Comparing automated surveillance systems for detection of pathogen-related clusters in healthcare settings.

Background: Detection of pathogen-related clusters within a hospital is key to early intervention to prevent onward transmission. Various automated surveillance methods for outbreak detection have been implemented in hospital settings. However, direct comparison is difficult due to heterogenicity of data sources and methodologies.

Rapid management of Serratia marcescens outbreak in neonatology unit in Singapore: Risk factors and infection control measures.

Background: We describe the investigations for control of two consecutive Serratia marcescens outbreaks in neonatology unit of Singapore General Hospital.

Methods: Epidemiological investigations, environmental sampling and risk-factors analysis were performed to guide infection control measures. Active surveillance sampling of nasopharyngeal aspirate and/or stool from neonates was conducted during both outbreaks.

Favorable vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response profile in patients undergoing immune-modifying therapies.

BACKGROUNDPatients undergoing immune-modifying therapies demonstrate a reduced humoral response after COVID-19 vaccination, but we lack a proper evaluation of the effect of such therapies on vaccine-induced T cell responses.METHODSWe longitudinally characterized humoral and spike-specific T cell responses in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), who were on antimetabolite therapy (azathioprine or methotrexate), TNF inhibitors, and/or other biologic treatment (anti-integrin or anti-p40) for up to 6 months after completing 2-dose COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.RESULTSWe demonstrate that a spike-specific T cell response was not only induced in treated patients with IBD at levels similar to those of healthy individuals, but also sustained at higher magnitude for up to 6 months after vaccination, particularly in those treated with TNF inhibitor therapy.

Linking sporadic hospital clusters during a community surge of the severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.617.2 delta variant: The utility of whole-genome sequencing.

Sporadic clusters of healthcare-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred despite intense rostered routine surveillance and a highly vaccinated healthcare worker (HCW) population, during a community surge of the severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) B.1.617.

Healthcare-associated multispecies outbreaks of OXA-48-positive carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a Singapore tertiary-care hospital.

Objective: To describe OXA-48-like carbapenem-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) outbreaks at Singapore General Hospital between 2018 and 2020 and to determine the risk associated with OXA-48 carriage in the 2020 outbreak.

Design: Outbreak report and case-control study.

Setting: Singapore General Hospital (SGH) is a tertiary-care academic medical center in Singapore with 1,750 beds.

chorioamnionitis in a twin pregnancy following in vitro fertilisation: a rare cause of septic miscarriage.

chorioamnionitis is uncommon and associated with poor fetal outcomes. We present a case of chorioamnionitis of a dichorionic diamniotic pregnancy conceived by fresh embryo transfer. Despite antifungal therapy with amphotericin B, spontaneous miscarriage of both twins occurred.

Sporadic outbreaks of healthcare-associated COVID-19 infection in a highly-vaccinated inpatient population during a community outbreak of the B.1.617.2 variant: The role of enhanced infection-prevention measures.

Sporadic clusters of health care-associated COVID-19 infection occurred in a highly vaccinated health care-workers and patient population, over a 3-month period during ongoing community transmission of the B.1.617.

Feasibility and utility of facemask sampling in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 during an ongoing pandemic.

Easy access to screening for timely identification and isolation of infectious COVID-19 patients remains crucial in sustaining the international efforts to control COVID-19 spread. A major barrier limiting broad-based screening is the lack of a simple, rapid, and cost-effective COVID-19 testing method. We evaluated the feasibility and utility of facemask sampling in a cohort of 42 COVID-19-positive and 36 COVID-19-negative patients.

Healthcare workers as a sentinel surveillance population in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are a critical resource in the effort to control the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also a sentinel surveillance population whose clinical status reflects the effectiveness of the hospital's infection prevention measures in the pandemic.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a 1,822-bed tertiary hospital.

Reduction in asthma admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic: consequence of public health measures in Singapore.

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Utilizing the electronic health records to create a syndromic staff surveillance system during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Objectives: Since December 2019, COVID-19 has caused a worldwide pandemic and Singapore has seen escalating cases with community spread. Aggressive contact tracing and identification of suspects has helped to identify local community clusters, surveillance being the key to early intervention. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have contracted COVID-19 infection both at the workplace and community.