Routine Metagenomics Service for ICU Patients with Respiratory Infection.

Rationale: Respiratory metagenomics (RMg) needs evaluation in a pilot service setting to determine utility and inform implementation into routine clinical practice. Objectives: Feasibility, performance, and clinical impacts on antimicrobial prescribing and infection control were recorded during a pilot RMg service. Methods: RMg was performed on 128 samples from 87 patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) on two general and one specialist respiratory ICUs at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London. Measurements and Main Results: During the first 15 weeks, RMg provided same-day results for 110 samples (86%), with a median turnaround time of 6.7 hours (interquartile range = 6.1-7.5 h). RMg was 93% sensitive and 81% specific for clinically relevant pathogens compared with routine testing. Forty-eight percent of RMg results informed antimicrobial prescribing changes (22% escalation; 26% deescalation) with escalation based on speciation in 20 out of 24 cases and detection of acquired-resistance genes in 4 out of 24 cases. Fastidious or unexpected organisms were reported in 21 samples, including anaerobes (n = 12), Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Tropheryma whipplei, cytomegalovirus, and Legionella pneumophila ST1326, which was subsequently isolated from the bedside water outlet. Application to consecutive severe community-acquired LRTI cases identified Staphylococcus aureus (two with SCCmec and three with luk F/S virulence determinants), Streptococcus pyogenes (emm1-M1uk clone), S. dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (STG62647A), and Aspergillus fumigatus with multiple treatments and public health impacts. Conclusions: This pilot study illustrates the potential of RMg testing to provide benefits for antimicrobial treatment, infection control, and public health when provided in a real-world critical care setting. Multicenter studies are now required to inform future translation into routine service.

Performance evaluation of the Viasure PCR assay for the diagnosis of monkeypox: A multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Monkeypox virus (MPXV) is the causative agent of the 2022 monkeypox global outbreak. Rapid detection of MPXV infection is essential to inform patient management and public health response. Currently, there is a lack of established real-time PCR assays to support a rapid diagnosis of monkeypox. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance characteristics of the Viasure MPXV PCR assay in three London teaching hospitals. STUDY DESIGN: Prospectively collected paired patient swabs from matched or unmatched anatomical sites were evaluated by the reference laboratory and Viasure MPXV PCR assays. A subset of samples were also tested for HSV, VZV, and/or Treponema pallidum DNA. RESULTS: 217 paired samples were evaluated. 91.2% of the paired swabs generated concordant results whilst 8.8% generated discordant results. The accuracy, diagnostic sensitivity, diagnostic specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, likelihood ratio positive, and likelihood ratio negative of the Viasure PCR assay across the hospitals were 93.2 - 96.3%, 90.0 - 100%, 88.2 - 100%, 94.9 - 100%, 87.9 - 100%, 8.50 - 14.41, and 0.00 - 0.10 respectively. MPXV co-infections with HSV were detected in two patients. Five patients were negative for monkeypox but positive for herpes or chickenpox. CONCLUSIONS: The Viasure MPXV PCR assay demonstrated excellent performance characteristics, was easy to use, and is fit for routine diagnostic purpose. Where implemented, the assay would allow rapid and accurate laboratory diagnosis of MPXV infections and support a timely management of monkeypox. To reduce the risk of false negative detections, vesicular lesions from any anatomical site should be preferentially and optimally sampled.

Combined epidemiological and genomic analysis of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection early in the pandemic and the role of unidentified cases in transmission.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse nosocomial transmission in the early stages of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at a large multisite healthcare institution. Nosocomial incidence is linked with infection control interventions. METHODS: Viral genome sequence and epidemiological data were analysed for 574 consecutive patients, including 86 nosocomial cases, with a positive PCR test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the first 19 days of the pandemic. RESULTS: Forty-four putative transmission clusters were found through epidemiological analysis; these included 234 cases and all 86 nosocomial cases. SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences were obtained from 168/234 (72%) of these cases in epidemiological clusters, including 77/86 nosocomial cases (90%). Only 75/168 (45%) of epidemiologically linked, sequenced cases were not refuted by applying genomic data, creating 14 final clusters accounting for 59/77 sequenced nosocomial cases (77%). Viral haplotypes from these clusters were enriched 1-14x (median 4x) compared to the community. Three factors implicated unidentified cases in transmission: (a) community-onset or indeterminate cases were absent in 7/14 clusters (50%), (b) four clusters (29%) had additional evidence of cryptic transmission, and (c) in three clusters (21%) diagnosis of the earliest case was delayed, which may have facilitated transmission. Nosocomial cases decreased to low levels (0-2 per day) despite continuing high numbers of admissions of community-onset SARS-CoV-2 cases (40-50 per day) and before the impact of introducing universal face masks and banning hospital visitors. CONCLUSION: Genomics was necessary to accurately resolve transmission clusters. Our data support unidentified cases-such as healthcare workers or asymptomatic patients-as important vectors of transmission. Evidence is needed to ascertain whether routine screening increases case ascertainment and limits nosocomial transmission.

Evaluating the potential for respiratory metagenomics to improve treatment of secondary infection and detection of nosocomial transmission on expanded COVID-19 intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: Clinical metagenomics (CMg) has the potential to be translated from a research tool into routine service to improve antimicrobial treatment and infection control decisions. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic provides added impetus to realise these benefits, given the increased risk of secondary infection and nosocomial transmission of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens linked with the expansion of critical care capacity. METHODS: CMg using nanopore sequencing was evaluated in a proof-of-concept study on 43 respiratory samples from 34 intubated patients across seven intensive care units (ICUs) over a 9-week period during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. RESULTS: An 8-h CMg workflow was 92% sensitive (95% CI, 75-99%) and 82% specific (95% CI, 57-96%) for bacterial identification based on culture-positive and culture-negative samples, respectively. CMg sequencing reported the presence or absence of ß-lactam-resistant genes carried by Enterobacterales that would modify the initial guideline-recommended antibiotics in every case. CMg was also 100% concordant with quantitative PCR for detecting Aspergillus fumigatus from 4 positive and 39 negative samples. Molecular typing using 24-h sequencing data identified an MDR-K. pneumoniae ST307 outbreak involving 4 patients and an MDR-C. striatum outbreak involving 14 patients across three ICUs. CONCLUSION: CMg testing provides accurate pathogen detection and antibiotic resistance prediction in a same-day laboratory workflow, with assembled genomes available the next day for genomic surveillance. The provision of this technology in a service setting could fundamentally change the multi-disciplinary team approach to managing ICU infections. The potential to improve the initial targeted treatment and rapidly detect unsuspected outbreaks of MDR-pathogens justifies further expedited clinical assessment of CMg.

Development of a Multiplex Tandem PCR (MT-PCR) Assay for the Detection of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants.

The emergence of variants of SARS-CoV-2 has created challenges for the testing infrastructure. Although large-scale genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 has facilitated hospital and public health responses, access to sequencing facilities globally is variable and turnaround times can be significant, so there is a requirement for rapid and cost-effective alternatives. Applying a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) approach enables rapid (<4 h) identification of SARS-CoV-2 lineages from nucleic acid extracts, through the presence or absence of a panel of defined of genomic polymorphisms. For example, the B.1.1.7 lineage ("UK", "Alpha", or "Kent" variant) is characterised by 23 mutations compared to the reference strain, and the most biologically significant of these are found in the S gene. We have developed a SARS-CoV-2 typing assay focused on five positions in the S gene (HV69/70, N501, K417, E484 and P681). This configuration can identify a range of variants, including all the "Variants of Concern" currently designated by national and international public health bodies. The panel has been evaluated using a range of clinical isolates and standardised control materials at four UK hospitals and shows excellent concordance with the known lineage information derived from full sequence analysis. The assay has a turnaround time of about three hours for a set of up to 24 samples and has been utilised to identify emerging variants in a clinical setting.

High-resolution genotyping of Lymphogranuloma Venereum (LGV) strains of Chlamydia trachomatis in London using multi-locus VNTR analysis-ompA genotyping (MLVA-ompA).

BACKGROUND: Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis strains with ompA genotypes L1 to L3. An LGV epidemic associated with the L2b genotype has emerged in the past few decades amongst men who have sex with men (MSM). C. trachomatis genotypes can be discriminated by outer membrane protein A gene (ompA) sequencing, however this method has limited resolution. This study employed a high-resolution genotyping method, namely, multi-locus tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis with ompA sequencing (MLVA-ompA), to assess the distribution of LGV MLVA-ompA genotypes amongst individuals attending genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in London. METHODS: Clinical specimens were collected from individuals attending eight London-based GUM clinics. Specimens that tested positive for C. trachomatis by commercial nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) were confirmed as LGV by pmpH real-time PCR. LGV-positive DNA extracts were subsequently genotyped using MLVA-ompA. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty DNA extracts were confirmed as LGV, and 162 (70%) yielded complete MLVA-ompA genotypes. Six LGV MLVA-ompA genotypes were identified: 1.9.2b-L2, 1.9.3b-L2b, 1.9.2b-L2b, 1.9.2b-L2b/D, 1.4a.2b-L2b, and 5.9.2b-L1. The following LGV ompA genotypes were identified (in descending order of abundance): L2, L2b, L2b/D, and L1. Eight ompA sequences with the hybrid L2b/D profile were detected. The hybrid sequence was identical to the ompA of a recombinant L2b/D strain detected in Portugal in 2017. CONCLUSIONS: The L2 ompA genotype was found to predominate in the London study population. The study detected an unusual hybrid L2b/D ompA profile that was previously reported in Portugal. We recommend further monitoring and surveillance of LGV strains within the UK population.

Comparative performance of SARS-CoV-2 lateral flow antigen tests and association with detection of infectious virus in clinical specimens: a single-centre laboratory evaluation study.

BACKGROUND: Lateral flow devices (LFDs) for rapid antigen testing are set to become a cornerstone of SARS-CoV-2 mass community testing, although their reduced sensitivity compared with PCR has raised questions of how well they identify infectious cases. Understanding their capabilities and limitations is, therefore, essential for successful implementation. We evaluated six commercial LFDs and assessed their correlation with infectious virus culture and PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values. METHODS: In a single-centre, laboratory evaluation study, we did a head-to-head comparison of six LFDs commercially available in the UK: Innova Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test, Spring Healthcare SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Cassette, E25Bio Rapid Diagnostic Test, Encode SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Device, SureScreen COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test Cassette, and SureScreen COVID-19 Rapid Fluorescence Antigen Test. We estimated the specificities and sensitivities of the LFDs using stored naso-oropharyngeal swabs collected at St Thomas' Hospital (London, UK) for routine diagnostic SARS-CoV-2 testing by real-time RT-PCR (RT-rtPCR). Swabs were from inpatients and outpatients from all departments of St Thomas' Hospital, and from health-care staff (all departments) and their household contacts. SARS-CoV-2-negative swabs from the same population (confirmed by RT-rtPCR) were used for comparative specificity determinations. All samples were collected between March 23 and Oct 27, 2020. We determined the limit of detection (LOD) for each test using viral plaque-forming units (PFUs) and viral RNA copy numbers of laboratory-grown SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, LFDs were selected to assess the correlation of antigen test result with RT-rtPCR Ct values and positive viral culture in Vero E6 cells. This analysis included longitudinal swabs from five infected inpatients with varying disease severities. Furthermore, the sensitivities of available LFDs were assessed in swabs (n=23; collected from Dec 4, 2020, to Jan 12, 2021) confirmed to be positive (RT-rtPCR and whole-genome sequencing) for the B.1.1.7 variant, which was the dominant genotype in the UK at the time of study completion. FINDINGS: All LFDs showed high specificity (≥98·0%), except for the E25Bio test (86·0% [95% CI 77·9-99·9]), and most tests reliably detected 50 PFU/test (equivalent SARS-CoV-2 N gene Ct value of 23·7, or RNA copy number of 3 × 106/mL). Sensitivities of the LFDs on clinical samples ranged from 65·0% (55·2-73·6) to 89·0% (81·4-93·8). These sensitivities increased to greater than 90% for samples with Ct values of lower than 25 for all tests except the SureScreen fluorescence (SureScreen-F) test. Positive virus culture was identified in 57 (40·4%) of 141 samples; 54 (94·7%) of the positive cultures were from swabs with Ct values lower than 25. Among the three LFDs selected for detailed comparisons (the tests with highest sensitivity [Innova], highest specificity [Encode], and alternative technology [SureScreen-F]), sensitivity of the LFDs increased to at least 94·7% when only including samples with detected viral growth. Longitudinal studies of RT-rtPCR-positive samples (tested with Innova, Encode, and both SureScreen-F and the SureScreen visual [SureScreen-V] test) showed that most of the tests identified all infectious samples as positive. Test performance (assessed for Innova and SureScreen-V) was not affected when reassessed on swabs positive for the UK variant B.1.1.7. INTERPRETATION: In this comprehensive comparison of antigen LFDs and virus infectivity, we found a clear relationship between Ct values, quantitative culture of infectious virus, and antigen LFD positivity in clinical samples. Our data support regular testing of target groups with LFDs to supplement the current PCR testing capacity, which would help to rapidly identify infected individuals in situations in which they would otherwise go undetected. FUNDING: King's Together Rapid COVID-19, Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, Huo Family Foundation, UK Department of Health, National Institute for Health Research Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre.

Development and evaluation of a nanopore 16S rRNA gene sequencing service for same day targeted treatment of bacterial respiratory infection in the intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVES: Assess the feasibility and impact of nanopore-based 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Np16S) service on antibiotic treatment for acute severe pneumonia on the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: Speciation and sequencing accuracy of Np16S on isolates with bioinformatics pipeline optimisation, followed by technical evaluation including quality checks and clinical-reporting criteria analysing stored respiratory samples using single-sample flow cells. Pilot service comparing Np16S results with all routine respiratory tests and impact on same-day antimicrobial prescribing. RESULTS: Np16S correctly identified 140/167 (84%) isolates after 1h sequencing and passed quality control criteria including reproducibility and limit-of-detection. Sequencing of 108 stored respiratory samples showed concordance with routine culture in 80.5% of cases and established technical and clinical reporting criteria. A 10-week same-day pilot Np16S service analysed 45 samples from 37 patients with suspected community (n=15) or hospital acquired (n=30) pneumonia. Np16S showed concordance compared with all routine culture or molecular tests for 27 (82%) of 33 positive samples. It identified the causative pathogen in 32/33 (97%) samples and contributed to antimicrobial treatment changes for 30 patients (67%). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates feasibility of providing a routine same-day nanopore sequencing service that makes a significant contribution to early antibiotic prescribing for bacterial pneumonia in the ICU.

Selection for qacA carriage in CC22, but not CC30, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection isolates during a successful institutional infection control programme.

OBJECTIVES: The increasing use of chlorhexidine for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) decolonization raises concerns about reduced susceptibility. We evaluated the carriage of chlorhexidine resistance genes and chlorhexidine susceptibility in MRSA before and after introduction of an institutional MRSA control programme incorporating chlorhexidine-based decolonization in 2004. METHODS: MRSA bloodstream infection (BSI) isolates identified between 2001 and 2009 were tested for spa and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type and carriage of qacA, qacB and smr. Selected isolates were tested for chlorhexidine susceptibility. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between clone type, carriage of resistance genes and chlorhexidine susceptibility. Temporal trends in qacA or smr carriage were analysed using separate binomial generalized linear models. RESULTS: Typing identified two dominant clones: CC22 (n = 224) and CC30 (n = 197). Annual MRSA BSI rates declined from 2004, although the rate of decline for CC22 was slower than for CC30. Carriage of qacA and smr and having a chlorhexidine MIC ≥2 mg/L did not increase overall amongst MRSA BSI isolates; however, qacA carriage increased in CC22 compared with in CC30 (OR, 7.21; 95% CI, 1.32-39.17). Furthermore, qacA+ CC22 isolates were more likely to have a chlorhexidine MIC ≥2 mg/L than qacA+ CC30 isolates (OR, 21.67; CI, 2.54-185.20). CONCLUSIONS: A successful infection control programme was associated with the selection of qacA linked with a higher chlorhexidine MIC in one dominant endemic MRSA clone (CC22), but not another (CC30). The slower reduction in the CC22 MRSA BSI rate suggests that carriage of qacA confers a selective advantage, with implications for the sustainability of decolonization practice.

Clinical application of real-time PCR to screening critically ill and emergency-care surgical patients for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a quantitative analytical study.

The clinical utility of real-time PCR screening assays for methicillin (methicillin)-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization is constrained by the predictive values of their results: as MRSA prevalence falls, the assay's positive predictive value (PPV) drops, and a rising proportion of positive PCR assays will not be confirmed by culture. We provide a quantitative analysis of universal PCR screening of critical care and emergency surgical patients using the BD GeneOhm MRSA PCR system, involving 3,294 assays over six months. A total of 248 PCR assays (7.7%) were positive; however, 88 failed to be confirmed by culture, giving a PPV of 65%. Multivariate analysis was performed to compare PCR-positive culture-positive (P+C+) and PCR-positive culture-negative (P+C-) assays. P+C- results were positively associated with a history of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus infection or colonization (odds ratio [OR], 3.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32 to 7.54) and high PCR thresholds of signal intensity, indicative of a low concentration of target DNA (OR, 1.19 per cycle; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.26). P+C- results were negatively associated with a history of MRSA infection or colonization (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.42) and male sex (OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.81). P+C+ patients were significantly more likely to have subsequent positive MRSA culture assays and microbiological evidence of clinical MRSA infection. The risk of subsequent MRSA infection in P+C- patients was not significantly different from that in case-matched PCR-negative controls. We conclude that, given the low PPV and poor correlation between a PCR-positive assay and the clinical outcome, it would be prudent to await culture confirmation before altering infection control measures on the basis of a positive PCR result.

Retrospective survey of candidaemia in hospitalized patients and molecular investigation of a suspected outbreak.

Episodes of candida infection at a teaching hospital were investigated. During a 3-year period from 1998 to 2000, there were 53 cases of candidaemia. Candida albicans (64.2 %) was the most common causative species, followed by Candida glabrata (17.0 %) and Candida parapsilosis (15.1 %). Molecular analysis of a cluster of eight infections from a single unit was performed using Southern blotting with Ca3 probe hybridization. This showed that the patients were each infected by unrelated strains of C. albicans. On occasion, isolates were found to be closely related within individual patients. Following Southern blot analysis, it was concluded that the infections were not part of an outbreak caused by a single, epidemic strain.