Evidence-Based Data on the Diagnostic Role and Clinical Usefulness of [18F]FDG PET/CT in Endocarditis and Cardiac Device Infections.

Infective endocarditis and infection of cardiac devices are conditions characterized by high morbidity and mortality, thus requiring a prompt diagnosis. Advanced imaging modalities are often required in the management of infectious endocarditis according to guidelines. The aim of this review is to collect and describe evidence-based knowledge about the diagnostic role and clinical usefulness of [18F]FDG PET/CT in endocarditis and cardiac device infections based on published systematic reviews and meta-analyses on this topic and on recent guidelines. [18F]FDG PET/CT is recommended only in selected cases. This imaging method has good diagnostic accuracy in detecting prosthetic valve endocarditis and cardiac device infection. Furthermore, it can identify extra-cardiac infectious foci changing the clinical management in a significant percentage of cases.

Epidemiology of subsequent bloodstream infections in the ICU.

Subsequent bloodstream infections (sBSI) occur with a delay after removal of the intravascular catheter (IVC) whose tip revealed microbial growth. Here we describe the epidemiology of sBSI in the intensive care setting. Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and yeast were the pathogens most frequently associated with sBSI. In contrast, Enterococci were rarely found in sBSI.

Burkholderia stabilis outbreak associated with contaminated commercially-available washing gloves, Switzerland, May 2015 to August 2016.

We describe an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis associated with contaminated washing gloves, a commercially available Class I medical device. Triggered by an increase in Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) bacteremias and the detection of BCC in unopened packages of washing gloves, an ad hoc national outbreak committee comprising representatives of a public health organisation, a regulatory agency, and an expert association convened and commissioned an outbreak investigation. The investigation included retrospective case finding across Switzerland and whole genome sequencing (WGS) of isolates from cases and gloves. The investigation revealed that BCC were detected in clinical samples of 46 cases aged 17 to 91 years (33% females) from nine institutions between May 2015 and August 2016. Twenty-two isolates from case patients and 16 from washing gloves underwent WGS. All available outbreak isolates clustered within a span of < 19 differing alleles, while 13 unrelated clinical isolates differed by > 1,500 alleles. This BCC outbreak was rapidly identified, communicated, investigated and halted by an ad hoc collaboration of multiple stakeholders. WGS served as useful tool for confirming the source of the outbreak. This outbreak also highlights current regulatory limitations regarding Class I medical devices and the usefulness of a nationally coordinated outbreak response.

Systematic scoping review of automated systems for the surveillance of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections related to intravascular catheters.

INTRODUCTION: Intravascular catheters are crucial devices in medical practice that increase the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and related health-economic adverse outcomes. This scoping review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of published automated algorithms for surveillance of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) and central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI). METHODS: We performed a scoping review based on a systematic search of the literature in PubMed and EMBASE from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2021. Studies were included if they evaluated predictive performance of automated surveillance algorithms for CLABSI/CRBSI detection and used manually collected surveillance data as reference. We assessed the design of the automated systems, including the definitions used to develop algorithms (CLABSI versus CRBSI), the datasets and denominators used, and the algorithms evaluated in each of the studies. RESULTS: We screened 586 studies based on title and abstract, and 99 were assessed based on full text. Nine studies were included in the scoping review. Most studies were monocentric (n = 5), and they identified CLABSI (n = 7) as an outcome. The majority of the studies used administrative and microbiological data (n = 9) and five studies included the presence of a vascular central line in their automated system. Six studies explained the denominator they selected, five of which chose central line-days. The most common rules and steps used in the algorithms were categorized as hospital-acquired rules, infection rules (infection versus contamination), deduplication, episode grouping, secondary BSI rules (secondary versus primary BSI), and catheter-associated rules. CONCLUSION: The automated surveillance systems that we identified were heterogeneous in terms of definitions, datasets and denominators used, with a combination of rules in each algorithm. Further guidelines and studies are needed to develop and implement algorithms to detect CLABSI/CRBSI, with standardized definitions, appropriate data sources and suitable denominators.

Predictive performance of automated surveillance algorithms for intravascular catheter bloodstream infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Intravascular catheter infections are associated with adverse clinical outcomes. However, a significant proportion of these infections are preventable. Evaluations of the performance of automated surveillance systems for adequate monitoring of central-line associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) or catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) are limited. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the predictive performance of automated algorithms for CLABSI/CRBSI detection, and investigated which parameters included in automated algorithms provide the greatest accuracy for CLABSI/CRBSI detection. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis based on a systematic search of published studies in PubMed and EMBASE from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2021. We included studies that evaluated predictive performance of automated surveillance algorithms for CLABSI/CRBSI detection and used manually collected surveillance data as reference. We estimated the pooled sensitivity and specificity of algorithms for accuracy and performed a univariable meta-regression of the different parameters used across algorithms. RESULTS: The search identified five full text studies and 32 different algorithms or study populations were included in the meta-analysis. All studies analysed central venous catheters and identified CLABSI or CRBSI as an outcome. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of automated surveillance algorithm were 0.88 [95%CI 0.84-0.91] and 0.86 [95%CI 0.79-0.92] with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 91.9, p < 0.001 and I2 = 99.2, p < 0.001, respectively). In meta-regression, algorithms that include results of microbiological cultures from specific specimens (respiratory, urine and wound) to exclude non-CRBSI had higher specificity estimates (0.92, 95%CI 0.88-0.96) than algorithms that include results of microbiological cultures from any other body sites (0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.95). The addition of clinical signs as a predictor did not improve performance of these algorithms with similar specificity estimates (0.92, 95%CI 0.88-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Performance of automated algorithms for detection of intravascular catheter infections in comparison to manual surveillance seems encouraging. The development of automated algorithms should consider the inclusion of results of microbiological cultures from specific specimens to exclude non-CRBSI, while the inclusion of clinical data may not have an added-value. Trail Registration Prospectively registered with International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO ID CRD42022299641; January 21, 2022). https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022299641.

Lactobacillus jensenii mitral valve endocarditis: Case report, literature review and new perspectives.

Lactobacillus is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive rod usually found in the normal microbiota of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract. Frequently dismissed as a contaminant, it is implicated in several diseases. We describe a rare case of endocarditis caused by Lactobacillus jensenii in an immunocompetent 40 year-old male patient, with a history of mitral valve repair. He presented complaining of asthenia and his laboratory results showed a moderate increase in inflammatory markers. A trans-thoracic echocardiography confirmed a vegetation on the posterior leaflet of the mitral valve, with associated severe mitral insufficiency. Blood cultures revealed the significant growth of L. jensenii. The patient developed an acute abdomen with intestinal ischemia and occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, requiring urgent surgical laparotomy. A cerebral MRI showed multiple minor emboli in the frontal and left parietal cortex. The patient consequently underwent surgery to have his mitral valve replaced with a mechanical valve. L. jensenii was isolated in culture from the mitral valve and from a mesenteric artery thrombus. After one week of combined amoxicillin and gentamicin therapy, ampicillin alone was continued for a total of six weeks and the patient could be discharged in a good general condition. Only five cases of L. jensenii are described in literature, and they mainly affect immunocompromised hosts. In our case, a long delay between the start of symptoms and the full onset of the disease was observed. tolerance of Lactobacilli to penicillin is a key determinant of therapy choice.

Successful Treatment of Acute Prostatitis Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli With Tigecycline Monotherapy.

We present a successful treatment, with tigecycline monotherapy, of acute prostatitis caused by multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli harboring an NDM-1 carbapemenase along with a CMY-2 cephalosporinase and a TEM ESBL.

Burkholderia cepacia complex outbreak originating from contaminated wash gloves.

Burkholderia cepacia complex isolates were detected from four patients who were admitted to the heart centre of southern Switzerland, between April and June 2019. An outbreak investigation was conducted. The three available patient samples were whole genome sequenced, showing that they all are Burkholderia cepacia species, and that two are identical. Isolates grown from sealed packages of disinfectant-free wash gloves used for personal hygiene were also genomically identical. The wash gloves appear to be the origin of the outbreak, contamination of which most likely occurred at the manufacturing site.

Diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for prolonged SARS-CoV-2 viral shedding in lower respiratory tract samples of critically ill patients.

PURPOSE: The length of time a critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient remains infectious and should therefore be isolated remains unknown. This prospective study was undertaken in critically ill patients to evaluate the reliability of single negative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in lower tracheal aspirates (LTA) in predicting a second negative test and to analyze clinical factors potentially influencing the viral shedding. METHODS: From April 9, 2020 onwards, intubated COVID-19 patients treated in the intensive care unit were systematically evaluated for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by RT-PCR of nasopharyngeal swabs and LTA. The time to negativity was defined as the time between the onset of symptoms and the viral clearance in LTA. In order to identify risk factors for prolonged viral shedding, we used univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Forty-eight intubated SARS-CoV-2 patients were enrolled. Overall, we observed that the association of the first negative RT-PCR with a second negative result was 96.7%. Median viral shedding was 25 (IQR: 21.5-28) days since symptoms' onset. In the univariate Cox model analysis, type 2 diabetes mellitus was associated with a prolonged viral RNA shedding (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.06-3.11, p = 0.04). In the multivariate Cox model analysis, type 2 diabetes was associated with a prolonged viral RNA shedding (HR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.89, p = 0.029). CONCLUSION: Intubated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus may have prolonged SARS-CoV-2 shedding. In critically ill COVID-19 patients, one negative LTA should be sufficient to assess and exclude infectivity.

Agrobacterium spp. nosocomial outbreak assessment using rapid MALDI-TOF MS based typing, confirmed by whole genome sequencing.

Background: A number of episodes of nosocomial Agrobacterium spp. bacteremia (two cases per year) were observed at Bern University Hospital, Switzerland, from 2015 to 2017. This triggered an outbreak investigation. Methods: Cases of Agrobacterium spp. bacteremias that occurred between August 2011 and February 2017 were investigated employing line lists, environmental sampling, rapid protein- (MALDI-TOF MS), and genome-based typing (pulsed field gel electrophoresis and whole genome sequencing) of the clinical isolates. Results: We describe a total of eight bacteremia episodes due to A. radiobacter (n = 2), Agrobacterium genomovar G3 (n = 5) and A. pusense (n = 1). Two tight clusters were observed by WGS typing, representing the two A. radiobacter isolates (cluster I, isolated in 2015) and four of the Agrobacterium genomovar G3 isolates (cluster II, isolated in 2016 and 2017), suggesting two different point sources. The epidemiological investigations revealed two computer tomography (CT) rooms as common patient locations, which correlated with the two outbreak clusters. MALDI-TOF MS permitted faster evaluation of strain relatedness than DNA-based methods. High resolution WGS-based typing confirmed the MALDI-TOF MS clustering. Conclusions: We report clinical and epidemiological characteristics of two outbreak clusters with Agrobacterium. spp. bacteremia likely acquired during CT contrast medium injection and highlight the use of MALDI-TOF MS as a rapid tool to assess relatedness of rare gram-negative pathogens in an outbreak investigation.

Catheter-related infections: does the spectrum of microbial causes change over time? A nationwide surveillance study.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the incidence and epidemiology of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) on a national scale by using prospective epidemiological data from the Swiss Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance System (ANRESIS). DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: National surveillance from 2008 to 2015 of acute hospitals in Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: We included acute Swiss hospitals that sent blood cultures and catheter tip culture results on a regular basis during the entire study period to the ANRESIS database. OUTCOME MEASURE: A catheter-related bloodstream infection (termed 'modified CRBSI', mCRBSI) was defined as isolating the same microorganism with identical antibiogram from ≥1 blood cultures (performed ±7 days around the catheter removal) as the one recovered from the catheter tip. Incidence rates of mCRBSI were calculated per 1000 admissions. RESULTS: From 2008 to 2015, the mCRBSI incidence rate decreased from 0.83 to 0.58 episodes/1000 admissions (-6% per year, p<0.001). Coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus and fungi all exhibited decreasing trends, while rates of enterococci and Gram-negative bacteria remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: The overall incidence of mCRBSI in Switzerland is decreasing; however, the incidence of mCRBSI due to Enterococci and Gram-negative micro-organisms did not change over time. These pathogens may grow in importance in catheter-related infections, which would have clinical implications for the choice of empirical treatment.

The role of a surveillance programme for intro-ducing peripherally inserted central catheters: a 2-year observational study in an academic hospital.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: In our hospital, a previous attempt to introduce peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) was aborted after a nonsystematic approach, seemingly accompanied by high rates of complications. The goal of this new interdisciplinary project was to introduce PICCs in an academic hospital, with an embedded interdisciplinary surveillance programme for both infectious and noninfectious outcomes. METHODS: We prospectively collected data for this surveillance study from all patients who underwent PICC insertion from 1 January 2014 and had the catheter removed by 31 December 2015 in our 950-bed academic hospital (Bern University Hospital, Switzerland). Infectious complications were defined according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / National Healthcare Safety Network criteria. PICCs were restricted to cancer and infectious disease patients, and were followed up irrespective of the management setting (inpatient, outpatient or intermittently hospitalised after insertion). An interdisciplinary team reviewed the outcomes on a routine basis and discussed changes to the process to improve outcomes, if necessary. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-five PICCs were inserted in 124 patients, the majority of whom were patients from the medical oncology department (n = 107, 86.3%). Indications for PICC insertion included: chemotherapy (n = 97, 71.9%), antibiotic therapy (n = 24, 17.8%), total parenteral nutrition (n = 8, 5.9%), blood product transfusion (n = 4, 3.0%) and palliative care (n = 2, 1.5%). During a total of 10 402 catheter-days (median dwell time 62 days), there were five central line-associated bloodstream infections, including one mucosal barrier injury laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection and two exit-site infections, yielding incidence rates of 0.48 and 0.19 infections per 1000 catheter-days, respectively. Incidence rates were 0.67 per 1000 catheter-days (n = 7) for radiologically documented deep venous thrombosis, 0.96 (n = 10) for tip dislocation and 0.67 (n = 7) for catheter occlusion. The overall rate of complications was 4.5 per 1000 catheter-days. Seventeen catheters (12.6%) were removed because of any complication. CONCLUSION: We successfully introduced PICCs in an academic hospital by implementing a systematic surveillance programme for complications. Both infectious and noninfectious complications were rare. Infection prevention specialists should be actively involved during the introduction of new intravascular devices in order to provide quality indicators and assure patient safety.

When the pathologist is giving the answer: an unusual case of pulmonary hypertension.

We report the case of a 75-years-old man who diagnosed with severe pulmonary hypertension, associated with interstitial lung disease characterized by a rapid and fatal outcome. Autopsy showed the presence of a signet-ring cell gastric carcinoma associated with pulmonary tumour embolism and pulmonary tumour thrombotic microangiopathy. Clinical features, diagnostics, therapy and prognosis are briefly discussed.