Efficacy of ceftazidime/avibactam in various combinations for the treatment of experimental osteomyelitis in rabbits caused by OXA-48-/ESBL-producing Escherichia coli.

BACKGROUND: While the treatment of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales osteomyelitis relies on carbapenems, the optimal regimen for OXA48 types remains unclear. We evaluated the efficacy of ceftazidime/avibactam in different combinations in an experimental model of OXA-48-/ESBL-producing Escherichia coli osteomyelitis. METHODS: E. coli pACYC184 is a clinical strain harbouring blaOXA-48 and blaCTX-M-15 inserts, with 'increased exposure susceptibility' to imipenem (MIC, 2 mg/L), gentamicin (MIC, 0.5 mg/L), colistin (MIC, 0.25 mg/L), ceftazidime/avibactam (MIC, 0.094 mg/L) and fosfomycin (MIC, 1 mg/L), and resistance to ceftazidime (MIC, 16 mg/L). Osteomyelitis was induced in rabbits by tibial injection of 2 × 108 cfu of OXA-48/ESBL E. coli. Treatment started 14 days later for 7 days in six groups: (1) control, (2) colistin 150.000 IU/kg subcutaneously (SC) q8h, (3) ceftazidime/avibactam 100/25 mg/kg SC q8h, (4) ceftazidime/avibactam + colistin, (5) ceftazidime/avibactam + fosfomycin 150 mg/kg SC q12h, (6) ceftazidime/avibactam + gentamicin 15 mg/kg intramuscularly (IM) q24h. Treatment was evaluated at Day 24 according to bone cultures. RESULTS: In vitro, time-kill curves of ceftazidime/avibactam in combination showed a synergistic effect. In vivo, compared with controls, rabbits treated with colistin alone had similar bone bacterial density (P = 0.50), whereas ceftazidime/avibactam alone or in combinations significantly decreased bone bacterial densities (P = 0.004 and P < 0.0002, respectively). Bone sterilization was achieved using ceftazidime/avibactam in combination with colistin (91%) or fosfomycin (100%) or gentamicin (100%) (P < 0.0001), whereas single therapies were not different from controls. No ceftazidime/avibactam-resistant strains emerged in rabbits treated, regardless of the combination. CONCLUSIONS: In our model of E. coli OXA-48/ESBL osteomyelitis, ceftazidime/avibactam in combination was more effective than any single therapy, whatever the companion drug used (gentamicin or colistin or fosfomycin).

Predictors of Hospitalization and Superinfection in Viral Respiratory Tract Infections Between Influenza and Paramyxoviruses: The SUPERFLUOUS Study.

BACKGROUND: Viral respiratory tract infections (VRTIs) are among the most common diseases, but the risks of superinfection for different virus species have never been compared. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective study conducted among adults who tested positive for VRTIs with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. We compared characteristics between influenza (A or B) and paramyxoviruses (respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus types 1 and 3, and human metapneumovirus) and identified predictors of superinfection and hospitalization.s. RESULTS: Five hundred ninety patients had VRTI, including 347 (59%) influenza and 243 paramyxovirus infections with comparable rates of superinfections (53% vs 60%). In multivariate analyses, the predictors of superinfections were age >75 years (adjusted odds ratio, 2.37 [95% confidence interval, 1.65-3.40]), chronic respiratory disease (1.79 [1.20-2.67]), and biological abnormalities, including neutrophil count >7000/µL (1.98 [1.34-2.91)], eosinophil count <50/µL (2.53 [1.61-3.98], and procalcitonin level >0.25ng/mL (2.8 [1.65-4.73]). The predictors of hospitalization were age >75 years old (adjusted odds ratio, 3.49 [95% confidence interval, 2.17-5.63]), paramyxovirus infection (2.28 [1.39-3.75]), long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids (2.49 [1.13-5.49]), and biological abnormalities, including neutrophil count >7000/µL (2.38 [1.37-4.12)] and procalcitonin level >0.25ng/mL (2.49 [1.23-5.02]). Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that influenza-infected patients had a higher mortality rate than those with paramyxovirus infections (8.9% vs 4.5%, respectively; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed a high rate of superinfection (56%), not related to viral species. However influenza virus was associated with a poorer prognosis than paramyxoviruses, pleading for a broader and large-scale vaccination of individual at risk of VRTIs.

Discontinuing ß-lactam treatment after 3 days for patients with community-acquired pneumonia in non-critical care wards (PTC): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Shortening the duration of antibiotic therapy for patients admitted to hospital with community-acquired pneumonia should help reduce antibiotic consumption and thus bacterial resistance, adverse events, and related costs. We aimed to assess the need for an additional 5-day course of ß-lactam therapy among patients with community-acquired pneumonia who were stable after 3 days of treatment. METHODS: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority trial (the Pneumonia Short Treatment [PTC]) in 16 centres in France. Adult patients (aged ≥18 years) admitted to hospital with moderately severe community-acquired pneumonia (defined as patients admitted to a non-critical care unit) and who met prespecified clinical stability criteria after 3 days of treatment with ß-lactam therapy were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive ß-lactam therapy (oral amoxicillin 1 g plus clavulanate 125 mg three times a day) or matched placebo for 5 extra days. Randomisation was done using a web-based system with permuted blocks with random sizes and stratified by randomisation site and Pneumonia Severity Index score. Participants, clinicians, and study staff were masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was cure 15 days after first antibiotic intake, defined by apyrexia (temperature ≤37·8°C), resolution or improvement of respiratory symptoms, and no additional antibiotic treatment for any cause. A non-inferiority margin of 10 percentage points was chosen. The primary outcome was assessed in all patients who were randomly assigned and received any treatment (intention-to-treat [ITT] population) and in all patients who received their assigned treatment (per-protocol population). Safety was assessed in the ITT population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01963442, and is now complete. FINDINGS: Between Dec 19, 2013, and Feb 1, 2018, 706 patients were assessed for eligibility, and after 3 days of ß-lactam treatment, 310 eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (n=157) or ß-lactam treatment (n=153). Seven patients withdrew consent before taking any study drug, five in the placebo group and two in the ß-lactam group. In the ITT population, median age was 73·0 years (IQR 57·0-84·0) and 123 (41%) of 303 participants were female. In the ITT analysis, cure at day 15 occurred in 117 (77%) of 152 participants in the placebo group and 102 (68%) of 151 participants in the ß-lactam group (between-group difference of 9·42%, 95% CI -0·38 to 20·04), indicating non-inferiority. In the per-protocol analysis, 113 (78%) of 145 participants in the placebo treatment group and 100 (68%) of 146 participants in the ß-lactam treatment group were cured at day 15 (difference of 9·44% [95% CI -0·15 to 20·34]), indicating non-inferiority. Incidence of adverse events was similar between the treatment groups (22 [14%] of 152 in the placebo group and 29 [19%] of 151 in the ß-lactam group). The most common adverse events were digestive disorders, reported in 17 (11%) of 152 patients in the placebo group and 28 (19%) of 151 patients in the ß-lactam group. By day 30, three (2%) patients had died in the placebo group (one due to bacteraemia due to Staphylococcus aureus, one due to cardiogenic shock after acute pulmonary oedema, and one due to heart failure associated with acute renal failure) and two (1%) in the ß-lactam group (due to pneumonia recurrence and possible acute pulmonary oedema). INTERPRETATION: Among patients admitted to hospital with community-acquired pneumonia who met clinical stability criteria, discontinuing ß-lactam treatment after 3 days was non-inferior to 8 days of treatment. These findings could allow substantial reduction of antibiotic consumption. FUNDING: French Ministry of Health.

Cross-sectional study on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and determinants in healthcare students: interdisciplinary trainings on vaccination are needed.

BACKGROUND: To ensure the success of COVID-19 vaccination, public authorities need to have the support of the entire population and build vaccine confidence. Identifying and understanding the determinants of vaccine acceptance is essential for conducting vaccine strategy. The aim was to estimate vaccine hesitancy among healthcare students in France and to investigate the associated factors. METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted in a large French University in greater Paris area, among 4927 healthcare students from the different training courses such as medicine studies, midwifery studies, physiotherapy studies, nurse studies and others health studies. The study was conducted between January 21 and February 8, 2021 based on a questionnaire including 25 single or multiple-choice questions, made using the free software Limesurvey. The link of the questionnaire was distributed to the students by the teachers and the student associations. The SAGE group definition of vaccine hesitancy was used. All estimates were weighted using the gender and training courses category of all healthcare students registered for the 2020-2021 year. Crude and adjusted weighted odds ratio (wOR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were estimated using logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 1465 healthcare students answered. A proportion of 44.5% (95%CI = [41.7-47.3]) of them were considered as hesitant. Women were more hesitant (50.9, 95%CI = [48.0-53.9]) than men (21.6, 95%CI = [15.2-28.0]). Vaccine hesitancy was significantly associated with gender (wOR = 0.27, 95%CI = [0.18-0.39]) and training courses: medical students were less likely to be hesitant than students in the common and first year of several health studies (wOR = 0.48, 95%CI = [0.33-0.70]) while nursing students were more than 5 times more likely to be hesitant (wOR = 5.20, 95%CI = [3.71-7.28]). Students who did an internship during the epidemic (wOR = 0.53, 95%CI = [0.41-0.69]) and who downloaded the mobile contact-tracing mobile app "TousAntiCovid" (wOR = 0.34, 95%CI = [0.26-0.44]) were significantly less likely to be hesitant. CONCLUSIONS: Overall vaccine hesitancy among healthcare students was high, substantial differences were found between training courses. To reduce these disparities, interdisciplinary lectures on vaccines for all healthcare students may be implemented and evaluated.

Population pharmacokinetics of lopinavir/ritonavir in Covid-19 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a population pharmacokinetic model for lopinavir boosted by ritonavir in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients. METHODS: Concentrations of lopinavir/ritonavir were assayed by an accredited LC-MS/MS method. The population pharmacokinetics of lopinavir was described using non-linear mixed-effects modeling (NONMEM version 7.4). After determination of the base model that better described the data set, the influence of covariates (age, body weight, height, body mass index (BMI), gender, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), C reactive protein (CRP), and trough ritonavir concentrations) was tested on the model. RESULTS: From 13 hospitalized patients (4 females, 9 males, age = 64 ± 16 years), 70 lopinavir/ritonavir plasma concentrations were available for analysis. The data were best described by a one-compartment model with a first-order input (KA). Among the covariates tested on the PK parameters, only the ritonavir trough concentrations had a significant effect on CL/F and improved the fit. Model-based simulations with the final parameter estimates under a regimen lopinavir/ritonavir 400/100 mg b.i.d. showed a high variability with median concentration between 20 and 30 mg/L (Cmin/Cmax) and the 90% prediction intervals within the range 1-100 mg/L. CONCLUSION: According to the estimated 50% effective concentration of lopinavir against SARS-CoV-2 virus in Vero E6 cells (16.7 mg/L), our model showed that at steady state, a dose of 400 mg b.i.d. led to 40% of patients below the minimum effective concentration while a dose of 1200 mg b.i.d. will reduce this proportion to 22%.

Persistent eosinopenia is associated with in-hospital mortality among older patients: unexpected prognostic value of a revisited biomarker.

INTRODUCTION: Infection is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in older adults. Available biomarkers are not associated with prognosis in older patients. This study aimed to analyze the value of eosinopenia (eosinophil count< 100/mm3) as a prognosis marker among older patients with suspected or confirmed bacterial infection. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed from 1 January to 31 December 2018 among patients in a geriatrics ward suffering from a bacterial infection treated with antibiotics. Biomarker data including the eosinophil count, neutrophil count and C-reactive protein (CRP) were collected within 4 days after patient diagnosis. Persistent eosinopenia was defined as a consistent eosinophil count< 100/mm3 between Day 2 and Day 4. The association of biomarkers with 30-day hospital mortality in a multivariate analysis was assessed and their predictive ability using the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was compared. RESULTS: Our study included 197 patients with a mean age of 90 ± 6 years. A total of 36 patients (18%) died during their stay in hospital. The patients who died were more likely to have persistent eosinopenia in comparison to survivors (78% versus 34%, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, persistent eosinopenia was associated with in-hospital mortality with an adjusted HR of 8.90 (95%CI 3.46-22.9). The AUC for eosinophil count, CRP and neutrophil count between Day 2 and Day 4 were 0.7650, 0.7130, and 0.698, respectively. CONCLUSION: Persistent eosinopenia within 4 days of diagnosis of bacterial infection appeared to be a predictor of in-hospital mortality in older patients.

Impact of a medication reconciliation care bundle at hospital discharge on continuity of care: A randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the impact of a care bundle including medication reconciliation at discharge by a pharmacist versus standard of care, on continuity of therapeutic changes between hospital and primary care and outcome of patients, within 1 month after discharge. METHODS: Randomised controlled trial in 120 adult patients with at least one chronic disease and three current medications before admission, hospitalised in an infectious disease department of a tertiary hospital and discharged home. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a discharge care bundle including medication reconciliation, counselling session and documentation transfer to primary care physician (PCP) (intervention group) or standard of care (control group). Primary outcome was the proportion of in-hospital prescription changes, not maintained by the PCP, 1 month after discharge. Secondary outcome measures included the proportion of patients experiencing early PCP's consultation, hospital readmissions or adverse reactions within 1-month postdischarge and cost of discharge prescriptions. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. One month after discharge, the proportion of in-hospital prescription changes, not maintained by the PCP, was 11% in the intervention group versus 24% in the control group (P = .007). The median delay before PCP's consultation was longer in the intervention group (30.5 vs 19.5 days, P = .013), there were fewer patients readmitted to hospital (3.4% vs 20.7%, P = .009, odds ratio (OR) = 0.13 [0.02-0.53]) and fewer patients who suffered from adverse drug reaction (7.0% vs 22.8%, P = .04, OR = 0.26 [0.07-0.78]). CONCLUSION: This care bundle resulted in the reduction of treatment changes between hospital discharge and primary care.

Weekly Sequential Antibioprophylaxis for Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections Among Patients With Neurogenic Bladder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent urinary tract infections (R-UTIs) are the main cause of morbidity and hospitalizations in subjects with neurogenic bladder (NB) due to spinal cord injury (SCI). We evaluated the efficacy of weekly oral cyclic antibiotic (WOCA) prophylaxis (ie, the alternate weekly administration of 2 antibiotics) in preventing R-UTIs. METHODS: Randomized (1:1), open-label, superiority-controlled trial compared WOCA prophylaxis to no prophylaxis (control) for 6 months in patients with NB due to SCI, using clean intermittent self-catheterization, and suffering from R-UTIs. Primary outcome was incidence of symptomatic antibiotic-treated UTIs. Secondary outcomes were number of febrile UTIs, number of hospitalizations, WOCA tolerance, antibiotic consumption, number of negative urine cultures, and emergence of bacterial resistance in urinary, intestinal, and nasal microbiota. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were either allocated to the WOCA group (n = 23) or the control group (n = 22). Median (IQR) incidence of symptomatic antibiotic-treated UTIs was 1.0 (0.5-2.5) in the WOCA group versus 2.5 (1.2-4.0) (P = .0241) in the control group. No febrile UTIs were recorded in the WOCA group versus 9 (45.0%) (P < .001) in the control group. The median number of additional antibiotic treatment was 0.0 (IQR, 0.0-2.0) versus 3.0 (2.0-5.0) (P = .004) in the WOCA and control groups, respectively. Only few adverse events were reported. No impact on emergence of bacterial resistance was observed. CONCLUSIONS: WOCA is efficient and well tolerated in preventing R-UTIs in SCI patients. In our study, we did not observe any emergence of antibiotic resistance in digestive and nasal microbiological cultures. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT01388413.

Actinomycetoma Caused by Actinomadura mexicana, A Neglected Entity in the Caribbean.

Mycetoma is a chronic infection that is slow to develop and heal. It can be caused by fungi (eumycetoma) or bacteria (actinomycetoma). We describe a case of actinomycetoma caused by Actinomadura mexicana in the Caribbean region.

Eosinopenia as a marker of diagnosis and prognostic to distinguish bacterial from aseptic meningitis in pediatrics.

Procalcitonin (PCT) has proven its efficacy to distinguish bacterial from aseptic meningitis in children. Nevertheless, its use in routine is limited by its cost and availability, especially in low- and middle-income countries. It is now acknowledged that eosinopenia is a marker of infection and/or severity of the systemic inflammatory response. Although no study ever demonstrated that eosinopenia could differentiate bacterial from viral infection, we decided to conduct a study concerning meningitis in children. This bicentric and retrospective study was conducted between January 2012 and October 2018, in children hospitalized for meningitis. The white blood cell was systematically gathered at the admission to evaluate the eosinophil count. Characteristic data were compared between 2 groups: documented bacterial meningitis (DBP) and aseptic meningitis which includes documented viral meningitis (DVM) and non-documented meningitis (ND). Among 190 patients admitted for meningitis, 151 were analyzed, including DBM (n = 45), DVM (n = 73), and ND (n = 33) meningitis. Groups were comparable. Mean age was 33 ± 48 months with a sex ratio of 1.6. Mean of eosinophil count was 15 ± 34/mm3 in the DBM group versus 132 ± 167/mm3 for the aseptic meningitis group (p < 0.0001). Best threshold for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis was an eosinophil count < 5/mm3 with a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 73% and a likelihood ratio of 2.9. Eosinopenia seems to be a reliable and non-invasive marker of bacterial meningitis in pediatrics. The absence of extra cost makes it very interesting in low- and middle-income countries or when usual biomarkers such as PCT are unavailable.

Case of femoral pseudarthrosis due to Scedosporium apiospermum in an immunocompetent patient with successful conservative treatment and review of literature.

Scedosporium apiospermum is a ubiquitous filamentous fungus, commonly found in soil, sewage and polluted waters. It is rarely pathogenic but can cause a broad spectrum of clinical diseases, which can be localised or disseminate to distant organs. The disseminated form of the disease is mostly seen among immunocompromised patients. However, some rare cases of disseminated disease have been reported in immunocompetent individuals. Treatment of these infections is challenging because of their natural resistance to many antifungal agents. Here, we report the case of a 57-year-old immunocompetent patient diagnosed with femoral pseudarthrosis due to S. apiospermum, despite having no obvious clinical sign of infection. Previously, the patient had undergone four iterative femoral surgeries following a road traffic accident which occurred 20 years before. During its last surgery for pseudarthrosis, no clinical or biological signs of infection were present. Per operative samples tested positive for S. apiospermum. The patient was successfully treated with oral voriconazole during 6 months with an excellent tolerance. We also provide a review of literature on bone and joint infections due to Scedosporium spp. (S. apiospermum, Scedosporium boydii and Scedosporium aurantiacum), discussing the evolution of their management and outcome which seems to improve since the use of voriconazole.

Repurposing an old drug: aztreonam as a new treatment strategy for gonorrhoea.

Objectives: To determine whether aztreonam is still an effective drug for the treatment of gonorrhoea. Methods: Observational study of patients with gonorrhoea diagnosed by urine multiplex PCR, with a past medical history of allergy to ß-lactams or relapse after treatment with a third-generation cephalosporin. Patients received a single 1 g dose of aztreonam in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Results: Five patients (four males, one female) were enrolled, comprising two who were allergic to ß-lactams and three previously treated with cephalosporins who relapsed. Median age was 38 years (range 23-51). Following treatment with aztreonam all were cured without any adverse event. All the men were free of symptoms, and the woman tested negative for gonorrhoea 1 month after treatment. Conclusion: Aztreonam appears to be an effective alternative to cephalosporins in the treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhoea, particularly when patients are suspected of being infected by strains with reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone or are known to be allergic to penicillin.

[Antibiotic prescription usage and assessment in geriatric patients]. / Usage et évaluation des prescriptions antibiotiques en gériatrie.

Due to the high risk of infection, the geriatric population is regularly subjected to antibiotics. Faced with bacterial resistance, particularly among elderly dependent patients, it is essential to promote proper use and correct prescription of antibiotics. A study evaluated antibiotic prescription in a geriatric hospital with 598 beds and highlighted the importance of collaboration between geriatricians and infectious disease specialists.

Normalization of eosinophil count is predictive of oxygen weaning over the course of COVID-19 infection among hospitalized adults during the first wave of 2020 pandemic.

Background: Understanding COVID-19 outcomes remains a challenge. While numerous biomarkers have been proposed for severity at admission, limited exploration exists for markers during the infection course, especially for the requirement of oxygen therapy. This study investigates the potential of eosinophil count normalization as a predictor for oxygen weaning during the initial wave of the pandemic. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted between March and April 2020 (first wave) among adults admitted directly to a medicine ward. Biological abnormalities, including lymphocyte count, eosinophil count, and C-reactive protein (CRP), were gathered daily during the first week of admission according to oxygen level. In case of worsening, oxygen level was censored at 15 L/min. The primary aim was to assess whether eosinophil count normalization predicts a subsequent decrease in oxygen requirements. Results: Overall, 132 patients were admitted, with a mean age of 59.0 ± 16.3 years. Of the patients, 72% required oxygen, and 20.5% were admitted to the intensive care unit after a median delay of 48 hours. The median CRP at admission was 79 (26-130) mg/L, whereas the eosinophil count was 10 (0-60)/mm3. Eosinophil count normalization (≥100/mm3) by day 2 correlated significantly with decreased oxygen needs (<2 L) with hazard ratio (HR) = 3.7 [1.1-12.9] (p = 0.04). Likewise, CRP < 80 mg/L was associated with reduced oxygen requirements (p < 0.001). Predictors, including underlying chronic respiratory disease, exhibited a trend toward a negative association (p = 0.06). Conclusion: The study highlights the relationship between eosinophil count and CRP, with implications for predicting oxygen weaning during COVID-19. Further research is warranted to explore the relevance of these biomarkers in other respiratory infections.

Efficacy of Expired Antibiotics: A Real Debate in the Context of Repeated Drug Shortages.

This narrative review aims to discuss the main interest in and cautions associated with the use of expired antibiotics in the context of repeated shortages, notably in Europe. Articles concerning the topic of expiry dates related to antibiotic use were reviewed using keywords in the PubMed®/MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases to identify the most extensive evidence-based documentation. The present review evaluates the potential interest and efficacy of using expired drugs and their possible related adverse events. Overall, in the context of drug shortages, expiry dates could be safely extended for at least one year for most solid antibiotics (tablets or powder) used in daily clinical practice, as long as they are stored under the right conditions, in accordance with the summary of product characteristics.

Bacterial Diversity and Specific Taxa are Associated with Decolonization of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales after Fecal Microbiota Transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the clearance of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) carriage. METHODS: We performed a prospective, multi-center study, conducted among patients who received a single dose of FMT from one of four healthy donors. The primary endpoint was complete clearance of CPE carriage two weeks after FMT with a secondary endpoint at three months. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed to assess gut microbiota composition of donors and recipients before and after FMT. RESULTS: Twenty CPE-colonized patients were included in the study, where post-FMT 20% (n=4/20) of patients met the primary endpoint and 40% (n=8/20) of patients met the secondary endpoint. Kaplan-Meier curves between patients with FMT intervention and the control group (n=82) revealed a similar rate of decolonization between groups. Microbiota composition analyses revealed that response to FMT was not donor-dependent. Responders had a significantly lower relative abundance of CPE species pre-FMT than non-responders, and 14 days post-FMT responders had significantly higher bacterial species richness and alpha diversity compared to non-responders (p<0.05). Responder fecal samples were also enriched in specific species, with significantly higher relative abundances of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Parabacteroides distasonis, Collinsella aerofaciens, Alistipes finegoldii and Blautia_A sp900066335 (q<0.01) compared to non-responders. CONCLUSION: FMT administration using the proposed regimen did not achieve statistical significance for complete CPE decolonization but was correlated with the relative abundance of specific bacterial taxa, including CPE species.