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Ciccacci F, De Santo C, Mosconi C, Orlando S, Carestia M, Guarente L, Liotta G, Palombi L, Emberti Gialloreti L. Not only COVID-19: a systematic review of anti-COVID-19 measures and their effect on healthcare-associated infections. J Hosp Infect 2024; 147:133-145. [PMID: 38423132 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2024.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) burden healthcare globally. Amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, intensified infection control measures, such as mask usage and hand hygiene, were implemented. AIM To assess the efficacy of these measures in preventing HAIs among hospitalized patients. METHODS Using the PICO framework (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome), the study focused on hospitalized patients and the effectiveness of anti-COVID-19 measures in preventing HAIs. A systematic review of literature published in 2020-2022 was conducted, examining interventions such as mask usage, hand hygiene, and environmental cleaning. FINDINGS This systematic review analysed 42 studies: two in 2020, 21 in 2021, and 19 in 2022. Most studies were from high-income countries (28). Most studies (30 out of 42) reported a reduction in HAIs after implementing anti-COVID-19 measures. Gastrointestinal infections and respiratory tract infections showed significant reduction, unlike bloodstream infections and urinary tract infections. Some wards, like cardiology and neurology, experienced reduced HAIs, unlike intensive care units and coronary care units. There was an increase in studies reporting no effect of hygiene measures on HAIs in 2022, eventually indicating a shift in effectiveness over time. CONCLUSION Anti-COVID-19 measures have shown selective efficacy in preventing HAIs. The study emphasizes the need for context-specific strategies and increased focus on regions with limited resources. Continued research is essential to refine infection control practices, especially in high-risk settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Ciccacci
- Departmental Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - C De Santo
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - C Mosconi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - S Orlando
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
| | - M Carestia
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - L Guarente
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - G Liotta
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - L Palombi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Tirana, Albania
| | - L Emberti Gialloreti
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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2
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Petrie JG, Moore R, Lauring AS, Kaye KS. Incidence and outcomes of hospital-associated respiratory virus infections by viral species. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2024; 45:618-629. [PMID: 38073596 PMCID: PMC11031349 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2023.263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the incidence of hospital-associated respiratory virus infection (HARVI) is well recognized, the risk factors for infection and impact on patient outcomes are not well characterized. METHODS We identified a cohort of all inpatient admissions ≥24 hours duration at a single academic medical center from 2017 to 2020. HARVI were defined as respiratory virus detected in a test ordered after the 95th percentile of the virus-specific incubation period. Risk factors for HARVI were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models of the competing outcomes of HARVI and discharge. The associations between time-varying HARVI status and the rates of ICU admission, discharge, and in-hospital death were estimated using Cox-proportional hazards models in a competing risk framework. RESULTS HARVI incidences were 8.8 and 3.0 per 10,000 admission days for pediatric and adult patients, respectively. For adults, congestive heart failure, renal disease, and cancer increased HARVI risk independent of their associations with length of stay. HARVI risk was also elevated for patients admitted in September-June relative to July admissions. For pediatric patients, cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, cancer, medical device dependence, and admission in December increased HARVI risk. Lengths of stay were longer for adults with HARVI compared to those without, and hospital-associated influenza A was associated with increased risk of death. Rates of ICU admission were increased in the 5 days after HARVI identification for adult and pediatric patients. HARVI was not associated with length of stay or death among pediatric patients. CONCLUSIONS HARVI is associated chronic health conditions and increases morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua G. Petrie
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, Wisconsin
| | - Riley Moore
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Adam S. Lauring
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Keith S. Kaye
- Division of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, New Brunswick, New Jersey
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Vasarri MV, Fernicola F, Arienti F, Carli A, Colciago E, Locatelli A, Trotta M, Procopio A, Zammarchi L, Ornaghi S. Indirect impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on incidence of maternal primary cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnancy. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2024. [PMID: 38619337 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.15534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Public health interventions promoted during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to control viral spread have impacted the occurrence of other communicable disease. Yet no studies have focused on perinatal infections with the potential for neonatal sequelae, including cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Toxoplasma gondii (TG). Here we investigate whether incidence rates of maternal primary CMV and TG infection in pregnancy were affected by the implementation of pandemic-related public health measures. METHODS A retrospective study including all pregnant women with confirmed primary CMV or TG infection in pregnancy, managed between 2018 and 2021 at two university centers. The incidence rate was calculated as the number of CMV and TG infections per 100 consultations with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Data were compared between pre-pandemic (2018-2019) and pandemic (2020 and 2021) years. The Newcombe Wilson with Continuity Correction method was employed to compare incidence rates. RESULTS The study population included 215 maternal primary CMV and 192 TG infections. Rate of maternal primary CMV infection decreased in 2021 compared with 2018-2019 (4.49% vs 6.40%, attributable risk [AR] 1.92, P = 0.019). By contrast, the rate of TG infection substantially increased in 2020 (6.95% vs 4.61%, AR 2.34, P = 0.006). Close contact with cats was more common among patients with TG infection in 2020 and 2021 than among pre-pandemic TG-infected women (26.3% and 24.4% vs 13.3%, P = 0.013). CONCLUSION Pandemic-related public health interventions and associated behavioral and lifestyle changes exerted a divergent effect on the incidence of primary CMV and TG infection in pregnancy, likely due to modulation of exposure to risk factors for these infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Viola Vasarri
- Department of Obstetrics, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
- University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| | - Federica Fernicola
- Department of Obstetrics, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
- University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| | - Francesca Arienti
- Department of Obstetrics, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
- University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| | - Anna Carli
- Department of Obstetrics, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
| | | | - Anna Locatelli
- Department of Obstetrics, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
- University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
| | - Michele Trotta
- Tuscany Referral Centre for Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Angelica Procopio
- School of Human Health Sciences, Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Zammarchi
- Tuscany Referral Centre for Infectious Diseases in Pregnancy, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Sara Ornaghi
- Department of Obstetrics, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
- University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy
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4
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Wong SC, Yip CCY, Chen JHK, Yuen LLH, AuYeung CHY, Chan WM, Chu AWH, Leung RCY, Ip JD, So SYC, Yuen KY, To KKW, Cheng VCC. Investigation of air dispersal during a rhinovirus outbreak in a pediatric intensive care unit. Am J Infect Control 2024; 52:472-478. [PMID: 37972820 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2023.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While airborne transmission of rhinovirus is recognized in indoor settings, its role in hospital transmission remains unclear. METHODS We investigated an outbreak of rhinovirus in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to assess air dispersal. We collected clinical, environmental, and air samples, and staff's surgical masks for viral load and phylogenetic analysis. Hand hygiene compliance and the number of air changes per hour in the PICU were measured. A case-control analysis was performed to identify nosocomial rhinovirus risk factors. RESULTS Between March 31, 2023, and April 2, 2023, three patients acquired rhinovirus in a cubicle (air changes per hour: 14) of 12-bed PICU. A portable air-cleaning unit was placed promptly. Air samples (72,000 L in 6 hours) from the cohort area, and outer surfaces of staff's masks (n = 8), were rhinovirus RNA-negative. Hand hygiene compliance showed no significant differences (31/34, 91.2% vs 33/37, 89.2%, P = 1) before and during outbreak. Only 1 environmental sample (3.8%) was positive (1.86 × 103 copies/mL). Case-control and next-generation sequencing analysis implicated an infected staff member as the source. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that air dispersal of rhinovirus was not documented in the well-ventilated PICU during the outbreak. Further research is needed to better understand the dynamics of rhinovirus transmission in health care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuk-Ching Wong
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Cyril C-Y Yip
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan H-K Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lithia L-H Yuen
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Christine H-Y AuYeung
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Wan-Mui Chan
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Allen W-H Chu
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Rhoda C-Y Leung
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan D Ip
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Simon Y-C So
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kelvin K-W To
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Vincent C-C Cheng
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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Shahouzaie N, Gholamiyan Arefi M. Telehealth in speech and language therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol 2024; 19:761-768. [PMID: 36129435 DOI: 10.1080/17483107.2022.2122605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The need for social distancing in order to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 concomitant with the needs of patients as well as the protection of the patients and service providers which has led to the use of tele health in speech and language therapy. For this reason, we decided to review the studies that focus on tele health in speech and language therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic and the purpose of this study is to investigate the use and satisfaction of tele health in speech and language therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a systematic review of the literature in accordance with the PRISMA statement on google scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Science direct, ProQuest, Web of science, Springer and Cochrane databases between 2020 - 2021. An additional manual search was performed, taking into consideration references of the included papers, through the same eligibility criteria. Two researchers screened the titles and abstracts of articles that met inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the included papers was evaluated using the Critical Appraisals Skills Program (CASP) checklists. RESULTS The collection of reviewed articles included 83 articles from different countries, subsequently 8 articles (3 clinical trials and 5 experimental) were selected. The data extracted were: participations, objects, methods, tools and results. CONCLUSIONS According to present study, tele health can be used in diagnosis and treatment of speech-language conditions as well as educating speech and language pathology students. Moreover, these findings showed patients and therapists were more inclined to utilise tele health.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONReduced access to in-person rehabilitation care in covid-19 pandemic, along with changes in health care finance and delivery, contributed to an exponential increase in telehealth.Measures of quality and patient satisfaction are unknown in the model of tele rehabilitation.To date, the literature on tele rehabilitation is limited and most commonly describes treatment for an impairment within a specific disease.Beyond infection control, eliminating travel time, incorporating other health care advocates, and convenience delivering care in familiar environments to pediatric patients are all benefits that will be durable outside times of pandemic.For families who live in rural or medically underserved areas and have access to internet and technology, telemedicine is a tool to provide access to medical care. Telemedicine can also increase patient and caregiver satisfaction through reduced travel and clinic wait time and increased potential for appointment time flexibility.Tele rehabilitation medicine provides an opportunity to deliver timely, patient and family-centric rehabilitation care while maintaining physical distancing and reducing potential COVID-19 exposure for our patients, their caregivers and medical providers.Since SLP mostly relies on communication through visual-auditory and perceptual aspects, tele practice could be a proper opportunity to provide care in this field.Given the need for continuous therapy sessions in order to treat speech-language disorders, the application of tele practice may eliminate problems in this area to some extent while preventing the transmission of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrin Shahouzaie
- Department of Speech pathology, Rehabilitation faculty, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Mohadese Gholamiyan Arefi
- Department of Speech pathology, Rehabilitation faculty, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
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6
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Most ZM, Phillips B, Sebert ME. Healthcare-associated respiratory viral infections after discontinuing universal masking. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2024; 45:247-249. [PMID: 37746809 PMCID: PMC10877529 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2023.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
In November 2022, our pediatric hospital replaced the requirement for universal masking of all healthcare personnel and visitors in all clinical buildings with a requirement for masking only during patient encounters. Following this change, we observed an immediate, substantial, and sustained increase in healthcare-associated respiratory viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary M. Most
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Children’s Health System of Texas, Infection Prevention and Control, Dallas, Texas
| | - Bethany Phillips
- Children’s Health System of Texas, Infection Prevention and Control, Dallas, Texas
| | - Michael E. Sebert
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
- Children’s Health System of Texas, Infection Prevention and Control, Dallas, Texas
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7
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Ehrenzeller S, Chen T, Vaidya V, Rhee C, Baker MA, Klompas M. Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Prevention Measures on Non-SARS-CoV-2 Hospital-Onset Respiratory Viral Infections: An Incidence Trend Analysis From 2015-2023. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:1696-1699. [PMID: 37531616 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We reviewed hospital-onset respiratory viral infections, 2015-2023, in one hospital to determine whether Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission prevention measures prevented non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viral infections. Masking, employee symptom attestations, and screening patients and visitors for symptoms were associated with a 44%-53% reduction in hospital-onset influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), accounting for changes in community incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selina Ehrenzeller
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Quality and Safety, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tom Chen
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Vineeta Vaidya
- Department of Quality and Safety, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Chanu Rhee
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Quality and Safety, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Meghan A Baker
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Quality and Safety, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael Klompas
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Quality and Safety, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Chiu KHY, Yip CCY, Poon RWS, Leung KH, Li X, Hung IFN, To KKW, Cheng VCC, Yuen KY. Correlations of Myeloperoxidase (MPO), Adenosine deaminase (ADA), C-C motif chemokine 22 (CCL22), Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA expression in the nasopharyngeal specimens with the diagnosis and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2157338. [PMID: 36482706 PMCID: PMC9809351 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2157338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cytokine dynamics in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been studied in blood but seldomly in respiratory specimens. We studied different cell markers and cytokines in fresh nasopharyngeal swab specimens for the diagnosis and for stratifying the severity of COVID-19. This was a retrospective case-control study comparing Myeloperoxidase (MPO), Adenosine deaminase (ADA), C-C motif chemokine ligand 22 (CCL22), Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA expression in 490 (327 patients and 163 control) nasopharyngeal specimens from 317 (154 COVID-19 and 163 control) hospitalized patients. Of the 154 COVID-19 cases, 46 died. Both total and normalized MPO, ADA, CCL22, TNFα, and IL-6 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in the nasopharyngeal specimens of infected patients when compared with controls, with ADA showing better performance (OR 5.703, 95% CI 3.424-9.500, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve showed that the cut-off value of normalized ADA mRNA level at 2.37 × 10-3 had a sensitivity of 81.8% and specificity of 83.4%. While patients with severe COVID-19 had more respiratory symptoms, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase, multivariate analysis showed that severe COVID-19 patients had lower CCL22 mRNA (OR 0.211, 95% CI 0.060-0.746, p = 0.016) in nasopharyngeal specimens, while lymphocyte count, C-reactive protein, and viral load in nasopharyngeal specimens did not correlate with disease severity. In summary, ADA appears to be a better biomarker to differentiate between infected and uninfected patients, while CCL22 has the potential in stratifying the severity of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Cyril Chik-Yan Yip
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China,State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Disease, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rosana Wing-Shan Poon
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China,State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Disease, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kit-Hang Leung
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Disease, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China,Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Li
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Disease, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China,Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China,Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Disease, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China,Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China,Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China,Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, , Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Disease, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China,Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China,Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China,Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, , Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Pak Shek Kok, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, Kwok-Yung Yuen
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9
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Wong SC, Chan VWM, Yuen LLH, AuYeung CHY, Leung JOY, Li CK, Kwok MOT, So SYC, Chen JHK, Tam AR, Hung IFN, To KKW, Lo JYC, Yuen KY, Cheng VCC. Air dispersal of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): Implications for hospital infection control during the fifth wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant in Hong Kong. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2023; 44:1321-1324. [PMID: 36278515 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2022.258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
We obtained 24 air samples in 8 general wards temporarily converted into negative-pressure wards admitting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) omicron variant BA.2.2 in Hong Kong. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 19 (79.2%) of 24 samples despite enhanced indoor air dilution. It is difficult to prevent airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuk-Ching Wong
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Veronica Wing-Man Chan
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lithia Lai-Ha Yuen
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Christine Ho-Yan AuYeung
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jessica Oi-Yan Leung
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chi-Kuen Li
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Monica Oi-Tung Kwok
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Simon Yung-Chun So
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan Hon-Kwan Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Anthony Raymond Tam
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Janice Yee-Chi Lo
- Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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10
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Landelle C, Birgand G, Price JR, Mutters NT, Morgan DJ, Lucet JC, Kerneis S, Zingg W. Considerations for de-escalating universal masking in healthcare centers. ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP & HEALTHCARE EPIDEMIOLOGY : ASHE 2023; 3:e128. [PMID: 37592969 PMCID: PMC10428150 DOI: 10.1017/ash.2023.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Three years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, better knowledge on the transmission of respiratory viral infections (RVI) including the contribution of asymptomatic infections encouraged most healthcare centers to implement universal masking. The evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology and improved immunization of the population call for the infection and prevention control community to revisit the masking strategy in healthcare. In this narrative review, we consider factors for de-escalating universal masking in healthcare centers, addressing compliance with the mask policy, local epidemiology, the level of protection provided by medical face masks, the consequences of absenteeism and presenteeism, as well as logistics, costs, and ecological impact. Most current national and international guidelines for mask use are based on the level of community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Actions are now required to refine future recommendations, such as establishing a list of the most relevant RVI to consider, implement reliable local RVI surveillance, and define thresholds for activating masking strategies. Considering the epidemiological context (measured via sentinel networks or wastewater analysis), and, if not available, considering a time period (winter season) may guide to three gradual levels of masking: (i) standard and transmission-based precautions and respiratory etiquette, (ii) systematic face mask wearing when in direct contact with patients, and (iii) universal masking. Cost-effectiveness analysis of the different strategies is warranted in the coming years. Masking is just one element to be considered along with other preventive measures such as staff and patient immunization, and efficient ventilation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Landelle
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, UMR 5525, Grenoble INP, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Infection Prevention and Control Unit, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Gabriel Birgand
- National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance at Imperial College London, London, UK
- Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control Pays de la Loire, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes, Nantes, France
| | | | - Nico T. Mutters
- Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Daniel J. Morgan
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- VA Maryland Healthcare System, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jean-Christophe Lucet
- Infection Control Unit, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Solen Kerneis
- Infection Control Unit, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Walter Zingg
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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11
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Wong SC, Chau PH, So SYC, Chiu KHY, Yuen LLH, AuYeung CHY, Lam GKM, Chan VWM, Chen JHK, Chen H, Li X, Ho PL, Chan SSC, Yuen KY, Cheng VCC. Epidemiology of multidrug-resistant organisms before and during COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Infect Prev Pract 2023; 5:100286. [PMID: 37223243 PMCID: PMC10165868 DOI: 10.1016/j.infpip.2023.100286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has influenced antimicrobial consumption and incidence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). We aimed to study the epidemiology of MDROs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Methods With the maintenance of infection control measures, we described the trend of MDRO infections, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter species (CRA), and extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase-(ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales, in a healthcare region with 3100-bed before (1 January 2016 to 31 December 2019, period 1) and during COVID-19 (1 January 2020 to 30 September 2022, period 2), together with the antimicrobial consumption using piecewise Poisson regression. The epidemiological characteristics of newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients with or without MDRO infections were analyzed. Results Between period 1 and 2, we observed a significant increase in the trend of CRA infections (P<0.001), while there was no significant increase in the trend of MRSA (P=0.742) and ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (P=0.061) infections. Meanwhile, a significant increase in the trend of carbapenems (P<0.001), extended-spectrum beta-lactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations (BLBI) (P=0.045), and fluoroquinolones (P=0.009) consumption was observed. The observed opportunity (23,540 ± 3703 vs 26,145 ± 2838, p=0.359) and compliance (81.6% ± 0.5% vs 80.1% ± 0.8%, P=0.209) of hand hygiene per year was maintained. In a multivariable model, older age, male sex, referral from residential care home for the elderly, presence of indwelling device, presence of endotracheal tube, and use of carbapenems, use of BLBI, use of proton pump inhibitors and history of hospitalization in the past 3 months were associated with higher risks of infections by MDROs among COVID-19 patients. Conclusion Infection control measures may control the surge of MDROs despite an increasing trend of antimicrobial consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuk-Ching Wong
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Pui-Hing Chau
- School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Simon Yung-Chun So
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lithia Lai-Ha Yuen
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Christine Ho-Yan AuYeung
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Germaine Kit-Ming Lam
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Veronica Wing-Man Chan
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan Hon-Kwan Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Xin Li
- Carol Yu Center for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Pak-Leung Ho
- Carol Yu Center for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Sophia Siu-Chee Chan
- School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Carol Yu Center for Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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12
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Khawaja F, Srinivasan K, Spallone A, Feldman A, Cantu S, Ariza-Heredia E, Dvordak T, Alousi A, Ahmed S, George M, Frenzel E, Bhatti M, Chemaly RF. Nosocomial COVID-19 at a comprehensive cancer center during the first year of the pandemic: Lessons learned. Am J Infect Control 2023; 51:506-513. [PMID: 35901993 PMCID: PMC9310434 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2022.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in health care settings endangers patients with cancer. As knowledge of the transmission of COVID-19 emerged, strategies for preventing nosocomial COVID-19 were updated. We describe our early experience with nosocomial respiratory viral infections (RVIs) at a cancer center in the first year of the pandemic (March 2020-March 2021). METHODS Nosocomial RVIs were identified through our infection control prospective surveillance program, which conducted epidemiologic investigations of all microbiologically documented RVIs. Data was presented as frequencies and percentages or medians and ranges. RESULTS A total of 35 of 3944 (0.9%) documented RVIs were determined to have been nosocomial acquired. Majority of RVIs were due to SARS CoV-2 (13/35; 37%) or by rhinovirus/enterovirus (12/35; 34%). A cluster investigation of the first 3 patients with nosocomial COVID-19 determined that transmission most likely occurred from employees to patients. Five patients (38%) required mechanical ventilation and 4 (31%) died during the same hospital encounter. CONCLUSIONS Our investigation of the cluster led to enhancement of our infection control measures. The implications of COVID-19 vaccination on infection control policies is still unclear and further studies are needed to delineate its impact on the transmission of COVID-19 in a hospital setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fareed Khawaja
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Krithika Srinivasan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Amy Spallone
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Adina Feldman
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Sherry Cantu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Ella Ariza-Heredia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Tanya Dvordak
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Amin Alousi
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Sairah Ahmed
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Marina George
- Office of Chief Operating Officer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Elizabeth Frenzel
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Micah Bhatti
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Roy F Chemaly
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Office of Chief Operating Officer, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
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13
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Toriyabe K, Kitamura A, Hagimoto-Akasaka M, Ikejiri M, Suga S, Kondo E, Kihira M, Morikawa F, Ikeda T. Transient Decrease in Incidence Rate of Maternal Primary Cytomegalovirus Infection during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051096. [PMID: 37243182 DOI: 10.3390/v15051096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the occurrence of maternal primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in Japan. We performed a nested case-control study using data from maternal CMV antibody screening under the Cytomegalovirus in Mother and infant-engaged Virus serology (CMieV) program in Mie, Japan. Pregnant women with negative IgG antibodies at ≤20 weeks of gestation who were retested at ≥28 weeks were enrolled. The study period was divided into 2015-2019 as the pre-pandemic and 2020-2022 as the pandemic period, and the study site included 26 institutions conducting the CMieV program. The incidence rate of maternal IgG seroconversion was compared between the pre-pandemic (7008 women enrolled) and pandemic (2020, 1283 women enrolled; 2021, 1100 women; and 2022, 398 women) periods. Sixty-one women in the pre-pandemic period and five, four, and five women during 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively, showed IgG seroconversion. The incidence rates in 2020 and 2021 were lower (p < 0.05) than that in the pre-pandemic period. Our data suggest a transient decrease in the incidence of maternal primary CMV infection in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could be due to prevention and hygiene measures taken at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuniaki Toriyabe
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu 514-8507, Japan
| | - Asa Kitamura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu 514-8507, Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization Mie Chuo Medical Center, Tsu 514-1101, Japan
| | - Miki Hagimoto-Akasaka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu 514-8507, Japan
| | - Makoto Ikejiri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Mie University Hospital, Tsu 514-8507, Japan
| | - Shigeru Suga
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Mie National Hospital, Tsu 514-0125, Japan
| | - Eiji Kondo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu 514-8507, Japan
| | - Masamichi Kihira
- Mie Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Tsu 514-0003, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Morikawa
- Mie Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Tsu 514-0003, Japan
| | - Tomoaki Ikeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu 514-8507, Japan
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14
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Wilson Dib R, Ariza-Heredia E, Spallone A, Chemaly RF. Respiratory Viral Infections in Recipients of Cellular Therapies: A Review of Incidence, Outcomes, Treatment, and Prevention. Open Forum Infect Dis 2023; 10:ofad166. [PMID: 37065990 PMCID: PMC10096899 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are of major clinical importance in immunocompromised patients and represent a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with hematologic malignancies and those who have undergone hematopoietic cell transplantation. Similarly, patients receiving immunotherapy with CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells, natural killer cells, and genetically modified T-cell receptors are susceptible to RVIs and progression to lower respiratory tract infections. In adoptive cellular therapy recipients, this enhanced susceptibility to RVIs results from previous chemotherapy regimens such as lymphocyte-depleting chemotherapy conditioning regimens, underlying B-cell malignancies, immune-related toxicities, and secondary prolonged, profound hypogammaglobulinemia. The aggregated risk factors for RVIs have both immediate and long-term consequences. This review summarizes the current literature on the pathogenesis, epidemiology, and clinical aspects of RVIs that are unique to recipients of adoptive cellular therapy, the preventive and therapeutic options for common RVIs, and appropriate infection control and preventive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Wilson Dib
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ella Ariza-Heredia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Amy Spallone
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Roy F Chemaly
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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15
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Wong SC, Chan VWM, Yuen LLH, AuYeung CHY, Leung JOY, Li CK, Kwok MOT, So SYC, Chen JHK, Chiu KHY, Tam AR, Hung IFN, Kai-Wang To K, Lo JYC, Yuen KY, Cheng VCC. Infection of healthcare workers despite a high vaccination rate during the fifth wave of COVID-19 due to Omicron variant in Hong Kong. Infect Prev Pract 2023; 5:100261. [PMID: 36465098 PMCID: PMC9705264 DOI: 10.1016/j.infpip.2022.100261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background No nosocomial infection was recorded in our healthcare workers (HCWs) during the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. With the emergence of the Omicron variant of increased transmissibility, infection in HCWs occurred as expected. We aimed to study the epidemiology of infection in HCWs and to describe the infection control measures during the outbreak of the Omicron variant. Methods With daily rapid antigen testing and molecular confirmation test for COVID-19, infected HCWs were interviewed by infection control nurses (ICNs) to investigate the potential source of infection. The epidemiology of COVID-19 in Hong Kong served as reference. Results During the fifth wave of COVID-19 (31 December 2021 to 31 May 2022), 1,200,068 cases were reported (incidence 95 times higher than in preceding waves in Hong Kong; 162,103 vs 1,707 per million population respectively, P<0.001). The proportion of infected HCWs was significantly higher than that of the general population (24.9%, 1,607/6,452 vs 16.2%, 1,200,068/7,403,100 respectively; P<0.01). The proportion of infected non-clinical staff was significantly higher than that of clinical staff (31.8%, 536/1,687 vs 22.5%, 1,071/4,765 respectively; P<0.001). Of 82.8% (1,330/1,607) infected HCWs interviewed by ICNs, 99.5% (1,324/1,330) had been fully vaccinated; 49.5% (659/1,330) had no identifiable source; 40.7% (541/1,330) were probably infected from household members; 9.8% (130/1,330) had possible exposure to confirmed patients or HCWs, but no lapse in infection control measures or inappropriate use of personal protective equipment was recalled. Conclusion Omicron variant is highly transmissible such that breakthrough infection occurred despite high level of vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuk-Ching Wong
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Veronica Wing-Man Chan
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lithia Lai-Ha Yuen
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Christine Ho-Yan AuYeung
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jessica Oi-Yan Leung
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Chi-Kuen Li
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Monica Oi-Tung Kwok
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Simon Yung-Chun So
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan Hon-Kwan Chen
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Anthony Raymond Tam
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Janice Yee-Chi Lo
- Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China,Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China,Corresponding author. Address: Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. Tel.: +852 22552351, Fax: +852 23523698
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16
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Lefebvre MA, Rajda E, Frenette C, Paquet F, Rubin E, Sleno H, Stachura M, Tse W, Salvadori MI. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare-associated viral respiratory infections at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Am J Infect Control 2023:S0196-6553(23)00055-X. [PMID: 36736901 PMCID: PMC9889274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2023.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of healthcare-associated viral respiratory infections in a pediatric hospital decreased from 1.6 /1,000 patient-days in 2019 to 0.2 /1,000 patient-days in 2020 (P < .01), and this was maintained in 2021 despite an increase in community circulation of respiratory viruses. Universal masking, stricter infection control measures, and pandemic public health interventions likely accounted for this improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ewa Rajda
- Divisions of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Charles Frenette
- Divisions of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - France Paquet
- Directorate of Professional Services, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Earl Rubin
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Heidi Sleno
- Nursing Directorate, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michal Stachura
- Nursing Directorate, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Wendy Tse
- Nursing Directorate, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marina I. Salvadori
- Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada,Address correspondence to Marina I. Salvadori, MD, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, E05.1913 – 1001 Décarie Blvd, Montréal, QC, H4A 3J1
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17
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Sharp decline in rates of community respiratory viral detection among patients at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2023; 44:62-67. [PMID: 35177161 PMCID: PMC9021590 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2022.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To analyze the frequency and rates of community respiratory virus infections detected in patients at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (NIHCC) between January 2015 and March 2021, comparing the trends before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study comparing frequency and rates of community respiratory viruses detected in NIHCC patients between January 2015 and March 2021. Test results from nasopharyngeal swabs and washes, bronchoalveolar lavages, and bronchial washes were included in this study. Results from viral-challenge studies and repeated positives were excluded. A quantitative data analysis was completed using cross tabulations. Comparisons were performed using mixed models, applying the Dunnett correction for multiplicity. RESULTS Frequency of all respiratory pathogens declined from an annual range of 0.88%-1.97% between January 2015 and March 2020 to 0.29% between April 2020 and March 2021. Individual viral pathogens declined sharply in frequency during the same period, with no cases of influenza A/B orparainfluenza and 1 case of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Rhino/enterovirusdetection continued, but with a substantially lower frequency of 4.27% between April 2020 and March 2021, compared with an annual range of 8.65%-18.28% between January 2015 and March 2020. CONCLUSIONS The decrease in viral respiratory infections detected in NIHCC patients during the pandemic was likely due to the layered COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures implemented in the community and the hospital. Hospitals should consider continuing the use of nonpharmaceutical interventions in the future to prevent nosocomial transmission of respiratory viruses during times of high community viral load.
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18
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Evolution and Control of COVID-19 Epidemic in Hong Kong. Viruses 2022; 14:v14112519. [PMID: 36423128 PMCID: PMC9698160 DOI: 10.3390/v14112519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hong Kong SAR has adopted universal masking, social distancing, testing of all symptomatic and high-risk groups for isolation of confirmed cases in healthcare facilities, and quarantine of contacts as epidemiological control measures without city lockdown or border closure. These measures successfully suppressed the community transmission of pre-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants or lineages during the first to the fourth wave. No nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection was documented among healthcare workers in the first 300 days. The strategy of COVID-19 containment was adopted to provide additional time to achieve population immunity by vaccination. The near-zero COVID-19 situation for about 8 months in 2021 did not enable adequate immunization of the eligible population. A combination of factors was identified, especially population complacency associated with the low local COVID-19 activity, together with vaccine hesitancy. The importation of the highly transmissible Omicron variant kickstarted the fifth wave of COVID-19, which could no longer be controlled by our initial measures. The explosive fifth wave, which was partially contributed by vertical airborne transmission in high-rise residential buildings, resulted in over one million cases of infection. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology of COVID-19 and the infection control and public health measures against the importation and dissemination of SARS-CoV-2 until day 1000.
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19
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Gastrointestinal Colonization of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii: What Is the Implication for Infection Control? Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11101297. [PMID: 36289955 PMCID: PMC9598245 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11101297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The epidemiology of patients with gastrointestinal colonization of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) has not been systematically analyzed. We aimed to analyze the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of patients with newly identified gastrointestinal colonization of CRAB in a healthcare region in Hong Kong, where a multi-pronged screening strategy for gastrointestinal colonization of CRAB, together with other multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), was conducted by collecting fecal specimens (rectal swab or stool) upon admission and during hospitalization. From 1 October 2015 to 31 December 2019, a total of 161,339 fecal specimens from 63,588 patients, 61,856 (97.3%) of whom were hospitalized patients, and 54,525 (88.1%) were screened upon admission, with 1309 positive for CRAB (2.4% prevalence). Among patients positive for CRAB in fecal specimens, 698 (53.3%) had newly detected gastrointestinal colonization of CRAB, giving an incidence of 10.03 per 10,000 patient admissions and constituting 2646 CRAB colonization days in the general wards. Excluding the 164 patients with co-colonization of other MDROs, 534 patients had gastrointestinal colonization with only CRAB, and 12.5% (67/534) developed symptomatic CRAB infections at a median of 61 days (range: 2 to 671 days), during prospective follow-up for 2 years. Compared with age- and sex-matched controls, patients being referred from residential care homes for the elderly, the presence of indwelling devices, use of beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors, carbapenems, and proton pump inhibitors in the preceding 6 months, and history of hospitalization in the past 6 months were significantly associated with gastrointestinal colonization with CRAB, as shown by multivariable analysis. Log-rank test showed that cases had significantly shorter survival duration than controls (p < 0.001). The adjusted hazard ratio of gastrointestinal colonization of CRAB was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.5−2.2; p < 0.001), as shown by Cox regression analysis. Whole-genome sequencing of eight patients with CRAB isolates in their blood cultures and rectal swabs during the same episode of hospitalization revealed ST-195 as the predominant type, as shown by multilocus sequencing type. Gastrointestinal colonization of CRAB poses a considerable challenge for infection prevention and control.
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Wong SC, Chau PH, So SYC, Lam GKM, Chan VWM, Yuen LLH, Au Yeung CHY, Chen JHK, Ho PL, Yuen KY, Cheng VCC. Control of Healthcare-Associated Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii by Enhancement of Infection Control Measures. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11081076. [PMID: 36009945 PMCID: PMC9405119 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11081076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial stewardship and infection control measures are equally important in the control of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the incidence rate of hospital-onset carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) infection (per 1000 patient days) in the Queen Mary Hospital, a 1700-bed, university-affiliated teaching hospital, from period 1 (1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013) to period 2 (1 January 2014 to 31 December 2019), where enhanced infection control measures, including directly observed hand hygiene before meal and medication rounds to conscious patients, and the priority use of single room isolation, were implemented during period 2. This study aimed to investigate the association between enhanced infection control measures and changes in the trend in the incidence rate of hospital-onset CRAB infection. Antimicrobial consumption (defined daily dose per 1000 patient days) was monitored. Interrupted time series, in particular segmented Poisson regression, was used. The hospital-onset CRAB infection increased by 21.3% per year [relative risk (RR): 1.213, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.162−1.266, p < 0.001], whereas the consumption of the extended spectrum betalactam-betalactamase inhibitor (BLBI) combination and cephalosporins increased by 11.2% per year (RR: 1.112, 95% CI: 1.102−1.122, p < 0.001) and 4.2% per year (RR: 1.042, 95% CI: 1.028−1.056, p < 0.001), respectively, in period 1. With enhanced infection control measures, the hospital-onset CRAB infection decreased by 9.8% per year (RR: 0.902, 95% CI: 0.854−0.953, p < 0.001), whereas the consumption of the extended spectrum BLBI combination and cephalosporins increased by 3.8% per year (RR: 1.038, 95% CI: 1.033−1.044, p < 0.001) and 7.6% per year (RR: 1.076, 95% CI: 1.056−1.097, p < 0.001), respectively, in period 2. The consumption of carbapenems increased by 8.4% per year (RR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.073−1.094, p < 0.001) in both period 1 and period 2. The control of healthcare-associated CRAB could be achieved by infection control measures with an emphasis on directly observed hand hygiene, despite an increasing trend of antimicrobial consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuk-Ching Wong
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Pui-Hing Chau
- School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | - Germaine Kit-Ming Lam
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Veronica Wing-Man Chan
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lithia Lai-Ha Yuen
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | | | | | - Pak-Leung Ho
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Correspondence:
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Air dispersal of respiratory viruses other than severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the implication on hospital infection control. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2022; 44:768-773. [PMID: 35811422 PMCID: PMC9304945 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2022.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background: Air dispersal of respiratory viruses other than SARS-CoV-2 has not been systematically reported. The incidence and factors associated with air dispersal of respiratory viruses are largely unknown. Methods: We performed air sampling by collecting 72,000 L of air over 6 hours for pediatric and adolescent patients infected with parainfluenza virus 3 (PIF3), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus, and adenovirus. The patients were singly or 2-patient cohort isolated in airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs) from December 3, 2021, to January 26, 2022. The viral load in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) and air samples were measured. Factors associated with air dispersal were investigated and analyzed. Results: Of 20 singly isolated patients with median age of 30 months (range, 3 months–15 years), 7 (35%) had air dispersal of the viruses compatible with their NPA results. These included 4 (40%) of 10 PIF3-infected patients, 2 (66%) of 3 RSV-infected patients, and 1 (50%) of 2 adenovirus-infected patients. The mean viral load in their room air sample was 1.58×103 copies/mL. Compared with 13 patients (65%) without air dispersal, these 7 patients had a significantly higher mean viral load in their NPA specimens (6.15×107 copies/mL vs 1.61×105 copies/mL; P < .001). Another 14 patients were placed in cohorts as 7 pairs infected with the same virus (PIF3, 2 pairs; RSV, 3 pairs; rhinovirus, 1 pair; and adenovirus, 1 pair) in double-bed AIIRs, all of which had air dispersal. The mean room air viral load in 2-patient cohorts was significantly higher than in rooms of singly isolated patients (1.02×104 copies/mL vs 1.58×103 copies/mL; P = .020). Conclusion: Air dispersal of common respiratory viruses may have infection prevention and public health implications.
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King EC, Zagrodney KAP, McKay SM, Holness DL, Nichol KA. Determinants of nurse's and personal support worker's adherence to facial protective equipment in a community setting during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada: A pilot study. Am J Infect Control 2022; 51:490-497. [PMID: 35917934 PMCID: PMC9338445 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2022.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Background Appropriate and consistent facial protective equipment (FPE) use is critical for preventing respiratory illness transmission. Little is known about FPE adherence by home care providers. The purpose of this study is to adapt an existing facial protection questionnaire and use it to develop an initial understanding of factors influencing home care providers’ adherence to FPE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A survey was shared with home care providers during Wave 2 of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression by FPE adherence were conducted across individual, organizational, and environmental factors. Results Of the 199 respondents (140 personal support workers; 59 nurses), 71% reported that they always used FPE as required, with greater adherence to masks (89%) than eye protection (73%). The always-adherent reported greater perceived FPE efficacy, knowledge of recommended use and perceived occupational risk, lower education, and not experiencing personal barriers (including difficulty seeing, discomfort, communication challenges). Discussion Adherence rates were relatively high. In this context, with participants reporting high levels of organizational support, individual-level factors were the significant predictors of adherence. Conclusions Initiatives addressing perceived FPE efficacy, knowledge of recommended use, perception of at-work risk, and personal barriers to use may improve FPE adherence.
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Villaverde S, Esquivel E, Baquero-Artigao F, Noguera-Julian A, Frick MA, Rojo P, Blázquez-Gamero D. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Diagnosis of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection in Spain. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2022; 41:590-592. [PMID: 35363648 PMCID: PMC9177127 DOI: 10.1097/inf.0000000000003532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We conducted an observational study performed within the Spanish Registry of Children with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis of new cases of cCMV. Our study suggest a significant decrease in the monthly rate of new cCMV diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Villaverde
- From the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Trials Unit (UPIC), Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Estrella Esquivel
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Trials Unit (UPIC), Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Baquero-Artigao
- Pediatrics, Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Instituto Investigación Hospital La Paz (IDIPaz), Madrid, Spain
- Red de Investigación Translacional en Infectología Pediátrica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antoni Noguera-Julian
- Red de Investigación Translacional en Infectología Pediátrica, Madrid, Spain
- Malalties Infeccioses i Resposta Inflamatòria Sistèmica en Pediatria, Unitat d’Infeccions, Servei de Pediatria, Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Pediatria, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marie Antoinette Frick
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunodeficiencies Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo Rojo
- From the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Trials Unit (UPIC), Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Red de Investigación Translacional en Infectología Pediátrica, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Blázquez-Gamero
- From the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Pediatric Research and Clinical Trials Unit (UPIC), Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain
- Red de Investigación Translacional en Infectología Pediátrica, Madrid, Spain
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Baier C, Huang J, Reumann K, Indenbirken D, Thol F, Koenecke C, Ebadi E, Heim A, Bange FC, Haid S, Pietschmann T, Fischer N. Target capture sequencing reveals a monoclonal outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus B infections among adult hematologic patients. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2022; 11:88. [PMID: 35729671 PMCID: PMC9210056 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-022-01120-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes community-acquired respiratory tract infections during winter. However, outbreaks in hospitals also occur repeatedly. In particular, patients with hematologic malignancies are at an increased risk for a severe and potentially fatal course of RSV infection. Here we present the investigation of an RSV outbreak in a hematology ward for adults following the ORION statement. Methods An epidemiologic and molecular outbreak analysis was performed. We developed and employed a minimal oligonucleotide probe set in target capture probe sequencing that allows cost-effective RSV-A or -B capturing to reconstruct RSV genomes from clinical samples. Results Four adult patients were involved in the outbreak caused by RSV-B in March 2019. The enforcement of the pre-existing infection control measures by effective training of hospital staff contributed to a successful containment. PCR-based RSV screening on the ward enabled early detection of new cases and rapid isolation measures. The molecular analysis demonstrated that the outbreak sequences were highly related and distinct to other RSV-B strains circulating at the same time. Conclusions A multimodal infection control concept is essential for the timely detection and control of RSV outbreaks in patients with hematological disease. Among other measures, preventive screening for respiratory viruses is recommended. Furthermore, the integration of conventional and molecular epidemiology, such as whole-genome sequencing and variant calling, significantly contributes to the understanding of transmission pathways. Based on this, appropriate conclusions can be drawn for targeted prevention measures that have prepared us for the COVID-19 pandemic beyond the RSV approach described here. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13756-022-01120-z.
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Decreased Antibiotic Consumption Coincided with Reduction in Bacteremia Caused by Bacterial Species with Respiratory Transmission Potential during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11060746. [PMID: 35740153 PMCID: PMC9219721 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11060746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonpharmaceutical interventions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020−2021) have provided a unique opportunity to understand their impact on the wholesale supply of antibiotics and incidences of infections represented by bacteremia due to common bacterial species in Hong Kong. The wholesale antibiotic supply data (surrogate indicator of antibiotic consumption) and notifications of scarlet fever, chickenpox, and tuberculosis collected by the Centre for Health Protection, and the data of blood cultures of patients admitted to public hospitals in Hong Kong collected by the Hospital Authority for the last 10 years, were tabulated and analyzed. A reduction in the wholesale supply of antibiotics was observed. This decrease coincided with a significant reduction in the incidence of community-onset bacteremia due to Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis, which are encapsulated bacteria with respiratory transmission potential. This reduction was sustained during two pandemic years (period 2: 2020−2021), compared with eight pre-pandemic years (period 1: 2012−2019). Although the mean number of patient admissions per year (1,704,079 vs. 1,702,484, p = 0.985) and blood culture requests per 1000 patient admissions (149.0 vs. 158.3, p = 0.132) were not significantly different between periods 1 and 2, a significant reduction in community-onset bacteremia due to encapsulated bacteria was observed in terms of the mean number of episodes per year (257 vs. 58, p < 0.001), episodes per 100,000 admissions (15.1 vs. 3.4, p < 0.001), and per 10,000 blood culture requests (10.1 vs. 2.1, p < 0.001), out of 17,037,598 episodes of patient admissions with 2,570,164 blood culture requests. Consistent with the findings of bacteremia, a reduction in case notification of scarlet fever and airborne infections, including tuberculosis and chickenpox, was also observed; however, there was no reduction in the incidence of hospital-onset bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli. Sustained implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions against respiratory microbes may reduce the overall consumption of antibiotics, which may have a consequential impact on antimicrobial resistance. Rebound of conventional respiratory microbial infections is likely with the relaxation of these interventions.
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Cheng VCC, Lung DC, Wong SC, Au AKW, Wang Q, Chen H, Xin L, Chu AWH, Ip JD, Chan WM, Tsoi HW, Tse H, Ng KHL, Kwan MYW, Chuang SK, To KKW, Li Y, Yuen KY. Outbreak investigation of airborne transmission of Omicron (B.1.1.529) - SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern in a restaurant: Implication for enhancement of indoor air dilution. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 430:128504. [PMID: 35739650 PMCID: PMC8848576 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been increasingly recognized in the outbreak of COVID-19, especially with the Omicron variant. We investigated an outbreak due to Omicron variant in a restaurant. Besides epidemiological and phylogenetic analyses, the secondary attack rates of customers of restaurant-related COVID-19 outbreak before (Outbreak R1) and after enhancement of indoor air dilution (Outbreak R2) were compared. On 27th December 2021, an index case stayed in restaurant R2 for 98 min. Except for 1 sitting in the same table, six other secondary cases sat in 3 corners at 3 different zones, which were served by different staff. The median exposure time was 34 min (range: 19-98 min). All 7 secondary cases were phylogenetically related to the index. Smoke test demonstrated that the airflow direction may explain the distribution of secondary cases. Compared with an earlier COVID-19 outbreak in another restaurant R1 (19th February 2021), which occurred prior to the mandatory enhancement of indoor air dilution, the secondary attack rate among customers in R2 was significantly lower than that in R1 (3.4%, 7/207 vs 28.9%, 22/76, p<0.001). Enhancement of indoor air dilution through ventilation and installation of air purifier could minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the restaurants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - David Christopher Lung
- Department of Pathology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Shuk-Ching Wong
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Albert Ka-Wing Au
- Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Qun Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Li Xin
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Allen Wing-Ho Chu
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan Daniel Ip
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Wan-Mui Chan
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Hoi-Wah Tsoi
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Herman Tse
- Department of Pathology, Hong Kong Children's Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ken Ho-Leung Ng
- Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Mike Yat-Wah Kwan
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Shuk-Kwan Chuang
- Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Yuguo Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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Datta R, Glenn K, Pellegrino A, Tuan J, Linde B, Kayani J, Patel K, Calo L, Dembry LM, Fisher A. Increasing face-mask compliance among healthcare personnel during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2022; 43:616-622. [PMID: 33938417 PMCID: PMC8144836 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2021.205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prior studies of universal masking have not measured face-mask compliance. We performed a quality improvement study to monitor and improve face-mask compliance among healthcare personnel (HCP) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN Mixed-methods study. SETTING Tertiary-care center in West Haven, Connecticut. PATIENTS HCP including physicians, nurses, and ancillary staff. METHODS Face-mask compliance was measured through direct observations during a 4-week baseline period after universal masking was mandated. Frontline and management HCP completed semistructured interviews from which a multimodal intervention was developed. Direct observations were repeated during a 14-week period following implementation of the multimodal intervention. Differences between units were evaluated with χ2 testing using the Bonferroni correction. Face-mask compliance between baseline and intervention periods was compared using time-series regression. RESULTS Among 1,561 observations during the baseline period, median weekly face-mask compliance was 82.2% (range, 80.8%-84.4%). Semistructured interviews were performed with 16 HCP. Qualitative analysis informed the development of a multimodal intervention consisting of audit and passive feedback, active discussion, and increased communication from leadership. Among 2,651 observations during the intervention period, median weekly face-mask compliance was 92.6% (range, 84.6%-97.9%). There was no difference in weekly face-mask compliance between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 units. The multimodal intervention was associated with an increase in face-mask compliance (β = 0.023; P = .002). CONCLUSIONS Face-mask compliance remained suboptimal among HCP despite a facility-wide mandate for universal masking. A multimodal intervention consisting of audit and passive feedback, active discussion, and increased communication from leadership was effective in increasing face-mask compliance among HCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupak Datta
- Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention Program, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS), West Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Keith Glenn
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Anthony Pellegrino
- Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention Program, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS), West Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jessica Tuan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Brian Linde
- Occupational Health Services, VACHS, West Haven, Connecticut
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jehanzeb Kayani
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kavin Patel
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Lisbeysi Calo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Louise Marie Dembry
- Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention Program, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS), West Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ann Fisher
- Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Prevention Program, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS), West Haven, Connecticut
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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Mohammadi A, Khatami F, Azimbeik Z, Khajavi A, Aloosh M, Aghamir SMK. Hospital-acquired infections in a tertiary hospital in Iran before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wien Med Wochenschr 2022; 172:220-226. [PMID: 35254565 PMCID: PMC8900468 DOI: 10.1007/s10354-022-00918-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Infection prevention protocols are the accepted standard to control nosocomial infections. These protective measures intensified after the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to reduce the risk of viral transmission. It is the rationale that this practice reduces nosocomial infections. We evaluated the impact of these protective measures on nosocomial infections in our center with more than 20,000 records of annual patient admission. In a retrospective study, we evaluated the incidence of nosocomial infections in Sina hospital for 9 months (April–December 2020) during the COVID-19 period and compared it with the 8 months in the pre-COVID period (April–November 2019). Despite decreasing the number of admissions during the COVID era (hospitalizations showed a reduction of 43.79%), the total hospital nosocomial infections remained unchanged; 4.73% in the pre-COVID period versus 4.78% during the COVID period. During the COVID period the infection percentages increased in the cardiovascular care unit (p-value = 0.002) and intensive care units (p-value = 0.045), and declined in cardiology (p-value = 0.046) and neurology (p-value = 0.019) wards. This study showed that intensifying the infection prevention protocols is important in decreasing the nosocomial infections in some wards (cardiology and neurology). Still, we saw increased nosocomial infection in some wards, e.g., the intensive care unit (ICU) and coronary care unit (CCU). Thus, enhanced infection prevention protocols implemented in hospitals to prevent the spread of a pandemic infection may not always decrease rates of other hospital-acquired infections during a pandemic. Due to limited resources, transfer of staff, and staff shortage due to quarantine measures may prohibit improved prevention procedures from effectively controlling nosocomial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdolreza Mohammadi
- Urology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Khatami
- Urology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zohreh Azimbeik
- Urology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Khajavi
- Student Research Committee, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Aloosh
- Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Wong SC, Chen JHK, Yuen LLH, Chan VWM, AuYeung CHY, Leung SSM, So SYC, Chan BWK, Li X, Leung JOY, Chung PK, Chau PH, Lung DC, Lo JYC, Ma ESK, Chen H, Yuen KY, Cheng VCC. Air dispersal of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in residential care homes for the elderly: implication in transmission during COVID-19 pandemic. J Hosp Infect 2022; 123:52-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Abuhammad S, Khabour OF, Alzoubi KH, El-zubi F, Hamaieh SH. Respiratory Infectious Diseases and Adherence to Nonpharmacological Interventions for Overcoming COVID-19 Pandemic: A Self-Reported Study. Int J Clin Pract 2022; 2022:4495806. [PMID: 35685528 PMCID: PMC9159161 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4495806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to examine changes in the frequency of respiratory diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic and to correlate the changes with nonpharmacological interventions for overcoming the pandemic. In addition, the study explored the predictors of adherence to nonpharmacological interventions among the Jordanian public. METHOD The study is survey-based and self-reported, using convenient sampling. The study was conducted during October-November of 2021. RESULTS The study included 1714 participants. About one-quarter of participants reported decreases in the incidence of cold (21.9%), influenza (24.7%), respiratory infections other than cold and influenza (23.3%), tonsillitis (23.0%), and oral ulcers (23.5%). On the other hand, the majority reported no change in the incidence of the above infections (62.0-64.4%). Adherence of the sample to nonpharmacological interventions of COVID-19 was moderate. The percentages of people who always wear a mask, follow social distancing, and use sanitizing procedures were 47.1%, 37.8%, and 68.8% respectively. ANOVA test showed a significant correlation between the incidence of respiratory/oral infections and adherence to nonpharmacological interventions. The multiple regression test showed that people who followed COVID-19 news, have children, have a job, and being married were more adhered to nonpharmacological measures compared to others. CONCLUSION Implementation of nonpharmacological interventions used to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic can be applied to reduce other respiratory infections during their peak seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawsan Abuhammad
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
| | - Omar F Khabour
- Dept. of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan
| | - Karem H Alzoubi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Farah El-zubi
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Shaher H Hamaieh
- Deperatment of Community and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, The Hashemite University, Zarqa 13133, Jordan
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Lawson
- Department of Pharmacy, Truman Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Angel López-Candales
- Cardiovascular Medicine Division, Truman Medical Center, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
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To KKW, Sridhar S, Chiu KHY, Hung DLL, Li X, Hung IFN, Tam AR, Chung TWH, Chan JFW, Zhang AJX, Cheng VCC, Yuen KY. Lessons learned 1 year after SARS-CoV-2 emergence leading to COVID-19 pandemic. Emerg Microbes Infect 2021; 10:507-535. [PMID: 33666147 PMCID: PMC8006950 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2021.1898291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Without modern medical management and vaccines, the severity of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) might approach the magnitude of 1894-plague (12 million deaths) and 1918-A(H1N1) influenza (50 million deaths) pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic was heralded by the 2003 SARS epidemic which led to the discovery of human and civet SARS-CoV-1, bat SARS-related-CoVs, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-related bat CoV HKU4 and HKU5, and other novel animal coronaviruses. The suspected animal-to-human jumping of 4 betacoronaviruses including the human coronaviruses OC43(1890), SARS-CoV-1(2003), MERS-CoV(2012), and SARS-CoV-2(2019) indicates their significant pandemic potential. The presence of a large reservoir of coronaviruses in bats and other wild mammals, culture of mixing and selling them in urban markets with suboptimal hygiene, habit of eating exotic mammals in highly populated areas, and the rapid and frequent air travels from these areas are perfect ingredients for brewing rapidly exploding epidemics. The possibility of emergence of a hypothetical SARS-CoV-3 or other novel viruses from animals or laboratories, and therefore needs for global preparedness should not be ignored. We reviewed representative publications on the epidemiology, virology, clinical manifestations, pathology, laboratory diagnostics, treatment, vaccination, and infection control of COVID-19 as of 20 January 2021, which is 1 year after person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was announced. The difficulties of mass testing, labour-intensive contact tracing, importance of compliance to universal masking, low efficacy of antiviral treatment for severe disease, possibilities of vaccine or antiviral-resistant virus variants and SARS-CoV-2 becoming another common cold coronavirus are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Siddharth Sridhar
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Derek Ling-Lung Hung
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Anthony Raymond Tam
- Department of Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tom Wai-Hin Chung
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Anna Jian-Xia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People’s Republic of China
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Lynch JB, Davitkov P, Anderson DJ, Bhimraj A, Cheng VCC, Guzman-Cottrill J, Dhindsa J, Duggal A, Jain MK, Lee GM, Liang SY, McGeer A, Varghese J, Lavergne V, Murad MH, Mustafa RA, Sultan S, Falck-Ytter Y, Morgan RL. Infectious Diseases Society of America Guidelines on Infection Prevention for Healthcare Personnel Caring for Patients with Suspected or Known COVID-19. Clin Infect Dis 2021:ciab953. [PMID: 34791102 PMCID: PMC8767890 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since its emergence in late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 continues to pose a risk to healthcare personnel (HCP) and patients in healthcare settings. Although all clinical interactions likely carry some risk of transmission, human actions like coughing and care activities like aerosol-generating procedures likely have a higher risk of transmission. The rapid emergence and global spread of SARS-CoV-2 continues to create significant challenges in healthcare facilities, particularly with shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) used by HCP. Evidence-based recommendations for what PPE to use in conventional, contingency, and crisis standards of care continue to be needed. Where evidence is lacking, the development of specific research questions can help direct funders and investigators. OBJECTIVE Develop evidence-based rapid guidelines intended to support HCP in their decisions about infection prevention when caring for patients with suspected or known COVID-19. METHODS IDSA formed a multidisciplinary guideline panel including frontline clinicians, infectious disease specialists, experts in infection control, and guideline methodologists with representation from the disciplines of public health, medical microbiology, pediatrics, critical care medicine and gastroenterology. The process followed a rapid recommendation checklist. The panel prioritized questions and outcomes. Then a systematic review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the certainty of evidence and make recommendations. RESULTS The IDSA guideline panel agreed on eight recommendations, including two updated recommendations and one new recommendation added since the first version of the guideline. Narrative summaries of other interventions undergoing evaluations are also included. CONCLUSIONS Using a combination of direct and indirect evidence, the panel was able to provide recommendations for eight specific questions on the use of PPE for HCP providing care for patients with suspected or known COVID-19. Where evidence was lacking, attempts were made to provide potential avenues for investigation. There remain significant gaps in the understanding of the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 and PPE recommendations may need to be modified in response to new evidence. These recommendations should serve as a minimum for PPE use in healthcare facilities and do not preclude decisions based on local risk assessments or requirements of local health jurisdictions or other regulatory bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B Lynch
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Perica Davitkov
- VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Deverick J Anderson
- Duke Center for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Infection Prevention, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Adarsh Bhimraj
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Queen Mary Hospital, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Judith Guzman-Cottrill
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | | | - Abhijit Duggal
- Department of Critical Care, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Mamta K Jain
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Grace M Lee
- Department of Pediatrics-Infectious Disease, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Stephen Y Liang
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Allison McGeer
- Department of Microbiology, Sinai Health System, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
| | - Jamie Varghese
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
| | - Valery Lavergne
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - M Hassan Murad
- Division of Preventive Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Reem A Mustafa
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
| | - Shahnaz Sultan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Yngve Falck-Ytter
- VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Rebecca L Morgan
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
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Chan KPF, Ma TF, Ip MSM, Ho PL. Invasive pneumococcal disease, pneumococcal pneumonia and all-cause pneumonia in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the preceding 5 years: a retrospective observational study. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e055575. [PMID: 34635536 PMCID: PMC8506049 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To compare the incidence and severity of invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPDs), pneumococcal pneumonia and all-cause pneumonia during the COVID-19 pandemic period with universal masking and social distancing with that of previous 5 years. DESIGN Retrospective observational study on incidence of IPDs, pneumococcal pneumonia and all-cause pneumonia between January 2015-December 2019 and March 2020-March 2021. January-February 2020 was excluded from analysis as it was treated as a transitional period between normal time and pandemic. SETTING Episode-based data by retrieval of hospitalisation records from the Hospital Authority's territory-wide electronic medical record database in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS Hospitalised patients with IPD (n=742), pneumococcal pneumonia (n=2163) and all-cause pneumonia (including COVID-19 pneumonia, n=453 999) aged 18 years or above. Control diagnoses were included to assess confounding from health-seeking behaviours. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES Primary outcome is the incidence of diseases between two periods. Secondary outcomes include disease severity surrogated by length of stay and mortality. RESULTS Monthly average number of IPD, pneumococcal pneumonia and all-cause pneumonia hospitalisation significantly decreased by 88.9% (95% CI 79.8% to 98.0%, p<0.0005), 72.5% (95% CI 65.9% to 79.1%, p<0.0005) and 17.5% (95% CI 16.8% to 18.2%, p<0.0005), respectively. Changes in trend from January 2015-December 2019 to March 2020-March 2021 were -70% (95% CI -87% to -35%, p=0.0025), -43% (95% CI -59% to -19%, p=0.0014) and -11% (95% CI -13% to -10%, p<0.0005), respectively. Length of stay for IPD and pneumococcal pneumonia episodes were insignificantly different in the two periods. No reductions in hospitalisations for control diagnoses were observed. CONCLUSIONS Incidence of IPD, pneumococcal pneumonia and all-cause pneumonia decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was observed with universal masking and social distancing. We postulated this is related to reduced transmission of respiratory viruses and bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ting-Fung Ma
- Department of Statistics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mary Sau-Man Ip
- Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Pak-Leung Ho
- Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
- Carol Yu Centre for Infection, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
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Dias CF, Sarria EE, Scheffel C, Delatorre LB, Sapiro A, Baldissera M, Chiapinotto S, Mocelin HT, Fischer GB, Mattiello R. COVID-19 Prevention Policies Reduce Pediatric Hospital Mortality Due to Community-acquired Pneumonia. Arch Bronconeumol 2021; 58:197-199. [PMID: 34629613 PMCID: PMC8485709 DOI: 10.1016/j.arbres.2021.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina F Dias
- Pediatric Department, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil.,Pediatric Infectious Diseases Section, Hospital Infantil e Maternidade Dr. Alzir Bernardino Alves, Vila Velha, Brazil
| | - Edgar E Sarria
- Pediatric Pulmonology Section, Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Camila Scheffel
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Laura B Delatorre
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Alexander Sapiro
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Sabrina Chiapinotto
- Postgraduate Program in Pulmonology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Helena T Mocelin
- Pediatric Pulmonology Section, Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Pediatrics Department, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Gilberto B Fischer
- Pediatric Pulmonology Section, Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Pediatrics Department, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Postgraduate Program in Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rita Mattiello
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Impact of non-pharmacological initiatives for COVID-19 on hospital admissions due to pediatric acute respiratory illnesses. Paediatr Respir Rev 2021; 39:3-8. [PMID: 34016531 PMCID: PMC8074521 DOI: 10.1016/j.prrv.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Interventions to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic may impact the burden of other respiratory diseases. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of non-pharmacological initiatives (NPI) against COVID-19 on the number of hospitalizations due to pediatric acute respiratory illnesses (ARIs). MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a retrospective analysis of pediatric hospitalizations in Porto Alegre, Brazil. We analyzed the monthly incidence of hospital admissions from 2018 to 2020 due to ARIs included in the study. The time series was divided into the period before introducing NPI (2018 and 2019), and the period when NPI were running (2020). We compared means between the years with Student's t-test. The Dickey-Fuller test was used for secular trend analysis. For seasonality, Fischer's G test was performed. Dynamic linear univariate and multivariate models were used to estimate the association between the predictors (the introduction of NPI, secular trend, and seasonality) and outcome (the incidence of ARI admissions). For the statistical analysis, the cut-off probability for rejecting the null hypothesis was defined as <5%. RESULTS From 2018 to 2020, 10,109 hospital admissions were due to the respiratory causes included in this study. There was a significant decrease in 2020 in the mean incidence of the ARIs studied compared with 2018 and 2019. The number of hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases in children decreased by 64% for asthma and 93% for bronchiolitis. A secular trend of monthly admissions rates due to ARIs was only observed in the laryngotracheitis data (p = 0.485), but seasonality was detected in all analyses. According to the univariate and multivariate analysis, the introduction of NPI was associated with a decrease in the incidence of ARI admissions. CONCLUSION There was a significant reduction in hospital admissions due to ARIs in children. Our data suggest a significant impact of NPI on reducing the spread of viruses associated with ARIs in children. These results support respiratory illness prevention strategies.
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Wong S, Chen H, Lung DC, Ho P, Yuen K, Cheng VC. To prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission in designated quarantine hotel for travelers: Is the ventilation system a concern? INDOOR AIR 2021; 31:1295-1297. [PMID: 34259364 PMCID: PMC8447387 DOI: 10.1111/ina.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuk‐Ching Wong
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary HospitalHong Kong West ClusterHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Health, Infection Control BranchCentre for Health ProtectionHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - David Christopher Lung
- Department of PathologyHong Kong Children's Hospital/Queen Elizabeth HospitalHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - Pak‐Leung Ho
- Department of MicrobiologyLi Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - Kwok‐Yung Yuen
- Department of MicrobiologyLi Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - Vincent Chi‐Chung Cheng
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary HospitalHong Kong West ClusterHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
- Department of MicrobiologyQueen Mary HospitalHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
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Airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): What is the implication of hospital infection control? Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2021; 43:1522-1523. [PMID: 34250877 PMCID: PMC8319673 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2021.318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Cheng VCC, Fung KSC, Siu GKH, Wong SC, Cheng LSK, Wong MS, Lee LK, Chan WM, Chau KY, Leung JSL, Chu AWH, Chan WS, Lu KK, Tam KKG, Ip JD, Leung KSS, Lung DC, Tse H, To KKW, Yuen KY. Nosocomial outbreak of COVID-19 by possible airborne transmission leading to a superspreading event. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 73:e1356-e1364. [PMID: 33851214 PMCID: PMC8083289 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nosocomial outbreaks with superspreading of COVID-19 due to a possible airborne transmission has not been reported. Methods Epidemiological analysis, environmental samplings, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) were performed for a hospital outbreak. Results A superspreading event involving 12 patients and 9 healthcare workers (HCWs) occurred within 4 days in 3 of 6 cubicles at an old-fashioned general ward with no air exhaust built within the cubicles. The environmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 RNA was significantly higher in air grilles (>2m from patients’ head and not reachable by hands) than high-touch clinical surfaces (36.4%, 8/22 vs 3.4%, 1/29, p=0.003). Six (66.7%) of 9 contaminated air exhaust grilles were located outside patient cubicle. The clinical attack rate of patients was significantly higher than HCWs (15.4%, 12/78 exposed-patients vs 4.6%, 9/195 exposed-HCWs, p=0.005). Moreover, clinical attack rate of ward-based HCWs was significantly higher than non-ward-based HCWs (8.1%, 7/68 vs 1.8%, 2/109, p=0.045). The episodes (mean ± S.D) of patient-care duty assignment in the cubicles was significantly higher among infected ward-based HCWs than non-infected ward-based HCWs (6.0±2.4 vs 3.0±2.9, p=0.012) during the outbreak period. The outbreak strains belong to SARS-CoV-2 lineage, B.1.36.27 (GISAID Clade GH) with the unique S-T470N mutation on WGS. Conclusion This nosocomial point source superspreading due to possible airborne transmission demonstrated the need for stringent SARS-CoV-2 screening at admission to healthcare facilities and better architectural design of the ventilation system to prevent such outbreaks. Portable high-efficiency particulate filters were installed in each cubicle to improve ventilation before resumption of clinical service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.,Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kitty Sau-Chun Fung
- Department of Pathology and Infection Control Team, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Gilman Kit-Hang Siu
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Shuk-Ching Wong
- Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lily Shui-Kuen Cheng
- Department of Pathology and Infection Control Team, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Man-Sing Wong
- Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Lam-Kwong Lee
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Wan-Mui Chan
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Ka-Yee Chau
- Department of Pathology and Infection Control Team, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jake Siu-Lun Leung
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Allen Wing-Ho Chu
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Wai-Shan Chan
- Department of Pathology and Infection Control Team, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin Keru Lu
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kingsley King-Gee Tam
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Jonathan Daniel Ip
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kenneth Siu-Sing Leung
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - David Christopher Lung
- Department of Pathology, Hong Kong Children's Hospital / Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Herman Tse
- Department of Pathology, Hong Kong Children's Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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Uimonen M, Kuitunen I, Jämsen E, Ponkilainen V, Mattila VM. Emergency visits by older adults decreased during COVID-19 but increased in the oldest old. J Am Geriatr Soc 2021; 69:1738-1740. [PMID: 33779996 PMCID: PMC8250773 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mikko Uimonen
- Department of Surgery, Central Finland Hospital Nova, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ilari Kuitunen
- School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.,Mikkeli Central Hospital, Mikkeli, Finland
| | - Esa Jämsen
- Department of Geriatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ville Ponkilainen
- Department of Surgery, Central Finland Hospital Nova, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ville M Mattila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Department of Orthopedics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
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Multipronged infection control strategy to achieve zero nosocomial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases among Hong Kong healthcare workers in the first 300 days of the pandemic. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2021; 43:334-343. [PMID: 33736729 PMCID: PMC8060541 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2021.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background: Nosocomial outbreaks leading to healthcare worker (HCW) infection and death have been increasingly reported during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objective: We implemented a strategy to reduce nosocomial acquisition. Methods: We summarized our experience in implementing a multipronged infection control strategy in the first 300 days (December 31, 2019, to October 25, 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic under the governance of Hospital Authority in Hong Kong. Results: Of 5,296 COVID-19 patients, 4,808 (90.8%) were diagnosed in the first pandemic wave (142 cases), second wave (896 cases), and third wave (3,770 cases) in Hong Kong. With the exception of 1 patient who died before admission, all COVID-19 patients were admitted to the public healthcare system for a total of 78,834 COVID-19 patient days. The median length of stay was 13 days (range, 1–128). Of 81,955 HCWs, 38 HCWs (0.05%; 2 doctors and 11 nurses and 25 nonprofessional staff) acquired COVID-19. With the exception of 5 of 38 HCWs (13.2%) infected by HCW-to-HCW transmission in the nonclinical settings, no HCW had documented transmission from COVID-19 patients in the hospitals. The incidence of COVID-19 among HCWs was significantly lower than that of our general population (0.46 per 1,000 HCWs vs 0.71 per 1,000 population; P = .008). The incidence of COVID-19 among professional staff was significantly lower than that of nonprofessional staff (0.30 vs 0.66 per 1,000 full-time equivalent; P = .022). Conclusions: A hospital-based approach spared our healthcare service from being overloaded. With our multipronged infection control strategy, no nosocomial COVID-19 in was identified among HCWs in the first 300 days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era hospital infection controls reduce other serious infections and must be continued after the COVID-19 tragedy is resolved. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2021; 43:539-540. [PMID: 33487214 PMCID: PMC8193202 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2021.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Infection control challenges in setting up community isolation and treatment facilities for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Implementation of directly observed environmental disinfection. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2020; 42:1037-1045. [PMID: 33280617 PMCID: PMC7889843 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.1355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Background: Extensive environmental contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been reported in hospitals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We report our experience with the practice of directly observed environmental disinfection (DOED) in a community isolation facility (CIF) and a community treatment facility (CTF) in Hong Kong. Methods: The CIF, with 250 single-room bungalows in a holiday camp, opened on July 24, 2020, to receive step-down patients from hospitals. The CTF, with 500 beds in open cubicles inside a convention hall, was activated on August 1, 2020, to admit newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients from the community. Healthcare workers (HCWs) and cleaning staff received infection control training to reinforce donning and doffing of personal protective equipment and to understand the practice of DOED, in which the cleaning staff observed patient and staff activities and then performed environmental disinfection immediately thereafter. Supervisors also observed cleaning staff to ensure the quality of work. In the CTF, air and environmental samples were collected on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-PCR. Patient compliance with mask wearing was also recorded. Results: Of 291 HCWs and 54 cleaning staff who managed 243 patients in the CIF and 674 patients in the CTF from July 24 to August 29, 2020, no one acquired COVID-19. All 24 air samples and 520 environmental samples collected in the patient area of the CTF were negative for SARS-CoV-2. Patient compliance with mask wearing was 100%. Conclusion: With appropriate infection control measures, zero environmental contamination and nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to HCWs and cleaning staff was achieved.
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