Prompt control of a outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit informed by whole-genome sequencing and comprehensive infection control intervention package.

Objective: This report describes a cluster of patients infected by in a metropolitan neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and a package of infection control interventions that enabled rapid, effective termination of the outbreak.

Design: Cross-sectional analytical study using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for phylogenetic cluster analysis and identification of virulence and resistance genes.

Setting: NICU in a metropolitan tertiary-care hospital in Sydney, Australia.

Evaluation of the BioFire Blood Culture Identification 2 panel and impact on patient management and antimicrobial stewardship.

Bloodstream infection survival is linked to timely administration of optimal antimicrobial therapy. Commercial multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, such as the BioFire Blood Culture Identification Panel (BCID) used for the rapid diagnosis of bloodstream infections, have significantly improved the turnaround time for optimisation of antimicrobial therapy. Reported concordance with culture-based methods and multiplex PCR analysis is high and only limited by (1) the range of targets available on the multiplex panel; and (2) the complexity of microorganisms present in the blood culture specimen.

An Australian diagnostic microbiology surge response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diagnostic microbiology services form a critical component of the response to infectious disease outbreaks. Like previous respiratory virus pandemics, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed significant strains on the standing capacity of laboratories around the world. In this case study, we describe the surge response required by our laboratory to meet the fluctuating demand for SARS-CoV-2 in our regional pathology service in Western Sydney, Australia between March and May 2020.

bacteraemia complicated by a brain abscess in a pre-term neonate.

is a common laboratory and environmental contaminant. Reports of severe infections are mainly limited to immunocompromised individuals. In reported cases, the time interval between bacteraemia and neuro-invasion appears to be very short, highlighting the importance of rapid and definitive identification and susceptibility testing of invasive .

Utility of direct susceptibility testing on blood cultures: is it still worthwhile?

Earlier targeted therapy for bacteraemia optimizes patient outcomes and reduces broad spectrum antibiotic use. Standardized susceptibility testing results are available at 36-48 h. Direct disc susceptibility testing from blood culture broth reduces time to results but the inoculum is not standardized.