Evaluating Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Polymerase Chain Reaction Nasal Screening as a Tool for Antimicrobial Stewardship.

INTRODUCTION: Initiation of broad-spectrum empiric antibiotics is common when infection is suspected in hospitalized adults. The benefits of early utilization of effective antibiotics are well documented. However, the negative effects of inappropriate antibiotic use have led to antimicrobial stewardship mandates. Recent data demonstrate the utility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) nasal screening to steward anti-MRSA empiric antibiotics in pneumonia. We hypothesize that MRSA PCR nasal swabs would also be effective to rule out other MRSA infection to effectively limit unnecessary antibiotics for any infectious source. METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective chart review of all adult patient encounters from October 2019-July 2021 with MRSA PCR nasal testing. We then reviewed all charts to evaluate for the presence of infections based on source cultures results, as the gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value were calculated from 2 × 2 contingency tables. RESULTS: Among all patients with MRSA nasal screening, 1189 patients had any infection. Prevalence of MRSA nasal carriage among patients screened was 12%. Prevalence of MRSA infection among all infections was 7.5%. MRSA nasal swabs demonstrated a negative predictive value of 100% for MRSA urinary tract infection, 97.9% for MRSA bacteremia, 97.8% for MRSA pneumonia, 92.1% for MRSA wound infection, and 96.6% for other MRSA infections. Overall, MRSA PCR nasal swabs had a sensitivity of 68.5%, specificity of 90.1%, positive predictive value of 23.7%, and negative predictive value of 98.5% for any infections. CONCLUSIONS: MRSA PCR nasal swabs have a high negative predictive value for all infections. Our data support the use of MRSA PCR nasal swabs to rule out MRSA infection and thereby allow early de-escalation of MRSA coverage in hospitalized patients requiring empiric antibiotics. Implementation of MRSA screening could decrease antibiotic-associated morbidity, resistance, and costs. More studies should be conducted to validate these results and support these findings.

Global Contributors to Antibiotic Resistance.

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic-resistant infections have become increasingly prevalent nowadays. As a result, it is essential to examine the key socioeconomic and political factors which contribute to the rise in the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in developing and developed nations. This study aims to identify the various contributors to the development of antibiotic resistance in each type of nation. METHODS: PUBMED was used to identify primary research, systematic reviews, and narrative reviews published before Jan 2017. Search terms included antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial resistance, superbugs, multidrug-resistant organisms, developing countries, developed countries. Publications from different countries were included to ensure generalizability. Publications were excluded if they didn't mention factors causing resistance, focused on the molecular basis of resistance, or if they were case reports. Publicly available reports from national and international health agencies were used. RESULTS: In developing countries, key contributors identified included: (1) Lack of surveillance of resistance development, (2) poor quality of available antibiotics, (3) clinical misuse, and (4) ease of availability of antibiotics. In developed countries, poor hospital-level regulation and excessive antibiotic use in food-producing animals play a major role in leading to antibiotic resistance. Finally, research on novel antibiotics is slow ing down due to the lack of economic incentives for antibiotic research. CONCLUSION: Overall, multiple factors, which are distinct for developing and developed countries, contribute to the increase in the prevalence of antibiotic resistance globally. The results highlight the need to improve the regulatory framework for antibiotic use and research globally.

Case Report: Imported Case of Lassa Fever - New Jersey, May 2015.

We report a fatal case of Lassa fever diagnosed in the United States in a Liberian traveler. We describe infection control protocols and public health response. One contact at high risk became symptomatic, but her samples tested negative for Lassa virus; no secondary cases occurred among health care, family, and community contacts.

Missed Testing Opportunities for HIV Screening and Early Diagnosis in an Urban Tertiary Care Center.

Newark, New Jersey, is disproportionally affected by HIV with one of the highest prevalence rates in the United States. Rutgers New Jersey Medical School is a major healthcare provider to Newark's underserved population and has implemented a HIV testing program that can diagnose and link newly diagnosed individuals to care. We conducted a retrospective chart review of all new patients seen in the Infectious Disease Practice from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014, to determine the proportion of patients with a missed testing opportunity (MTO) (patients with a new HIV diagnosis with an encounter at the institution in the 1 year prior to their first appointment). 117 newly diagnosed patients were identified. 36 (31%) had at least one MTO. A total of 34 (29%) of newly diagnosed patients had AIDS at presentation and 17% had CD4 counts of 50 cells/µL (p value 0.5). The two most common locations of a missed testing opportunity were the hospital ED (45%) and subspecialty clinics (37%). This study demonstrates that, even in a high prevalence institution with HIV counseling, testing, and referral service, HIV screening is lacking at multiple points of care and patients are missing opportunities for earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Identifying Areas for Improvement in the HIV Screening Process of a High-Prevalence Emergency Department.

Since 1993, the Centers for Disease Control recommendations for HIV testing were extended to include persons obtaining care in the emergency department (ED). Situated in Newark, New Jersey, the University Hospital (UH) ED serves a community with a greater than 2% HIV prevalence, and a recent study showed a UH ED HIV seroprevalence of 6.5%, of which 33% were unknown diagnoses. Electronic records for patients seen in the UH ED from October 1st, 2014, to February 28th, 2015, were obtained. Information was collected on demographics, ED diagnosis, triage time, and HIV testing. Random sampling of 500 patients was performed to identify those eligible for screening. Univariate and multivariate analysis was done to assess screening characteristics. Only 9% (8.8-9.3%) of patients eligible for screening were screened in the ED. Sixteen percent (15.7-16.6%) of those in the age group18-25 and 12% (11.6-12.3%) of those in the age group 26-35 were screened, whereas 8% (7.8-8.2%) of those in the age group 35-45 were screened. 19.6% (19-20.1%) of eligible patients in fast track were screened versus 1.7% (1.6-1.8%) in the main ED. Eighty-five percent of patients screened were triaged between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. with 90% of all screening tests done by the HIV counseling, testing, and referral services. Due to the high prevalence of HIV, urban EDs play an integral public health role in the early identification and linkage to care of patients with HIV. By evaluating our current screening process, we identified opportunities to improve our screening process and reduce missed opportunities for diagnosis.

Impact of Stewardship Interventions on Antiretroviral Medication Errors in an Urban Medical Center: A 3-Year, Multiphase Study.

BACKGROUND: There is a high prevalence of HIV infection in Newark, New Jersey, with University Hospital admitting approximately 600 HIV-infected patients per year. Medication errors involving antiretroviral therapy (ART) could significantly affect treatment outcomes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of various stewardship interventions in reducing the prevalence of prescribing errors involving ART. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of all inpatients receiving ART for HIV treatment during three distinct 6-month intervals over a 3-year period. During the first year, the baseline prevalence of medication errors was determined. During the second year, physician and pharmacist education was provided, and a computerized order entry system with drug information resources and prescribing recommendations was implemented. Prospective audit of ART orders with feedback was conducted in the third year. Analyses and comparisons were made across the three phases of this study. RESULTS: Of the 334 patients with HIV admitted in the first year, 45% had at least one antiretroviral medication error and 38% had uncorrected errors at the time of discharge. After education and computerized order entry, significant reductions in medication error rates were observed compared to baseline rates; 36% of 315 admissions had at least one error and 31% had uncorrected errors at discharge. While the prevalence of antiretroviral errors in year 3 was similar to that of year 2 (37% of 276 admissions), there was a significant decrease in the prevalence of uncorrected errors at discharge (12%) with the use of prospective review and intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions, such as education and guideline development, can aid in reducing ART medication errors, but a committed stewardship program is necessary to elicit the greatest impact.

Adolescent HIV viral load in an urban hospital in Newark, New Jersey.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in adolescents is a growing concern. Amid psychosocial challenges, adolescents must successfully transition into adult-centered care; however, little is known about outcome measurements within this period. We assessed the trend in adolescent HIV viral loads (VLs) in a community with a high HIV prevalence, allowing physicians to better recognize the challenges of transitioning adolescents with HIV to adult care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All HIV RNA VLs from the Molecular Virology Lab at University Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, from 2007 to 2010 were obtained. Patients were divided into pediatric (<13 years of age), adolescent (13-25 years of age), and adult (>25 years of age) age groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses assessed characteristics of patients by age and gender. RESULTS: A minimum of 40 pediatric, 178 adolescent, and 1335 adult patients were identified per year. There was a statistically significant increase in VLs of adolescents when compared to pediatric patients (P < .02). In 3 of the 4 years, there was a statistically significant increase in the rate of male adolescents reaching undetectable VLs compared to female adolescents. The average VL by age demonstrated increasing VLs from age 12 through age 24, while the percentage of patients reaching undetectable VLs peaked at 80% at age 8 and declined through age 24. CONCLUSION: Successful transitional care programs should focus on pediatric needs to address the noticeable decrease in virologic control beginning at 8 years of age and the decreased rate of virologic suppression in females, creating concern for potential gender inequalities and increased risk of vertical transmission.

Teaching Clinical Reasoning to Medical Students: A Case-Based Illness Script Worksheet Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical reasoning is a fundamental part of a physician's daily workflow. Yet it remains a challenging skill to develop formally, especially in preclerkship-level early learners. Traditionally, medical students learn clinical reasoning informally through experiential opportunities during their clerkship years. This occurs in contrast to the more structured, explicit learning of the basic sciences and physical diagnosis during the preclerkship years. To address this need, we present a flipped classroom case-based approach for developing clinical reasoning skills based on problem representation and the use of a structured illness script worksheet as a model. METHODS: Students were given a short introduction via screencast to introduce clinical reasoning and related terminology such as problem representation and semantic qualifiers. They also received a case vignette and an illness script worksheet to prepare them for in-class discussion. Students used this worksheet to practice clinical reasoning in a small-group session that was held in our last organ system-based second-year course, prior to the start of the clerkships. RESULTS: In comparison to the traditional facilitator-led small-group sessions, where students would sequentially answer a set of defined content-based questions to explore a clinical case, 80% of students preferred the new framework that incorporates problem representation and the illness script worksheets. Faculty facilitators found the structure of the illness script worksheet helpful in leading a clinical reasoning small-group session. DISCUSSION: Based on the results of this pilot, we plan to systematically implement this clinical reasoning framework in our preclerkship curriculum.

Teaching billing and coding to medical students: a pilot study.

Complex billing practices cost the US healthcare system billions of dollars annually. Coding for outpatient office visits [known as Evaluation & Management (E&M) services] is commonly particularly fraught with errors. The best way to insure proper billing and coding by practicing physicians is to teach this as part of the medical school curriculum. Here, in a pilot study, we show that medical students can learn well the basic principles from lectures. This approach is easy to implement into a medical school curriculum.

Mycobacterium marinum Hand Infection in a "Sushi Chef".

OBJECTIVE: We present the case of a sushi chef with pain and swelling of his index finger and wrist for a year, unresponsive to antibiotics. METHODS: Biopsy showed a xanthogranulomatous reaction and positive culture results for Mycobacterium marinum. RESULTS: He was treated with minocycline, clarithromycin, and ethambutol. In addition, he underwent radical synovectomy of the lesion. CONCLUSION: The combined medical and surgical approach resulted in a positive outcome.

The prevalence and virulence characteristics of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli at an urgent-care clinic in the USA: a case-control study.

This case-control study examined the prevalence of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC), its genes and elicited inflammatory response, and the stool characteristics of adult patients with and without acute diarrhoeal illness presenting to an urgent-care clinic in the USA. A total of 1004 individual stool specimens (253 from patients with acute diarrhoeal illness and 751 from patients without diarrhoeal illness) were collected between 1 June 2003 and 30 June 2008. EAEC was identified as the sole cause of acute diarrhoeal illness in 6 % (n=15) of patients and in 2 % (n=15) without diarrhoeal illness. Control patients (n=15) were similar to case patients (n=15) for age, gender and co-morbidities. The EAEC genes aggR, aap, aat, astA and/or set1A were identified more frequently in case patients compared with control patients (P <0.05). aggR-positive EAEC elicited higher levels of interleukin (IL)-1ra, IL-6, IL-8 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha compared with aggR-negative EAEC during co-incubation with HCT-8 cells. Patients with EAEC diarrhoea and isolates with the genes aggR, aap, aatA, astA or set1A had stools characterized by gross mucus and the presence of faecal leukocytes (P <0.05). These results indicate that EAEC is a potential cause of acute diarrhoeal illness affecting patients presenting to an acute-care clinic in the USA and suggest that aggR, aap, aatA, astA and set1A may be markers for virulence.