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Utility of incorporation of beta-D-glucan and T2Candida testing for diagnosis and treatment of candidemia

Zacharioudakis, Ioannis M; Zervou, Fainareti N; Marsh, Kassandra; Siegfried, Justin; Yang, Jenny; Decano, Arnold; Dubrovskaya, Yanina; Mazo, Dana; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria
The additive role of non-culture-based methods for the diagnosis of candidemia remains unknown. We evaluated 2 clinical practices followed in our hospitals for the diagnosis of candidemia, namely practice#1 including a combination of blood cultures and T2Candida, and practice#2 that also included Beta-D-glucan (BDG). Three out of 96 patients testing positive with practice#1 received a complete antifungal course. Of the 120 patients evaluated with practice#2, 29 were positive. Only 55.2% of those received a complete course. We observed significant differences in antifungal utilization, with 268.5 antifungal days/1000 patient-days for practice#1, as opposed to 371.9 days for practice#2, a nearly 40% difference. However, we found similar rates of antifungal discontinuation among negative patients at 3 days of testing (36.8% and 37.0% respectively). No differences were detected in death and/or subsequent diagnosis of candidemia. In summary, addition of BDG was interpreted variably by clinicians, was associated with an increase in antifungal utilization, and did not correlate with measurable clinical benefits for patients.
PMID: 38071859
ISSN: 1879-0070
CID: 5589412

Extra-urogenital infection by Mycoplasma hominis in transplant patients: two case reports and literature review [Case Report]

Ahamad, Afrinash; Zervou, Fainareti N; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria E
BACKGROUND:Mycoplasma hominis is a facultative anaerobic bacterium commonly present in the urogenital tract. In recent years, M. hominis has increasingly been associated with extra-urogenital tract infections, particularly in immunosuppressed patients. Detecting M. hominis in a diagnostic laboratory can be challenging due to its slow growth rate, absence of a cell wall, and the requirements of specialized media and conditions for optimal growth. Consequently, it is necessary to establish guidelines for the detection of this microorganism and to request the appropriate microbiological work-up of immunosuppressed patients. CASE PRESENTATION/METHODS:We hereby present two cases of solid organ transplant patients who developed M. hominis infection. Microscopic examination of the bronchial lavage and pleural fluid showed no microorganisms. However, upon inoculating the specimens onto routine microbiology media, the organism was successfully identified and confirmation was performed using 16S rDNA sequencing. Both patients received appropriate treatment resulting in the resolution of M. hominis infection. CONCLUSIONS:The prompt detection of M. hominis in a clinical specimen can have a significant impact on patient care by allowing for early intervention and ultimately resulting in more favorable clinical outcomes, especially in transplant patients.
PMCID:10503128
PMID: 37710154
ISSN: 1471-2334
CID: 5593512

The evaluation of electrolyzed water, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, and peracetic acid with hydrogen peroxide for the disinfection of patient room surfaces

Solomon, Sadie; Stachel, Anna; Kelly, Anne; Mraz, Joe; Aguilar, Peter; Gardner, Julia; Medefindt, Judith; Horrocks, Amy; Sterling, Stephanie; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria; Phillips, Michael
BACKGROUND:). METHODS:The study was conducted at 2 New York City hospitals (1,082 total beds) over an 18-month period. The 3 chemicals were applied by housekeeping personnel following the hospital protocol; the use of electrostatic sprayers was incorporated into EW and NaDCC. In randomly selected rooms, 5 surfaces were sampled for microbial colony counts after cleaning. Data analyses were performed using negative binomial logistic regression. RESULTS:(difference not significant). CONCLUSIONS:The use of NaDCC for surface disinfection resulted in the lowest bacterial colony counts on patient room high touch surfaces in our study.
PMID: 35777575
ISSN: 1527-3296
CID: 5281502

Evaluation of BioFire® FilmArray® Pneumonia Panel in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Samples From Immunocompromised Patients With Suspected Pneumonia

Li-Geng, Tony; Zervou, Fainareti N; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria; Zacharioudakis, Ioannis M
Objectives Immunocompromised patients, specifically those with solid organ transplants or cancer on chemotherapy, are at particularly high risk of severe pneumonia and opportunistic infections. In select patients, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is performed to provide high-quality samples for analysis. We compare BioFire® FilmArray® Pneumonia Panel (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States), a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, with standard of care diagnostics in BAL samples from immunocompromised patients to identify opportunities for this test to affect clinical decision making. Methods Patients hospitalized with pneumonia based on clinical and radiographic findings who underwent evaluation with bronchoscopy between May 2019 to January 2020 were reviewed. Among those patients undergoing bronchoscopy, those who were immunocompromised were selected for inclusion in the study. BAL specimens submitted to the microbiology laboratory were chosen based on as part of the internal validation of the panel in comparison with sputum culture at our hospitals. We compared the outcomes of the multiplex PCR assay with traditional culture methods and evaluated the role of PCR assay in de-escalating antimicrobial therapy. Results Twenty-four patients were identified for testing with the multiplex PCR assay. Of the 24 patients, 16 were immunocompromised, all with solid or hematological malignancy or a history of organ transplant. Seventeen individual BAL samples from the 16 patients were reviewed. BAL culture results and the multiplex PCR assay were in agreement in 13 samples (76.5%). In four cases, the multiplex PCR assay identified a possible causative pathogen not detected by standard workup. The median time to de-escalation of antimicrobials was three days (interquartile range (IQR) 2-4) from the day of collection of the BAL samples. Conclusions Studies have established the additive role of multiplex PCR testing in addition to traditional diagnostic tools like sputum culture in diagnosing the etiology of pneumonia. Limited data exist specifically looking at immunocompromised patients, in whom a timely and accurate diagnosis is particularly important. There is a potential benefit for performing multiplex PCR assays as an additive diagnostic tool in BAL samples for these patients.
PMCID:10205050
PMID: 37228561
ISSN: 2168-8184
CID: 5527182

Liver fluke eggs in bile duct brush cytology: An unexpected diagnosis during evaluation of a biliary stricture

Chen, Fei; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria; Simsir, Aylin; Brandler, Tamar C
Clonorchis sinensis, a liver fluke parasite, infects humans through ingestion of raw or undercooked fish, crabs, or crayfish in endemic areas where the parasite is found. Clonorchis sinensis infects the liver, gallbladder, and bile duct in humans, causing Clonorichiasis. Although the majority of patients are asymptomatic, long-lasting infections may cause severe disease. Without treatment, human infection may persist for the parasite's lifespan (25-30 years). Pathologic diagnosis can be challenging as sampling may demonstrate limited cellularity with minuscule eggs that may be overlooked. Here, we report a rare case of liver fluke eggs diagnosed in bile duct brush cytology.
PMID: 35984297
ISSN: 1097-0339
CID: 5300282

Utility of Incorporation of Beta-D-glucan Testing in Algorithms for Diagnosis and Treatment of Candidemia [Meeting Abstract]

Zacharioudakis, I; Zervou, F; Marsh, K L; Siegfried, J; Yang, J; Decano, A; Dubrovskaya, Y; Mazo, D; Aguero-Rosenfeld, M E
Background. Candidemia is a common hospital acquired infection that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The optimal strategy for diagnosis remains unknown. Methods. We evaluated 2 distinct diagnostic strategies in hospitalized patients with suspicion of Candida bloodstream infection, namely strategy #1 that included simultaneous blood cultures and T2Candida and strategy #2 that included blood cultures, T2Candida testing and Beta-D-glucan (BDG). We examined the consistency with which each diagnostic algorithm led to changes in antifungal prescribing, the overall rate of antifungal utilization and patients' clinical outcomes. Flow Chart. Results. Among 96 patients tested with strategy #1, 3 had a positive result. Of those 100% completed a 14-day antifungal course for candidemia or were on antifungals until hospital discharge. Of the 29 out 120 patients that tested positive with strategy #2, 55.2% received a complete 14-day course or were on antifungals until hospital discharge. The percentage of completed treatment increased to 75.0% and 80.0% when the threshold for BDG positivity was increased at 200 pg/ml and 500 pg/ml respectively. We observed a significant difference in the overall antifungal utilization with 268.5 days of antifungals per 1,000 patient days for strategy #1, as opposed to 371.9 days of antifungals for strategy #2, a 38.5% increase. Negative tests at both diagnostic strategies led to a similar rate of antifungal discontinuation 3 days after testing (36.8% and 37.0% for strategy #1 and #2 respectively). We did not find significant benefits in death and/or subsequent diagnosis of candidemia between the 2 diagnostic strategies. Sensitivity analyses performed based on indication for testing and severity of illness did not significantly alter results. Conclusion. In summary, the addition of BDG in diagnostic algorithms for candidemia was interpreted variably by clinicians, was associated with a significant increase in antifungal utilization, and it did not appear to lead to measured clinical benefits for patients. Diagnostic strategies of common and serious infections that incorporate non-culture diagnostics need to be evaluated for added benefit. (Figure Presented)
EMBASE:640022141
ISSN: 2328-8957
CID: 5513402

Impact of Streptococcus pneumoniae Urinary Antigen Testing in Patients With Community-Acquired Pneumonia Admitted Within a Large Academic Health System

Greenfield, Adam; Marsh, Kassandra; Siegfried, Justin; Zacharioudakis, Ioannis; Ahmed, Nabeela; Decano, Arnold; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria E; Inglima, Kenneth; Papadopoulos, John; Dubrovskaya, Yanina
Background/UNASSIGNED:Limited data support use of pneumococcal urinary antigen testing (PUAT) for patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) as an antimicrobial stewardship tool. At our institution, CAP guidelines and admission order set were standardized to include universal PUAT. Methods/UNASSIGNED:This was a retrospective study of adults hospitalized in 2019 who had PUAT performed. We compared incidence and timing of de-escalation in PUAT- positive vs -negative groups and described patients' outcomes. Results/UNASSIGNED:, in-hospital mortality, or 30-day infection-related readmission. Conclusions/UNASSIGNED:We observed earlier de-escalation in the PUAT-positive group. This seems to be due to discontinuation of atypical rather than anti-MRSA or antipseudomonal coverage. Further antimicrobial stewardship interventions are warranted.
PMCID:8717893
PMID: 34993258
ISSN: 2328-8957
CID: 5107422

High antibody levels in cord blood from pregnant women vaccinated against COVID-19 [Letter]

Trostle, Megan E; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria E; Roman, Ashley S; Lighter, Jennifer L
PMCID:8455300
PMID: 34562636
ISSN: 2589-9333
CID: 5061542

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies: IgA correlates with severity of disease in early COVID-19 infection

Zervou, Fainareti N; Louie, Ping; Stachel, Anna; Zacharioudakis, Ioannis M; Ortiz-Mendez, Yadira; Thomas, Kristen; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria E
Timing of detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and their use to support the diagnosis are of increasing interest. We used the Gold Standard Diagnostics ELISA to evaluate the kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies in sera of 82 hospitalized patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Serum samples were collected 1-59 days post-onset of symptoms (PoS) and we examined the association of age, sex, disease severity, and symptoms' duration with antibody levels. We also tested sera of 100 ambulatory hospital employees with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 and samples collected during convalescence, 35-57 days PoS. All but four of the admitted patients (95.1%) developed antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. Antibodies were detected within 7 days PoS; IgA in 60.0%, IgM in 53.3%, and IgG in 46.7% of samples. IgG positivity increased to 100% on Day 21. We did not observe significant differences in the rate of antibody development in regard to age and sex. IgA levels were highest in patients with a severe and critical illness. In multiple regression analyses, only IgA levels were statistically significantly correlated with critical disease (p = .05) regardless of age, sex, and duration of symptoms. Among 100 ambulatory hospital employees who had antibody testing after 4 weeks PoS only 10% had positive IgA antibodies. The most frequently isolated isotype in sera of employees after 30 days PoS was IgG (88%). IgA was the predominant immunoglobulin in early disease and correlated independently with a critical illness. IgG antibodies remained detectable in almost 90% of samples collected up to two months after infection.
PMID: 33932299
ISSN: 1096-9071
CID: 4865782

Effect of Vancomycin on the Gut Microbiome and Plasma Concentrations of Gut-Derived Uremic Solutes

Nazzal, Lama; Soiefer, Leland; Chang, Michelle; Tamizuddin, Farah; Schatoff, Daria; Cofer, Lucas; Aguero-Rosenfeld, Maria E; Matalon, Albert; Meijers, Bjorn; Holzman, Robert; Lowenstein, Jerome
Introduction/UNASSIGNED:Declining renal function results in the accumulation of solutes normally excreted by healthy kidneys. Data suggest that some of the protein-bound solutes mediate accelerated cardiovascular disease. Many of the poorly dialyzable protein-bound uremic retention solutes are products of gut bacterial metabolism. Methods/UNASSIGNED:We performed a blinded-randomized controlled trial comparing the changes in plasma concentrations of a panel of protein-bound solutes and microbiome structure in response to the once-weekly oral administration of 250 mg of vancomycin or placebo over a period of 12 weeks in a cohort of stable patients with end-stage kidney disease. We also examined the pattern of recovery of the solutes and gut microbiome over 12 weeks of placebo administration following vancomycin. Results/UNASSIGNED:. We demonstrated microbiome recovery after stopping vancomycin. However, recovery in the solutes was highly variable between subjects. Conclusions/UNASSIGNED:We demonstrated that microbiome suppression using vancomycin resulted in changes in multiple gut-derived uremic solutes. Future studies are needed to address whether reduction in those uremic solutes results in improvement of cardiovascular outcomes in ESKD patients.
PMCID:8343810
PMID: 34386661
ISSN: 2468-0249
CID: 4966092