Analysis of Risk Factors for Developing Tuberculosis in Patients Who Received Prophylactic Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment with Experience of Biologic Medications.

Biologic medications have dramatically improved the treatment outcomes of immunological inflammatory diseases, but their immunosuppressive effects put patients at risk for tuberculosis (TB). We investigated the risk factors for developing TB in patients treated for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) who also had experience of using biologic medications. At Keio University Hospital, we retrospectively investigated patients treated with anti-mycobacterial drugs before or concurrently with biologic medications from January 2012 to August 2020.

Cost-Effectiveness of Universal Asymptomatic Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 Polymerase Chain Reaction Screening: A Cost-Utility Analysis.

Background: An early report has shown the clinical benefit of the asymptomatic preoperative severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) screening test, and some clinical guidelines recommended this test. However, the cost-effectiveness of asymptomatic screening was not evaluated. We aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of universal preoperative screening of asymptomatic patients for SARS-CoV-2 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing.

T-Cell Response and Antibody Production Induced by the COVID-19 Booster Vaccine in Japanese Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Treated with Hemodialysis.

Humoral and cellular responses are critical in understanding immune responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination. Here, we evaluated these responses in hemodialysis (HD) patients after the booster vaccination. SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin (IgG) levels, neutralizing antibody titers, and the T-SPOT.

Investigation for the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine in Japanese CKD patients treated with hemodialysis.

Background: Dialysis patients are predisposed to severe disease and have a high mortality rate in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their comorbidities and immunocompromised conditions. Therefore, dialysis patients should be prioritized for vaccination. This study aimed to examine how long the effects of the vaccine are maintained and what factors affect antibody titers.

Committee report: Questionnaire survey on the treatment of COVID-19 in patients receiving dialysis therapy.

Background: Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who receive dialysis therapy develop more severe disease and have a poorer prognosis than patients who do not. Although various data on the treatment of patients not receiving dialysis therapy have been reported, clinical practice for patients on dialysis is challenging as data is limited. The Infection Control Committee of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy decided to clarify the status of treatment in COVID-19 patients on dialysis.

Digestive Decolonization of Colorectal Carriage of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a Japanese Adult.

Patients with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) colonization should be managed in an isolation room with contact precautions. We herein report a patient whose colorectal carriage of VRE was successfully decolonized using concomitant bowel irrigation with polyethylene glycol, probiotics, and oral antimicrobials, linezolid and orally-administered daptomycin, for release from isolation and contact precautions. We therefore would like to suggest a potential strategy for managing patients with VRE colonization.

Control of a Nosocomial Outbreak of COVID-19 in a University Hospital.

Background: Nosocomial spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes clusters of infection among high-risk individuals. Controlling this spread is critical to reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. We describe an outbreak of COVID-19 in Keio University Hospital, Japan, and its control and propose effective control measures.

Effectiveness of active nasal surveillance culture for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the role of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers in the development of surgical site infection (SSI) after colorectal surgery.

Summary Background Data: MRSA is commonly implicated in hospital-acquired infections. Active surveillance culture (ASC) using the nasal swab test is useful to detect MRSA in surgical patients.

The annual risk of tuberculosis infection in newly hired researchers and healthcare workers using interferon-gamma release assay in Japan.

The tuberculosis (TB) notification rate in Japan is gradually decreasing but has not yet achieved "pre-elimination," defined by the World Health Organization. To effectively tackle, control, and eliminate TB, estimating and monitoring the annual risk of TB infection (ARI) using tuberculin skin testing (TST) to understand the dynamics of TB epidemiology are significantly important. However, studies estimating ARIs using TST are few considering that Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination coverage is high in Japan.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriers are vulnerable to bloodstream infection after living donor liver transplantation.

Background: Bloodstream infection (BSI) is a life-threatening complication after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). We aimed to explore the incidence and predisposing factors of BSI at our institution.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis on all consecutive adults with BSI within 6 months after LDLT performed between 2005 and 2016.

Helicobacter cinaedi bacteremia with cellulitis after ABO-incompatible living-donor liver transplantation: Case report.

Helicobacter cinaedi (H. cinaedi), a Gram-negative spiral-shaped bacterium, is an enterohepatic non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter species. We report the first case of H.

Clinical features of bacteremia due to Campylobacter jejuni.

Objective: The clinical features of bacteremia due to Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) have yet to be fully elucidated.

Methods And Results: The cases of C.

Postexposure prophylaxis for influenza in pediatric wards oseltamivir or zanamivir after rapid antigen detection.

Background: Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) using neuraminidase inhibitors against exposure to influenza virus has been well studied in household settings but not in nosocomial settings in pediatric wards.

Methods: We used oseltamivir or zanamivir as PEP in our pediatric wards. All influenza cases were diagnosed by the influenza rapid diagnostic test.