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

Retrospective Analysis of Clostridioides difficile Infection Rates and Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Unicenter Study in Reus, Spain

Background:Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) vary in severity from mild diarrhea to life-threatening conditions like pseudomembranous colitis or toxic megacolon, often leading to sepsis and death. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted changes in healthcare practices, potentially affecting CDI incidence, though reported data are inconclusive. We studied factors influencing CDI incidence and outcomes at a university hospital throughout the COVID-19 pandemic years. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on all adult hospitalized CDI cases from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022 in Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan in Reus. We collected demographic information, comorbid conditions, and concurrent infections. Results: While overall CDI and COVID-19 rates decreased in 2022, a notable increase in CDI infections was observed among oncological patients and those undergoing some aggressive treatments, such as colonoscopies or gastroscopies. The prevalence of comorbidities remained unmodified, and there were declines in prior gastrointestinal surgeries and proton pump inhibitor prescriptions. Factors associated with patient fatality or prolonged hospitalization included older age, cancer, chronic kidney disease, higher Charlson and McCabe indices, elevated C-reactive protein, and low albumin concentrations. Conclusions: Our study shows the evolving landscape of CDI during the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasizes the impact of delayed diagnoses and treatments exacerbated by telemedicine adoption. Identified risk factors for CDI-related mortality or prolonged hospital stays underscore the importance of targeted interventions in high-risk populations.

Prenatal and Postnatal Disparities in Very-Preterm Infants in a Study of Infections between 2018-2023 in Southeastern US

BACKGROUND

The birthrate of Black preterm (BPT) infants is 65% higher than White preterm (WPT) infants with a BPT mortality that is 2.3 times higher. The incidence of culture-positive late-onset sepsis is as high as 41% in very-preterm infants. The main purpose of this study was to examine thermal gradients and the heart rate in relation to the onset of infection. This report presents disparities in very-preterm infection incidence, bacteria, and mortality data amongst BPT and WPT infants.

METHODS

367 preterms born at <32 weeks gestational age (GA) between 2019-2023 in five neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) were enrolled to study the onset of infections and dispositions; REDCap data were analyzed for descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

The 362 infants for analyses included 227 BPTs (63.7%) and 107 WPTs (29.6%), with 28 infants of other races/ethnicities (Hispanic, Asian, and other), 50.6% female, mean GA of 27.66 weeks, and 985.24 g birthweight. BPT infants averaged 968.56 g at birth (SD 257.50), and 27.68 (SD 2.07) weeks GA, compared to WPT infants with a mean birthweight of 1006.25 g (SD 257.77, p = 0.2313) and 27.67 (SD 2.00, p = 0.982) weeks GA. Of the 426 episodes of suspected infections evaluated across all the enrolled infants, the incidence of early-onset sepsis (EOS) was 1.9%, with BPT infants having 2.50 times higher odds of EOS than WPT infants (p = 0.4130, OR (odds ratio) = 2.50, p_or = 0.408). The overall incidence of late-onset sepsis (LOS) was 10.8%, with LOS in 11.9% of BPT infants versus 9.3% (p = 0.489, OR = 1.21, p_or = 0.637) of WPT infants. BPT infants made up 69.2% of the 39 infants with Gram-positive infections vs. 25.6% for WPT infants; 16 infants had Gram-negative culture-positive infections, with 81.2% being BPT infants versus 18.8% being WPT infants. Of the 27 urinary tract infections, 78% were in BPTs. The necrotizing enterocolitis incidence was 6.9%; the incidence in BPT infants was 7.5% vs. 6.5% in WPT infants. The overall mortality was 8.3%, with BPTs at 8.4% vs. WPT infants at 9.3%, (p = 0.6715).

CONCLUSIONS

BPTs had a higher rate of positive cultures, double the Gram-negative infections, a much higher rate of urinary tract infections, and a higher rate of mortality than their WPT counterparts. This study emphasizes the higher risk of morbidity and mortality for BPTs.

Antibiotic Consumption 2017-2022 in 30 Private Hospitals in France: Impact of Antimicrobial Stewardship Tools and COVID-19 Pandemic

Our aim was to determine the impact of antimicrobial stewardship tools (ASTs) and the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic consumption (AC). We used the national software Consores® to determine AC in DDD/1000 days of hospitalization from 2017 to 2022 in voluntary private hospitals in France. The ASTs considered were: 1. internal guidelines; 2. the list of antibiotics with restricted access; 3. the presence of an antibiotic referent or 4. an ID specialist; and 5. proof of an annual meeting on antimicrobial resistance. Institutions with dedicated units for COVID-19 patients were specified. In 30 institutions, the total AC varied from (means) 390 to 405 DDD/1000 DH from 2017 to 2022. Fluoroquinolones and amoxicillin/clavulanate consumption decreased from 50 to 36 (p = 0.003) and from 112 to 77 (p = 0.025), respectively, but consumption of piperacillin/tazobactam increased from 9 to 21 (p < 0.001). Over the study period, 10 institutions with ≤2 AST had lower AC compared to 20 institutions with ≥3 AST (p < 0.01). COVID-19 units opened in 10 institutions were associated with a trend toward higher macrolide consumption from 15 to 25 from 2017 to 2020 (p = 0.065) and with an acceleration of piperacillin/tazobactam consumption from 2020 to 2022 (p ≤ 0.003). Antibiotic consumption in 30 private hospitals in France was inversely related to the number of AST. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with limited impact on AC, but special attention should be paid to piperacillin/tazobactam consumption.