A severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nosocomial cluster with inter-facility spread: Lessons learned.

Background: Despite infection control guidance, sporadic nosocomial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks occur. We describe a complex severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cluster with interfacility spread during the SARS-CoV-2 δ (delta) pandemic surge in the Midwest.

Setting: This study was conducted in (1) a hematology-oncology ward in a regional academic medical center and (2) a geographically distant acute rehabilitation hospital.

COVID-19 in Health Care Personnel: Significance of Health Care Role, Contact History, and Symptoms in Those Who Test Positive for SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Objective: To identify significant factors that help predict whether health care personnel (HCP) will test positive for severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Patients And Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study among 7015 symptomatic HCP from March 25, 2020, through November 11, 2020. We analyzed the associations between health care role, contact history, symptoms, and a positive nasopharyngeal swab SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test results, using univariate and multivariable modelling.

Utility of Repeat Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Testing and Refinement of Diagnostic Stewardship Strategies at a Tertiary Care Academic Center in a Low-Prevalence Area of the United States.

Background: Multiple factors have led to an extremely high volume of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Concerns exist about sensitivity and false-negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing results. We describe a retrospective observational study examining the utility of repeat nasopharyngeal (NP) SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing at an academic center in a low-prevalence setting.

Effects of allergic airway inflammation and chronic intermittent hypoxia on systemic blood pressure.

Asthma and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are highly prevalent chronic conditions, and both are associated with systemic hypertension. Additionally, asthma and OSA reciprocally interact, mutually exacerbating each other. In this study, we tested the effect of allergen-induced lower airway inflammation and concurrent chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) on systemic blood pressure (BP), pulmonary function, and proinflammatory cytokines, in a rat model.

Validity testing in veterans with epileptic seizures and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

Objective: Identification of clinically meaningful subgroups among patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) or epileptic seizures (ES) is of potential value for assessing prognosis and predicting therapeutic response. Invalid performance on validity tests has been associated with noncredible complaints and worse cognitive test scores, and may be one such classification criteria. We studied invalid performance in Veterans with PNES or ES, and the association of invalid performance with cognitive test scores and subjective complaints.

Effects of inhaled fluticasone propionate on extrinsic tongue muscles in rats.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is more common in patients with asthma, and inhaled corticosteroids may contribute to OSA pathogenesis in these patients. This study tested the effects of orally inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP) on extrinsic tongue muscles. Unanesthetized rats were treated with FP or placebo for 28 days.

Health-related quality of life in Veterans with epileptic and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

Rationale: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is compromised in civilians with epileptic seizures (ES) or psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). U.S.

Psychiatric comorbidity and traumatic brain injury attribution in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic or epileptic seizures: A multicenter study of US veterans.

Objective: To determine the frequency and severity of psychiatric disorders and attribution of seizures to traumatic brain injury (TBI) in veterans with verified psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) versus epileptic seizures (ES).

Methods: We studied 333 consecutive admissions to the monitoring units of three Veterans Administration epilepsy centers. All patients underwent continuous video-electroencephalographic recording to define definite PNES or ES.

Barriers and facilitators to Clostridium difficile infection prevention: A nursing perspective.

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a critical patient safety issue. Consistent and regular performance of appropriate practices is effective in preventing CDI. Variation in adherence to these practices can impede their effective implementation and weaken CDI prevention.

Tobacco use as a screener for Clostridium difficile infection outcomes.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the utility of self-reported tobacco use for developing a clinical prediction rule for poor outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection. Patients with any history of smoking were significantly less likely than never smokers to be cured of their infection within two weeks. Disease recurrence, readmission within 30 days, death before treatment completion, and the severity of Clostridium difficile infection were not associated with smoking status.

Impact of Probiotics for Reducing Infections in Veterans (IMPROVE): Study protocol for a double-blind, randomized controlled trial to reduce carriage of Staphylococcus aureus.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an organism of great public health importance, causing 20,000 deaths annually. Decolonization of patients with S.

Feasibility and patient satisfaction with smoking cessation interventions for prevention of healthcare-associated infections in inpatients.

Background: Smoking increases hospitalization and healthcare-associated infection. Our primary aim of this pilot, randomized-controlled trial was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a tobacco cessation intervention compared with usual care in inpatients. S.

Risk factors for Candida colonization and Co-colonization with multi-drug resistant organisms at admission.

Introduction: Candida species are major causes of healthcare-associated infections with colonization preceding infection. Understanding risk factors for colonization by Candida species is important in prevention. However, data on risk factors for colonization by Candida species alone or with other healthcare-associated pathogens is limited.

Aspirin "failures," clopidogrel added to aspirin, and secondary stroke prevention in veterans presenting with TIA or mild-to-moderate ischemic stroke.

Our objective was to investigate whether clopidogrel added to low-dose aspirin reduced vascular events in male patients at our VA hospital who had "failed" aspirin therapy because of a mild-to-moderate stroke or a transient ischemic attack. Of 179 consecutive patients who both reported daily aspirin usage at the time of their newest ischemic event as well as were then operationally defined as aspirin "failures," 134 (group A) were treated with combined aspirin-clopidogrel, 15 (group B) underwent an early arterial procedure, 25 (group C) were anticoagulated, and 5 were not entered or continued because of either non-compliance or a refusal to participate. Study therapies were modified because of a vascular event in 4.

Synthesis of virus-specific high-mobility DNA after temperature upshift of SC-1 cells chronically infected with moloney murine leukemia virus mutant ts1.

Premature termination products of reverse transcription that consist physically of viral minus-sense single-stranded DNA that is shorter than one long terminal repeat and partial DNA duplexes are dramatically increased in the central nervous system (CNS) of FVB/N mice that are infected by ts1, a temperature-sensitive mutant of Moloney murine leukemia virus. Due to their migration in agarose gels, these incomplete physical forms of DNA have been designated high-mobility (HM) DNA. In non-CNS tissues, the level of HM DNA is either low or not detectable.