Unintended consequences associated with national-level restrictions on antimicrobial use in food-producing animals

Among actions needed to address the antimicrobial resistance crisis are restrictions on the use of medically important antimicrobials in food-producing animals, which are often administered through national-level policy

Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) from pre and asymptomatic infected individuals: a systematic review

Background The role of SARS-Cov-2-infected persons who develop symptoms after testing (presymptomatics) or not at all (asymptomatics) in the pandemic spread is unknown. Objectives To determine infectiousness and probable contribution of asymptomatic persons (at the time of testing) to pandemic SARS-CoV-2 spread. Data sources LitCovid, medRxiv, Google Scholar, and WHO Covid-19 databases (to 31 March 2021) and references in included studies. Study eligibility criteria Studies with a proven or hypothesized transmission chain based either on serial PCR cycle threshold readings and/or viral culture and/or gene sequencing, with adequate follow-up. Participants People exposed to SARS-CoV-2 within 2–14 days to index asymptomatic (at time of observation) infected individuals. Interventions Reliability of symptom and signs was assessed within contemporary knowledge; transmission likelihood was assessed using adapted causality criteria. Methods Systematic review. We contacted all included studies' corresponding authors requesting further details. Results We included 18 studies from a diverse setting with substantial methodological variation (this field lacks standardized methodology). At initial testing, prevalence of asymptomatic cases was 12.5–100%. Of these, 6–100% were later determined to be presymptomatic, this proportion varying according to setting, methods of case ascertainment and population. Nursing/care home facilities reported high rates of presymptomatic: 50–100% (n = 3 studies). Fourteen studies were classified as high risk of, and four studies as at moderate risk of symptom ascertainment bias. High-risk studies may be less likely to distinguish between presymptomatic and asymptomatic cases. Six asymptomatic studies and four presymptomatic studies reported culturing infectious virus; data were too sparse to determine infectiousness duration. Three studies provided evidence of possible and three of probable/likely asymptomatic transmission; five studies provided possible and two probable/likely presymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Conclusion High-quality studies provide probable evidence of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from presymptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, with highly variable estimated transmission rates

Colistin non-susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST654 with blaNDM-1 arrives in North America

This study describes 3 different blaNDM-1 genetic platforms in 3 different species obtained from the same patient who was directly transferred to an institution in Calgary, Canada, following a prolonged hospital stay in India. The blaNDM-1 in the Escherichia coli was located on a 176kb IncA/C plasmid contained within an ISCR1 region. The blaNDM-1 in the Providencia rettgeri was located on a 117kb IncT plasmid contained within Tn3000, while the blaNDM-1 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was located on the chromosome within an ISCR3 region. This report highlights the plasticity of the genetic regions and environments associated with blaNDM-1. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. aeruginosa with blaNDM-1 identified in North America and the first report of blaOXA-181in P. rettgeri. The P. aeruginosa belonged to the international high risk clone ST654 and was non-susceptible to colistin. This case emphasizes the need for appropriate infection prevention and control measures and vigilant screening for carbapenem resistant Gram negative bacteria in patients with a history of travel to endemic areas, such as the Indian subcontinent.In part by a research grant from the Calgary Laboratory Services (#10009392).http://aac.asm.org2016-09-30hb201

Study protocol for an international, multicentre stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial to evaluate the impact of a digital antimicrobial stewardship smartphone application

Introduction With the widespread use of electronic health records and handheld electronic devices in hospitals, informatics-based antimicrobial stewardship interventions hold great promise as tools to promote appropriate antimicrobial drug prescribing. However, more research is needed to evaluate their optimal design and impact on quantity and quality of antimicrobial prescribing. Methods and analysis Use of smartphone-based digital stewardship applications (apps) with local guideline directed empirical antimicrobial use by physicians will be compared with antimicrobial prescription as per usual as primary outcome in three hospitals in the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Secondary outcomes will incl

Molecular evolution of Klebsiella pneumoniae ST278 harboring blaNDM-7 involved in nosocomial transmission

During 2013, ST278 Klebsiella pneumoniae with blaNDM-7 was isolated from the urine (KpN01) and rectum (KpN02) of a patient in Calgary, Canada. The same strain (KpN04) was subsequently isolated from another patient in the same unit. Interestingly, a carbapenem-susceptible ST278 (KpN06) was obtained one month later from the blood of the second patient. Next generation sequencing (NGS) revealed that the loss of carbapenem-resistance in KpN06 was due to a 5-kb deletion on the blaNDM-7-harboring IncX3 plasmid. In addition, an IncFIB plasmid in KpN06 had a 27 kb deletion that removed genes encoding for heavy metal resistance. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the ST278 K. pneumoniae from patient 2 were likely descendants of KpN02 and that KpN06 was a close progenitor of an environmental ST278. It is unclear whether KpN06 lost the blaNDM-7 gene in vivo. This study detailed the remarkable plasticity and speed of evolutionary changes in multidrug resistance K. pneumoniae demonstrating the highly recombinant nature of this species. It also highlights the ability of NGS to clarify molecular micro-evolutionary events within antibiotic-resistant organisms.This work was supported in part by a research grant from the Calgary Laboratory Services (#10009392) and grants from the National Institutes of Health (1R01AI090155 to B.N.K, and R21AI117338 to L.C).http://jid.oxfordjournals.org2017-06-30hb2016Medical Microbiolog

SARS-CoV-2 and the role of fomite transmission: a systematic review [version 3; peer review: 2 approved]

Background: SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been detected in fomites which suggests the virus could be transmitted via inanimate objects. However, there is uncertainty about the mechanistic pathway for such transmissions. Our objective was to identify, appraise and summarise the evidence from primary studies and systematic reviews assessing the role of fomites in transmission.  Methods: This review is part of an Open Evidence Review on Transmission Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2. We conduct ongoing searches using WHO Covid-19 Database, LitCovid, medRxiv, and Google Scholar; assess study quality based on five criteria and report important findings on an ongoing basis. Results: We found 64 studies: 63 primary studies and one systematic review (n=35). The settings for primary studies were predominantly in hospitals (69.8%) including general wards, ICU and SARS-CoV-2 isolation wards. There were variations in the study designs including timing of sample collection, hygiene procedures, ventilation settings and cycle threshold. The overall quality of reporting was low to moderate. The frequency of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests across 51 studies (using RT-PCR) ranged from 0.5% to 75%. Cycle threshold values ranged from 20.8 to 44.1. Viral concentrations were reported in 17 studies; however, discrepancies in the methods for estimation prevented comparison. Eleven studies (17.5%) attempted viral culture, but none found a cytopathic effect. Results of the systematic review showed that healthcare settings were most frequently tested (25/35, 71.4%), but laboratories reported the highest frequency of contaminated surfaces (20.5%, 17/83).  Conclusions: The majority of studies report identification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on inanimate surfaces; however, there is a lack of evidence demonstrating the recovery of viable virus. Lack of positive viral cultures suggests that the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through fomites is low. Heterogeneity in study designs and methodology prevents comparisons of findings across studies. Standardized guidelines for conducting and reporting research on fomite transmission is warranted

Efficacy of a New Educational Tool to Improve Handrubbing Technique amongst Healthcare Workers: A Controlled, Before-After Study

Introduction: Hand hygiene is a key component of infection control in healthcare. WHO recommends that healthcare workers perform six specific poses during each hand hygiene action. SureWash (Glanta Ltd, Dublin, Ireland) is a novel device that uses video-measurement technology and immediate feedback to teach this technique. We assessed the impact of self-directed SureWash use on healthcare worker hand hygiene technique and evaluated the device's diagnostic capacity. Methods: A controlled before-after study: subjects in Group A were exposed to the SureWash for four weeks followed by Group B for 12 weeks. Each subject's hand hygiene technique was assessed by blinded observers at baseline (T0) and following intervention periods (T1 and T2). Primary outcome was performance of a complete hand hygiene action, requiring all six poses during an action lasting ≥20 seconds. The number of poses per hand hygiene action (maximum 6) was assessed in a post-hoc analysis. SureWash's diagnostic capacity compared to human observers was assessed using ROC curve analysis. Results: Thirty-four and 29 healthcare workers were recruited to groups A and B, respectively. No participants performed a complete action at baseline. At T1, one Group A participant and no Group B participants performed a complete action. At baseline, the median number of poses performed per action was 2.0 and 1.0 in Groups A and B, respectively (p = 0.12). At T1, the number of poses per action was greater in Group A (post-intervention) than Group B (control): median 3.8 and 2.0, respectively (p<0.001). In Group A, the number of poses performed twelve weeks post-intervention (median 3.0) remained higher than baseline (p<0.001). The area under the ROC curves for the 6 poses ranged from 0.59 to 0.88. Discussion: While no impact on complete actions was demonstrated, SureWash significantly increased the number of poses per hand hygiene action and demonstrated good diagnostic capacity