Military and Civilian Sector Practice Patterns for Short-Term Travelers' Diarrhea Self-Treatment in Adults.

The Deployment and Travel Medicine Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Outcomes Study investigates the various clinician and traveler contributions to medical outcomes within the U.S. Military Health System. Travelers' diarrhea is among the most common travel-related illnesses, making travelers' diarrhea self-treatment (TDST) important for traveler health. A cohort of 80,214 adult travelers receiving malaria chemoprophylaxis for less than 6 weeks of travel were identified within the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System Data Repository. Associated prescriptions for TDST medications within 2 weeks of chemoprophylaxis prescriptions were identified. Prescription patterns were compared by service member versus beneficiary status and site of care, military facility versus civilian facility. At military facilities, medical provider demographics were analyzed by clinical specialty and categorized as travel medicine specialists versus nonspecialists. Overall, there was low prescribing of TDST, particularly among civilian providers and military nonspecialists, despite guidelines recommending self-treatment of moderate to severe travelers' diarrhea. This practice gap was largest among service member travelers, but also existed for beneficiaries. Compared with nonspecialists, military travel medicine specialists were more likely to prescribe a combination of an antibiotic and antimotility agent to beneficiaries, more likely to provide any form of TDST to service members, and more likely to prescribe azithromycin than quinolones when using antibiotics. Our study suggests that enhancing provider knowledge and use of travelers' diarrhea treatment recommendations combined with improved access to formal travel medicine services may be important to increase the quality of care.

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Infections in the U.S. Military Health System.

INTRODUCTION: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are classified by the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention as a serious antibiotic resistance threat. Our study aims to characterize the epidemiology, associated conditions, and outcomes of VRE infections among hospitalized patients in the U.S. military health system (MHS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with VRE infection using the MHS database. Cases included all patients admitted to a military treatment facility for ≥2 days from October 2008 to September 2015 with a clinical culture growing Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, or Enterococcus species (unspecified), reported as resistant to vancomycin. Co-morbid conditions and procedures associated with VRE infection were identified by multivariable conditional logistic regression. Patient case-mix adjusted outcomes including in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and hospitalization cost were evaluated by high-dimensional propensity score adjustment. RESULTS: During the seven-year study period and among 1,161,335 hospitalized patients within the MHS, we identified 577 (0.05%) patients with VRE infection. A majority of VRE infections were urinary tract infections (57.7%), followed by bloodstream (24.7%), other site/device-related (12.9%), respiratory (2.9%), and wound infections (1.8%). Risk factors for VRE infection included invasive gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and urologic procedures, indwelling devices, and exposure to 4th generation cephalosporins, but not to glycopeptides. Patients hospitalized with VRE infection had significantly higher hospitalization costs (attributable difference [AD] $135,534, P<0.001), prolonged hospital stays (AD 20.44 days, P<0.001, and higher in-hospital mortality (case-mix adjusted odds ratio 5.77; 95% confidence interval 4.59-7.25). CONCLUSIONS: VRE infections carry a considerable burden for hospitalized patients given their impact on length of stay, hospitalization costs, and in-hospital mortality. Active surveillance and infection control efforts should target those identified as high-risk for VRE infection. Antimicrobial stewardship programs should focus on limiting exposure to 4th generation cephalosporins.

Manikin Human-Patient Simulator Training.

BACKGROUND: Human-patient simulators (HPSs) may help enhance medical education. Manikin HPS devices respond to common field medical interventions, such as cricothyroidotomy, and have realistic feedback features, such as respirations and pulses. This study surveys Special Operations Medics for evaluations of HPS features. METHODS: Of 518 subjects, 376 completed testing and surveys with valid responses. A total of 102 variables were divided into three categories-general characteristics, procedures, and injuries-and assessed on a fivepoint Likert scale. The Student t test was used to analyze data together and as separate groups against each other and against an aggregated mean. RESULTS: Features that received high scores (i.e., higher than 4.5/5) corresponded closely with pillars of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) curriculum, basic life support, and realism. DISCUSSION: US Army Special Operations Command and US Special Operations Command Medics have overall high confidence in manikin HPS devices and specifically in those that align with TCCC training and lifesaving procedures. The skills most valued coincide with difficult-to-practice measures, such as cricothyroidotomy and wound packing. Features such as prerecorded sounds, sex, automated movements, skin color, defibrillation, bowel sounds, and electrocardiogram are rated lower. These evaluations may guide future development or procurement of manikin HPS devices.

Primary Cutaneous Mucormycosis in an Extremely Preterm Infant Successfully Treated with Liposomal Amphotericin B.

Cutaneous mucormycosis is a rare but often fatal invasive fungal infection that occurs most commonly in patients with diabetes, malignancy, and other immunocompromising conditions. We report an extremely preterm (<28 weeks) baby boy who developed polymicrobial sepsis and primary cutaneous mucormycosis within his first 10 days of life. He was successfully treated with medical management alone since he was not a candidate for surgery. Successful treatment of cutaneous mucormycosis without surgical debridement has been reported on only two other occasions. This case highlights the importance of rapid and thorough evaluation of skin lesions when evaluating preterm infants and other immunocompromised patients, even when other sources of infection have been identified.

Healthy Late-preterm infants born 33-36+6 weeks gestational age have higher risk for respiratory syncytial virus hospitalization.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of hospitalization for children <1year old and is more severe in premature infants. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether late preterm (LPT) birth is an independent risk factor for RSV hospitalization and more severe RSV disease in children less than 24months old. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children enrolled in the military health system. LPT birth was defined as 33+0 through 36+6weeks gestation. Patients who received palivizumab or had known risk factors for RSV were excluded. Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for LPT birth were calculated using a Cox proportional hazard model, while controlling for sex and RSV season. Severity of illness was assessed by comparing the need for respiratory support, length of stay, and age at RSV hospitalization between LPT and term children. RESULTS: A total of 599,535 children for 1,216,382 person-years were studied, of which 7597 children were admitted for RSV infection. LPT infants accounted for 643 (8.5%) of these RSV hospitalizations. The incidence density for RSV hospitalization of LPT infants was higher than term children (12.1 vs 7.8 per 1000 person-years). LPT infants had an increased adjusted risk for RSV hospitalization; specifically, those born 33+0 through 34+6weeks (HR 2.45; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.96-3.07), and 35+0 through 36+6weeks (HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.66-2.22). LPT infants had longer hospital stays and required more respiratory support than term children. CONCLUSIONS: LPT birth is an independent risk factor for severe RSV disease and need for hospitalization.

Children with Down syndrome are high-risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess Down syndrome as an independent risk factor for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization in children younger than 3 years of age and to evaluate illness severity. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of children enrolled in the military health system database was conducted. The effect of Down syndrome on RSV hospitalization was assessed by Cox proportional hazards model, while we controlled for risk factors. Disease severity was assessed by length of hospital stay, need for respiratory support, and age at hospitalization. RESULTS: The study included 633 200 children and 3 209 378 person-years. Children with Down syndrome had a hospitalization rate of 9.6% vs 2.8% in children without Down syndrome. Down syndrome had a greater adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for RSV hospitalization than most risk factors, 3.46 (95% CI 2.75-4.37). A sensitivity analysis demonstrated HR 3.21 (95% CI 2.51-4.10) for patients with Down syndrome ages 0-23 months and HR 5.07 (95% CI 2.21-11.59) ages 24-36 months. The median (IQR) length of stay of children with and without Down syndrome was 4 days (2-7) and 2 days (1-4) (P < .001). Patients with Down syndrome had a greater risk of requiring respiratory support (relative risk 5.5; 95% CI, 2.5-12.3). The median (IQR) ages at admission for children with and without Down syndrome were 9.8 months (5.5-17.7) and 3.5 months (1.7-8.7) (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Down syndrome is independently associated with an increased risk for RSV hospitalization. Children with Down syndrome are older at time of RSV hospitalization and have more severe RSV illness than children without Down syndrome. This increased risk for hospitalization continues beyond 24 months.

A unique case of adolescent neuroborreliosis presenting with multiple cranial neuritis and cochlear inflammation on magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND: Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and is caused by infection with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. In children, neuroborreliosis usually presents as peripheral facial nerve palsy and lymphocytic meningitis and only rarely is associated with cranial polyneuritis. PATIENT DESCRIPTION: We present a 15-year-old with tinnitus, hearing loss, and facial nerve palsy in the setting of acute, severe right arm pain and a several week history of malaise and headache. Lumbar puncture was notable for lymphocytic pleocytosis. Serologic testing demonstrated positive Lyme antibody and a positive immunoglobulin M Western blot. Immunofluorescent assay of cerebrospinal fluid was also positive for anti-Lyme immunoglobulin M. Audiologic testing revealed mixed, right-sided hearing loss. Neuroimaging demonstrated cranial polyneuritis and right-sided cochlear inflammation. The patient was treated with parenteral ceftriaxone with resolution of his symptoms at close follow-up. DISCUSSION: Neuroborreliosis with radiculopathy, lymphocytic meningitis, and cranial polyneuritis is a rare presentation of pediatric Lyme disease. Additionally, cochlear inflammation along with cranial nerve VIII inflammation may contribute to hearing loss in patients with neuroborreliosis.