André Ricardo Araujo da Silva

Infection with multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria in a pediatric oncology intensive care unit: risk factors and outcomes

OBJECTIVE This study aimed at evaluating the predictors and outcomes associated with multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial (MDR-GNB) infections in an oncology pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). METHODS Data were collected relating to all episodes of GNB infection that occurred in a PICU between January of 2009 and December of 2012. GNB infections were divided into two groups for comparison: (1) infections attributed to MDR-GNB and (2) infections attributed to non-MDR-GNB. Variables of interest included age, gender, presence of solid tumor or hematologic disease, cancer status, central venous catheter use, previous Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, healthcare-associated infection, neutropenia in the preceding 7 days, duration of neutropenia, length of hospital stay before ICU admission, length of ICU stay, and the use of any of the following in the previous 30 days: antimicrobial agents, corticosteroids, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Other variables included initial appropriate antimicrobial treatment, definitive inadequate antimicrobial treatment, duration of appropriate antibiotic use, time to initiate adequate antibiotic therapy, and the 7- and 30-day mortality. RESULTS Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed significant relationships between MDR-GNB and hematologic diseases (odds ratio [OR] 5.262; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.282-21.594; p=0.021) and healthcare-associated infection (OR 18.360; 95% CI 1.778-189.560; p=0.015). There were significant differences between MDR-GNB and non-MDR-GNB patients for the following variables: inadequate initial empirical antibiotic therapy, time to initiate adequate antibiotic treatment, and inappropriate antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSIONS Hematologic malignancy and healthcare-associated infection were significantly associated with MDR-GNB infection in this sample of pediatric oncology patients.

Health care–associated infection and hospital readmission in a home care service for children

The number of children in home health care services is increasing, and there is a need for infection control regulation in this environment. We describe the main causes of infection and hospitalization in children assisted by a pediatric home health care service in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Predictors of 7- and 30-day mortality in pediatric intensive care unit patients with cancer and hematologic malignancy infected with Gram-negative bacteria

BACKGROUND Infection with Gram-negative bacteria is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictors of 7- and 30-day mortality in pediatric patients in an intensive care unit with cancer and/or hematologic diseases and Gram-negative bacteria infection. METHODS Data were collected relating to all episodes of Gram-negative bacteria infection that occurred in a pediatric intensive care unit between January 2009 and December 2012, and these cases were divided into two groups: those who were deceased seven and 30 days after the date of a positive culture and those who survived the same time frames. Variables of interest included age, gender, presence of solid tumor or hematologic disease, cancer status, central venous catheter use, previous Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, infection by multidrug resistant-Gram-negative bacteria, colonization by multidrug resistant-Gram-negative bacteria, neutropenia in the preceding seven days, neutropenia duration ≥3 days, healthcare-associated infection, length of stay before intensive care unit admission, length of intensive care unit stay >3 days, appropriate empirical antimicrobial treatment, definitive inadequate antimicrobial treatment, time to initiate adequate antibiotic therapy, appropriate antibiotic duration ≤3 days, and shock. In addition, use of antimicrobial agents, corticosteroids, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy in the previous 30 days was noted. RESULTS Multivariate logistic regression analysis resulted in significant relationship between shock and both 7-day mortality (odds ratio 12.397; 95% confidence interval 1.291-119.016; p=0.029) and 30-day mortality (odds ratio 6.174; 95% confidence interval 1.760-21.664; p=0.004), between antibiotic duration ≤3 days and 7-day mortality (odds ratio 21.328; 95% confidence interval 2.834-160.536; p=0.003), and between colonization by multidrug resistant-Gram-negative bacteria and 30-day mortality (odds ratio 12.002; 95% confidence interval 1.578-91.286; p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS Shock was a predictor of 7- and 30-day mortality, and colonization by multidrug resistant-Gram-negative bacteria was an important risk factor for 30-day mortality.

Incidence Rates of Healthcare-Associated Infection in a Pediatric Home Healthcare Service

We describe the incidence rates of home healthcare-associated infections (HHAIs) in a pediatric home healthcare service (PHHCS). The overall incidence density of HHAIs was 11.1 infections per 1,000 patient-days. Average incidence density of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) was 6.8 per 1,000 ventilator-days. Strategies for control of VAP should be prioritized in PHHCSs.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia agents in Brazilian Neonatal Intensive Care Units – a systematic review

INTRODUCTION Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections (HAI) in neonates admitted in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). METHODS We did a systematic review using PRISMA methodology to identify the main etiological agents in Brazilian NICUs. Eligible studies published without period restriction were identified in PUBMED, SCIELO, LILACS and DOAJ. Studies were included if they were conducted in neonates hospitalized at NICU. Studies done in outpatient care, neonates outside NICU, emergency department, primary care, long-term care facilities or a combination of these were excluded. RESULTS We identified 6384 articles in the initial search and four papers met the inclusion criteria. In all studies included, rates of device-associated infections were described, including VAP rates. The VAP incidence density, in exclusively Brazilian NICU, ranged from 3.2 to 9.2 per 1000 ventilator-days. Pneumonia was described as the main HAI in NICU in one article, as the second type of HAI in two other articles and as the fourth type of HAI in the last one. The main pathogens causing all HAI types were described in three of four articles, but, none of the articles reported which pathogens were related or associated to VAP. CONCLUSION Etiological agents causing VAP in Brazilian NICUs are, until the present time, not known.

Infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde por Staphylococcus coagulase negativa em unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal

Objective This study sought to evaluate infections related to health care caused by coagulase-negative Staphylococci in a neonatal intensive care unit by assessing antimicrobial susceptibility profiles and potentially effective antibiotic regimens. Methods This was a retrospective descriptive study performed on a case series of healthcare-associated infections, and the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were evaluated. Newborns from other hospitals who were admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit in Rio de Janeiro between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2012, were studied. Results In total, 765 patients were admitted, totaling 3,051 patient-days, and the incidence density of general infection was 18.9 per 1,000 patient-days. The rate of central venous catheter use was 71.6%, and the positive culture rate for all sites and all infections related to health care were 68.4%. Coagulase-negative Staphylococci were identified in 11 (19.2%) of 57 health care-related infections, and infections with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida sp. constituted 5 cases each. Of the 11 cases of coagulase-negative Staphylococci, 10 (90.9%) were primary bloodstream infections. The sensitivity of the coagulase-negative Staphylococci isolates to vancomycin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, oxacillin and gentamycin was 100%, 81.8%, 72.7%, 27.2% and 22.2%, respectively. There were no deaths directly attributed to coagulase-negative Staphylococci infection. Conclusion Coagulase-negative Staphylococci was the main agent identified in healthcare-associated infections, with low rates of infections related to central venous catheter. In hospitals with a high oxacillin resistance profile, similar to those included in this study, vancomycin may be used as an initial therapy, although clindamycin represents a viable alternative.