Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Case Definition Change: A Comparative Study of the Georgia Emerging Infections Program, 2011-2015 and 2016

Introduction: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections, with limited treatment options, pose a significant public health challenge. In 2011, the CDC’s phenotypic CRE case definition was nonsusceptibility to ≥ 1 carbapenem and resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins but changed January 2016 to resistance to any carbapenem (including ertapenem). This study seeks to determine if this change influenced significant differences in patient characteristics. Methods: CRE cases in Metro Atlanta, Georgia were collected from 2011-2016. Cumulative incidence per 100,000, odds ratios, and ꭓ2estimates were calculated to identify trends. A univariable analysis was conducted to examine risk factors. Adjusting for covariates, the final multivariable model included invasive infection as the outcome and the new definition as the predictor. Results: A total of 1,144 CRE cases were confirmed from 2011-2016 in Metro Altanta. CRE incidence rates for all culture sources decreased pre-and post-definition change from 9.4 to 1.6. Central venous catheters and ICU stay 7 days prior, had the strongest association with invasive CRE infections; pre-(OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.4-4.3) and post-(OR 11.2, 95% CI 4.9-25.6) definition change. In the final model, the new definition (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9) predicted invasive infection. Discussion: CRE cases, following the new CRE case definition, had a 40% lower odds of invasive infections than that of the former. The cause of this shift is unclear as more data on antibiotic resistance profiles is needed to assess the definition’s overall performance. However, the impact of the new definition on invasive CRE infections is measurable and warrants further analysis

Dynamic Micromechanical Fabry-Perot Cavity Sensors Fabricated by Multiphoton Absorption Onto Optical Fiber Tips

This research leveraged two-photon polymerization microfabrication to integrate dynamic mechanical components with Fabry-Perot resonators onto the ends of low-loss optical fibers to prototype 3 micro-optic devices. The first device featured a multi-positional mirror that enabled thin-film deposition onto cavities of any length with mirrors of significant curvature, for refractive index sensing. The second device combined an FP cavity with a spring body featuring easily scalable stiffness for pressure sensing. The third device presented a high-speed rotating micro-anemometer for measuring a wide range of gas flows. All devices represent a significant reduction in size and weight over commercially available devices

Optical fiber tip micro anemometer [U.S. Patent US11635315B2]

A passive microscopic flow sensor includes a three-dimensional microscopic optical structure formed on a cleaved tip of an optical fiber. The three-dimensional microscopic optical structure includes a post attached off-center to and extending longitudinally from the cleaved tip of the optical fiber. A rotor of the three-dimensional microscopic optical structure is received for rotation on the post. The rotor has more than one blade. Each blade has a reflective undersurface that reflects a light signal back through the optical fiber when center aligned with the optical fiber, the blades of the rotor shaped to rotate at a rate related to a flow rate