Occurrence of Co-colonization or Co-Infection with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci and Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusin a Medical Intensive Care Unit

2004 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
David K. Warren ◽  
Anand Nitin ◽  
Cheri Hill ◽  
Victoria J. Fraser ◽  
Marin H. Kollef

AbstractObjective:To determine the occurrence of co-colonization or co-infection with VRE and MRSA among medical patients requiring intensive care.Design:Prospective, single-center, observational study.Setting:A 19-bed medical ICU in an urban teaching hospital.Patients:Adult patients requiring at least 48 hours of intensive care and having at least one culture performed for microbiologie evaluation.Results:Eight hundred seventy-eight consecutive patients were evaluated. Of these patients, 402 (45.8%) did not have microbiologie evidence of colonization or infection with either VRE or MRSA 355 (40.4%) were colonized or infected with VRE, 38 (4.3%) were colonized or infected with MRSA, and 83 (9.5%) had co-colonization or co-infection with VRE and MRSA. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that increasing age, hospitalization during the preceding 6 months, and admission to a long-term-care facility were independently associated with colonization or infection due to VRE and co-colonization or co-infection with VRE and MRSA. The distributions of positive culture sites for VRE (stool, 86.7%; blood, 6.5%; urine, 4.8%; soft tissue or wound, 2.0%) and for MRSA (respiratory secretions, 34.1%; blood, 32.6%; urine, 17.1%; soft tissue or wound, 16.2%) were statistically different (P< .001).Conclusions:Co-colonization or co-infection with VRE and MRSA is common among medical patients requiring intensive care. The recent emergence of vancomycin-resistantStaphylococcus aureusand the presence of a patient population co-colonized or co-infected with VRE and MRSA support the need for aggressive infection control measures in the ICU.

2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 257-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
David K. Warren ◽  
Marin H. Kollef ◽  
Sondra M. Seiler ◽  
Scott K. Fridkin ◽  
Victoria J. Fraser

AbstractObjective:To determine the epidemiology of colonization with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) among intensive care unit (ICU) patients.Design:Ten-month prospective cohort study.Setting:A 19-bed medical ICU of a 1,440-bed teaching hospital.Methods:Patients admitted to the ICU had rectal swab cultures for VRE on admission and weekly thereafter. VRE-positive patients were cared for using contact precautions. Clinical data, including microbiology reports, were collected prospectively during the ICU stay.Results:Of 519 patients who had admission stool cultures, 127 (25%) had cultures that were positive for VRE. Risk factors for VRE colonization identified by multiple logistic regression analysis were hospital stay greater than 3 days prior to ICU admission (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.6; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 2.3 to 5.7), chronic dialysis (AOR, 2.4; CI95, 1.2 to 4.5), and having been admitted to the study hospital one to two times (AOR, 2.3; CI95,1.4 to 3.8) or more than two times (AOR, 6.5; CI95, 3.7 to 11.6) within the past 12 months. Of the 352 VRE-negative patients who had one or more follow-up cultures, 74 (21%) became VRE positive during their ICU stay (27 cases per 1,000 patient-ICU days).Conclusion:The prevalence of VRE culture positivity on ICU admission was high and a sizable fraction of ICU patients became VRE positive during their ICU stay despite contact precautions for VRE-positive patients. This was likely due in large part to prior VRE exposures in the rest of the hospital where these control measures were not being used.


1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (05) ◽  
pp. 312-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxine Armstrong-Evans ◽  
Margaret Litt ◽  
Margaret A. McArthur ◽  
Barbara Willey ◽  
Darlene Cann ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectives:To describe the investigation and control of transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in a residential long-term-care (LTC) setting.Outbreak Investigation:A strain of vancomycin-resistantEnterococcus faeciumnot previously isolated in Ontario colonized five residents of a 254-bed LTC facility in Toronto. The index case was identified when VRE was isolated from a urine culture taken after admission to a local hospital. Screening of rectal swabs from all 235 residents identified four others who were colonized with the same strain ofE faecium.Control Measures:Colonized residents were cohorted. VRE precautions were established as follows: gown and gloves for resident contact, restriction of contact between colonized and noncolonized residents, no sharing of personal equipment, and daily double-cleaning of residents' rooms and wheelchairs.Outcome:Two colonized residents died of causes unrelated to VRE. Although bacitracin therapy (75,000 units four times a day X 14 days) failed to eradicate carriage in two of three surviving residents, both cleared their carriage within 7 weeks. Repeat rectal swabs from 224 residents (91%) 2 months after isolation precautions were discontinued and from 125 residents (51%) 9 months later identified no new cases. Total cost of investigation and control was $12,061 (Canadian).Conclusion:VRE may be transmitted in LTC facilities, and colonized LTC residents could become important VRE reservoirs. Control of VRE transmission in LTC facilities can be achieved even with limited resources.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caglar Caglayan ◽  
Sean Barnes ◽  
Lisa Pineles ◽  
Eili Klein ◽  
Anthony Harris

The rising prevalence of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs), such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), and Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), is an increasing concern in healthcare settings. Leveraging electronic healthcare record data, we developed a data-driven framework to predict MRSA, VRE, and CRE colonization upon intensive care unit admission (ICU), and identify the associated socio-demographic and clinical factors using logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), and XGBoost algorithms. We performed threshold optimization for converting predicted probabilities into binary predictions and identified the cut-off maximizing the sum of sensitivity and specificity. We achieved the following sensitivity and specificity values with the best performing models: 80% and 66% for VRE with LR, 73% and 77% for CRE with XGBoost, 76% and 59% for MRSA with RF, and 82% and 83% for MDRO (i.e., VRE or CRE or MRSA) with RF. Further, we identified several predictors of MDRO colonization, including long-term care facility exposure, current diagnosis of skin/subcutaneous tissue or infectious/parasitic disease, and recent isolation precaution procedures before ICU admission. Our data-driven modeling framework can be used as a clinical decision support tool for timely predictions, identification of high-risk patients, and selective and timely use of infection control measures in ICUs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitch van Hensbergen ◽  
Casper D. J. den Heijer ◽  
Petra Wolffs ◽  
Volker Hackert ◽  
Henriëtte L. G. ter Waarbeek ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The Dutch province of Limburg borders the German district of Heinsberg, which had a large cluster of COVID-19 cases linked to local carnival activities before any cases were reported in the Netherlands. However, Heinsberg was not included as an area reporting local or community transmission per the national case definition at the time. In early March, two residents from a long-term care facility (LTCF) in Sittard, a Dutch town located in close vicinity to the district of Heinsberg, tested positive for COVID-19. In this study we aimed to determine whether cross-border introduction of the virus took place by analysing the LTCF outbreak in Sittard, both epidemiologically and microbiologically. Methods Surveys and semi-structured oral interviews were conducted with all present LTCF residents by health care workers during regular points of care for information on new or unusual signs and symptoms of disease. Both throat and nasopharyngeal swabs were taken from residents suspect of COVID-19, based on regional criteria, for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 by Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction. Additionally, whole genome sequencing was performed using a SARS-CoV-2 specific amplicon-based Nanopore sequencing approach. Moreover, twelve random residents were sampled for possible asymptomatic infections. Results Out of 99 residents, 46 got tested for COVID-19. Out of the 46 tested residents, nineteen (41%) tested positive for COVID-19, including 3 asymptomatic residents. CT-values for asymptomatic residents seemed higher compared to symptomatic residents. Eleven samples were sequenced, along with three random samples from COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the regional hospital at the time of the LTCF outbreak. All samples were linked to COVID-19 cases from the cross-border region of Heinsberg, Germany. Conclusions Sequencing combined with epidemiological data was able to virtually prove cross-border transmission at the start of the Dutch COVID-19 epidemic. Our results highlight the need for cross-border collaboration and adjustment of national policy to emerging region-specific needs along borders in order to establish coordinated implementation of infection control measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Stefanie Kampmeier ◽  
Hauke Tönnies ◽  
Carlos L. Correa-Martinez ◽  
Alexander Mellmann ◽  
Vera Schwierzeck

Abstract Background Currently, hospitals have been forced to divert substantial resources to cope with the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It is unclear if this situation will affect long-standing infection prevention practices and impact on healthcare associated infections. Here, we report a nosocomial cluster of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) that occurred on a COVID-19 dedicated intensive care unit (ICU) despite intensified contact precautions during the current pandemic. Whole genome sequence-based typing (WGS) was used to investigate genetic relatedness of VRE isolates collected from COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients during the outbreak and to compare them to environmental VRE samples. Methods Five VRE isolated from patients (three clinical and two screening samples) as well as 11 VRE and six vancomycin susceptible Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) samples from environmental sites underwent WGS during the outbreak investigation. Isolate relatedness was determined using core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). Results WGS revealed two genotypic distinct VRE clusters with genetically closely related patient and environmental isolates. The cluster was terminated by enhanced infection control bundle strategies. Conclusions Our results illustrate the importance of continued adherence to infection prevention and control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent VRE transmission and healthcare associated infections.


2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 399-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Schaeffer Spires ◽  
H. Keipp Talbot ◽  
Carolyn A. Pope ◽  
Thomas R. Talbot

OBJECTIVEWe report an outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in a dementia care ward containing 2 separately locked units (A and B) to heighten awareness of these pathogens in the older adult population and highlight some of the infection prevention challenges faced during a noninfluenza respiratory viral outbreak in a congregate setting.METHODSCases were defined by the presence of new signs or symptoms that included (1) a single oral temperature ≥ 37.8°C (100.0°F) and (2) the presence of at least 2 of the following symptoms: cough, dyspnea, rhinorrhea, hoarseness, congestion, fatigue, and malaise. Attempted infection-control measures included cohorting patients and staff, empiric isolation precautions, and cessation of group activities. Available nasopharyngeal swab specimens were sent to the Tennessee Department of Health for identification by rT-PCR testing.RESULTSWe identified 30 of the 41 (73%) residents as cases over this 16-day outbreak. Due to high numbers of sick personnel, we were unable to cohort staff to 1 unit. Unit B developed its first case 8 days after infection control measures were implemented. Of the 14 cases with available specimens, 6 patients tested positive for RSV-B, 7 for HMPV and 1 patient test positive for influenza A. Overall, 15 cases (50%) required transfer to acute care facilities; 10 of these patients (34%) had chest x-ray confirmed pulmonary infiltrates; and 5 residents (17%) died.CONCLUSIONSThis case report highlights the importance of RSV and HMPV in causing substantial disease in the older adult population and highlights the challenges in preventing transmission of these viruses.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:399–404


2001 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 217-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hend Hanna ◽  
Jan Umphrey ◽  
Jeffrey Tarrand ◽  
Michelle Mendoza ◽  
Issam Raad

AbstractBetween November 1996 and February 1997, 17 episodes of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection or colonization (9 infections, 8 colonizations), all with the same or a similar genomic DNA pattern, were identified in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) of a tertiary-care cancer hospital. The cases were genotypically traced to a patient who was admitted to the hospital in September 1996 and who, by December 1996, had four different admissions to the MICU. Multifaceted infection control measures, including decontamination of the environment and of nondisposable equipment, halted the nosocomial transmission of VRE in the MICU.


2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 1211-1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredric J. Silverblatt ◽  
Cynthia Tibert ◽  
Dennis Mikolich ◽  
Julia Blazek-D'Arezzo ◽  
Josephine Alves ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosalind J. Carter ◽  
Genevieve Sorenson ◽  
Richard Heffernan ◽  
Julia A. Kiehlbauch ◽  
John S. Kornblum ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectives:To characterize risk factors associated with pneumococcal disease and asymptomatic colonization during an outbreak of multidrug-resistantStreptococcus pneumoniae(MDRSP) among AIDS patients in a long-term–care facility (LTCF), evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis in eliminating MDRSP colonization, and describe the emergence of fluoroquinolone resistance in the MDRSP outbreak strain.Design:Epidemiologic investigation based on chart review and characterization of SP strains by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and PFGE and prospective MDRSP surveillance.Setting:An 80-bed AIDS-care unit in an LTCF.Participants:Staff and residents on the unit.Results:From April 1995 through January 1996, 7 cases of MDRSP occurred. A nasopharyngeal (NP) swab survey of all residents (n = 65) and staff (n = 70) detected asymptomatic colonization among 6 residents (9%), but no staff. Isolates were sensitive only to rifampin, ofloxacin, and vancomycin. A 7-day course of rifampin and ofloxacin was given to eliminate colonization among residents: NP swab surveys at 1, 4, and 10 weeks after prophylaxis identified 1 or more colonized residents at each follow-up with isolates showing resistance to one or both treatment drugs. Between 1996 and 1999, an additional 6 patients were diagnosed with fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) MDRSP infection, with PFGE results demonstrating that the outbreak strain had persisted 3 years after the initial outbreak was recognized.Conclusions:Chemoprophylaxis likely contributed to the development of a FQ-R outbreak strain that continued to be transmitted in the facility through 1999. Long-term control of future MDRSP outbreaks should rely primarily on vaccination and strict infection control measures.


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