Risk factors for surgical site infection after abdominal hysterectomy, New York State, 2015-2018.

BACKGROUND: To identify risk factors for surgical site infections (SSIs) after abdominal hysterectomy (HYST) procedures using National Health care Safety Network (NHSN) data augmented with diagnosis codes available using administrative data. METHODS: We analyzed 66,001 HYST procedures in 166 New York State hospitals between January 2015 and December 2018, reported in NHSN, and matched to billing data. Risks factors for SSI after abdominal HYST were identified using logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 66,001 HYST procedures were analyzed. SSI was reported following 1,093 procedures, resulting in an infection rate of 1.66%. Risk factors associated with SSIs were open approach (not laparoscopic) with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 2.72 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 2.37-3.12, contaminated or dirty wound class (AOR 2.28, 95% CI 1.61-3.24), body mass index ≥30 (AOR 1.78, 95% CI 1.56-2.02), procedures lasting 186 minutes or more (AOR 1.78, 95% CI 1.56-2.02), American Society of Anesthesia (ASA) score ≥3 (AOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.52-1.99), gynecological cancer (AOR 1.54, 95% CI 1.32-1.80), and diabetes mellitus (AOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.24-1.70). CONCLUSIONS: Obesity, prolonged procedure duration, diabetes mellitus, wound contamination, open approach, ASA score ≥3, and gynecological cancer were significant independent risk factors associated with SSI after HYST.

Improvements to the Success of Outbreak Investigations of Legionnaires' Disease: 40 Years of Testing and Investigation in New York State.

Since 1978, the New York State Department of Health's public health laboratory, Wadsworth Center (WC), in collaboration with epidemiology and environmental partners, has been committed to providing comprehensive public health testing for Legionella in New York. Statewide, clinical case counts have been increasing over time, with the highest numbers identified in 2017 and 2018 (1,022 and 1,426, respectively). Over the course of more than 40 years, the WC Legionella testing program has continuously implemented improved testing methods. The methods utilized have transitioned from solely culture-based methods for organism recovery to development of a suite of reference testing services, including identification and characterization by PCR and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In the last decade, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has further refined the ability to link outbreak strains between clinical specimens and environmental samples. Here, we review Legionnaires' disease outbreak investigations during this time period, including comprehensive testing of both clinical and environmental samples. Between 1978 and 2017, 60 outbreaks involving clinical and environmental isolates with matching PFGE patterns were detected in 49 facilities from the 157 investigations at 146 facilities. However, 97 investigations were not solved due to the lack of clinical or environmental isolates or PFGE matches. We found 69% of patient specimens from New York State (NYS) were outbreak associated, a much higher rate than observed in other published reports. The consistent application of new cutting-edge technologies and environmental regulations has resulted in successful investigations resulting in remediation efforts. IMPORTANCE Legionella, the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease (LD), can cause severe respiratory illness. In 2018, there were nearly 10,000 cases of LD reported in the United States (https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/fastfacts.html; https://wonder.cdc.gov/nndss/static/2018/annual/2018-table2h.html), with actual incidence believed to be much higher. About 10% of patients with LD will die, and as high as 90% of patients diagnosed will be hospitalized. As Legionella is spread predominantly through engineered building water systems, identifying sources of outbreaks by assessing environmental sources is key to preventing further cases LD.

Investigation of Presumptive HIV Transmission Associated with Hospitalization Using Nucleotide Sequence Analysis - New York, 2017.

Since implementation of Standard Precautions* for the prevention of bloodborne pathogen transmission in 1985, health care-associated transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States has been rare (1). In October 2017, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) were notified by a clinician of a diagnosis of acute HIV infection in a young adult male (patient A) without recognized risk factors (i.e., he was monogamous, had an HIV-negative partner, and had no injection drug use) who had recently been hospitalized for a chronic medical condition. The low risk coupled with the recent hospitalization and medical procedures prompted NYSDOH, NYCDOHMH, and CDC to investigate this case as possible health care-associated transmission of HIV. Among persons with known HIV infection who had hospitalization dates overlapping those of patient A, one person (patient B) had an HIV strain highly similar to patient A's strain by nucleotide sequence analysis. The sequence relatedness, combined with other investigation findings, indicated a likely health care-associated transmission. Nucleotide sequence analysis, which is increasingly used for detecting HIV clusters (i.e., persons with closely related HIV strains) and to inform public health response (2,3), might also be used to identify possible health care-associated transmission of HIV to someone with health care exposure and no known HIV risk factors (4).

Hepatitis B Virus Mutant Infections in Hemodialysis Patients: A Case Series.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission in hemodialysis units has become a rare event since implementation of hemodialysis-specific infection control guidelines: performing hemodialysis for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients in an HBV isolation room, vaccinating HBV-susceptible (HBV surface antibody and HBsAg negative) patients, and monthly HBsAg testing in HBV-susceptible patients. Mutations in HBsAg can result in false-negative HBsAg results, leading to failure to identify HBsAg seroconversion from negative to positive. We describe 4 unique cases of HBsAg seroconversion caused by mutant HBV infection or reactivation in hemodialysis patients. STUDY DESIGN: Following identification of a possible HBsAg seroconversion and mutant HBV infection, public health investigations were launched to conduct further HBV testing of case patients and potentially exposed patients. A case patient was defined as a hemodialysis patient with suspected mutant HBV infection because of false-negative HBsAg testing results. Confirmed case patients had HBV DNA sequences demonstrating S-gene mutations. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Case patients and patients potentially exposed to the case patient in the respective hemodialysis units in multiple US states. RESULTS: 4 cases of mutant HBV infection in hemodialysis patients were identified; 3 cases were confirmed using molecular sequencing. Failure of some HBsAg testing platforms to detect HBV mutations led to delays in applying HBV isolation procedures. Testing of potentially exposed patients did not identify secondary transmissions. LIMITATIONS: Lack of access to information on past HBsAg testing platforms and results led to challenges in ascertaining when HBsAg seroconversion occurred and identifying and testing all potentially exposed patients. CONCLUSIONS: Mutant HBV infections should be suspected in patients who test HBsAg negative and concurrently test positive for HBV DNA at high levels. Dialysis providers should consider using HBsAg assays that can also detect mutant HBV strains for routine HBV testing.

Healthcare-Associated Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum in New York City.

A patient with no risk factors for malaria was hospitalized in New York City with Plasmodium falciparum infection. After investigating all potential sources of infection, we concluded the patient had been exposed to malaria while hospitalized less than 3 weeks earlier. Molecular genotyping implicated patient-to-patient transmission in a hospital setting. Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;37(1):113-115.

Infection Prevention and Control in the Podiatric Medical Setting. Challenges to Providing Consistently Safe Care.

Unsafe practices are an underestimated contributor to the disease burden of bloodborne viruses. Outbreaks associated with failures in basic infection prevention have been identified in nonhospital settings with increased frequency in the United States during the past 15 years, representing an alarming trend and indicating that the challenge of providing consistently safe care is not always met. As has been the case with most medical specialties, public health investigations by state and local health departments, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have identified some instances of unsafe practices that have placed podiatric medical patients at risk for viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. All health-care providers, including podiatric physicians, must make infection prevention a priority in any setting in which care is delivered.

Notes from the field: Adverse events associated with administration of simulation intravenous fluids to patients--United States, 2014.

On December 23, 2014, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) was notified of adverse health events in two patients who had been inadvertently administered nonsterile, simulation 0.9% sodium chloride intravenous (IV) fluids at an urgent care facility. Simulation saline is a nonsterile product not meant for human or animal use; it is intended for use by medical trainees practicing IV administration of saline on mannequins or other training devices. Both patients experienced a febrile illness during product administration and were hospitalized; one patient developed sepsis and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Neither patient died. Staff members at the clinic reported having ordered the product through their normal medical supply distributor and not recognizing during administration that it was not intended for human use.

Infection Prevention and Control in the Podiatric Medical Setting: Challenges to Providing Consistently Safe Care.

Unsafe practices are an underestimated contributor to the disease burden of bloodborne viruses. Outbreaks associated with failures in basic infection prevention have been identified in nonhospital settings with increased frequency in the United States during the past 15 years, representing an alarming trend and indicating that the challenge of providing consistently safe care is not always met. As has been the case with most medical specialties, there have been public health investigations by state and local health departments, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified some instances of unsafe practices that have placed podiatric medical patients at risk for viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. All health-care providers, including podiatric physicians, must make infection prevention a priority in any setting in which care is delivered.

Transmission of hepatitis B virus associated with assisted monitoring of blood glucose at an assisted living facility in New York State.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission has been reported after patient-to-patient blood exposure during assisted monitoring of blood glucose (AMBG). Three assisted-living facility (ALF) residents who underwent AMBG developed acute HBV infection (HBVI) within 10 days. We investigated HBV transmission and implemented preventive measures. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Infection control practices were assessed. HBVI screening was conducted for all staff and epidemiologically linked residents. Viral DNA sequences were compared for a subset of isolates. RESULTS: Lancing devices and glucometers were shared among residents without proper sanitization. Serologic testing of all 34 residents with diabetes and 12 epidemiologically linked residents present during the exposure period detected 6 residents with diabetes with current HBVI and 4 residents with diabetes and 1 epidemiologically linked resident with previous HBVI. A cohort study of 32 individuals with diabetes identified AMBG as a significant risk factor for HBVI (relative risk, 6.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-26.3). Viral DNA sequences for 5 AMBG-exposed residents' isolates were identical, suggesting a common source. CONCLUSIONS: AMBG was significantly associated with HBVI in ALF residents with diabetes. Despite clear preventive recommendations, bloodborne pathogen transmission continues to occur in the setting of AMBG. Strengthening direct care provider, infection preventionist, and health department partnerships with ALFs is crucial to ensure safe AMBG practices and prevent HBV transmission.

Multiple clusters of hepatitis virus infections associated with anesthesia for outpatient endoscopy procedures.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be transmitted during administration of intravenous anesthesia when medication vials are used for multiple patients using incorrect technique. We investigated an outbreak of acute HBV and HCV infections among patients who received anesthesia during endoscopy procedures from the same anesthesiologist (anesthesiologist 1), in 2 different gastroenterology clinics. METHODS: Chart reviews, patient interviews, clinic site visits and infection control assessments, and molecular sequencing of patient isolates were performed. Patients treated by anesthesiologist 1 on specific procedure days were offered testing for blood-borne pathogens. Endoscopy and anesthesia procedures were reviewed; HCV quasispecies analysis was performed. RESULTS: Six cases of outbreak-associated HCV infection and 6 cases of outbreak-associated HBV infection were identified in clinic 1. One outbreak-associated HCV infection was identified in clinic 2. HCV quasispecies sequences from the patients were nearly identical (96.9%-100%) to those from source patients with chronic viral hepatitis. All affected patients in both clinics received propofol from anesthesiologist 1, who inappropriately used a single-patient-use vial of propofol for multiple patients. Reuse of syringes to redose patients, with resulting contamination of medication vials used for subsequent patients, likely resulted in viral transmission. CONCLUSIONS: Twelve persons acquired HBV and HCV infections (6 hepatitis C, 5 hepatitis B, and 1 coinfection) in 2 separate offices as a result of receiving anesthesia from anesthesiologist 1. Gastroenterologists are urged to review carefully the injection, medication handling, and other infection control practices of all staff under their supervision, including providers of anesthesia services.