Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors of nosocomial carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections in children

Epidemiological and molecular characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae from pediatric patients in Henan, China

PURPOSE

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is an emerging global threat, whereas its epidemiological characteristics in children are rarely reported. This study aims to analyze clinical and epidemiological characteristics of CRKP from children in Henan, China.

METHODS

CRKP strains were isolated from pediatric patients, and the antimicrobial susceptibility of CRKP was determined using broth microdilution methods. The epidemiological characteristics of CRKP, including specimen sources, clinical data, carbapenemase types, virulence factors, MLST and PBRT typing were analyzed.

RESULTS

In total, 108 CRKP isolates were isolated from specimens including sputum, blood and urine, mainly from preterm pediatric department and internal medical intensive care unit (ICU). Newborns and staying in the ICU were risk factors for crude mortality. 107 isolates exhibited a multi-drug resistant (MDR) phenotype, and one isolate was extensively drug-resistant (XDR). Bacterial susceptibility to colistin, tigecycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was 98.10%, 78.50% and 91.43%, respectively. Carbapenemase blaKPC (86.11%) was predominant, followed by blaNDM (5.56%) and blaIMP (2.78%). Two strains co-harbored blaKPC-blaNDM, one had blaKPC-blaIMP, whereas three isolates did not carry any of the analyzed carbapenemase genes. All strains possessed fimH, and 98% of the isolates possessed mrkD. Hypervirulent factors rmpA2 and iucA showed high positive rates (71.30% and 49.07%), with 48.15% of strains containing both genes. MLST analysis identified nine distinct sequence types (STs), with ST11 (82.41%) being the most common, followed by ST2154 (4.63%) and ST307 (3.70%). PBRT analysis revealed IncFII (85.19%) as the most prevalent plasmid.

CONCLUSION

In summary, this study reported the epidemiological features of CRKP in pediatric patients in Henan, China, highlighting the high prevalence of multi-drug-resistant and hypervirulent strains, and underscoring the significance of continuous surveillance.

Endogenous Bacteremia Caused by Intestinal Colonization of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) in Immunocompromised Children

OBJECTIVE

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infection is life-threatening, especially for immunocompromised children. The source tracking of CRE could prevent bacteremia during hospitalization. In this study, the intestinal colonization of CRE and their translocation to blood were investigated.

METHODS

Stool samples from immunocompromised pediatric patients were collected after admission, and secondary stool and blood samples were collected in case of fever. After CRE phonotypic detection, the OXA-48, NDM-1, VIM, IMP, and KPC genes were detected by PCR. Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Polymerase Chain Reaction (ERIC-PCR) was used to determine the phylogenic relatedness of the blood and fecal isolates.

RESULTS

Bacteremia was recorded in 71.4% of the patients. Enterobacteriaceae spp. were recorded in 100% of the stool samples and 31% of the blood samples. The correlation between the length of stay (LOS), days of fever, chemotherapy regimens, and death rate was significant (p-value ≤ 0.05). OXA-48 was present in all CRE isolates in both the primary and the secondary stool samples and the blood samples. According to the phylogenetic data, 58.33% of the patients with bacteremia had identical blood and stool isolates. The death rate was 24.4% in children with CRE bacteremia.

CONCLUSIONS

The primary intestinal colonization with CRE in immunocompromised pediatrics and their translocation to blood was established in this study. The implementation of infection control programs and the application of infection prevention strategies for immunocompromised children is necessary.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection in children less than one year old in an Asian medical center

BACKGROUND

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) is a threat to public health worldwide. This study aimed to determine the risk factors and outcomes for CRE colonization and infection in infants.

METHODS

Children aged <1 year hospitalized with CRE pathogens isolated from January 2016 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and clinical data were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 48 infections were identified in 70 infants aged <1 year, and 66.7% (32/48) of these infants were born preterm. The infection rate in infants aged <1 month was higher than that of others (P = 0.005). The most commonly isolated CRE was Klebsiella pneumoniae (60.4%, 29/48), followed by Enterobacter cloacae complex (18.8%, 9/48). Sputum (37.5%, 18/48), blood (27.1%, 13/48), and urine (25.0%, 12/48) were the most common clinical samples. Urinary tract infection was common in infants aged 6-12 months. CRE infection was associated with mechanical ventilation (P = 0.037), central venous catheter (CVC) insertion (P = 0.034), and congenital heart disease (P = 0.027). The hospital stay of patients with CRE infection was longer (median, 75 days; SD, 66.4 days), and their all-cause mortality (6.4%) was higher than those with colonization.

CONCLUSIONS

CRE infection was common in infants aged <1 month, and patients usually had longer hospitalization. Carbapenemase production was not common. Mechanical ventilation, CVC insertion, and congenital heart disease were associated with a higher risk of CRE acquisition in infants aged <1 year.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae bloodstream infections: A case-control study from a pediatric referral hospital in Argentina

Background

Antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bloodstream infections (BSI) remain a leading cause morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients with a high impact on the public health system. Data in resource-limited countries, including those in Latin America and the Caribbean region, are scarce. The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for acquiring carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) bacteremia in children and to assess the use of resources.

Methods

A retrospective case-control study was conducted to analyze demographic, epidemiological, clinical, microbiological, and outcome data as well as the use of resources between 2014 and 2019. Univariate and logistic regression analysis was performed in order to identify risk factors associated with CRE-BSI. The R software version 4.1.2 was used.

Results

A total of 46 cases with CRE-BSI and 92 controls with gram-negative non-CRE-BSI were included. No statistical difference was observed regarding: median age (36 months; IQR, 11.2-117 vs. 48 months, IQR 13-119), male sex (50 vs. 60%), and underlying disease (98 vs. 91%) in cases vs. controls, respectively. The most frequent mechanism of CRE bacteremia were: KPC in 74%, OXA in 15%, and NDM in 6.5%. A total of 54.3% of cases vs. 32.6 % (p = 0.016) of controls were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and 48 vs. 21% (p = 0.001) required mechanical ventilation. Bacteremia secondary to intra-abdominal infection was observed in 56.5% of cases vs. 35% of controls (p = 0.032). Previous colonization with CRE was detected in 76% of cases vs. 8% of controls. Combination antimicrobial treatment was most frequent in cases vs. control (100 vs. 56.5%). No difference was observed in median length of hospital stay (22 days; IQR, 19-31 in cases vs. 17.5 days; IQR, 10-31 in controls; p = 0.8). Overall case fatality ratio was 13 vs. 5.5%, respectively. The most statistically significant risk factors included previous PICU stay (OR, 4; 95%CI, 2-8), invasive procedures/surgery (OR, 3; 95%CI, 1-7), central venous catheter placement (OR, 6.5; 95%CI, 2-19), urinary catheter placement (OR, 9; 95%CI 4-20), mechanical ventilation (OR, 4; 95%CI, 2-10), liver transplantation (OR, 8; 95%CI, 2-26), meropenem treatment (OR, 8.4; 3.5-22.6) in univariate analysis. The logistic regression model used for multivariate analysis yielded significant differences for previous meropenem treatment (OR, 13; 95%CI, 3-77; p = 0.001), liver transplantation (OR, 13; 95%CI, 2.5-100; p = 0.006), and urinary catheter placement (OR, 9; 95%CI, 1.4-94; p = 0.03).

Conclusion

CRE-BSI affects hospitalized children with underlying disease, mainly after liver transplantation, with previous urinary catheter use and receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics, leading to high PICU requirement and mortality. These risk factors will have to be taken into account in our region in order to establish adequate health policies and programs to improve antimicrobial stewardship.

Risk factors for the colonization or infection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in children: a Meta analysis

OBJECTIVES

To systematically assess the risk factors for the colonization or infection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in children.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Data, China Biology Medicine disc were searched to obtain the articles on risk factors for the colonization or infection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in children published up to May 31, 2021. RevMan 5.3 software was used to perform the Meta analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 13 articles were included, with 1 501 samples in total. The Meta analysis showed that indwelling gastric tube (OR=4.91), tracheal intubation (OR=5.03), central venous catheterization (OR=3.75), indwelling urinary catheterization (OR=4.11), mechanical ventilation (OR=3.09), history of hospitalization in the intensive care unit (OR=2.39), history of surgical operation (OR=3.22), previous use of third-generation cephalosporins (OR=2.62), previous use of carbapenem antibiotics (OR=3.82), previous use of glycopeptide antibiotics (OR=3.48), previous use of β-lactamase inhibitors (OR=2.87), previous use of antifungal drugs (OR=2.48), previous use of aminoglycoside antibiotics (OR=2.54), and Apgar score ≤7 at 1 minute after birth (OR=2.10) were risk factors for the colonization or infection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in children (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Invasive operations, history of hospitalization in the intensive care unit, previous use of antibiotics such as carbapenem antibiotics, and Apgar score ≤7 at 1 minute after birth are risk factors for the colonization or infection of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in children.