Publications by authors named "Anne Sophie Valentin"

Hematology patients require central venous catheters for cancer treatment and nutrition, which increases their risk of intravascular device-associated bacteremia. In the absence of recent data, we investigated intravascular device-associated bacteremia in this specific context. A three-month surveillance was conducted annually in 27 hematology wards, using a protocol derived from the HAI-Net ICU ECDC protocol (2020-2024).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to examine the use of sterile gloves by healthcare workers (HCWs) during manipulations of central line catheters, which can carry a risk of infections like bacteremia.
  • - Observations revealed that 72% of HCWs used sterile gloves, while 19% did not wear any gloves at all, with microbial contamination found on the fingertips of 28% of those tested.
  • - The findings indicated that fingertip contamination was lower among HCWs who wore sterile gloves, highlighting the importance of glove use in preventing infections during central line handling.
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Background: Central catheters expose ICU patients at risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections. A mechanism by which these infections occur is the contamination of the catheter during its insertion if aseptic techniques are not strictly applied. Recent studies suggest that the use of ultrasound guidance (USG) may increase the risk of catheter contamination during insertion.

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Background: Patients who have short peripheral venous catheters (PVC) face an elevated risk of developing bloodstream infections. Preventing catheter-related infections relies on implementing multiple measures, including practicing proper hand hygiene (HH) during catheter placement.

Methods: We conducted a four-part study: (1) an evaluation of HH practices through direct observation of PVC placements, coupled with the study of the microbial flora of the HCWs fingers just before the placement; (2) the development of an educational tool based on the collected observational and microbiological data; (3) the training to the HCWs observed during the first part, using this tool; and (4) the subsequent observation of the trained HCWs to measure the impact of the training on practice improvement.

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A prospective 3-month study carried out in 267 ICUs revealed an S. aureus nosocomial bacteremia in one admitted patient out of 110 in adult and pediatric sectors, and in one out of 230 newborns; 242 S. aureus bacteremias occurred during the study, including 7.

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Bone and joint infections (BJI) represent the second cause of invasive Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections. Biofilm formation plays a major role in BJI. This study's aim was to analyze the genetic features and biofilm production of GBS strains.

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Objectives: The aim was to assess the incidence of sink contamination by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacteriaceae, risk factors for sink contamination and splashing, and their association with clinical infections in the intensive care setting.

Methods: A prospective French multicentre study (1 January to 30 May 2020) including in each intensive care unit (ICU) a point-prevalence study of sink contamination, a questionnaire of risk factors for sink contamination (sink use, disinfection procedure) and splashing (visible plashes, distance and barrier between sink and bed), and a 3-month prospective infection survey.

Results: Seventy-three ICUs participated in the study.

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The diagnosis of prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) can be difficult in the chronic stage and is based on clinical and paraclinical evidence. A minimally invasive serological test against the main pathogens encountered during PJI would distinguish PJI from mechanical loosening. We performed a prospective, multicentre, cross-sectional study to assess the contribution of serology in the diagnosis of PJI.

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Currently, no guideline provides recommendations on the duration of empirical antimicrobial treatment (EAT) in prosthetic joint infection (PJI). The aim of our study was to describe the time to growth of bacteria involved in PJI, rendering possible decreased duration of EAT. Based on a French multicentre prospective cohort study, culture data from patients with confirmed hip or knee PJI were analysed.

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Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) can occur with a wide range of microorganisms and clinical features. After replacement surgery of prosthetic joint, prescription of probabilistic broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy is usual, while awaiting microbial culture results. The aim of our study was to describe the antibiotic susceptibility of microorganisms isolated from hip and knee PJI.

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Group B (GBS) is a major cause of invasive disease in neonates worldwide. Monitoring data have revealed a continuing trend toward an increase in neonatal GBS infections, despite the introduction of preventive measures. We investigated this trend, by performing the first ever characterization of the prophage content for 106 GBS strains causing neonatal infections between 2002 and 2018.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A case is presented involving a male patient who developed massive acute tibial osteomyelitis three months after receiving an IO catheter for emergency treatment.
  • * It's important for emergency personnel and radiologists to be aware of this rare complication to ensure early diagnosis and the start of proper antibiotic treatment.
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No gold standard exists for histopathological diagnosis of a prosthetic joint infection (PJI). The historical criterion considers the presence of neutrophil infiltration upon examination of periprosthetic tissue. Morawietz et al.

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Although numerous perioperative samples and culture media are required to diagnose prosthetic joint infection (PJI), their exact number and types have not yet been definitely determined with a high level of proof. We conducted a prospective multicenter study to determine the minimal number of samples and culture media required for accurate diagnosis of PJI. Over a 2-year period, consecutive patients with clinical signs suggesting PJI were included, with five perioperative samples per patient.

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CRISPR-Cas systems (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins) are found in 90% of archaea and about 40% of bacteria. In this original system, CRISPR arrays comprise short, almost unique sequences called spacers that are interspersed with conserved palindromic repeats. These systems play a role in adaptive immunity and participate to fight non-self DNA such as integrative and conjugative elements, plasmids, and phages.

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  • Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a significant cause of diarrhea in hospitals, but it can also occur in the general community, potentially leading to severe health outcomes.
  • A study of 136 patients at a French hospital revealed that most CDI cases were healthcare-acquired, but community-acquired cases had a higher severity index.
  • The findings suggest that CDI can be serious even in the community, highlighting the need for further research on people without known risk factors for the infection.
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  • The study aimed to evaluate the performance of seven French labs in detecting 16S rRNA genes via real-time PCR for diagnosing bone and joint infections (BJIs) within a multicenter research framework.
  • To ensure consistency amidst varying extraction methods and equipment, external quality controls were implemented, including standardized extraction volumes and primer usage.
  • Out of 168 quality controls sent, 93.8% achieved expected results, indicating that both manual and automated extraction methods yielded similar performance, validating the use of molecular diagnostics for BJIs in multicenter studies.
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There is no standard method for the diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection (PJI). The contribution of 16S rRNA gene PCR sequencing on a routine basis remains to be defined. We performed a prospective multicenter study to assess the contributions of 16S rRNA gene assays in PJI diagnosis.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers used advanced genetic techniques to study prophages' roles in a new CC398 strain that causes human infections, discovering specific phages and their effects on the bacteria's ability to infect human cells and express virulence factors.
  • * The study identifies a defective prophage, StauST398-5pro, which protects the bacteria from genetic transfer and interacts with other phages to enhance virulence under stress, shedding light on how phages influence the evolution and adaptability of bacteria.
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Background: We report a carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa clone responsible for a cluster of urinary tract infections in elderly surgery patients, diagnosed during a three-month period in a 59-bed surgical clinic.

Findings: The clonal nature of the cluster was established by molecular study of the P.

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We report 4 bloodstream infections associated with CC9 agr type II Staphylococcus aureus in individuals without animal exposure. We demonstrate, by microarray analysis, the presence of egc cluster, fnbA, cap operon, lukS, set2, set12, splE, splD, sak, epiD, and can, genomic features associated with a high virulence potential in humans.

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