The use of perioperative cephalosporin prophylaxis in patients who have a pre-existing penicillin allergy.

Background: Studies have shown an association between a reported penicillin allergy and an increased risk of surgical site infection. The risk is due to avoidance of cephalosporins and to the use of alternative classes of antibiotics in surgical prophylaxis. The aim of this study was to examine the safety of using cephalosporins in patients with a penicillin allergy label.

Assessment of a novel BLOOMY score for predicting mortality in hospitalised adults with bloodstream infection.

Purpose: A German multicentre study BLOOMY was the first to use machine learning approach to develop mortality prediction scores for bloodstream infection (BSI) patients, but the scores have not been assessed in other cohorts. Our aim was to assess how the BLOOMY 14-day and 6-month scores estimate mortality in our cohort of 497 cases with BSI.

Methods: Clinical data, laboratory data, and patient outcome were gathered retrospectively from patient records.

Risk of venous thromboembolism in COVID-19 infection.

The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) for non-hospitalised patients with coronavirus disease-2019 infection has not been very widely studied. 13 019 persons with a positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test were identified. In total, 447 (0.

Effect of non-cephalosporin antibiotic prophylaxis on the risk of periprosthetic joint infection after total joint replacement surgery: a retrospective study with a 1-year follow-up.

Background: Cephalosporins are recommended as first-line antibiotic prophylaxis in total joint replacement surgery. Studies have shown an increased risk for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) when non-cephalosporin antibiotics have been used. This study examines the effect of non-cephalosporin antibiotic prophylaxis on the risk for PJI.

Presence of in the throat in invasive Group A Streptococcal disease: a prospective two-year study in two health districts, Finland.

Purpose: (Group A , GAS) is an important human pathogen that can cause severe invasive (iGAS) infections. Throat carriage has been assumed to possibly lead to hematogenous seeding. Retrospective studies may estimate the incidence of throat carriage in iGAS patients inaccurately.

Long-term follow up of families with pathogenic NFKB1 variants reveals incomplete penetrance and frequent inflammatory sequelae.

Nuclear factor κ light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) family of evolutionarily conserved transcription factors are involved in key cellular signaling pathways. Previously, hypogammaglobulinemia and common variable immunodeficiency (CVID)-like phenotypes have been associated with NFKB1 variants and loss-of-function NFKB1 variants have been reported as the most common monogenic cause for CVID among Europeans. Here, we describe a Finnish cohort of NFKB1 carriers consisting of 31 living subjects in six different families carrying five distinct heterozygous variants.

Population-Based Assessment of Contact Tracing Operations for Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Finland.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic overwhelmed local contact tracing (CT) efforts in many countries. In Finland, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 incidence and mortality were among the lowest in Europe during 2020-2021. We evaluated CT efficiency, effectiveness, and transmission settings.

Nasal nitric oxide is decreased in acute mild COVID-19 and related to viral load.

Gaseous nitric oxide levels from the lungs (FeNO) and from the nose (nNO) have been demonstrated to react to acute infection or influenza vaccination. There are no published data on nNO levels during acute COVID-19, but normal levels of FeNO have been reported in one study. Our aim was to assess if acute mild COVID-19 alters nasal or bronchial NO output at the time of acute infection and at a two-month follow up, and if this is related to symptoms or viral load.

Alcohol Consumption and Its Influence on the Clinical Picture of Puumala Hantavirus Infection.

Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Characteristic clinical findings include acute kidney injury (AKI), thrombocytopenia, and capillary leakage. Smoking increases the risk of severe AKI, but it is not known whether alcohol consumption predisposes patients to a more severe infection.

Lung function during and after acute respiratory infection in COVID-19 positive and negative outpatients.

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Loss-of-function mutation in leads to immunodeficiency with dysregulated germinal center reactions and reduction of MAIT cells.

The Ikaros family transcription factors regulate lymphocyte development. Loss-of-function variants in cause primary immunodeficiency, but Ikaros family members and have not yet been associated with immunodeficiency. Here, we describe a pedigree with a heterozygous truncating variant in , encoding the transcriptional activator and repressor Helios, which is highly expressed in regulatory T cells and effector T cells, particularly of the CD8 T cell lineage.

Infectious diseases specialist consultation in Staphylococcus lugdunensis bacteremia.

Background: Commensal coagulase negative Staphylococcus lugdunensis may cause severe bacteremia (SLB) and complications. Treatment of SLB is not fully established and we wanted to evaluate if infectious diseases specialist consultation (IDSC) would improve management and prognosis.

Methods: Multicenter retrospective study of SLB patients followed for 1 year.

Fungemia and Other Fungal Infections Associated with Use of Saccharomyces boulardii Probiotic Supplements.

Because of widespread use of probiotics, their safety must be guaranteed. We assessed use of probiotic yeast from medical records for patients who had fungemia or other clinical culture findings. We evaluated all sp.

SARS-CoV-2 late shedding may be infectious between immunocompromised hosts.

Background: Immunocompromised patients shed SARS-CoV-2 for extended periods, but to our knowledge person-to-person transmission from late shedding has not been reported.

The Case: We present a case in which a COVID-19 patient infected another over 28 days after the patient's initial symptoms, past current guideline recommendations of 20 days for length of isolation in immunocompromised patients. Whole genome sequencing of their viruses was performed to ascertain the transmission.

Healthcare-associated blood stream infections in hematological patients in Finland during the years 2006-2016.

Objectives: The aim was to identify the clinical characteristics, outcome, and antimicrobial susceptibility of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections (BSIs) in hematological patients.

Methods: This retrospectively collected laboratory-based surveillance data include 3404 healthcare-associated BSIs in 2296 patients with a hematological malignancy in hospitals participating in the Finnish Hospital Infection Program from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2016.

Results: The most common underlying diseases were acute myelogenous leukemia (35%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (22%).

Periprosthetic Joint Infections as a Consequence of Bacteremia.

Background: The risk for developing a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) during bacteremia is unclear, except for bacteremia. The aim of this study was to examine the risk for developing a PJI during bacteremia and to identify possible risk factors leading to it.

Methods: Patients with a primary knee or hip joint replacement performed in a tertiary care hospital between September 2002 and December 2013 were identified (n = 14 378) and followed up until December 2014.

Spa type distribution in MRSA and MSSA bacteremias and association of spa clonal complexes with the clinical characteristics of bacteremia.

The genetic distribution of invasive methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) and resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains has to be addressed in order to target infection control strategies. A large MRSA epidemic caused by a certain MRSA strain (spa type 067) broke out in 2001 in our health district.

A Serratia marcescens outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit was successfully managed by rapid hospital hygiene interventions and screening.

Aim: Serratia marcescens is a rare, but important, pathogen in hospital-acquired infections, especially in neonatal units. Outbreaks may cause significant mortality among neonates. This study describes how an outbreak of S.

Bloodstream infections in acute myeloid leukemia patients treated according to the Finnish Leukemia Group AML-2003 protocol - a prospective nationwide study.

Background: Infections greatly influence the outcome of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients receiving intensive treatment. The aim of this study was to establish the incidence, microbial etiology, risk factors and prognosis of bloodstream infections (BSIs) in patients with AML and compare the results with the previous treatment protocol (AML-92).

Methods: Registery data were gathered prospectively from 357 patients aged 16-65 years recruited on the AML-2003 treatment protocol between November 2003 and November 2011 during different treatment cycles.

Concordance between the old and new diagnostic criteria for periprosthetic joint infection.

Purpose: There is no uniform definition for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). New diagnostic criteria were formulated in an international consensus meeting in 2013 and adopted by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 2016. The purpose of this study is to compare the new diagnostic criteria with the old CDC criteria from the year 1992.