The burden and severity of illness due to 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in a large US city during the late summer and early fall of 2009.

In estimates of illness severity from the spring wave of the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, reported case fatality proportions were less than 0.05%. In prior pandemics, subsequent waves of illness were associated with higher mortality. The authors evaluated the burden of the pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) outbreak in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, in the fall of 2009, when increased influenza activity heralded the second wave of the pandemic in the United States. Using data from a community survey, existing surveillance systems, public health laboratories, and local hospitals, they estimated numbers of pH1N1-associated illnesses, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and deaths occurring in metropolitan Atlanta during the period August 16, 2009-September 26, 2009. The authors estimated 132,140 pediatric and 132,110 adult symptomatic cases of pH1N1 in metropolitan Atlanta during the investigation time frame. Among children, these cases were associated with 4,560 ED visits, 190 hospitalizations, 51 ICU admissions, and 4 deaths. Among adults, they were associated with 1,130 ED visits, 590 hospitalizations, 140 ICU admissions, and 63 deaths. The combined symptomatic case hospitalization proportion, case ICU admission proportion, and case fatality proportion were 0.281%, 0.069%, and 0.024%, respectively. Influenza burden can be estimated using existing data and local surveys. The increased severity reported for subsequent waves in past pandemics was not evident in this investigation. Nevertheless, the second pH1N1 pandemic wave led to substantial numbers of ED visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in metropolitan Atlanta.

Co-infection with two different strains of Bordetella pertussis in an infant.

We report co-infection with two phenotypically and genotypically distinct strains of Bordetella pertussis in an infant male hospitalized with a 2-week history of cough, paroxysms and vomiting. Colonies from the two B. pertussis phenotypes were isolated and evaluated by PFGE profile analysis, gene sequence typing and PCR-RFLP of a portion of the 23S rRNA gene. These results demonstrated simultaneous infection with two different strains of B. pertussis.

Impact of a rapid respiratory panel test on patient outcomes.

CONTEXT: Evolution of polymerase chain reaction testing for infectious pathogens has occurred concurrent with a focus on value-based medicine. OBJECTIVE: To determine if implementation of the FilmArray rapid respiratory panel (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, Utah) (hereafter RRP), with a shorter time to the test result and expanded panel, results in different outcomes for children admitted to the hospital with an acute respiratory tract illness. DESIGN: Patient outcomes were compared before implementation of the RRP (November 1, 2011, to January 31, 2012) versus after implementation of the RRP (November 1, 2012, to January 31, 2013). The study included inpatients 3 months or older with an acute respiratory tract illness, most admitted through the emergency department. Testing before RRP implementation used batched polymerase chain reaction analysis for respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A and B, with additional testing for parainfluenza 1 through 3 in approximately 11% of patients and for human metapneumovirus in less than 1% of patients. The RRP tested for respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and B, parainfluenza 1 through 4, human metapneumovirus, adenovirus, rhinovirus/enterovirus, and coronavirus NL62. RESULTS: The pre-RRP group had 365 patients, and the post-RRP group had 771 patients. After RRP implementation, the mean time to the test result was shorter (383 minutes versus 1119 minutes, P < .001), and the percentage of patients with a result in the emergency department was greater (51.6% versus 13.4%, P < .001). There was no difference in whether antibiotics were prescribed, but the duration of antibiotic use was shorter after RRP implementation (P = .003) and was dependent on receiving test results within 4 hours. If the test result was positive, the inpatient length of stay (P = .03) and the time in isolation (P = .03) were decreased after RRP implementation compared with before RRP implementation. CONCLUSIONS: The RRP decreases the duration of antibiotic use, the length of inpatient stay, and the time in isolation.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization among pediatric health care workers from different outpatient settings.

Staphylococcus aureus colonization rates in pediatric health care workers from different types of outpatient settings were determined from December 2008 through May 2010. Colonization rates for Staphylococcus aureus and, specifically, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rates were similar to the rates that have been reported for the general population. The predominant MRSA pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type associated with colonization in these health care workers is not MRSA USA300.

Catheter-related polymicrobial bloodstream infections among pediatric bone marrow transplant outpatients--Atlanta, Georgia, 2007.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for polymicrobial bloodstream infections (BSIs) in pediatric bone marrow transplant (BMT) outpatients attending a newly constructed clinic affiliated with a children's hospital. METHODS: All 30 outpatients treated at a new BMT clinic during September 10-21, 2007, were enrolled in a cohort study. The investigation included interviews, medical records review, observations, and bacterial culture and molecular typing of patient and environmental isolates. Data were analyzed using exact conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Thirteen patients experienced BSIs caused by 16 different, predominantly gram-negative organisms. Presence of a tunneled catheter (odds ratio [OR], 19.9 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.4-infinity), catheter access (OR, 13.7 [95% CI, 1.8-infinity]), and flushing of a catheter with predrawn saline (OR, 12.9 [95% CI, 1.0-766.0]) were independently associated with BSI. The odds of experiencing a BSI increased by a factor of 16.8 with each additional injection of predrawn saline (95% CI, 1.8-827.0). Although no environmental source of pathogens was identified, interviews revealed breaches in recommended infection prevention practice and medication handling. Saline flush solutions were predrawn, and multiple doses were obtained from single-dose preservative-free vials to avoid delays in patient care. CONCLUSION: We speculate that infection prevention challenges in the new clinic, combined with successive needle punctures of vials, facilitated extrinsic contamination and transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. We recommend that preservative-free single-use vials not be punctured more than once. Use of single-use prefilled saline syringes might prevent multiuse of single-use saline vials. Storage of saline outside a medication supply system might be advisable. Before opening new clinic facilities, hospitals should consider conducting a mock patient flow exercise to identify infection control challenges.