B Clarivet1, A Pantel2, M Morvan1, H Jean Pierre3, S Parer4, E Jumas-Bilak4, A Lotthé5. 1. Department of Infection Control and Prevention, University Hospital of Montpellier, France. 2. Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of Nîmes, France; INSERM U1047 Nîmes, UFR Medecine, University of Montpellier, France. 3. Department of Bacteriology-Virology, University Hospital of Montpellier, France. 4. Department of Infection Control and Prevention, University Hospital of Montpellier, France; Team Pathogènes Hydriques Santé Environnement, UMR 5569 HydroSciences Montpellier, Unité de Bactériologie, UFR Pharmacie, University of Montpellier, France. 5. Department of Infection Control and Prevention, University Hospital of Montpellier, France; Team Pathogènes Hydriques Santé Environnement, UMR 5569 HydroSciences Montpellier, Unité de Bactériologie, UFR Pharmacie, University of Montpellier, France. Electronic address: a-lotthe@chu-montpellier.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The emergence and spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) have become a major public health problem. Control and prevention of CPE infections hinge on isolation precautions for carriers and active screening and follow-up of contacts. AIM: To implement an open registry of cases and contacts for acute outbreak management, long-term data collection and epidemiological investigation. METHODS: All cases, defined as patients (infected or colonized) with a CPE-positive culture during their hospitalization, and contacts (e.g. patients cared for by the same healthcare team as a case) were registered in an ongoing database. Hospital stays were cross-referenced for every new entry and epidemiological links (e.g. shared contacts) investigated. All cases and contacts not cleared by complete screening were registered on an active list. FINDINGS: Between October 2012 and November 2014, we registered 30 cases and 1268 contacts, among which 24 were linked to two or three separate cases. Only 6.5% of contacts fulfilled complete screening with three rectal swabs, and 1145 contacts are still registered on the active surveillance list. Two outbreaks (12 and nine cases) occurred nine months apart. Cross-referencing of hospital stays using the registry revealed epidemiological links between seemingly unrelated cases of CPE-positive patients and suggested an environmental source of transmission, which was demonstrated thereafter. CONCLUSION: We implemented a simple and multi-purpose tool to manage CPE episodes and investigate epidemiological links. Efforts are necessary to improve screening of contact patients who may be occult sources of transmission. A regional registry could be helpful.
BACKGROUND: The emergence and spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) have become a major public health problem. Control and prevention of CPE infections hinge on isolation precautions for carriers and active screening and follow-up of contacts. AIM: To implement an open registry of cases and contacts for acute outbreak management, long-term data collection and epidemiological investigation. METHODS: All cases, defined as patients (infected or colonized) with a CPE-positive culture during their hospitalization, and contacts (e.g. patients cared for by the same healthcare team as a case) were registered in an ongoing database. Hospital stays were cross-referenced for every new entry and epidemiological links (e.g. shared contacts) investigated. All cases and contacts not cleared by complete screening were registered on an active list. FINDINGS: Between October 2012 and November 2014, we registered 30 cases and 1268 contacts, among which 24 were linked to two or three separate cases. Only 6.5% of contacts fulfilled complete screening with three rectal swabs, and 1145 contacts are still registered on the active surveillance list. Two outbreaks (12 and nine cases) occurred nine months apart. Cross-referencing of hospital stays using the registry revealed epidemiological links between seemingly unrelated cases of CPE-positive patients and suggested an environmental source of transmission, which was demonstrated thereafter. CONCLUSION: We implemented a simple and multi-purpose tool to manage CPE episodes and investigate epidemiological links. Efforts are necessary to improve screening of contact patients who may be occult sources of transmission. A regional registry could be helpful.