Lower Rates of Staphylococcus aureus Bloodstream Infection in Patients on Hemodialysis Receiving Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Melioidosis Prophylaxis.

Hemodialysis is a risk factor for Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection (SAB). In this single-center study, SAB rates were 56% lower during the monsoonal wet season when patients on hemodialysis receive supervised melioidosis prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. This intervention may reduce SAB rates in high-risk patients; however, further targeted studies are required.

COVID-19-related hospitalizations among Aotearoa, New Zealand children during the Omicron era of SARS-CoV-2.

Objectives: This multicenter cohort study describes Aotearoa New Zealand children hospitalized during the country's first wave of sustained SARS-CoV-2 transmission, Omicron variant. Methods: Children younger than 16 years, hospitalized for >6 hours with COVID-19 across New Zealand from January to May 2022 were included. Admissions for all Maori and Pacific and every second non-Maori non-Pacific children were selected to support equal explanatory power for ethnic grouping. Attribution of hospital admission, demography, clinical presentation, comorbidity, treatment, and outcome data were collected. Results: Of 444 hospitalizations of children positive for COVID-19, 292 (65.5%) from 290 children were considered admissions attributable to COVID-19. Of these admissions, 126 (43.4%) were aged under 1; 118 (40.7%), 99 (34.1%), and 87 (30.0%) were children of Maori, Pacific, and non-Maori non-Pacific ethnicity, respectively. Underlying respiratory disease was the most common comorbidity, present in 22 children (7.6%); 16 children (5.5%) were immunosuppressed. Median length of stay was 1 day (interquartile range 0.0-2.0). Four children received antiviral, 69 (24%) antibacterial, and 24 (8%) supplemental oxygen. Although eight children required intensive care, there were no deaths. Conclusions: Children hospitalized during the first significant wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection in New Zealand presented with a multi-system viral illness and rarely with severe disease.

Evaluation of risk prediction scores for adults hospitalized with COVID-19 in a highly-vaccinated population, Aotearoa New Zealand 2022.

Objectives: COVID-19 severity prediction scores need further validation due to evolving COVID-19 illness. We evaluated existing COVID-19 risk prediction scores in Aotearoa New Zealand, including for Maori and Pacific peoples who have been inequitably affected by COVID-19. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study in adults hospitalized with COVID-19 from January to May 2022, including all Maori and Pacific patients, and every second non-Maori, non-Pacific (NMNP) patient to achieve equal analytic power by ethnic grouping. We assessed the accuracy of existing severity scores (4C Mortality, CURB-65, PRIEST, and VACO) to predict death in the hospital or within 28 days. Results: Of 2319 patients, 582 (25.1%) identified as Maori, 914 (39.4%) as Pacific, and 862 (37.2%) as NMNP. There were 146 (6.3%, 95% confidence interval 5.4-7.4%) deaths, with a predicted probability of death higher than observed mortality for VACO (10.4%), modified PRIEST (15.1%) and 4C mortality (15.5%) scores, but lower for CURB-65 (4.5%). C-statistics (95% CI) of severity scores were: 4C mortality: Maori 0.82 (0.75, 0.88), Pacific 0.87 (0.83, 0.90), NMNP 0.90 (0.86, 0.93); CURB-65: Maori 0.83 (0.69, 0.92), Pacific 0.87 (0.82, 0.91), NMNP 0.86 (0.80, 0.91); modified PRIEST: Maori 0.85 (0.79, 0.90), Pacific 0.81 (0.76, 0.86), NMNP 0.83 (0.78, 0.87); and VACO: Maori 0.79 (0.75, 0.83), Pacific 0.71 (0.58, 0.82), NMNP 0.78 (0.73, 0.83). Conclusions: Following re-calibration, existing risk prediction scores accurately predicted mortality.

Infective endocarditis in patients with rheumatic heart disease: a single-centre retrospective comparative study.

AIMS: We reviewed the baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) and compared those with and without rheumatic heart disease (RHD). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients ≥15 years with IE treated at Auckland City Hospital between January 2016 and December 2018 and excluded device-related IE and complex congenital heart disease. RHD status was based on echocardiographic features or previous history of rheumatic fever with valvular disease. Microbiologic and echocardiographic results, treatment modalities and complications were recorded. Demographics and outcomes were compared based on RHD status. RESULTS: There were 155 patients with IE. Twenty-two had RHD. The mean age at admission was 45 years for RHD patients, which was 19 years younger than for non-RHD patients. There were significantly more Pacific patients with RHD (55% vs 14%). Previous IE and prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) were more common in RHD patients (27% vs 5%, and 77% vs 29%, respectively). After a median follow-up of 29 months, there was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between the two groups. However, 25/155 patients (16%) had died from IE-related causes (septic or cardiogenic shock post cardiac surgery, or embolic complications), with a significantly higher mortality in patients with RHD (7/22 (32%) patients, HR: 2.5) on univariate analysis. On multivariable analysis, PVE, heart failure, Staphylococcus aureus infection, diabetes, stroke and cardiac abscess were all associated with increased mortality, whereas RHD was not independently associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective single-centre audit, patients with RHD experienced IE at a younger age, had a higher incidence of prosthetic valve endocarditis and a prior history of IE. Although there was no difference in all-cause mortality, mortality in patients with RHD was almost exclusively secondary to complications of IE. This highlights the need for prevention strategies against endocarditis in the RHD population, including use of antibiotic prophylaxis¬, accessible dental health care and a high clinical suspicion for IE in RHD by healthcare providers.

Clinical features of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 from February to October 2020, during the early waves of the pandemic in New Zealand.

AIM: As New Zealand transitions towards endemic SARS-CoV-2, understanding patient factors predicting severity, as well as hospital resourcing requirements will be essential for future planning. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled patients hospitalised with COVID-19 from 26 February to 5 October 2020 as part of the COVID-19 HospitalisEd Patient SeverIty Observational Study NZ (COHESION). Data on demographics, clinical course and outcomes were collected and analysed as a descriptive case series. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were identified across eight district health boards. Forty-one (49%) were male. The median age was 58 years [IQR: 41.7-70.3 years]. By ethnicity, hospitalisations included 38 NZ European (45%), 19 Pasifika (23%), 13 Maori (15%), 12 Asian (14%) and 2 Other (2%). Pre-existing co-morbidities included hypertension (26/82, 32%), obesity (16/66, 24%) and diabetes (18/81, 22%). The median length of stay was four days [IQR: 2-15 days]. Twelve patients (12/83, 14%) were admitted to an intensive care unit or high dependency unit (ICU/HDU). Ten (10/83, 12%) patients died in hospital of whom seven (70%) were not admitted to ICU/HDU; the median age at death was 83 years. CONCLUSION: Despite initially low case numbers in New Zealand during 2020, hospitalisation with COVID-19 was associated with a high mortality and hospital resource requirements.

Staphylococcus haemolyticus meningitis and bacteremia in an allogenic stem cell transplant patient.

Staphylococcus haemolyticus is a rare cause of bacterial meningitis and most commonly occurs as a nosocomial infection in patients' post-neurosurgery. We report a patient post-allogenic stem cell transplant, with no prior history of neurosurgical procedures, who developed S. haemolyticus meningitis and bacteremia following central catheter-related bloodstream infection. The patient failed therapy with vancomycin and daptomycin but was successfully treated with a prolonged course of linezolid. We review the pharmacological management of coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) meningitis, with a focus on the pharmacokinetic properties of vancomycin, daptomycin and linezolid within the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Pneumocystis pneumonia in HIV-negative adults: missed opportunities for prevention.

AIM: Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) has a high mortality rate in HIV-negative immunocompromised patients, but is preventable with antimicrobial prophylaxis. We aimed to determine the incidence of PCP in three hospitals in Auckland, New Zealand that would have been potentially preventable if patients had been prescribed prophylaxis according to commonly proposed indications. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of HIV-negative adults with PCP who were admitted to Middlemore, North Shore or Waitakere Hospitals between January 2011 and June 2017. We classified their PCP as potentially preventable if they had not been prescribed prophylaxis despite having a commonly proposed indication for this. RESULTS: Of the 108 patients with PCP, 33/108 (30.6%) had potentially preventable infection. Of these, 14/33 (42.4%) died within 30 days of diagnosis of PCP. Most potentially preventable infections occurred in patients with solid organ or haematologic malignancies who were receiving high-dose corticosteroids for >4 weeks. We estimate that 28 cases of PCP and 12 deaths could have been prevented over the study duration if prophylaxis was prescribed to those with commonly proposed indications. CONCLUSION: There is a substantial incidence of potentially preventable PCP and PCP-related mortality in the Auckland region. This could be reduced by greater clinician familiarity with commonly proposed indications for PCP prophylaxis, particularly for clinicians prescribing prolonged corticosteroid courses to patients with malignancies.