Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) incur up to $10 billion annually due to their excessive morbidity. SSI prevention bundles have had variable success in colorectal surgery. For example, at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, a 505-bed regional referral center, SSI rates have remained high despite the introduction of a 14-element SSI prevention bundle in 2016. To aid in the implementation of this complex bundle, the hospital started Strike Teams in 2019. We have described the impact of Strike Teams on colorectal SSI rates in our tertiary-care hospital. Methods: A Strike Team with key stakeholders from colorectal surgery (ie, surgeon, OR director, nurses, surgical technicians), anesthesia, pharmacy, infection prevention, and infectious disease was formed, supported by the hospital’s executive leadership. The Strike Team met monthly throughout 2019 to review each SSI case, discussed barriers to adherence for the SSI prevention bundle elements with implementation difficulties (Table 1), and proposed actionable feedback to increase adherence. The latter was disseminated to frontline clinicians by the teams’ surgical leaders during everyday clinical practice. The Strike Team was paused in 2020 due to resource reallocation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Monthly and quarterly SSI surveillance was conducted according to CDC guidance. Results: Colorectal SSI rates before, after, and during Strike Team activity are shown in Fig. 1. Adherence rates to the bundle elements targeted by the Strike Team are shown in Fig. 2. Conclusions: Adherence to the preferred antibiotic prophylaxis increased, although adherence to other bundle elements of focus did not change significantly. SSI rates decreased below our expectation while the Strike Team was active in our hospital, although SSI reduction was not sustained. Further research should study the effectiveness of Strike Teams as a long-term implementation strategy for SSI prevention in colorectal surgery.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None

Background: Povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine gluconate are commonly used antiseptics that have broad antiviral properties, including against SARS-CoV-2. Nasal and oral antisepsis is a possible option to reduce viral transmission; however, effectiveness data are limited. The acceptability of this method for adjunct infection control is also unknown. We are conducting a clinical randomized controlled trial (NCT04478019) to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of nasal and oral antisepsis to prevent COVID-19. Methods: Healthcare and other essential workers with in-person job duties were recruited into a 10-week clinical trial. Participation did not require in-person activities: all communication was web- or telephone-based, supplies were shipped directly to the participant, and participants self-collected specimens. Participants completed a 3-week intervention and 3-week control phases and were randomized to the timing of these phases (Fig. 1). During the 3-week intervention phase, participants applied povidone-iodine nasal swabs 2 times per day and chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse 4 times per day following the manufacturers’ instructions for use. Participants continued all usual infection control measures (eg, face masks, eye protection, gowns, hand hygiene) as required by their workplace. To measure effectiveness against viral transmission, participants collected midturbinate nasal swabs 3 times per week to measure SARS-CoV-2 viral load. Participants also self-reported COVID-19 tests they received and why (eg, symptoms or exposure). To assess acceptability, participants completed pre- and post-surveys about their perceived and actual experience with the interventions. Participants also self-reported adverse effects due to the intervention. Results: As of December 3, 2021, 221 participants (148 healthcare workers and 73 non–healthcare essential workers) had enrolled. Moreover, 20 adverse effects have been reported, including skin irritation, epistaxis, and mouth discoloration; 9 participants withdrew due to side effects. Laboratory analyses are ongoing to measure effectiveness in reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral load. We performed an interim analysis of intervention acceptability. Survey responses were given on a Likert scale of 1 (not at all) to 5 (extremely). Although 36% of respondents (n = 74) reported on the postsurvey that the intervention was less acceptable than they had expected on the presurvey, the overall acceptability measure was still relatively high (3.76) (Fig. 2). In addition, 76% of respondents reported that they would use the intervention in the future (n = 56). Conclusions: Participant recruitment is ongoing, and data continue to be collected to analyze effectiveness and feasibility. Preliminary data suggest that participants find the nasal and oral antisepsis intervention to be an acceptable option to complement standard infection control methods to prevent COVID-19.

Funding: Professional Disposables International, Healthcare Division (PDIHC)

Disclosures: None

Background: Up to 30% of patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) develop recurrent infection, which is associated with a 33% increased risk of mortality at 180 days. The gut microbiome plays a key role in initial and recurrent episodes of CDI. We examined the clinical characteristics and gut microbial diversity in patients with recurrent (rCDI) versus nonrecurrent CDI at a tertiary-care academic medical center. Methods: Stool samples were collected from 113 patients diagnosed with CDI between 2018 and 2019. Clinical and demographic data were extracted from the electronic medical record (Table 1), and 16S rRNA sequencing of the v4 region was carried out on the Illumina MiSeq using 2×250 paired-end reads. Sequences were binned into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using mothur and were classified to the genus level whenever possible using the ribosomal database project data set version 16. Alpha diversity was calculated using the Shannon diversity index. Β diversity was calculated using the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrix. Differential abundance testing was done using DESeq to assess taxonomic differences between groups. A P value of .05 was used to assess significance. Results: In total, 55 patients had rCDI (prior positive C. difficile polymerase chain reaction in last 7–365 days) and 58 had nonrecurrent CDI (Table 1). Patients with rCDI had a higher frequency of organ transplant and comorbidity. No differences in α not β diversity were observed between groups. Also, 4 OTUs were more abundant in those with rCDI: Ruminococcus (n = 2), Odoribacter, and Lactobacillus. Patients with rCDI had microbiomes with greater proportions of Bacteroidetes (27% of OTUs) compared to the nonrecurrent group (18%) as well as fewer OTUs belonging to the Firmicutes phyla compared to the nonrecurrent patients (56% vs 59%). Among the rCDI patients, those experiencing 2 or more recurrences had greater abundances of Bacteroides and Ruminococcus, while those experiencing only 1 recurrence had significantly greater abundances of Akkermensia, Ruminococcus, Streptococcus, Roseburia, Clostridium IV, and Collinsella compared to those with only 1 recurrence (Table 2). Conclusions: Patients with rCDI had a more impaired microbiome than those with initial CDI. Ruminococcus OTUs have been previously indicated as a risk factor for recurrence and treatment failure, and they were significantly more abundant in those with rCDI and among those with multiple recurrences. The greatest differences in the microbiome were observed between those with 1 recurrence compared to those with multiple recurrences. Interventions for gut microbiome restoration should focus particularly on those with recurrent CDI.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None

Table 1.

Table 2.

Background: Gram-negative bacteria cause a variety of hospital-associated infections (HAIs). Of concern is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is a leading cause of HAIs. Early and adequate therapy of P. aeruginosa blood stream infection (BSI) is associated with decreased mortality. Additionally, infectious disease consultation has also shown to improve health outcomes, streamline care, and decrease costs. Therefore, the goal of this study was to describe treatment of P. aeruginosa BSI and impact of infectious disease consultations on health outcomes. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed national VA medical, encounter, pharmacy, microbiology, and laboratory data from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2018. The cohort included all hospitalized adult veterans (aged ≥18 years) who had a positive blood culture for P. aeruginosa. Only the first P. aeruginosa blood culture per patient was included, and duplicate cultures within 30 days were removed. Treatment was identified within −2 to +5 days of the culture date. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) cultures were identified based on resistance to at least 1 agent in at least 3 or more antimicrobial categories tested. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to assess infectious disease consultations and adequate treatment on in-hospital mortality and 30-day mortality. Results: In total, 3,256 patients had a BSI with P. aeruginosa, of which 386 (11.5%) were MDR. Most of these patients were male (97.5%), >65 years of age (70.9%), and non-Hispanic white (63.8%). Also, 784 patients (23.3%) died during hospitalization and 870 (25.8%) died within 30 days of their culture. In multivariable regression models, infectious disease consultations were associated with decreased odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53–0.77) and 30-day mortality (OR, 0.56, 95% CI, 0.48–0.67) even after adjusting for age, race, care setting, Charlson score, and prior healthcare exposures. Furthermore, inadequate definitive treatment was associated with increased odds of in-hospital mortality (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.35–5.69) and 30-day mortality (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.18–4.79), even after adjusting for age, Charlson score, care setting, and prior healthcare exposures. In addition, carbapenem treatment was associated with increased odds of in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.12–1.70) and 30-day mortality (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.22–1.81), whereas fluoroquinolone treatment was associated with lower odds of in-hospital mortality (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.41–0.59) and 30-day mortality (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.50–0.71). Finally, extended-spectrum cephalosporin was also associated with lower odds of in-hospital mortality (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68–0.98). Conclusions: Use of infectious disease consultations and any adequate definitive treatment for those with P. aeruginosa BSI lowered odds of in-hospital and 30-day mortality. Early consultation with infectious disease physicians regarding adequate treatment has direct positive impact on clinical outcomes for patients with P. aeruginosa BSI.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None

Background: Infections caused by Acinetobacter spp are often healthcare acquired and associated with high mortality. Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter are nonsusceptible to at least 1 agent in all but 2 or fewer antibiotic classes. Few of the new antibiotics targeting multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria are effective against XDR Acinetobacter. Recent national guidelines for treatment of resistant gram-negative infections do not include Acinetobacter, leaving a knowledge gap in best practices. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included microbiology, clinical, and pharmacy data from all patients hospitalized between 2012 and 2018 at any Veterans’ Affairs medical center who had cultures that grew XDR Acinetobacter spp. Bivariate unadjusted analyses compared clinical outcomes by monotherapy versus combination therapy. Using mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression, propensity score–adjusted models accounting for severity of illness and other variables associated with treatment were fit to compare outcomes. Results: Of 11,546 patients with 15,364 cultures that grew Acinetobacter spp, 408 patients (3.5%) had 666 cultures (4.3%) with XDR Acinetobacter. Moreover, 276 of these patients (67.6%) had gram-negative targeted antibiotic treatment within −2 to +5 days from the culture. Furthermore, 118 patients (42.8%) received monotherapy, most commonly piperacillin-tazobactam (n = 54, 45.7%) or an anti-Pseudomonas cephalosporin (n = 21, 17.8%). Also, 158 (57.2%) patients received combination therapy, most commonly a carbapenem (n = 93, 58.9%) and/or polymyxin (n = 68, 43.0%). Moreover, 41 patients (25.9%) received both a carbapenem and polymyxin. In both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, there were no significant differences in the odds of 30-day mortality (aOR, 1.43; 95% CI, 0.86–2.38) or 1-year mortality (aOR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.68–1.60) between combination therapy and monotherapy groups. Among 264 patients (96%) whose cultures occurred during an inpatient or long-term care admission, unadjusted analyses showed increased odds of in-hospital mortality (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.08–3.29) and longer postculture length of stay in the combination therapy group: median, 23 days (IQR, 11–57) versus 14 days (IQR, 7–32) (P = .02). However, with propensity score adjustment, these associations were no longer significant. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in odds of 90-day readmission between groups in either unadjusted or adjusted analyses (aOR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.74–1.95). Conclusions: In this large national cohort of patients with XDR Acinetobacter cultures, more patients received combination therapy than monotherapy, and carbapenems and polymyxins were the most-used classes. However, there were no significant differences in outcomes between patients receiving combination therapy and monotherapy, suggesting lack of clinical benefit to the common practice of treating XDR Acinetobacter infections with multiple antibiotics. Further research is needed to determine optimal treatment strategies for this pathogen.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None

Background: Environmental cleaning is important in the interruption of pathogen transmission and subsequent infection. Although recent initiatives have targeted cleaning of high-touch surfaces and incorporated audit-and-feedback monitoring of cleaning practices, practice variations exist and compliance is still reportedly low. Evaluation of human factors influencing variations in cleaning practices can be valuable in developing interventions, leading to standardized practices and improved compliance. We conducted a work system analysis using a human-factors engineering framework [the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model] to identify barriers and facilitators to current environmental cleaning practices within Veterans’ Affairs hospitals. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with key stakeholders (ie, environmental staff, nursing, and infection preventionists) at 3 VA facilities across acute-care and long-term care settings. Interviews were conducted among 18 healthcare workers, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed for thematic content within the SEIPS constructs (ie, person, environment, organization, tasks, and tools). Results: Within the SEIPS domain ‘person,’ we found that many environment service (EVS) staff were veterans and were highly motivated to serve fellow veterans, especially to prevent them from acquiring infections. However, the hiring of service members as EVS staff comes with significant hurdles that affect staffing. Within the domain of ‘environment’, EVS staff reported rooms that were either occupied by the patient or were multibed, were more difficult to clean. Conversely, they reported that it was easier to clean in settings where the patient was more likely to be out of bed (eg, long-term care residents). Patient flow and/or movement greatly influenced workload within the ‘organizational’ domain. Workload also changed by patient population and setting (eg, the longer the stay or more critical the patient), increased their workload. EVS staff felt that staffing consistency and experience improved cleaning practices. Within the ‘task’ domain, EVS staff were motivated for cleaning high-touch surfaces; however, knowledge of these surfaces varied. Finally, within the ‘tool’ domain, most EVS staff described having effective cleaning products; however, sometimes in limited supply. Most sites reported some form of monitoring of their cleaning process; however, there was variation in type and frequency. Conclusions: Human-factors analysis identified barriers to and facilitators of cleaning compliance. Incorporating environmental cleaning practices that address barriers and facilitators identified may facilitate standardized cleaning of environmental surfaces. Standardized procedures for cleaning multibed rooms and environmental surfaces surrounding occupied beds may improve cleaning compliance. Future research should evaluate standardized cleaning procedures or bundles that incorporate these best practices and steps to overcoming barriers and pilot feasibility.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None

Of 10 surgeons interviewed in a descriptive qualitative study, 6 believed that surgical site infections are inevitable. Bundle adherence was felt to be more likely with strong evidence-based measures developed by surgical leaders. The intrinsic desire to excel was viewed as the main adherence motivator, rather than “pay-for-performance” models.

Surgical site infection (SSI) prevention requires multiple interventions packaged into “bundles.” The implementation of all bundle elements is key to the bundle’s efficacy. A human-factors engineering approach can be used to identify key barriers and facilitators to implementing elements and develop recommendations for bundle implementation within the clinical work system.

Background: Children attending daycare are at increased risk of carrying multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) compared to children not attending daycare. Carriage of MDROs greatly increases the risk of infection, not only in the child but also for others living in the household. Understanding the epidemiology of MDRO carriage in children is essential to devising effective containment strategies. Here, we present the findings from a cross-sectional study assessing MDRO carriage in daycare-attending and nonattending children in Wisconsin. Methods: We applied the following enrollment criteria: Children aged between 6 months and <6 years and not enrolled in kindergarten; children who did not have an MDRO infection in the previous 6 months and did not receive any antimicrobials in the previous month; and children who did not have a gluten allergy, asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis, cystic fibrosis, or an immunodeficiency. Children were enrolled by a parent or guardian who filled out a questionnaire on MDRO risk factor history and diet. Samples were collected from the nares, axilla or groin (pooled swab), and stool. Nasal samples were cultured for H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Skin samples were cultured for MRSA, and stool samples were cultured for MRSA, C. difficile, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing Gram-negative bacilli (ie, ESBL GNR). Results: In total, 44 children were enrolled in this study. The average age was 2.6 years and 50% were girls. Furthermore, 30 (68.2%) were identified by their parents as white, 9 (20.5%) as black, and 5 (11.3%) as other or multiracial. Incidentally, 23 children (52.3%) were enrolled in daycare. Overall, 18 children were positive for at least 1 organism, 9 of which had daycare exposure, and 5 children (1 in daycare) were positive for >1 organism (11.4%). From stool samples, 6 children (13.6%, 2 in daycare) were C. difficile carriers, 3 were VRE carriers (6.8%, 1 in daycare), 8 carried an ESBL GNR (18.2%, 4 in daycare), and 3 carried MRSA (6.8%, 1 in daycare). One child was positive for H. influenzae (2.3%, not in daycare) and 2 were positive for S. pneumoniae (4.6%, 1 in daycare) from nares swabs. One child was positive for MRSA (2.3%, not in daycare) from a skin swab. We detected no significant differences between children with and without daycare exposure for any organism. Conclusions: Children in this population had higher than expected rates of ESBL GNRs and MRSA for a community population. Daycare exposure was not correlated with increased carriage in this small pilot study, though larger longitudinal studies are needed.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None

Background: Antimicrobials are used on dairy farms for preventing disease and treating common infections such as mastitis. Objective: We aimed to understand farmworker practices that potentially contribute to transmission of antimicrobial resistance bacteria and their genes (ARG) among animals and farm workers, and to identify human behavioral interventions to reduce risk. Methods: Focus groups with farm workers were held at 8 dairy farms across Wisconsin selected to represent a range of antibiotic use in cattle. We explored the nature of potentially high-risk practices and farm-worker knowledge and experiences with antibiotic use and resistance. Farm workers were asked to describe common tasks, including hand hygiene and eating practices, and the policies guiding these practices. Focus groups were conducted in English and Spanish guided by the Systems Engineering in Patient Safety (SEIPS) framework, adapted for an agricultural context. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and translated. A content analysis was conducted to identify themes. Dedoose version 8.0.35 software was used to organize the data. Results: In total, 10 focus groups were conducted on 8 farms. Knowledge of when to use antibiotics for human health varied; upset stomach, headache, and flu symptoms were suggested as appropriate uses. Few workers had personal experience with antibiotic resistance at home or on the farm. Some displayed knowledge of the role of antibiotic stewardship in preventing the spread of ARG (“I guess all dairy farmers have a responsibility not to overdo it”). Others associated the risk of spread with the consumption of raw milk or meat from cows receiving antibiotics. Knowledge of personal protective equipment was stronger among workers who commonly reported glove use. Some perceived glove use to be mandatory, and others chose to wear gloves in the perceived absence of written rules. Some workers reported changing gloves numerous times throughout the day, and others did so less frequently or “only when they rip.” In general, hand hygiene practices are guided by individual knowledge of established rules, beliefs about risk, and personal discretion. Conclusions: Knowledge about mechanisms of spread of ARGs varies among workers on Wisconsin dairy farms and reflects a combination of farm-level rules, experience, individual knowledge, and beliefs. Applying knowledge from the healthcare setting to reduce ARG spread into agriculture is crucial to the tenets of One Health. Programs to reduce ARG spread on dairy farms should focus on proper hand hygiene and PPE use at the level of knowledge, beliefs, and practices.

Funding: Funding: was provided by the USDA-NIFA Food Safety Challenge (grant no. 2017-68003-26500).

Disclosures: None