Project description:ObjectivesTo describe the first outbreak of Candida auris in Brazil, including epidemiological, clinical and microbiological data.MethodsAfter the first Candida auris-colonised patient was diagnosed in a COVID-19 ICU at a hospital in Salvador, Brazil, a multidisciplinary team conducted a local C. auris prevalence investigation. Screening cultures for C. auris were collected from patients, healthcare workers and inanimate surfaces. Risk factors for C. auris colonisation were evaluated, and the fungemia episodes that occurred after the investigation were also analysed and described. Antifungal susceptibility of the C. auris isolates was determined, and they were genotyped with microsatellite analysis.ResultsAmong body swabs collected from 47 patients, eight (n = 8/47, 17%) samples from the axillae were positive for C. auris. Among samples collected from inanimate surfaces, digital thermometers had the highest rate of positive cultures (n = 8/47, 17%). Antifungal susceptibility testing showed MICs of 0.5 to 1 mg/L for AMB, 0.03 to 0.06 mg/L for voriconazole, 2 to 4 mg/L for fluconazole and 0.03 to 0.06 mg/L for anidulafungin. Microsatellite analysis revealed that all C. auris isolates belong to the South Asian clade (Clade I) and had different genotypes. In multivariate analysis, having a colonised digital thermometer was the only independent risk factor associated with C. auris colonisation. Three episodes of C. auris fungemia occurred after the investigation, with 30-day attributable mortality of 33.3%.ConclusionsEmergence of C. auris in Salvador, Brazil, may be related to local C. auris clade I closely related genotypes. Contaminated axillary monitoring thermometers may facilitate the dissemination of C. auris reinforcing the concept that these reusable devices should be carefully cleaned with an effective disinfectant or replaced by other temperature monitoring methods.
Project description:The emerging, often multidrug-resistant Candida auris is increasingly being associated with outbreaks in healthcare facilities. Here we describe the molecular epidemiology of a C. auris outbreak during 18 months, which started in 2018 in the high dependency unit (HDU) of a secondary-care hospital in Kuwait. Demographic and clinical data for candidemia and colonized patients were prospectively recorded. Clinical and environmental isolates were subjected to phenotypic and molecular identification; antifungal susceptibility testing by broth microdilution method; PCR-sequencing of ERG11 and FKS1 for resistance mechanisms to triazoles and echinocandins, respectively; and molecular fingerprinting by short tandem repeat (STR) analyses. Seventy-one (17 candidemic and 54 colonized) patients including 26 with candiduria and seven environmental samples yielded C. auris. All isolates were identified as C. auris by Vitek2, MALDI-TOF MS, PCR amplification and/or PCR-sequencing of rDNA. Twelve candidemia and 26 colonized patients were admitted or exposed to HDU. Following outbreak recognition, an intensive screening program was instituted for new patients. Despite treatment of all candidemia and 36 colonized patients, 9 of 17 candidemia and 27 of 54 colonized patients died with an overall crude mortality rate of ~50%. Nearly all isolates were resistant to fluconazole and contained the Y132F mutation in ERG11 except one patient's isolates, which were also distinct by STR typing. Only urine isolates from two patients developed echinocandin resistance with concomitant FKS1 mutations. The transmission of C. auris in this outbreak was linked to infected/colonized patients and the hospital environment. However, despite continuous surveillance and enforcement of infection control measures, sporadic new cases continued to occur, challenging the containment efforts.
Project description:Our understanding of how COVID-19 spreads over a territory needs to be improved. For example, the evaluation of disease spatiotemporal distribution and its association with other characteristics can help identify covariates, model the behavior of the epidemic, and provide useful information for decision making. Data were compiled from the National Population Council (CONAPO), Google, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), and the Secretary of Health. The data describe the cases of COVID and characteristics of the population, such as distribution, mobility, and prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. These data were processed to be compatible and georeferenced to a common geographic framework to facilitate spatial analysis in a geographic information system (GIS).
Project description:BackgroundCandida auris infections are an emerging global threat with poor clinical outcome, high mortality rate, high transmission rate and outbreak potential. The objective of this work is to describe a multidisciplinary approach towards the investigation and containment of a Candida auris outbreak and the preventive measures adopted in a resource limited setting.MethodsThis outbreak investigational study was conducted at a 1300-bedded tertiary care academic hospital in South India. The study included 15 adult inpatients with laboratory confirmed Candida auris isolates. The outbreak cluster was identified in adult patients admitted from September 2017 to 2019. The system response consisted of a critical alert system for laboratory confirmed Candida auris infection and multidisciplinary 'Candida auris care team' for patient management. The team implemented stringent Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures including patient cohorting, standardized therapy and decolonization, staff training, prospective surveillance and introduction of Candida auris specific care bundle.ResultsTwo outbreak clusters were identified; first cluster occurring between October and November 2017 and the second cluster in May 2018. The cohorts consisted of 7 and 8 Candida auris positive patients in the first and second waves of the outbreak respectively with a total survival rate of 93% (14/15). Deployment of containment measures led to gradual decline in the incidence of adult Candida auris positive cases and prevented further cluster formation.ConclusionsThe sustained implementation of guideline and evidence-based IPC measures and training of healthcare workers for improving awareness on systematically following standardized protocols of Candida auris related IPC practices successfully contained Candida auris outbreaks at our hospital. This demonstrates the feasibility of establishing a multidisciplinary model and bundling of practices for preventing Candida auris outbreaks in a Low- and Middle-income country.
Project description:BackgroundCandida auris a frequently multidrug-resistant yeast species that poses a global health threat due to its high potential for hospital outbreaks. While C. auris has become endemic in parts of Asia and Africa, transmissions have so far rarely been reported in Western Europe except for Great Britain and Spain. We describe the first documented patient-to-patient transmission of C. auris in Germany in a COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) and infection control measures implemented to prevent further spread of the pathogen.MethodsIdentification of C. auris was performed by MALDI-TOF and confirmed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Antifungal susceptibility testing was carried out. We conducted repeated cross-sectional examinations for the presence of C. auris in the patients of the affected ICU and investigated possible routes of transmission.ResultsThe index patient had been transferred to Germany from a hospital in Northern Africa and was found to be colonised with C. auris. The contact patient developed C. auris sepsis. Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures included strict isolation of the two C. auris patients and regular screening of non-affected patients. No further case occurred during the subsequent weeks. Reusable blades used in video laryngoscope-guided intubation were considered as the most likely vehicle of transmission.ConclusionsIn view of its high risk of transmission, vigilance regarding C. auris colonisation in patients referred from endemic countries is crucial. Strict and immediate IPC measures may have the potential to prevent C. auris outbreaks.
Project description:In December 2020, Candida auris emerged in Brazil in the city of Salvador. The first two C. auris colonized patients were in the same COVID-19 intensive care unit. Antifungal susceptibility testing showed low minimal inhibitory concentrations of 1 µg/mL, 2 µg/mL, 0.03 µg/L, and 0.06 µg/mL for amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, and anidulafungin, respectively. Microsatellite typing revealed that the strains are clonal and belong to the South Asian clade C. auris. The travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of travel history among the colonized patients lead to the hypothesis that this species was introduced several months before the recognition of the first case and/or emerged locally in the coastline Salvador area.
Project description:BackgroundDuring the second COVID-19 wave, a large COVID-19 outbreak happened at a 90-bed geriatric palliative care hospital in December 2020, whereby 32 % of the healthcare personnel (HCP) and 29 patients became infected within 23 days and 13 patients died. The bed occupancy rate dropped to 20 %. Drastically enhanced hygiene measures directly after outbreak detection could stop further nosocomial infections among patients but were less effective among HCP.ObjectiveOutbreak investigation and detection of risk factors for infection in HCP.Material and methodsAnonymous online survey among HCP from January and February 2021 investigating potential risk factors for PCR positive infections (poorly fitting FFP2 masks, close contacts with positive patients, team meetings with positive HCP).ResultsOf 184 HCP, 96 completed the survey (52.2 %), including 38 who became infected. Of the HCP 8 remained asymptomatic/oligosymptomatic, 30 HCP became ill for a median of 10 days and in 2 continuously. Factors associated with an infection were close contacts with positive patients in a time-dependent manner despite wearing an FFP2 mask (OR 6.0; 95 % CI 1.6-22). Out of 88 HCP 55 described poorly fitting FFP2 masks. An infection was mostly attributed to a longer contact with positive, sometimes restless patients. The overall exhausting working situation was repeatedly mentioned.ConclusionA COVID outbreak within the care-intense geriatric context is challenging to control especially among HCP. Longer patient contacts and limited compliance by patients counteracts strict hygiene measures. Vulnerability of HCP and patients requires additional preventive interventions by rapidly effective vaccinations and has to be a priority for health policy.