Daiane Silva Resende

Nosocomial infections in a Brazilian neonatal intensive care unit: a 4-year surveillance study

INTRODUCTION Report the incidence of nosocomial infections, causative microorganisms, risk factors associated with and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in the NICU of the Uberlândia University Hospital. METHODS Data were collected through the National Healthcare Safety Network surveillance from January 2006 to December 2009. The patients were followed five times/week from their birth to their discharge or death. RESULTS The study included 1,443 patients, 209 of these developed NIs, totaling 293 NI episodes, principally bloodstream infections (203; 69.3%) and conjunctivitis (52; 17.7%). Device-associated infection rates were as follows: 17.3 primary bloodstream infections per 1,000 central line-days and 3.2 pneumonias per 1000 ventilator-days. The mortality rate in neonates with NI was 11.9%. Mechanical ventilation, total parenteral nutrition, orogastric tube, previous antibiotic therapy, use of CVC and birth weight of 751-1,000g appeared to be associated with a significantly higher risk of NI (p < 0.05). In multiple logistic regression analysis for NI, mechanical ventilation and the use of CVC were independent risk factors (p < 0.05). Coagulase- negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) (36.5%) and Staphylococcus aureus (23.6%) were the most common etiologic agents isolated from cultures. The incidences of oxacillin-resistant CoNS and S. aureus were 81.8% and 25.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Frequent surveillance was very important to evaluate the association of these well-known risk factors with NIs and causative organisms, assisting in drawing the attention of health care professionals to this potent cause of morbidity.

Reduction of catheter-associated bloodstream infections through procedures in newborn babies admitted in a university hospital intensive care unit in Brazil

INTRODUCTION Catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CA-BSI) is the most common nosocomial infection in neonatal intensive care units. There is evidence that care bundles to reduce CA-BSI are effective in the adult literature. The aim of this study was to reduce CA-BSI in a Brazilian neonatal intensive care unit by means of a care bundle including few strategies or procedures of prevention and control of these infections. METHODS An intervention designed to reduce CA-BSI with five evidence-based procedures was conducted. RESULTS A total of sixty-seven (26.7%) CA-BSIs were observed. There were 46 (32%) episodes of culture-proven sepsis in group preintervention (24.1 per 1,000 catheter days [CVC days]). Neonates in the group after implementation of the intervention had 21 (19.6%) episodes of CA-BSI (14.9 per 1,000 CVC days). The incidence of CA-BSI decreased significantly after the intervention from the group preintervention and postintervention (32% to 19.6%, 24.1 per 1,000 CVC days to 14.9 per 1,000 CVC days, p=0.04). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the use of more than 3 antibiotics and length of stay >8 days were independent risk factors for BSI. CONCLUSIONS A stepwise introduction of evidence-based intervention and intensive and continuous education of all healthcare workers are effective in reducing CA-BSI.

Late onset sepsis in newborn babies: epidemiology and effect of a bundle to prevent central line associated bloodstream infections in the neonatal intensive care unit.

AIM We assessed late onset sepsis (LOS) rates of neonates in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before and after implementing an evidence-based bundle to prevent these infections in a country with poor resources. METHODS We evaluate trends of LOS between October 2010 and August 2012 in a large tertiary hospital in Brazil. We designed a protocol based of CDC guidelines for insertion of maintenance of central venous catheter targeted to reduction of bloodstream infections. During this period two major events occurred: a great increase of LOS rates in January months and relocation of the unit to a provisory place. Additionally we evaluated the risk factors and etiology of these infections. RESULTS A total of 112 (20.3%) cases defined as LOS were found. The overall incidence rate of LOS in the study was 16.1/1000 patient/days and 23.0/1000 CVC-days. Our monthly rates data of LOS/1000 patient-day reveal fluctuations over the studied period, with incidence rates of these infections in staff vacation period (January 2011 and 2012) significantly higher (59.6/1000 patients-days) than compared with the other months rates (16.6/1000 patients-days) (IRR=3.59; p<0.001). As opposite, the incidence rates of LOS during relocation period was lower (10.3/1000 patients-days) when compared with baseline period 26.7/1000 patients-days (IRR=2.59; p=0.007). After the intervention period, these rates decreased in the post intervention period, when compared with preintervention 14.7/1000 patients-days and 23.4/1000 patients-days, respectively (IRR=1.59; p=0.04). CONCLUSION Through simple infection control measures, LOS can be successfully controlled especially in NICUs of limited resources countries such as ours.

Late onset sepsis and intestinal bacterial colonization in very low birth weight infants receiving long-term parenteral nutrition

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to establish the late onset sepsis (LOS) rate of our service, characterize the intestinal microbiota and evaluate a possible association between gut flora and sepsis in surgical infants who were receiving parenteral nutrition (PN). METHODS Surveillance cultures of the gut were taken at the start of PN and thereafter once a week. Specimens for blood culture were collected based on clinical criteria established by the medical staff. The central venous catheter (CVC) tip was removed under aseptic conditions. Standard laboratory methods were used to identify the microorganisms that grew on cultures of gut, blood and CVC tip. RESULTS 74 very low birth weight infants were analyzed. All the infants were receiving PN and antibiotics when the gut culture was started. In total, 21 (28.4%) infants experienced 28 episodes of LOS with no identified source. Coagulase negative staphylococci were the most common bacteria identified, both in the intestine (74.2%) and blood (67.8%). All infections occurred in patients who received PN through a central venous catheter. Six infants experienced episodes of microbial translocation. CONCLUSIONS In this study, LOS was the most frequent episode in neonates receiving parenteral nutrition who had been submitted to surgery; 28.6% of this infection was probably a gut-derived phenomenon and requires novel strategies for prevention.

High frequency of the combined presence of QRDR mutations and PMQR determinants in multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolates from nosocomial and community-acquired infections

Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants combined with mutations in quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) and clonal dissemination were investigated in 40 fluoroquinolone-resistant Klebsiellapneumoniae and Escherichiacoli isolates from nosocomial and community-acquired infections. We observed nucleotide substitutions in gyrA (Ser83Ile, Val37Leu, Lys154Arg, Ser171Ala, Ser19Asn, Ile198Val, Ser83Tyr, Ser83Leu, Asp87Asn and Asp87Gly) and parC genes (Ser80Ile, Glu84Lys, Ala129Ser, Val141Ala and Glu84Gly). Two novel substitutions were detected in the gyrA gene (Val37Leu and Ile198Val). The presence of PMQR genes predominated in community isolates (55.5 %). In addition to the frequent presence of the class 1 integron in isolates from community-acquired infections, the genetic similarity results obtained by PFGE showed high genomic diversity. This study suggests that management of multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates from the community are a possible source of genetic mobile elements that carry genes that confer resistance to fluoroquinolones. More attention should be paid to the surveillance of community-acquired infections.