Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control最新文献

{"title":"Effect of daily pillow cover replacement on the incidence of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in the medical intensive care units (MICU): a comparative study.","authors":"JinWoong Suh, KyungSook Yang, JeongYeon Kim, YoungKyung Yoon, JangWook Sohn","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01732-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01732-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are at risk for colonization and infection by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), a multidrug-resistant pathogen with high mortality. Despite the use of infection control bundles, CRAB often persists on environmental surfaces, posing ongoing challenges for containment. The potential impact of managing soft environmental reservoirs-such as pillow covers-remains underexplored. This study evaluated whether daily pillow cover replacement can reduce CRAB acquisition in a medical ICU (MICU).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A prospective intervention study was conducted in a 23-bed MICU at a tertiary hospital in Korea between August 2023 and July, 2024. Standard infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, including hand hygiene, cohort isolation, chlorhexidine bathing, and routine cleaning, were consistent throughout the study. Starting February 1, 2024, pillow covers were replaced regularly as an additional intervention. CRAB acquisition was defined as positive clinical cultures obtained > 48 h after admission. Incidence rates were compared between the pre- and post-intervention periods using Poisson regression and interrupted time series analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 152 patients met the inclusion criteria (108 pre- and 44 post-intervention). In this study, 224 CRAB-positive clinical specimens were identified from 152 patients, and only the first isolate per patient was included in the incidence analysis. The mean age was 76 years; 59.9% were male, and the average MICU stay was 26 days. Sputum accounted for 76.8% of CRAB-positive specimens. Compliance with daily pillow cover replacement was 100%. Poisson regression revealed a significant reduction in CRAB incidence following the intervention, with a 3.92% weekly decrease (95% CI 0.10-7.69%; p = 0.045).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>When integrated into existing IPC bundles, daily pillow-cover replacement may reduce CRAB cross-transmission in the MICU. This simple, low-cost intervention with high compliance offers a promising strategy for improving environmental hygiene and infection control in high-risk settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13112644/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147472290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of tuberculosis infection control measures in China's designated medical institutions: a comparative analysis of 2014 and 2022.","authors":"Lijie Zhang, Yuhong Liu, Zhili Li, Wei Shu, Yuxian Sun, Jian Du, Liang Li","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01728-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01728-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess the implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in municipal and higher-level tuberculosis (TB)-designated medical institutions and to identify areas for improvement by comparing data from 2014 and 2022.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study compared infection control measures using data from 47 TB-designated medical institutions that participated in both the 2014 and 2022 national surveys. Implementation rates of administrative, environmental and respiratory protection measure were compared.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 47 institutions were analyzed, including 20 provincial institutions (42.6%) and 27 municipal institutions (57.4%). Overall infection control performance in 2022 was high and consistent across regions, levels, and grades. Significant improvements from 2014 to 2022 were observed in: dedicated pathways for patients/staff (80.9% vs. 97.9%, 17.0% increase), separate wards for smear-positive/smear-negative patients (63.8% vs. 87.2%, 23.4% increase), separate wards for drug-resistant/non-resistant patients (74.5% vs. 95.7%, 21.2% increase), and use of medical protective mask by staff (70.2% vs. 95.7%, 25.5% increase) (all P < 0.05). The use of air purification/filtration also increased significantly (14.9% vs. 57.4%, 42.5% increase, P < 0.001), with over 90% of institutions adopting natural ventilation and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Significant improvements in IPC measures were achieved between 2014 and 2022, particularly in administrative controls. However, further efforts are needed to standardize ward zoning management and ensure more equitable resource allocation across regions and institution levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13107898/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147472266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of antimicrobial resistance and stewardship among pediatric health professionals in Maputo, Mozambique.","authors":"Darlenne B Kenga, Jahit Sacarlal, Mohsin Sidat, Valéria Chicamba, Andrea Ntanga Kenga, Yara Manjate, Harriett Myers, Ramígio Pololo, Kathryn T Kampa, Troy D Moon","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01729-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01729-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where antimicrobial stewardship is often lacking. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals in pediatric settings regarding antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship at Maputo Central Hospital, Mozambique.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted among pediatric healthcare professionals using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices, and their associated factors for inappropriate prescribing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 108 eligible participants, 82 (76%) responded to the questionnaire. Overall, 53 (66%) correctly identified that antibiotics do not treat viral infections, and 79 (99%) recognized factors contributing to antimicrobial resistance. However, only 28 (34%) were familiar with the concept of antimicrobial stewardship programs, and participant knowledge related to empiric antibiotic selection was suboptimal. Physicians had significantly higher knowledge scores than laboratory technicians (p = 0.036). Prior antimicrobial stewardship training was strongly associated with improved knowledge (p < 0.001) and better prescribing practices (p = 0.005). A majority, 77 (94%), expressed interest in further antimicrobial stewardship training.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Pediatric healthcare professionals at Maputo Central Hospital are generally aware of antimicrobial resistance and exhibit positive attitudes toward antimicrobial stewardship. However, notable gaps exist in their knowledge and practices. Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship education, increasing access to treatment guidelines, and integrating antimicrobial stewardship training into routine professional development are recommended to improve appropriate antimicrobial prescribing.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13107872/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147472320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cross-sectional survey to assess the status of antimicrobial stewardship programs in public Chilean hospitals.","authors":"Ruth Rosales, Claudio González, José Valderrama, Tomás Reyes-Barros, Carmen Gloria Núñez, Báltica Cabieses, José M Munita, Tania Herrera","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01703-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01703-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Antimicrobial resistance is a leading cause of death worldwide, with the highest burdens in low-resource settings. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) are coordinated interventions designed to improve and measure the appropriate use of antimicrobials. In December 2020, the Ministry of Health of Chile mandated that all hospitals in the country implement an ASP, but there has been little rigorous, comparable information on the prevalence and types of ASP activities currently occurring in Chilean hospitals, which is critical for infection control officials and health decision-makers.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We aimed to assess the current degree of implementation of ASPs in Chilean public hospitals using a web-based survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 66 responses, 57 hospitals (86.4%) reported having an ASP and were used as the denominator in the analyses. Among them, 39 (68.4%) reported having a written institutional protocol. On average, the hospitals performed seven antimicrobial optimization activities (range 1-9). For hospitals that have WHO Reserve group antibiotics, use authorization was almost universally required (90.9% to 100%). Prospective audit and feedback was performed in 64.9% of the institutions. Seventeen hospitals (29.8%) did not measure their antibiotic consumption. The median ASP implementation survey score was 68.4 points (ranging from 30.7 to 96.5).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings show a variable implementation of ASP activities in Chilean hospitals and provide the necessary information to establish the baseline for the implementation of ASPs in hospitals in Chile.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12998113/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147472315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Customizing infection prevention and control modules for combating healthcare-acquired infections in low-resource hospitals or resource-constrained healthcare settings: a local and global approach.","authors":"Ulhas Vasave, Amit Paroha","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01727-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01727-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In resource-constrained healthcare settings such as in India, effective infection prevention and control (IPC) practices are essential for reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and enhancing patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate a customized IPC model implemented in Indian hospitals to address these challenges and improve patient safety. The model was designed to be replicable by other hospitals with similar objectives.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The multicenter pre-post quality improvement study was conducted across 11 Indian private tertiary hospitals from January 2022 to June 2023, with a 6 months preintervention phase (January-June 2022) and a 12 months intervention phase (July 2022-June 2023). Following the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the study employed a stepwise methodology, including induction, HAI data collection, baseline assessments using WHO's Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Assessment Framework (IPCAF) tool to evaluate IPC level, team formation, training, surveillance, and audit protocols. The intervention phase focused on comprehensive IPC training, virtual courses, and IPC surveillance. The project utilized the IPC model to enhance the methodology of implementing IPC, enabling transition over an 18-month duration.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant improvements were observed in IPC assessment scores, hand hygiene compliance, and adherence to IPC care bundles during the intervention phase. IPC assessment scores remarkably improved from a median of 78-97% (p = 0.004), with hospitals remaining in the advanced IPC level both pre and post intervention. Compliance toward hand hygiene improved from a median of 65% in the preintervention phase to 88% in the postintervention phase (p = 0.004). Significant improvement in compliance with IPC care bundles were observed for CAUTI (p = 0.016), CLABSI (p = 0.004), SSI (p = 0.010), and VAP (p = 0.037).Overall, HAI incidence rates remained consistently low during the study period with no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) between preintervention and postintervention rates; however, variability across individual hospitals highlights differences in settings and indicates further strengthening and standardization of IPC practices.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This quality improvement initiative highlights that a structured, WHO-aligned IPC approach can be practically adopted across Indian hospitals and can strengthen key IPC practices such as hand hygiene and care bundle compliance. With HAI rates already low at baseline and remaining stable over the study period, the findings primarily highlight the feasibility and scalability of such IPC programs across diverse healthcare settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13094052/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147429804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of restricted antibiotic use, hand hygiene, and sink trap replacement on carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales acquisition in parturients and newborns, Southeast Gabon (2022-2023).","authors":"Mesmin Moussounda, Sandra Dos Santos, Michelle Bignoumba, Laeticia Abang, Moussa Togola, Jean-Bernard Lekana-Douki, Patrice François, Nathalie van der Mee-Marquet","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01710-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01710-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Background In 2022, a study in the maternity and neonatology units of Franceville Hospital revealed high risk of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) acquisition in parturients and newborns potentially linked to suboptimal hand hygiene (HH) compliance, environmental contamination, and extensive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in newborns. To address this, a three-pronged intervention-HH promotion via hand rubbing, sink trap replacement, and restricted antibiotic use-was implemented.Methods We conducted a prospective post-intervention study. HH compliance was assessed in February 2023, before the intervention. From July to September 2023, HH compliance, CPE carriage in parturients and newborns, neonatal infections, environmental contamination, and antibiotic use were evaluated post-intervention. The impact on asymptomatic CPE carriage in parturients and newborns, neonatal CPE infections, and environmental contamination was assessed by comparing post-intervention results with pre-intervention data from 2022.Results HH compliance improved significantly (2.9% vs. 70.6%; p < 0.001), and neonatal antibiotic use declined (74.9% vs. 15.3%, p < 0.001). ESBLE carriage rates decreased among parturients, (15.8% vs. 40.1%; p < 0.001), and among newborns (0.5% vs. 5.4%; p = 0.007). CPE carriage rates decreased among parturients (4.6% vs. 1.0%; p = 0.059). No neonatal CPE infections occurred post-intervention. Despite sink trap replacement, contamination persisted. Genomic analysis of CPE strains suggested reduced parturient-to-parturient transmission and CPE acquisition from the environment.Conclusions Our findings suggest a reduction in the risk of CPE acquisition among parturients and neonates after implementing the intervention. Our findings strongly support the need for sustained HCW training, ensuring the availability of hand rub solutions, and campaigns promoting proper HH practices and rational antibiotic use to prevent nosocomial infections caused by hypervirulent CPE clones circulating in Gabon.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13081469/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147375820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blood and body fluid exposure and reporting behaviors among healthcare workers: a decade-long comparative study at a tertiary medical center.","authors":"Ziad Kaddour, Rami Abdul-Halim, Zeina Al-Khalil, Lea Al Zoghby, Raafat Alameddine, Reem Mansour, Jack El Sawda, Zeina A Kanafani","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01723-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01723-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids (BBFE) remains a significant risk for healthcare workers (HCWs), yet underreporting persists despite the implementation of institutional policies. This study aimed to compare BBFE prevalence, reporting practices, and HCWs' knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors, and identify predictors of BBFE and failure to report incidents over a ten-year period at a tertiary medical center.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in 2013-2014 and 2023-2024. In 2013-2014, all participants completed paper-based questionnaires, whereas in 2023-2024, medical students, residents, and nurses completed online surveys, and housekeeping/laundry staff completed paper-based surveys. Descriptive comparisons and logistic regression were performed to assess BBFE prevalence, reporting behaviors, and predictors of exposure and reporting using logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 299 HCWs participated (157 in 2013-2014; 142 in 2023-2024). Overall, 31.3% reported experiencing a BBFE, with housekeeping/laundry staff (48.6%) and nurses (44.6%) showing the highest prevalence (p < 0.001). The overall reporting rate was 82.6%, exceeding regional and global estimates. Lower attitude/behavior scores independently predicted BBFE occurrence (aOR = 0.665, p = 0.013), while lower perception scores predicted failure to report (aOR = 0.206, p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in BBFE or reporting rates between cohorts, though knowledge and perception scores were higher in the 2023-2024 cohort.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Despite modest improvements in awareness and perception, BBFE remains a persistent occupational hazard across professional categories. High reporting rates reflect institutional progress, yet behavioral and cultural barriers to full compliance persist. Sustained efforts targeting safety culture, reporting accessibility, and psychosocial barriers are needed to achieve lasting reductions in occupational exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13081248/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147372083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding antibiotic prescribing in the inpatient setting: a synthesis of evidence on determinants and interventions.","authors":"Sinan Ma, Ting Yang, Huangxin Gong, Jiatian Wang, Keyu Chen, Weijia Huang, Fei Xie, Haitao Wang, Li Zhang, Yan Wang","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01726-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01726-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is an urgent need to optimize antimicrobial prescribing in the hospitalized setting, driven by the complexity of infection types, the high risk of antimicrobial resistance, and the potentially severe clinical consequences. However, the key determinants of physician prescribing behavior remain inconsistent, and the evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions is still subject to debate.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to July 5, 2025, to identify evidence on determinants of and interventions for antibiotic prescribing practices in the inpatient environment. Through a single-arm 3-level model, we quantified the influence of these determinants on prescription behavior. We employed a random-effects model to analyze the effect of interventions on prescription outcomes. Interventions were categorized by behavior change techniques, with the effectiveness rate calculated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 59 studies were included, comprising 20 qualitative and 39 quantitative investigations. The findings indicated that 77.6%, 71.4%, and 64.2% of participants acknowledged the influence of environmental, prescriber, and patient factors, respectively. Interventions were associated with a 21% (RR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03-1.42) improvement in rational antimicrobial prescribing. Analysis of behavior change techniques identified \"behavior feedback\" as the most effective strategy (effectiveness rate = 3.5).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study shows that hospitalized physicians' antibiotic prescribing is shaped by multiple determinants, with contextual and environmental factors most frequently studied. Interventions generally improved prescribing in hospital settings. However, evidence from resource-limited settings remains sparse; rigorous, context-specific studies are needed to optimize prescribing in low- and middle-income countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13081581/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147372093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early detection of nosocomial pathogens in air and surfaces using an innovative genetic approach for surveillance in healthcare settings.","authors":"Antonio Martínez-Murcia, Aaron Navarro, Caridad Miró-Pina, Adrián García-Sirera, Laura Pérez, Vicente García-Román, Juan Francisco Navarro-Gracia","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01725-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01725-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections remain a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and financial burden worldwide, further exacerbated by the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Environmental reservoirs of pathogens, including air and surfaces, play a critical role in nosocomial transmission. This study aimed to validate an integrated air and surface molecular surveillance system for the early detection of clinically relevant pathogens and resistance genes in hospital environments. METHODS: Weekly air and surface samples were collected over 28 weeks from two hospitals in southeastern Spain. DNA and RNA were extracted and analysed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens, as well as antimicrobial resistance genes. A subset of samples underwent shotgun metagenomic sequencing to confirm qPCR results and characterize microbial communities. Environmental findings were compared with clinical infection data from both hospitals. RESULTS: Viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens were detected with similar patterns between air and surface samples and between hospitals. Carbapenem resistance genes showed distinct distribution profiles between hospitals. Respiratory viruses displayed strong temporal correlations with patient admissions, with viral RNA occasionally detected before clinical peaks. CONCLUSIONS: This integrated molecular surveillance system allows sensitive detection of pathogens and resistance genes in hospital environments. Coupling air and surface sampling with qPCR provides a robust tool for identifying contamination sources and tracking temporal infection trends. Its scalability and adaptability make it suitable for implementation as an early warning system in infection prevention programmes, enhancing patient safety and supporting proactive control of nosocomial infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13059197/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147321279","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of beta-lactam allergy labels on antibiotic prophylaxis and surgical site infections after cesarean section; a retrospective study.","authors":"Mudrik-Zohar Hadar, Chowers Michal, Kovo Michal, Shechter-Maor Gil, Shitrit Pnina, Pnina Shitrit","doi":"10.1186/s13756-026-01724-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13756-026-01724-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Reported beta-lactam allergies often lead to avoidance of first-line antibiotics and may increase surgical complications. Cesarean sections (CSs), where prophylactic antibiotics are universally administered, offer a unique setting to assess the clinical impact of these labels on outcomes. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of beta-lactam allergy labels on surgical site infection (SSI) rates and adherence to CS prophylactic antibiotic guidelines.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed a retrospective cohort study of all women undergoing CS at a secondary medical center between 2018 and 2023. Women with chorioamnionitis or missing antibiotic data were excluded. Patients were grouped by the presence or absence of a beta-lactam allergy label. For each group, we assessed 30-day SSI rates and adherence to prophylaxis guidelines (drug, dose, timing). Multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of SSI.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 7,060 eligible women, 307 (4.3%) carried a beta-lactam allergy label. Not-per protocol antibiotic administered in 201/307 (65%) of labeled vs. 739/6,753 (11%) of unlabeled patients (p < 0.001), mainly due to clindamycin monotherapy (88% of inadequate regimens). SSI rates were higher among labeled patients, 20/307 (6.5%) vs. 271/6,753 (4.0%) (p = 0.031). Among all patients, SSI occurred in 266/6,733 (3.9%) receiving cefazolin-based prophylaxis, 4/64 (6.3%) with clindamycin plus gentamicin, and 21/256 (8.2%) with inadequate regimens (p = 0.003). Beta-lactam allergy labeling independently increased SSI risk (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.05-2.71, P = 0.031).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Beta-lactam allergy labels were associated with an increased risk of SSI after cesarean section, due to suboptimal selection of prophylactic antibiotics. These findings underscore the importance of accurate allergy documentation and evidence-based perioperative antimicrobial stewardship to ensure optimal prophylaxis.</p>","PeriodicalId":7950,"journal":{"name":"Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13049779/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147300956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}