Evaluation of the statutory surveillance system for invasive MRSA infections in Germany, 2016-2017

Prevalence and risk factors associated with nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant staphylococci in horses and their caregivers

Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat, and pet-associated strains may pose a risk to human health. Equine veterinarians are at high risk of carrying methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS), but specific risk factors remain elusive, and few data are available for other personnel involved in the horse industry. The prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors for nasal carriage of MRS in horses and their caregivers were studied in northwestern Italy. Nasal swabs from 110 asymptomatic horses housed at 21 barns and 34 human caregivers were collected. Data on barns, horses, and personnel were acquired through questionnaires. The samples were incubated in selective media, and the bacterial isolates were identified by mass spectrometry. Risk factors were investigated by Poisson regression. MRS were isolated from 33 horses (30%), 11 humans (32.4%) and 3 environmental samples (14.2%). Most isolates were multidrug resistant (MDRS). The prevalence of MRS and MDRS was greater in racehorses and their personnel than in pleasurable and jumping/dressing horses. MRS carriage in caregivers was associated with an increased prevalence of MRS carriage in horses. The frequency of antimicrobial treatments administered in the barn during the last 12 months was a risk factor for MRS carriage in horses [prevalence ratio (PR) 3.97, 95% CI 1.11, 14.13] and caregivers (PR 2.00, 95% CI 1.05, 3.82), whereas a good ventilation index of the horse tabling environment was a protective factor (PR 0.43, 95% CI 0.20, 0.92). Our data reveal relevant interactions occurring between bacterial communities of horses and humans that share the same environment, suggesting that One Health surveillance programs should be implemented.

Factors Influencing Clinicians' Use of Hospital Information Systems for Infection Prevention and Control: Cross-Sectional Study Based on the Extended DeLone and McLean Model

BACKGROUND

Healthcare-associated infections have become a serious public health problem. Various types of information systems have begun to be applied in hospital infection prevention and control (IPC) practice. Clinicians are the key users of these systems, but few studies have assessed the use of infection prevention and control information systems (IPCISs) from their perspective.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to (1) apply the extended DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success model (D&M model) that incorporates IPC culture to examine how technical factors like information quality, system quality, and service quality, as well as organizational culture factors affect clinicians' use intention, satisfaction, and perceived net benefits, and (2) identify which factors are the most important for clinicians' use intention.

METHODS

A total of 12,317 clinicians from secondary and tertiary hospitals were surveyed online. Data were analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling and the importance-performance matrix analysis.

RESULTS

Among the technical factors, system quality (β=.089-.252; P<.001), information quality (β=.294-.102; P<.001), and service quality (β=.126-.411; P<.001) were significantly related to user satisfaction (R2=0.833), use intention (R2=0.821), and perceived net benefits (communication benefits [R2=0.676], decision-making benefits [R2=0.624], and organizational benefits [R2=0.656]). IPC culture had an effect on use intention (β=.059; P<.001), and it also indirectly affected perceived net benefits (β=.461-.474; P<.001). In the importance-performance matrix analysis, the attributes of service quality (providing user training) and information quality (readability) were present in the fourth quadrant, indicating their high importance and low performance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides valuable insights into IPCIS usage among clinicians from the perspectives of technology and organization culture factors. It found that technical factors (system quality, information quality, and service quality) and hospital IPC culture have an impact on the successful use of IPCISs after evaluating the application of IPCISs based on the extended D&M model. Furthermore, service quality and information quality showed higher importance and lower performance for use intention. These findings provide empirical evidence and specific practical directions for further improving the construction of IPCISs.

Effect of a real-time automatic nosocomial infection surveillance system on hospital-acquired infection prevention and control

Background

The systematic collection of valid data related to hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) is considered effective for nosocomial infection prevention and control programs. New strategies to reduce HAIs have recently fueled the adoption of real-time automatic nosocomial infection surveillance systems (RT-NISSs). Although RT-NISSs have been implemented in some hospitals for several years, the effect of RT-NISS on HAI prevention and control needs to be further explored.

Methods

A retrospective, descriptive analysis of inpatients from January 2017 to December 2019 was performed. We collected hospital-acquired infection (HAI) cases and multidrug resistant organism (MDRO) infection cases by traditional surveillance in period 1 (from January 2017 to December 2017), and these cases were collected in period 2 (from January 2018 to December 2018) and period 3 (from January 2019 to December 2019) using a real-time nosocomial infection surveillance system (RT-NISS). The accuracy of MDRO infection surveillance results over the 3 periods was examined. The trends of antibiotic utilization rates and pathogen culture rates in periods 2 and 3 were also analysed.

Results

A total of 114,647 inpatients, including 2242 HAI cases, were analysed. The incidence of HAIs in period 2 was significantly greater than that in period 1 (2.28% vs. 1.48%, χ2 = 61.963, p < 0.001) and period 3 (2.28% vs. 2.05%, χ2 = 4.767, p = 0.029). The incidence of five HAI sites, including respiratory infection, urinary tract infection (UTI), surgical site infection (SSI), bloodstream infection (BSI) and skin and soft tissue infection, was significantly greater in period 2 compared with period 1 (both p < 0.05) but was not significantly different from that in period 3. The incidence of hospital-acquired MDRO infections in period 3 was lower than that in period 2. The identification of MDRO infection cases using the RT-NISS achieved a high level of sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), especially in period 3 (Se = 100%, Sp = 100%, PPV = 100% and NPV = 100%).

Conclusion

The adoption of a RT-NISS to adequately and accurately collect HAI cases is useful to prevent and control HAIs. Furthermore, RT-NISSs improve accuracy in MDRO infection case reporting, which can timely and accurately guide and supervise clinicians in implementing MDRO infection prevention and control measures.

Molecular Epidemiology of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Bloodstream Infections in Germany: A Population-Based Prospective Longitudinal Study

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) pose a public health challenge worldwide. While VRE bloodstream infections (VREBI) increase in Germany and Europe, population-based molecular data are scarce. We aimed to analyze the molecular epidemiology, demographic aspects, and geographical distribution of VREBI in the German Federal State of North-Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), located in the German-Dutch-Belgian border area, representing over 20% of Germany's population. VREBI isolates were collected from hospitals across NRW between 2016 and 2019. Demographic data were gathered and anonymized upon sample collection. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and identification of glycopeptide resistance were carried out. Epidemiological analysis and geographical mapping were performed. Single VREBI isolates from 755 patients were analyzed. In total, 38.9% were female, and 80.0% were aged ≥ 60 years. The VREBI incidence per 100,000 inhabitants nearly tripled, from 0.52 (2016) to 1.48 (2019), particularly in male patients aged ≥ 50 years. The proportion of vanB reached 83% (n = 202/243) in 2018, overtaking vanA as the predominant glycopeptide resistance determinant, detected in close relation with ST117 isolates. The proportion of MLST sequence type (ST) 117 peaked in 2018, at 78.2% (n = 190/243). The major role of these emerging strains in invasive infections in central Europe requires novel strategies for their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

[Mandatory notification of infectious diseases and agents in Germany: development and suggestions for improvement]

Mit Inkrafttreten des Infektionsschutzgesetzes (IfSG) im Jahr 2001 wurden die Meldepflichten für Infektionskrankheiten und Infektionserreger auf eine neue Basis gestellt. Erstmals wurde zwischen einer Arztmeldepflicht für Infektionskrankheiten und einer Labormeldepflicht für Infektionserreger unterschieden. Ziel war es, durch die Labormeldepflicht Ärzte zu entlasten und dadurch die Meldemoral zu verbessern. Seither ist eine Vielzahl neuer Meldepflichten hinzugekommen.

Ziele dieser Arbeit sind es, die Meldepflichten und die Anzahl der gemeldeten Fälle in Deutschland anhand ihrer Entwicklung darzulegen und zu diskutieren – auch vor dem Hintergrund der vorherigen Regelungen in Deutschland (Bundesseuchengesetz) sowie internationaler und europaweiter Empfehlungen (IHR; EU-Kommissions-Beschlüsse 1999, 2018) – und Verbesserungsvorschläge zu unterbreiten.

Angesichts der erheblichen Zunahme der Meldepflichten und der Meldungen in den letzten Jahren sowie der Möglichkeiten des IfSG, das neben der Meldepflicht weitere Surveillance-Systeme vorsieht, sollte das Meldewesen auf notwendige Meldepflichten fokussiert werden. Die vorgeschlagene Abschaffung der Meldepflicht für Nachweise von Noroviren und Rotaviren könnte in einem ersten Schritt sowohl die Meldenden als auch die Gesundheitsämter entlasten und so ein effizienteres Meldewesen und eine intensivere und bessere Ermittlungsarbeit der Gesundheitsämter ermöglichen.

Delphi-Konsens der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Thoraxchirurgie über das perioperative Management bei onkologischen anatomischen Lungenresektionen

Einleitung Die anatomische Lungenresektion zur kurativen Behandlung einer malignen Grunderkrankung ist die am häufigsten durchgeführte elektive Operation in der onkologischen Thoraxchirurgie. Ziel dieses Projektes war die Erarbeitung eines Konsenses bez. der am häufigsten gestellten Fragen zum Thema perioperatives Management für elektive onkologische Lungenresektionen.

Methodik Die Arbeitsgruppe erarbeitete 2 elektronische Delphi-Fragerunden. Als Konsens wurde eine Übereinstimmung in ≥ 75% definiert. Nach der statistischen Auswertung der Ergebnisse der elektronischen Fragerunde erfolgte eine Expertenkonferenz, die in einer finalen Delphi-Abstimmung versucht hat, weiteren Konsens über strittige Themen zu erreichen.

Ergebnisse 14 Fragen bez. des perioperativen Managements für elektive onkologische Lungenresektionen konnten formuliert und abgestimmt werden. Konsens konnte für folgende Themen erreicht werden: präoperatives infektiologisches Screening, erweiterte lungenfunktionelle Diagnostik bei eingeschränkter Lungenfunktion, Verwendung eines validierten Cardiac-Risk-Assessment-Algorithmus, Überwachung des Patienten postoperativ, Thromboembolieprophylaxe, Kontrollbronchoskopie nach Bronchusmanschettenresektionen oder nach Pneumonektomie sowie Blutgasanalyse vor Entlassung. Für folgende Themen konnte kein Konsens erreicht werden: präoperative endobronchiale mikrobiologische Diagnostik, Spülung der Thoraxhöhle, standardisierte laborchemische Untersuchungen postoperativ.

Fazit Die vorliegende Arbeit fasste die Ergebnisse eines Delphi-Prozesses zusammen, der 2018/2019 mit Experten aus zertifizierten Kliniken oder hochvolumigen thoraxchirurgischen Einheiten geführt wurde. Insgesamt zeigte sich eine sehr hohe Konsensrate bez. des perioperativen Managements bei onkologischen anatomischen selektiven Lungenresektionen. Die präoperative mikrobiologische endobronchiale Diagnostik war der Hauptpunkt, wo ein Konsens nicht erreicht werden konnte.

Evaluation of the German surveillance system for hepatitis B regarding timeliness, data quality, and simplicity, from 2005 to 2014

OBJECTIVES

Germany has a mandatory surveillance system for acute hepatitis B (AHB) with the Protection against Infection Act as the legal basis in place since 2001. An amendment was introduced in 2013. We aimed at evaluating the surveillance systems' performance regarding timeliness, data quality, and simplicity from 2005 to 2014 and at assessing the effect of the amendment on timeliness of AHB surveillance.

STUDY DESIGN

This study is a trend analysis of surveillance data.

METHODS

Aspects of simplicity versus complexity of the surveillance system were assessed by describing data flow, levels of reporting, and data management procedures. Data quality, in terms of data completeness, was evaluated by quantitative indicators, and timeliness was measured in days between different levels of the surveillance system, notification delay, and reporting delay. Trends over time in data quality were analyzed by logistic regression, while negative binomial regression was used to test for trend over time regarding mean notification and reporting delay.

RESULTS

Between January 2005 and December 2014, a total of 22,549 AHB infections were reported at the national level. The data flow of the German AHB surveillance system showed structural characteristics of a complex system. Over the 10-year period, completeness of reporting sex, age, probable route of transmission, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination were 99%, 100%, 25%, and 73%, respectively. However, data quality decreased over the evaluation period. Although notification delay improved over time (incident rate ratio [IRR] = 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.95-0.96; P < 0.05), reporting delay improved only since the amendment (IRR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.70-0.82; P < 0.05). In total, mean notification and reporting delay were 3.0 days and 14.3 days, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The German AHB surveillance system is operating in a timely manner. Although timeliness improved over the evaluation period and the amendment to the Protection against Infection Act succeeded in reducing reporting time, data quality in terms of completeness of information decreased considerably. As improved data completeness is required to adequately design prevention activities, reasons for this decrease should further be explored.