CORHA News

Category A waste processing and disposal is a critical weakness in the United States response plans for outbreaks of high consequence infectious diseases (American Journal of Infection Control)

Significant amounts of Category A infectious substance waste (Cat-A) may be generated during the treatment of patients with a high consequence infection disease (HCID). During the treatment of a patient with Ebola virus disease, one facility documented generating over a thousand pounds of Cat-A. The processing and disposal of Cat-A in the treatment of patients with HCID highlights how this issue is affecting the development of the National Special Pathogen System and the United States’ ability to respond to a national HCID epidemic.

July 17, 2024 Read More

Investigation of air dispersal during a rhinovirus outbreak in a pediatric intensive care unit (American Journal of Infection Control)

An outbreak of rhinovirus in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) was investigated to assess air dispersal, and a case-control analysis was performed to identify nosocomial rhinovirus risk factors. Findings suggest that air dispersal of rhinovirus was not documented in the well-ventilated PICU during the outbreak. Further research is needed to better understand the dynamics of rhinovirus transmission in healthcare settings.

July 10, 2024 Read More

Investigation of a pseudo-outbreak of Mycobacterium franklinni (American Journal of Infection Control)

Mycobacterium franklinni is a ubiquitous organism that can cause lung, skin, and soft tissue infections. Due to its pervasive nature, it can be a source of outbreaks via contamination of shared medical equipment or tools. When investigating outbreaks of this type of organism it is important to consider the clinical picture of the patient when evaluating if there is a pseudo-outbreak as well as identifying if treatment is needed for patients.

July 3, 2024 Read More

Investigation of Presumptive HIV Transmission Associated with Receipt of Platelet-Rich Plasma Microneedling Facials at a Spa Among Former Spa Clients — New Mexico, 2018–2023 (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report)

During summer 2018, an investigation by the New Mexico Department of Health identified multiple HIV infections among persons with no known HIV risk factors who received platelet-rich plasma with microneedling (vampire facials) at an unlicensed New Mexico spa, revealing likely HIV transmission associated with these cosmetic injection services.

June 26, 2024 Read More

Notes from the Field: Potential Outbreak of Extrapulmonary Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies massiliense Infections from Stem Cell Treatment Clinics in Mexico — Arizona and Colorado, 2022 (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report)

In 2022, three patients developed extrapulmonary M. abscessus infections after receiving embryonic stem cell injections in three cities in Mexico. Through whole genome sequencing, isolates from two patients were identified as M. abscessus subspecies massiliense of a single clone, distinct from known dominant circulating clones, indicating a common infected source associated with the injections is possible.

June 19, 2024 Read More

Can Patient Safety Be Improved by Using WHONET-SaTScan to Identify Outbreaks? (The New England Journal of Medicine)

While rates of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) have decreased in past decades, they remain a pervasive problem in U.S. hospitals. Hospital infection prevention teams work to identify and manage HAI outbreaks to prevent undue burdens on patients and healthcare facilities. Rapid identification is a key strategy to control infectious disease outbreaks in healthcare settings.

June 12, 2024 Read More

A Trial of Automated Outbreak Detection to Reduce Hospital Pathogen Spread (The New England Journal of Medicine)

A cluster-randomized trial was conducted in 82 community hospitals within a larger healthcare system to assess whether automated statistical surveillance and standardized response protocols could facilitate earlier containment efforts that would reduce the size of outbreaks. While the trial’s overall findings were negative, a post-hoc analysis comparing the prepandemic intervention period with baseline periods found that the statistical outbreak surveillance group was associated with a 64.1% reduction in additional cases.

June 5, 2024 Read More

Microbiological characteristics, transmission routes, and mitigation measures in bronchoscope-associated investigations: Summary of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consultations, 2014–2022 (Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology)

In this summary of US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consultations with state and local health departments concerning their bronchoscope-associated investigations from 2014 through 2022, bronchoscope reprocessing gaps and exposure to nonsterile water sources appeared to be the major routes of transmission of infectious pathogens, which were primarily water-associated bacteria.

May 29, 2024 Read More

Use of whole genomic sequencing to detect New Delhi metallo-B-lactamase (NDM)-producing Escherichia coli outbreak associated with endoscopic procedures (Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology)

Several closely related New Delhi metallo-B-lactamase (NDM)-producing Escherichia coli isolates were identified in Southeast Michigan using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). An epidemiologic investigation identified duodenoscope and gastroscope exposures as likely sources of transmission that impacted nine patients between July 2021 and February 2023. This investigation showed how epidemiologic analyses coupled with WGS can facilitate outbreak investigations by rapidly identifying linked cases and potential sources to prevent further transmission.

May 22, 2024 Read More

Bronchoscopy-related outbreaks and pseudo-outbreaks: A systematic review (Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology)

A systematic review was conducted to identify and report the pathogens and sources of contamination associated with bronchoscopy-related outbreaks and pseudo-outbreaks. The review reinforced the importance of continued vigilance in bronchoscopy disinfection practices and quality control measures, as outbreaks and pseudo-outbreaks continue to pose a significant risk to patient care.

May 15, 2024 Read More