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In a multihospital cohort study of 3392 patients, positive urinalysis parameters had poor positive predictive value for diagnosing urinary tract infection (UTI). Combined urinalysis parameters (pyuria or nitrite) performed better than pyuria alone for ruling out UTI. However, performance of all urinalysis parameters was poor in older women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patients with suspected UTIs are categorized into 3 clinical phenotypes based on current guidelines: no UTI, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), or UTI. However, all patients may not fit neatly into these groups. Our objective was to characterize clinical presentations of patients who receive urine tests using the "continuum of UTI" approach. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of a random sample of adult noncatheterized inpatient and emergency department encounters with paired urinalysis and urine cultures from 5 hospitals in 3 states between January 01, 2017, and December 31, 2019. Trained abstractors collected clinical (eg, symptom) and demographic data. A focus group discussion with multidisciplinary experts was conducted to define the continuum of UTI, a 5-level classification scheme that includes 2 new categories: lower urinary tract symptoms/other urologic symptoms and bacteriuria of unclear significance. The newly defined continuum of UTI categories were compared to the current UTI classification scheme. Results: Of 220,531 encounters, 3392 randomly selected encounters were reviewed. Based on the current classification scheme, 32.1% (n = 704) had ASB and 53% (n = 1614) did not have a UTI. When applying the continuum of UTI categories, 68% of patients (n = 478) with ASB were reclassified as bacteriuria of unclear significance and 29% of patients (n = 467) with "no UTI" were reclassified to lower urinary tract symptoms/other urologic symptoms. Conclusions: Our data suggest the need to reframe our conceptual model of UTI vs ASB to reflect the full spectrum of clinical presentations, acknowledge the diagnostic uncertainty faced by frontline clinicians, and promote a nuanced approach to diagnosis and management of UTIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possible association of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) with human colorectal adenocarcinomas was first reported in 1978 by Huang and Roche, who detected CMV DNA in 4 of 7 colonic adenocarcinomas by membrane complementary Ribonucleic AcidDeoxyribonucleic Acid (RNA-DNA) hybridisation. CMV earns its name from the characteristic cytomegalic appearance of intranuclear inclusions in infected cells, which include endothelial cells, histiocytes, macrophages, and epithelial cells. The most common site of CMV infection in the gastrointestinal tract is the colon (55%), followed by the sigmoid colon and rectum (35%) and the gastric antrum (25%). Here, a middle-aged female presenting with pain in the lower abdomen, which was insidious in onset and gradually progressive. Ultrasonography revealed a large intestine dilated and filled with multiple air-fluid levels, indicating bowel obstruction. Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) showed circumferential wall thickening involving the distal half of the transverse colon and descending colon. The case was subjected to laparotomy. The resected segment of the colon was sent for histopathological evaluation, and microscopic examination showed adenocarcinoma and many mucosal ulcers, which on keen observation revealed viral inclusions. The diagnosis of colon adenocarcinoma, with a pathological staging of pT2N0Mx with CMV infection, was rendered. CMV infection was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The patient was on post-surgery chemotherapy and receiving ganciclovir. On follow-up, the patient was recovering fine. Histopathology examination and IHC remain the gold standard in diagnosing CMV, and the concurrent occurrence of colitis and carcinoma should be kept in mind to assist in proper management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations accumulated by novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Omicron sublineages contribute to evasion of previously effective monoclonal antibodies for treatment or prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Other authorized or approved antiviral drugs such as nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, remdesivir, and molnupiravir are, however, predicted to maintain activity against these sublineages and are key tools to reduce severe COVID-19 outcomes in vulnerable populations. A stepwise approach may be taken to target the appropriate antiviral drug to the appropriate patient, beginning with identifying whether a patient is at high risk for hospitalization or other complications of COVID-19. Among higher risk individuals, patient profile (including factors such as age, organ function, and comedications) and antiviral drug access inform suitable antiviral drug selection. When applied in targeted fashion, these therapies serve as a complement to vital ongoing nonpharmaceutical interventions and vaccination strategies that reduce morbidity and maximize protection against COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a considerable impact on US healthcare systems, straining hospital resources, staff, and operations. However, a comprehensive assessment of the impact on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) across different hospitals with varying level of infectious disease (ID) physician expertise, resources, and infrastructure is lacking. Methods This retrospective longitudinal multicenter cohort study included central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs), and ventilator-associated events (VAEs) from 53 hospitals (academic and community) in Southeastern United States from 1 January 2018 to 31 March 2021. Segmented negative binomial regression generalized estimating equations models estimated changes in monthly incidence rates in the baseline (01/2018–02/2020) compared to the pandemic period (03/2020–03/2021, further divided into three pandemic phases). Results CLABSIs and VAEs increased by 24% and 34%, respectively, during the pandemic period. VAEs increased in all phases of the pandemic, while CLABSIs increased in later phases of the pandemic. CDI trend increased by 4.2% per month in the pandemic period. On stratifying the analysis by hospital characteristics, the impact of the pandemic on healthcare-associated infections was more significant in smaller sized and community hospitals. CAUTIs did not change significantly during the pandemic across all hospital types. Conclusions CLABSIs, VAEs, and CDIs increased significantly during the pandemic, especially in smaller community hospitals, most of which lack ID physician expertise. Future efforts should focus on better understanding challenges faced by community hospitals, strengthening the infection prevention infrastructure, and expanding the ID workforce, particularly to community hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are challenging populations for antimicrobial stewardship interventions due to a variety of reasons, including immunosuppression, consequent risk of opportunistic and donor‐derived infections, high rates of infection with multi‐drug resistant organisms (MDROs), Clostridioides difficile, and need for prolonged antimicrobial prophylaxis. Despite this, data on stewardship interventions and metrics that address the distinct needs of these patients are limited. Methods: We performed a narrative review of the current state of antimicrobial stewardship in SOT recipients, existing interventions and metrics in this population, and considerations for implementation of transplant‐specific stewardship programs. Results: Antimicrobial stewardship metrics are evolving even in the general patient population. Data on metrics applicable to the SOT population are even more limited. Standard process, outcomes, and balancing metrics may not always apply to the SOT population. A successful stewardship program for SOT recipients requires reviewing existing data, applying general stewardship principles, and understanding the nuances of SOT patients. Conclusion: As antimicrobial stewardship interventions are being implemented in SOT recipients; new metrics are needed to assess their impact. In conclusion, SOT patients present a challenging but important opportunity for antimicrobial stewards. Abbreviations: SOT, antimicrobial stewardship program, MDRO, Clostridioides difficile infection, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Infectious Diseases Society of America, prospective audit and feedback, hematopoietic cell transplant, cytomegalovirus, trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole, surgical site infections, nucleic acid amplification testing, days of therapy, defined daily dose, and length of stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotics are among the leading causes of adverse drug events in older adults. Short‐course antibiotic therapy has been shown to work as well as the traditional longer durations for many types of infections. Antibiotic stewardship interventions including deprescribing strategies have shown a reduction in patient readmissions and mortality among older adults. We identified practice‐changing clinical trials focusing on three major domains of overprescribing antibiotics in older adults – community‐acquired pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and gram‐negative bacteremia. The selected articles underscore the safety and effectiveness of shorter durations of antibiotic treatment for infections in older adults, thus highlighting an opportunity for deprescribing in the aging population. By optimizing antibiotic use, we stand to reduce adverse events and enhance overall health outcomes in older adults. See other related Clin‐star papers by Mody et al. and Nair et al. in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Antimicrobial stewardship (AS) programs are required by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and should ideally have infectious diseases (ID) physician involvement; however, only 50% of ID fellowship programs have formal AS curricula. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) formed a workgroup to develop a core AS curriculum for ID fellows. Here we study its impact. Methods ID program directors and fellows in 56 fellowship programs were surveyed regarding the content and effectiveness of their AS training before and after implementation of the IDSA curriculum. Fellows' knowledge was assessed using multiple-choice questions. Fellows completing their first year of fellowship were surveyed before curriculum implementation ("pre-curriculum") and compared to first-year fellows who complete the curriculum the following year ("post-curriculum"). Results Forty-nine (88%) program directors and 105 (67%) fellows completed the pre-curriculum surveys; 35 (64%) program directors and 79 (50%) fellows completed the post-curriculum surveys. Prior to IDSA curriculum implementation, only 51% of programs had a "formal" curriculum. After implementation, satisfaction with AS training increased among program directors (16% to 68%) and fellows (51% to 68%). Fellows' confidence increased in 7/10 AS content areas. Knowledge scores improved from a mean of 4.6 to 5.1 correct answers of 9 questions (P  = .028). The major hurdle to curriculum implementation was time, both for formal teaching and for e-learning. Conclusions Effective AS training is a critical component of ID fellowship training. The IDSA Core AS Curriculum can enhance AS training, increase fellow confidence, and improve overall satisfaction of fellows and program directors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infections have high mortality and morbidity. CIED infections secondary to gram-negative pathogens are rare, and there are few data regarding their treatment. We report a case of a 60-year-old male who developed recurrent Salmonella enteritidis bacteremia leading to CIED infection and nonsusceptibility to ciprofloxacin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical outcomes data suggest that cefepime/enmetazobactam may be an option for treating complicated UTIs or acute pyelonephritis in adults when the pathogen is likely to be resistant to first-line empirical therapies or demonstrates an ESBL genotype, but is susceptible to cefepime/enmetazobactam. Additionally, most UTI recurrences are not due to treatment failure, but rather are due to reinfection or lack of source control.[12] Hence, it may be time to revisit the inclusion of microbiologic eradication in the primary end point for UTI therapeutics. Editorial Treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) has become increasingly complex, with rising antimicrobial resistance, high-risk patient populations, and limited numbers of novel antimicrobial therapies for resistant organisms.[1] There is a particular need for effective therapies to treat complicated UTIs caused by organisms that produce extended-spectrum -lactamases (ESBL). [Extracted from the article]

Professional societies serve many functions that benefit constituents; however, few professional societies have undertaken the development and dissemination of formal, national curricula to train the future workforce while simultaneously addressing significant healthcare needs. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has developed 2 curricula for the specific purpose of training the next generation of clinicians to ensure the future infectious diseases (ID) workforce is optimally trained to lead antimicrobial stewardship programs and equipped to meet the challenges of multidrug resistance, patient safety, and healthcare quality improvement. A core curriculum was developed to provide a foundation in antimicrobial stewardship for all ID fellows, regardless of career path. An advanced curriculum was developed for ID fellows specifically pursuing a career in antimicrobial stewardship. Both curricula will be broadly available in the summer of 2021 through the IDSA website. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reflex urine cultures (RUC) may be beneficial as a diagnostic stewardship intervention when used appropriately. • While RUC can decrease identification of bacteriuria, it may not improve diagnosis of urinary tract infections, unless targeted to symptomatic patients. • Implementation of RUC in community hospitals poses unique opportunities and challenges. • Future research should identify ideal urinalysis parameters and specific patient populations that safely benefit from RUC strategies. We performed a descriptive study of reflex urine culture (RUC) practices across 51 community hospitals in southeastern United States. We found that 26 unique reflexing criteria were used in 28 hospitals. Only 14% hospitals of hospitals that offered RUC restricted it to specific populations (eg, emergency room). Our data suggest that the current RUC approach in community hospitals warrants further validation of urinalysis criteria and identification of specific populations in which RUC performs best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a rare but fatal complication after solid organ transplantation arising in 1% to 2% of cases. We report 2 cases of GvHD after orthotopic liver transplantation. Both patients had a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prior to transplantation. Both cases presented between 1 and 4 months after transplantation with rash, pancytopenia, and/or diarrhea. Our second case also developed oral and ocular manifestations after liver transplantation, which are more commonly described after stem cell transplantation. Diagnosis in both cases was made by clinical presentation in conjunction with histopathology and flow cytometry. Both patients were treated by increasing immunosuppression with tacrolimus and high-dose steroids. Response to treatment differed based on the degree of pancytopenia. Our case report is distinguished by several factors such as the context of GvHD presentation and the role of HCV treatment. Diagnosis of GvHD is difficult and often delayed due to nonspecific presentation that overlaps with other conditions. Furthermore, the relation between HCV treatment and potential initiation of GvHD in solid organ transplant patients is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Rapid detection of respiratory viruses is important for management and infection control in hospitalized patients. Multiplex nucleic acid tests (NATs) have begun to replace conventional methods as gold standards for respiratory virus detection. Objective: To compare the performance of two large multiplex NATS, ResPlex II (RPII) and Respiratory Virus Surveillance kit with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (RVS/MS) using nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) from hospitalized children who had been tested previously with conventional methods. Study design: Stored residual NPAs (N =306) were tested concomitantly by RPII and RVS/MS. Alternate NATs were used to adjudicate discordant results. Results: More viruses were detected with multiplex NATs (RPII, 110; RVS/MS, 109) than conventional assays (86); diagnostic gain was primarily for fastidious viruses (coronaviruses and enteroviruses [EVs]/human rhinoviruses [HRVs]). Total positive and negative agreement between the multiplex NATs for all viruses detected was quite high (86% positive agreement, 99% negative agreement). Most individual viruses were detected with fairly equivalent accuracy by the multiplex NATs, except for adenoviruses (RPII sensitivity 40%) and human metapneumovirus (RVS/MS sensitivity 42%). RPII had the advantage of detecting EVs and HRVs, however, it demonstrated considerable EV/HRV cross-reactivity (29 HRV-positive specimens by real-time PCR were positive for EV by RPII and 21 specimens positive for HRV only by RT-PCR were dual positive for EV/HRV by RPII). RPII also had reduced sensitivity for HRV detection (in 36 specimens, HRV was detected by RT-PCR but not by RPII). Conclusions: Both multiplex NATs were promising, but had notable limitations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We studied 1,819 children with 2,592 peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs). Independent predictors of CLABSI included prolonged catheter dwell time, pediatric ICU exposure, and administration of parenteral nutrition as indication for PICC insertion.Background. Increasingly, peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) are placed for prolonged intravenous access. Few data exist regarding risk factors for central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) complicating PICCs in hospitalized children, especially children hospitalized outside the intensive care unit (ICU).Methods. We identified all children with a PICC inserted at The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, MD) from 1 January 2003 through 31 December 2009 and used Poisson regression models to identify risk factors for PICC-associated CLABSIs.Results. A total of 2592 PICCs were placed in 1819 children. One hundred sixteen CLABSIs occurred over 44,972 catheter-days (incidence rate [IR], 2.58 cases per 1000 catheter-days; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.07–3.00 cases per 1000 catheter-days). Independent predictors of CLABSI in the entire cohort included PICC dwell time of ≥21 days (IR ratio [IRR], 1.53; 95% CI, 1.05–2.26), parenteral nutrition as indication for insertion (IRR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.31–3.84), prior PICC-associated CLABSI (IRR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.18–5.25), underlying metabolic condition (IRR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.14–3.74), and pediatric ICU exposure during hospitalization (IRR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.18–2.75). Risk factors for CLABSI in children without PICU exposure included younger age, underlying malignancy and metabolic conditions, PICCs inserted in the lower extremity, and a prior PICC-associated CLABSI.Conclusions. Prolonged catheter dwell time, pediatric ICU exposure, and administration of parenteral nutrition as the indication for PICC insertion are important predictors of PICC-associated CLABSI in hospitalized children. A careful assessment of these risk factors may be important for future success in preventing CLABSIs in hospitalized children with PICCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors offer a response to comments by B. W. Trutner and D. J. Morgan on the use of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surveillance definition of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) to evaluate quality improvements. Topics include the assessment that CAUTI is not an important entity leading to patient hearm, areas in need of focus, and metrics that capture both process and outcomes measures related to catheter harm.

Background Healthcare-associated bloodstream infections (HABSIs) are a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) population. Our objectives were to review the epidemiology of HABSIs in our NICU and to examine the applicability of National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions to the NICU population. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all neonates admitted to the 54-bed level IV NICU at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital with a HABSI between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2018. HABSI was defined as a positive blood culture at >72 hours of life growing an organism not considered a contaminant. Clinical definitions per treating NICU team and NHSN site-specific definitions were compared for source attribution using McNemar's Chi-square test. Results We identified 88 HABSIs with an incidence rate of 0.81 per 1,000 patient-days. Only 13% of these were central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). Infants with a HABSI had median birth weight and gestational age of 830 grams and 26 weeks, respectively, with a high percentage requiring mechanical ventilation parenteral nutrition and vascular access (Table 1). Sepsis-related mortality was 24%. The majority of HABSIs were caused by gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria (Figure 1). Most were secondary to necrotizing enterocolitis, pneumonia or a source that was not identified (Table 2). NHSN definitions were less likely to identify a source compared with clinical definitions per NICU treating team (P < 0.001, Table 2). Fifty percent of patients without an identified source of infection by NHSN criteria were identified with a Mucosal Barrier Injury (MBI) organism, likely causing bacteremia from gut translocation. Conclusion HABSIs occur in premature babies with comorbidities, and are more prevalent than CLABSIs. Gut translocation with MBI organisms may be an important unidentified source of HABSIs in neonates. With the increasing focus on HABSI prevention, there is a need for better NHSN definitions for source attribution of bloodstream infections in neonates. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Standardized Infection Ratio (SIR) is a metric used to gauge catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) prevention, both locally and nationally. The device utilization ratio (DUR) is a process metric that captures catheter harm. More recently, the cumulative attributable difference (CAD) was introduced, which identifies the number of excess infections that need to be prevented to reach the desired goal. Our objective was to evaluate these metrics across all acute care hospitals in Connecticut (CT) by facility size. Methods A CAUTI Targeted Assessment for Prevention (TAP) Report for acute care hospitals across CT was generated from 1/1/2018 to December 31/2018, using the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) database. CAUTI events, SIR, DUR, and CAD were compared across all hospitals. The SIR goal of 0.75 was used to calculate the CAD. Hospitals were stratified into large (>425 beds), medium (250 to 424 beds), and small (<249 beds) based on the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project NIS Description of Data Elements, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for urban hospitals in the northeast region. Results A comparison of CAUTI metrics for 29 acute care hospitals across CT is shown in Table 1. Median SIR and DUR were 0.97, 1.02, 0.77, and 22%, 14%, 14.5% for large, medium and small hospitals, respectively. Of the 20 small hospitals, SIR could not be calculated for 5 hospitals, while 2 hospitals had an SIR = 0, as they had no reported infections. Median CAD for large, medium and small hospitals was 6.17, 1.3 and 0.25, respectively. Of note, 40% of small hospitals (J – CC, as in Table 1) had a negative CAD. Interestingly, 5 of these 8 hospitals with a negative CAD had a DUR higher than 16%. Conclusion Based on CT hospital data, metrics like CAD and SIR may be more suitable for larger hospitals or hospitals with higher CAUTI events, whereas DUR may be a more useful metric for smaller hospitals or hospitals with rare events. Hospitals with high SIR and low DUR may represent a population with high-risk catheter use, poor catheter care or higher rates of urine culturing. On the other hand, hospitals with high DUR and low SIR may represent low-risk populations, better catheter care practices or lower rates of urine culturing. Ultimately, we need a combination of metrics to measure preventable catheter harm. Disclosures Louise Dembry, MD, MS, MBA, ReadyDock: Consultant, Stock options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 24-year-old farmworker had 3 weeks of persistent fever and worsening polyarthralgias, and maculopapular truncal rash that spread to her palms and soles. Results of laboratory tests were normal except for a mildly elevated WBC count and a blood culture gram stain showing filamentous gram-negative rods. What would you do next? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A positive urine culture often drives initiation of antimicrobials even in the absence of symptoms. Our objectives were to evaluate the knowledge and practice patterns related to ordering urine cultures in patients with indwelling urinary catheters. Methods We performed chart reviews of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) at our academic health care system between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2017, to assess practice patterns related to the assessment of potential CAUTIs. Following this, we surveyed physicians and nurses about indications for ordering urine cultures in catheterized patients between January 11, 2018, and April 17, 2018. The accuracy of these indications was assessed based on Infectious Diseases Society of America CAUTI and asymptomatic bacteriuria guidelines. Results On chart review, we identified 184 CAUTIs in 2 years. In 159 episodes (86%), urine cultures were ordered inappropriately. In 114 episodes (62%), CAUTI criteria were met by "pan-culturing" rather than symptom-directed testing. Twenty cases (11%) experienced partial or delayed management of other infections, drug adverse events, and Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs). On our survey, we received 405 responses, for a response rate of 45.3%. Mean scores varied by occupation and level of training. Nurses were more likely than physicians to consider change in appearance (61% vs 23%; P <.05) and odor (74% vs 42%; P <.05) of urine as indications to order urine cultures. Conclusions Our data reveal specific knowledge gaps among physicians and nurses related to ordering urine cultures in catheterized patients. The practice of pan-culturing and inappropriate urine culture orders may contribute to overdiagnosis of surveillance CAUTIs, delay in diagnosis of alternative infections, and excess CDIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to determine whether automated identification of antibiotic targeting suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) shortened the time to antimicrobial stewardship (AS) intervention., Design: Retrospective before-and-after study., Setting: Tertiary and quaternary care academic medical center., Patients: Emergency department (ED) or admitted adult patients meeting best practice alert (BPA) criteria during pre- and post-BPA periods., Methods: We developed a BPA to alert AS pharmacists of potential ASB triggered by the following criteria: ED or admitted status, antibiotic order with genitourinary indication, and a preceding urinalysis with ≤ 10 WBC/hpf. We evaluated the median time from antibiotic order to AS intervention and overall percent of UTI-related interventions among patients in pre-BPA (01/2020-12/2020) and post-BPA (04/15/2021-04/30/2022) periods., Results: 774 antibiotic orders met inclusion criteria: 355 in the pre- and 419 in the post-BPA group. 43 (35 UTI-related) pre-BPA and 117 (94 UTI-related) post-BPA interventions were documented. The median time to intervention was 28 hours (IQR 18-65) in the pre-BPA group compared to 16 hours (IQR 2-34) in the post-BPA group ( P < 0.01). Despite absent pyuria, there were six cases with gram-negative bacteremia presumably from a urinary source., Conclusions: Automated identification of antibiotics targeting UTI without pyuria on urinalysis reduced the time to stewardship intervention and increased the rate of UTI-specific interventions. Clinical decision support aided in the efficiency of AS review and syndrome-targeted impact, but cases still required AS clinical review., Competing Interests: S.D.A. reports support from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention (grant nos. 5U54CK000616-02 and SHEPheRD 75D30121D12733-D5-E003), National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases grant no. K12DK100024), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and as well as prior consulting fees from Locus Biosciences, Sysmex America, GlaxoSmithKline, bioMérieux, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Additionally, S.D.A is an employee of GSK/ViiV Health care as of July 1, 2024 and holds stock in GlaxoSmithKline., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Background: The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) developed the Core Antimicrobial Stewardship (AS) Curriculum to meet the increasing demand for infectious diseases (ID) providers with AS expertise. Notable diversity in implementation approaches has been observed among ID fellowship programs using the curriculum. We sought to describe individual approaches and develop a curriculum implementation roadmap., Methods: We surveyed ID fellowship programs that had previously implemented the IDSA Core AS curriculum. The survey included questions regarding program characteristics, curriculum participants and presentation format, resources and barriers, and implementation strategies. Commonly reported program features were summarized in the context of the self-reported implementation strategies. Implementation guides were developed based on the most common characteristics observed., Results: Of 159 programs that had purchased the curriculum, 37 responded, and 34 (21%) were included in the analysis. The curriculum was primarily taught by AS physicians (85%) and AS pharmacists (47%). The most common conference structure was a longitudinal conference series (32%), and eLearning was the most common presentation format. Limited AS faculty time (76%) and limited first-year fellow availability (62%) were frequently reported as barriers, and dedicated AS curricular time was a resource available to most programs (67%); implementation guides were created for these 3 program features., Conclusions: Programs reported a variety of implementation barriers and resources, with several common themes emerging, allowing for the development of tailored curriculum planners for 3 commonly observed program characteristics. This work will equip fellowship programs with curriculum implementation strategies and guide future enhancements of the IDSA Core and Advanced AS curricula., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. A. Y. K. has received research funding from Paratek Pharmaceuticals and American College of Clinical Pharmacy. G. F. has received funding from Critical Innovations, LLC, and grant funding from Melinta Therapeutics. K. C. has received research grants from the National Institutes of Health, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and Merck and panel discussion honorarium from Ferring. E. J. S. has received research funding from Merck and bioMérieux. All other authors report no potential conflicts., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

Background: The field of healthcare epidemiology is increasingly focused on identifying, characterizing, and addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) to address inequities in healthcare quality. To identify evidence gaps, we examined recent systematic reviews examining the association of race, ethnicity, and SDOH with inpatient quality measures., Methods: We searched Medline via OVID for English language systematic reviews from 2010 to 2022 addressing race, ethnicity, or SDOH domains and inpatient quality measures in adults using specific topic questions. We imported all citations to Covidence (www.covidence.org, Veritas Health Innovation) and removed duplicates. Two blinded reviewers assessed all articles for inclusion in 2 phases: title/abstract, then full-text review. Discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer., Results: Of 472 systematic reviews identified, 39 were included. Of these, 23 examined all-cause mortality; 6 examined 30-day readmission rates; 4 examined length of stay, 4 examined falls, 2 examined surgical site infections (SSIs) and one review examined risk of venous thromboembolism. The most evaluated SDOH measures were sex (n = 9), income and/or employment status (n = 9), age (n = 6), race and ethnicity (n = 6), and education (n = 5). No systematic reviews assessed medication use errors or healthcare-associated infections. We found very limited assessment of other SDOH measures such as economic stability, neighborhood, and health system access., Conclusion: A limited number of systematic reviews have examined the association of race, ethnicity and SDOH measures with inpatient quality measures, and existing reviews highlight wide variability in reporting. Future systematic evaluations of SDOH measures are needed to better understand the relationships with inpatient quality measures., Competing Interests: Dr Advani reports support from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK grant no. K12DK100024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant no. 5U54CK000616-02, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Duke Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (National Institute on Aging grant no. P30AG028716), as well as consulting fees from Locus Biosciences (ended), Sysmex America (ended), GSK, bioMérieux, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Dr. Advani became an employee of GSK/ViiV Healthcare after this manuscript was accepted., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Our interviews of inpatient clinicians (physicians, physician assistants) modeled after the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Model of Behavior model revealed opportunity and motivation as important drivers for overdiagnosis and overprescribing for asymptomatic bacteriuria in older adults. Understanding these barriers is an important step toward implementing age-friendly stewardship interventions., Competing Interests: Dr Advani reports support from National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (grant no. K12DK100024), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (grant nos. 5U54CK000616-02 and SHEPheRD 75D30121D12733-D5-E003), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Duke Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (National Institute on Aging grant no. P30AG028716), as well as consulting fees from Locus Biosciences (ended), Sysmex America (ended), GlaxoSmithKline, bioMérieux, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Dr. Advani became an employee of GSK/ViiV Healthcare after submission and acceptance of this manuscript., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Background: Uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common indication for outpatient antimicrobial therapy. National guidelines for the management of uncomplicated UTI were published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America in 2011, however it is not fully known the extent to which they align with current practices, patient diversity, and pathogen biology, all of which have evolved significantly in the time since their publication., Objective: We aimed to re-evaluate efficacy and adverse events for first-line antibiotics (nitrofurantoin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole), versus second-line antibiotics (fluoroquinolones) and versus alternative agents (oral β-lactams) for uncomplicated UTI in contemporary clinical practice by applying machine learning algorithms to a large claims database formatted into the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) common data model., Outcomes: Our primary outcome was a composite endpoint for treatment failure, defined as outpatient or inpatient re-visit within 30 days for UTI, pyelonephritis or sepsis. Secondary outcomes were the risk of 4 common antibiotic-associated adverse events: gastrointestinal symptoms, rash, kidney injury and C. difficile infection., Statistical Methods: We adjusted for covariate-dependent censoring and treatment indication using a broad set of domain-expert derived features. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using OMOP-learn, an automated feature engineering package for OMOP datasets., Results: Our study included 57,585 episodes of UTI from 49,037 patients. First-line antibiotics were prescribed in 35,018 (61%) episodes, second-line antibiotics were prescribed in 21,140 (37%) episodes and alternative antibiotics were prescribed in 1,427 (2%) episodes. After adjustment, patients receiving first-line therapies had an absolute risk difference of -2.1% [95% CI -2.9% to -1.6%] for having a revisit for UTI within 30 days of diagnosis relative to second-line antibiotics. First-line therapies had an absolute risk difference of -6.6% [95% CI -9.4% to -3.8%] for 30-day revisit compared to alternative β-lactam antibiotics. Differences in adverse events were clinically similar between first and second line agents, but lower for first-line agents relative to alternative antibiotics (-3.5% [95% CI -5.9% to -1.2%]). Results were similar for models built with OMOPlearn., Conclusion: Our study provides support for the continued use of first-line antibiotics for the management of uncomplicated UTI. Our results also provide proof-of-principle that automated feature extraction methods for OMOP formatted data can emulate manually curated models, thereby promoting reproducibility and generalizability., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST SDA reports support from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention SHEPheRD 75D30121D12733-D5-E003 (grant no. 5U54CK000616–02), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Duke Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (National Institute on Aging grant no. P30AG028716), as well as consulting fees from Locus Biosciences, Sysmex America, GlaxoSmithKline, bioMérieux, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. SDA became an employee of GSK/ViiV Healthcare one year after her contribution to this project.

In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that surveillance metrics for invasive device-associated infections (ie, central-line-associated bloodstream infections, ventilator-associated pneumonias, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections) do not capture all harms; they capture only a subset of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Although prevention of device-associated infections remains critical, we need to address the full spectrum of potential harms from device use and non-device-associated infections. These include complications associated with additional devices, such as peripheral venous and arterial catheters, non-device-associated infections such as nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia, and noninfectious device complications such as trauma, thrombosis, and acute lung injury. As authors of the device-associated infection sections in the SHEA/IDSA/APIC Compendium of Strategies to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Acute Care Hospitals , we highlight catheter-associated urinary tract infection as an example of the strengths and limitations of the current emphasis on device-associated infection surveillance, suggest performance metrics that present a more comprehensive picture of patient harm, and provide a high-level overview of similar issues with other infection surveillance measures.

Diagnostic stewardship seeks to improve ordering, collection, performance, and reporting of tests. Test results play an important role in reportable HAIs. The inclusion of HAIs in public reporting and pay for performance programs has highlighted the value of diagnostic stewardship as part of infection prevention initiatives. Inappropriate testing should be discouraged, and approaches that seek to alter testing solely to impact a reportable metric should be avoided. HAI definitions should be further adapted to new testing technologies, with focus on actionable and clinically relevant test results that will improve patient care.

This retrospective review of 4-year surveillance data revealed a higher central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate in non-Hispanic Black patients and higher catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates in Asian and non-Hispanic Black patients compared with White patients despite similar catheter utilization between the groups.