Activity of antimicrobial examination gloves under realistic conditions: challenge not fulfilled.

Background: Antimicrobial materials or surfaces are advertised as part of infection prevention bundles. However, the efficacy of such antimicrobial surfaces has not been sufficiently investigated in hospitals. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of examination gloves with light-activated antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive microorganisms was investigated modelling real live conditions.

Phenotypic Variation in Clinical Isolates Did Not Affect Disinfection Efficacy Using Short-Term UV-C Radiation.

Pigmentation, catalase activity and biofilm formation are virulence factors that cause resistance of to environmental stress factors including disinfectants. In recent years, automatic UV-C room disinfection gained greater importance in enhanced disinfection procedures to improve disinfection success in hospitals. In this study, we evaluated the effect of naturally occurring variations in the expression of virulence factors in clinical isolates on tolerance against UV-C radiation.

Infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 on Inanimate Surfaces: Don't Trust Ct Value.

SARS-CoV-2 RNA is frequently identified in patient rooms and it was speculated that the viral load quantified by PCR might correlate with infectivity of surfaces. To evaluate Ct values for the prediction of infectivity, we investigated contaminated surfaces and Ct-value changes after disinfection. Viral RNA was detected on 37 of 143 investigated surfaces of an ICU.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Two Automated Room Decontamination Devices Under Real-Life Conditions.

To evaluate the effectiveness of automated room decontamination devices, a common aerosolized hydrogen peroxide (aHP) as well as a recent gaseous ozone-based device, which produces the disinfectant reagent without the need of consumables, were tested under real-life conditions. Twenty-two contaminated surfaces were positioned in different areas in a patient room with adjacent bathroom and anteroom. Following the decontamination process bacteria were recovered and reduction factors were calculated after performing quantitative culture.

Emergence of linezolid-resistance in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium ST117 associated with increased linezolid-consumption.

Objective: We aim to describe the epidemiological, clinical and microbiological characteristics of the linezolid- and vancomycin- resistant Enterococcus faecium (LVRE) in a tertiary care hospital in Germany.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 196 LVRE cases observed from 1st January 2012 to 31th December 2018. Patients' medical charts were reviewed and available LVRE (n = 102) were subjected to whole-genome-sequencing.

Monocenter study on epidemiology, outcomes, and risk factors of infections in recipients of 166 allogeneic stem cell transplantations during 1 year.

Objectives: During allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), infections significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality. A monocentric prospective analysis was performed to assess epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes of infections during the peri-transplant period.

Methods: Data were recorded prospectively using a predefined questionnaire.

Efficacy of introducing a checklist to reduce central venous line associated bloodstream infections in the ICU caring for adult patients.

Background: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are a major source of sepsis in modern intensive care medicine. Some years ago bundle interventions have been introduced to reduce CLABSI. The use of checklists may be an additional tool to improve the effect of these bundles even in highly specialized institutions.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in local and imported poultry meat in Ghana.

Antibiotic use in animal husbandry has raised concerns on the spread of resistant bacteria. Currently animal products are traded globally with unprecedented ease, which has been challenging the control of antimicrobial resistance. This study aims to detect and characterize extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae from imported and locally produced poultry products sold in Ghana.

Two-tier approach combining molecular and culture-based techniques for optimized detection of vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Given constantly high or even rising incidences of both colonization and infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), timely and accurate identification of carriers in high-risk patient populations is of evident clinical importance. In this study, a two-tier approach consisting of PCR-based screening and cultural confirmation of positive results is compared to the conventional approach solely based on culture on selective media. The 2-tier strategy was highly consistent with the conventional approach, and was found to possess high sensitivity and specificity (93.

Emergence of ceftazidime/avibactam non-susceptibility in an MDR Klebsiella pneumoniae isolate.

Background: Avibactam is a novel broad-range β-lactamase inhibitor active against Ambler class A (including ESBL and KPC) and some Ambler class C and D (e.g. OXA-48) enzymes.

Molecular analysis of the ramRA locus in clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates with reduced susceptibility to tigecycline.

Mutations in ramR, a negative regulator of ramA which stimulates transcription of acrA/-B encoding the multidrug efflux pump AcrAB-TolC, were recently shown to result in reduced susceptibility to tigecycline in Klebsiella pneumoniae. We analysed six non-duplicate K. pneumoniae isolates with elevated MICs to tigecycline.

Genetic and biochemical characterization of HMB-1, a novel subclass B1 metallo-β-lactamase found in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolate.

Objectives: To characterize a novel subclass B1 metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) found in an MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolate.

Methods: The isolate P. aeruginosa NRZ-03096 was recovered in 2012 from an anal swab from a patient hospitalized in Northern Germany and showed high MICs of carbapenems.

Extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae causing bloodstream infections in rural Ghana, 2007-2012.

Background: High prevalence of Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae threatens treatment options for invasive bloodstream infections in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objectives: To explore the frequency and genotype distribution of ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae causing bloodstream infections in a primary health care setting in rural Ghana.

Methods: Blood cultures from all patients with fever ≥38°C within 24h after admission (community-acquired) and from all neonates with suspected neonatal sepsis (hospital-acquired) were obtained.

Prevalence and genotypes of extended spectrum beta-lactamases in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from human stool and chicken meat in Hamburg, Germany.

Chicken meat has been proposed to constitute a source for extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-carrying Enterobacteriaceae that colonize and infect humans. In this study the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in stool samples from ambulatory patients who presented in the emergency department of the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf with gastrointestinal complains and in chicken meat samples from the Hamburg region were analysed and compared with respect to ESBL-genotypes, sequence types and antibiotic resistance profiles. Twenty-nine (4.

Duration of fecal shedding of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 in patients infected during the 2011 outbreak in Germany: a multicenter study.

Background: In May-July 2011, Germany experienced a large food-borne outbreak of Shiga toxin 2-producing Escherichia coli (STEC O104:H4) with 3842 cases, including 855 cases with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and 53 deaths.

Methods: A multicenter study was initiated in 5 university hospitals to determine pathogen shedding duration. Diagnostics comprised culture on selective media, toxin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and polymerase chain reaction.

Emergence of carbapenemases in Gram-negative bacteria in Hamburg, Germany.

We analyzed a collection of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacterial isolates and detected VIM-1, VIM-2, and KPC-2 in diverse enterobacterial species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. Our findings suggest a more widespread dissemination of carbapenemases in Germany than currently appreciated.

Yersinia virulence factor YopM induces sustained RSK activation by interfering with dephosphorylation.

Background: Pathogenic yersiniae inject several effector proteins (Yops) into host cells, which subverts immune functions and enables the bacteria to survive within the host organism. YopM, whose deletion in enteropathogenic yersiniae results in a dramatic loss of virulence, has previously been shown to form a complex with and activate the multifunctional kinases PKN2 and RSK1 in transfected cells.

Methodology/principal Findings: In a near physiological approach with double-affinity-tagged YopM being translocated into the macrophage cell line J774A.

MALDI-TOF MS fingerprinting allows for discrimination of major methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus lineages.

Early detection of outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and initiation of adequate infection control measures are important objectives in hospital hygiene. To reach these goals, prompt determination of epidemiologic relatedness of clinical MRSA isolates is essential. Genetic typing methods like pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), spa typing, or multilocus sequence typing (MLST) have a high discriminatory power, however, these methods are time consuming and cost intensive.