Cluster of Nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae Infective Endocarditis and Rising Background C. diphtheriae Cases-Seattle, Washington, 2020-2023.

BACKGROUND: Nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae, often associated with wounds, can rarely cause infective endocarditis (IE). Five patients with C. diphtheriae IE were identified within 12 months at a Seattle-based hospital system. We reviewed prior C. diphtheriae-positive cultures to determine if detections had increased over time and evaluated epidemiologic trends. METHODS: We conducted a formal electronic health record search to identify all patients aged ≥18 years with C. diphtheriae detected in a clinical specimen (ie, wound, blood, sputum) between 1 September 2020 and 1 April 2023. We collected patient demographics, housing status, comorbidities, substance-use history, and level of medical care required at detection. We extracted laboratory data on susceptibilities of C. diphtheriae isolates and on other pathogens detected at the time of C. diphtheriae identification. RESULTS: Between 1 September 2020 and 1 April 2023, 44 patients (median age, 44 years) had a C. diphtheriae-positive clinical culture, with most detections occurring after March 2022. Patients were predominantly male (75%), White (66%), unstably housed (77%), and had a lifetime history of injecting drugs (75%). Most C. diphtheriae-positive cultures were polymicrobial, including wound cultures from 36 (82%) patients and blood cultures from 6 (14%) patients, not mutually exclusive. Thirty-four patients (77%), including all 5 patients with C. diphtheriae IE, required hospital admission for C. diphtheriae or a related condition. Of the 5 patients with IE, 3 died of IE and 1 from COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest a high-morbidity outbreak disproportionately affecting patients who use substances and are unstably housed.

Infection in Shoulder Arthroplasty: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

Prosthetic joint infection is a devastating complication following shoulder arthroplasty that can lead to pain, poor function, and poor quality of life. With the increasing number of shoulder arthroplasties performed annually, recognition of prosthetic infection and treatment is necessary. The skin surrounding the shoulder has a unique microbiome, and Cutibacterium acnes is the most commonly encountered bacteria causing prosthetic joint infection. C acnes is a low-virulence organism that resides in the subcutaneous layer of the skin. As a result, the clinical presentation is typically less obvious than prosthetic infections seen in other joints such as the hip and knee. Therefore, diagnosis is not always straightforward, and optimal treatment strategy is unclear. Guidance on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of shoulder prosthetic joint infection with special emphasis on the consensus definition established at the 2018 International Consensus Meeting is provided.

Evaluation of the Infectious Diseases Society of America's Core Antimicrobial Stewardship Curriculum for Infectious Diseases Fellows.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial stewardship (AS) programs are required by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and should ideally have infectious diseases (ID) physician involvement; however, only 50% of ID fellowship programs have formal AS curricula. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) formed a workgroup to develop a core AS curriculum for ID fellows. Here we study its impact. METHODS: ID program directors and fellows in 56 fellowship programs were surveyed regarding the content and effectiveness of their AS training before and after implementation of the IDSA curriculum. Fellows' knowledge was assessed using multiple-choice questions. Fellows completing their first year of fellowship were surveyed before curriculum implementation ("pre-curriculum") and compared to first-year fellows who complete the curriculum the following year ("post-curriculum"). RESULTS: Forty-nine (88%) program directors and 105 (67%) fellows completed the pre-curriculum surveys; 35 (64%) program directors and 79 (50%) fellows completed the post-curriculum surveys. Prior to IDSA curriculum implementation, only 51% of programs had a "formal" curriculum. After implementation, satisfaction with AS training increased among program directors (16% to 68%) and fellows (51% to 68%). Fellows' confidence increased in 7/10 AS content areas. Knowledge scores improved from a mean of 4.6 to 5.1 correct answers of 9 questions (P = .028). The major hurdle to curriculum implementation was time, both for formal teaching and for e-learning. CONCLUSIONS: Effective AS training is a critical component of ID fellowship training. The IDSA Core AS Curriculum can enhance AS training, increase fellow confidence, and improve overall satisfaction of fellows and program directors.

Postprescription Review With Threat of Infectious Disease Consultation and Sustained Reduction in Meropenem Use Over Four Years.

BACKGROUND: Following a meropenem shortage, we implemented a postprescription review with feedback (PPRF) in November 2015 with mandatory infectious disease (ID) consultation for all meropenem and imipenem courses > 72 hours. Providers were made aware of the policy via an electronic alert at the time of ordering. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) and Harborview Medical Center (HMC) to evaluate the impact of the policy on antimicrobial consumption and clinical outcomes pre- and postintervention during a 6-year period. Antimicrobial use was tracked using days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 patient-days, and data were analyzed by an interrupted time series. RESULTS: There were 4066 and 2552 patients in the pre- and postintervention periods, respectively. Meropenem and imipenem use remained steady until the intervention, when a marked reduction in DOT/1000 patient-days occurred at both hospitals (UWMC: percentage change -72.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] -76.6, -66.9), P < .001; HMC: percentage change -43.6% (95% CI -59.9, -20.7), P = .001). Notably, although the intervention did not address antibiotic use until 72 hours after initiation, there was a significant decline in meropenem and imipenem initiation ("first starts") in the postintervention period, with a 64.9% reduction (95% CI 58.7, 70.2; P < .001) at UWMC and 44.7% reduction (95% CI 28.1, 57.4; P < .001) at HMC. CONCLUSIONS: PPRF and mandatory ID consultation for meropenem and imipenem use beyond 72 hours resulted in a significant and sustained reduction in the use of these antibiotics and notably impacted their up-front usage.

Investing in the Future: A Role for Professional Societies to Prepare the Next Generation of Healthcare Leaders Through Curriculum Development and Dissemination.

Professional societies serve many functions that benefit constituents; however, few professional societies have undertaken the development and dissemination of formal, national curricula to train the future workforce while simultaneously addressing significant healthcare needs. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has developed 2 curricula for the specific purpose of training the next generation of clinicians to ensure the future infectious diseases (ID) workforce is optimally trained to lead antimicrobial stewardship programs and equipped to meet the challenges of multidrug resistance, patient safety, and healthcare quality improvement. A core curriculum was developed to provide a foundation in antimicrobial stewardship for all ID fellows, regardless of career path. An advanced curriculum was developed for ID fellows specifically pursuing a career in antimicrobial stewardship. Both curricula will be broadly available in the summer of 2021 through the IDSA website.

Low Prevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Among Pregnant and Postpartum Patients With Universal Screening in Seattle, Washington.

We found low prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 (2.7% [5/188]) among pregnant and postpartum patients with universal testing. Prevalence among symptomatic patients was similar under initial targeted screening (22.2% [4/18]) and universal approaches (19.1% [8/42]). Among 170 asymptomatic patients, 2 were positive or inconclusive, respectively; repeat testing at 24 hours was negative.

Prevalence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection and Outcomes Among Symptomatic Healthcare Workers in Seattle, Washington.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) who serve on the front lines of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been at increased risk for infection due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in some settings. Healthcare-acquired infection has been reported in similar epidemics, but there are limited data on the prevalence of COVID-19 among HCWs and their associated clinical outcomes in the United States. METHODS: We established 2 high-throughput employee testing centers in Seattle, Washington, with drive-through and walk-through options for symptomatic employees in the University of Washington Medicine system and its affiliated organizations. Using data from these testing centers, we report the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among symptomatic employees and describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes among employees with COVID-19. RESULTS: Between 12 March 2020 and 23 April 2020, 3477 symptomatic employees were tested for COVID-19 at 2 employee testing centers; 185 (5.3%) employees tested positive for COVID-19. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was similar when comparing frontline HCWs (5.2%) with nonfrontline staff (5.5%). Among 174 positive employees reached for follow-up at least 14 days after diagnosis, 6 reported COVID-related hospitalization; all recovered. CONCLUSIONS: During the study period, we observed that the prevalence of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests among symptomatic HCWs was comparable to that of symptomatic nonfrontline staff. Reliable and rapid access to testing for employees is essential to preserve the health, safety, and availability of the healthcare workforce during this pandemic and to facilitate the rapid return of SARS-CoV-2-negative employees to work.

Tolerability and effectiveness of povidone-iodine or mupirocin versus saline sinus irrigations for chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVES: The role of topical anti-infectives in acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis is controversial. Povidone-iodine is an anti-bacterial and anti-viral that is affordable and available over-the-counter and may demonstrate advantages over mupirocin as a sinus irrigation therapy. The objective was to compare povidone-iodine or mupirocin versus saline sinus irrigations for sinusitis exacerbations in post-surgery subjects as well as to assess tolerability of povidone-iodine sinus irrigations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective single-blinded (clinician only) randomized controlled trial. Subjects were post-surgery with acute exacerbations of chronic rhinosinusitis and gram-positive bacteria on culture. They received povidone-iodine, mupirocin, or saline sinus irrigations, twice daily for 30 days. Outcomes were post-treatment culture negativity (primary) and Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 and Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score change (secondary). RESULTS: Of the 62 subjects analyzed, post-treatment culture negativity rate was higher in the MUP (14/20, 70%) group compared to the PI (9/21, 43%) and SAL (9/19, 47%) groups, although this was not significant (p = 0.29). Povidone-iodine sinus irrigations at the 1% concentration were very well-tolerated, similar to saline irrigations. There were no significant differences in Sinonasal Outcome Test-20 score (povidone-iodine -0.3 [-0.6, 0.05] vs. mupirocin -0.3 [-0.7, 0.05] vs. saline -0.4 [-0.8, 0.05]; p = 0.86) or Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score (povidone-iodine -3.5 [-7, -0.5] vs. mupirocin -2 [-4, 2] vs. saline -3 [-5, 0]; p = 0.45) change. No serious adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who have had prior sinus surgery with acute exacerbations of CRS and gram-positive bacteria on culture, mupirocin sinus irrigations achieved a better post-treatment culture "control" rate compared to saline and povidone-iodine. In addition, 1% povidone-iodine solution was well-tolerated as a sinus irrigation and may represent a feasible method for temporarily disinfecting the sinonasal cavity of bacteria and viruses such as COVID-19.

Cutaneous microbiology of patients having primary shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder periprosthetic infections are predominantly caused by bacteria residing in the skin of healthy individuals. Knowledge of the factors associated with the loads of the different cutaneous bacteria in individuals having shoulder arthroplasty may help identify patients at higher risk of periprosthetic infection and help guide preventive measures. For this reason, we tested the hypothesis that easy-to-obtain preoperative characteristics were significantly associated with the cutaneous microbiology and the loads of specific bacteria in shoulders having joint replacement. METHODS: This study identified the microbiology of the unprepared epidermal skin surface and of the dermal edge freshly incised at surgery in 332 patients having primary shoulder arthroplasty. The load of bacteria in each sample was characterized as a value based on the laboratory report: 0 for "no growth"; 0.1 for "one colony only" or for "broth only"; and 1, 2, 3, and 4 for 1+, 2+, 3+, and 4+ growth, respectively. The relationships between preoperative patient characteristics and these semiquantitative results of the cutaneous cultures were analyzed. RESULTS: Cultures of the unprepared epidermal skin surface showed positive results for a wide variety of organisms, including Cutibacterium in 72%, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in 61%, and a spectrum of other organisms in 32%. By contrast, cultures of the freshly incised dermal edge showed a great preponderance of Cutibacterium (34%) in comparison to low levels of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (8%) and other organisms (2%). An increased dermal load of Cutibacterium was significantly associated with male sex, younger patient age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class 1, use of testosterone supplements, prior shoulder surgery, and higher Cutibacterium loads on the unprepared skin surface. CONCLUSIONS: Although the microbiology of the unprepared skin surface is diverse, the same is not true for the freshly incised dermis, where Cutibacterium is the predominant organism. Readily available preoperative patient characteristics are significantly associated with the load of Cutibacterium in the incised dermis. Preoperative cultures of the unprepared skin surface appear to be a new method for predicting the type and load of bacteria found in the freshly incised dermis at the time of surgery. Additional studies are needed to determine whether preoperative cultures of the unprepared epidermal skin surface can provide a method for identifying patients at increased risk of shoulder periprosthetic infections.

Factors predictive of Cutibacterium periprosthetic shoulder infections: a retrospective study of 342 prosthetic revisions.

BACKGROUND: Cutibacterium are the most common cause of periprosthetic shoulder infections, as defined by ≥2 deep cultures. Established Cutibacterium periprosthetic infections cannot be resolved without prosthesis removal. However, the decision for implant removal must be made from an assessment of infection risk before the results of intraoperative cultures are finalized. We hypothesized that the risk for a Cutibacterium infection is associated with characteristics that are available at the time of revision arthroplasty. METHODS: In a retrospective review of 342 patients having prosthetic revisions between 2006 and 2018 for whom definitive deep culture results were available, we used univariate and multivariate analyses to compare the preoperative and intraoperative characteristics of 101 revisions with Cutibacterium periprosthetic infections to the characteristics of 241 concurrent revisions not meeting the definition of infection. RESULTS: Patients with definite Cutibacterium periprosthetic infections were younger (59 ± 10 vs. 64 ± 12, P < .001), were more likely to be male (91% vs. 44%, P < .001), were more likely to have had their index procedure performed for primary osteoarthritis (54% vs. 39%, P = .007), were more likely to be taking testosterone supplements (8% vs. 2%, P = .02), had lower American Society of Anesthesiologists scores (1.9 ± 0.7 vs. 2.3 ± 0.7, P < .001), and had lower body mass indices (29 ± 5 vs. 31 ± 7, P = .005). Patients with definite Cutibacterium periprosthetic infections also had significantly higher preoperative loads of Cutibacterium on their unprepared skin surface (1.7 ± 0.9 vs. 0.4 ± 0.8, P < .001) and were more likely to have the surgical finding of synovitis (41% vs. 16%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of definite Cutibacterium periprosthetic infections is associated with observations that can be made before or at the time of revision arthroplasty.

Antimicrobial Stewardship Training for Infectious Diseases Fellows: Program Directors Identify a Curriculum Need.

A needs assessment survey of infectious diseases (ID) training program directors identified gaps in educational resources for training and evaluating ID fellows in antimicrobial stewardship. An Infectious Diseases Society of America-sponsored core curriculum was developed to address that need.

Infusion-Compatible Antibiotic Formulations for Rapid Administration to Improve Outcomes in Cancer Outpatients With Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: The Sepsis STAT Pack.

Background: Patients with cancer are at high risk for severe sepsis and septic shock (SS/SSh), and a delay in receiving effective antibiotics is strongly associated with mortality. Delays are due to logistics of clinic flow and drug delivery. In an era of increasing antimicrobial resistance, combination therapy may be superior to monotherapy for patients with SS/SSh. Patients and Methods: At the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, we implemented the Sepsis STAT Pack (SSP) program to simplify timely and effective provision of empiric antibiotics and other resuscitative care to outpatients with cancer with suspected SS/SSh before hospitalization. Over a 49-month period from January 1, 2008, through January 31, 2012, a total of 162 outpatients with cancer received the intervention. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine outcomes, including mortality and adverse events associated with the use of a novel care bundle designed for compatibility of broad-spectrum antibiotics and other supportive care administered concurrently via rapid infusion at fixed doses. Results: Of 162 sequential patients with cancer and suspected SS/SSh who received the SSP, 71 (44%) were diagnosed with SS/SSh. Median age was 53 years and 65% were men; 141 (87%) had hematologic malignancies, 77 (48%) were transplant recipients, and 80 (49%) were neutropenic. Median time to completion of antibiotics was 111 minutes (interquartile range, 60-178 minutes). A total of 71 patients (44%) had bacteremia and 17% of 93 isolates were multidrug-resistant. Possibly related nephrotoxicity occurred in 7 patients, and 30-day mortality occured in 6 of 160 patients (4%), including 3 of 71 (4%) with SS/SSh. Risk of developing SSh or death within 30 days increased 18% (95% CI, 4%-34%) for each hour delay to completion of antibiotics (P=.01). Conclusions: Rapidly administered combination antibiotics and supportive care delivered emergently to ambulatory patients with cancer with suspected SS/SSh was well-tolerated and associated with excellent short-term survival.

Cutaneous presentation of disseminated histoplasmosis as a solitary peri-anal ulcer. Case report and discussion.

Disseminated histoplasmosis has a diverse and non-specific range of clinical signs and symptoms. In a significant minority of patients, cutaneous lesions are apparent at the time of initial presentation, affording an opportunity to establish the diagnosis from a skin biopsy. The most frequently reported clinical scenario in immunocompromised patients with cutaneous involvement is that of multiple papulo-nodular lesions on the face, trunk or extremities. The following report features an immunocompetent patient who presented with a solitary ulcerated plaque on the buttocks close to the anal verge. This case presentation underscores the broad spectrum of clinical presentations as well as the potential for diagnostic confusion with protozoa such as Leishmania or Trypanosoma species during histopathologic examination if special stains for fungal organisms are not performed.

Characterization of a multidrug-resistant, novel Bacteroides genomospecies.

Metronidazole- and carbapenem-resistant Bacteroides fragilis are rare in the United States. We isolated a multidrug-resistant anaerobe from the bloodstream and intraabdominal abscesses of a patient who had traveled to India. Whole-genome sequencing identified the organism as a novel Bacteroides genomospecies. Physicians should be aware of the possibility for concomitant carbapenem- and metronidazole-resistant Bacteroides infections.

Impact of rapid influenza PCR testing on hospitalization and antiviral use: A retrospective cohort study.

Rapid PCR-based influenza tests are increasingly used as point-of-care diagnostics in hospitals and clinics. To our knowledge, no prior studies have described clinical outcomes with implementation of rapid PCR-based influenza tests in hospitalized adult inpatients. Electronic medical records were used to assess differences in laboratory testing time and antiviral use among a subset of 175 consecutive adult inpatients tested for influenza in two respiratory seasons before and after implementation of rapid PCR-based influenza testing at an academic medical center. Of the 350 hospitalized inpatients included in this analysis, 96 (27%) were over 65 years of age and 308 (88%) had a comorbid condition. The overall time to result decreased significantly from 25.2 to 1.7 hr (P < 0.001) after implementation of rapid PCR-based influenza testing. Among influenza-negative patients, the frequency of oseltamivir initiation remained unchanged (before: 43% vs. after: 45%; P = 0.60), though the median duration of oseltamivir was significantly decreased from 1.1 to 0.0 days (P < 0.001). By providing an earlier result to clinicians, rapid PCR-based influenza tests may decrease unnecessary antiviral use among adult inpatients who test negative for influenza.

Propionibacterium can be isolated from deep cultures obtained at primary arthroplasty despite intravenous antimicrobial prophylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Propionibacterium organisms are commonly recovered from deep cultures obtained at the time of revision arthroplasty. This study sought to determine whether deep cultures obtained at the time of primary arthroplasty can be substantially positive for Propionibacterium despite thorough skin preparation and preoperative intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis. METHODS: After timely administration of preoperative antibiotics chosen specifically for their activity against Propionibacterium and after double skin preparation, specimens from the dermis, fascia, capsule, synovium, and glenoid tissue were sterilely harvested from 10 male patients undergoing primary shoulder arthroplasty and were submitted for culture for Propionibacterium. RESULTS: Of the 50 specimens, 7 were positive for Propionibacterium: 3 in each of 2 patients and 1 in 1 patient. The specimen sources having positive anaerobic cultures were the dermis (1 of 10), fascia (2 of 10), synovium (1 of 10), and glenoid tissue (3 of 10). None of these patients had evidence of infection at the time of the arthroplasty. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Preoperative antibiotics and skin preparation do not always eliminate Propionibacterium from the surgical field of primary shoulder arthroplasty. The presence of these bacteria in the arthroplasty wound may pose a risk of delayed shoulder arthroplasty failure from the subtle type of periprosthetic infection typically associated with Propionibacterium.

Substantial cultures of Propionibacterium can be found in apparently aseptic shoulders revised three years or more after the index arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Revisions of apparently "aseptic" shoulder arthroplasties are not infrequently culture positive for Propionibacterium, organisms that may be introduced at the time of the index surgery when the dermal sebaceous glands are transected. This report seeks to answer the question, Do surgeons performing revision shoulder arthroplasty years after the index procedure need to be concerned about the persistence of Propionibacterium? METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 148 revision arthroplasties performed between July 2008 and June 2013 to find those revisions performed at least 3 years after the index procedure and at which intraoperative cultures were strongly positive for Propionibacterium. RESULTS: We identified 14 cases of revision surgery performed 8 ± 4 years after the original arthroplasty for which deep cultures were strongly positive for Propionibacterium. A total of 109 specimens were obtained, 84 of which were positive. All 14 patients were male. CONCLUSION: Shoulder arthroplasties revised for the mechanical problems of loosening or stiffness can be substantially culture positive for Propionibacterium, even if the revision is performed many years after the index procedure. Therefore, even in shoulder arthroplasties revised for mechanical problems years after the index procedures, surgeons should consider submitting multiple deep specimens for specific Propionibacterium culture. In the presence of persistent Propionibacterium, surgeons should consider the need for directed surgical and medical treatment in their management of a failed arthroplasty.

Characterizing Ertapenem Neurotoxicity: A Systematic Review and Experience at a Tertiary Medical Center.

Ertapenem-induced neurotoxicity has not been well characterized and is potentially underreported. We conducted a systematic review of the literature and included 11 additional cases from the University of Washington Medicine health system. A total of 125 individual patient cases were included in the data analysis. The mean age was 72 years, and 62% and 42% of patients had renal dysfunction and preexisting central nervous system (CNS) conditions, respectively. Only 15% of patients received inappropriately high ertapenem dosing based on kidney function. Patients developed neurological signs and symptoms after a median of 4 days (interquartile range, 3-9 days). The most common clinical features were seizures (70%), altered level of consciousness or delirium (27%), and hallucinations (17%). An estimated incidence in our health system was 1 in 102 courses of ertapenem. Ertapenem neurotoxicity should be suspected when a patient with renal dysfunction or predisposing CNS conditions develops neurological signs and symptoms, especially within several days after initiating the antibiotic. This study underscores the need for a large prospective study to assess the true incidence and outcomes of ertapenem neurotoxicity.