Dramatic increase in vancomycin-resistant enterococci in Germany

Epidemiological trends and susceptibility patterns of bloodstream infections caused by Enterococcus spp. in six German university hospitals: a prospectively evaluated multicentre cohort study from 2016 to 2020 of the R-Net study group

PURPOSE

To analyse recent epidemiological trends of bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by Enterococcus spp. In adult patients admitted to tertiary care centres in Germany.

METHODS

Epidemiological data from the multicentre R-NET study was analysed. Patients presenting with E. faecium or E. faecalis in blood cultures in six German tertiary care university hospitals between October 2016 and June 2020 were prospectively evaluated. In vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), the presence of vanA/vanB was confirmed via molecular methods.

RESULTS

In the 4-year study period, 3001 patients with BSI due to Enterococcus spp. were identified. E. faecium was detected in 1830 patients (61%) and E. faecalis in 1229 patients (41%). Most BSI occurred in (sub-) specialties of internal medicine. The pooled incidence density of enterococcal BSI increased significantly (4.0-4.5 cases per 10,000 patient days), which was primarily driven by VRE BSI (0.5 to 1.0 cases per 10,000 patient days). In 2020, the proportion of VRE BSI was > 12% in all study sites (range, 12.8-32.2%). Molecular detection of resistance in 363 VRE isolates showed a predominance of the vanB gene (77.1%).

CONCLUSION

This large multicentre study highlights an increase of BSI due to E. faecium, which was primarily driven by VRE. The high rates of hospital- and ICU-acquired VRE BSI point towards an important role of prior antibiotic exposure and invasive procedures as risk factors. Due to limited treatment options and high mortality rates of VRE BSI, the increasing incidence of VRE BSI is of major concern.

Antibiotic Resistance Profile of E. coli Isolates from Lettuce, Poultry Manure, Irrigation Water, and Soil in Kumasi, Ghana

Inputs such as irrigation water and poultry manure used in lettuce cultivation have been found to be associated with antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The study assessed the antibiotic resistance profile of Escherichia coli isolated from lettuce, poultry manure, irrigation water, and soil in Kumasi. One hundred and fifty-six samples of lettuce, irrigation water, soil, and manure were collected from three farms over a seven-week cultivation period (seedlings to harvest stage). E. coli were enumerated using standard methods. 98% of the samples were positive for E. coli. Geometric means for lettuce, irrigation water, and soil ranged from 2.0 × 105 to 1.67 × 107 MPN/100 ml while that of manure ranged from 2.0 × 105 to 1.31 × 107 MPN/100 ml. Generally, the microbial load of all parameters on all farms across the weeks was significant and exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) and International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF) standard recommendations for food. Using the Kirby Bauer method, antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed against 225 biochemically confirmed E. coli with twelve antibiotics. Relatively high resistance was recorded for some members of the beta-lactam class: meropenem: 94.2%, ampicillin: 91.9%, cefuroxime: 95.1%, ceftriaxone: 94.7%, and cefotaxime: 94.2%. Eighty of the isolates were screened for extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) production using cefotaxime (CTX) and cefotaxime/clavulanic acid (CTX/CLA) discs and three showed positive: one each from poultry manure, irrigation water, and soil. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed the presence of blaCTX-M gene. The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in vegetables and their production environment is alarming and poses serious health threats to the general public. The presence of blaCTX-M gene in E. coli from a vegetable production site recorded for the first time in Ghana requires enforcement by regulatory bodies on the inappropriate use of antibiotics in the country.

The Role of Stakeholders' Understandings in Emerging Antimicrobial Resistance: A One Health Approach

The increasing misuse of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine and in agroecosystems and the consequent selective pressure of resistant strains lead to multidrug resistance (AMR), an expanding global phenomenon. Indeed, this phenomenon represents a major public health target with significant clinical implications related to increased morbidity and mortality and prolonged hospital stays. The current presence of microorganisms multi-resistant to antibiotics isolated in patients is a problem because of the additional burden of disease it places on the most fragile patients and the difficulty of finding effective therapies. In recent decades, international organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have played significant roles in addressing the issue of AMR. The ECDC estimates that in the European Union alone, antibiotic resistance causes 33,000 deaths and approximately 880,000 cases of disability each year. The epidemiological impact of AMR inevitably also has direct economic consequences related not only to the loss of life but also to a reduction in the number of days worked, increased use of healthcare resources for diagnostic procedures and the use of second-line antibiotics when available. In 2015, the WHO, recognising AMR as a complex problem that can only be addressed by coordinated multi-sectoral interventions, promoted the One Health approach that considers human, animal, and environmental health in an integrated manner. In this review, the authors try to address why a collaboration of all stakeholders involved in AMR growth and management is necessary in order to achieve optimal health for people, animals, plants, and the environment, highlighting that AMR is a growing threat to human and animal health, food safety and security, economic prosperity, and ecosystems worldwide.

Bacteriophages and Their Host Range in Multidrug-Resistant Bacterial Disease Treatment

The rapid emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in recent times has prompted the search for new and more potent antibiotics. Bacteriophages (commonly known as phages) are viruses that target and infect their bacterial hosts. As such, they are also a potential alternative to antibiotics. These phages can be broadly categorized into monovalent (with a narrow host range spectrum and specific to a single bacterial genus) and polyvalent (with a broad host range and specific to more than two genera). However, there is still much ambiguity in the use of these terms, with researchers often describing their phages differently. There is considerable research on the use of both narrow- and broad-host range phages in the treatment of infections and diseases caused by MDR bacteria, including tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infectious diseases. From this, it is clear that the host range of these phages plays a vital role in determining the effectiveness of any phage therapy, and this factor is usually analyzed based on the advantages and limitations of different host ranges. There have also been efforts to expand phage host ranges via phage cocktail development, phage engineering and combination therapies, in line with current technological advancements. This literature review aims to provide a more in-depth understanding of the role of phage host ranges in the effectiveness of treating MDR-bacterial diseases, by exploring the following: phage biology, the importance of phages in MDR bacteria diseases treatment, the importance of phage host range and its advantages and limitations, current findings and recent developments, and finally, possible future directions for wide host range phages.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in hospital settings across European borders: a scoping review comparing the epidemiology in the Netherlands and Germany

The rising prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) is a matter of concern in hospital settings across Europe without a distinct geographical pattern. In this scoping review, we compared the epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. in hospitals in the Netherlands and Germany, between 1991 and 2022. We searched PubMed and summarized the national antibiotic resistance surveillance data of the two countries. We included 46 studies and summarized national surveillance data from the NethMap in the Netherlands, the National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance database in Germany, and the EARS-Net data. In total, 12 studies were conducted in hospitals in the Netherlands, 32 were conducted in German hospitals, and an additional two studies were conducted in a cross-border setting. The most significant difference between the two countries was that studies in Germany showed an increasing trend in the prevalence of VRE in hospitals, and no such trend was observed in studies in the Netherlands. Furthermore, in both Dutch and German hospitals, it has been revealed that the molecular epidemiology of VREfm has shifted from a predominance of vanA towards vanB over the years. According to national surveillance reports, vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium clinical isolates fluctuates below 1% in Dutch hospitals, whereas it follows an increasing trend in German hospitals (above 20%), as supported by individual studies. This review demonstrates that VRE is more frequently encountered in German than in Dutch hospitals and discusses the underlying factors for the difference in VRE occurrence in these two neighboring countries by comparing differences in healthcare systems, infection prevention control (IPC) guidelines, and antibiotic use in the Netherlands and Germany.

Colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms is associated with impaired survival of patients with surgically resected cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) has been shown to impair survival in patients with various malignancies. Despite the increasing spread of MDRO, its impact on patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is unclear. Aim of this study was to analyse the impact of MDRO-colonization on overall prognosis in CCA patients.

METHODS

All patients with surgically resected CCA diagnosed between August 2005 and November 2021 at the University Hospital Frankfurt were screened for MDRO. CCA patients with a positive MDRO screening before or within the first 90 days after diagnosis of CCA were defined as colonized. Patients with a negative MDRO screening were defined as non-colonized.

RESULTS

Hundred and sixty nine patients were included. 32% (n = 54) were screened MDRO positive, while 68% (115) were non-colonized. Median overall survival (OS) for colonized patients was 17.1 months (95% CI = 9-25.2 months) compared to 50 months (95% CI = 37.1-62.8) for MDRO-negative patients (p ≤ .001). Non-cancer-related mortality (p ≤ .001) and infectious-related death (p ≤ .001) was significantly higher in the MDRO-colonized group. In multivariate analysis, MDRO colonization (HR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.4-3.3, p = .001), ECOG 1 (HR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.6-4, p ≤ .001) and N1 status (HR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.6, p = .017) were independent risk factors for OS.

CONCLUSION

MDRO-colonization contributes to poor survival in patients with surgically resected CCA. MDRO surveillance is necessary to optimize clinical management of infections and to potentially reduce mortality in this critical population.

Epidemiological and genetic characteristics of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates in a University Children's Hospital in Germany: 2019 to 2020

BACKGROUND

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) strains are one of the most important pathogens causing nosocomial infections in Germany. Due to limited treatment options and an increased risk for acquisition in immunocompromised children, surveillance to monitor occurrence of VREfm in paediatric clinical facilities is of critical importance. Following an unusual accumulation of VREfm positive patients between April 2019 and August 2020 at Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital in Munich, Germany, our study aimed to identify dynamics and routes of transmission, and analyse the affected population in view of previously described host risk factors for VREfm colonisation or infection.

METHODS

The hospital database was used to collect epidemiological and clinical data of VREfm cases. Descriptive statistical analyses were conducted to outline patient characteristics and depict possible differences between VREfm-colonised and -infected children. An outbreak investigation determining genetic relatedness among VREfm isolates was performed by core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). To examine potential transmission pathways, results of genome analysis were compared with epidemiological and clinical data of VREfm positive patients.

RESULTS

VREfm acquisition was documented in a total of 33 children (< 18 years). Seven VREfm-colonised patients (21.2%), especially those with a haemato-oncological disease (4/7; p = 0.011), showed signs of clinical infection. cgMLST analysis revealed seven distinct clusters, demonstrating a possible connection within each clonal lineage. Additional eight singletons were identified. Comparison with epidemiological and clinical data provided strong evidence for a link between several VREfm positive patients within the hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

A nosocomial spread-at least in part-was the most likely reason for the unusual accumulation of VREfm cases. The study highlights that there is a constant need to increase efforts in hygiene measures, infection control and antibiotic stewardship to combat VREfm transmission events within German paediatric hospitals. Continuous monitoring of adherence to respective policies might reduce the occurrence of clustered cases and prevent future outbreaks.

Effect of Intramuscularly Administered Oxytetracycline or Enrofloxacin on Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci, Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase- and Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Pigs

Simple Summary

Nowadays, there is great concern about the prevalence of multidrug resistant bacteria in food-producing animals since they are potential sources of transmission to humans. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of two antibiotics (oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin) treatments in pigs on resistant bacteria that are considered a threat to public health. This study highlights that the use of oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin in food-producing animals could select resistant bacteria in pig faeces. Special care should be taken to avoid faecal contamination of carcasses during slaughter.

Abstract

Nowadays, there is a great concern about the prevalence of multidrug resistant Enterococcus spp. and Enterobacteriaceae in food-producing animals. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin treatment on vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in pigs. A total of 26 piglets were received and distributed in three groups. Group 1 was treated with enrofloxacin (N = 12), group 2 with oxytetracycline (N = 10) and group 3 did not receive any treatment (control group) (N = 4). A higher number of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium were recovered compared to E. faecalis. In the pigs treated with enrofloxacin, vancomycin resistant E. faecium was found in a higher percentage of animals than in the control group. ESBL-producing E. coli was not detected in rectal samples from control animals. However, it was detected in 17–20% of animals treated with oxytetracycline on days 6 to 17 and in 17–50% of the animals treated with enrofloxacin. Carbapenemase-producing E. coli was isolated in animals treated with oxytetracycline, but not in animals treated with enrofloxacin or in the control group. This study highlights that the use of oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin in food-producing animals could select ESBL and carbapenemase-producing E. coli. Further studies shall be needed to validate the results obtained, considering a more robust and extended experimental design.

Increasing Trend of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci Bacteremia in a Tertiary Care Hospital of South India: A Three-year Prospective Study

Introduction: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are emerging as an important multidrug-resistant pathogen causing nosocomial infections, predominantly bacteremia and urinary tract infections. VRE bacteremia has caused a significant increase in the duration of the hospital stay and mortality and had caused high public health threat due to limited treatment options.

Materials and methods: Between October 2017 and September 2020, all consecutive patients with culture-proven bloodstream infection with Enterococcus species, isolated for the first time, were included in the study. A total of 427 Enterococcus species were identified, and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed and interpreted using Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines.

Results: Of the total 427 Enterococcus species isolated, 63 (45.6%) were VRE. Among them, 51/63 (81%) were Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) and 5/63 (8%) were Enterococcus faecalis. There was an increased trend of VRE rate in the bloodstream infections of 6.12% (2018), 13.2% (2019), and 19.2% (2020). The majority of the VRE patients [43/63 (68%)] were admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs). Vancomycin A (VanA) is the most common phenotype isolated from 51/63(81%) patients.

Conclusion: This increasing trend of VRE bacteremia is a red alert to the clinicians and the infection control practitioners, so that strict antibiotic policies and proper adherence to the infection control practices can be initiated to reduce the VRE rate.

How to cite this article: Sivaradjy M, Gunalan A, Priyadarshi K, Madigubba H, Rajshekar D, Sastry AS. Increasing Trend of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci Bacteremia in a Tertiary Care Hospital of South India: A Three-year Prospective Study. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(8):881–885.

Major bacterial isolate and antibiotic resistance from routine clinical samples in Southern Ethiopia

Currently, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are a challenge for the health care system. Although physicians demand timely drug resistance data to guide empirical treatment, local data is rather scarce. Hence, this study performed a retrospective analysis of microbiological findings at the Hawassa public hospital. Secondary data were retrieved to assess the prevalence and level of drug resistance for the most common bacterial isolates from clinical samples processed at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Out of 1085 clinical samples processed in the microbiology laboratory, the prevalence of bacterial infection was 32.6%. Bacterial bloodstream infection was higher in children than in adults (OR, 4; 95% CI 1.8-14.6; p = 0.005). E. coli and K. pneumoniae were the commonest bacterial isolate both in children (36.8%, 26.3%) and in adults (33.3%, 26.7%) from the urine sample while, the leading bacteria identified from the CSF sample was P. aeruginosa, 37% in children and 43% in adult. In this study, all identified bacterial isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR) ranging from 50 to 91%. The highest proportion of MDR was S. aureus 91.1 followed by K. pneumoniae 87.6%. Since the nationwide investigation of bacterial isolate, and drug resistance is rare in Ethiopia, a report from such type of local surveillance is highly useful to guide empirical therapy by providing awareness on the level resistance of isolates.

Colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms impairs survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction

MDRO-colonization has been shown to impair survival in patients with hematological malignancies and solid tumors as well as in patients with liver disease. Despite the increasing spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO), its impact on patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been studied. We conducted this retrospective study to analyze the impact of MDRO-colonization on overall prognosis in HCC patients.

Materials and methods

All patients with confirmed HCC diagnosed between January 2008 and December 2017 at the University Hospital Frankfurt were included in this study. HCC patients with a positive MDRO screening before or within the first 90 days after diagnosis of HCC were defined as colonized HCC patients, HCC patients with a negative MDRO screening were defined as noncolonized HCC patients.

Results

59 (6%) colonized and 895 (94%) noncolonized HCC patients were included. Enterobacterales with extended-spectrum β-lactamase-like phenotype with or without resistance to fluoroquinolones (ESBL/ ± FQ) were the most frequently found MDRO with 59%, followed by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium with 37%. Colonized HCC patients had more severe cirrhosis and more advanced HCC stage compared to noncolonized HCC patients. Colonized HCC patients showed an impaired survival with a median OS of 189 days (6.3 months) compared to a median OS of 1001 days (33.4 months) in noncolonized HCC patients. MDRO-colonization was identified as an independent risk factor associated with survival in multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

MDRO-colonization is an independent risk factor for survival in patients with HCC highlighting the importance of regular MDRO screening, isolation measures as well as interdisciplinary antibiotic steward-ship programs to guide responsible use of antibiotic agents.

Challenges in interpretation of WGS and epidemiological data to investigate nosocomial transmission of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in an endemic region: incorporation of patient movement network and admission screening

OBJECTIVES

VRE are listed, by the WHO, among the leading resistant pathogens causing greatest public concern; hence the spread and transmission of VRE, especially in hospitalized patients, need to be monitored. Despite the advancements in typing methods since the implementation of WGS for outbreak investigations, data interpretation, especially for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) in an endemic setting, remains challenging. In this study we explored the potential added benefit of incorporating patient movement data and admission screening to accurately estimate the magnitude of an outbreak.

METHODS

We sequenced 73 VREfm isolates from patients with bacteraemia (n = 43) and rectal colonization (n = 30/32). Genetic relatedness was determined by SNP distance (≤10) between isolates. Patient movements were visualized in a movement network, along with contact intensity and rectal colonization status prior to infection onset.

RESULTS

ST117, ST80 and ST203 were the predominant STs in our study population. Forty-four percent (18/41) of VREfm bacteraemia cases were of endogenous origin. SNP analysis of infection and colonization isolates revealed nine clonal groups. Eighty-six percent (37/43) of the patients were visualized in a transmission network due to spatiotemporal overlap. Nineteen out of 43 (44%) belonged to five transmission clusters. Incorporation of prior colonization status revealed that transmission was very likely in only 63% (12/19) of patients in these transmission clusters.

DISCUSSION

Although interpretation of WGS data is challenging, incorporation of patient movement data and colonization status by admission screening of high-risk patients may provide additional resolution when interpreting the magnitude of an outbreak in an endemic setting.

Multiresistant Bacteria Isolated from Intestinal Faeces of Farm Animals in Austria

In recent years, antibiotic-resistant bacteria with an impact on human health, such as extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-containing Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), have become more common in food. This is due to the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry, which leads to the promotion of antibiotic resistance and thus also makes food a source of such resistant bacteria. Most studies dealing with this issue usually focus on the animals or processed food products to examine the antibiotic resistant bacteria. This study investigated the intestine as another main habitat besides the skin for multiresistant bacteria. For this purpose, faeces samples were taken directly from the intestines of swine (n = 71) and broiler (n = 100) during the slaughter process and analysed. All samples were from animals fed in Austria and slaughtered in Austrian slaughterhouses for food production. The samples were examined for the presence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, MRSA, MRCoNS and VRE. The resistance genes of the isolated bacteria were detected and sequenced by PCR. Phenotypic ESBL-producing Escherichia coli could be isolated in 10% of broiler casings (10 out of 100) and 43.6% of swine casings (31 out of 71). In line with previous studies, the results of this study showed that CTX-M-1 was the dominant ESBL produced by E. coli from swine (n = 25, 83.3%) and SHV-12 from broilers (n = 13, 81.3%). Overall, the frequency of positive samples with multidrug-resistant bacteria was lower than in most comparable studies focusing on meat products.

Changing epidemiology of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium: Results of a genome-based study at a regional neurological acute hospital with intensive care and early rehabilitation treatment

Background

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) are an emerging threat worldwide. In Germany, a VRE-belt with higher VREfm prevalences transversing its central east-west axis and including the state of Hesse was previously described. Recently, we detected a predominant VREfm clone in hospitals throughout the Rhine-Main metropolitan area of Hesse.

Aim

Here we expanded our study on VREfm to a regional neurological acute hospital outside of the metropolitan area with patient referrals from throughout Hesse and the neighboring federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Material/Methods

VREfm isolates obtained between 2016-2018 from a regional neurological acute hospital with intensive care and early rehabilitation units were investigated (n=55). Patient data was collected and analyzed together with whole-genome sequencing data to investigate antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants of the VREfm. The population structure of VREfm was investigated using the Core genome-based multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST).

Findings

The average age of the patients was 67.1 years. For 96% of the patients, a previous hospital stay was reported. 64% of the patients were treated with antibiotics. All VREfm harbored the vanB vancomycin resistance gene. The multilocus sequence types (STs) detected changed abruptly from four different STs in 2016 to a predominant ST in 2017 and 2018 (ST117). Most of the ST117 isolates were members of the cgMLST type CT71.

Conclusion

The results indicate a sudden shift of the VREfm population structure from a semi-heterogeneous population to a pre-dominant clone within an interval of two years. Further investigations are warranted to understand the epidemiology and emergence of this clone.

Prevalence and risk factors of colonisation with vancomycin-resistant Enterococci faecium upon admission to Germany's largest university hospital

Background: Hospital-acquired infections due to vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are emerging globally. The aims of our study were to estimate VRE colonisation prevalence in patients upon admission, to determine possible risk factors for VR E. faecium acquisition that already exist in the outpatient setting, and to monitor whether VRE-colonised patients developed a VRE infection during their current hospital stay.

Methods: In 2014 and 2015, patients admitted to non-intensive care units were screened for rectal VRE carriage. The study patients filled out a questionnaire on potential risk factors. Analyses were restricted to VR E. faecium carriage. All patients with VRE colonisation were retrospectively monitored for infections with VRE during their current hospital stay.

Results: In 4,013 enrolled patients, the VRE colonisation prevalence upon admission was 1.2% (n=48), and colonisation prevalence was 1.1% (n=45) for VR E. faecium. Only one VRE-colonised patient developed an infection with the detection of a VRE, among others. Colonisation with VR E. faecium was associated with current antibiotic use. Risk factors of VR E. faecium colonisation upon admission were increasing age, previous colonisation or infection with multidrug resistant organisms, sampling year 2015, and, within the previous six months, antibiotic exposure, a stay at a rehabilitation center, and a hospital stay.

Conclusions: We observed that antibiotic treatment which occurred prior admission influenced VR E. faecium prevalence upon admission. Thus, wise antibiotic use in outpatient settings plays a major role in the prevention of VR E. faecium acquisition.

Increasing proportion of vancomycin-resistance among enterococcal bacteraemias in Switzerland: a 6-year nation-wide surveillance, 2013 to 2018

Background

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), mostly Enterococcus faecium, are multidrug-resistant microorganisms that can cause nosocomial infections. VRE has increased throughout many European countries, but data from Switzerland are scarce.

Aim

The aim of this work was to characterise the epidemiology of enterococcal bacteraemias in Switzerland with a focus on VRE.

Methods

In this observational study, we retrospectively investigated bacteraemias from 81 healthcare institutions from January 2013 to December 2018 using data from the Swiss Centre for Antibiotic Resistance. Only the first blood isolate with E. faecalis or E. faecium from an individual patient was considered. We analysed the annual incidences of enterococcal bacteraemias and determined the proportion of VRE over time. We also assessed epidemiological factors potentially associated with VRE bacteraemia.

Results

We identified 5,369 enterococcal bacteraemias, of which 3,196 (59.5%) were due to E. faecalis and 2,173 (40.5%) to E. faecium. The incidence of enterococcal bacteraemias increased by 3.2% per year (95% confidential interval (CI): 1.6–4.8%), predominantly due to a substantial increase in E. faecalis bacteraemic episodes. Vancomycin resistance affected 30 (1.4%) E. faecium and one E. faecalis bacteraemic episodes. Among all E. faecium bacteraemias, the proportion of vancomycin-resistant isolates increased steadily from 2013 to 2018 (2% per year; 95% CI: 1.5–2.9%). No independent epidemiological factor for higher prevalence of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium bacteraemias was identified.

Conclusions

Vancomycin-resistant E. faecium bacteraemias remain infrequent in Switzerland. However, an important increase was observed between 2013 and 2018, highlighting the need for implementing active surveillance and targeted prevention strategies in the country.

Incidence, impact and risk factors for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in patients with major trauma: a European Multicenter Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION

The burden of MDRO in health systems is a global issue, and a growing problem. We conducted a European multicenter cohort study to assess the incidence, impact and risk factors for multidrug-resistant organisms in patients with major trauma. We conducted this study because the predictive factors and effects of MDRO in severely injured patients are not yet described. Our hypothesis is that positive detection of MDRO in severely injured patients is associated with a less favorable outcome.

METHODS

Retrospective study of four level-1 trauma centers including all patients after major trauma with an injury severity score (ISS) ≥ 9 admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) between 2013 and 2017. Outcome was measured using the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS).

RESULTS

Of 4131 included patients, 95 (2.3%) had a positive screening for MDRO. Risk factors for MDRO were male gender (OR 1.73 [95% CI 1.04-2.89]), ISS (OR 1.01 [95% CI 1.00-1.03]), PRBC's given (OR 1.73 [95% CI 1.09-2.78]), ICU stay > 48 h (OR 4.01 [95% CI 2.06-7.81]) and mechanical ventilation (OR 1.85 [95% CI 1.01-3.38]). A positive MDRO infection correlates with worse outcome. MDRO positive cases GOS: good recovery = 0.6%, moderate disability = 2.1%, severe disability = 5.6%, vegetative state = 5.7% (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

MDRO in severely injured patients are rare but associated with a worse outcome at hospital discharge. We identified potential risk factors for MDRO in severely injured patients. Based on our results, we recommend a standardized screening procedure for major trauma patients.

[New antibiotics for severe infections due to multidrug-resistant pathogens : Definitive treatment and escalation]

Multidrug-resistant pathogens often lead to treatment failure of antimicrobial regimens. After a period of imbalance between the occurrence/spread of resistance mechanisms and the development of new substances, some new substances have meanwhile been approved and many more are currently undergoing clinical testing. They are particularly effective against specific resistance mechanisms/pathogens and should be preserved for definitive treatment of an isolated pathogen. In the absence of alternatives reserve antibiotics, such as aztreonam and colistin have experienced a renaissance. They are again used in special infection scenarios and clinically tested in combination with new substances. Despite the introduction and development of new substances the building of resistance will at some time also render these (at least partially) ineffective. Therefore, their implementation must be carried out according to the antibiotic or infectious diseases stewardship.

Treatment with Ceftriaxone in Complicated Diverticulitis Increases the Incidence of Intra-Abdominal Enterococcus faecium Detection

Background: Complicated diverticulitis of the sigmoid colon typically is treated by resection after initial antibiotic treatment. Third-generation cephalosporins are the drugs of choice but are not effective against enterococci and can induce colonic colonization by Enterococcus faecium within hours. Infections caused by enterococci, especially E. faecium, are difficult to treat but should be considered in the strategic treatment planning of hospital-acquired peritonitis (e.g., anastomotic leakage), especially in immunocompromised patients. Methods: To determine whether the duration of pre-operative ceftriaxone treatment in complicated diverticulitis increases the incidence of intra-abdominal E. faecium detection, we analyzed all patients operated on for diverticulitis of the sigmoid colon in our department between 2008 and 2016. Results: Analyzing 516 resections performed for complicated diverticulitis, we found that E. faecium generally was detected intra-abdominally more often in the group that underwent longer pre-operative ceftriaxone treatment (≥ 4 days). During primary resection, E. faecium was detected in 2.7%, 11.1%, and 37.0% cases in the group undergoing immediate operation, 1-3 days of antibiotic treatment, and ≥4 days of antibiotic treatment, respectively. Enterococcus faecium was detected in 0, 25.0%, and 70.6% of surgical revisions and 28.6%, 14.3%, and 56.0%, respectively, of incisional surgical site infections with identified pathogens. A multivariable analysis discovered anastomotic leakage and antibiotic treatment lasting ≥4 days to be independent risk factors for intra-abdominal isolation of E. faecium. Conclusion: A ceftriaxone treatment ≥4 days led to a higher incidence of intra-abdominal E. faecium. Our data further suggested that empiric coverage of E. faecium in the treatment of hospital-acquired peritonitis could be beneficial after a long duration of ceftriaxone treatment.

Thirty years of VRE in Germany - "expect the unexpected": The view from the National Reference Centre for Staphylococci and Enterococci

Enterococci are commensals of the intestinal tract of many animals and humans. Of the various known and still unnamed new enterococcal species, only isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis have received increased medical and public health attention. According to textbook knowledge, the majority of infections are caused by E. faecalis. In recent decades, the number of enterococcal infections has increased, with the increase being exclusively associated with a rising number of nosocomial E. faecium infections. This increase has been accompanied by the dissemination of certain hospital-acquired strain variants and an alarming progress in the development of antibiotic resistance namely vancomycin resistance. With this review we focus on a description of the specific situation of vancomycin resistance among clinical E. faecium isolates in Germany over the past 30 years. The present review describes three VRE episodes in Germany, each of which is framed by the beginning and end of the respective decade. The first episode is specified by the first appearance of VRE in 1990 and a country-wide spread of specific vanA-type VRE strains (ST117/CT24) until the late 1990s. The second decade was initially marked by regional clusters and VRE outbreaks in hospitals in South-Western Germany in 2004 and 2005, mainly caused by vanA-type VRE of ST203. Against the background of a certain "basic level" of VRE prevalence throughout Germany, an early shift from the vanA genotype to the vanB genotype in clinical isolates already occurred at the end of the 2000s without much notice. With the beginning of the third decade in 2010, VRE rates in Germany have permanently increased, first in some federal states and soon after country-wide. Besides an increase in VRE prevalence, this decade was marked by a sharp increase in vanB-type resistance and a dominance of a few, novel strain variants like ST192 and later on ST117 (CT71, CT469) and ST80 (CT1065). The largest VRE outbreak, which involved about 2,900 patients and lasted over three years, was caused by a novel and until that time, unknown strain type of ST80/CT1013 (vanB). Across all periods, VRE outbreaks were mainly oligoclonal and strain types varied over space (hospital wards) and time. The spread of VRE strains obviously respects political borders; for instance, both vancomycin-variable enterococci which were highly prevalent in Denmark and ST796 VRE which successfully disseminated in Australia and Switzerland, were still completely absent among German hospital patients, until to date.

[Infections due to multidrug-resistant pathogens : Pathogens, resistance mechanisms and established treatment options]

The increase in resistant pathogens has long been a global problem. Complicated life-threatening infections due to multidrug-resistant pathogens (MRD) meanwhile occur regularly in intensive care medicine. An important and also potentially modifiable factor of the rapid spread of resistance is the irrational use of broad spectrum antibiotics in human medicine. In addition to many other resistance mechanisms, beta-lactamases play an important role in Gram-negative pathogens. They are not uncommonly the leading reason of difficult to treat infections and the failure of known routinely used broad spectrum antibiotics, such as cephalosporins, (acylamino)penicillins and carbapenems. Strategies for containment of MRDs primaríly target the rational use of antibiotics. In this respect interdisciplinary treatment teams, e.g. antibiotic stewardship (ABS) and infectious diseases stewardship (IDS) play a major role.

Management of patients with multidrug-resistant organisms in rehabilitation facilities. Results of a survey in the Rhine-Main region, Germany, 2019

Introduction: Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) are a problem in medical facilities, including rehabilitation facilities in Germany. The national recommendations of the Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention (KRINKO) for prevention of and dealing with patients affected by MDRO are obligatory in rehabilitation facilities. A survey on the management of patients with MDRO in rehabilitation facilities in the Rhine-Main area is presented below. Materials and methods: The questions from a recently published survey in 45 rehabilitation facilities in 26 European countries (Doherty et al., 2019) were largely adopted unchanged: the type, size, and organization of the facility, availability of guidelines on MDRO, screening and (estimated) prevalence of MDRO, as well as special hygiene measures or restrictions for patients with MDRO. Results: 22 of the 43 institutions contacted participated (58%). All facilities had specific recommendations on how to deal with MDRO and more than 95% had adequate hygiene staff. The facilities encompassed 4,369 beds, with 3,909 (89%) of them in single-bed rooms, and only a few offered 3-bed rooms. About 20% of patients in general rehabilitation and 100% in early neurological rehabilitation are screened on admission. Six (27%) facilities refused to accept patients with MDRO. 40% of the facilities treated these patients in their own room and/or in a separate area. 27% of the facilities prohibited eating in the dining room and participating in hydrotherapy. Only 6 (27%) of the rehabilitation centers indicated that patients with MDRO are allowed to participate in full rehabilitation programs. Discussion: In accordance with the results of Doherty et al. (2019), there were many restrictions for rehabilitation patients with MDRO, indicating considerable need for improvement. Necessary hygiene recommendations to avoid the transmission of MDRO must not lead to rejection of inpatient rehabilitation or to less intensive rehabilitation.

Comprehensive integrated NGS-based surveillance and contact-network modeling unravels transmission dynamics of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in a high-risk population within a tertiary care hospital

Vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE) are an important cause of nosocomial infections, which are rapidly transmitted in hospitals. To identify possible transmission routes, we applied combined genomics and contact-network modeling to retrospectively evaluate routine VRE screening data generated by the infection control program of a hemato-oncology unit. Over 1 year, a total of 111 VRE isolates from 111 patients were collected by anal swabs in a tertiary care hospital in Southern Germany. All isolated VRE were whole-genome sequenced, followed by different in-depth bioinformatics analyses including genotyping and determination of phylogenetic relations, aiming to evaluate a standardized workflow. Patient movement data were used to overlay sequencing data to infer transmission events and strain dynamics over time. A predominant clone harboring vanB and exhibiting genotype ST117/CT469 (n = 67) was identified. Our comprehensive combined analyses suggested intra-hospital spread, especially of clone ST117/CT469, despite of extensive screening, single room placement, and contact isolation. A new interactive tool to visualize these complex data was designed. Furthermore, a patient-contact network-modeling approach was developed, which indicates both the periodic import of the clone into the hospital and its spread within the hospital due to patient movements. The analyzed spread of VRE was most likely due to placement of patients in the same room prior to positivity of screening. We successfully demonstrated the added value for this combined strategy to extract well-founded knowledge from interdisciplinary data sources. The combination of patient-contact modeling and high-resolution typing unraveled the transmission dynamics within the hospital department and, additionally, a constant VRE influx over time.

Impact of surface disinfection with hydrogen peroxide on the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in hospital wards

Objective: Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are of major concern in infection control. Although broad infection control actions to check VRE have been implemented, VRE remain part of daily infection prevention in clinical settings. Cleaning procedures in the inanimate ward environment might play a key role in controlling VRE. In order to optimize infection control management at University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany (UHF), this study evaluates the impact of H₂O₂-containing cleaning wipes compared to Glucoprotamin containing wipes on VRE prevalence in intensive care wards.

Methods: Retrospective analyses were conducted of the VRE prevalence on environmental materials obtained from three intensive care units (ICU) at UHF for 17 months prior to (T1) and during the 25 months after (T2) the implementation of H₂O₂-containing cleaning wipes from January 2016 to June 2019. The bactericidal power of the two disinfectants against VRE was compared using the 4-field test according to EN 16615 (2015).

Results: At T1 and T2, n=666 and n=710 environmental samples, respectively, were obtained. At T1, 24.2% (n=161/666; 95% confidence interval: 21.0–27.6) and at T2, 6.9% (n=49/710; 5.1–9.0) samples were positive for VRE. In vitro disinfectant testing did not reveal any superiority of H₂O₂ over glucoprotamin. No effect on the VRE prevalence in patients’ rectal screening materials was observed.

Conclusion: Though Glucoprotamin and H₂O₂ were in vitro equally effective against VRE, the prevalence of VRE in ICU environment at UHF decreased after implementation of H₂O₂-containig wipes. This might be due to multiple factors, of which we consider the impact of the Hawthorne effect to be the strongest. Success of infection control strategies might depend on the compliance of the persons critically involved. Transparent information on infection control strategies is suggested to increase compliance and should therefore be considered both in daily infection control and outbreak management.

Antimicrobial Resistance in ESKAPE Pathogens

Antimicrobial-resistant ESKAPE ( Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) pathogens represent a global threat to human health. The acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes by ESKAPE pathogens has reduced the treatment options for serious infections, increased the burden of disease, and increased death rates due to treatment failure and requires a coordinated global response for antimicrobial resistance surveillance. This looming health threat has restimulated interest in the development of new antimicrobial therapies, has demanded the need for better patient care, and has facilitated heightened governance over stewardship practices.

Antimicrobial Resistance in ESKAPE Pathogens

Antimicrobial-resistant ESKAPE ( Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species) pathogens represent a global threat to human health. The acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes by ESKAPE pathogens has reduced the treatment options for serious infections, increased the burden of disease, and increased death rates due to treatment failure and requires a coordinated global response for antimicrobial resistance surveillance. This looming health threat has restimulated interest in the development of new antimicrobial therapies, has demanded the need for better patient care, and has facilitated heightened governance over stewardship practices.

Low prevalence of combined linezolid- and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium from hospital admission screening in an endemic region in Germany

BACKGROUND

The emergence and spread of linezolid and combined linezolid/vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium (LVRE) is a major therapeutic challenge. Due to the unavailability of standardized selective culture media for LVRE screening, the detection of LVRE is laborious and costly. Systematic data on LVRE prevalence are scarce, and therefore, supportive evidence for the correct implementation of preemptive strategies is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the prevalence of LVRE in a vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) endemic area in Germany in admission screening of high-risk patients for multidrug-resistant organisms to assess the necessity of LVRE screening.

METHODS

We performed phenotypic testing for linezolid susceptibility in all patients (n = 2572) admitted to our hospital in the months of January, April, July and October 2018 with a positive VRE culture in their rectal admission screening swab. Eight isolates from seven patients with LVRE colonization were characterized by whole genome sequencing.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight percent (712/2572) of screened patients were colonized by VRE. Seventy percent (497/712) of the isolates were available for testing and whole genome sequencing. A total of 1.4% (7/497) of VRE were LVRE, predominantly due to mutations of 23S rRNA. optrA, poxtA or cfr genes were not detected. Patients with LVRE colonization did not develop LVRE infections during their stay.

CONCLUSION

LVRE prevalence was low, and there was no evidence for the dissemination of linezolid resistance genes. Due to the low prevalence and the low risk of infection due to endogenous LVRE, we do not see the immediate necessity to introduce routine LVRE screening in our hospital.

[Multi-Resistant Bacteria in Patients in Hospitals and Medical Practices as well as in Residents of Nursing Homes in Saxony - Results of a Prevalence Study 2017/2018]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), multi-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MRGN) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in three study groups (hospital patients, residents in nursing homes for the elderly and patients in GP practices) and additionally, risk factors for carriage of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO).

METHODS

Screening for MDRO was performed as a point prevalence study by obtaining nasal, pharyngeal and rectal swabs or stool samples from voluntary participants in 25 hospitals, 14 nursing homes for the elderly as well as 33 medical practices in 12 of 13 districts of Saxony. Suspicious isolates were further examined phenotypically and partially by molecular methods. The participants completed a questionnaire on possible risk factors for MDRO colonisation; the data were statistically evaluated by correlation analyses.

RESULTS

In total, 1,718 persons, 629 from hospitals, 498 from nursing homes and 591 from medical practices, were examined. MDRO was detected in 8.4% of all participants; 1.3% persons tested positive for MRSA, 5.2% for 3MRGN, 0.1% for 4MRGN and 2.3% for VRE. Nine persons were colonized with more than one MDRO. The following independent risk factors could be significantly associated with the detection of MDRO: presence of a degree of care (MDRO), male sex (MDRO/VRE), current antibiosis (MDRO/VRE), antibiosis within the last 6 months (MDRO/MRSA/MRGN/VRE), current tumour disease (MDRO/3MRGN), peripheral artery disease (PAD) (MRSA) as well as urinary incontinence (3MRGN).

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this study represents the first survey of prevalence of different multiresistant pathogen groups in 3 study groups including outpatients in Germany. 3MRGN were the pathogens most frequently detected and were also found in patients of younger age groups. VRE were found almost exclusively in specific clinics. In addition to current and past antibiotic therapy, in particular the presence of PAD for MRSA detection, urinary incontinence for 3MRGN detection and a current tumour disease for MDRO and 3MRGN detection were determined as independent risk factors.

Anamnestic risk factor evaluation of patients carrying carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and/or Acinetobacter baumannii - impact on infection control management at a German University Hospital

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and Acinetobacterbaumannii are of major concern in terms of infection prevention and control. This study evaluated factors that may increase the frequency of Enterobacterales and A. baumannii with carbapenem resistance (CR) in patients admitted to a German University Hospital for implementation of optimized infection control management.

Methods: A five-year-retrospective epidemiological cohort analysis was conducted on anamnestic risk factors for carrying Enterobacterales and/or A. baumannii with CR in patients who were first tested positive for these species at University Hospital Frankfurt (UHF) between January 2013 and June 2018.

Results: 364 patients were tested positive for Enterobacterales and/or A. baumannii with CR, resulting in n=400 bacterial isolates in total, with Klebsiella pneumoniae being the most frequently detected species (n=146/400; 36.5%; 95% confidence interval: 31.8–41.4). In patients who were tested positive for Enterobacterales and/or A. baumannii with CR, any hospital stay within the previous 12 months was the most frequently reported common factor (n=275/364; 75.5%; 70.8–79.9).

Conclusion: A hospital stay within the previous 12 months, including hospitals in Germany and abroad, is a frequent characteristic of patients who tested positive for Enterobacterales and/or A. baumannii with CR. Upon admission, any previous hospital stay of the given patient within the previous 12 months should be determined. Infection control strategies such as screening measures need to be adapted to these patient groups in hospital settings. In order to reflect the varying determinants in “nosocomial” cases in greater detail, the existing criteria used to characterize “nosocomial detection” of gram-negative bacteria with CR should be reviewed.

Bacterial sepsis : Diagnostics and calculated antibiotic therapy

The mortality of patients with sepsis and septic shock is still unacceptably high. An effective calculated antibiotic treatment within 1 h of recognition of sepsis is an important target of sepsis treatment. Delays lead to an increase in mortality; therefore, structured treatment concepts form a rational foundation, taking relevant diagnostic and treatment steps into consideration. In addition to the assumed infection and individual risks of each patient, local resistance patterns and specific problem pathogens must be taken into account during the selection of anti-infective treatment. Many pathophysiologic alterations influence the pharmacokinetics (PK) of antibiotics during sepsis. The principle of standard dosing should be abandoned and replaced by an individual treatment approach with stronger weighting of the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) index of the substance groups. Although this is not yet the clinical standard, prolonged (or continuous) infusion of β‑lactam antibiotics and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can help to achieve defined PK targets. Prolonged infusion is sufficient without TDM, but for continuous infusion, TDM is generally necessary. A further argument for individual PK/PD-oriented antibiotic approaches is the increasing number of infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens in the intensive care unit. For effective treatment, antibiotic stewardship teams (ABS teams) are becoming more established. Interdisciplinary cooperation of the ABS team with infectious disease (ID) specialists, microbiologists, and clinical pharmacists leads not only to rational administration of antibiotics, but also has a positive influence on treatment outcome. The gold standards for pathogen identification are still culture-based detection and microbiologic resistance testing for the various antibiotic groups. Despite the rapid investigation time, novel polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-based procedures for pathogen identification and resistance determination are currently only an adjunct to routine sepsis diagnostics, due to the limited number of studies, high costs, and limited availability. In complicated septic courses with multiple anti-infective therapies or recurrent sepsis, PCR-based procedures can be used in addition to treatment monitoring and diagnostics. Novel antibiotics represent potent alternatives in the treatment of MDR infections. Due to the often defined spectrum of pathogens and the practically (still) absent resistance, they are suitable for targeted treatment of severe MDR infections (therapy escalation). (Contribution available free of charge by "Free Access" [ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00101-017-0396-z ].).

[Antibiotic stewardship : Measures for optimizing prescription of anti-infective agents]

Antibiotic stewardship (ABS) comprises a bundle of different interventions to improve anti-infective treatment in a hospital setting. An important component of ABS interventions is the interdisciplinary approach to infection management. Besides improving infrastructural aspects on a hospital level, including surveillance of the use of anti-infective agents and nosocomial infections, collation and interpretation of statistics on resistance and formulation of local treatment guidelines, ABS teams go to the wards and advise treating physicians on antibiotic therapy. Frequent approaches for optimization are selection of substances, administration route, dosing of medication and duration of treatment. An important overall objective of ABS is the reduction of resistance induction in order to preserve the therapeutic efficiency of antibiotics. A number of studies have shown that this goal can be achieved in different clinical settings without negatively affecting patient outcome. The strategies of ABS can also be applied with no problems to critically ill patients on the intensive care unit.

Antibiotic resistance of blood cultures in regional and tertiary hospital settings of Tyrol, Austria (2006-2015): Impacts & trends

Blood stream infections rank among the top seven causes of death of the general population. The aim of our study was to better understand the epidemiology of BSI in order to improve diagnostics and patient outcome. We used retrospective aggregated laboratory data of blood samples received from all public hospitals in Tyrol, Austria between 2006 and 2015. Microorganisms were categorized into obligatory, facultative, unusual pathogens and contaminants. The distribution, the cumulative incidence and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were compared between the tertiary (TH) and regional peripheral hospitals (PH). Among 256,364 blood samples, 76.1% were from the TH The incidence of obligatory pathogens was 1.7 fold, and up to 3 times higher for facultative, unusual pathogens and contaminants in the TH and increased mainly due to an increase of E.coli, which was the most common isolated pathogen (n = 2,869), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n = 1,439), Enterococcus sp. (n = 953) and Klebsiella sp. (n = 816). The distribution of obligatory pathogens differed between the hospital settings: In the TH Enterococcus sp. accounted for 40.8% and E.coli for 70.4%, respectively, whereas in the PH for 25.4% (p<0.0001) and 57.8%, respectively (p<0.0001) Antibiotic resistance of Gram negative bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus did not change during the observation period. Carbapenem resistance of Klebsiella sp. and vancomycin and linezolid resistance of Enterococcus faecium showed a non-significant increase since 2010 in the TH setting. We concluded that the incidence of BSI in TH was higher compared to PH. We observed higher contamination rates in the TH. We could not interpret the data of coagulase negative staphylococci due to lack of clinical data. We strongly recommend enhancement of training on blood culture sampling to decrease the rate of contamination. Due to differences in pathogen distribution and antimicrobial resistance between different hospital settings we recommend separate treatment guidelines for BSI by hospital setting.

Duration of exposure to multiple antibiotics is associated with increased risk of VRE bacteraemia: a nested case-control study

Background

VRE bacteraemia has a high mortality and continues to defy control. Antibiotic risk factors for VRE bacteraemia have not been adequately defined. We aimed to determine the risk factors for VRE bacteraemia focusing on duration of antibiotic exposure.

Methods

A retrospective matched nested case-control study was conducted amongst hospitalized patients at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2012. Cases who developed a first episode of VRE bacteraemia were matched 1:1 to controls by length of stay, year, specialty and ward type. Independent risk factors for VRE bacteraemia were evaluated using conditional logistic regression.

Results

Two hundred and thirty-five cases were compared with 220 controls. Duration of exposure to parenteral vancomycin, fluoroquinolones and meropenem was independently associated with VRE bacteraemia. Compared with patients with no exposure to vancomycin, those who received courses of 1–3 days, 4–7 days or >7 days had a stepwise increase in risk of VRE bacteraemia [conditional OR (cOR) 1.2 (95% CI 0.4–3.8), 3.8 (95% CI 1.2–11.7) and 6.6 (95% CI 1.9–22.8), respectively]. Other risk factors were: presence of a central venous catheter (CVC) [cOR 8.7 (95% CI 2.6–29.5)]; neutropenia [cOR 15.5 (95% CI 4.2–57.0)]; hypoalbuminaemia [cOR 8.5 (95% CI 2.4–29.5)]; malignancy [cOR 4.4 (95% CI 1.6–12.0)]; gastrointestinal disease [cOR 12.4 (95% CI 4.2–36.8)]; and hepatobiliary disease [cOR 7.9 (95% CI 2.1–29.9)].

Conclusions

Longer exposure to vancomycin, fluoroquinolones or meropenem was associated with VRE bacteraemia. Antimicrobial stewardship interventions targeting high-risk antibiotics are required to complement infection control procedures against VRE bacteraemia.

Enterococcus hirae, Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis show different sensitivities to typical biocidal agents used for disinfection

BACKGROUND

Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis are known nosocomial pathogens. The bactericidal activity of biocidal agents used for disinfection, however, is determined with E. hirae.

AIM

To find out whether E. hirae is a suitable species to evaluate the efficacy of biocidal agents against the clinically relevant species E. faecalis and E. faecium.

METHODS

The bactericidal activity was determined in suspension tests according to EN 13727 using E. faecium ATCC 6057, E. faecalis ATCC 47077 and E. hirae ATCC 10541. Glutaraldehyde, ethanol, benzalkonium chloride, peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite were used with three exposure times per biocide. When major differences in the sensitivity of the three enterococcal species to the respective substance was found, two more replicates were performed. The number of colony-forming units (cfu) was transformed into decimal logarithms. Results from replicate experiments were described with means and standard deviations.

FINDINGS

At a 5-min exposure time, E. hirae was found to be more tolerant to 0.2% glutaraldehyde and 0.0125% peracetic acid compared to E. faecium and E. faecalis, whereas it was more susceptible to 40% ethanol and 3% sodium hypochlorite. Only with 0.00125% benzalkoniumchloride (15 min) was the susceptibility of E. hirae between that of E. faecium and E. faecalis.

CONCLUSIONS

E. hirae is a suitable species when a bactericidal activity should be determined against enterococci with glutaraldehyde and peracetic acid. E. hirae may not be a suitable species for ethanol or sodium hypochlorite if the bactericidal activity should include the clinical pathogens E. faecium and E. faecalis.

Near-ubiquitous presence of a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium ST117/CT71/vanB -clone in the Rhine-Main metropolitan area of Germany

Whole-genome sequencing analysis of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates from the Frankfurt metropolitan region revealed that 78/94 isolates were MLST type ST117, cgMLST complex type CT71 with a common vanB chromosomal insertion site. This indicates circulation of a single VRE clone in a catchment area of 5,000-km² with 3 million inhabitants.

VanA-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium ST1336 isolated from mussels in an anthropogenically impacted ecosystem

We report the occurrence and genomic features of multidrug-resistant vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium vanA belonging to a novel sequence type (designated ST1336), carrying a Tn1546-like element, in marine brown mussels (Perna perna) from anthropogenically affected coastal waters of the Atlantic coast of Brazil, highlighting a potential source of dissemination for related ecosystems, with additional consequences for seafood safety and quality.

Expansion of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium in an Academic Tertiary Hospital in Southwest Germany: a Large-Scale Whole-Genome-Based Outbreak Investigation

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) is a frequent cause of nosocomial outbreaks. In the second half of 2015, a sharp increase in the incidence of VREfm was observed at our university medical center. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to analyze the first isolates of VREfm recovered from patients between 2010 and 2016 (n = 773) in order to decipher epidemiological change, outbreak dynamics, and possible transmission routes. VREfm isolates were analyzed using whole-genome sequencing followed by sequence type extraction and phylogenetic analysis. We examined epidemiological data, room occupancy data, and patient transferals and calculated an intensity score for patient-to-patient contact. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of 38 NGS clusters and 110 single clones. The increase of VREfm was caused mainly by the expansion of two newly introduced NGS clusters, comprising VanB-type strains determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) as sequence type 80 (ST80) and ST117. By combining phylogenetic information with epidemiological data, intrahospital transmission could be demonstrated, however to a lesser extent than initially expected based solely on epidemiological data. The outbreak clones were continuously imported from other hospitals, suggesting a change in the epidemiological situation at a regional scale. By tracking intrahospital patient transferals, two major axes could be identified that contributed to the spread of VREfm within the hospital. NGS-based outbreak analysis revealed a dramatic change in the local and regional epidemiology of VREfm, emphasizing the role of health care networks in the spread of VREfm.

Antibiotic ResistanceCan Be Enhanced in Gram-Positive Species by Some Biocidal Agents Used for Disinfection

Some biocidal agents used for disinfection have been described to enhance antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative species. The aim of this review was therefore to evaluate the effect of 13 biocidal agents at sublethal concentrations on antibiotic resistance in Gram-positive species. A MEDLINE search was performed for each biocidal agent on antibiotic tolerance, antibiotic resistance, horizontal gene transfer, and efflux pump. Most data were reported with food-associated bacterial species. In cells adapted to benzalkonium chloride, a new resistance was most frequently found to ampicillin (seven species), cefotaxime and sulfamethoxazole (six species each), and ceftazidime (five species), some of them with relevance for healthcare-associated infections such as Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis. With chlorhexidine, a new resistance was often found to imipenem (ten species) as well as cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and tetracycline (seven species each). Cross-resistance was also found with triclosan and ceftazidime (eight species), whereas it was very uncommon for didecyldimethylammonium chloride or hydrogen peroxide. No cross-resistance to antibiotics has been described after low level exposure to glutaraldehyde, ethanol, propanol, peracetic acid, octenidine, povidone iodine, sodium hypochlorite, and polyhexanide. Preference should be given to disinfectant formulations based on biocidal agents with a low or no selection pressure potential.

Bloodstream infections with vancomycin-resistant enterococci are associated with a decreased survival in patients with hematological diseases

Enterococcus species are commensals of the human gastrointestinal tract with the ability to cause invasive infections. For patients with hematological diseases, enterococcal bloodstream infections (BSI) constitute a serious clinical complication which may even be aggravated if the pathogen is vancomycin-resistant. Therefore, we analyzed the course of BSI due to vancomycin-susceptible enterococci (VSE) in comparison to vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) on patient survival. In this retrospective single-center study, BSI were caused by VRE in 47 patients and by VSE in 43 patients. Baseline patient characteristics were similar in both groups. Concerning infection-related characteristics, an increased CRP value and an increased rate of prior colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms were detected in the VRE BSI group. More enterococcal invasive infections were found in the VSE group. The primary endpoint, overall survival (OS) at 30 days after BSI, was significantly lower in patients with VRE BSI compared to patients with VSE BSI (74.5% vs. 90.7%, p = 0.039). In a multivariate regression analysis, VRE BSI and a Charlson comorbidity index higher than 4 were independent factors associated with 30-day mortality. Moreover, we found that VRE with an additional teicoplanin resistance showed a trend towards an even lower OS.

Decrease of methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus in nosocomial infections in Germany-a prospective analysis over 10 years

OBJECTIVES

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains an important cause of healthcare-associated infections. Here, we describe the development of methicillin-resistant isolates among nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus (SA) infections in Germany between 2007 and 2016.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the voluntary German national nosocomial Infection Surveillance System. Data on bloodstream infections (BSI) and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) were derived from intensive care units (ICU), whereas data on surgical site infections (SSI) were collected from surgical departments (SD). Univariate analysis was performed on trend of proportion, while multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for MRSA-infections.

RESULTS

Data of 1218 ICU and 1,556 SD were included. Overall, a decrease in the proportion of MRSA among all nosocomial SA-infections from 32.8% to 20.0% was noted. MRSA decreased from 37.1% to 21.8% (p = 0.01) for BSI, from 38.7% to 19.2% for LTRI (p < 0.01) and. from 21.1% to 7.4% (p < 0.01) in SSI. Logistic regression revealed that SA-infections in Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania were more likely caused by MRSA (Odds ratio (OR): 2.5; 95% CI: 1.7, 3.6).

CONCLUSION

We observed a significant reduction of the proportion of nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus infections due to MRSA in Germany over the course of the last 10 years.

The importance of adjusting for enterococcus species when assessing the burden of vancomycin resistance: a cohort study including over 1000 cases of enterococcal bloodstream infections

Background

Infections caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are on the rise worldwide. Few studies have tried to estimate the mortality burden as well as the financial burden of those infections and found that VRE are associated with increased mortality and higher hospital costs. However, it is unclear whether these worse outcomes are attributable to vancomycin resistance only or whether the enterococcal species (Enterococcus faecium or Enterococcus faecalis) play an important role. We therefore aimed to determine the burden of enterococci infections attributable to vancomycin resistance and pathogen species (E. faecium and E. faecalis) in cases of bloodstream infection (BSI).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study on patients with BSI caused by Enterococcus faecium or Enterococcus faecalis between 2008 and 2015 in three tertiary care hospitals. Data was collected on true hospital costs (in €), length of stay (LOS), basic demographic parameters, and underlying diseases including the results of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). We used univariate and multivariable regression analyses to compare risk factors for in-hospital mortality and length of stay (i) between vancomycin-susceptible E. faecium- (VSEm) and vancomycin-susceptible E. faecalis- (VSEf) cases and (ii) between vancomycin-susceptible E. faecium- (VSEm) and vancomycin-resistant E. faecium-cases (VREm). We calculated total hospital costs for VSEm, VSEf and VREm.

Results

Overall, we identified 1160 consecutive cases of BSI caused by enterococci: 596 (51.4%) cases of E. faecium BSI and 564 (48.6%) cases of E. faecalis BSI. 103 cases of E. faecium BSI (17.3%) and 1 case of E. faecalis BSI (0.2%) were infected by vancomycin-resistant isolates. Multivariable analyses revealed (i) that in addition to different underlying diseases E. faecium was an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality and prolonged hospital stay and (ii) that vancomycin-resistance did not further increase the risk for the described outcomes among E. faecium-isolates. However, the overall hospital costs were significantly higher in VREm-BSI cases as compared to VSEm- and VSEf-BSI cases (80,465€ vs. 51,365€ vs. 31,122€ p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our data indicates that in-hospital mortality and infection-attributed hospital stay in enterococci BSI might rather be influenced by Enterococcus species and underlying diseases than by vancomycin resistance. Therefore, future studies should consider adjusting for Enterococcus species in addition to vancomycin resistance in order to provide a conservative estimate for the burden of VRE infections.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13756-018-0419-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Reduction of nosocomial bloodstream infections and nosocomial vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium on an intensive care unit after introduction of antiseptic octenidine-based bathing

BACKGROUND

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) is emerging in German intensive care units (ICUs). On a 32-bed surgical ICU at a university hospital, increasing numbers of nosocomial cases occurred despite enforcement of hand hygiene and environmental disinfection.

AIM

To introduce universal octenidine-based bathing in order to reduce the burden of VRE.

METHODS

Between January 2012 and March 2014, patients were screened for VRE on admission and twice weekly. Active surveillance was undertaken for VRE infections and colonizations, and for bloodstream infections (BSI) with any pathogen. Intervention in this before-after study comprised of standardized octenidine-based bathing. Distinct subgroups of VRE colonizations or infections were defined and used for statistical analysis of frequency, prevalence and incidence density.

FINDINGS

In the pre-intervention period (January 2012 to April 2013), the admission prevalence of VRE was 4/100 patients and the mean incidence density of nosocomial cases was 7.55/1000 patient-days (PD). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis revealed prevalence of three vanA and two vanB clusters. In the post-intervention period (August 2013 to March 2014), the admission prevalence of VRE was 2.41/100 patients and the mean incidence density of nosocomial cases was 2.61/1000 PD [P = 0.001 (pre- vs post-intervention)]. Thirteen nosocomial VRE infections were identified in the pre-intervention period, compared with one nosocomial VRE infection in the post-intervention period. Incidence densities of BSI pre- and post-intervention were 2.98 and 2.06/1000 PD (P = 0.15), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The epidemiology of emerging VRE appeared as a complex mix of admitted cases and transmissions in small clusters, challenging infection control measures. The implementation of universal octenidine-based bathing combined with a standardized washing regime led to a significant reduction in nosocomial VRE.

[Enterococci and surgical site infections : Causal agent or harmless commensals?]

BACKGROUND

The role of enterococci in the context of peritonitis and surgical site infections (SSI) has not yet been definitively clarified but enterococci are being detected more frequently. Numerous resistances reduce the available antibiotic options.

OBJECTIVE

This article gives an overview of the pathogenic importance of enterococci and of current recommendations for therapy and prophylaxis. On the basis of our own data we discuss the relevance of enterococci for SSI.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All colorectal resections carried out between January 2008 and September 2016 were retrospectively documented. Revision surgery, SSI and intra-abdominally or subcutaneously detected pathogens were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 2713 interventions were evaluated with 28.3% having primary peritonitis. In 587 patients (21.6%) SSI followed, and pathogen determination was possible in 431 cases (73.4%). Enterococci were frequently found in re-operations (58.4%) and SSI (46.1%), with E. faecalis and E. faecium in approximately equal proportions. If intra-abdominal enterococci were detectable in patients with primary peritonitis, it was more common to develop SSI and enterococci were more frequently detected subcutaneously. Enterococci in SSI were found to be significantly more frequent in left hemicolectomies as well as in pre-existing renal insufficiency.

CONCLUSION

It can be inferred that enterococci are not adequately covered by commonly used perioperative antibiotic therapy or preoperative prophylaxis, which increases the risk for SSI by enterococci. This could be favored by selection of these pathogens due to the use of antibiotics without enterococcal efficacy (e. g. cephalosporins). The consideration in the choice of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis by the additional administration of ampicillin or vancomycin could be advantageous.

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium at a university hospital in Taiwan, 2002-2015: Fluctuation of genetic populations and emergence of a new structure type of the Tn1546-like element

BACKGROUND/PURPOSES

Vancomycin resistance increased significantly to 31.3% among Enterococcus faecium in 2006 and remained high thereafter at a university hospital in Taiwan. A longitudinal study was retrospectively conducted to characterize these vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE-fm).

METHODS

A total of 378 non-repetitive VRE-fm blood isolates collected during 2002-2015 were studied. Multilocus sequence typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, analysis of van genes and the Tn1546 structure, and conjugation experiments were performed.

RESULTS

The majority (78.0%) of the isolates were associated with hospital-acquired infections. Molecular typing revealed nine major pulsotypes and five predominant sequence types (STs): ST17 (33.9%), ST78 (18.3%), ST414 (14.6%), ST18 (10.6%), and ST203 (7.4%). Fluctuation of these prevailing STs among the study years in association with some major pulsotypes was noted. All isolates carried vanA genes, except that in four isolates vanB genes were found. Among the vanA-carrying Tn1546-like elements, one predominant structure type (Type I, 55.9%) was noted throughout the study years. Since 2009, another predominant structure type (Type II, 40.1%) has emerged firstly in ST414 and gradually spread to other 11 STs in subsequent years. Isolates carrying these Type II Tn1546-like elements have become the most predominant population since 2014, majorly found in ST78 and ST17. Preliminary experiments indicated that plasmids carrying the Type II Tn1546-like elements demonstrated ten-fold higher efficiency than those carrying the Type I Tn1546-like elements.

CONCLUSION

Dissemination of some major STs and horizontal transfer of plasmids carrying two major structure types of Tn1546-like elements may have together contributed to the increase of VRE-fm infection.

[Bacterial sepsis : Diagnostics and calculated antibiotic therapy]

The mortality of patients with sepsis and septic shock is still unacceptably high. An effective antibiotic treatment within 1 h of recognition of sepsis is an important target of sepsis treatment. Delays lead to an increase in mortality; therefore, structured treatment concepts form a rational foundation, taking relevant diagnostic and treatment steps into consideration. In addition to the assumed focus and individual risks of each patient, local resistance patterns and specific problem pathogens must be taken into account for selection of anti-infection treatment. Many pathophysiological alterations influence the pharmacokinetics of antibiotics during sepsis. The principle of standard dosing should be abandoned and replaced by an individual treatment approach with stronger weighting of the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) index of the substance groups. Although this is not yet the clinical standard, prolonged (or continuous) infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can help to achieve defined PK targets. Prolonged infusion is sufficient without TDM but for continuous infusion TDM is basically necessary. A further argument for individual PK/PD-oriented antibiotic approaches is the increasing number of infections due to multidrug resistant pathogens (MDR) in the intensive care unit. For effective treatment antibiotic stewardship teams (ABS team) are becoming more established. Interdisciplinary cooperation of the ABS team with infectiologists, microbiologists and clinical pharmacists leads not only to a rational administration of antibiotics but also has a positive influence on the outcome. The gold standards for pathogen detection are still culture-based detection and microbiological resistance testing for the various antibiotic groups. Despite the rapid investigation time, novel polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based procedures for pathogen identification and resistance determination, are currently only an adjunct to routine sepsis diagnostics due to the limited number of studies, high costs and limited availability. In complicated septic courses with multiple anti-infective treatment or recurrent sepsis, PCR-based procedures can be used in addition to therapy monitoring and diagnostics. Novel antibiotics represent potent alternatives in the treatment of MDR infections. Due to the often defined spectrum of pathogens and the practically absent resistance, they are suitable for targeted treatment of severe MDR infections (therapy escalation).

Timepoints of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus colonization predict outcomes of acute myeloid leukemia patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

BACKGROUND

In hematology and oncology, in particular in the setting of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE) colonization rates are high due to previous hospital stays and preceding antibiotic treatment and colonized patients have a lower overall survival (OS).

OBJECTIVE

We reanalyzed our previously published cohort, to unravel which colonization timepoints before and during allo-HSCT might be predictive for the subsequent outcome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We report about 268 patients with acute myeloid leukemia receiving an allo-HSCT between 2006 and 2016.

RESULTS

We identified 129 never-colonized patients, 15 previously colonized patients (positive only before admission for allo-HSCT), 41 persistently colonized patients (positive before and at admission for allo-HSCT), and 83 newly colonized patients (positive only during allo-HSCT). Persistently and newly colonized patients had a worse 60 months OS due to increased incidence of non-relapse-related mortality (NRM) than never-colonized patients (OS: never-colonized: 61.0% vs persistently colonized: 43.5%; P = 0.023 vs newly colonized: 45.6%; P = 0.046). In contrast, OS and NRM of never-colonized and previously colonized patients as well as between persistently and newly colonized patients were similar.

CONCLUSION

Patients can lose their VRE colonization status and acquisition of VRE during inpatient stay for allo-HSCT decreases survival to a similar extend as persistent colonization.

Outbreak report: a nosocomial outbreak of vancomycin resistant enterococci in a solid organ transplant unit

Background

Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) are an emerging problem in health care settings. The purpose of the investigation was to assess the extent of the outbreak including environmental contamination and to limit further transmission.

Methods

We used retrospective patient and laboratory data including pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing and virulence and resistance gene analysis. For comparison of medians the Mann-Whitney and for comparison of proportions the Fisher exact tests were used.

Results

PFGE typing of VRE strains of an outbreak of 15 VRE cases in a solid transplant unit revealed that nine of the cases belonged to one identical pattern (A), which was only found twice in the environment. Eleven further positive environmental samples showed a different, but identical PFGE pattern E. Only one patient was infected with this environmental strain.

Two of nine (22.2%) PFGE A, but nine of eleven (81.2%) PFGE E samples were positive for gelatinase E (p = 0.01), which is described as enhancing biofilm production, suggesting a survival benefit for this strain on inanimate surfaces.

Conclusion

Routine disinfection was not able to stop the cluster, but after repeated enforcement of the infection prevention and control (IPC) bundle such as training, strict adherence to hand hygiene and surface disinfection no further cases were observed. We conclude that certain VRE strains predominate in the environment whereas others predominate in humans. Enforcement of the IPC bundle is essential for controlling VRE outbreaks and reducing further transmission.