Point-prevalence survey of hospital acquired infections in three acute care hospitals in Northern Nigeria

Investigation of hospital-acquired infections prevalence and analysis of influencing factors: a case study of a specialized infectious disease hospital in Chongqing, 2017-2023

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and their main influencing factors in a specialized infectious disease hospital in Chongqing from 2017 to 2023, providing reference for the formulation of precise infection control measures.

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional survey method was employed, combining bedside investigations with medical record reviews. Surveys were conducted on all hospitalized patients on a certain day of the last week of October each year from 2017 to 2023. Data collected included patients' basic information, diagnosis, and hospital infection status. Statistical analysis, including retrospective case-control and multivariable logistic regression analysis, was performed to identify the risk factors for hospital infections.

Results

The investigation compliance rate for the prevalence of HAIs in the specialized infectious disease hospital in Chongqing from 2017 to 2023 was greater than 96% each year. The prevalence rate of HAIs ranged from 0.89 to 2.52%. Hospital infection departments were mainly concentrated in general internal medicine, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS departments, accounting for 31.25, 26.25, and 23.75%, respectively. The most common infection site was the lower respiratory tract (54.22%), followed by bloodstream and urinary tract infections, each accounting for 9.64%. The predominant pathogens of hospital infections were Klebsiella pneumoniae and fungi. The utilization rate of antimicrobial drugs ranged from 20.75 to 33.25%, primarily for monotherapy. The rate of pathogen testing for therapeutic antimicrobial drug use was 82.84%, meeting national requirements. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the use of antibiotic (OR = 7.46, 95%CI 2.54-21.89, p < 0.001) and the presence of cardiovascular diseases (OR = 26.69, 95%CI 6.69-106.54, p < 0.001) increased the risk of HAIs.

Conclusion

The prevalence of HAIs in specialized infectious disease hospitals remains stable, primarily concentrated in departments such as general internal medicine, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. The lower respiratory tract is the main infection site, and comorbid cardiovascular diseases and antibiotic use are risk factors for HAIs. Therefore, to reduce the risk of hospital infections, it is necessary to strengthen the daily monitoring of key departments and the care of key patients. Further implementation of precise and effective infection control measures, including rational antibiotic use, regular infection monitoring and pathogen culture is warranted.

Prevalence of Healthcare-Associated Infections in a Tertiary Hospital in Casablanca, Morocco, 2021

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals experienced an increased workload, which may have affected infection prevention and control (IPC) programs and consequently healthcare-associated infection (HAI) rates. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of HAI in Ibn Rochd University Hospital Center (IRUHC) and identify associated factors.

METHODS

A survey was conducted on November 30, 2021 at IRUHC, including all patients hospitalized for at least 48 hours. Data was collected using a questionnaire, and analyzed using SPSS IBM software version 16. The significance level was set at 0.05.

RESULTS

Among 887 patients, the prevalence of HAI was 9.7% (7.7%; 11.6%). The highest prevalence was observed in intensive care units (ICUs) (44.2%). Nosocomial pneumonia was the most common site (26.8%). The main isolated microorganisms were Acinetobacter baumannii (18.0%) and Escherichia coli (16.0%). All Acinetobacter baumannii isolated strains were imipenem-resistant. The presence of HAI was significantly associated with the presence of an invasive medical device (p<0.001), a higher physical status score of American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) (p<0.001), and a longer hospital stay (p<0.001). Conclusion : The emergence of imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (IRAB) represents a serious therapeutic and epidemiological problem requiring the establishment of a system for monitoring the microbial environment and the application of strict hygiene measures.

Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use at a major referral hospital in Papua New Guinea: a point prevalence survey

Background

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and antimicrobial use (AMU) are drivers for antimicrobial resistance, and robust data are required to inform interventions and track changes. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of HAI and AMU at Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH), the largest hospital in Papua New Guinea.

Methods

We did a point prevalence survey (PPS) on HAI and AMU at PMGH in May 2023 using the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) PPS protocol. We included all critical care patients and randomly sampled half of the patients in other acute-care wards. We calculated weighted HAI and AMU prevalence estimates to account for this sampling strategy. Weighted HAI estimates were also calculated for an expanded definition that included physician diagnosis.

Findings

Of 361 patients surveyed in 18 wards, the ECDC protocol identified 28 HAIs in 26 patients, resulting in a weighted HAI prevalence of 6.7% (95% CI: 4.6, 9.8). Surgical site infections (9/28, 32%) were the most common HAI. When adding physician diagnosis to the ECDC definitions, more skin and soft tissue, respiratory, and bloodstream HAIs were detected, and the weighted HAI prevalence was 12.4% (95% CI: 9.4, 16.3). The prevalence of AMU was 66.5% (95%CI: 61.3, 71.2), and 73.2% (263/359) of antibiotics were from the World Health Organization Access group.

Interpretation

This is the first reported hospital PPS of HAI and AMU in Papua New Guinea. These results can be used to prioritise interventions, and as a baseline against which future point prevalence surveys can be compared.

Funding

Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Therapeutic Guidelines Limited Australia.

Point prevalence surveys of antibiotic prescribing in children at a tertiary hospital in a resource constraint, low-income sub-Saharan African country-the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship program

BACKGROUND

Resistance to multiple antibiotics by several pathogens has been widely described in children and has become a global health emergency. This is due to increased use by parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers. This study aims to describe the prevalence rates of antibiotic prescribing, ascertain the impact of antimicrobial stewardship programs, and target improving the quality of antibiotic prescribing in the paediatric population over time in a hospital.

METHOD

A point prevalence survey of antibiotic use was performed yearly for 4 years to monitor trends in antibiotic prescribing. Data from all patients admitted before 8 a.m. on the day of the PPS were included. A web-based application designed by the University of Antwerp was used for data entry, validation, and analysis ( http://www.global-pps.com ).

RESULTS

A total of 260 children, including 90 (34.6%) neonates and 170 (65.4%) older children, were admitted during the four surveys. Overall, 179 (68.8%) patients received at least one antibiotic. In neonates, the prevalence of antibiotic use increased from 78.9 to 89.5% but decreased from 100 to 58.8% in older children. There was a reduction in the use of antibiotics for prophylaxis from 45.7 to 24.6%. The most frequently prescribed antibiotic groups were third generation cephalosporins and aminoglycosides. The most common indications for antibiotic prescription were sepsis in neonates and central nervous system infection in older children. The documentation of reason in notes increased from 33 to 100%, while the stop-review date also increased from 19.4 to 70%.

CONCLUSION

The indicators for appropriate antibiotic prescription improved over time with the introduction of antibiotic stewardship program in the department.

Point prevalence of evidence-based antimicrobial use among hospitalized patients in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Excessive and improper use of antibiotics causes antimicrobial resistance which is a major threat to global health security. Hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the highest prevalence of antibiotic use. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled point prevalence (PPP) of evidence-based antimicrobial use among hospitalized patients in SSA. Literature was retrieved from CINAHL, EMBASE, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Meta-analysis was conducted using STATA version 17. Forest plots using the random-effect model were used to present the findings. The heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using the I2 statistics and Egger's test. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO with code CRD42023404075. The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. A total of 26, 272 study participants reported by twenty-eight studies published from 10 countries in SSA were included. The pooled point prevalence of antimicrobial use in SSA were 64%. The pooled estimate of hospital wards with the highest antibiotic use were intensive care unit (89%). The pooled prevalence of the most common clinical indication for antibiotic use were community acquired infection (41%). The pooled point prevalence of antimicrobial use among hospitalized patients were higher in SSA. Higher use of antibiotics was recorded in intensive care units. Community acquired infection were most common clinical case among hospitalized patients. Health systems in SSA must design innovative digital health interventions to optimize clinicians adhere to evidence-based prescribing guidelines and improve antimicrobial stewardship.

Antibiotic Use Among Hospitalized Patients in Africa: A Systematic Review of Point Prevalence Studies

BACKGROUND

There is paucity of data describing the rate and quality indices of antibiotics used among hospitalized patients at continental level in Africa. This systematic review evaluated the pooled prevalence, indications, and types of antibiotics used in hospitals across Africa.

METHODS

Three electronic databases, PubMed, Scopus, and African Journals Online (AJOL), were searched using search terms. Point prevalence studies of antibiotic use in inpatient settings published in English language from January 2010 to November 2022 were considered for selection. Additional articles were identified by checking the reference list of selected articles.

RESULTS

Of the 7254 articles identified from the databases, 28 eligible articles involving 28 studies were selected. Most of the studies were from Nigeria (n = 9), Ghana (n = 6), and Kenya (n = 4). Overall, the prevalence of antibiotic use among hospitalized patients ranged from 27.6 to 83.5% with higher prevalence in West Africa (51.4-83.5%) and North Africa (79.1%) compared to East Africa (27.6-73.7%) and South Africa (33.6-49.7%). The ICU (64.4-100%; n = 9 studies) and the pediatric medical ward (10.6-94.6%; n = 13 studies) had the highest prevalence of antibiotic use. Community-acquired infections (27.7-61.0%; n = 19 studies) and surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) (14.6-45.3%; n = 17 studies) were the most common indications for antibiotic use. The duration of SAP was more than 1 day in 66.7 to 100% of the cases. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics included ceftriaxone (7.4-51.7%; n = 14 studies), metronidazole (14.6-44.8%; n = 12 studies), gentamicin (n = 8 studies; range: 6.6-22.3%), and ampicillin (n = 6 studies; range: 6.0-29.2%). The access, watch, and reserved group of antibiotics accounted for 46.3-97.9%, 1.8-53.5%, and 0.0-5.0% of antibiotic prescriptions, respectively. The documentation of the reason for antibiotic prescription and date for stop/review ranged from 37.3 to 100% and 19.6 to 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The point prevalence of antibiotic use among hospitalized patients in Africa is relatively high and varied between the regions in the continent. The prevalence was higher in the ICU and pediatric medical ward compared to the other wards. Antibiotics were most commonly prescribed for community-acquired infections and for SAP with ceftriaxone, metronidazole, and gentamicin being the most common antibiotics prescribed. Antibiotic stewardship is recommended to address excessive use of SAP and to reduce high rate of antibiotic prescribing in the ICU and pediatric ward.

The burden of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. These infections are diverse, but the majority are lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), surgical site infection (SSI), bloodstream infection (BSI), and urinary tract infection (UTI). For most sub-Saharan African countries, studies revealing the burden and impact of HAI are scarce, and few systematic reviews and meta-analysis have been attempted. We sought to fill this gap by reporting recent trends in HAI in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with attention to key patient populations, geographic variation, and associated mortality.

Methods

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a literature search of six electronic databases (Web of Science, Pubmed, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, Embase, and the Cochrane Library) to identify studies assessing the prevalence of HAI in SSA countries. Studies published between 01 January 2014 and 31 December 2023 were included. We applied no language or publication restrictions. Record screening and data extractions were independently conducted by teams of two or more reviewers. Using the R software (version 4.3.1) meta and metafor packages, we calculated the pooled prevalence estimates from random-effect meta-analysis, and further explored sources of heterogeneity through subgroup analyses and meta-regression. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42023433271.

Findings

Forty-one relevant studies were identified for analysis, consisting of 15 from West Africa (n = 2107), 12 from Southern Africa (n = 2963), 11 from East Africa (n = 2142), and 3 from Central Africa (n = 124). A total of 59.4% of the patient population were associated with paediatric admissions. The pooled prevalence of HAI was estimated at 12.9% (95% CI: 8.9-17.4; n = 7336; number of included estimates [k] = 41, p < 0.001). By subregions, the pooled current prevalence of HAI in the West Africa, Southern Africa, East Africa and Central Africa were estimated at 15.5% (95% CI: 8.3-24.4; n = 2107; k = 15), 6.5% (95% CI: 3.3-10.7; n = 2963; k = 12), 19.7% (95% CI: 10.8-30.5; n = 2142; k = 11) and 10.3% (95% CI: 1.1-27.0; n = 124; k = 3) of the patient populations respectively. We estimated mortality resulting from HAI in SSA at 22.2% (95% CI: 14.2-31.4; n = 1118; k = 9).

Interpretation

Our estimates reveal a high burden of HAI in SSA with significant heterogeneity between regions. Variations in HAI distribution highlight the need for infection prevention and surveillance strategies specifically tailored to enhance prevention and management with special focus on West and East Africa, as part of the broader global control effort.

Funding

No funding was received for this study.

Barriers to infection prevention and control implementation in selected healthcare facilities in Nigeria

OBJECTIVE

While infection prevention and control are of paramount importance, up until recently an assessment of implementation challenges and performance gaps was lacking. This study explored the barriers to infection prevention and control implementation at selected healthcare facilities, the objective being to find ways to improve their programs.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A qualitative approach was applied. Purposive sampling was used to select thirty-three healthcare facilities in Ekiti State, Nigeria. They were globally assessed, and an Infection Prevention and Control team, represented by the Infection Prevention and Control referent in each of the selected facilities trained the participants. Data were collected using the Key Informant Interview Guide and analyzed by means of content and thematic analyses using Atlas.ti software.

RESULTS

Inadequate infection prevention and control materials, poor waste management, non-compliance of patients with infection prevention and control protocols, and poor infrastructure were identified as major barriers to infection prevention and control implementation.

CONCLUSION

The study concluded that a number of identified factors hindering infection prevention and control implementation in healthcare facilities in Ekiti State needed to be addressed.

Prevalence, risk factors, and antimicrobial resistance of endemic healthcare-associated infections in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) place a significant burden on healthcare systems globally. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and aetiologic agents of endemic HCAI in Africa.

METHODS

MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, and Global Health databases (EBSCOhost interface) were searched for studies published in English and French describing HCAI in Africa from 2010 to 2022. We extracted data on prevalence of HCAI, risk factors, aetiologic agents, and associated antimicrobial resistance patterns. We used random-effects models to estimate parameter values with 95% confidence intervals for risk factors associated with HCAI. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022374559) and followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

RESULTS

Of 2541 records screened, 92 were included, comprising data from 81,968 patients. Prevalence of HCAI varied between 1.6 and 90.2% with a median of 15% across studies. Heterogeneity (I2) varied from 93 to 99%. Contaminated wound (OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.31-2.19), long hospital stay (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 0.92-1.80), urinary catheter (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 0.35-2.78), intubation and ventilation (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 0.85-2.22), vascular catheters (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 0.52-2.45) were among risk factors associated with HCAI. Bacteria reported from included studies comprised 6463 isolates, with E. coli (18.3%, n = 1182), S. aureus (17.3%, n = 1118), Klebsiella spp. (17.2%, n = 1115), Pseudomonas spp. (10.3%, n = 671), and Acinetobacter spp. (6.8%, n = 438) being most common. Resistance to multiple antibiotics was common; 70.3% (IQR: 50-100) of Enterobacterales were 3rd -generation cephalosporin resistant, 70.5% (IQR: 58.8-80.3) of S. aureus were methicillin resistant and 55% (IQR: 27.3-81.3) Pseudomonas spp. were resistant to all agents tested.

CONCLUSIONS

HCAI is a greater problem in Africa than other regions, however, there remains a paucity of data to guide local action. There is a clear need to develop and validate sustainable HCAI definitions in Africa to support the implementation of routine HCAI surveillance and inform implementation of context appropriate infection prevention and control strategies.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare-Associated Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study investigated how the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the rate of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched to identify potentially eligible studies published from December 2019 to September 2022. A random effect model was used to determine the changes in the rate of HAIs during the pandemic. Thirty-seven studies, mostly from the United States (n = 13), were included. Fifteen studies described how the pandemic affected the rate of CLABSIs and CAUTIs, and eight of them showed a significant increase in CLABSIs. The risk of CLABSIs and CDIs was 27% (pooled odds ratio [OR]: 0.73; confidence interval [CI]: 0.61-0.89; p < 0.001) and 20% (pooled OR: 1.20; CI: 1.10-1.31; p < 0.001) higher during the pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic period, respectively. However, the overall risk of HAIs was unaffected by the pandemic (pooled OR: 1.00; 95 CI: 0.80-1.24; p = 0.990). Furthermore, there were no significant changes in the risk of CAUTIs (pooled OR: 1.01; 95 CI: 0.88-1.16; p = 0.890), and SSIs (pooled OR: 1.27; CI: 0.91-1.76; p = 0.16) between the two periods. The COVID-19 pandemic had no effect on the overall risk of HAIs among hospitalized patients, but an increased risk of CLABSIs and CDI were observed during the pandemic. Therefore, more stringent infection control and prevention measures and prudent interventions to promote the rational use of antibiotics are warranted across all healthcare facilities to reduce the burden of HAIs.

Assessment of the quality of antimicrobial prescribing among hospitalized patients in a teaching hospital in Ghana: findings and implications

OBJECTIVE

There is a need to assess the quality of antimicrobial prescribing in hospitals as a first step toward improving future prescribing to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This is in line with Ghana's National Action Plan.

METHODS

A point prevalence survey of antimicrobial use was undertaken at the adult medical, surgical, and pediatric wards of Tamale Teaching Hospital using the standardized Global Point Prevalence Survey (GPPS) tool. Key target areas include adherence to current guidelines, limiting the prescribing of 'Watch' antibiotics with their greater resistance potential, and limiting the prescribing of antibiotics post-operatively to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs).

RESULTS

Out of 217 patients' medical records assessed, 155 (71.4%) patients were prescribed antimicrobials. The rates were similar among children (73.9%) and adults (70.3%). Most of the antibiotics prescribed were in the WHO 'Watch' group (71.0%) followed by those in the 'Access' group (29%). Out of the 23 cases indicated for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent SSIs, the majority (69.6%) were given doses for more than 1 day, with none receiving a single dose. This needs addressing to reduce AMR and costs. Guideline compliance with the current Ghanaian Standard Treatment Guidelines (GSTG) for managing infections was also low (28.7%). The type of indication was the only independent predictor of guideline compliance (aOR = 0.013 CI 0.001-0.127, p-value = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Given current concerns with antimicrobial prescribing in this hospital, deliberate efforts must be made to improve the appropriateness of prescribing to reduce AMR via targeted antimicrobial stewardship programs.

A three years antimicrobials consumption in Ethiopia from 2017 to 2019: A cross- sectional study

BACKGROUND

The widespread use and misuse of antimicrobials are the major driving factor for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that threatens the health of human beings globally. Thus, monitoring antimicrobial consumption at national level is crucial to prevent and contain AMR. Nevertheless, there is no well-established system for recording and reporting of antimicrobial consumption in Ethiopia. Hence, the national antimicrobial consumption survey was conducted to generate evidence for decision-making on the appropriate use of antimicrobials in Ethiopia and tackle AMR.

METHODS

All imported and locally manufactured antimicrobials from 2017 to 2019 were from the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority and local manufacturers database, respectively. Data were collected and analyzed descriptively in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) and defined daily doses (DDD) classification and methodology.

RESULTS

The average DDD/1,000 inhabitants for all antimicrobials was 15.36. The DDD/1,000 inhabitants fell down sharply from 37.03 in 2017 to 4.30 in 2018, before slightly rising to 4.75 in 2019. The majority of the consumed antimicrobials were comprised of oral antimicrobials (98.6%), while parenteral antimicrobials made up 1.4%. Tetracyclines (35.81%), fluoroquinolones (20.19%), macrolides (13.92%), antiretrovirals (10.57%), and cephalosporins (9.63%) were the most frequently consumed classes of antimicrobials during the three years period. About 75.83% of the consumed antimicrobials fall under the WHO AWaRe classification and 67.87% of antimicrobial consumption was from the WHO Access class medications, with Watch and Reserve classes accounting for 32.13% and <1%, respectively. Similarly, about 86.90% of the antimicrobials fall under the Ethiopian AWaRe classification, with Access, Watch, and Reserve accounting for 87.73%, 12.26%, and <1%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Due to the peculiarities of our settings, our findings may have some similarities and differences with similar studies from other countries. Hence, we recommend for all concerned bodies to work collaboratively to improve monitoring of antimicrobial consumption at different levels of the Ethiopian healthcare tier system. Future work is necessary to establish a strong system of reporting of antimicrobial consumption patterns in Ethiopia.

Antibiotic Utilization Patterns for Different Wound Types among Surgical Patients: Findings and Implications

Antimicrobial prophylaxis is effective in reducing the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs) post-operatively. However, there are concerns with the extent of prophylaxis post-operatively, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This increases antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is a key issue in Pakistan. Consequently, we conducted an observational cross-sectional study on 583 patients undergoing surgery at a leading teaching hospital in Pakistan with respect to the choice, time and duration of antimicrobials to prevent SSIs. The identified variables included post-operative prophylactic antimicrobials given to all patients for all surgical procedures. In addition, cephalosporins were frequently used for all surgical procedures, and among these, the use of third-generation cephalosporins was common. The duration of post-operative prophylaxis was 3-4 days, appreciably longer than the suggestions of the guidelines, with most patients prescribed antimicrobials until discharge. The inappropriate choice of antimicrobials combined with prolonged post-operative antibiotic administration need to be addressed. This includes appropriate interventions, such as antimicrobial stewardship programs, which have been successful in other LMICs to improve antibiotic utilization associated with SSIs and to reduce AMR.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on multidrug resistant gram positive and gram negative pathogens: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

There is paucity of data describing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on antimicrobial resistance. This review evaluated the changes in the rate of multidrug resistant gram negative and gram positive bacteria during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A search was conducted in PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases to identify eligible studies. Studies that reported the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase inhibitor (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CPE) were selected. Studies published in English language from the start of COVID-19 pandemic to July 2022 were considered for inclusion.

RESULTS

Thirty eligible studies were selected and most of them were from Italy (n = 8), Turkey (n = 3) and Brazil (n = 3). The results indicated changes in the rate of multidrug resistant bacteria, and the changes varied between the studies. Most studies (54.5%) reported increase in MRSA infection/colonization during the pandemic, and the increase ranged from 4.6 to 170.6%. Five studies (55.6%) reported a 6.8-65.1% increase in VRE infection/colonization during the pandemic. A 2.4-58.2% decrease in ESBL E. coli and a 1.8-13.3% reduction in ESBL Klebsiella pneumoniae was observed during the pandemic. For CRAB, most studies (58.3%) reported 1.5-621.6% increase in infection/colonization during the pandemic. Overall, studies showed increase in the rate of CRE infection/colonization during the pandemic. There was a reduction in carbapenem-resistant E. coli during COVID-19 pandemic, and an increase in carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae. Most studies (55.6%) showed 10.4 - 40.9% reduction in the rate of CRPA infection during the pandemic.

CONCLUSION

There is an increase in the rate of multidrug resistant gram positive and gram negative bacteria during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the rate of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and CRPA has decrease during the pandemic. Both infection prevention and control strategies and antimicrobial stewardship should be strengthen to address the increasing rate of multidrug resistant gram positive and gram negative bacteria.

WHO-Point Prevalence Survey of Antibiotic Use Among Inpatients at a Core National Antimicrobial Consumption Network Site in North India: Findings and Implications

Data on Point Prevalence Surveys (PPSs) in India are limited yet. We report findings of a PPS conducted in a core "National Antimicrobial Consumption Network site" under National Centre for Disease Control - WHO project "Point prevalence survey of antimicrobial consumption at healthcare facilities." A cross-sectional survey was conducted as per the "WHO methodology for PPS on antibiotic use in hospitals" in a tertiary care hospital in India in December 2021. Data were collected using predesigned and pretested questionnaire in separate hospital, ward, and patient forms. Eight hundred two inpatients (excluding ICUs) were covered out of whom 299 (37.3%) were on antibiotics with 11.7% receiving 3 or more antibiotics. Surgical prophylaxis (SP) (42.5%) and community acquired infections (32.8%) were the most common indications for antibiotic use. Of the patients, 92.5% received SP for more than 24 hrs. Most commonly prescribed antibiotics were penicillins with beta-lactamase inhibitors (22.3%). Of the total antibiotic prescriptions, 81.5% were from WHO essential medicines list and 12% from "not recommended" WHO AWaRe classification. Of the antibiotic prescriptions, 84.6% were parenteral. Few prescriptions complied with standard treatment guidelines (1.9%), documented indication for antibiotic use (11.6%), and stop/review date (4.4%) in notes. Double anaerobic cover accounted for 6.8% of the total prescriptions. Some identified areas for improvement were: formulation of hospital antibiotic guidelines, promoting culture of sending cultures, improvement in surgical antibiotic prophylaxis, decreasing use of antibiotic combinations and double anaerobic cover, fostering IV to oral switch of antibiotics, and ensuring effective communication among health care workers by documenting adequate information in medical notes.

Ongoing Efforts to Improve Antimicrobial Utilization in Hospitals among African Countries and Implications for the Future

There are serious concerns with rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across countries increasing morbidity, mortality and costs. These concerns have resulted in a plethora of initiatives globally and nationally including national action plans (NAPs) to reduce AMR. Africa is no exception, especially with the highest rates of AMR globally. Key activities in NAPs include gaining a greater understanding of current antimicrobial utilization patterns through point prevalence surveys (PPS) and subsequently instigating antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs). Consequently, there is a need to comprehensively document current utilization patterns among hospitals across Africa coupled with ASP studies. In total, 33 PPS studies ranging from single up to 18 hospitals were documented from a narrative review with typically over 50% of in-patients prescribed antimicrobials, up to 97.6% in Nigeria. The penicillins, ceftriaxone and metronidazole, were the most prescribed antibiotics. Appreciable extended prescribing of antibiotics up to 6 days or more post-operatively was seen across Africa to prevent surgical site infections. At least 19 ASPs have been instigated across Africa in recent years to improve future prescribing utilizing a range of prescribing indicators. The various findings resulted in a range of suggested activities that key stakeholders, including governments and healthcare professionals, should undertake in the short, medium and long term to improve future antimicrobial prescribing and reduce AMR across Africa.

Healthcare-associated infections in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of point prevalence studies

BACKGROUND

There is limited data to describe the point-prevalence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) among patients at a regional level in Africa. This study estimated the pooled prevalence of HAIs and described the distribution of HAIs as well as the pathogens identified from African studies.

METHODS

PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were searched to find point-prevalence studies of HAIs in Africa. Studies conducted in Humans that reported the prevalence of HAIs among hospitalized patients and published in English language from January 2010 to March 2022 were selected. Longitudinal studies of HAIs and unpublished studies were excluded. The reference list of the selected studies was checked to find additional studies. A meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 and the pooled prevalence of HAIs was determined using a random effect model.

RESULTS

Of the 6094 articles identified from the databases, fifteen eligible articles were selected. The studies were conducted in the North, South, East and West African regions with Tunisia (n = 4) and South Africa (n = 2) having the highest number of studies. Most of the studies (n = 12, 80.0%) had good quality. The pooled prevalence of HAIs was 12.76% (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.30-15.23) with a high degree of heterogeneity (I² = 90.0%). The prevalence of HAIs varied between wards with the highest rate found in the ICU (25.2%-100%), followed by neonatal ICU/ward (7.0%-53.6%) and paediatric medical ward (2.7%-33.0%). Surgical site infection was the most common HAIs and accounted for 41.6% of all HAIs (95% CI 23.55-59.80), followed by bloodstream infection (17.07%, 95% CI 11.80-22.33) and respiratory tract infections/pneumonia (17.04%, 95% CI 13.21-20.87). Recent hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.17, 95% CI 1.85-9.41), presence of peripheral vascular catheter (AOR: 2.87, 95% CI 1.54-5.36) and having diabetes mellitus (AOR: 2.46, 95% CI 1.45-4.17) were the strongest predictors of HAIs in Africa. Only 37.9% of HAIs had documented positive microbiological culture result with gram negative bacteria including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Citrobacter been the most common microorganisms and accounted for 40%-100% of the pathogens.

CONCLUSIONS

The pooled point-prevalence of HAIs in Africa is more than two times higher than the rate reported in developed countries. The prevalence varied between the countries and was highest in the ICU and neonatal ICU/ward. Surgical site infection and bloodstream infection were the most common HAIs reported in African studies. Recent hospitalization, presence of peripheral vascular catheter and having diabetes mellitus were the strongest predictors of HAIs in African studies. Most of the HAIs are preventable with appropriate infection control measures and antimicrobial stewardship. Additional studies are needed especially in the Central African region. Future studies should be designed using standardized protocol and standardized definition to reduce heterogeneity among the studies.

Appropriateness of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis in a teaching hospital in Ghana: findings and implications

Background

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are among the most common infections seen in hospitalized patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), accounting for up to 60% of hospital-acquired infections. Surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) has shown to be an effective intervention for reducing SSIs and their impact. There are concerns of inappropriate use of SAP in Ghana and therefore our audit in this teaching hospital.

Methods

A retrospective cross sectional clinical audit of medical records of patients undergoing surgery over a 5 month duration from January to May 2021 in Ho Teaching Hospital. A data collection form was designed to collect key information including the age and gender of patients, type and duration of surgery, choice and duration of SAP. The collected data was assessed for the proportion of SAP compliance with Ghana Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) and any association with various patient, surgical wound and drug characteristics.

Results

Of the 597 medical records assessed, the mean age of patients was 35.6 ± 12.2 years with 86.8% (n = 518) female. Overall SAP compliance with the STG was 2.5% (n = 15). SAP compliance due to appropriate choice of antimicrobials was 67.0% (n = 400) and duration at 8.7% (n = 52). SAP compliance was predicted by duration of SAP (P < 0.000) and postoperative hospitalization duration (P = 0.005).

Conclusions

SAP compliance rate was suboptimal, principally due to a longer duration of prescription. Quality improvement measures such as education of front-line staff on guideline compliance, coupled with clinical audit and regular updates, are urgently needed to combat inappropriate prescribing and rising resistance rates.

Determination of the indoor air bacterial profile in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

Objective:

Microorganisms are one of the main indoor air contaminants. In a hospital setting, a range of hospital-acquired infectious diseases are caused due to indoor air pollution. Studies conducted on hospital patients and healthcare workers revealed that indoor air pollution is causing more severe health problems than outdoor air pollution. Thus, this study aimed to determine the bacterial indoor air quality in Jimma University Specialized Hospital in southwest Ethiopia.

Method:

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from late May to October 2020. Indoor air samples were collected through a passive method by exposing prepared sample plates for prescheduled exposure time, and bacterial species were identified using morphology and biochemical tests.

Result:

Based on the findings, neither of the wards showed a similar microbial concentration. Among the studied wards, the minimum and the maximum bacterial distribution ranged from 280 to 6369 cfu/m³, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative spp., Klebsiella spp., Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp., Proteus spp., and Streptococcus spp. were bacterial isolates. Statistically, the concentration of the bacteria in all the studied wards was tested significantly different (p ⩽ 0.001).

Conclusion:

Among studied wards, the emergency outpatient ward showed a maximum bacterial concentration in contrast to the minor operating room. Based on the criteria of the World Health Organization on hospital-acquired infections, studied wards were highly contaminated.

Multicentre point-prevalence survey of antibiotic use and healthcare-associated infections in Ethiopian hospitals

OBJECTIVE

Effective antimicrobial containment strategies such as Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) require comprehensive data on antibiotics use which are scarce in Ethiopia. This study sought to assess antibiotics use and healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) in Ethiopian public hospitals.

DESIGN

We conducted a cross-sectional study using the WHO point-prevalence survey protocol for systemic antibiotics use and HCAIs for low/middle-income countries.

SETTING

The study was conducted among 10 public hospitals in 2021.

PARTICIPANTS

All patients admitted to adult and paediatric inpatient and emergency wards before or at 08:00 on the survey date were enrolled.

OUTCOME MEASURE

The primary outcome measures were the prevalence of antibiotic use, HCAIs and the hospitals' readiness to implement ASP.

RESULTS

Data were collected from 1820 patient records. None of the surveyed hospitals had functional ASP. The common indication for antibiotics was for HCAIs (40.3%). Pneumonia was the most common bacterial infection (28.6%) followed by clinical sepsis (17.8%). Most treatments were empiric (96.7%) and the overall prevalence of antibiotic use was 63.8% with antibiotics prescription per patient ratio of 1.77. Ceftriaxone was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic (30.4%) followed by metronidazole (15.4%). Age, having HIV infection, ward type, type of hospital, catheterisation and intubation history had significant association with antibiotic use. Patients who were treated in paediatric surgical wards were about four times more likely to be on antibiotics compared with patients treated at an adult emergency ward. Patients on urinary catheter (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.74, 95% CI: 2.04 to 3.68) and intubation device (AOR=2.62, 95% CI: 1.02 to 6.76) were more likely to be on antibiotics than their non-intubated/non-catheterised counterparts. Patients treated at secondary-level hospitals had 0.34 times lower odds of being on antibiotics compared with those in tertiary hospitals.

CONCLUSIONS

Antibiotic use across the surveyed hospitals was common and most were empiric which has both practical and policy implications for strengthening ASP and promoting rational antibiotics use.

The burden of surgical site infections and related antibiotic resistance in two geographic regions of Sierra Leone: a prospective study

Despite the prolongation of hospitalization, increase in morbidity, mortality and cost of care associated with both surgical site infections (SSIs) and antibiotic resistance, there are limited data on SSIs and antibiotic resistance to guide prevention strategies in Sierra Leone. This study assessed the burden of SSIs and related antibiotic resistance in the 34 Military Hospital (MH) and Makeni Government Hospital (MGH) located in two geographic regions of Sierra Leone using a prospective study design to collect data from adults aged 18 years or older. Of the 417 patients, 233 (55.9%) were enrolled in MGH. Most were women 294 (70.5%). The incidence rate of SSI was 5.5 per 1000 patient-days, and the cumulative incidence of SSI was 8.2%. Common bacteria isolated in MH were Escherichia coli (6,33.3%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3,16.7%) and in MGH were P. aeruginosa (3,42.9%) and Proteus mirabilis (2,28.9%). Of the gram-negative bacteria, 40% were Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, 33% were Carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa and 10% were carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Although the incidence of SSIs in our study is lower than previously reported, the rate of antibiotic resistance reported in this study is high. Urgent action is needed to invest in the microbiology infrastructure to support SSI surveillance and prevention strategies.

A systematic review of in-patients’ antimicrobial prescriptions and status of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in Nigerian hospitals

Background

Antimicrobial resistance is a major consequence of irrational antimicrobial prescriptions and consumptions, but this can be prevented by antimicrobial stewardship. The study systematically reviewed available evidence on antimicrobial prescriptions and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes in Nigerian hospitals. This will provide insight to the extent of required interventions, for improved healthcare.

Main body

Published research from January 1 2010 to March 31 2021 from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, African Journals Online and Google scholar databases was reviewed using Preferred Regulatory Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines 2009. Studies that reported antimicrobial use and antimicrobial stewardship programmes in Nigerian hospitals within the period in focus were assessed for eligibility. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) quality assessment tool was used to assess quality of included studies. Among 15 studies included based on inclusion criteria, 12 reported on antimicrobial prescriptions and 3 reported on status of antimicrobial stewardship programmes in Nigerian hospitals. Most studies reported high prevalence of antimicrobials prescriptions with broad spectrum antimicrobials, majority of which were inappropriate. Empirical antimicrobial prescribing was common, and this was mostly done with less cognisance to existing guidelines. Only few hospitals were observed to have formal AMS teams in Nigeria.

Conclusion

Inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobials was common among prescribers in Nigeria. Although there was paucity of studies on status of AMS, the available few showed very low prevalence of AMS teams in hospitals. There is urgent need for implementation of AMS in Nigerian hospitals, to enhance rational antimicrobial use. Meanwhile more research on AMS in Nigerian hospitals is needed.

Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use in surgical wards of a large urban central hospital in Blantyre, Malawi: a point prevalence survey

Background

There are limited data on healthcare-associated infections (HAI) from African countries like Malawi.

Aim

We undertook a point prevalence survey of HAI and antimicrobial use in the surgery department of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Malawi and ascertained the associated risk factors for HAI.

Methods

A cross-sectional point prevalence survey (PPS) was carried out in the surgery department of QECH. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control PPS protocol version 5.3 was adapted to our setting and used as a data collection tool.

Findings

105 patients were included in the analysis; median age was 34 (IQR: 24-47) years and 55.2% patients were male. Point prevalence of HAI was 11.4% (n=12/105) (95% CI: 6.0%-19.1%), including four surgical site infections, four urinary tract infections, three bloodstream infections and one bone/joint infection. We identified the following risk factors for HAI; length-of-stay between 8 and 14 days (OR=14.4, 95% CI: 1.65-124.7, p=0.0143), presence of indwelling urinary catheter (OR=8.3, 95% CI: 2.24-30.70, p=0.003) and history of surgery in the past 30 days (OR=5.11, 95% CI: 1.46-17.83, p=0.011). 29/105 patients (27.6%) were prescribed antimicrobials, most commonly the 3rd-generation cephalosporin, ceftriaxone (n=15).

Conclusion

The prevalence rates of HAI and antimicrobial use in surgery wards at QECH are relatively high. Hospital infection prevention and control measures need to be strengthened to reduce the burden of HAI at QECH.

Operationalising One Health in Nigeria: Reflections From a High-Level Expert Panel Discussion Commemorating the 2020 World Antibiotics Awareness Week

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an important One Health challenge for all countries of the world. As human, animal and environmental health are closely linked, it is essential that interventions targeted at reducing the spread of AMR and those promoting antimicrobial stewardship are conducted with all sectors in mind. Tackling this global slow-moving pandemic (AMR) also requires action and strong commitment from all countries of the world. Nigeria, like many other countries, have made considerable progress in implementing the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. The accomplishments and ongoing work led by the National Technical Working Group on AMR is commendable. However, gaps still exist in terms of operationalising One Health interventions for AMR, especially regarding rational antimicrobial use and antimicrobial stewardship. The 2020 World Antimicrobial Awareness Week presented an opportunity to convene a multi-sectoral expert panel from national government agencies, research, academia and the World Health Organisation across the Nigerian One Health space. The panel discussion analysed the progress made so far and identified the barriers and the opportunities for operationalising One Health interventions on AMR. The discussion highlighted poor awareness and the fear phenomenon, driven by technical and socio-economic factors, as a common cross-sectoral denominator at the heart of inappropriate antibiotic use within the country. At the system level, suboptimal use of antimicrobials fuelled by the ease of purchase, poor regulations and insufficient enforcement of prescription-only access to antimicrobials, and limited infection prevention and biosecurity measures resonated as drivers of AMR across One Health sectors in Nigeria. Looking forward, the panel discussion identified substantial investment in the governance of the existing One Health component structures, inclusive bottom-up institutional antimicrobial stewardship that fosters community participation and multi-level cross-sectoral collaborations as the next level strategic imperatives. In this respect is the need for a strengthened One Health infrastructure, including an operational workforce, educational strategies to elevate AMR and rational antimicrobial use into public consciousness, and the use of improved data systems as countermeasures to the challenge of AMR.

Key Issues Surrounding Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Prevention of Surgical Site Infections in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Narrative Review and the Implications

BACKGROUND

There is a concern with the growing use of antimicrobials across countries increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates. A key area within hospitals is their use for the prevention of surgical site infections (SSI) with concerns with timing of the first dose, which can appreciably impact on effectiveness, as well as duration with extended prophylaxis common among low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This is a concern as extended duration increases utilization rates and AMR as well as adverse events. Consequently, there is a need to document issues of timing and duration of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) among LMICs together with potential ways forward to address current concerns.

METHODS

Narrative review of timings and duration of SAP among LMICs combined with publications documenting successful approaches to improve SAP to provide future direction to all key stakeholder groups.

RESULTS

There were documented concerns with the timing of the first dose of antibiotics, with appropriate timing as low as 6.7% in Egypt, although as high as 81.9% in Turkey. There was also an extensive duration of SAP, ranging from long duration times in all patients in a study in Nigeria with a mean of 8.7 days and 97% of patients in Egypt to 42.9% of patients in Pakistan and 35% in Turkey. Successful interventions to improve SAP typically involved multiple approaches including education of all key stakeholder groups, monitoring of usage against agreed guidelines,as well as quality targets. Multiple approaches typically improved timing and duration as well as reduced costs. For instance, in one study appropriateness increased from 30.1% to 91.4%, prolonged duration reduced to 5.7% of patients, and mean costs of antibiotics decreased 11-fold.

CONCLUSION

There are considerable concerns with the timing and duration of SAP among LMICs. Multiple interventions among LMICs can address this providing future directions.