To determine the relationship between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), and mortality.

Retrospective cohort.

Three St. Louis, MO hospitals.

Adults admitted ≥48 hours from January 1, 2017 to August 31, 2020.

Hospital-acquired infections were defined as those occurring ≥48 hours after admission and were based on positive urine, respiratory, and blood cultures. Poisson interrupted time series compared mortality trajectory before (beginning January 1, 2017) and during the first 6 months of the pandemic. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to identify risk factors for mortality in patients with an HAI before and during the pandemic. A time-to-event analysis considered time to death and discharge by fitting Cox proportional hazards models.

Among 6,447 admissions with subsequent HAIs, patients were predominantly White (67.9%), with more females (50.9% vs 46.1%, P = .02), having slightly lower body mass index (28 vs 29, P = .001), and more having private insurance (50.6% vs 45.7%, P = .01) in the pre-pandemic period. In the pre-pandemic era, there were 1,000 (17.6%) patient deaths, whereas there were 160 deaths (21.3%, P = .01) during the pandemic. A total of 53 (42.1%) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients died having an HAI. Age and comorbidities increased the risk of death in patients with COVID-19 and an HAI. During the pandemic, Black patients with an HAI and COVID-19 were more likely to die than White patients with an HAI and COVID-19.

In three Midwestern hospitals, patients with concurrent HAIs and COVID-19 were more likely to die if they were Black, elderly, and had certain chronic comorbidities.

To use interrupted time-series analyses to investigate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). We hypothesized that the pandemic would be associated with higher rates of HAIs after adjustment for confounders.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of HAIs in 3 hospitals in Missouri from January 1, 2017, through August 31, 2020, using interrupted time-series analysis with 2 counterfactual scenarios.

The study was conducted at 1 large quaternary-care referral hospital and 2 community hospitals.

All adults ≥18 years of age hospitalized at a study hospital for ≥48 hours were included in the study.

In total, 254,792 admissions for ≥48 hours occurred during the study period. The average age of these patients was 57.6 (±19.0) years, and 141,107 (55.6%) were female. At hospital 1, 78 CLABSIs, 33 CAUTIs, and 88 VAEs were documented during the pandemic period. Hospital 2 had 13 CLABSIs, 6 CAUTIs, and 17 VAEs. Hospital 3 recorded 11 CLABSIs, 8 CAUTIs, and 11 VAEs. Point estimates for hypothetical excess HAIs suggested an increase in all infection types across facilities, except for CLABSIs and CAUTIs at hospital 1 under the “no pandemic” scenario.

The COVID-19 era was associated with increases in CLABSIs, CAUTIs, and VAEs at 3 hospitals in Missouri, with variations in significance by hospital and infection type. Continued vigilance in maintaining optimal infection prevention practices to minimize HAIs is warranted.

To describe the frequency of urine cultures performed in inpatients without additional testing for pyuria

Retrospective cohort study

A 1,250-bed academic tertiary referral center

Hospitalized adults

This study included urine cultures drawn on 4 medical and 2 surgical wards from 2009 to 2013 and in the medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) from 2012 to 2013. Patient and laboratory data were abstracted from the hospital’s medical informatics database. We identified catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) in the ICUs by routine infection prevention surveillance. Cultures without urinalysis or urine microscopy were defined as “isolated.” The primary outcome was the proportion of isolated urine cultures obtained. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess predictors of isolated cultures.

During the study period, 14,743 urine cultures were obtained (63.5 cultures per 1,000 patient days) during 11,820 patient admissions. Of these, 2,973 cultures (20.2%) were isolated cultures. Of the 61 CAUTIs identified, 31 (50.8%) were identified by an isolated culture. Predictors for having an isolated culture included male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.22; 95%; confidence interval [CI], 1.11–1.35], urinary catheterization (aOR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.89–2.46), ICU admission (medical ICU aOR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.47–2.00; surgical ICU aOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.51–2.19), and obtaining the urine culture ≥1 calendar day after admission (1–7 days aOR, 1.91; 95% CI. 1.71–2.12; >7 days after admission aOR, 2.81; 95% CI, 2.37–3.34).

Isolated urine cultures are common in hospitalized patients, particularly in patients with urinary catheters and those in ICUs. Interventions targeting inpatient culturing practices may improve the diagnosis of urinary tract infections.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:455–460

To evaluate a central line care maintenance bundle to reduce central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) in non–intensive care unit settings.

Before-after trial with 12-month follow-up period.

A 1,250-bed teaching hospital.

Patients with central lines on 8 general medicine wards. Four wards received the intervention and 4 served as controls.

A multifaceted catheter care maintenance bundle consisting of educational programs for nurses, update of hospital policies, visual aids, a competency assessment, process monitoring, regular progress reports, and consolidation of supplies necessary for catheter maintenance.

Data were collected for 25,542 catheter-days including 43 CLABSI (rate, 1.68 per 1,000 catheter-days) and 4,012 catheter dressing observations. Following the intervention, a 2.5% monthly decrease in the CLABSI incidence density was observed on intervention floors but this was not statistically significant (95% CI, −5.3% to 0.4%). On control floors, there was a smaller but marginally significant decrease in CLABSI incidence during the study (change in monthly rate, −1.1%; 95% CI, −2.1% to −0.1%). Implementation of the bundle was associated with improvement in catheter dressing compliance on intervention wards (78.8% compliance before intervention vs 87.9% during intervention/follow-up; P<.001) but improvement was also observed on control wards (84.9% compliance before intervention vs 90.9% during intervention/follow-up; P=.001).

A multifaceted program to improve catheter care was associated with improvement in catheter dressing care but no change in CLABSI rates. Additional study is needed to determine strategies to prevent CLABSI in non–intensive care unit patients.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:692–698

To determine the patient- and device-specific risk factors for hospital-acquired peripherally inserted central venous catheter–related bloodstream infections (PICC BSIs) in adult patients.

Nested case-control study.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a 1,252-bed tertiary care teaching hospital.

Adult patients with PICCs placed from January 1, 2006, through July 31, 2008.

PICC BSI cases were identified using the National Healthcare Safety Network definition. Uninfected control patients with PICCs in place were randomly selected at a 3: 1 ratio. Patient- and device-related variables were examined using multivariate analysis.

The overall PICC BSI rate was 3.13 per 1,000 catheter-days. Independent risk factors for PICC BSIs included congestive heart failure (odds ratio [OR], 2.0 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26–3.17]; P = .003), intra-abdominal perforation (OR, 5.66 [95% CI, 1.76–18.19]; P = .004), Clostidium difficile infection (OR, 2.25 [95% CI, 1.17–4.33]; P = .02), recent chemotherapy (OR, 3.36 [95% CI, 1.15–9.78]; P = .03), presence of tracheostomy (OR, 5.88 [95% CI, 2.99–11.55]; P < .001), and type of catheter (OR for double lumen, 1.89 [95% CI, 1.15–3.10]; P = .01; OR for triple lumen, 2.87 [95% CI, 1.39–5.92]; P = .004). Underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.29–0.78]; P = .03) and admission to surgical (OR, 0.43 [95% CI, 0.24–0.79]; P = .006) or oncology and orthopedic (OR, 0.35 [95% CI, 0.13–0.99]; P = .05) services were less likely to be associated with having a PICC BSI.

We identified several novel factors related to PICC BSIs. These factors may inform preventive measures.

Manual surveillance for central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) by infection prevention practitioners is time-consuming and often limited to intensive care units (ICUs). An automated surveillance system using existing databases with patient-level variables and microbiology data was investigated.

Patients with a positive blood culture in 4 non-ICU wards at Barnes-Jewish Hospital between July 1, 2005, and December 31, 2006, were evaluated. CLABSI determination for these patients was made via 2 sources; a manual chart review and an automated review from electronically available data. Agreement between these 2 sources was used to develop the best-fit electronic algorithm that used a set of rules to identify a CLABSI. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and Pearson's correlation were calculated for the various rule sets, using manual chart review as the reference standard.

During the study period, 391 positive blood cultures from 331 patients were evaluated. Eighty-five (22%) of these were confirmed to be CLABSI by manual chart review. The best-fit model included presence of a catheter, blood culture positive for known pathogen or blood culture with a common skin contaminant confirmed by a second positive culture and the presence of fever, and no positive cultures with the same organism from another sterile site. The best-performing rule set had an overall sensitivity of 95.2%, specificity of 97.5%, positive predictive value of 90%, and negative predictive value of 99.2% compared with intensive manual surveillance.

Although CLABSIs were slightly overpredicted by electronic surveillance compared with manual chart review, the method offers the possibility of performing acceptably good surveillance in areas where resources do not allow for traditional manual surveillance.

Limited data on the risk of peripherally inserted central venous catheter-associated bloodstream infections (PICC BSIs) in hospitalized patients are available. In 2007, dedicated intravenous therapy nurses were no longer available to place difficult peripheral intravenous catheters or provide PICC care Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

To determine the hospital-wide incidence of PICC BSIs and to assess the effect of discontinuing intravenous therapy service on PICC use and PICC BSI rates.

A 1,252-bed tertiary care teaching hospital.

A 31-month retrospective cohort study was performed. PICC BSIs were defined using National Healthcare Safety Network criteria.

In total, 163 PICC BSIs were identified (3.13 BSIs per 1,000 catheter-days). PICC use was higher in intensive care units (ICUs) than non-ICU areas (PICC utilization ratio, 0.109 vs 0.059 catheter-days per patient-day for ICU vs non-ICU; rate ratio [RR], 1.84 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.78-1.91]). PICC BSI rates were higher in ICUs (4.79 vs 2.79 episodes per 1,000 catheter-days; RR, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.10-2.61]). PICC use increased hospital-wide after the intravenous therapy service was discontinued (0.049 vs 0.097 catheter-days per patient-day; P = .01), but PICC BSI rates did not change (2.68 vs 3.63 episodes per 1,000 catheter-days; P = .06). Of PICC BSIs, 73% occurred in non-ICU patients.

PICC use and PICC BSI rates were higher in ICUs; however, most of the PICC BSIs occurred in non-ICU areas. Reduction in intravenous therapy services was associated with increased PICC use across the hospital, but PICC BSI rates did not increase.

To describe a pseudo-outbreak of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) caused by a faulty toxin assay lot and to determine the effect of sensitivity, specificity, and repeated testing for C. difficile on perceived CDI burden, positive predictive value, and false-positive results.

Outbreak investigation and criterion standard.

Patients hospitalized at a tertiary care hospital who had at least 1 toxin assay for detection of C. difficile performed during the period from July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2006.

The run control chart method and the x2 test were used to compare CDI rates and the proportion of positive test results before, during, and after the pseudo-outbreak. The effect of repeated testing was evaluated by using 3 hypothetical models with a sample of 10,000 patients and various assay sensitivity and specificity estimates.

In November of 2005, the CDI rate at the hospital increased from 1.5 to 2.6 cases per 1,000 patient-days (P< .01), and the proportion of positive test results increased from 13.6% to 22.1% (P< .01). An investigation revealed a pseudo-outbreak caused by a faulty toxin assay lot. A decrease of only 1.2% in the specificity of the toxin assay would result in a 32% increase in perceived incidence of CDI at this institution. When calculated by use of the manufacturer's stated specificity and sensitivity and this institution's testing practices, the positive predictive value of the test decreased from 80.6% to 4.1% for patients who received 3 tests.

Specificity is as important as sensitivity when testing for CDI. False-positive CDI cases can drain hospital resources and adversely affect patients. Repeated testing for C. difficile should be performed with caution.

To compare Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) rates determined with use of a traditional definition (ie, with healthcare-onset CDI defined as diagnosis of CDI more than 48 hours after hospital admission) with rates determined with use of expanded definitions, including both healthcare-onset CDI and community-onset CDI, diagnosed within 48 hours after hospital admission in patients who were hospitalized in the previous 30 or 60 days, and to determine whether differences exist between patients with CDI onset in the community and those with CDI onset in a healthcare setting.

Prospective cohort

Tertiary acute care facility.

General medicine patients who received a diagnosis of CDI during the period January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2005.

CDI was classified as healthcare-onset CDI, healthcare facility–associated CDI after hospitalization within the previous 30 days, and/or healthcare facility-associated CDI after hospitalization within the previous 60 days. Patient demographic characteristics and medication exposures were obtained. The CDI incidence with use of each definition, CDI rate variability, patient demographic characteristics, and medication exposures were compared.

The healthcare-onset CDI rate (1.6 cases per 1,000 patient-days) was significantly lower than the 30-day healthcare facility–associated CDI rate (2.4 cases per 1,000 patient-days; P<.01) and the 60-day healthcare facility–associated CDI rate (2.6 cases per 1,000 patient-days; P<.01). There was good correlation between the healthcare-onset CDI rate and both the 30-day (correlation, 0.69; P<.01) and 60-day (correlation, 0.70; P<.01) healthcare facility–associated CDI rates. There were no months in which the CDI rate was more than 3 standard deviations from the mean. Compared with patients with healthcare-onset CDI, patients with community-onset CDI were less likely to have received a fourth-generation cephalosporin (P = .02) or intravenous vancomycin (P = .01) during hospitalization.

Compared with the traditional definition, expanded definitions identify more patients with CDI. There is good correlation between traditional and expanded CDI definitions; therefore, it is unclear whether expanded surveillance is necessary to identify an abnormal change in CDI rates. Cases that met the expanded definitions were less likely to have occurred in patients with fourth-generation cephalosporin and vancomycin exposure.