Three lineages causing bloodstream infections variably dominated within a Greek hospital over a 15 year period.

Carbapenem-resistant (CRKP) has emerged as a major clinical and public health threat. The rapid dissemination of this pathogen is driven by several successful clones worldwide. We aimed to investigate the CRKP clonal lineages, their antibiotic resistance determinants and their potential transmissions in a tertiary care hospital located in Athens, Greece.

Failure of central venous catheter insertion and care bundles in a high central line-associated bloodstream infection rate, high bed occupancy hospital.

Background: Our hospital has several characteristics different from the settings in which the central venous catheter (CVC) care bundle has been implemented so far, that is, care bundles or protocols are not systematically used, and the prevalence of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) is high, as is bed occupancy rate. We examined the effectiveness of CVC care bundles.

Methods: Modified CVC bundles were implemented across all settings of our hospital.

Combining VITEK 2 with colistin agar dilution screening assist timely reporting of colistin susceptibility.

Objectives: The rise in carbapenem resistance among Gram-negative bacteria has renewed interest in colistin. Recently, the EUCAST-CLSI Polymyxin Breakpoints Working Group declared that broth microdilution (BMD) is the only valid method for colistin susceptibility testing. BMD is not easily incorporated into the routine work of clinical laboratories, and usually this test is incorporated serially, resulting in delayed susceptibility reporting.

Colistin resistance in carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream isolates: Evolution over 15 years and temporal association with colistin use by time series analysis.

Colistin is often the only available treatment option against infections caused by carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (CP-Kp). In this study, the evolution of colistin resistance among CP-Kp and its relationship with colistin use in a tertiary-care hospital in Athens, Greece, was investigated. All CP-Kp blood isolates recovered between January 2002 and June 2016 were tested for susceptibility to colistin by agar dilution and broth microdilution methods.