Comparison of Direct and Concentrated Acid-Fast Smears To Identify Specimens Culture Positive forMycobacterium spp.

Microscopic examination of respiratory specimens for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) plays a key role in the initial diagnosis of tuberculosis, monitoring of treatment, and determination of eligibility for release from isolation. The objective of this study was to compare the sensitivity obtained with smears for detection of AFB (AFB smears) made directly from respiratory specimens (direct AFB smears) to that obtained with parallel smears made from concentrates of the specimens (concentrated AFB smears). A total of 2,693 specimens were evaluated; 1,806 were from the University of California Irvine Medical Center Medical Microbiology Laboratory (UCIMC), which serves a tertiary-care hospital with outpatient clinics, and 887 were from the Microbial Disease Laboratory at the California Department of Public Health (MDL), which receives specimens from outpatient facilities and clinics on Pacific islands. Of the 353 AFB culture-positive specimens at UCIMC, there was a statistically significant difference in the sensitivity of the direct AFB smear (34%) and that of the smear made from the concentrated specimen (58%) (P < 0.05). This was also true for the 208 specimens positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, for which the sensitivity of the direct smear was 42% (87 of 208) and that for the smear made from the concentrated specimen was 74% (154 of 208). At MDL, where all but 1 of the 45 culture-positive specimens grew M. tuberculosis, the sensitivity of the smear made from the concentrated specimen was 93% (42 of 45) and was not significantly higher than the sensitivity of the direct smear, which was 82% (37 of 45). By combining the results from both laboratories, 42 patients from whom at least three specimens were received were culture positive for M. tuberculosis. The cumulative results for the initial three specimens from these patients showed that the direct smear detected M. tuberculosis in 81% of these patients, whereas the smear made from the concentrate detected M. tuberculosis in 91% of these patients. In summary, when all culture-positive specimens are considered, the sensitivity of the direct smear compared to that of a smear made from the concentrated specimen was significantly different overall in the two different laboratory settings. However, this difference was reduced only if the cumulative results for the initial three specimens received from patients who were culture positive for M. tuberculosiswere evaluated.

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Depression, Anxiety, and Moods of Hospitalized Patients under Contact Precautions

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1086/669526 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 251-258 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Hannah R. Day ◽

Eli N. Perencevich ◽

Anthony D. Harris ◽

Ann L. Gruber-Baldini ◽

Seth S. Himelhoch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hospital Admission ◽

Medical Center ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Care Hospital ◽

University Of Maryland ◽

Contact Precautions ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

Mood Scale ◽

The University

Objective.To determine the association between contact precautions and depression or anxiety as well as feelings of anger, sadness, worry, happiness, or confusion.Design.Prospective frequency-matched cohort study.Setting.The University of Maryland Medical Center, a 662-bed tertiary care hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.Participants.A total of 1,876 medical and surgical patients over the age of 18 years were approached; 528 patients were enrolled from January through November 2010, and 296 patients, frequency matched by hospital unit, completed follow-up on hospital day 3.Results.The primary outcome was Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) scores on hospital day 3, controlling for baseline HADS scores. Secondary moods were measured with visual analog mood scale diaries. Patients under contact precautions had baseline symptoms of depression 1.3 points higher (P < .01) and anxiety 0.8 points higher (P= .08) at hospital admission using HADS. Exposure to contact precautions was not associated with increased depression (P= .42) or anxiety (P= .25) on hospital day 3. On hospital day 3, patients under contact precautions were no more likely than unexposed patients to be angry (20% vs 20%;P= .99), sad (33% vs 38%;P= .45), worried (51% vs 46%;P= .41), happy (58% vs 67%;P= .14), or confused (23% vs 24%;P= .95).Conclusions.Patients under contact precautions have more symptoms of depression and anxiety at hospital admission but do not appear to be more likely to develop depression, anxiety, or negative moods while under contact precautions. The use of contact precautions should not be restricted by the belief that contact precautions will produce more depression or anxiety.

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Bacterial Etiology of Bloodstream Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Malé, Maldives

International Journal of Microbiology ◽

10.1155/2021/3088202 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Aishath Maharath ◽

Mariyam Shabeena Ahmed

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Bacterial Pathogens ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Bloodstream Infections ◽

Healthcare Setting ◽

Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Resistance Patterns ◽

Culture Positive

Background. Bloodstream infections pose a significant health problem worldwide and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in many countries. It is important to have country-specific data for major pathogens causing bloodstream infections, in light of emerging resistance patterns of common bacterial isolates. Due to the scarcity of reports in this area, the aim of this study was to identify bacterial pathogens causing bloodstream infections among the study population. Methods. A retrospective analysis of blood culture samples received at the Department of Laboratory Medicine, Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Malé, Maldives, was performed for reports between January 2016 and December 2017. Results. Out of the 471 culture-positive samples, 278 (59%) were males and 193 (41%) were females. Amongst the culture-positive samples, 338 (71.8%) Gram-positive organisms were isolated and 133 (28.2%) Gram-negative organisms were isolated. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) was the most frequently isolated blood-borne bacterial pathogen in this study, accounting for 53.6% and 50.9% of the isolates in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Other frequently isolated pathogens included Staphylococcus aureus (15.9% and 10.3%), Klebsiella spp. (10.5% and 16.4%), and Escherichia coli (7.1% and 10.8%). Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) revealed high percentage of resistance among the tested antimicrobials, ampicillin, cephalexin, cefotaxime, and gentamicin. Over the two years, a significant difference between the percentage resistance among paediatric and adult patients was observed for coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) isolate resistance to ampicillin p ≤ 0.001 , cephalexin p ≤ 0.001 , cefotaxime p ≤ 0.001 , gentamicin p = 0.008 , and cotrimoxazole (SXT) p ≤ 0.001 . When comparing the significant antimicrobial resistance trends, it can be seen that Enterobacteriaceae isolates also demonstrated high resistance to ampicillin and gentamicin as well as second- and third-generation cephalosporins. Conclusions. This study highlights the major bacterial pathogens involved in bloodstream infections in the healthcare setting of Malé, Maldives, and antibiotic resistance patterns. The results indicate that further characterization of bacteremia and its resistance patterns is needed to combat bloodstream infections.

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Antimicrobial usage and its quantification for neonatal sepsis at a tertiary care hospital neonatal intensive care unit

International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology ◽

10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20194114 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. 2046

Author(s):

Manjari Kumari ◽

Suparna Chatterjee ◽

Tapas Som ◽

Pinaki Chattopadhyay

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Neonatal Sepsis ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Sensitivity Pattern ◽

Prescribing Trends ◽

Days Of Therapy ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Culture Positive

Background: Antimicrobial therapy for neonatal sepsis is challenging as its judicious use can save neonates while its inappropriate use can lead to rapid emergence of resistant strains. Quantification of consumption of antimicrobial agents (AMA) has not been undertaken in Indian neonatal intensive care units (NICU) setting. This prospective observational study evaluated the antimicrobial prescribing pattern and quantified its consumption in clinically suspected neonatal sepsis (NS) cases.Methods: Clinically suspected NS cases admitted over study period of 18 months in a tertiary care level III NICU were enrolled. Data of antimicrobials prescribed, its consumption, culture sensitivity profile of organisms isolated were collected.Consumption was quantified by computing the days of therapy (DOT) per 1000 patient-days (PD).Results: 150 clinically suspected NS cases were enrolled; 37.33% were culture positive. The most common AMA prescribed were netilmicin (94.67%), piperacillin-tazobactam (88.67%). Only 0.67% cases received reserve antimicrobials like colistin, vancomycin and linezolid. 58% received 2 AMA, 39.33% received ≥3 agents. Total antimicrobial consumption was 614.86 DOT/1000 PD and 21.68 DOT/ neonate. Statistically significant difference in total AMA consumption amongst culture positive versus negative cases (p <0.001) was observed but difference was not significant in EOS versus LOS (p=0.95).Conclusion: Usage of antimicrobials for neonatal sepsis was guided by sensitivity pattern of local prevalent flora and clinical response. Usage of reserve antimicrobials were restricted. However, consumption of AB was higher compared to developed countries and we intend to use the study outcome data for antibiotic stewardship program to reduce antibiotic consumption and modify prescribing trends at the study setting.

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The Impact of MassPAT on Opioid Prescribing Patterns for Otolaryngology Surgeries

Otolaryngology ◽

10.1177/0194599820987454 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 164 (4) ◽

pp. 781-787

Author(s):

Samuel Rubin ◽

Jacqueline A. Wulu ◽

Heather A. Edwards ◽

Robert W. Dolan ◽

David M. Brams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Center ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Awareness Tool ◽

The Impact ◽

Best Fit

Objective Determine whether opioid prescriber patterns have changed for tonsillectomy, parotidectomy, and thyroidectomy after implementation of the Massachusetts Prescription Awareness Tool (MassPAT). Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Single-center tertiary care hospital. Methods Patients were included if they received tonsillectomy, parotidectomy, or thyroid surgery at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (Burlington, Massachusetts) between October 1, 2015, and October 1, 2019. Prescribing patterns were compared prior to implementation of MassPAT, October 1, 2015, to October 14, 2016, to postimplementation of MassPAT, October 15, 2016, to October 1, 2019. Quantity of opioids prescribed was described using total morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Data were analyzed using univariate analysis, multivariate analysis, and trend line using line of best fit. Results A total of 737 subjects were included in the study. There was a downward trend in the quantity of opioids prescribed for all 3 surgeries during the study period. There was a significant difference in the quantity of opioids prescribed pre- and postimplementation of MassPAT for tonsillectomy (647.70 ± 218.50 MME vs 474.60 ± 185.90 MME, P < .001), parotidectomy (241.20 ± 57.66 MME vs 156.70 ± 72.99 MME, P < .001), and thyroidectomy (171.20 ± 93.77 MME vs 108.50 ± 63.84 MME, P < .001). There was also a decrease in the number of patients who did not receive opioids for thyroidectomy pre- and post-MassPAT (7.56% vs 24.14%). Conclusion We have demonstrated that there is an association with state drug monitoring programs and decrease in the amount of opioids prescribed for acute postoperative pain control for common otolaryngology surgeries.

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Association of Rugae Pattern with Skeletal Malocclusion in Orthodontic Patients Visiting Tertiary Care Hospital

Pakistan Journal of Medicine and Dentistry ◽

10.36283/pjmd9-3/009 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sarwat Memon

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Care Hospital ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Class Iii ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Skeletal Malocclusion ◽

Palatal Rugae ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Orthodontic Patients

Background: The palatal rugae are special constructions that are inalterable in their position and pattern during the lifestyles of an individual. This imparts them an exceptional role in the forensic dentistry and may play potential role in malocclusion identification. This study was aimed to see association of rugae pattern with sagittal skeletal malocclusion in orthodontic patients visiting tertiary care hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional examination was completed on pretreatment records (lateral Cephalometric radiographs and maxillary dental casts) of 384 subjects at the orthodontic department of Ziauddin Dental Hospital, Karachi. The study duration was from January to July 2019. The samples were sub-divided into three sagittal skeletal groups based on ANB angle proposed by Steiner’s on lateral Cephalometric radiographs (Class I with ANB angle between 0° to 4°; Class II: ANB angle greater than 5°; Class III: ANB angle less than 0°). The shapes of three most-anterior primary rugae were then evaluated bilaterally using Kapali et al., Classification. Chi Square test was applied to find association of rugae pattern among sagittal skeletal malocclusions groups. Results: Circular and curved rugae shapes were the most prevalent in all skeletal malocclusions. The primary palatal rugae pattern was seen to be significantly different among three skeletal malocclusion groups (p<0.05). The right and left sided palatal rugae pattern showed significant difference in all three skeletal malocclusion groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present study showed no specific palatal rugae pattern associated with sagittal skeletal malocclusion. Further studies on larger sample and use of modern 3D technologies to scan the maxillary casts are required for results that are more precise.

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Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in hospitalized patients at a tertiary referral center in North India (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.23937 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Dr. Animesh Ray ◽

Dr. Komal Singh ◽

Souvick Chattopadhyay ◽

Farha Mehdi ◽

Dr. Gaurav Batra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Care ◽

Age Groups ◽

Hospitalized Patients ◽

North India ◽

P Value ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Igg Antibodies ◽

Igg Antibody ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Significant Difference

BACKGROUND Seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is an important tool to estimate the true extent of infection in a population. However, seroprevalence studies have been scarce in South East Asia including India, which, as of now, carries the third largest burden of confirmed cases in the world. The present study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody among hospitalized patients at one of the largest government hospital in India OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this study is to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among patients admitted to the Medicine ward and ICU METHODS This cross-sectional study, conducted at a tertiary care hospital in North India, recruited consecutive patients who were negative for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR or CB-NAAT. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels targeting recombinant spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) protein of SARS CoV-2 were estimated in serum sample by the ELISA method RESULTS A total of 212 hospitalized patients were recruited in the study with mean age (±SD) of 41.2 (±15.4) years and 55% male population. Positive serology against SARS CoV-2 was detected in 19.8%patients(95% CI 14.7-25.8). Residency in Delhi conferred a higher frequency of seropositivity 26.5% (95% CI 19.3-34.7) as compared to that of other states 8% (95% CI 3.0-16.4) with p-value 0.001. No particular age groups or socio-economic strata showed a higher proportion of seropositivity CONCLUSIONS Around, one-fifth of hospitalized patients, who were not diagnosed with COVID-19 before, demonstrated seropositivity against SARS-CoV-2. While there was no significant difference in the different age groups and socio-economic classes; residence in Delhi was associated with increased risk (relative risk of 3.62, 95% CI 1.59-8.21)

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Clinical Team Distribution and Antibiotic Use Patterns at a Tertiary-Care Academic Medical Center

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2020.695 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. s168-s169

Author(s):

Rebecca Choudhury ◽

Ronald Beaulieu ◽

Thomas Talbot ◽

George Nelson

Keyword(s):

Medical Center ◽

Academic Medical Center ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Hospital Units ◽

Antibiotic Utilization ◽

Academic Medical ◽

Level Data ◽

Utilization Data

Background: As more US hospitals report antibiotic utilization to the CDC, standardized antimicrobial administration ratios (SAARs) derived from patient care unit-based antibiotic utilization data will increasingly be used to guide local antibiotic stewardship interventions. Location-based antibiotic utilization surveillance data are often utilized given the relative ease of ascertainment. However, aggregating antibiotic use data on a unit basis may have variable effects depending on the number of clinical teams providing care. In this study, we examined antibiotic utilization from units at a tertiary-care hospital to illustrate the potential challenges of using unit-based antibiotic utilization to change individual prescribing. Methods: We used inpatient pharmacy antibiotic use administration records at an adult tertiary-care academic medical center over a 6-month period from January 2019 through June 2019 to describe the geographic footprints and AU of medical, surgical, and critical care teams. All teams accounting for at least 1 patient day present on each unit during the study period were included in the analysis, as were all teams prescribing at least 1 antibiotic day of therapy (DOT). Results: The study population consisted of 24 units: 6 ICUs (25%) and 18 non-ICUs (75%). Over the study period, the average numbers of teams caring for patients in ICU and non-ICU wards were 10.2 (range, 3.2–16.9) and 13.7 (range, 10.4–18.9), respectively. Units were divided into 3 categories by the number of teams, accounting for ≥70% of total patient days present (Fig. 1): “homogenous” (≤3), “pauciteam” (4–7 teams), and “heterogeneous” (>7 teams). In total, 12 (50%) units were “pauciteam”; 7 (29%) were “homogeneous”; and 5 (21%) were “heterogeneous.” Units could also be classified as “homogenous,” “pauciteam,” or “heterogeneous” based on team-level antibiotic utilization or DOT for specific antibiotics. Different patterns emerged based on antibiotic restriction status. Classifying units based on vancomycin DOT (unrestricted) exhibited fewer “heterogeneous” units, whereas using meropenem DOT (restricted) revealed no “heterogeneous” units. Furthermore, the average number of units where individual clinical teams prescribed an antibiotic varied widely (range, 1.4–12.3 units per team). Conclusions: Unit-based antibiotic utilization data may encounter limitations in affecting prescriber behavior, particularly on units where a large number of clinical teams contribute to antibiotic utilization. Additionally, some services prescribing antibiotics across many hospital units may be minimally influenced by unit-level data. Team-based antibiotic utilization may allow for a more targeted metric to drive individual team prescribing.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

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Gender-wise Comparative Assessment of Lifestyle Patterns and Well-being Status among Healthcare Employees at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Indian Journal of Cardiovascular Disease in Women WINCARS ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1727578 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vanajakshamma Velam ◽

Vyshnavi Kancherla ◽

Latheef Kasala ◽

Anusha Kancherla ◽

Mounica Reddy Pillaram

Keyword(s):

Tertiary Care Hospital ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Well Being ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Female Employees ◽

The Mean ◽

Lifestyle Patterns ◽

Comprehensive Study

Abstract Background This study was an attempt to assess and compare the gender-wise lifestyle patterns and well-being status among the employees of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Material and Methods This is a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study conducted at a tertiary care hospital between May and August 2019. A total of 777 employees belonging to both genders (male and female) and working at different professional levels were assessed. All the enrolled employees were subjected to a comprehensive study tool consisting of various dimensions of their health, which included physical, mental, social, spiritual and intellectual health dimensions. Results Among the participants, 327 (42.1%) were male and 450 (57.9%) were female. There was no significant difference in the mean age of male (37.91 ± 7.52) and female (36.85 ± 8.16) employees (p = 0.07). A significantly higher proportion of diabetes and hypertension were seen in male employees (9.8% and 14.4%, respectively) than in female (5.6% and 6.2% respectively). The overall well-being was better in male employees than in females and was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). We found that male employees had statistically significant better well-being in terms of physical, mental and social health whereas female employees had intellectual health. Conclusion The overall well-being in healthcare staff was good at our tertiary care hospital, and the outstanding/good well-being rate was higher in male employees than in female employees. Female employees experienced risks with regard to their physical health.

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The clinical profile, management, and outcome of febrile neutropenia in acute myeloid leukemia from resource constraint settings

Therapeutic Advances in Infectious Disease ◽

10.1177/20499361211036592 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 204993612110365

Author(s):

Kundan Mishra ◽

Suman Kumar ◽

Sandeep Ninawe ◽

Rajat Bahl ◽

Ashok Meshram ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Overall Survival ◽

Acute Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Febrile Neutropenia ◽

Burkholderia Cepacia ◽

Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Mean ◽

Acute Myeloid

Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the commonest leukemia in adults. Mortality in thew first 30-days ranges from 6% to 43%, while infections account for 30–66% of early deaths. We aim to present our experience of infections in newly-diagnosed AML. Method: This prospective, observational study, was undertaken at a tertiary care hospital in Northern India. Patients with confirmed AML (bone marrow morphology and flow cytometry) and who had developed febrile neutropenia (FN), were included. Result: A total of fifty-five patients were included in the study. The median age of the patients was 47.1 years (12–71) and 28 (50.9%) were males. Fever (33, 60%) was the commonest presentation at the time of diagnosis. One or more comorbid conditions were present in 20 patients (36.36%). Infection at presentation was detected in 17 patients (30.9%). The mean duration to develop febrile neutropenia since the start of therapy was 11.24 days. With each ten-thousand increase in white blood cell (WBC) count, the mean number of days of FN development decreased by 0.35 days ( p = 0.029). Clinical and/or radiological localization was possible in 23 patients (41.81%). Thirty-four blood samples (34/242, 14.04%) from 26 patients (26/55, 47.3%) isolated one or more organisms. Gram negative bacilli (GNB) were isolated in 24 (70.58%) samples. Burkholderia cepacia (8/34, 23.52%) was the commonest organism. The number of days required to develop febrile neutropenia was inversely associated with overall survival (OS). However, when compared, there was no statistically significant difference in OS between patients developing fever on day-10 and day-25 ( p = 0.063). Thirteen patients (23.63%) died during the study period. Discussion: Low percentage of blood culture positivity and high incidence of MDR organisms are a matter of concern. Days to develop febrile neutropenia were inversely associated with overall survival (OS), emphasizing the importance of preventive measures against infections. Conclusion: Infections continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among AML patients.

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Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Infectious Agents in Lower Respiratory Tract Samples Belonging to Patients Admitted to Intensive Care Units of a Tertiary-Care Hospital, Located in an Epidemic Area, during the Italian Lockdown

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9010185 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 185

Author(s):

Adriana Calderaro ◽

Mirko Buttrini ◽

Sara Montecchini ◽

Giovanna Piccolo ◽

Monica Martinelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Intensive Care Units ◽

Lower Respiratory Tract ◽

Tertiary Care Hospital ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Infectious Agents ◽

Epidemic Area ◽

Significant Difference

The aim of this study was the detection of infectious agents from lower respiratory tract (LRT) samples in order to describe their distribution in patients with severe acute respiratory failure and hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU) in an Italian tertiary-care hospital. LRT samples from 154 patients admitted to ICU from 27 February to 10 May 2020 were prospectively examined for respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, bacteria and/or fungi. SARS-CoV-2 was revealed in 90 patients (58.4%, 72 males, mean age 65 years). No significant difference was observed between SARS-CoV-2 positives and SARS-CoV-2 negatives with regard to sex, age and bacterial and/or fungal infections. Nonetheless, fungi were more frequently detected among SARS-CoV-2 positives (44/54, 81.4%, p = 0.0053). Candida albicans was the overall most frequently isolated agent, followed by Enterococcus faecalis among SARS-CoV-2 positives and Staphylococcus aureus among SARS-CoV-2 negatives. Overall mortality rate was 40.4%, accounting for 53 deaths: 37 among SARS-CoV-2 positives (mean age 69 years) and 16 among SARS-CoV-2 negatives (mean age 63 years). This study highlights the different patterns of infectious agents between the two patient categories: fungi were prevalently involved among SARS-CoV-2-positive patients and bacteria among the SARS-CoV-2-negative patients. The different therapies and the length of the ICU stay could have influenced these different patterns of infectious agents.

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