Relationship between consumption of MRSA-active antibiotics and burden of MRSA in acute care hospitals in Catalonia, Spain.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the possible relationship between consumption of old and new MRSA-active antibiotics and burden of MRSA in acute care hospitals in Catalonia during the period 2007-12. METHODS: Fifty-four hospitals participating in the VINCat Programme were included. Proportion of MRSA (resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus per 100 isolates of S. aureus tested), incidence of new cases of infection [new cases of MRSA per 1000 occupied bed-days (OBD)] and incidence of cases of bacteraemia (MRSA bacteraemia cases per 1000 OBD) were determined to estimate the annual MRSA burden. Antibiotic consumption was calculated in DDD/100 OBD. Cost was expressed in euros/100 OBD. RESULTS: MRSA rates remained stable over the study period, with the proportion of MRSA ranging from 20% to 22.82% in 2007 and 2012, respectively (P=0.864). Consumption of old MRSA-active antibiotics (vancomycin and teicoplanin) did not change significantly, with values from 1.51 to 2.07 DDD/100 OBD (P=0.693). Consumption of new MRSA-active antibiotics (linezolid and daptomycin) increased significantly, with values rising from 0.24 to 1.49 DDD/100 OBD (P<0.001). Cost increased by almost 200%. CONCLUSIONS: A widespread and steady increase in consumption of new MRSA-active antibiotics was observed among acute care hospitals in Catalonia, in spite of a stable MRSA burden. At the same time, consumption of old drugs remained stable. Such trends resulted in a significant increase in cost. Our findings suggest that factors other than the proportion of methicillin resistance among S. aureus may influence the use of old and new MRSA-active antibiotics in the clinical setting.

Laboratory-based surveillance of hospital-acquired catheter-related bloodstream infections in Catalonia. Results of the VINCat Program (2007-2010).

The VINCat Program is an institutional surveillance program for hospital-acquired infections developed in the healthcare institutions of Catalonia, Spain. The program includes the monitoring of various components of hospital-acquired infection, among which is catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI). The aim of this study was to describe the frequency of CRBSI in hospitals participating in the VINCat Program over a period of 4 years (2007-2010). The monitoring of the CRBSI component is carried out continuously in all inpatient units by performing a daily assessment of all blood culture results issued by the Microbiology Laboratories. Precise definitions are used for CRBSI, and adjusted rates are expressed per 1,000 days of hospitalization, hospital size and type of catheter. The rates of CRBSI in catheters used for parenteral nutrition are adjusted and expressed per 1,000 days of device use. The aggregate data of the total period are shown in percentiles (10%, 25%, 50% or median, 75%, and 90%). From 2007 to 2010, a total of 2977 episodes of CRBSI were reported in 40 hospitals participating in the VINCat Program. The cumulative incidence of CRBSI has been 0.26 episodes per 1,000 days of hospitalization (CI95% 0.2 to 0.3). The overall incidence varied depending on hospital size: 0.36 ‰ for hospitals in Group I (>500 beds), 0.17 ‰ for Group II (200-500 beds), and 0.09 ‰ for Group III (<200 beds). 76% of the episodes were associated with central venous catheters (CVC), 19% of the episodes with peripheral venous catheters (PVC), and the remaining 5% with peripherally inserted CVCs (PICC). The most common organisms causing CRBSI were staphylococci, the group Klebsiella, Serratia and Enterobacter, Candida spp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. There are important differences in the etiology of CRBSI in relation to these variables. During the reporting period, a significant reduction (38.1%, CI95%, 29.0-46.0%) of CRBSI rates have been observed in Group I hospitals. CRBSI surveillance is an important element of the VINCat Program, offering to us the possibility of establishing standard values for this component and implementing intervention strategies for its reduction.

Surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in acute care hospitals. Results of the VINCat Program (2008-2010).

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common cause of healthcare-related infection. Surveillance and prevention of MRSA is a priority in infection control programs. The aim of this study was to describe rates and trends of MRSA colonization or infection in 40 hospitals participating in the VINCat Program from 2008 to 2010. The study included all patients treated in acute care areas of participating hospitals. Hospitals were stratified into 3 groups based on size. The following annual indicators were reported: Methicillin-resistance rate, incidence density of new cases of MRSA and incidence density of MRSA bacteremia. Between 2008 and 2010, the yearly mean rate of resistance to methicillin remained stable for the study period (24%-25%), while the mean incidence of new cases of MRSA decreased from 0.65 to 0.54 cases per 1000 patient-days (p=NS) and the mean incidence of MRSA bacteremia decreased from 0.06 to 0.05 cases per 1,000 patient-days (p=NS). The implementation of a MRSA surveillance system in hospitals that participated in the VINCat Program provides information on the situation of each institution and facilitated interhospital comparisons in order to establish appropriate preventive measures.

Foodborne nosocomial outbreak of SHV1 and CTX-M-15-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae: epidemiology and control.

BACKGROUND: We describe a foodborne nosocomial outbreak due to extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. METHODS: An outbreak of ESBL K. pneumoniae was detected in March 2008. Initial control measures included contact isolation and a protocol for routine detection and reinforcement in hand hygiene practices. ESBL producers were screened for the bla(TEM), bla(SHV), and bla(CTX-M) genes. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis was performed using XbaI as a restriction endonuclease. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-six colonized and/or infected patients were identified, 35 (22.4%) of whom had infection. The outbreak affected all hospital wards. Fecal carriage was up to 38% of patients in some wards. Of note, investigation revealed a very short delay between admission and colonization. None of the health care workers or environmental surfaces in the wards was found to be colonized. This prompted an epidemiological investigation of a possible foodborne transmission. We found that up to 35% of the hospital kitchen-screened surfaces or foodstuff were colonized and that 6 (14%) of 44 food handlers were found to be fecal carriers. Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of all clinical, environmental, and fecal carrier isolates showed the dissemination of a single strain of SHV-1 and CTX-M-15-producing K. pneumoniae. At that time, structural and functional reforms in the kitchen were performed. These were followed by a progressive reduction in colonization and infection rates among inpatients until complete control was obtained in December 2008. No restrictions in the use of antibiotics were needed. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first reported hospital outbreak that provides evidence that food can be a transmission vector for ESBL K. pneumoniae.

High clonal diversity of ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from clinical samples in a non-outbreak situation. A cohort study.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae has been responsible for a large number of clonal hospital outbreaks. However, some epidemiological changes have been observed since the emergence of CTX-M enzymes in K. pneumoniae. Aim: To analyse the transmission dynamics of Extended Spectrum ß-Lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-Kp) in an acute care hospital. Methods: In 2015 a prospective cohort study was conducted. All new consecutive adult patients with ESBL-Kp isolates in all clinical samples were included. Patients with a previous known infection/colonization by ESBL-Kp and patients in high risk areas (e.g., intensive care units) were excluded. Cross-transmission was defined as the carriage of a clonally-related ESBL-Kp between newly diagnosed patients who shared the same ward for ≥48 h with another case, within a maximum time window of 4 weeks. ESBL-production was confirmed using the double-disk diffusion method and PCR. Clonal relationships were investigated by rep-PCR and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Results: Sixty ESBL-Kp isolates from 60 patients were included and analysed. Infections and colonizations were classified as hospital-acquired (52%), healthcare-related (40%) or community-acquired (8%).High genetic diversity was detected. When epidemiological clinical data were combined with the rep-PCR, the patterns identified did not show any cases of cross-transmission. ESBL-Kp were detected in 12.5% of environmental samples. No clonal relationship could be established between environmental reservoirs and patients. The genetic mechanism detected in all strains was associated with blaCTX-M genes, and 97% were CTX-M-15. Conclusions: The dynamics of ESBL-K. pneumoniae isolated in our setting could not be explained by clonal transmission from an index patient. A polyclonal spread of ESBL-Kp was identified.

Emerging extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae causing community-onset urinary tract infections: a case-control-control study.

The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology and risk factors associated with community-onset urinary tract infections (CO-UTIs) due to extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-Kp). A cohort study including all consecutive patients with K. pneumoniae CO-UTI identified from January 2010 to December 2014 was conducted. Patients with CO-UTI due to ESBL-Kp were then included as cases in a retrospective case-control-control study; controls were outpatients with CO-UTI caused by non-ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and K. pneumoniae (non-ESBL-Ec and non-ESBL-Kp, respectively). Each control was matched in a 2:1 ratio according to patient age, sex and year of isolation. Genotyping confirming ESBL was performed by multiplex PCR and sequencing. The prevalence of ESBL-Kp CO-UTIs, calculated among all K. pneumoniae CO-UTIs, increased from 2.4% in 2010 to 10.3% in 2014 (P = 0.01). Among cases, 63.8% were truly community-acquired, and CTX-M-15 was the predominant ß-lactamase enzyme type (79.3%). A total of 83 cases and 319 controls were studied. Being a nursing home resident [odds ratio (OR) = 8.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6-29.4] and previous cephalosporin use (OR = 4.01, 95% CI 1.8-9.2) were risk factors independently associated with CO-UTI due to ESBL-Kp. In conclusion, the prevalence of CO-UTIs due to ESBL-Kp is increasing. In most cases, ESBL-Kp CO-UTIs are community-acquired and produce CTX-M-15 ß-lactamase. Exposure to cephalosporins and being a nursing home resident were risk factors associated with ESBL-Kp CO-UTIs. CTX-M-15-producing K. pneumoniae isolates are emerging in the community.

Hospital-acquired pneumococcal bacteremia.

To assess the most relevant features of hospital-acquired pneumococcal bacteremia, all cases of pneumococcal bacteremia at a single teaching hospital that occurred during 1988-2000 were prospectively studied. During this period, 374 cases of pneumococcal bacteremia were documented; 39 (10%) of these episodes were hospital acquired. Twenty-nine (74%) cases occurred during the period of December through May. Eleven (28%) of 39 patients had received antimicrobial agents in the month before the onset of bacteremia. All patients had underlying diseases that predisposed them to pneumococcal infection. The most common origin of infection was the respiratory tract, followed by the intra-abdominal region. Fifteen strains were fully susceptible to penicillin, and 20 were intermediately resistant. Only 25 strains were susceptible to erythromycin; all strains that were resistant to erythromycin were penicillin nonsusceptible. Eighteen (46%) of 39 patients died; the mortality rate related to infection was 39%.

Hand contamination during routine care in medical wards: the role of hand hygiene compliance.

The hands of healthcare workers (HCWs) are the most common vehicle for the transmission of micro-organisms from patient to patient and within the healthcare environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a multimodal campaign on the type and amount of resident and transient flora and the presence of potential risk factors for hand contamination during routine care. A before-after (PRE and POST periods) interventional study was carried out in medical wards of a tertiary care hospital. Eighty-nine samples were analysed. Samples were cultured immediately before patient contact using a glove-juice method. Data collected included socio-demographic and risk factors for hand contamination. Flora was measured as log10 c.f.u. ml(-1) and evaluated by comparing median values in the PRE and POST periods. Transient flora was isolated from the hands of 67.4 and 46.1 % of HCWs in the PRE and POST periods, respectively (P<0.001). Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp. and meticillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus were the predominant contaminants. Resident flora was isolated from 92.1 % of HCWs in the PRE period and from 70.8 % in the POST period (P<0.001). The meticillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci log10 c.f.u. count ml(-1) decreased from 1.96 ± 1.2 to 0.89 ± 1.2 (mean ± s d; P<0.001), and the global flora count decreased from 2.77 ± 1.1 to 1.56 ± 1.4 (P<0.001). In the POST period, the wearing of fewer rings (P<0.001), shorter fingernail length (P = 0.008), a shorter time since recent hand hygiene (HH) (P = 0.007) and an increased use of alcohol-based hand rub instead of soap (P<0.001) were documented. The HH multimodal strategy reduced the number of risk factors and the level of HCW hand contamination.

[Changes in nosocomial infection control: new challenges and responsibilities for the infection control nurse]. / Cambios en el control de la infección nosocomial: nuevos retos y competencias de la enfermera de control de infección.

The complexity of surveillance, prevention, and control of nosocomial infections has increased over the last decades, owing to reductions in the length of hospital stay, health care practice outside of the hospital (home care, day hospital care, long-term care facilities, nursing homes), the increase in the number of elderly patients, new and emerging diseases, multidrug-resistant pathogens, and the administrative requirements for accreditation. In this setting, infection control nurses are progressively assuming new responsibilities in addition to infection control, such as ensuring the safety of the patient, guaranteeing health care quality, and other tasks. In the light of these changes, professional organizations of infection control personnel have voiced the opinion that staffing for infection control work should not be based solely on the number of hospital beds, but also on the complexity of the tasks involved, which should be defined according to standardized criteria and infection control indicators. In addition, the cost-benefit relationship of infection control programs should be demonstrated.

Cambios en el control de la infección nosocomial: nuevos retos y competencias de la enfermera de control de infección / Changes in nosocomial infection control: new challenges and responsibilities for the infection control nurse

En las últimas décadas ha habido un incremento en la complejidad de la vigilancia, el control y la prevención de las infecciones nosocomiales. Esta complejidad viene dada principalmente por la reducción de las estancias hospitalarias, la atención fuera del ámbito hospitalario, atención primaria y domiciliaria, los centros de día y sociosanitarios, el aumento de pacientes ancianos y con afecciones más graves, la aparición de microorganismos multirresistentes, las enfermedades emergentes, además de los requerimientos de acreditación por parte de las administraciones. Este contexto ha hecho que la enfermera de control de infección asuma otras responsabilidades además del control de infecciones, como la seguridad del paciente, la calidad asistencial, etc. A raíz de estos cambios, las organizaciones profesionales dedicadas al control de infección creen que la dotación de enfermeras no debe basarse en el número de camas, sino en la complejidad de sus funciones. Para ello se deberán establecer criterios para seleccionar los indicadores de control de infección y se tendrá que demostrar el coste-beneficio de estos programas (AU)

The complexity of surveillance, prevention, and control of nosocomial infections has increased over the last decades, owing to reductions in the length of hospital stay, health care practice outside of the hospital (home care, day hospital care, long-term care facilities, nursing homes), the increase in the number of elderly patients, new and emerging diseases, multidrug-resistant pathogens, and the administrative requirements for accreditation. In this setting, infection control nurses are progressively assuming new responsibilities in addition to infection control, such as ensuring the safety of the patient, guaranteeing health care quality, and other tasks. In the light of these changes, professional organizations of infection control personnel have voiced the opinion that staffing for infection control work should not be based solely on the number of hospital beds, but also on the complexity of the tasks involved, which should be defined according to standardized criteria and infection control indicators. In addition, the cost-benefit relationship of infection control programs should be demonstrated (AU)