[Short recommendations from the CIAFU: Interest of the urine bacterial culture performed before endo-rectal prostate biopsy]. / Recommandations courtes du CIAFU : intérêt de l'ECBU avant biopsie de la prostate réalisée par voie endo-rectale.

Prostate biopsy is sometimes complicated by infection which can lead to death. The risk factors remain controversial, notably the urine bacterial culture carried out before a prostate biopsy. The increase in resistance induces an increase in the number of complications and the need to define new antibiotic prophylaxis strategies. The urine bacterial culture remains widely discussed in cases with post-prostate biopsy infections and urologists or experts await clear recommendations on this subject. The Infectiology Committee of the French Association of Urology has therefore set up a literature analysis work in order to reach a consensus within the committee. METHOD: A literature search was performed on Pubmed and Medline. We selected randomized studies or meta-analyzes using the keywords "prostate biopsy" and "infection" or "infectious complications". All abstracts and articles have been analyzed. The summary of the analysis was reviewed by all the members of the committee proposing the most consensual recommendation possible. RESULTS: The literature on the subject remains poor, but no evidence of a link between prebiopsy bacteriuria and post-biopsy infection has been demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from a clinical situation which could evoke a male urinary tract infection, and moreover having to prefer the postponement of biopsies, it is not recommended to perform a routine urine culture before endo-rectal prostate biopsies (expert opinion).

[Antibiotic prophylaxis in urodynamics: Clinical practice guidelines using a formal consensus method]. / Antibioprophylaxie et bilan urodynamique : recommandations de bonne pratique par consensus formalisé.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to issue clinical practice guidelines on antibiotic prophylaxis in urodynamics (urodynamic studies, UDS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical practice guidelines were provided using a formal consensus method. Guidelines proposals were drew up by a multidisciplinary experts group (pilot group = steering group), then rated by a panel of 12 experts (rating group) using a formal consensus method, and then peer reviewed by a reviewing/reading group of experts (different from the rating group). RESULTS: Urine (bacterial) culture with antimicrobial susceptibility testing is recommended for all patients before UDS (strong agreement). In patients with no neurologic disease, the risk factors for tract urinary infection (UTI) after UDS are age > 70 years, recurrent UTI, and post-void residual volume > 100ml. In patients with neurologic disease, the risk factors for UTI after UDS are recurrent UTI, vesicoureteral reflux, and intermicturition pressure > 40cmH2O. If the urine culture is negative before UDS and there is no risk factor for UTI, antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended (Strong agreement). If the urine culture is negative before UDS, but there are one or more risk factors for UTI, antibiotic prophylaxis is optional. If antibiotic prophylaxis is initiated, a single oral dose (3g) of fosfomycin-tromethamine two hours before UDS is recommended (Strong agreement). If there is bacterial colonization on UCB before UDS, antibiotic therapy is optional (Undecided). If prescribed, it should be adapted to the antimicrobial susceptibility of the identified bacterium or bacteria, started the day before and stopped after UDS (except for fosfomycin-tromethamine: a single dose the day before UDS is necessary and sufficient) (Strong agreement). In the event of UTI before UDS, the UTI should be treated and UDS postponed (Strong agreement). The proposed recommendations should not be changed for patients with a hip or knee replacement (Strong agreement). No antibiotic prophylaxis of bacterial endocarditis is necessary, including in high-risk patients with valvular heart disease (Strong agreement). CONCLUSION: These new guidelines should help to harmonize clinical practice and limit exposure to antibiotics. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

[Urinary catheters prevalence study in a university hospital]. / Enquête de prévalence sur le sondage vésical dans un centre hospitalo-universitaire.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary tract infection is the most common healthcare-association infection, especially because of urinary catheter. We evaluated our practices concerning catheter insertion and management in our institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a single-centre descriptive cross-sectional study during 1 week in September 2014 in all adult departments. We noted prevalence, indications, length, management of urinary catheter (UC) and symptomatic catheter-associated urinary tract infections (SCAUTI). RESULTS: Amongst 1046 patients audited, 125 (12%) had UC. The mean age was 72 years (64.8-79.2). UC prevalence was higher in surgical (88%) and medical (87%) intensive care, urology (50%), geriatrics (18%) and long-term care (18%) departments. The average catheterisation length was 7.8 days (3.8-11.8); it was shorter in surgery than in medicine departments (3.6 vs 9.7 days, P<0.001). Catheters were present for more than 4 days in 60% of the cases. Acute urinary retention was the most frequent indication (59%), significantly more in medical than surgical departments (75% vs 26%). Others indications were perioperative (17%), diuresis monitoring (12%), strict immobilization (4%) and unnecessary indications or staff comfort (4%). A SCAUTI was present in 10% of cases, mostly in medicine department (30% vs 8%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of our institution is higher than the national prevalence (8.1%), but still below the European average (17.2%). Control of the risk of CAUTI requires compliance with UC appropriate indications, UC management, and prompt removal of unnecessary UC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Pharmacological study of cefoxitin as an alternative antibiotic therapy to carbapenems in treatment of urinary tract infections due to extended-spectrum-ß-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli.

Cefoxitin could be an alternative to carbapenems in extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) infections. However, pharmacological and clinical data regarding cefoxitin are limited. Using a recent pharmacological model and the MICs of ESBL-EC collected from pyelonephritis, we determined the probabilities to reach four pharmacological targets: free cefoxitin concentrations above the MIC during 50% and 100% of the administration interval (T>MIC = 50% and T>MIC = 100%, respectively) and free cefoxitin concentrations above 4× MIC during 50% and 100% of the administration interval (T>4MIC = 50% and T>4MIC = 100%, respectively). Cefoxitin could be used to treat ESBL-EC pyelonephritis, but administration modalities should be optimized according to MICs in order to reach pharmacological targets.

Mucormycosis as a rare cause of severe gastrointestinal bleeding after multivisceral transplantation.

Mucormycosis, an emerging fungal infection in solid organ transplant patients, is mostly located in rhino-orbito-cerebral, pulmonary, and cutaneous areas, or disseminated with poor prognosis. A 4-year-old girl with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome underwent a modified multivisceral transplantation, including half of the stomach, the duodeno-pancreas, the small bowel, and the right colon. On postoperative day 5, a digestive perforation was suspected. Surgical exploration found a small necrotic area on the native stomach, which was externally drained. The next day, massive gastric bleeding occurred. During the emergency laparotomy, 2 hemorrhagic ulcers were found and resected from the transplanted stomach. Pathology and fungal culture showed mucormycosis caused by Lichtheimia (formerly Absidia) ramosa in both the transplanted and native stomach. High-dose intravenous liposomal amphotericin B was immediately started. No other site of fungal infection was found. The child recovered, and 3 years after transplantation, is alive and well, off parenteral nutrition. The originality of this case is the very early presentation after transplantation, the unusual site, and the complete recovery after rapid medico-surgical management. The origin of the fungus and treatment are discussed.

Spread of viruses, which measures are the most apt to control COVID-19?

The persistent debate about the modes of transmission of SARS-CoV2 and preventive measures has illustrated the limits of our knowledge regarding the measures to be implemented in the face of viral risk. Past and present (pandemic-related) scientific data underline the complexity of the phenomenon and its variability over time. Several factors contribute to the risk of transmission, starting with incidence in the general population (i.e., colonization pressure) and herd immunity. Other major factors include intensity of symptoms, interactions with the reservoir (proximity and duration of contact), the specific characteristics of the virus(es) involved, and a number of unpredictable elements (humidity, temperature, ventilation…). In this review, we will emphasize the difficulty of "standardizing" the situations that might explain the discrepancies found in the literature. We will show that the airborne route remains the main mode of transmission. Regarding preventive measures of prevention, while vaccination remains the cornerstone of the fight against viral outbreaks, we will remind the reader that wearing a mask is the main barrier measure and that the choice of type of mask depends on the risk situations. Finally, we believe that the recent pandemic should induce us in the future to modify our recommendations by adapting our measures in hospitals, not to the pathogen concerned, which is currently the case, but rather to the type of at-risk situation.

Time to intestinal clearance of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in hospital patients: a longitudinal retrospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal clearance of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE-IC) is a cornerstone to discontinue isolation precautions for CPE patients in hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate the time to spontaneous CPE-IC and identify its potential associated risk factors. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was carried out between January 2018 and September 2020 on all patients in a 3200-bed teaching referral hospital with confirmed CPE intestinal carriage. CPE-IC was defined as at least three consecutive CPE-negative rectal swab cultures without a subsequent positive result. A survival analysis was performed to determine the median time to CPE-IC. A multivariate Cox model was implemented to explore the factors associated with CPE-IC. RESULTS: A total of 110 patients were positives for CPE, of whom 27 (24.5%) achieved CPE-IC. Median time to CPE-IC was 698 days. Univariate analysis showed that female sex (P=0.046), multiple CPE-species in index cultures (P=0.005), Escherichia coli or Klebsiella spp. (P=0.001 and P=0.028, respectively) were significantly associated with the time to CPE-IC. Multivariate analysis highlighted that identification of E. coli carbapenemase-producing or CPEs harbouring ESBL genes in index culture extended the median time to CPE-IC, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.13 (95% confidence interval: 0.04-0.45]; P=0.001 and aHR = 0.34 (95% confidence interval: 0.12-0.90); P=0.031). CONCLUSION: Intestinal decolonization of CPE can take several months to years to occur. Carbapenemase-producing E. coli are likely to play a key role in delaying intestinal decolonization, probably through horizontal gene transfer between species. Therefore, discontinuation of isolation precautions in CPE-patients should be considered with caution.

Long-term control of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium at the scale of a large multihospital institution: a seven-year experience.

Repeated outbreaks of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) occurred between 2004 and 2010 in Assistance Publique--Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), a 23,000-bed multi-hospital institution. From August 2004 to December 2005, the French guidelines for preventing cross-transmission of multiresistant bacteria were applied. Because the number of VRE cases continued to increase, an institutional control programme was implemented from January 2006 onwards: it foresees stopping transfer of VRE and contact patients, separating VRE and contact patients in distinct cohorts, intervention of a central infection control team to support local teams, and quick application of measures as soon as first VRE cases are identified. Between August 2004 and December 2010, 45 VRE outbreaks occurred in 21 of the 38 AP-HP hospitals, comprising 533 cases. Time series analysis showed that the mean number of cases increased by 0.8 cases per month (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3 to 1.3, p=0.001) before, and decreased by 0.7 cases per month after implementation of the programme (95% CI: -0.9 to -0.5, p<0.001), resulting in a significant trend change of -1.5 cases per month (95% CI: -2.1 to -0.9, p<0.001). The number of cases per outbreak was significantly lower after implementation of the programme. A sustained and coordinated strategy can control emerging bacteria at the level of a large regional multihospital institution.

Adverse events associated with patient isolation: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patient isolation is widely recommended and used in healthcare institutions to prevent transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). However, its risk: benefit ratio is debated. AIM: To assess, based on newly published studies, whether or not there are physical and psychological adverse events associated with patient isolation. METHODS: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis were performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were systematically searched from PubMed, from May 1st, 2009 to January 31st, 2020. The concepts of the research questions were defined as: 'Adverse events', 'patient isolation or cohorting', and 'multi-drug resistant organisms colonized or infection patients'. Three reviewers independently screened studies and extracted data. All statistical analysis was performed with Stata Software and R. FINDINGS: After screening titles of 15,921 articles and abstracts of 196, and reviewing full texts of 50 studies, 19 studies were included. Studies were divided into three groups: four qualitative studies, seven observational studies suitable for meta-analysis, and eight other observational studies. Meta-analysis shows no adverse events related to clinical care or patients' experience associated with patient isolation. CONCLUSION: More studies with correct methodology, including a control group and standardized inclusion criteria, must be conducted to confirm our results.

Prevalence and risk factors for carriage of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing enterobacteriaceae in rehabilitation wards in France.

OBJECTIVES: Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) are a major public health concern worldwide. Little is known about the prevalence of ESBL-PE colonization in rehabilitation wards in France. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of ESBL-PE colonization in rehabilitation wards in the Parisian area and to identify potential risk factors for ESBL-PE carriage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This one-day prospective study was performed in three rehabilitation wards in Paris, France, between September 1, 2016, and June 26, 2017. Rectal samples were collected for microbial analysis from patients who were present at 8am and all isolates recovered were identified by mass spectrometry. The presence of ESBL-PE was confirmed using a double-disk synergy test according to EUCAST recommendations. Risk factors for colonization were determined by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: A total of 136 patients were analyzed (50.7% of female patients; median age 71 years). Twenty-eight patients (20.6%) were colonized with ESBL-PE on the day of sampling. Escherichia coli was identified in 15 (50%) cases and Klebsiella pneumoniae in six (20%). None of the variables studied was significantly associated with a higher risk of ESBL-PE colonization. However, there was a tendency for a higher risk of ESBL-PE colonization with dementia (OR = 6.116 [95%CI: 0.92-40.57]; p = 0.06) and diabetes with complications (OR = 2.853 [95%CI: 1-8.16]; p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients in rehabilitation wards showed a high rate of ESBL-PE colonization (21%). Continuous monitoring of antibiotic resistance among potentially pathogenic bacteria, including ESBL-PE, is crucial as colonized patients represent an important reservoir for transmission after discharge outside the hospital setting.

One-day prevalence of asymptomatic carriage of toxigenic and non-toxigenic Clostridioides difficile in 10 French hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic faecal carriage of Clostridioides difficile has been widely evaluated, but its prevalence across a wide range of clinical departments and related risk factors are not well described. The objectives of the PORTADIFF study were to evaluate the prevalence and identifying risk factors leading to asymptomatic carriage of both toxigenic and non-toxigenic C. difficile. METHODS: The PORTADIFF study was a 1-day prevalence study carried out in 10 different French hospitals. Adult patients, who agreed to participate, were included in this study and provided a fresh stool sample. C. difficile strains isolated from carriage were characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of tcdA, tcdB, cdtA and cdtB, and PCR ribotyping. RESULTS: In total, 721 patients were included in this study. The median age was 73 years (range 18-101 years) and the male/female ratio was 1.06. C. difficile (either toxigenic or non-toxigenic strains) was isolated from 79 (11%) patients; 42 (5.8%) strains were toxigenic. The prevalence rates of asymptomatic carriage ranged from 5% on surgical wards to 19% on long-term care wards. The main risk factors associated with asymptomatic carriage were antibiotic treatment within the preceding 3 months (81.8% vs 53.7%; P<0.01), hospitalization within the preceding 2 months (55.8% vs 33%; P<0.01), cumulative duration of hospital stay before study inclusion (mean 50.1 vs 34.5 days; P<0.047), and hospitalization on a ward with high global incidence of C. difficile infection. CONCLUSION: Eleven percent of hospitalized patients were asymptomatic carriers of toxigenic or non-toxigenic C. difficile, and may constitute a potential reservoir of C. difficile strains.

Environmental SARS-CoV-2 contamination in hospital rooms of patients with acute COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Data on the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) remain conflicting. Airborne transmission is still debated. However, hospital risk control requires better understanding of the different modes of transmission. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of, and factors associated with, environmental air and surface contamination in the rooms of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in the acute phase of the disease. METHODS: Sixty-five consecutive patients were included in this study. For each patient, seven room surfaces, air 1 m and 3 m from the patient's head, the inner surface of the patient's mask, and the outer surface of healthcare workers' (HCW) masks were sampled. Environmental contamination was assessed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for SARS-CoV-2 RNA on surfaces, air and masks. A viral isolation test was performed on Vero cells for samples with an RT-qPCR cycle threshold (Ct) ≤37. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by RT-qPCR in 34%, 12%, 50% and 10% of surface, air, patient mask and HCW mask samples, respectively. Infectious virus was isolated in culture from two samples among the 85 positive samples with Ct ≤37. On multi-variate analysis, only a positive result for SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR for patients' face masks was found to be significantly associated with surface contamination (odds ratio 5.79, 95% confidence interval 1.31-25.67; P=0.025). CONCLUSION: This study found that surface contamination by SARS-CoV-2 was more common than air and mask contamination. However, viable virus was rare. The inner surface of a patient's mask could be used as a marker to identify those at higher risk of contamination.

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Klebsiella spp. meningitis in France.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiology of Klebsiella spp. meningitis in France with respect to clinical and bacteriological data. METHODS: We performed a four-year multicenter, retrospective, observational study. The primary objective was to provide a clinical description of patients with Klebsiella spp. meningitis. Secondary objectives were to compare community-acquired meningitis and healthcare-associated meningitis and to analyze factors associated with mortality. RESULTS: We enrolled 131 patients with Klebsiella spp. meningitis. Eighty-two (62.6%) infections were reported following neurosurgery. Twenty-eight strains (21.4%) were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins (3GC). The median [IQR] cellularity was 980/mm3 [116-5550], the median protein level was 5.67 [1.62-9] g/L and the median CSF glucose level was 2.5 [0-3.4] mmol/L. The in-hospital mortality rate was 23.6%. Community-acquired meningitis isolates were more frequently susceptible to 3GC than isolates from healthcare-associated meningitis (89.2% versus 72%; P=0.04). Comorbidities reported for patients with community-acquired meningitis were mainly diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis. In multivariate analysis, focal neurological disorder at the time of diagnosis was the only factor associated with in-hospital mortality (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Purulent meningitis caused by Klebsiella spp. needs to be considered in patients with community-acquired meningitis and preexisting conditions, as well as in case of meningitis following neurosurgical procedures.

Revisited distribution of nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli clinical isolates.

Nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli (NF-GNB) are ubiquitous environmental opportunistic bacteria frequently misidentified by conventional phenotypic methods. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of NF-GNB species by 16 S rRNA gene sequencing (used as reference method) and to compare performances of biochemical tests and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). From nine French hospitals, 188 NF-GNB isolates (except P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii) were prospectively collected from 187 clinical samples between December 2008 and May 2009. By using the genotypic approach, 173 (92%) and 188 (100%) isolates were identified to the species and genus level, respectively. They covered 35 species and 20 genera, with a predominance of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and Pseudomonas putida group bacteria. Of the 173 species-level identified strains, concordant identification to the species-level was obtained for 75.1%, 83% and 88.9% of isolates with API 20 NE strip, the VITEK-2 (ID-GN card) system and MALDI-TOF-MS, respectively. By excluding S. maltophilia isolates accurately identified by the three methods, genus-level identification was much higher for MALDI-TOF-MS (92.9%), compared with API 20 NE and VITEK-2 (76.2% and 80.8%, respectively). In conclusion, MALDI-TOF-MS represents a rapid, inexpensive, and accurate tool for routine identification of NF-GNB in human clinical samples.

Relative faecal abundance of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales and its impact on infections among intensive care unit patients: a pilot study.

This pilot prospective study assessed the association between the faecal relative abundance of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE) and the occurrence of ESBL-PE related infections. Twenty-four patients were included. The median ESBL relative abundance was 32.4%. The mean ESBL-PE relative abundance (ESBL-PE-RA) was more than five-fold higher in patients exposed during the last three months to antibiotics (P = 0.002). Furthermore, the mean ESBL relative abundance was more than two-fold higher in patients colonized with non-E. coli strains (P = 0.044). The mean ESBL-PE-RA was more than 10-fold higher for the concordant patients than for the discordant patients (59.1% vs 4.9%; P < 0.001).

Risk factors for the environmental spread of different multidrug-resistant organisms: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Substantial scientific evidence shows that contamination of environmental surfaces in hospitals plays an important role in the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). To date, studies have failed to identify the risk factors associated with environmental contamination. AIM: To evaluate, compare, and identify factors associated with environmental contamination around carriers of different MDROs. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study from May 2018 to February 2020. A total of 125 patients were included, having been admitted to Avicenne Hospital and Hotel Dieu de France de Beyrouth Hospital who were faecal carriers of MDROs (extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-PE), carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)). For each patient, quantification of MDRO in stool was undertaken, plus a qualitative evaluation of the presence of MDRO in six different environmental sites; and clinical data were collected. FINDINGS: MDROs comprised ESBL-PE (34%), CPE (45%), and VRE (21%). The most frequent MDRO species was Escherichia coli. Contamination of at least one environmental site was observed for 22 (18%) patients. Only carriage of VanA was associated with a significantly higher risk of dissemination. Having a urinary catheter, carriage of OXA48 and E. coli were protective factors against environmental contamination. There were no significant differences in environmental contamination between E. coli and other Enterobacterales or between ESBL-PE and CPE. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital environmental contamination rates are substantially higher for patients with VRE, compared to the low environment dissemination rates around ESBL-PE and CPE. Further studies on a larger scale are needed to confirm the validity of our findings.

FUrTIHF: French urinary tract infections in healthcare facilities - five-year historic cohort (2014-2018).

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common and diverse. Even when not severe, UTIs regularly lead to hospitalization, but their hospital burden remains unknown. This study aimed to estimate the national incidence of hospitalized UTIs in France. METHODS: A historic five-year cohort of adult patients hospitalized with UTIs in France was extracted from the medico-administrative databases using an ICD-10 code algorithm built by a multidisciplinary team. The performance parameters were estimated blindly, by reviewing 1122 cases, using medical reports as the gold standard, giving a global predictive positive value of 70.4% (95% confidence interval 66.6-74.1). The national incidence of UTIs was then estimated. RESULTS: A total of 2,083,973 patients with UTIs were hospitalized over the period, giving an adjusted incidence rate of ∼900 cases/100,000 inhabitants, stable over the period, higher in females and increasing with age; 1.2% were device-associated UTIs. Unspecific acute cystitis represented almost two-thirds of cases (63.5%); followed by pyelonephritis (23.6%) and prostatitis (12.4%). More than three-quarters of patients had at least one comorbid condition (76.8%). CONCLUSIONS: This national cohort study is the first to date to estimate the incidence of UTI-related hospitalizations in France. UTIs represent a substantial burden of care. Further analysis will provide data for more informed goal-of-care discussions targeting each type of UTI, their management and outcomes.

Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction assays for direct screening of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from rectal swabs: a diagnostic meta-analysis.

Recently, molecular assays have been demonstrated to be reliable for rapid detection of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) directly from positive blood cultures, reducing significantly the time for identification. Few studies have tested their performance on rectal swabs and no comprehensive conclusions have been reached regarding their utility for infection control management. Our aim was to review and assess the overall diagnostic test accuracy of polymerase chain reaction for the detection of CPE in rectal swabs. The electronic database PubMed was searched, up to October 1st, 2019, without language restriction or publication date restrictions. First, the concepts of the research questions were defined: 'carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae', 'molecular testing', 'test detection', and 'rectal screening'. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed quality using the QUADAS-2 instrument. Statistical analyses were carried out in Stata software using the bivariate model. In all, 143 articles were screened and 16 studies were included. Five (31%) of the studies were conducted in the context of a CPE outbreak; one study (6%) included patients pre-identified with CPE in clinical samples (blood or tracheal secretions), whereas the rest (63%) collected rectal swabs from patients considered at high risk of colonization. The molecular assays evaluated had a relatively good sensitivity of 0.95 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.902-0.989), and an excellent specificity of 0.994 (95% CI: 0.965-1). Molecular techniques seem to be a useful, accurate diagnostic tool in screening for carriage of CPE in contact patients around a fortuitous discovery of a non-isolated hospitalized carrier patient.

SARS-CoV-2 was already spreading in France in late December 2019.

The COVID-19 epidemic is believed to have started in late January 2020 in France. Here we report a case of a patient hospitalised in December 2019 in an intensive care unit in a hospital in the north of Paris for haemoptysis with no aetiological diagnosis. RT-PCR was performed retrospectively on the stored respiratory sample and confirmed the diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Based on this result, it appears that the COVID-19 epidemic started much earlier in France.