Severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA and viable virus contamination of hospital emergency department surfaces and association with patient coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) status and aerosol-generating procedures.

Emergency departments are high-risk settings for severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) surface contamination. Environmental surface samples were obtained in rooms with patients suspected of having COVID-19 who did or did not undergo aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs). SARS-CoV-2 RNA surface contamination was most frequent in rooms occupied by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who received no AGPs.

Environmental Contamination of Contact Precaution and Non-Contact Precaution Patient Rooms in Six Acute Care Facilities.

Background: Environmental contamination is an important source of hospital multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) transmission. Factors such as patient MDRO contact precautions (CP) status, patient proximity to surfaces, and unit type likely influence MDRO contamination and bacterial bioburden levels on patient room surfaces. Identifying factors associated with environmental contamination in patient rooms and on shared unit surfaces could help identify important environmental MDRO transmission routes.

Localized effect of treated wastewater effluent on the resistome of an urban watershed.

Background: Wastewater treatment is an essential tool for maintaining water quality in urban environments. While the treatment of wastewater can remove most bacterial cells, some will inevitably survive treatment to be released into natural environments. Previous studies have investigated antibiotic resistance within wastewater treatment plants, but few studies have explored how a river's complete set of antibiotic resistance genes (the "resistome") is affected by the release of treated effluent into surface waters.

Environmental Contamination with Species in Multiple Hospitals Including a Tertiary Care Hospital with a Outbreak.

Background: Environmental sources have been implicated as a potential source for exogenous acquisition of species, particularly the emerging multidrug-resistant . However, limited information is available on environmental reservoirs of species in healthcare facilities.

Methods: During a 6-month period, cultures for species were collected from high-touch surfaces in patient rooms and from portable equipment in 6 US acute care hospitals in 4 states.

Multi-state study of Enterobacteriaceae harboring extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemase genes in U.S. drinking water.

Community-associated acquisition of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase- (ESBL) and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae has significantly increased in recent years, necessitating greater inquiry into potential exposure routes, including food and water sources. In high-income countries, drinking water is often neglected as a possible source of community exposure to antibiotic-resistant organisms. We screened coliform-positive tap water samples (n = 483) from public and private water systems in six states of the United States for bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, and bla-type genes by multiplex PCR.

Horizontal transfer of the blaNDM-1 gene to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii in biofilms.

Horizontal gene transfer has contributed to the global spread of the blaNDM-1 gene. Multiple studies have demonstrated plasmid transfer of blaNDM-1 between Gram-negative bacteria, primarily Enterobacteriaceae species, but conjugational transfer of natural blaNDM-1 plasmids from Enterobacteriaceae into Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii has not previously been shown. As P.

Estimates of the risk of large or long-lasting outbreaks of Middle East respiratory syndrome after importations outside the Arabian Peninsula.

We quantify outbreak risk after importations of Middle East respiratory syndrome outside the Arabian Peninsula. Data from 31 importation events show strong statistical support for lower transmissibility after early transmission generations. Our model projects the risk of ≥10, 100, and 500 transmissions as 11%, 2%, and 0.

Development and field evaluation of a method for detecting carbapenem-resistant bacteria in drinking water.

In this study, a fluorogenic heterotrophic plate count test for drinking water was modified in order to detect the presence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria. Antimicrobial agents and concentrations were selected based on recoveries of known carbapenem-resistant and carbapenem-susceptible strains inoculated into simulated samples. The modified method was field-tested on 19 drinking water samples from the New Delhi, India distribution system.