Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE最新文献

{"title":"Infection prevention and control practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: impact on the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections in Tunisia.","authors":"Salma Balhi, Héla Ghali, Bouthaina Hamza, Nihel Haddad, Houyem Said, Sana Bhiri, Asma Ben Cheikh","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10125","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10125","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, strict infection prevention and control (IPC) measures were implemented in healthcare settings.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To evaluate the effect of enhanced IPC practices implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in a Tunisian university hospital.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A multimodal IPC strategy was implemented from March to September 2020 at Sahloul University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia. This strategy included promoting hand hygiene (HH), enhancing adherence to standard precautions and universal masking. We compared the prevalence of HAIs and compliance with IPC practices before the pandemic (pre-intervention phase) and during the pandemic (post-intervention phase).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 306 patients were surveyed in 2019 and 228 in 2021. The prevalence of HAIs increased slightly from 9.4% to 10.08% (<i>p</i> = 0.814). HH compliance improved significantly from 38.3% to 51.6% and sharp waste sorting compliance rose from 60.3% to 77.6%. The use of personal protective equipment also increased, with FFP2 respirator consumption increasing nearly 247-fold.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study found no significant change in HAI prevalence despite the implementation of enhanced IPC strategies. However, the small sample size was a major limitation that may have reduced the statistical power to detect meaningful differences. Larger-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings and better assess the impact of IPC strategies in this context.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e227"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451797/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"\"Why must I get an infection, especially after surgery?\" opportunities for patient engagement in infection care.","authors":"Oluchi Nneka Mbamalu, Estelle van Tonder, Ebruphiyo Ruth Useh, Bongeka Mfeketo, Okuhle Pretty Mbengo, Adam Boutall, Timothy Pennel, Lebohang Moloi, Salome Maswime, Esmita Charani, Marc Mendelson","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10062","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>We explored the awareness, perspectives, and experiences of patients and healthcare providers (HCPs) regarding opportunities for surgical patients to engage in infection care.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Qualitative research design.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Tertiary academic hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>79 patients and 22 carers were observed during interactions with HCPs, and interviews were conducted with 19 patients, 3 carers, and 8 HCPs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected through nonparticipant observations of surgical wound care and patient consultations, and in-depth semi-structured interviews using data collection guides. Data were coded inductively, aided by NVivo software (version 14) and themes identified.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Three main themes emerged from the data: patient's healthcare knowledge following surgery, patients' experiences of surgical site infection, and patients' experiences as users of the healthcare system. Care discussions were largely driven by the doctor, and focused on the patient's condition, associated diagnostic tests and medicines, and wound care. Patients' contributions were mostly passive, as recipients of information and respondents to doctors' questions. Most patients expected HCPs to initiate engagement and were unaware of healthcare-associated infections before developing one.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our data highlight a need to strengthen postdischarge wound care. The presentation and delivery of information in patient-facing and relatable formats can improve patient and carer understanding of surgical infection risks and care, and help support and advance patients' roles as co-stakeholders in infection care for improved health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e223"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451813/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term sustainability of improvements in antibiotic prescribing after implementation of a local guideline for the management of patients hospitalized with skin and soft tissue infection.","authors":"Kira E Frappa, Katherine C Shihadeh, Margaret M Cooper, Paul D Paratore, Timothy C Jenkins","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10063","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A local guideline for the management of patients hospitalized with skin and soft tissue infections was implemented at an academic, safety-net hospital. Immediate reductions in use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and durations of therapy were sustained over the subsequent 12 years.</p>","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e216"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451805/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors associated with hospital-acquired <i>Candida auris</i> in a DC hospital.","authors":"Joanne Dietrich, Tara Millson","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10090","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10090","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>From August 2021 to July 2024, a teaching hospital in the DC area experienced a considerable increase in hospital-acquired (HA) <i>Candida auris</i> cases. This project identified possible contributing factors and implemented targeted interventions, which helped reduce the monthly HA case rate and likelihood of an outbreak.</p>","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e218"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451802/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparing contamination rates in paired blood culture sets with a single-time stamp vs multiple-time stamps.","authors":"Abhilasha Borad, Ali Ibrahim, Susan E Boruchoff, Keith S Kaye, Ahmed Abdul Azim","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10103","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10103","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This retrospective analysis compares the recovery rate of commensal organisms in two sets of blood cultures with a single-time stamp (STS) versus ones with multiple-time stamps (MTS) in an academic tertiary center. Rates in which both sets were positive for commensals were numerically higher in STS versus MTS.</p>","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e220"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451794/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum: Uniting disciplines against antimicrobial resistance (AMR): highlights from a multidisciplinary inaugural AMR summit - ERRATUM.","authors":"","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10099","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10099","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1017/ash.2025.10039.].</p>","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e219"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451791/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Response to letter from van der Zaag et al.","authors":"Christopher Doern, Melissa Whitman, Michelle Doll, Susan Roseff, Alexandra Bryson","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10075","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10075","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e217"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451848/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of an upper room ultraviolet-C (UV-C) technology versus far UV-C light technologies in reducing aerosolized bacteriophage MS2.","authors":"Samir Memic, Jennifer L Cadnum, Curtis J Donskey","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10107","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10107","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In a room with 6 air changes per hour, an upper room ultraviolet-C (UV-C) and 2 far UV-C technologies were similarly effective in reducing aerosolized bacteriophage MS2 in comparison to no intervention. Both UV-C technologies could be useful adjunctive measures to reduce the risk for respiratory virus transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e221"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451806/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased risk of Enterococcal Bacteremia in critically ill patients with COVID-19 during pandemic surges.","authors":"Sharanjeet K Thind, Ghias N Sheikh, Syeda Sahra, Dena R Shibib, Awais Bajwa, Houssein A Youness, Chris A Gentry","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10056","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Identify incidence of enterococcal bacteremia and associated risk factors in ICU patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Retrospective cohort study.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.</p><p><strong>Patients: </strong>Adult ICU patients with SARS-CoV-2 and positive blood cultures for <i>Enterococcus</i> species between March 1, 2020 and February 28, 2022.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Durations of hospitalization, ICU stay, ventilation, site and duration of central line, receipt of steroids, tocilizumab, and antimicrobials were gathered by chart review. Patient location during a surge of bacteremia was noted and strains were identified by multilocus sequencing typing (MLST).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were 70 episodes of enterococcal bacteremia in ICU patients with COVID-19 during a 2-year period. Patients had a median age of 72 years and 97% were male. Onset of bacteremia was 12 and 14 days after mechanical ventilation and central line placement, respectively. The median number of days to bacteremia diagnosis was 13 from admission to the ICU and 90-day mortality was 66.7% among patients admitted October to December of 2020. A large proportion of ICU patients developed enterococcal bacteremia during a COVID-19 surge (<i>P</i> < .00001) and an increased incidence of enterococcal bacteremia was seen September 2020-February 2021 (<i>P</i> < .0001) in hospitalized patients. A total of 5 unique Enterococcal strains among 13 bacteremia episodes were identified in patients with ICU beds in close proximity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A high incidence of enterococcal bacteremia was observed in critically ill patients with SARS-CoV-2, especially during surges. Contributing factors may include environmental contamination, patient colonization, nonadherence to infection control practices, resource limitations, ICU design and use of mechanical ventilation, central lines and immunosuppressants. MLST can be used to identify clusters to address these contributing factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e215"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451795/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The relationship between antibiotic utilization for respiratory conditions (AXR) and antibiotic prescribing for pharyngitis.","authors":"Divyam Goel, Meg Grimshaw, Nora Fino, Emily S Spivak, Adam L Hersh","doi":"10.1017/ash.2025.10129","DOIUrl":"10.1017/ash.2025.10129","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72246,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE","volume":"5 1","pages":"e212"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451800/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145132902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}