Effect of UV-C disinfection and copper plating on healthcare-associated infections in a NICU with high ESBL infections.

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) in neonates are frequent and highly lethal, in particular those caused by extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria. We evaluated the beneficial effects of ultraviolet C (UV-C) disinfection and copper adhesive plating on HCAIs in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a third level paediatric hospital in Mexico City, both in combination of hand-hygiene (HH) and prevention bundles. METHODS: All NICU patients were included. There were 4 periods (P): P1: HH monitoring and prevention bundles; P2: P1+UV-C disinfection; P3: P2+Copper adhesive plating on frequent-contact surfaces and P4: Monitoring of P3 actions. RESULTS: 552 neonates were monitored during 15,467 patient days (PD). HCAI rates decreased from 11.03/1000 PD in P1 to 5.35/1000 PD in P4 (p=0.006). HCAIs with bacterial isolates dropped from 5.39/1000 PD in PI to 1.79/1000 PD in P4 (p=0.011). UV-C and copper were associated with significant HCAI prevention (RR 0.49, CI95% 0.30-0.81, p=0.005) and with lesser HCAIs with bacterial isolates (RR 0.33, CI95% 0.14-0.77, p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Copper adhesive plating combined with UV-C disinfection were associated with a drop in HCAI rates and with the elimination of ESBL-caused HCAIs. Hence, we propose that these strategies be considered in MDRO proliferation preventions.

New Variants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa High-Risk Clone ST233 Associated with an Outbreak in a Mexican Paediatric Hospital.

Recent multidrug resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa has favoured the adaptation and dissemination of worldwide high-risk strains. In June 2018, 15 P. aeruginosa strains isolated from patients and a contaminated multi-dose meropenem vial were characterized to assess their association to an outbreak in a Mexican paediatric hospital. The strains were characterized by antibiotic susceptibility profiling, virulence factors' production, and biofilm formation. The clonal relationship among isolates was determined with pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) sequencing. Repressor genes for the MexAB-OprM efflux pump were sequenced for haplotype identification. Of the strains, 60% were profiled as extensively drug-resistant (XDR), 33% as multidrug-resistant (MDR), and 6.6% were classified as sensitive (S). All strains presented intermediate resistance to colistin, and 80% were sensitive to aztreonam. Pyoverdine was the most produced virulence factor. The PFGE technique was performed for the identification of the outbreak, revealing eight strains with the same electrophoretic pattern. ST235 and ten new sequence types (STs) were identified, all closely related to ST233. ST3241 predominated in 26.66% of the strains. Twenty-five synonymous and seventeen nonsynonymous substitutions were identified in the regulatory genes of the MexAB-OprM efflux pump, and nalC was the most variable gene. Six different haplotypes were identified. Strains from the outbreak were metallo-ß-lactamases and phylogenetically related to the high-risk clone ST233.

Patrones de susceptibilidad de gramnegativos en un hospital pediátrico de tercer nivel: 2013 vs. 2018 / Gram-negative susceptibility patterns in a tertiary pediatric hospital: 2013 vs. 2018

Resumen Introducción: Los gramnegativos continúan siendo los causantes de infecciones asociadas a la atención a la salud (IAAS). Material y métodos:: Analizamos la resistencia antimicrobiana de patógenos durante el 2013 vs. 2018 y lo comparamos con lo publicado en 2006 vs. 2012. Resultados: Identificamos nueve patógenos gramnegativos, de un total de 404 aislamientos, con una prevalencia en 2013 (N = 227 [0.22]) vs. 2018 (N = 177 [0.17]) y una incidencia por egresos (6,607 en el 2013 y 7,778 en el 2018) del 3.4 y 2.2% respectivamente. Destacaron tres patógenos: Klebsiella pneumoniae (129 [31.93%]), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (85 [21.03%]) y Escherichia coli (80 [19.80%]). Estos, llamados patógenos ESKAPE-E, prevalecieron como causantes de IAAS. Identificamos un aumento en los patrones de resistencia para muchos patógenos en 2018. Conclusión: La multirresistencia a patógenos ESKAPE-E es un serio problema de salud pública, por carecer de alternativas terapéuticas para enfrentar este reto. Los mapas de resistencia bacteriana ayudan en la prescripción antibiótica.

Abstract Background: Gram-negatives continue to be the cause of infections associated with health care (HCAI). Material and methods: We analyzed the antimicrobial resistance of pathogens during 2013 vs. 2018 and we compare it with what was published in 2006 vs. 2012. Results: We identified 9 gram-negative pathogens, out of a total of 404 isolates, with a prevalence in 2013 (N = 227 [0.22]) vs. 2018 (N = 177 [0.17]) and an incidence due to discharges (6,607 in 2013 and 7,778 in 2018) of 3.4 and 2.2%, respectively.Three pathogens stood out Klebsiella pneumoniae (129 [31.93%]), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (85 [21.03%]) and Escherichia coli (80 [19.80%]). These, called ESKAPE-E pathogens, prevailed as the cause of HCAI. We identified an increase in resistance patterns for many pathogens in 2018. Conclusion: Multi-resistance to ESKAPE-E pathogens is a serious public health problem, due to the lack of therapeutic alternatives to face this challenge. Bacterial resistance maps help in antibiotic prescription.

Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia: Don't Forget About Respiratory Viruses!

Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality, are among the most common adverse events in healthcare, and of them, pneumonia is the most commonly reported. Our objective was to evaluate the incidence and clinical outcome of respiratory viruses in hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Methods: This was a prospective cohort study, include patients aged between 0 and 18 who fulfilled Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria for HAP. Demographic and clinical data were obtained, and a nasopharyngeal swab specimen was taken for the detection of respiratory viruses. All included patients were monitored until discharge to collect data on the need for mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mortality. All-cause 30-day mortality was also ascertained. Results: Four thousand three hundred twenty-seven patients were followed for 42,658 patient-days and 5,150 ventilator-days. Eighty-eight patients (2.03%) met the CDC criteria for HAP, 63 patients were included, and clinical and epidemiological characteristics showed no statistically significant differences between patients with virus associated healthcare-associated pneumonia (VAHAP) and those with non-viral healthcare-associated pneumonia (NVHAP). At least one respiratory virus was detected in 65% [95% CI (53-77)] of episodes of HAP, with a single viral pathogen observed in 53.9% and coinfection with 2 viruses in 11.1% of cases. The outcome in terms of ICU admission, mechanical ventilation and the 30-day mortality did not show a significant difference between groups. Conclusions: In two-thirds of the patients a respiratory virus was identified. There was no difference in mortality or the rest of the clinical outcome variables. About half of the patients required mechanical ventilation and 10% died, which emphasizes the importance of considering these pathogens in nosocomial infections, since their identification can influence the decrease in hospital costs and be taken into account in infection control policies.

Everybody hands-on to avoid ESKAPE: effect of sustained hand hygiene compliance on healthcare-associated infections and multidrug resistance in a paediatric hospital.

PURPOSE: Hand hygiene is the most important strategy for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs); however, the impact of hand hygiene in middle-income countries has been poorly described. In this work, we describe the impact of the programme 'Let's Go for 100' on hand hygiene adherence, HCAIs rates and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, including the molecular typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. METHODOLOGY: A multimodal, hospital-wide hand hygiene programme was implemented from 2013. 'Let's Go for 100' involved all healthcare workers and encompassed education, awareness, visual reminders, feedback and innovative strategies. Monthly hand hygiene monitoring and active HCAI surveillance were performed in every ward. Molecular typing of MRSA was analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).Results/Key findings. Hand hygiene adherence increased from 34.9 % during the baseline period to 80.6 % in the last 3 months of this study. The HCAI rate decreased from 7.54 to 6.46/1000 patient-days (P=0.004). The central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSIs) rate fell from 4.84 to 3.66/1000 central line-days (P=0.05). Negative correlations between hand hygiene and HCAIs rates were identified. The attack rate of MDR-ESKAPE group bloodstream infections decreased from 0.54 to 0.20/100 discharges (P=0.024). MRSA pulsotypes that were prevalent during the baseline period were no longer detected after the 5th quarter, although new strains were identified. CONCLUSIONS: A multimodal hand hygiene programme in a paediatric hospital in a middle-income country was effective in improving adherence and reducing HCAIs, CLABSIs and MDR-ESKAPE bloodstream infections. Sustaining hand hygiene adherence at a level of >60 % for one year limited MRSA clonal transmission.