Association of Bacterial Load and Colonization Sites With the Risk of Postoperative Infection.

Background: The independent effects of extranasal-only carriage, carriage at multiple bodily sites, or the bacterial load of colonizing (SA) on the risk of developing SA surgical site infections and postoperative bloodstream infections (SA SSI/BSIs) are unclear. We aimed to quantify these effects in this large prospective cohort study.

Methods: Surgical patients aged 18 years or older were screened for SA carriage in the nose, throat, or perineum within 30 days before surgery.

Postoperative Staphylococcus aureus Infections in Patients With and Without Preoperative Colonization.

Importance: Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infections (SSIs) and bloodstream infections (BSIs) are important complications of surgical procedures for which prevention remains suboptimal. Contemporary data on the incidence of and etiologic factors for these infections are needed to support the development of improved preventive strategies.

Objectives: To assess the occurrence of postoperative S aureus SSIs and BSIs and quantify its association with patient-related and contextual factors.

Persistent Cardiometabolic Health Gaps: Can Therapeutic Care Gaps Be Precisely Identified from Electronic Health Records.

The objective of this study was to determine the strengths and limitations of using structured electronic health records (EHR) to identify and manage cardiometabolic (CM) health gaps. We used medication adherence measures derived from dispense data to attribute related therapeutic care gaps (i.e.

Association of Staphylococcus aureus Colonization and Pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit.

Importance: Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus is associated with S aureus infection. However, associations between S aureus carriage and the development of S aureus intensive care unit (ICU) pneumonia (SAIP) have not been quantified accurately, and interpretation of available data is hampered because of variations in definitions.

Objective: To quantify associations of patient-related and contextual factors, including S aureus colonization status, with the occurrence of SAIP.

Long-term safety and survival with gefitinib in select patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Results from the US IRESSA Clinical Access Program (ICAP).

Background: This is the first report of long-term (>10 years) safety, tolerability, and survival data on patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received treatment with gefitinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Methods: Patients with advanced NSCLC (N = 191) who entered the IRESSA Clinical Access Program (ICAP) (June 2011 to January 2013) and had previously obtained a clinical benefit from gefitinib therapy (including patients who had received gefitinib since 2001) were analyzed for adverse events (AEs). A subset of patients (n = 79) underwent retrospective chart review to capture demographic, safety, and survival data.

Risk prediction for Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infection following cardiothoracic surgery; A secondary analysis of the V710-P003 trial.

Background: Identifying patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery at high risk of Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infection (SSI) is a prerequisite for implementing effective preventive interventions. The objective of this study was to develop a risk prediction model for S. aureus SSI or bacteremia after cardiothoracic surgery based on pre-operative variables.

Surveillance for control of antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance poses a growing threat to public health and the provision of health care. Its surveillance should provide up-to-date and relevant information to monitor the appropriateness of therapy guidelines, antibiotic formulary, antibiotic stewardship programmes, public health interventions, infection control policies, and antimicrobial development. In Europe, although the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network provides annual reports on monitored resistant bacteria, national surveillance efforts are still fragmented and heterogeneous, and have substantial structural problems and issues with laboratory data.

Rationale and design of ASPIRE-ICU: a prospective cohort study on the incidence and predictors of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia in the ICU.

Background: The epidemiology of ICU pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is not fully described, but is urgently needed to support the development of effective interventions.

colonization at ICU admission as a risk factor for developing ICU pneumonia.

Objective: To determine the incidence of (PA) ICU pneumonia and its independent association with PA colonization at ICU admission.

Methods: This was a post-hoc analysis of a prospectively collected cohort study. Adult ICU patients with a length of stay of ≥48 h were included and assessed for microbiologically confirmed PA ICU pneumonia.

Surveillance Systems from Public Health Institutions and Scientific Societies for Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections in Europe (SUSPIRE): protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: The worldwide spread of antimicrobial resistance is now recognised as a global public health threat. Owing to the geographical heterogeneity, complexity and continuously evolving dynamics of resistant organisms and genes, surveillance is a key tool for understanding, measuring and informing actions in the fight against this problem. To date there is no harmonisation of key indicators or of methodologies used to obtain them.

EpideMiology and control measures of outBreaks due to Antibiotic-Resistant orGanisms in EurOpe (EMBARGO): a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Improving our understanding of outbreaks due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and their control is critical in the current public health scenario. The threat of outbreaks due to ARB requires multifaceted efforts. However, a global overview of epidemiological characteristics of outbreaks due to ARB and effective infection control measures is missing.

Incidence of Medically Attended Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza Illnesses in Children 6-59 Months Old During Four Seasons.

Background.  Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza are significant causes of seasonal respiratory illness in children. The incidence of influenza and RSV hospitalization is well documented, but the incidence of medically attended, laboratory-confirmed illness has not been assessed in a well defined community cohort.

Receipt of palivizumab before birth hospitalization discharge among preterm infants in the United States.

Objective: This study aims to determine predischarge palivizumab receipt prevalence among infants ≤ 36 weeks' gestational age.

Study Design: This retrospective cohort study used hospital discharge records from the Premier Perspective database (Premier Inc., Charlotte, NC) of infants ≤ 36 weeks' gestational age who were discharged home after birth hospitalization during the November-March respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasons from 2006 to 2011.

Seasonal incidence of medically attended respiratory syncytial virus infection in a community cohort of adults ≥50 years old.

Background: Diagnostic testing for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is not routinely performed in adults. We estimated medically attended RSV seasonal incidence in a community cohort of adults ≥50 years old during four influenza seasons (2006-07 through 2009-10).

Methods: Patients seeking care for acute respiratory illness (ARI) were prospectively enrolled and tested for RSV by multiplex RT-PCR.

Respiratory syncytial virus disease in preterm infants in the U.S. born at 32-35 weeks gestation not receiving immunoprophylaxis.

Background: The Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Respiratory Events Among Preterm Infants Outcomes and Risk Tracking (REPORT) study evaluated RSV disease burden in U.S. preterm infants 32-35 weeks gestational age (wGA) not receiving RSV prophylaxis.

A systematic review of risk factors associated with surgical site infections among surgical patients.

Importance: Surgical site infection (SSI) complicates 2-5% of surgeries in the United States. Severity of SSI ranges from superficial skin infection to life-threatening conditions such as severe sepsis, and SSIs are responsible for increased morbidity, mortality, and economic burden associated with surgery. Staphylococcus aureus (S.

Medically attended respiratory syncytial virus infections in adults aged ≥ 50 years: clinical characteristics and outcomes.

Background: Few studies have examined respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in adults. We assessed the characteristics and outcomes of RSV relative to other viral infections.

Methods: Patients ≥ 50 years old with acute respiratory illness were recruited for studies of influenza vaccine effectiveness from 2004 through 2010.

Translational sciences approach to RSV vaccine development.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants and the elderly. Despite its relatively low degree of antigenic variation, it causes frequent reinfection throughout life. Clinical manifestations of RSV disease and the immune response to infection differ in infants and the elderly, suggesting that vaccines designed to protect these two populations may require different attributes.

Age-specific prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus infection among individuals aged 6-19 years in the United States and factors affecting its acquisition.

Background:  Data on the age-specific prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are relevant for determining when to administer a prophylactic vaccine. Comparison of demographic groups could identify factors associated with its acquisition.

Methods:  The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) examine a representative sample of the US population.

Beyond surveillance: a role for respondent-driven sampling in implementation science.

We are now in the fourth decade of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic. Several novel prevention tools have been identified, and prevalence and incidence have declined in many settings. A remaining challenge is the delivery of preventive interventions to hard-to-reach populations, including men who have sex with men and injection drug users.

HIV risk among men who have sex with men only (MSMO) and men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) in Baltimore.

Men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) are at high risk for HIV. However, the majority of research on populations of men who have sex with men (MSM) combines MSMW and men who have sex with men only (MSMO) samples, which limits our understanding of HIV risk behaviors and factors associated with HIV risk among MSMW populations. We used the BESURE-MSM2, a venue-based cross-sectional study of HIV risk behaviors among MSM in Baltimore, MD, to examine HIV risk among MSMW.

The highest attainable standard of evidence (HASTE) for HIV/AIDS interventions: toward a public health approach to defining evidence.

Objectives: Evidence-driven decisions have become a standard for health interventions, policy, and programs. While randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are encouraged for public health interventions, there are limitations with RCTs as the gold standard of evidence for HIV interventions. We developed a novel system of evaluating evidence for assessing HIV preventive interventions termed the Highest Attainable Standard of Evidence (HASTE).

Differences and Similarities in HIV Testing Among Men Who have Sex with Men and Women (MSMW) and Men Who Have Sex with Men Only (MSMO).

The study examined differences in HIV testing between men who have sex with men only (MSMO) (n=300) and men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) (n=105) and assessed associations with HIV testing among MSMW. A venue-based cross-sectional HIV surveillance study in 2008 (BESURE-MSM2) was examined. Prevalence of HIV testing was similar for MSMO and MSMW.