Evaluation of the Cepheid Xpert GBS Assay for Rapid Detection of Group B Streptococci in Amniotic Fluids from Pregnant Women with Premature Rupture of Membranes

International audienceThe Xpert GBS real-time PCR assay for the detection of group B streptococci (GBS) in antepartum screening samples was evaluated on amniotic fluid samples collected from 139 women with premature rupture of membrane at term. When any intrapartum positive result from the Xpert GBS or culture was considered a true positive, the sensitivities of the Xpert GBS and culture were 92.3% and 84.6%, respectively. This assay could enhance exact identification of candidates for intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis

Improving tuberculosis management in prisons: impact of a rapid molecular point-of-care test

OBJECTIVE: To improve tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in prison, we evaluate the value of the Xpert®MTB/RIF Ultra assay (Xpert) as point-of-care (POC) in a French prison hospital. METHODS: We first validated Xpert use on raw sputum at the referent laboratory. Secondly, trained physicians at the prison hospital performed Xpert tests for each patient presenting TB symptoms. The results were compared with Xpert, microscopic examination, culture and drug susceptibility testing on the corresponding decontaminated specimens. RESULTS: 76 inmates were included in 15 months and 21 were diagnosed with TB. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of Xpert were respectively: 92.3%, 100%, 100% and 98.7% on raw sputum. The efficiency of the molecular POC was confirmed by a concordance of 97% between Xpert findings from the prison hospital and culture results. Delay of microbiological diagnosis was reduced by about 18 days for 13 inmates with smear-negative sputum that avoid the mobilization of major means (escort, transport) to perform fibroscopic samples. Repeated Xpert negative results helped to speed the lifting of inmate isolation. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of Xpert in prison could optimize the management of incarcerated patients and thus limit the spread of TB among inmates, carers and other staff

Early prosthetic joint infection due to Ureaplasma urealyticum: Benefit of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis for diagnosis

Detection of the most frequently bacteria involved in prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is usually performed by conventional cultures. We report a case of early PJI due to Ureaplasma urealyticum, diagnosed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, which highlights the interest of molecular methods if fastidious bacteria are involved in PJI

Factors associated with hospital admission and adverse outcome for COVID-19: Role of social factors and medical care

International audienceBackground: Beyond sex, age, and various comorbidities, geographical origin and socioeconomic deprivation are associated with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) morbidity and mortality in the general population. We aimed to assess factors associated with severe forms of COVID-19 after a hospital emergency department visit, focusing on socioeconomic factors. Methods: Patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 attending the emergency department of Béclère Hospital (France) in March–April 2020 were included. Postal addresses were used to obtain two geographical deprivation indices at the neighborhood level. Factors associated with hospitalization and factors associated with adverse outcomes, i.e. mechanical ventilation or death, were studied using logistic and Cox analyses, respectively. Results: Among 399 included patients, 321 were hospitalized. Neither geographical origin nor socioeconomic deprivation was associated with any of the outcomes. Being male, older, overweight or obese, diabetic, or having a neuropsychiatric disorder were independent risk factors for hospitalization. Among 296 patients hospitalized at Béclère Hospital, 91 experienced an adverse outcome. Older age, being overweight or obese, desaturation and extent of chest CT scan lesions > 25% at admission (aHR: 2.2 [95% CI: 1.3–3.5]) and higher peak CRP levels and acute kidney failure (aHR: 2.0 [1.2–3.3]) during follow-up were independently associated with adverse outcomes, whereas treatment with hydrocortisone reduced the risk of mechanical ventilation or death by half (aHR: 0.5 [0.3–0.8]). Conclusion: No association between geographical origin or socioeconomic deprivation and the occurrence of a severe form of COVID-19 was observed in our population after arrival to the emergency department. Empirical corticosteroid use with hydrocortisone had a strong protective impact

Decrease of hospital- and community-acquired bloodstream infections due to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: A time-series analysis in Paris region

Members of the Collégiale de Bactériologue – Virologie – Hygiène (CBVH)Guillaume Arlet, Laurence Armand Lefevre, Alexandra Aubry, Laurent Belec, Béatrice Bercot, Stéphane Bonacorsi, Vincent Calvez, Emmanuelle Cambau, Etienne Carbonnelle, Stéphane Chevaliez, Jean-Winoc Decousser, Constance Delaugerre, Diane Descamps, Florence Doucet-Populaire, Jean-Louis Gaillard, Antoine Garbarg-Chenon, Elyanne Gault, Jean-Louis Herrmann, Vincent Jarlier, Jérôme Le Goff, Jean-Christophe Lucet, Jean-Luc Mainardi, Anne-Geneviève Marcellin, Laurence Morand-Joubert, Xavier Nassif, Jean-Michel Pawlotsky, Jérôme Robert, Anne-Marie Roque Afonso, Martin Rottman, Christine Rouzioux, Flore Rozenberg, François Simon, Nicolas Veziris, David Skurnik, Jean-Ralph Zahar, Guilene Barnaud, Typhaine Billard Pomares, Gaëlle Cuzon, Dominique Decré, Alexandra Doloy, Jean-Luc Donay, Laurence Drieux-Rouzet, Isabelle Durand, Agnès Ferroni, Vincent Fihman, Nicolas Fortineau, Camille Gomart, Nathalie Grall, Christelle Guillet Caruba, Françoise Jaureguy, Valérie Lalande, Luce Landraud, Véronique Leflon, Patricia Mariani, Liliana Mihaila, Didier Moissenet, Latifa Noussair, Isabelle Podglajen, Isabelle Poilane, Hélène Poupet, Emilie Rondinaud, Valérie Sivadon Tardy, David Trystram, Charlotte Verdet, Emmanuelle Vigier, Sophie Vimont BillarantInternational audienceThe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on bloodstream infections (BSIs) due to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes was assessed in 25 university hospitals of Paris. Monthly BSIs incidence rates that appeared stable in 2018 and 2019, decreased for the 2 pathogens during the 2 COVID-19 lockdown periods of 2020. Containment policies, including social distancing, masking and hand hygiene strengthening in both community and hospital settings are likely to reduce BSIs due to these pathogens

Erratum to 'Predominance of healthcare-associated cases among episodes of community-onset bacteraemia due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae' [International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents 49/1 67-73]

International audienc