Articles

Predictive factors for sepsis by carbapenem resistant Gram-negative bacilli in adult critical patients in Rio de Janeiro: a case-case-control design in a prospective cohort study

Studies have investigated risk factors for infections by specific species of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (CR-GNB), but few considered the group of GNB species and most of them were performed in ...

Authors: Elisangela M. Lima, Patrícia A. Cid, Debora S. Beck, Luiz Henrique Z. Pinheiro, João Pedro S. Tonhá, Marcio Z. O. Alves, Newton D. Lourenço, Roberto Q. Santos, Marise D. Asensi, José Aurélio Marques, Carolina S. Bandeira, Caio Augusto S. Rodrigues, Saint Clair S. Gomes Junior and Marisa Z. R. Gomes

CRISPR-Cas system: a potential alternative tool to cope antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic exposure leads to massive selective pressures that initiate the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance in commensal and pathogenic bacteria. The slow process of developing new antibiotics mak...

Authors: Bilal Aslam, Maria Rasool, Adi Idris, Saima Muzammil, Roman Farooq Alvi, Mohsin Khurshid, Muhammad Hidayat Rasool, Derong Zhang, Zhongren Ma and Zulqarnain Baloch

Enterococcus faecium: from microbiological insights to practical recommendations for infection control and diagnostics

Early in its evolution, Enterococcus faecium acquired traits that allowed it to become a successful nosocomial pathogen. E. faecium inherent tenacity to build resistance to antibiotics and environmental stressors...

Authors: Xuewei Zhou, Rob J. L. Willems, Alexander W. Friedrich, John W. A. Rossen and Erik Bathoorn

Potential methanol toxicity and the importance of using a standardised alcohol-based hand rub formulation in the era of COVID-19

Hand sanitisers are urgently needed in the time of COVID-19, and as a result of shortages, some people have resorted to making their own formulations, including the repurposing of distilleries. We wish to high...

Authors: K. Dear, L. Grayson and R. Nixon

High rate of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing gram-negative infections and associated mortality in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Gram-negative bacteria have become a serious threat to global health. Their rapid spread is associated with high mortality due to ineffective antibiotic treatm...

Authors: Tafese B. Tufa, Andre Fuchs, Takele B. Tufa, Loraine Stötter, Achim J. Kaasch, Torsten Feldt, Dieter Häussinger and Colin R. Mackenzie

Genetic diversity and risk factors for the transmission of antimicrobial resistance across human, animals and environmental compartments in East Africa: a review

The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) present a challenge to disease control in East Africa. Resistance to beta-lactams, which are by far the most used antibiotics worldwide and include th...

Authors: Bugwesa Z. Katale, Gerald Misinzo, Stephen E. Mshana, Harriet Chiyangi, Susana Campino, Taane G. Clark, Liam Good, Mark M. Rweyemamu and Mecky I. Matee

Use of medical face masks versus particulate respirators as a component of personal protective equipment for health care workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Currently available evidence supports that the predominant route of human-to-human transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 is through respiratory droplets and/or contact routes. The report by the World Health Organizat...

Authors: John Conly, W. H. Seto, Didier Pittet, Alison Holmes, May Chu and Paul R. Hunter

Finding the match between healthcare worker and expert for optimal audit and feedback on antimicrobial resistance prevention measures

The potentials of audit and feedback (AF) to improve healthcare are currently not exploited. To unlock the potentials of AF, this study focused on the process of making sense of audit data and translating data...

Authors: J. Keizer, N. Beerlage-De Jong, N. Al Naiemi and J. E. W. C. van Gemert-Pijnen

Development of in vitro resistance to fluoroquinolones in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Fluoroquinolone resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa typically arises through site-specific mutations and overexpression of efflux pumps. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of different resistance mechan...

Authors: Lei Zhao, Shiqi Wang, Xiaobing Li, Xiaojing He and Lingyan Jian

Five-year change of prevalence and risk factors for infection and mortality of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream infection in a tertiary hospital in North China

There are few studies focused on carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) bloodstream infection (BSI). The aim of this study is to identify the prevalence and risk factors for infection and mortality of ...

Authors: Yuanyuan Li, Jihong Li, Tong Hu, Jia Hu, Ning Song, Yu Zhang and Yuan Chen

Indirect comparison of efficacy between different antibiotic prophylaxis against the intracranial infection after craniotomy

Many studies had shown that prophylactic use of antibiotics could significantly reduce the intracranial infection (ICI) rate of craniotomy. However, there has been no comparison of these antibiotics.

Authors: Yulong Cao, Bin Wang, Jiao Shan, Zhizhong Gong, Jiqiu Kuang and Yan Gao

Treating infections with ionizing radiation: a historical perspective and emerging techniques

Widespread use and misuse of antibiotics have led to a dramatic increase in the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria, while the discovery and development of new antibiotics is declining. This has made ce...

Authors: B. van Dijk, J. V. C. Lemans, R. M. Hoogendoorn, E. Dadachova, J. M. H. de Klerk, H. C. Vogely, H. Weinans, M. G. E. H. Lam and B. C. H. van der Wal

Are three antiseptic paints needed for safe preparation of the surgical field? A prospective cohort study with 239 patients

Preoperative skin antisepsis is an essential component of safe surgery. However, it is unclear how many antiseptic paints are needed to eliminate bacteria prior to incision. This study compared microbial skin ...

Authors: Jan A. Roth, Cyrill Schwab, Andrew Atkinson, Markus von Flüe, Christoph Kettelhack, Friedrich S. Eckstein, Manuel Battegay, Steffi Klimke, Reno Frei and Andreas F. Widmer

Severe recurrent Streptobacillus moniliformis endocarditis in a pregnant woman, and review of the literature

Rat bite fever is a systemic febrile illness caused by infection with the Gram-negative bacillus Streptobacillus moniliformis following a bite, scratch, or contact with excrement. Only 26 cases of native valve en...

Authors: Kathryn R. Crofton, Jiqing Ye and Emil P. Lesho

Nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among undocumented migrants and uninsured legal residents in Amsterdam, the Netherlands: a cross-sectional study

Nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is associated with an increased risk of infection. Colonization with MRSA is observed in < 1% of the general Dutch population. Increased risk f...

Authors: E. van Dulm, S. Klok, A. Boyd, I. K. Joore, M. Prins, A. P. van Dam, G. A. Tramper-Stranders and Y. T. H. P. van Duijnhoven

Outbreak of Ralstonia mannitolilytica bacteraemia in patients undergoing haemodialysis at a tertiary hospital in Pretoria, South Africa

Ralstonia species are Gram-negative bacilli of low virulence. These organisms are capable of causing healthcare associated infections through contaminated solutions. In this study, we aimed to determine the sourc...

Authors: Mohamed Said, Wesley van Hougenhouck-Tulleken, Rashmika Naidoo, Nontombi Mbelle and Farzana Ismail

Prevalence and abundance of selected genes conferring macrolide resistance genes in COPD patients during maintenance treatment with azithromycin

Maintenance treatment with macrolide antibiotics has shown to be effective in reducing exacerbations in COPD patients. A major concern with prolonged treatment with antibiotics is the development of bacterial ...

Authors: Remco S. Djamin, Sander Talman, Eefje J. A. Schrauwen, Christian J. H. von Wintersdorff, Petra F. Wolffs, Paul H. M. Savelkoul, Sevim Uzun, René Kerstens, Menno M. van der Eerden and Jan A. J. W. Kluytmans

Comparative efficacy of hospital disinfectants against nosocomial infection pathogens

Due to the increasing rate of hospital-acquired infections, it is essential to select appropriate disinfectant agents. In this study, the efficacy of hospital disinfectants against nosocomial infection pathoge...

Authors: Fahim Amini Tapouk, Ramin Nabizadeh, Nezam Mirzaei, Nima Hosseini Jazani, Mahmood Yousefi and Mohamad Amin Valizade Hasanloei

Identifying targets for antibiotic stewardship interventions through analysis of the antibiotic prescribing process in hospitals - a multicentre observational cohort study

In order to change antibiotic prescribing behaviour, we need to understand the prescribing process. The aim of this study was to identify targets for antibiotic stewardship interventions in hospitals through a...

Authors: Jannicke Slettli Wathne, Brita Skodvin, Esmita Charani, Stig Harthug, Hege Salvesen Blix, Roy M. Nilsen, Lars Kåre Selland Kleppe, Marta Vukovic and Ingrid Smith

A multimodal intervention to improve hand hygiene compliance in peripheral wards of a tertiary care university centre: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Interventions to improve hand hygiene (HH) compliance are a key element in the practice infection prevention and control. It was our objective to assess the effect of a multimodal intervention on HH compliance...

Authors: Seven Johannes Sam Aghdassi, Christin Schröder, Elke Lemke, Michael Behnke, Patricia Manuela Fliss, Carolin Plotzki, Janina Wenk, Petra Gastmeier and Tobias Siegfried Kramer

Molecular analysis of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from four teaching hospitals in Iran: the emergence of novel MRSA clones

The global spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections necessitates the use of validated methods for the identification and typing of this bacterium. This study aimed to determine the ...

Authors: Farzaneh Firoozeh, Mitra Omidi, Mahmood Saffari, Hossein Sedaghat and Mohammad Zibaei

The rapid and visual detection of methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification linked to a nanoparticle-based lateral flow biosensor

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), including methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is an eminent human pathogen that can colonize the human host and cause severe lif...

Authors: Xu Chen, Kai Ma, Xu Yi, Lijuan Xiong, Yu Wang and Shijun Li

Healthcare workers’ perspectives on healthcare-associated infections and infection control practices: a video-reflexive ethnography study in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a global public health problem. For the fulfillment of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the promotion of preventive care medicine through HAI management is a crucial issu...

Authors: Esther Paul, Ibrahim A. Alzaydani Asiri, Ahmed Al-Hakami, Harish C. Chandramoorthy, Sarah Alshehri, C. M. Beynon, Abdullah M. Alkahtani and Ali H. Asiri

Increase of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium strain type ST117 CT71 at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 2008 to 2018

In addition to an overall rise in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm), an increase in certain strain types marked by sequence type (ST) and cluster type (CT) has been reported in Germany over the pa...

Authors: Anna Weber, Friederike Maechler, Frank Schwab, Petra Gastmeier and Axel Kola

The effect of temporary closure and enhanced terminal disinfection using aerosolized hydrogen peroxide of an open-bay intensive care unit on the acquisition of extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

At Makassed Hospital’s open-bay intensive care unit (ICU), enhanced terminal disinfection (ETD) using hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) was performed without a predefined schedule in extensively-drug-resistant Acinetobact...

Authors: Rima Moghnieh, Hani Tamim, Marwa Jadayel, Dania Abdallah, Rasha Al-Kassem, Hind Kadiri, Hani Hafez, Salam Al-Hassan, Lina Ajjour, Rawad Lakkis, Tamima Jisr, Nadia-Lara Samaha and Nicholas Haddad

Gut microbiome signatures of nursing home residents carrying Enterobacteria producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases

The prevalence of extended beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) has been constantly increasing over the last few decades. These microorganisms that have acquired broad antibiotic resistance are...

Authors: Quentin Le Bastard, Guillaume Chapelet, Gabriel Birgand, Benjamin M. Hillmann, François Javaudin, Niki Hayatgheib, Céline Bourigault, Pascale Bemer, Laure De Decker, Eric Batard, Didier Lepelletier and Emmanuel Montassier

Recommendations for the surveillance of multidrug-resistant bacteria in Italian long-term care facilities by the GLISTer working group of the Italian Association of Clinical Microbiologists (AMCLI)

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are an important reservoir of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). Colonization of LTCF residents by MDROs is generally higher in Italy compared to other European countries....

Authors: Richard Aschbacher, Leonardo Pagani, Roberta Migliavacca and Laura Pagani

A population-base survey on knowledge, attitude and awareness of the general public on antibiotic use and resistance

This study was designed to assess the awareness and knowledge of antibiotic usage and antibiotic resistance among the general public in the Cape Coast metropolis of Ghana. It also tries to decipher whether the...

Authors: Clement Yaw Effah, Adwoa Nyantakyiwaa Amoah, Hong Liu, Clement Agboyibor, Lijun Miao, Jing Wang and Yongjun Wu

The 2017 global point prevalence survey of antimicrobial consumption and resistance in Canadian hospitals

Patient-level surveillance (indication, appropriate choice, dosing, route, duration) of antimicrobial use in Canadian hospitals is needed to reduce antimicrobial overuse and misuse. Patient-level surveillance ...

Authors: Charles Frenette, David Sperlea, Greg J. German, Kevin Afra, Jennifer Boswell, Sandra Chang, Herman Goossens, Jennifer Grant, Marie-Astrid Lefebvre, Allison McGeer, Dominic Mertz, Michelle Science, Ann Versporten and Daniel J. G. Thirion

A review of animal health and drug use practices in India, and their possible link to antimicrobial resistance

Livestock production, particularly the dairy sector, is important for food and nutritional wellbeing of communities in India, it supports livelihoods of many farmers, and contributes to the economy of the coun...

Authors: Florence Mutua, Garima Sharma, Delia Grace, Samiran Bandyopadhyay, Bibek Shome and Johanna Lindahl

Containing Carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in an endemic setting

Carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CP-Kp) has been established as important nosocomial pathogen in most tertiary care hospitals in Greece. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of an enhanced...

Authors: Kalliopi Spyridopoulou, Mina Psichogiou, Vana Sypsa, Vivi Miriagou, Amalia Karapanou, Linos Hadjihannas, Leonidas Tzouvelekis and George L. Daikos

The first nationwide multicenter study of Acinetobacter baumannii recovered in Serbia: emergence of OXA-72, OXA-23 and NDM-1-producing isolates

The worldwide emergence and clonal spread of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) is of great concern. The aim of this nationwide study was to investigate the prevalence of CRAB isolates in Serbia ...

Authors: Bojana Lukovic, Ina Gajic, Ivica Dimkic, Dusan Kekic, Sanja Zornic, Tatjana Pozder, Svetlana Radisavljevic, Nataša Opavski, Milan Kojic and Lazar Ranin

Risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by aerosols, the rational use of masks, and protection of healthcare workers from COVID-19

To determine the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by aerosols, to provide evidence on the rational use of masks, and to discuss additional measures important for the protection of healthcare workers from COVID-19.

Authors: Rami Sommerstein, Christoph Andreas Fux, Danielle Vuichard-Gysin, Mohamed Abbas, Jonas Marschall, Carlo Balmelli, Nicolas Troillet, Stephan Harbarth, Matthias Schlegel and Andreas Widmer

Mechanisms affecting the implementation of a national antimicrobial stewardship programme; multi-professional perspectives explained using normalisation process theory

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) describes activities concerned with safe-guarding antibiotics for the future, reducing drivers for the major global public health threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), where...

Authors: Kay Currie, Rebecca Laidlaw, Valerie Ness, Lucyna Gozdzielewska, William Malcom, Jacqueline Sneddon, Ronald Andrew Seaton and Paul Flowers

The association of a reduced susceptibility to moxifloxacin in causative Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile strain with the clinical outcome of patients

To investigate the relationship between Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile strain characteristics and C. difficile infection (CDI) outcome.

Authors: Marcela Krutova, Vaclav Capek, Elka Nycova, Sabina Vojackova, Magda Balejova, Lenka Geigerova, Renata Tejkalova, Lenka Havlinova, Iva Vagnerova, Pavel Cermak, Lenka Ryskova, Petr Jezek, Dana Zamazalova, Denisa Vesela, Alice Kucharova, Dana Nemcova…

Gonococcal resistance can be viewed productively as part of a syndemic of antimicrobial resistance: an ecological analysis of 30 European countries

It is unclear how important bystander selection is in the genesis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Authors: Chris Kenyon, Sheeba S. Manoharan-Basil and Christophe Van Dijck

Effect of urine reflex culturing on rates of cultures and infections in acute and long-term care

Urine cultures are often positive in the absence of a urinary tract infection (UTI). Pyuria is generally considered necessary to diagnose a UTI.

Authors: Chelsea S. Lynch, Andrea Appleby-Sigler, Jacqueline T. Bork, Rohini Davé, Kathy Agnes, Molly Sanikop, Doris Heath, Arlene F. Clark, Kimberly Claeys, Min Zhan and Daniel J. Morgan

The impact of antimicrobial stewardship program implementation at four tertiary private hospitals: results of a five-years pre-post analysis

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs have shown to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and health-care-associated infections (HAIs), and save health-care costs associated with an inappro...

Authors: Awad Al-Omari, Abbas Al Mutair, Saad Alhumaid, Samer Salih, Ahmed Alanazi, Hesham Albarsan, Maha Abourayan and Maha Al Subaie

First report of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance mcr-8.1 gene from a clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate from Lebanon

Colistin is considered as a last resort treatment for infections caused by multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Plasmid-mediated mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes contributed to the global spread of colis...

Authors: Tamara Salloum, Balig Panossian, Ibrahim Bitar, Jaroslav Hrabak, George F. Araj and Sima Tokajian

Poor infection prevention and control standards are associated with environmental contamination with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales and other multidrug-resistant bacteria in Swiss companion animal clinics

Intensive medical care in companion animal clinics could pose a risk for the selection and dissemination of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). Infection prevention and control (IPC) concepts are key measur...

Authors: Janne S. Schmidt, Stefan P. Kuster, Aurélien Nigg, Valentina Dazio, Michael Brilhante, Helene Rohrbach, Odette J. Bernasconi, Thomas Büdel, Edgar I. Campos-Madueno, Stefanie Gobeli Brawand, Simone Schuller, Andrea Endimiani, Vincent Perreten and Barbara Willi

Evaluating infection prevention and control programs in Austrian acute care hospitals using the WHO Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework

Infection prevention and control (IPC) is crucial for patient safety. The World Health Organization (WHO) has released various tools to promote IPC. In 2018, the WHO released the Infection Prevention and Contr...

Authors: Seven Johannes Sam Aghdassi, Andrea Grisold, Agnes Wechsler-Fördös, Sonja Hansen, Peter Bischoff, Michael Behnke and Petra Gastmeier

Successful control of the first carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae outbreak in a Chinese hospital 2017–2019

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is considered as a serious global threat. CRKPs occurred only sporadically in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. Our study aimed to investigate and...

Authors: Jiaying Zhu, Qi Li, Xiaoxia Li, Jianbang Kang, Yan Song, Junli Song, Donghong Yin and Jinju Duan

Critical Reliability Issues of Common Type Alcohol-Based Handrub Dispensers

Hand hygiene can only be efficient if the whole hand surface is treated with sufficient alcohol-based handrub (ABHR); therefore, the volume of handrub applied is a critical factor in patient safety. The proper...

Authors: Száva Bánsághi, Hervé Soule, Chloé Guitart, Didier Pittet and Tamás Haidegger

The epidemiology of carbapenem-non-susceptible Acinetobacter species in Europe: analysis of EARS-Net data from 2013 to 2017

Due to limited therapeutic options and their association with high mortality and morbidity, carbapenem-non-susceptible Acinetobacter spp. (CNA) are of significant public health importance. This study aimed to des...

Authors: Olaniyi Ayobami, Niklas Willrich, Beneditta Suwono, Tim Eckmanns and Robby Markwart

Proposal for a EN 149 acceptable reprocessing method for FFP2 respirators in times of severe shortage

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to health care workers (HCW) poses a major burden in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Unprotected exposure to a COVID-19 patient is a key risk factor for HCWs. Transmission mainly occu...

Authors: Andreas F. Widmer and Gilles Richner

A silent outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a neonatal intensive care unit

To describe the containment of a widespread silent outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE-fm) in the Tel-Aviv Medical Center (TASMC) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Authors: Ronella Marom, Dror Mandel, Alon Haham, Irit Berger, Amit Ovental, Craig Raskind, Galia Grisaru-Soen, Amos Adler, Jonathan Lellouche, David Schwartz, Yehuda Carmeli and Vered Schechner

Effect of extended use N95 respirators and eye protection on personal protective equipment (PPE) utilization during SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Singapore

Authors: Glorijoy Shi En Tan, Kyaw Zaw Linn, Margaret Mei Ling Soon, Shawn Vasoo, Monica Chan, Bee Fong Poh, Oon-Tek Ng, Brenda Sze-Peng Ang, Yee-Sin Leo and Kalisvar Marimuthu

Hand hygiene in surgery in Benin: opportunities and challenges

Hand Hygiene (HH) has been described as the cornerstone and starting point in all infection control. Compliance to HH is a fundamental quality indicator. The aim of this study was to investigate the HH complia...

Authors: Carine Laurence Yehouenou, Angèle Modupe Dohou, Ariane Dessièdé Fiogbe, Marius Esse, Cyriaque Degbey, Anne Simon and Olivia Dalleur

Prevention of severe infectious complications after colorectal surgery using oral non-absorbable antimicrobial prophylaxis: results of a multicenter randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are common complications after colorectal surgery. Oral non-absorbable antibiotic prophylaxis (OAP) can be administered preoperatively to reduce the risk of SSIs. Its efficacy w...

Authors: Tessa Mulder, Marjolein Kluytmans-van den Bergh, Bart Vlaminckx, Daphne Roos, Anne Marie de Smet, Robert de Vos tot Nederveen Cappel, Paul Verheijen, Alexandra Brandt, Anke Smits, Eric van der Vorm, Erik Bathoorn, Boudewijn van Etten, Jacobien Veenemans, Annemarie Weersink, Margreet Vos, Nils van ’t Veer…

Will healthcare workers improve infection prevention and control behaviors as COVID-19 risk emerges and increases, in China?

COVID-19 arise global attention since their first public reporting. Infection prevention and control (IPC) is critical to combat COVID-19, especially at the early stage of pandemic outbreak. This study aimed t...

Authors: Xiaoquan Lai, Xuemei Wang, Qiuxia Yang, Xiaojun Xu, Yuqing Tang, Chenxi Liu, Li Tan, Ruying Lai, He Wang, Xinping Zhang, Qian Zhou and Hao Chen