Infection Control Measures to Prevent Invasive Mould Diseases in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients

Epidemiological Characterization of Clinical Fungal Isolates from Pauls Stradinš Clinical University Hospital, Latvia: A 4-Year Surveillance Report

Nosocomial fungal infections are an emerging global public health threat that requires urgent attention and proper management. With the limited availability of treatment options, it has become necessary to understand the emerging epidemiological trends, mechanisms, and risk factors. However, very limited surveillance reports are available in the Latvian and broader European context. We therefore conducted a retrospective analysis of laboratory data (2017-2020) from Pauls Stradinš Clinical University Hospital (PSCUH), Riga, Latvia, which is one of the largest public multispecialty hospitals in Latvia. A total of 2278 fungal isolates were analyzed during the study period, with Candida spp. comprising 95% of the isolates, followed by Aspergillus spp. and Geotrichum spp. Amongst the Candida spp., C. albicans and C. glabrata made up about 75% of the isolates. The Department of Lung Diseases and Thoracic Surgery had the highest caseload followed by Intensive Care Department. Majority of the fungal isolates were collected from the bronchoalveolar lavage (37%), followed by urine (19%) and sputum (18%) samples. A total of 34 cases of candidemia were noted during the study period with C. albicans being the most common candidemia pathogen. Proper surveillance of emerging epidemiological trends serve as the most reliable and powerful cornerstone towards tackling this emerging threat.

Renovation in hospitals: Training construction crews to work in health care facilities

BACKGROUND

Health care facilities require frequent renovations to maintain or enhance their service, and to meet the dynamic demands of their patients. Construction activities in active health care facilities are a significant contributor to various challenges that range from infection to death. It is therefore essential to minimize the adverse impacts of construction activities on health care units as well as their adjacent sites.

METHODS

A questionnaire was developed to study current training modules to prepare construction crews to work in health care environments. The survey was disseminated among professionals of the top 15 health care contractors. A total of 129 individuals participated, and their responses were analyzed using descriptive and categorical statistics.

RESULTS

This study investigates current training practices regarding (1) the level of training, (2) the frequency of training, and (3) the impact that the sensitivity of the project has on the training. To effectively prepare construction crews, special training must be provided to them.

CONCLUSIONS

There are uncertainties about the sufficiency and impact of the existing training. Existing trainings are tailored for upper management positions, and the amount/frequency of training for construction crews are substantially low. Findings of this study contribute to characterizing the activities and conditions pertaining to training of construction crews.

Comparison of Two Typing Methods for Characterization of Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus from Potting Soil Samples in a Chinese Hospital

To understand the characterizations of azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus from potting soil samples in the hospital, a total of 58 samples were collected. Among 106 A. fumigatus samples obtained, 5 isolates from 4 soil samples located in the gerontology department were identified as azole-resistant A. fumigatus (ARAF). Four ARAF isolates harbored the TR₃₄/L98H allele, and the other one had no mutation in the cyp51A gene. Among 174 A. fumigatus samples selected for genotyping, TRESPERG typing obtained a close discriminatory power (Simpson's index of diversity [DI], 0.9941; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9913 to 0.9968) compared with the short tandem repeat (STR) typing (DI, 0.9997; 95% CI, 0.9976 to 1.0000). Genotyping showed that the TR₃₄/L98H isolates in the hospital had a close genetic relationship with ARAF isolates from China and many other countries. In conclusion, this study indicated the presence of ARAF in potting soil samples from the hospital, which might pose a risk of causing ARAF infection in patients.

Survivorship, Version 2.2018, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

The NCCN Guidelines for Survivorship provide screening, evaluation, and treatment recommendations for common physical and psychosocial consequences of cancer and cancer treatment to help healthcare professionals who work with survivors of adult-onset cancer in the posttreatment period. This portion of the guidelines describes recommendations regarding the management of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and lymphedema. In addition, recommendations regarding immunizations and the prevention of infections in cancer survivors are included.

Invasive Aspergillosis in Pediatric Leukemia Patients: Prevention and Treatment

The purpose of this article is to review and update the strategies for prevention and treatment of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in pediatric patients with leukemia and in patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The major risk factors associated with IA will be described since their recognition constitutes the first step of prevention. The latter is further analyzed into chemoprophylaxis and non-pharmacologic approaches. Triazoles are the mainstay of anti-fungal prophylaxis while the other measures revolve around reducing exposure to mold spores. Three levels of treatment have been identified: (a) empiric, (b) pre-emptive, and (c) targeted treatment. Empiric is initiated in febrile neutropenic patients and uses mainly caspofungin and liposomal amphotericin B (LAMB). Pre-emptive is a diagnostic driven approach attempting to reduce unnecessary use of anti-fungals. Treatment targeted at proven or probable IA is age-dependent, with voriconazole and LAMB being the cornerstones in >2yrs and <2yrs age groups, respectively.

Fungal Pneumonia in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Invasive fungal infections, which occur primarily as a consequence of prolonged neutropenia and immunosuppression, are a life-threatening complication seen among patients with hematologic malignancies. The routine use of triazole antifungal prophylaxis, enhanced diagnostics, and newer antifungal agents have led to improvements in the care of fungal pneumonias, but invasive fungal infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality. This article covers risk factors for major fungal infections, diagnostic approaches, and treatment options for specific fungal pathogens, including Aspergillus and Mucorales species, and discusses current approved strategies for prevention of common and uncommon fungal pneumonias.

Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Aspergillosis: 2016 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America

It is important to realize that guidelines cannot always account for individual variation among patients. They are not intended to supplant physician judgment with respect to particular patients or special clinical situations. IDSA considers adherence to these guidelines to be voluntary, with the ultimate determination regarding their application to be made by the physician in the light of each patient's individual circumstances.

Evaluation of invasive aspergillosis risk of immunocompromised patients alternatively hospitalized in hematology intensive care unit and at home

Contrary to hospital exposure, little is known about the indoor fungal exposure of hematology patients at home. The aim of our study was to investigate the mold exposure of hematology patients both at home and at hospital to assess their invasive aspergillosis (IA) risk. Fungal exposure was assessed by quantifying opportunistic molds at hospital during hospitalization and in homes of 53 hematology patients. IA was diagnosed in 13 of 53 patients and invasive fungal infection (IFI) in one patient. In hospital, no opportunistic species, or low levels of opportunistic species, were found in 98% of weekly controls. Only 2% of hematology intensive care unit (ICU) controls showed a high level of Aspergillus fumigatus spores in corridor air. Five patients IA were hospitalized during these periods. Seven dwellings of 53 (5/14 dwellings of patients with IA/IFI and 2/39 dwellings of non-IA patients) had a percentage of A. fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus to total mold (significant predictor variable of IA/IFI in our study, general linear model, P-value = 0.02) as high as 15%. Maintaining a 'zero Aspergillus' goal at hospital is essential, and establishing specific and individually opportunistic mold monitoring at home could help to further reduce the IA risk through continuous surveillance.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

This study emphasizes the fact that preventive measures should not be aimed only at the hospital setting: among patients diagnosed with invasive aspergillosis/invasive fungal infection (IA/IFI), 5 of 14 (36%) were exposed to opportunistic fungal species at home exclusively. Moreover, four of these five patients were living in homes having the highest percentage of Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus (>15%), one of which had 48% of A. fumigatus. Therefore, our work supports the need for a counselor to carry out an environmental survey in patients’ homes.

Mold contamination in a controlled hospital environment: a 3-year surveillance in southern Italy

Background

Environmental monitoring of airborne filamentous fungi is necessary to reduce fungal concentrations in operating theaters and in controlled environments, and to prevent infections. The present study reports results of a surveillance of filamentous fungi carried out on samples from air and surfaces in operating theaters and controlled environments in an Italian university hospital.

Methods

Sampling was performed between January 2010 and December 2012 in 32 operating theaters and five departments with high-risk patients. Indoor air specimens were sampled using a microbiological air sampler; Rodac contact plates were used for surface sampling. Fungal isolates were identified at the level of genera and species.

Results

Sixty-one samples (61/465; 13.1%) were positive for molds, with 18 from controlled environments (18/81; 22.2%) and 43 (43/384; 11.2%) from operating theaters. The highest air fungal load (AFL, colony-forming units per cubic meter [CFU/m³]) was recorded in the ophthalmology operating theater, while the pediatric onco-hematology ward had the highest AFL among the wards (47 CFU/m³). The most common fungi identified from culture of air specimens were Aspergillus spp. (91.8%), Penicillium spp., (6%) and Paecilomyces spp. (1.5%). During the study period, a statistically significant increase in CFU over time was recorded in air-controlled environments (p = 0.043), while the increase in AFL in operating theaters was not statistically significant (p = 0.145). Molds were found in 29.1% of samples obtained from surfaces. Aspergillus fumigatus was the most commonly isolated (68.5%).

Conclusions

Our findings will form the basis for action aimed at improving the air and surface quality of these special wards. The lack of any genetic analysis prevented any correlation of fungal environmental contamination with onset of fungal infection, an analysis that will be undertaken in a prospective study in patients admitted to the same hospital.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-014-0595-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association of hospital construction with the development of healthcare associated environmental mold infections (HAEMI) in pediatric patients with leukemia

BACKGROUND

Healthcare associated mold infections (HAEMI) increase morbidity and mortality in children with leukemia. Excavation adjacent to Children's Medical Center Dallas (CMCD) April 2006-February 2007 provided an opportunity to determine if excavation adjacent to a hospital building is associated with increased risk of developing HAEMI in children receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia.

METHODS

Children who began receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia at CMCD from 2004 to 2008 were identified (n = 275). Exposures to the CMCD campus during intensive chemotherapy and duration of neutropenia per exposure were recorded. Proven, probable, or possible invasive fungal disease (IFD) was classified using EORTC/MSG guidelines. Institutional guidelines categorized mold infections as definite or possible HAEMI. A bivariate time-to-event model compared the association of excavation with HAEMI and yeast infections, controlling for neutropenia.

RESULTS

There were 7,454 CMCD exposures, 1,007 (13.5%) during excavation. Of 50 cases of IFD, 31 were HAEMI. By time-to-event analysis exposure to the CMCD campus during the excavation period was significantly associated with HAEMI (HR = 2.8, P = 0.01) but not yeast infections (HR = 0.75, P = 0.75). Neutropenia was significantly associated with both HAEMI and yeast infections (P < 0.001). Voriconazole prophylaxis did not prevent HAEMI in 42% of the 14 patients with AML who had been receiving this agent.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first to demonstrate an association between exposure to hospital construction that includes excavation and HAEMI in pediatric oncology patients. Since neutropenic patients need protection from aerosolized fungal spores during visits to expanding medical centers, preventive strategies with adherence monitoring need additional study.

Our recommendations for avoiding exposure to fungi outside the hospital for patients with haematological cancers

Despite several chemotherapeutic and preventative advances, opportunistic fungal infections remain common unintended consequences of cancer treatment. Currently, cancer patients spend most of their time between treatments at home, where they can inadvertently come across potential hazards from environmental and food sources. Therefore, infection prevention measures are of the utmost importance for these patients. Although clinicians closely observe patients throughout their treatment courses in the hospital, the focus of clinical visits is predominantly on cancer care, and clinicians seldom provide recommendations for prevention of such infections. Herein, we provide practical recommendations for busy clinicians to help them educate patients regarding potential sources of fungal infections outside the hospital.

[Epidemiology and prevention of nosocomial invasive infections by filamentous fungi and yeasts]

Knowledge of the epidemiology of invasive fungal diseases in health care settings helps to establish the action levels necessary for its prevention. A first step is to identify groups of patients at high risk of invasive fungal diseases, establish accurate risk factors, observing the periods of greatest risk, and analyze the epidemiological profile in genera and species, as well as the patterns of antifungal resistance. Secondly, mechanisms to avoid persistent exposure to potential fungal pathogens must be established, protecting areas and recommending measures, such as the control of the quality of the air and water inside and outside the hospital, and determining and promoting appropriate architectural designs of health institutions. Finally, apart from the correct implementation of these measures, the use of antifungal prophylaxis should be considered in selected patients at very high risk, following the guidelines published.

Refurbishment works in a hospital during normal operation

BACKGROUND

Construction and renovation work in hospitals pose risks of fungal airborne infections for immunosuppressed patients. If possible, reconstruction work will be postponed to periods without patient treatment. However, in many situations urgent damage demands immediate refurbishment works before the transferring of patients to other wards or closure of wards is possible. Reported here are infection control related measures and implemented procedures after two incidents of water damage which occurred on a surgical ward and an intensive care unit at the University hospital of Essen.

METHODS

Between January and April 2009 and between September and October 2009, respectively, concentration of air-borne particles and number of viable fungi were measured at two surgical wards and one ICU. Preventive Infection Control Measures included erection of protective walls and HEPA filtration of air from the renovation area.

RESULTS

During the renovation work on the surgical ward concentrations of moulds and particles ≥5 µm were significantly higher on the left side of the renovation area than on the right side (p=0.036 and p<0.001). Concentrations of particles ≥1 µm and particles ≥5 µm on both sides of the renovation area were significantly increased when compared with the control ward on the same floor but not when compared with the control ward on the other floor. Particles of all size were significantly elevated on the ICU during the renovation work. Aspergillus fumigatus could neither be cultured of the air of cardiac surgery intensive care unit nor of the intermediate care unit (control ward). During renovation works there was no nosocomial mould infection of patients treated on the two wards.

CONCLUSION

Provided that the renovation area is tightly insulated from the areas of patient care on a ward, closure does not seem to be necessary during renovation works because variation of airborne fungi is similar to that of outdoor or control air. However a multidisciplinary team should be established. This team should perform risk assessment and determine necessary protective measures before starting any construction, renovation or maintenance work in health care settings.

Comparison of the occurrence of mold infection among patients receiving chemotherapy for acute leukemia versus patients undergoing stem cell transplantation

OBJECTIVES

Invasive mold infections (IMI) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematological malignancies. Cumulative incidence numbers vary greatly, probably because local circumstances influence the incidence of IMI. Therefore, comparison of different patient groups at risk should be performed at one hospital.

METHODS

We performed a single-center retrospective analysis examining both adult patients treated with chemotherapy for acute leukemia or MDS and patients undergoing allogeneic or autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) between June 2007 and August 2009. IMI were classified according to the EORTC criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 211 patients with 237 predefined risk episodes were analyzed. A total of 22 IMI were observed: three of them were classified as proven, 15 as probable, and four as possible. No IMI were observed in the autologous SCT group. The incidence of proven and probable IMI in the allogeneic SCT group was 7.2%, and in the chemotherapy group, 14.3%. Patients with IMI had a higher mortality risk.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate for the first time that patients receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia have the highest risk of developing IMI during their treatment compared to patients with allogeneic SCT.

Zygomycosis presenting a major clinical challenge: case report on Rhizomucor pusillus infection in a stem-cell-transplant recipient

Zygomycoses are opportunistic infections caused by the Mucorales fungi. They are typically seen in immunosuppressed patients. The incidence of zygomycosis cases seems to be increasing. We report on zygomycosis in a pediatric, female stem-cell-transplant recipient. This case report underlines the difficulty of taking care of patients with zygomycosis. In fungal infections of immunosuppressive patients on broad-coverage antibiotics, foci of skin necrosis are unique and typical for zygomycoses, and may be helpful in this challenging diagnosis.

Aspergillosis: nosocomial or community-acquired?

Discrimination between nosocomial and community infections is important for investigation and prevention. Nosocomial and hospital-acquired infections require appropriate hospital control measures to avert additional cases. Nosocomial infections (NI) occur during hospitalization or are caused by microorganisms acquired during hospital stay. Such infections should not be evident when patients are admitted to the hospital. Furthermore, the definition of NI is based on epidemiological criteria, such as the time lapse between admission and onset, or microbiological criteria. This definition might be difficult to apply to invasive aspergillosis (IA) which often afflicts patients with severe immunosuppression or transplantation. Identification of the source may be difficult which could arise outside or inside the hospital. Another significant issue is the lack of valid and reproducible data on the incubation period. The incubation duration of IA is influenced by different individual or environmental determinants, including the severity of immunosuppression and air quality. The criteria of causality are also a means of discussing the contribution of hospital vs. community determinants of IA. The definition of nosocomial IA remains difficult. A better understanding of early events related to IA onset will help to prevent this disease for which the prognosis remains negative.