Varicella-Zoster Virus-Induced Neurologic Disease After COVID-19 Vaccination: A Multicenter Observational Cohort Study.

Background: Early reports described an increased risk of herpes zoster following receipt of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. The objective was to assess whether COVID-19 vaccine is associated with varicella-zoster virus-induced neurologic disease (VZV-ND).

Methods: This multicenter retrospective case-control study with a test-negative design was conducted at 12 hospitals in Israel.

An epidemiological survey of COVID-19 serology and its association with clinical infection among older adults- does antibody titer matter?

Background: Older adults are at increased risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study we assessed the response to COVID-19 vaccination and infection rates among nursing homes (NH) and assisted-living care home (ALCH) residents.

Methods: The study was conducted between August 2021 and January 2022, after widespread population vaccination with the third dose of Pfizer-BioNtech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in Israel.

Enterococcal Infective Endocarditis - Post discharge treatment with continuous benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Enterococcal Infective Endocarditis (EIE) is usually treated with the combination of penicillin/ampicillin with gentamicin or ampicillin with ceftriaxone. To enable prolonged outpatient treatment, a combination of benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone has been suggested. This study aimed to describe the incidence and characteristics of EIE and to determine the outcome of EIE cases treated with benzylpenicillin and ceftriaxone.

Safety and Outcomes of Peripherally Administered Vasopressor Infusion in Patients Admitted with Shock to an Intensive Cardiac Care Unit-A Single-Center Prospective Study.

Background: Vasopressors are frequently utilized for blood pressure stabilization in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS), although with a questionable benefit. Obtaining central venous access is time consuming and may be associated with serious complications. Hence, we thought to evaluate whether the administration of vasopressors through a peripheral venous catheter (PVC) is a safe and effective alternative for the management of patients with CS presenting to the intensive cardiovascular care unit (ICCU).

Clinical and molecular features of NDM-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in a multicenter study in Israel.

Background: NDM-producing Acinetobacter baumannii (NDMAb) were reported sporadically worldwide but little is known about the transmission, epidemiology and clinical features of NDMAb-infected patients. The goals of this study were to characterize (1) the epidemiology and clinical features of NDMAb-infected patients; (2) the microbiological and molecular features of NDMAb isolates and (3) the transmission networks of NDMAb within healthcare facilities.

Methods: The study was conducted at the Tel-Aviv Sourasky, Rambam and Sha'are-Zedek Medical centers (TASMC, RMC and SZMC, respectively) in Israel.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) seroprevalence among women at childbearing age, maternal and congenital CMV infection: policy implications of a descriptive, retrospective, community-based study.

Background: Maternal CMV infection during pregnancy, either primary or non-primary, may be associated with fetal infection and long-term sequelae. While guidelines recommend against it, screening for CMV in pregnant women is a prevalent clinical practice in Israel. Our aim is to provide updated, local, clinically relevant, epidemiological information about CMV seroprevalence among women at childbearing age, the incidence of maternal CMV infection during pregnancy and the prevalence of congenital CMV (cCMV), as well as to provide information about the yield of CMV serology testing.

The use of a diversion tube to reduce blood culture contamination: A "real-life" quality improvement intervention study.

Background: Blood culture contamination is associated with health care costs and potential patient harm. Diversion of the initial blood specimen reduces blood culture contamination. We report results of the "real-life" clinical implementation of this technique.

Molecular features and transmission of NDM-producing Enterobacterales in Israeli hospitals.

Objectives: NDM-producing Enterobacterales (NDME) account for 34.9% of new carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales cases in Israeli hospitals. The goals of this study were to characterize the genomic composition of NDME isolates and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and to identify NDME transmission events (TEs).

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Staphylococcus aureus Bile Infection.

Background: The hepatobiliary system is a sterile micro-environment. Bacterial infection in this system is most commonly associated with anaerobes as well as gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Biliary infections with Staphylococcus aureus are poorly characterized.

Covid-19 third vaccination during pregnancy: maternal and neonatal outcomes-a retrospective study.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of Covid-19 (Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2) third booster dose vaccination during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: This is a multicenter, retrospective computerized database study. Parturients who delivered in Israel between August and December 2021 with full records of Covid-19 disease and vaccination status were included.

A prospective study on myocardial injury after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 fourth dose vaccination in healthy persons.

Aims: To prospectively evaluate the incidence of myocardial injury after the administration of the fourth dose BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) against COVID-19.

Methods And Results: Health care workers who received the BNT162b2 vaccine during the fourth dose campaign had blood samples collected for high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) during vaccine administration and 2-4 days afterward. Vaccine-related myocardial injury was defined as hs-cTn elevation above the 99th percentile upper reference limit and >50% increase from baseline measurement.

Invasive Fungal Diseases in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in Israel: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Highly variable estimates of COVID-19-associated fungal diseases (IFDs) have been reported. We aimed to determine the incidence of clinically important fungal diseases in hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the first year of the pandemic. We performed a multicenter survey of IFDs among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in 13 hospitals in Israel between February 2020 and May 2021.

Hospitalized Patients With Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 During the Omicron Wave in Israel: Benefits of a Fourth Vaccine Dose.

Background: Waning immunity and an increased incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the Omicron outbreak led the Israeli Ministry of Health to recommend a fourth vaccine dose for high-risk individuals. In this study, we assessed its effect for hospitalized patients with severe breakthrough COVID-19.

Methods: In this multicenter cohort study of hospitalized adults with severe COVID-19 in Israel, from 15 to 31 January 2022, cases were divided according to the number of vaccinations received.

Hospitalised patients with breakthrough COVID-19 following vaccination during two distinct waves in Israel, January to August 2021: a multicentre comparative cohort study.

BackgroundChanging patterns of vaccine breakthrough can clarify vaccine effectiveness.AimTo compare breakthrough infections during a SARS-CoV-2 Delta wave vs unvaccinated inpatients, and an earlier Alpha wave.MethodsIn an observational multicentre cohort study in Israel, hospitalised COVID-19 patients were divided into three cohorts: breakthrough infections in Comirnaty-vaccinated patients (VD; Jun-Aug 2021) and unvaccinated cases during the Delta wave (ND) and breakthrough infections during an earlier Alpha wave (VA; Jan-Apr 2021).

The Effect of Macrolides on Mortality in Bacteremic Pneumococcal Pneumonia: A Retrospective, Nationwide Cohort Study, Israel, 2009-2017.

Background: Previous cohort studies of pneumonia patients reported lower mortality with advanced macrolides. Our aim was to characterize antibiotic treatment patterns and assess the role of quinolones or macrolides in empirical therapy.

Materials: An historical cohort, 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2017, included, through active surveillance, all culture-confirmed bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia (BPP) among adults in Israel.

Rate and Risk Factors for Carbapenem Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Clinical Infections in Colonized Patients.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) is an important cause of nosocomial infections. Active surveillance for CRAB carriage to identify and isolate colonized patients is used to reduce transmission.

Objectives: To assess the rate and risks of clinical infection among CRAB-carrier and non-carrier patients.

Identifying factors affecting latent tuberculosis treatment acceptance among healthcare workers: a retrospective analysis in a tertiary care centre.

Objective: Official guidelines recommend tuberculosis (TB) screening programmes for all healthcare workers (HCWs), along with offering treatment when latent TB infection (LTBI) is diagnosed. However, adherence to treatment among HCWs is lower compared with non-HCWs. The aim of the present study was to examine the rate of LTBI treatment acceptance among HCWs and to characterise the factors associated with non-acceptance.

The Timing of Limb Amputation in Nontraumatic Patients: Impact on Mortality and Postoperative Complication Rates.

Diabetes and peripheral vascular diseases are accompanied frequently by lower limb ischemia and in minority, need for amputation, as a treatment of last resort. Even after a decision has been made regarding amputation, the procedures are often repeatedly postponed due to more urgent surgeries and lack of operating room availability. This study assessed the possible relationship between the duration of time inpatients wait for semiurgent amputations and the incidence of postamputation complications.

Sero-Prevalence and Sero-Incidence of Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Health Care Workers in Israel, Prior to Mass COVID-19 Vaccination.

This study aims to examine the prevalence and risk factors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sero-positivity in health care workers (HCWs), a main risk group, and assess the sero-incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection between the first and second waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Israel. A longitudinal study was conducted among 874 HCWs from nine hospitals. Demographics, health information, and blood samples were obtained at baseline (first wave-April-May 2020) and at follow-up ( = 373) (second wave-September-November 2020).

BNT162b2 vaccine breakthrough: clinical characteristics of 152 fully vaccinated hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Israel.

Objectives: The mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have shown high effectiveness in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19, hospitalization, severe disease and death. Nevertheless, a minority of vaccinated individuals might become infected and experience significant morbidity. Characteristics of vaccine breakthrough infections have not been studied.

The role of the computerized tomography scanner in the cross-transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii between hospitalized patients.

Objective: To assess the role of the computerized tomography (CT) scanner in cross-transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii between hospitalized patients undergoing CT scan.

Methods: A single-centre retrospective observational analysis of inpatients undergoing CT scans. Patient-unique CT scans were defined as 'index cases' (patients undergoing CT scan with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) colonization documented during the previous 60 days), 'incident cases' (patients found colonized with CRAB within 14 days following CT scan), and 'negative cases' (negative for CRAB before and after CT scan).