Microbial identification from traumatized immature permanent teeth with periapical lesions using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: This study aims at identifying the microbiota in traumatized immature permanent teeth with periapical lesions using Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). METHODS: The study included 16 immature maxillary central incisors with periapical lesions in 13 patients. Field decontamination and negative control samples were performed before and after access cavity preparation. Root canal samples were taken using sterile stainless-steel hand files following field decontamination. In-office inoculation and pure sub-cultures were performed. Bacterial isolates were prepared for MALDI-TOF MS (Bruker, Billerica, MA USA) analysis using the formic acid extraction method. A comparison of the prevalence of isolated microorganisms was done using a one-sample chi-square test. Comparisons between identified microbial species with the, cone beam computed tomography periapical index (CBCT PAI) scores and lesion volume were also conducted. The Chi-square test was applied to investigate the association between the categorical variables . RESULTS: Out of the forty isolates recovered from the 16 traumatized teeth included in the present study with the mean patients' age of 10.93 ± 1.77, 37 isolates were reliably identified by MALDI-TOF MS. Twelve teeth (62.5%) were polymicrobial. The recovered bacteria belonged to five phyla, 15 genera and 25 species. Firmicutes were the predominant phylum (P < 0.001) over Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Fusobacteria. Gram positive bacteria were significantly more prevalent than Gram negative (p = 0.03). Facultative anaerobes were the most prevalent (P < 0.001) compared to the obligate anaerobes and the obligate aerobes. The latter were the least prevalent. Statistically, significant differences existed in the comparison between CBCT PAI scores according to bacterial gram staining. CONCLUSION: Traumatized immature permanent teeth with periapical lesions showed a significant predominance of Gram-positive facultative anaerobes. MALDI-TOF MS provided accurate identification of numerous viable endodontic microbes.

Epidemiology of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Egyptian intensive care units using National Healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance Data, 2011-2017.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in Egyptian hospitals reporting to the national HAI surveillance system. Methods: Design: Descriptive analysis of CRE HAIs and retrospective observational cohort study using national HAI surveillance data. Setting: Egyptian hospitals participating in the HAI surveillance system. The patient population included patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in participating hospitals. Enterobacteriaceae HAI cases were Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter isolates from blood, urine, wound or respiratory specimen collected on or after day 3 of ICU admission. CRE HAI cases were those resistant to at least one carbapenem. For CRE HAI cases reported during 2011-2017, a hospital-level and patient-level analysis were conducted using only the first CRE isolate by pathogen and specimen type for each patient. For facility, microbiology, and clinical characteristics, frequencies and means were calculated among CRE HAI cases and compared with carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacteriaceae HAI cases through univariate and multivariate logistic regression using STATA 13. Results: There were 1598 Enterobacteriaceae HAI cases, of which 871 (54.1%) were carbapenem resistant. The multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that carbapenem resistance was associated with specimen type, pathogen, location prior to admission, and length of ICU stay. Between 2011 and 2017, there was an increase in the proportion of Enterobacteriaceae HAI cases due to CRE (p-value = 0.003) and the incidence of CRE HAIs (p-value = 0.09). Conclusions: This analysis demonstrated a high and increasing burden of CRE in Egyptian hospitals, highlighting the importance of enhancing infection prevention and control (IPC) programs and antimicrobial stewardship activities and guiding the implementation of targeted IPC measures to contain CRE in Egyptian ICU's .

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Recovered from Healthcare- and Community-Associated Infections in Egypt.

Background. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has created significant epidemiological, infection-control, and therapeutic management challenges during the past three decades. Aim. To analyze the pattern of resistance of healthcare- and community-associated MRSA in Egypt and the trend of resistance of HA-MRSA over time (2005-2013). Methods. MRSA isolates were recovered from healthcare-associated (HA) and community-associated (CA) Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections. They were tested against 11 antimicrobial discs and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin was determined. Inducible clindamycin resistance (iMLSB) was also screened using D-test. Findings. Of 631 S. aureus, MRSA was identified in 343 (76.6%) and 21 (11.5%) of HA and CA S. aureus isolates, respectively. The proportion of HA-MRSA increased significantly from 48.6% in 2005 to 86.8% in 2013 (p value < 0.001). Multidrug resistance (MDR) was observed in 85.8% of HA-MRSA and 48.6% of CA-MRSA. Vancomycin intermediate resistant S. aureus (VISA) was detected in 1.2% of HA-MRSA and none was detected in CA-MRSA. Among HA-MRSA strains, 5.3% showed iMLSB compared to 9.5% among CA-MRSA. Conclusion. The upsurge of the prevalence rates of HA-MRSA over time is alarming and urges for an effective infection control strategy and continuous monitoring of antimicrobial use.

National surveillance of health care-associated infections in Egypt: Developing a sustainable program in a resource-limited country.

BACKGROUND: Health care-associated infections (HAIs) are a major global public health concern. The lack of surveillance systems in developing countries leads to an underestimation of the global burden of HAI. We describe the process of developing a national HAI surveillance program and the magnitude of HAI rates in Egypt. METHODS: The detailed process of implementation of a national HAI surveillance program is described. A 3-phase surveillance approach was implemented in intensive care units (ICUs). This article focuses on results from the phase 2 surveillance. Standard surveillance definitions were used, clinical samples were processed by the hospital laboratories, and results were confirmed by a reference laboratory. RESULTS: Ninety-one ICUs in 28 hospitals contributed to 474,544 patient days and 2,688 HAIs. Of these, 30% were bloodstream infections, 29% were surgical site infections, 26% were pneumonia, and 15% were urinary tract infections. Ventilator-associated pneumonia had the highest incidence of device-associated infections (4.3/1,000 ventilator days). The most common pathogens reported were Klebsiella spp (28.7%) and Acinetobacter spp (13.7%). Of the Acinetobacter spp, 92.8% (157/169) were multidrug resistant, whereas 42.5% (151/355) of the Klebsiella spp and 54% (47/87) of Escherichia coli were extended-spectrum ß-lactamase producers. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a sustainable surveillance system in a resource-limited country was possible following a stepwise approach with continuous evaluation. Enhancing infection prevention and control programs should be an infection control priority in Egypt.

Nasopharyngeal Carriage, Capsular and Molecular Serotyping and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae among Asymptomatic Healthy Children in Egypt.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide with increasing antimicrobial resistance. 600 randomly chosen asymptomatic healthy children aged 2-60 months attending Alexandria University Children's Hospital were evaluated for prevalence of nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage of S. pneumoniae. Prevalence of NP carriage was 29.2% (n = 175/600) Capsular serotyping was done using Quellung reaction. Vaccine covered serotypes (VST) represented 67.4% while non-vaccine serotypes (NVST) were 32.6%. The most common VST isolated were 19F (24.6%), 6B (14.3%) and 6A (10.9%). Confirmation of serotyping was performed by multiplex PCR which showed 100% concordance with the Quellung reaction. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed penicillin non-susceptibility of 15% (using non-meningitis penicillin MIC breakpoints) and 55% (using meningitis penicillin MIC breakpoints). Highest resistance was found in sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim (55%), tetracyclins (49%), erythromycin (40%) and clindamycin (25%). This study revealed the epidemiological importance to evaluate regularly the prevalence, serotypes and the increasing antimicrobial resistance of S. pneumoniae in the community.

Antimicrobial stewardship to optimize the use of antimicrobials for surgical prophylaxis in Egypt: A multicenter pilot intervention study.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program on the use of antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis at acute care hospitals in Egypt. METHODS: This was a before-and-after intervention study conducted in 5 tertiary, acute-care surgical hospitals. The baseline, intervention, and follow-up periods were 3, 6, and 3 months, respectively. The impact of the intervention was measured by preintervention and postintervention surveys for surgical patients with clean and clean-contaminated wounds. Information was collected on demographic characteristics and antibiotic use. The intervention focused mainly on educating surgical staff on the optimal timing and duration of antibiotics used for surgical prophylaxis. Only 3 hospitals identified a surgeon to audit antibiotic surgical prescriptions. The primary outcome measures were the percentages of surgical patients receiving optimal timing and duration of surgical prophylaxis. RESULTS: Data were collected for 745 patients before the intervention and for 558 patients after the intervention. The optimal timing of the first dose improved significantly in 3 hospitals, increasing from 6.7% to 38.7% (P < .01), from 2.6% to 15.2% (P < .01), and from 0% to 11% (P < .01). All hospitals showed a significant rise in the optimal duration of surgical prophylaxis, with an overall increase of 3%-28% (P < .01). Days of therapy per 1000 patient-days were decreased significantly in hospitals A, B, C, and D, with no change in hospital E. CONCLUSIONS: An AMS program focusing on education supported by auditing and feedback can have a significant impact on optimizing antibiotic use in surgical prophylaxis practices.

A Point Prevalence Survey of Antibiotic Use in 18 Hospitals in Egypt.

Inappropriate antibiotic use leads to increased risk of antibiotic resistance and other adverse outcomes. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence and characteristics of antibiotic use in Egyptian hospitals to identify opportunities for quality improvement. A point prevalence survey was conducted in 18 hospitals in March 2011. A total of 3408 patients were included and 59% received at least one antibiotic, with the most significant use among persons <12 years and intensive care unit patients (p < 0.05). Third generation cephalosporin were the most commonly prescribed antibiotics (28.7% of prescriptions). Reasons for antibiotic use included treatment of community-(27%) and healthcare-associated infections (11%) and surgical (39%) and medical (23%) prophylaxis. Among surgical prophylaxis recipients, only 28% of evaluable cases received the first dose within two hours before incision and only 25% of cases received surgical prophylaxis for <24 h. The prevalence of antibiotic use in Egyptian hospitals was high with obvious targets for antimicrobial stewardship activities including provision of antibiotic prescription guidelines and optimization of surgical and medical prophylaxis practices.

Incidence and pathogen distribution of healthcare-associated infections in pilot hospitals in Egypt.

OBJECTIVE: To report type and rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) as well as pathogen distribution and antimicrobial resistance patterns from a pilot HAI surveillance system in Egypt. METHODS: Prospective surveillance was conducted from April 2011 through March 2012 in 46 intensive care units (ICUs) in Egypt. Definitions were adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network. Trained healthcare workers identified HAIs and recorded data on clinical symptoms and up to 4 pathogens. A convenience sample of clinical isolates was tested for antimicrobial resistance at a central reference laboratory. Multidrug resistance was defined by international consensus criteria. RESULTS: ICUs from 11 hospitals collected 90,515 patient-days of surveillance data. Of 472 HAIs identified, 47% were pneumonia, 22% were bloodstream infections, and 15% were urinary tract infections; case fatality among HAI case patients was 43%. The highest rate of device-associated infections was reported for ventilator-associated pneumonia (pooled mean rate, 7.47 cases per 1,000 ventilator-days). The most common pathogens reported were Acinetobacter species (21.8%) and Klebsiella species (18.4%). All Acinetobacter isolates tested (31/31) were multidrug resistant, and 71% (17/24) of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates were extended-spectrum ß-lactamase producers. CONCLUSIONS: Infection control priorities in Egypt should include preventing pneumonia and preventing infections due to antimicrobial-resistant pathogens.

Incidence and modifiable risk factors of surveillance of surgical site infections in Egypt: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) contribute significantly to patient morbidity and mortality and exhaust health care system resources. The main objectives of the study were to describe the incidence rates of SSIs among patients undergoing urologic or cardiothoracic surgeries, the associated risk factors, and the common causative etiologies found at Alexandria University Hospital in Egypt. METHODS: A prospective active surveillance study for patients undergoing urologic and cardiothoracic surgeries was implemented from July 2009 to December 2010. Patients were inspected daily for developing SSIs and with a 30-day postoperative follow-up. Wound swabs were obtained from patients who had clinical signs suggestive of infection. Swabs were cultured for bacterial identification and tested for antimicrobial sensitivity. Standard Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Safety Network case definitions were used. RESULTS: SSIs occurred in 187 (17%) of patients with complete follow-up (n = 1,062), of which 106 (57%) occurred in-hospital and 81 (43%) occurred after discharge. Higher SSI rates were observed in cardiothoracic surgeries (23.3%), compared with urologic surgeries (9%) (P < .001). A stepwise logistic model identified an increased risk of SSI for those who underwent cardiothoracic surgeries (odds ratio [OR], 4.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-11.1), those aged >45 years (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.35-4.01), increased duration of hospital stay before (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05) and after (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.09) surgery, antibiotics ≤24 hours before surgery (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.63-3.94), and dirty wounds (OR, 4.09; 95% CI, 1.60-10.43). CONCLUSIONS: Measures to reduce the high rates of SSI need to be instituted through a multidisciplinary effort including infection control education and specific SSI prevention activities at Alexandria University Hospital.

Antimicrobial resistance in pathogens causing nosocomial bloodstream infections in university hospitals in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Nosocomial bloodstream infections (BSIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are worldwide health care problems causing substantial patient morbidity and mortality. This study was conducted to identify bacterial pathogens isolated from nosocomial BSIs and determine their AMR patterns. METHODS: An active surveillance program for BSIs was conducted in intensive care units in 3 large university hospitals in Egypt between September 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007. Infection prevention and control teams and link nurses in collaboration with intensive care physicians were looking actively to identify patients who acquired BSIs based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standard case definitions. Blood cultures were obtained from patients with suspected BSIs and processed to isolate bacteria and test their antimicrobial resistance. RESULTS: During the 10-month active surveillance period, a total of 600 pathogens were isolated from blood cultures of 1,575 patients (38%). Of these 600 isolates, 386 (66%) were gram-negative, 178 (30%) were gram-positive, and 24 (4%) were budding yeasts. The gram-negative organisms included 162 (27%) Klebsiella pneumoniae and 23 (3.8%) Escherichia coli. Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase enzymes were detected in 79% of the K pneumoniae isolates and 39% of the E coli isolates. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus accounted for 60% of S aureus infections. CONCLUSIONS: High rates of ß-lactamase resistance and methicillin-resistant S aureus were found in the 3 Egyptian university hospitals studied. This study highlights the need for strengthening infection prevention and control programs, monitoring AMR at each facility, and developing policies for antibiotic use.

Surveillance of catheter-associated urinary tract infection in 4 intensive care units at Alexandria university hospitals in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: We sought to measure the incidence rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), identify risk factors associated with acquiring the infections; and identify the etiologic and antibiotic resistant patterns associated with CAUTIs in the intensive care units (ICUs) of a large University Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt. METHODS: Prospective active surveillance of CAUTIs was conducted in 4 ICUs during a 13-month period from January 1, 2007 through January 31, 2008 in Alexandria University Hospital using the standard Centers for Disease Control National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance (NNIS) case definitions. Rates were expressed as the number of infections per 1000 catheter days. RESULTS: During the study period, 757 patients were monitored after ICU admission, with either existing indwelling urinary catheters (239), or got catheters inserted after ICU admission (518), for a total duration of 16301 patient days, and 10260 patient catheter days. A total of 161 episodes of infection were diagnosed, for an overall rate of 15.7 CAUTIs per 1000 catheter days. Important risk factors associated with acquiring CAUTI were female gender (Relative risk (RR), 1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI); 1.7-4.3), and previous catheterization within the same hospital admission (RR, 1.6; 95% CI; 1.3-1.96). Patients admitted to the chest unit, patients =40 years, patients with prolonged duration of catheterization, prolonged hospital and ICU stay had a significantly higher risk of acquiring CAUTIs. Out of 195 patients who had their urine cultured, 188 pathogens were identified for 161 infected patients; 96 (51%) were Candida, 63 (33.5%) gram negatives, 29 (15.4%) gram positives. The prevalence of ESBL producers among K. pneumoniae and E. coli isolates was 56% (14/25) and 78.6% (11/14), respectively. CONCLUSION: Despite infection control policies and procedures, CAUTI rates remain a significant problem in Alexandria University hospital. Using the identified risk factors, tailored intervention strategies are now being implemented to reduce the rates of CAUTIs in these 4 ICUs.