Outbreaks of Group A Streptococcal (GAS) infection are difficult to detect in community healthcare settings and present unique challenges for infection prevention and control (IPC). We describe investigation of a cluster of GAS among individuals receiving wound care from the same community integrated care team (CIT) and associated complexities.

Prospective and retrospective surveillance for cases of invasive and noninvasive GAS infection linked to the CIT was undertaken with the local NHS trust IPC team. Screening samples were requested from staff working in the CIT (n = 191) and from staff and residents (n = 73) in care home A where several cases resided. Clinical isolates were sent to the UKHSA reference laboratory for emm typing and whole genome sequencing (WGS).

Twenty-two cases were identified over a five-month period. Eighteen had isolates available for typing, 11 of which were emm type 108.1 and 0-2SNPs apart on WGS. Six were different emm types and one emm type 108.1 but 9-13SNPs apart from other isolates and so excluded from the investigation. No staff infected or colonized with emm 108.1 were identified, and no single healthcare worker had attended all cases. GAS was isolated in the room of a case resident in care home A and found to be closely genetically related to clinical isolates.

WGS was integral in identifying outbreak cases and a multiagency approach essential to the investigation. Unfortunately, despite this no clear source or route of transmission was identified. Further research is required to determine the most effective IPC strategies for community healthcare.

Assess the impact of a multifaceted discharge antimicrobial stewardship initiative by comparing proportion of appropriate antimicrobial regimens before and after implementation.

Cohort study.

Non-teaching, urban, community medical center.

Adult patients prescribed an oral antimicrobial regimen at discharge were included. Patients were randomized irrespective of encounter type or discharge disposition. Pregnant and post-partum patients were excluded.

A discharge antimicrobial stewardship program was implemented at our facility. Components of the initiative included development of a comprehensive, institution-specific, inpatient and outpatient prescribing guideline, extensive face-to-face clinician education, and real-time, pharmacist prospective audit and feedback at discharge. The validated National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey tool was used to then categorize one hundred randomized discharge antimicrobial prescriptions as appropriate (optimal or adequate), inappropriate (suboptimal or inadequate), or not assessable. Hospital-specific treatment guidelines, literature references, and patient-specific factors were used to determine appropriateness.

One hundred antimicrobial regimens selected via random sampling were analyzed in each cohort. The proportion of appropriate antimicrobial regimens increased by 15% after program implementation (47% vs 62%, P = .03).

Study results highlight the positive impact of a multidisciplinary, multipronged approach in improving discharge antimicrobial prescribing.

Hospital employees are at risk of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection from patient, coworker, and community interactions. Understanding employees’ perspectives on transmission risks may inform hospital pandemic management strategies.

Qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 employees to assess factors contributing to perceived transmission risks during patient, coworker, and community interactions and to elicit recommendations. Using a deductive approach, transcripts were coded to identify recurring themes.

Tertiary hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

Employees with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test between March 2020 and January 2021, a period before widespread vaccine availability.

Employees generally reported low concern about transmission risks during patient care. Most patient-related risks, including limited inpatient testing and personal protective equipment availability, were only reported during the early weeks of the pandemic, except for suboptimal masking adherence by patients. Participants reported greater perceived transmission risks from coworkers, due to limited breakroom space, suboptimal coworker masking, and perceptions of inadequate contact tracing. Perceived community risks were related to social gatherings and to household members who also had high SARS-CoV-2 infection risk because they were essential workers. Recommendations included increasing well-ventilated workspaces and breakrooms, increasing support for sick employees, and stronger hospital communication about risks from non-patient-care activities, including the importance of masking adherence with coworkers and in the community.

To reduce transmission during future pandemics, hospitals may consider improving communication on risk reduction during coworker and community interactions. Societal investments are needed to improve hospital infrastructure (eg, better ventilation and breakroom space) and increase support for sick employees.

To compare rates of clinical response in children with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) treated with metronidazole vs vancomycin.

Retrospective cohort study was performed as a secondary analysis of a previously established prospective cohort of hospitalized children with CDI. For 187 participants 2–17 years of age who were treated with metronidazole and/or vancomycin, the primary outcome of clinical response (defined as resolution of diarrhea within 5 days of treatment initiation) was identified retrospectively. Baseline variables associated with the primary outcome were included in a logistic regression propensity score model estimating the likelihood of receiving metronidazole vs vancomycin. Logistic regression using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to estimate the effect of treatment on clinical response.

One hundred seven subjects received metronidazole and 80 subjects received vancomycin as primary treatment. There was no univariable association between treatment group and clinical response; 78.30% (N = 83) of the metronidazole treatment group and 78.75% (N = 63) of the vancomycin group achieved clinical response (P = 0.941). After adjustment using propensity scores with IPTW, the odds of a clinical response for participants who received metronidazole was 0.554 (95% CI: 0.272, 1.131) times the odds of those who received vancomycin (P = 0.105).

In this observational cohort study of pediatric inpatients with CDI, the rate of resolution of diarrhea after 5 days of treatment did not differ among children who received metronidazole vs vancomycin.

Patients discharged from emergency departments (ED) with antibiotics for common infections often receive unnecessarily prolonged durations, representing a target for transition of care (TOC) antimicrobial stewardship intervention.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of TOC pharmacists’ review on decreasing the duration of discharge oral antibiotics in patients discharged from the ED at an academic medical center. Pharmacist interventions were guided by an antibiotic duration of therapy guidance focused on respiratory, urinary, and skin infections developed and implemented by the antimicrobial stewardship program. Pharmacist interventions from January 27, 2023, to December 29, 2023, were analyzed to quantify the total number of antibiotic days saved and the percentage of provider acceptance.

The ED TOC pharmacists reviewed a total of 157 oral antibiotic prescriptions. 86.6% percent of the reviews required pharmacist interventions. The most common indications for the discharge antibiotics were urinary tract infections (50.0%) and skin infections (23.4%). The total number of antibiotic days saved was 155 days with the provider acceptance rate of 76.5%. In 21% of cases, providers did not count the antibiotic doses administered in the ED, contributing to unnecessarily prolonged duration. 10.2% of patients re-presented to the ED while 6.4% of patients were hospitalized within 30 days of index ED discharge.

The transitions of care pharmacist-led intervention was successful in optimizing the duration of discharge oral antibiotics in the ED utilizing prospective audit and feedback based on institutional guidance. The ED represents a high-yield setting for TOC-directed antimicrobial stewardship.

Medication safety is critical for pediatric cardiac care, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where limited resources contribute to high rates of medication errors. Studies in LMICs have shown that pharmacist interventions can reduce medication errors by up to 57% and proved that clinical pharmacists are essential for ensuring accurate and optimized medication use. This study aims to evaluate the role of clinical pharmacist interventions to rectify prescription errors in a pediatric cardiac care setting in Pakistan.

This single-center retrospective study was conducted from January to August 2022 in a pediatric cardiac ward at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Pediatric patients of all age groups and genders diagnosed with acquired, inherited, or congenital heart diseases were included. We reviewed patient files for any prescription changes made by the clinical pharmacist, based on a comprehensive review of the patient profile, treatment regimens, and laboratory results, to ensure safe and effective pharmacotherapy.

260 pharmacist interventions were observed among 2754 patients over eight months, demonstrating a significant role in mitigating medication errors. The interventions addressed wrong doses (126), incorrect frequencies (101), redundant coverage (23), and therapy duration errors (8). Antibiotics were the most frequent source of prescription errors, accounting for 81% of the interventions.

Clinical pharmacists’ involvement in pediatric cardiac care significantly reduces medication errors in LMICs, as demonstrated by this study. These findings underscore the need to integrate clinical pharmacists into multidisciplinary teams to enhance medication safety and improve patient outcomes.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health crisis, with Klebsiella pneumoniae being a key pathogen due to its multidrug resistance (MDR). This study aimed to investigate the resistance profiles, demographic correlations, and molecular characteristics of MDR K. pneumoniae at UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria.

From January to April 2022, 99 clinical isolates (K. pneumoniae) were collected from various specimen types (blood, sputum, urine, wound, stool, and oral cavity). Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, and virulence genes were analysed using multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

All isolates exhibited resistance to ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, and colistin, with high resistance observed for cefepime and carbapenems (meropenem, imipenem, and ertapenem). Molecular characterization revealed the presence of virulence genes K1, K2, and mrkD in 15 isolates, while other tested virulence genes (fimH, ramA, traT, K3, and K5) were not detected. Significant associations were identified between resistance patterns and demographic factors, including age and sex, highlighting potential vulnerabilities in specific populations.

This study underscores the alarming prevalence of MDR K. pneumoniae and aligns with global trends of rising AMR. Addressing these challenges requires targeted antimicrobial stewardship programs, infection control measures, public education, and enhanced surveillance systems. Incorporating molecular resistance testing and novel therapeutic agents in future research is crucial to developing effective containment strategies and preserving antibiotic efficacy.

Characterization and assessment of Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Antibiotic Stewardship Programs (ASPs) to determine adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Core Elements and compare to national adherence

Retrospective, observational with supplemental survey

Facility characteristics and CDC Core Elements (CE) adherence data for 2017–2021 were retrieved from the National Healthcare Safety Network’s (NHSN) annual hospital survey with DoD data from the Defense Health Agency and national data from the Antibiotic Resistance and Patient Safety Portal. An online supplemental survey was administered to DoD hospitals. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were completed for facility characteristics and supplemental survey questions to determine correlations between variables. A framework analysis compared DoD ASPs to CEs and Priority Elements.

Supplemental surveys were completed for 85.1% of DoD’s hospitals. DoD’s hospitals were smaller on average than national hospitals. ASP leaders were assigned more often than volunteer and typically served in the role for less than four years. Staffing mix differed, with more equivalent proportions of civilian/contractor to military at larger hospitals in the U.S. Most DoD ASPs consisted of ≤ 25% pharmacists. ASP leaders were largely available on a daily basis; pharmacist leaders spent more time on ASP activities than physicians. CE adherence was high, but in 2021 DoD lagged national adherence in the structural CEs of Leadership, Accountability, and Pharmacy Expertise.

DoD hospitals lagged in national adherence to the structural CEs, presenting opportunities for ASP improvement. Refinement of CE adherence measurements, coupled with impact on health outcomes, could aid in better-identifying areas for improvement.

To explore the progress that the Veterans Health Administration has made to minimize the impact of the penicillin (PCN) allergy label, we determined the proportion of Veterans who reported a PCN-class allergy at the time of hospitalization and described antibiotic use in hospitalizations with and without a PCN-class allergy.

Cross-sectional study.

National sample of 6,541,299 acute care admissions between 2011 and 2022.

We calculated the prevalence of PCN-class allergies on admission and used Poisson regression to compare patterns of antibiotic use between hospitalizations with and without a PCN-class allergy.

The prevalence of PCN-class allergies on admission decreased from 12.99% to 11.20%. Use of cefazolin and non-pseudomonal third-generation cephalosporins increased regardless of PCN-class allergy status (“PCN-class allergy only” +11.46%, “No antibiotic allergy” +4.92%). The prevalence ratio (PR) for antibiotic use in hospitalizations with a PCN-class allergy compared to hospitalizations without antibiotic allergies, decreased for anti-Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus agents (1.26 [1.25, 1.28] to 1.15 [1.13, 1.17]), carbapenems (1.59 [1.54, 1.65] to 1.47 [1.41, 1.53]), and aztreonam (23.89 [22.45, 25.43] to 17.57 [15.90, 19.42]); and increased for fluoroquinolones (1.58 [1.56, 1.60] to 2.15 [2.09, 2.20]).

Prevalence of PCN-class allergies is declining and narrow-spectrum βL use is rising among hospitalized Veterans. Prescribing differences are decreasing between hospitalizations with and without a reported PCN-class allergy, except for aminoglycosides, clindamycin, and fluoroquinolones. These findings can serve to identify areas of focus for future analyses or interventions related to the impact of the PCN allergy label on antibiotic selection.

We sought to characterize US pediatric antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs), including their hospital demographics, staffing, funded full-time equivalents (FTEs) by hospital size, and relative emphasis on recommended stewardship strategies. We examined the self-reported characteristics of ASP personnel with regard to discipline, race, ethnicity, gender identity, and years of experience in antimicrobial stewardship.

Descriptive two-part survey.

Pediatric ASPs at hospitals participating in Sharing Antimicrobial Reports for Pediatric Stewardship (SHARPS), a pediatric quality improvement collaborative of >70 children’s hospitals.

Survey distributed to 82 US pediatric ASPs, excluding hospitals without pediatric ASPs. Part I completed by ASP leader (physician or pharmacist). Part II distributed to ASP team members.

Part I addressed hospital demographics, ASP funding, and program choices related to the CDC’s 2019 Core Elements of Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. Part II requested that participants anonymously self-identify race, ethnicity, gender identity, training, and duration of ASP experience. Descriptive statistics performed.

Sixty-two ASPs responded: 61 (98%) with formal ASP, 40 (65%) from freestanding children’s hospitals. 40 (65%) co-led by an ASP physician and pharmacist. 60 (97%) reported dedicated inpatient physician FTE, 57 (92%) dedicated inpatient pharmacist FTE. Most programs (35 [58%]) reported inadequate staffing support. The 125 ASP professionals who completed Part II predominantly self-reported as White (89 [71%]), with fewer self-reporting as Asian (9 [15%]) or Black (4 [3%]).

US pediatric ASPs have achieved substantial progress in meeting the CDC Core Elements, but many report insufficient resources. We identified underrepresentation in the ASP workforce.

To develop and validate an automated surveillance system for healthcare-associated Clostridioides difficile infections (HA-CDI).

Multicenter cohort study.

16 acute care hospitals.

Patients admitted to participating hospitals between 2013 and 2022.

An automated surveillance system was developed with retrospective extraction from admission/discharge/transfer and laboratory databases and compared with conventional surveillance based on clinical definitions collected prospectively by infection control professionals. Comparison of HA-CDI incidence rates calculated by automated vs conventional surveillances were performed with χ2, incidence rate ratios, and linear regression. A subset of discordant cases was further investigated by reviewing medical records.

Overall, conventional surveillance reported 3,211 cases of HA-CDI for an incidence rate of 4.94 per 10,000 patient-days. Automated surveillance detected 4,708 cases, for an incidence rate of 7.24 per 10,000 patient-days (incidence rate ratio, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.40–1.53). Full concordance between both surveillance methods was observed in 62% of cases, while 34% of cases were detected only by automated surveillance, and 4% were detected by conventional surveillance only. Between 2013 and 2022, an identical declining trend in HA-CDI incidence rates of –0.54 cases per 10,000 patient-days was observed with both surveillance methods. A subset of 49 cases detected only by automated surveillance were reviewed; the main reasons for discrepancy were delayed testing (39%), colonization (24%), misclassifications (14%), and interinstitutional transfers (12%).

HA-CDI incidence rates calculated by automated surveillance were higher than those of conventional surveillance, but the overestimation was consistent over time, suggesting that a correction factor could improve precision.