Analysis of Mould Exposure of Immunosuppressed Patients at a German University Hospital.

Moulds are ubiquitous components of outdoor and indoor air and local conditions, temperature, humidity and season can influence their concentration in the air. The impact of these factors on mould exposure in hospitals and the resulting risk of infection for low to moderately immunocompromised patients is unclear. In the present retrospective analysis for the years 2018 to 2022, the monthly determined mould contamination of the outdoor and indoor air at the University Hospital Frankfurt am Main is compared with the average air temperature and the relative humidity.

Colonization with multi-drug-resistant organisms negatively impacts survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Objectives: Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) are considered an emerging threat worldwide. Data covering the clinical impact of MDRO colonization in patients with solid malignancies, however, is widely missing. We sought to determine the impact of MDRO colonization in patients who have been diagnosed with Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are at known high-risk for invasive infections.

Impact of Clostridioides difficile infection on the outcome of patients receiving a hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Objectives: Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) are common in autologous (auto-HSCT) or allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) recipients. However, the impact of CDI on patient outcomes is controversial. We conducted this study to examine the impact of CDI on patient outcomes.

Impact of surface disinfection with hydrogen peroxide on the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in hospital wards.

Vancomycin-resistant (VRE) are of major concern in infection control. Although broad infection control actions to check VRE have been implemented, VRE remain part of daily infection prevention in clinical settings. Cleaning procedures in the inanimate ward environment might play a key role in controlling VRE.

Anamnestic risk factor evaluation of patients carrying carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and/or Acinetobacter baumannii - impact on infection control management at a German University Hospital.

Carbapenem-resistant and are of major concern in terms of infection prevention and control. This study evaluated factors that may increase the frequency of and with carbapenem resistance (CR) in patients admitted to a German University Hospital for implementation of optimized infection control management. A five-year-retrospective epidemiological cohort analysis was conducted on anamnestic risk factors for carrying and/or with CR in patients who were first tested positive for these species at University Hospital Frankfurt (UHF) between January 2013 and June 2018.

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms in refugee patients admitted to a German university hospital depending on duration of stay in Germany.

Refugees have a significant risk of carrying multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO), including multidrug-resistant gram-negative organisms (MDRGN) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA). Since the duration of MDRGN colonization has been shown to last for several months, we hypothesize that the prevalence of MDRO in refugees gradually declines during their stay in Germany to the level of MDRO prevalence in non-refugee patients. Knowledge about the dynamics of refugees' MDRO prevalence might provide the basis for appropriate infection control measures for refugees in hospitals as well as refugees' MDRO epidemiology in general.

Quinolone and Multidrug Resistance Predicts Failure of Antibiotic Prophylaxis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis.

Background: The efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in patients colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of fluoroquinolone-based SBP prophylaxis in an era and area of frequent antibiotic resistance.

Methods: This is a prospective observational study in patients with liver cirrhosis and an indication for fluoroquinolone-based prophylaxis of SBP.

Overcrowding in a neonatal intermediate care unit: impact on the incidence of multidrug-resistant gram-negative organisms.

Background: Overcrowding, reduced nurse to patient ratio, limited distance between incubators and absence of microbiological surveillance have been shown to promote spread of multidrug-resistant gram-negative organisms (MDRGN) in patients with birthweight < 1500 g. Patients > 1500 g treated on an intermediate care unit are unrepresented in recent literature. We therefore intended to present data obtained from a short-term overcrowded neonatal intermediate care unit (NIMCU) at a level III (international categorization) perinatal center at University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany.

Colonization with multidrug resistant organisms determines the clinical course of patients with acute myeloid leukemia undergoing intensive induction chemotherapy.

Introduction: The global spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) complicates treatment and isolation measures in hospitals and has shown to increase mortality. Patients with disease- or therapy-related immunodeficiency are especially at risk for fatal infections caused by MDRO. The impact of MDRO colonization on the clinical course of AML patients undergoing intensive induction chemotherapy-a potentially curative but highly toxic treatment option-has not been systematically studied.

Anti-tubercular activity of a natural stilbene and its synthetic derivatives.

Tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant TB in particular are remaining a major global health challenge and efficient new drugs against TB are needed. This study evaluated the anti-tubercular activity of a natural stilbene and its synthetic derivatives against . Isopropylstilbene and its synthetic derivatives were analyzed for their anti-tubercular activity against ATCC 27294 as well as multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant clinical isolates by using MGIT 960 instrumentation and EpiCenter software equipped with TB eXiST module.

Bloodstream infections with vancomycin-resistant enterococci are associated with a decreased survival in patients with hematological diseases.

Enterococcus species are commensals of the human gastrointestinal tract with the ability to cause invasive infections. For patients with hematological diseases, enterococcal bloodstream infections (BSI) constitute a serious clinical complication which may even be aggravated if the pathogen is vancomycin-resistant. Therefore, we analyzed the course of BSI due to vancomycin-susceptible enterococci (VSE) in comparison to vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) on patient survival.

Noninvasive screening identifies patients at risk for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis caused by multidrug-resistant organisms.

Background And Aims: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe complication of decompensated cirrhosis. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in patients with cirrhosis is increasing. Identification of patients at risk for SBP due to MDROs (ie, SBP with the evidence of MDROs or in ascitic culture, MDRO-SBP) is crucial to the early adaptation of antibiotic treatment in such patients.

Timepoints of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus colonization predict outcomes of acute myeloid leukemia patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Background: In hematology and oncology, in particular in the setting of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE) colonization rates are high due to previous hospital stays and preceding antibiotic treatment and colonized patients have a lower overall survival (OS).

Objective: We reanalyzed our previously published cohort, to unravel which colonization timepoints before and during allo-HSCT might be predictive for the subsequent outcome.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia colonization during allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is associated with impaired survival.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) offers potential cure to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. However, infections with commensal bacteria are an important cause for non-relapse mortality (NRM). We have previously described the impact of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) colonization on the survival of allo-HSCT patients.

Bloodstream infections with gram-negative organisms and the impact of multidrug resistance in patients with hematological malignancies.

Infections and especially blood stream infections (BSI) with gram-negative bacteria (GNB) represent a major threat for patients with hematological diseases undergoing chemotherapy and mainly contribute to morbidity and mortality. In this retrospective single-center study, we analyzed the impact of BSI with different gram-negative multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRGN) compared to BSI with antibiotic susceptible gram-negative bacteria. Data of 109 patients with hematological malignancies and GNB BSI were analyzed with overall survival (OS) 30 days after BSI being the primary endpoint.

Handling of laundry in nursing homes in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 2016 - laundry and professional clothing as potential pathways of bacterial transfer.

In accordance with the German Infection Protection Act, the treatment and handling of laundry was checked by the Public Health Department in 2016 in all Frankfurt nursing homes with special focus on the staff's clothing. On-site visits and surveys were conducted in all 44 nursing homes in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, and random microbiological examinations of 58 reprocessed and 58 already worn protective gowns were performed to determine the numbers of the colony forming units (cfu) and microbiological differentiation of the pathogen species. 41 (93%) of the 44 homes tested had contracted a certified laundry service.

[Piperacillin/Tazobactam Shortage: Central Restriction and Alternative Recommendations as Effective Antibiotic-Stewardship Intervention at a Maximal Care Hospital].

Background:  Drug supply bottleneck is a worldwide challenge, e. g. the antibiotics Piperacillin/Tazobactam shortage in 2016/2017.

Intestinal carriage of multidrug-resistant bacteria among healthcare professionals in Germany.

Healthcare professionals (HCP) might be at increased risk of acquisition of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRB), i.e., methillicin-resistant (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDRGN) and could be an unidentified source of MDRB transmission.

Clinical impact of colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms on outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curative treatment option for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). During transplantation, patients undergo a period of severe neutropenia, which puts them at high risk for infectious complications. However, the impact of patient colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) on overall survival remains unclear.

Clinical Impact of Colonization with Multidrug-Resistant Organisms on Outcome after Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.

A significant increase in infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) has been observed in recent years, resulting in an increase of mortality in all fields of health care. Hematological patients are particularly affected by MDRO infections because of disease- and therapy-related immunosuppression. To determine the impact of colonization with MDRO on overall survival, we retrospectively analyzed data from patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at our institution.

The impact of carbapenem resistance on clinical deterioration and mortality in patients with liver disease.

Background & Aims: Infections with multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria are significantly impairing the prognosis of patients with liver disease. In particular, carbapenem resistance further narrows therapeutic options. This study investigates the impact of carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria on the outcome of patients with liver disease and cirrhosis.

Elevated prevalence of multidrug-resistant gram-negative organisms in HIV positive men.

Background: Routes of transmission of multidrug-resistant gram-negative organisms (MDRGN) are not completely understood. Since sexual transmission of MDRGN might represent a potential mode that has not been noticed so far, this study evaluated transmission of MDRGN in HIV positive men.

Methods: Between November 2014 and March 2016, we retrospectively investigated the MDRGN prevalence in rectal swabs of n = 109 males tested positive for HIV (HP).