis and 4.7% for other or unknown indications. Overall, the top three commonly used antibiotics were third-generation cephalosporins (1993; 30.1%), followed by first-generation cephalosporins (737; 11.1%) and carbapenems (703; 10.6%). The most frequently used antibiotics for community-acquired infections were third-generation cephalosporins (36.8%), followed by ß-lactam/ß-lactamase inhibitors (11.8%) and carbapenems (11.3%) whereas for the patients with hospital-acquired infections, the most common antibiotics used were carbapenems (32.7%), followed by ß-lactam/ß-lactamase inhibitors (15.7%), third-generation cephalosporins (11.7%) and colistin (11.7%). The first-generation cephalosporins were the most commonly used antibiotics (37.7%) for surgical prophylaxis. Seventy percent of the patients received surgical prophylaxis for more than 1 day post surgery. Conclusions: The prevalence of antibiotic use among hospitalized patients in Thailand is high and one-quarter of these antibiotics were used for prophylaxis. The majority of surgical prophylaxis was inappropriately used for a long duration post operation. Therefore, it is recommended that local guidelines should be developed and implemented.

Acceptance and outcome of interventions in a meropenem de-escalation antimicrobial stewardship program in pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: Prospective audit and feedback is a method that allows the antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) team to interact with attending physicians to tailor antibiotic therapy, including de-escalation, as appropriate. This study aimed to evaluate the acceptance and outcomes of ASP de-escalation recommendations in children who received meropenem. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in children aged 1 month to 18 years who received meropenem in a tertiary-care teaching hospital. The ASP team gave recommendation between 72 and 120 h after initiating meropenem therapy. Acceptance of de-escalation recommendations among primary physicians was evaluated within 24 h of recommendation. Outcomes included clinical success rate on the 7th day and incidence rate of acquisition of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria (CR-GNB) within 30 days. RESULTS: From March to December 2019, 217 children with a median (interquartile range) age of 2.1 (0.6, 9.5) years received meropenem. The ASP team gave recommendations in 127 (58.5%) of cases for continuation of meropenem therapy and 90 (41.5%) of cases for de-escalation. The overall acceptance of ASP de-escalation recommendations was 57.8% (95%CI: 46.9-68.1%). Clinical success rates were 85.2% in the accepted group compared to 77.5% in the rejected group (P = 0.06). The incidence rate of acquisition of CR-GNB within 30 days after treatment was 5.8% in the accepted group and 15.8% in the rejected group (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: About half of the recommendations to de-escalate meropenem prescriptions were accepted through the ASP intervention. Carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria acquisitions was less likely in the de-escalation group. A robust de-escalation strategy 72 h following carbapenem initiation should be encouraged to combat multidrug-resistant organisms.

Evaluation of Intravenous Fosfomycin Disodium Dosing Regimens in Critically Ill Patients for Treatment of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales Infections Using Monte Carlo Simulation.

There are limited intravenous fosfomycin disodium (IVFOS) dosing regimens to treat carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections. This study aimed to use Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) for evaluation of IVFOS dosing regimens in critically ill patients with CRE infections. The dosing regimens in critically ill patients with various creatinine clearance were evaluated with MCS using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) distributions of fosfomycin against CRE clinical isolates in Thailand and the 24 h area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve over the minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC0-24/MIC) of ≥21.5 to be a target for IVFOS. The achieved goal of the probability of target attainment (PTA) and a cumulative fraction of response (CFR) were ≥90%. A total of 129 non-duplicated CRE clinical isolates had MIC distributions from 0.38 to >1024 mg/L. IVFOS 8 g every 8 h, 1 h, or 4 h infusion, could achieve approximately 90% PTA of AUC0-24/MIC target to treat CRE infections with MICs ≤ 128 mg/L. According to PTA target, an IVFOS daily dose to treat carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli based on Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints for urinary tract infections and one to treatment for CRE infections based on the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) breakpoints were 16 g/day and 8 g/day, respectively. All dosing regimens of IVFOS against CRE achieved CFR ≤ 70%. This study proposes the IVFOS dosing regimens based on CLSI and EUCAST breakpoints for the treatment of CRE infections. However, further clinical studies are needed to confirm the results of these findings.

Successful challenge of voriconazole in a patient with posaconazole-associated minor drug eruption: A case report.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Triazole antifungal-associated skin rash is rare. Data on cross-reaction triazole antifungals remain inconclusive and poorly defined. We report successful voriconazole challenge in a patient allergic to posaconazole. CASE SUMMARY: A 38-year-old female diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia and receiving chemotherapy treatment in our institution developed a maculopapular rash after receiving oral posaconazole for invasive fungal infection prophylaxis. Other potential causes that may have attributed to this response, such as other drugs that the patient was taking and infections, were excluded. Voriconazole, another triazole antifungal, was successfully substituted for posaconazole. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: This is the first case report of a patient, with a history of posaconazole allergy, successfully challenged with voriconazole.