Study Compares Antibiograms from Hospitals and Nursing Homes
Veterans Administration (VA) researchers compared 2017 antibiograms for VA nursing homes with those of the affiliated VA medical centers.
Lack of agreement between nursing home and medical center antibiograms suggests that acute care antibiograms often do not accurately approximate resistance profiles in nursing homes.
If used at all, acute care antibiograms should be interpreted cautiously to guide empiric antibiotic selection in nursing homes.
Read the abstract at NCBI, Antibiograms Cannot Be Used Interchangeably Between Acute Care Medical Centers and Affiliated Nursing Homes.
Pharmacy Students Help Launch Prescription Drug Repository
University of Minnesota pharmacy students helped draft a Minnesota bill that will support collection of safe, usable medications and provide them to uninsured and underinsured individuals.
This bill, sponsored by Rep. Todd Lippert (DFL-Northfield), will create a central repository with a wholesale distributor contracted by the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy. Healthcare facilities choose to accept donations and serve as local repositories.
Twenty-one other states have similar programs. Iowa and Wyoming report saving an estimated $17.7 million and $12.5 million in prescription medications over the last decade, respectively.
New Antimicrobial Usage in Poultry Report Released
MOHASC member Randall Singer, DVM, MPVM, PhD is author on a new report describing antimicrobial usage in U.S. broiler chicken and turkey production.
Reflecting more than 80% of the U.S. broiler and turkey industries, the report highlights decreased antimicrobial use during 2013-2017.
CRE Outbreak Identified at a U.S. Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections are thought to be very rare in dogs and cats, but a recently discovered outbreak of carbapenemase-producing CRE E. coli during 2018-2019 at a U.S. veterinary teaching hospital demonstrates the potential for this threat to be present and transmitted in veterinary medical settings.
- CRE are a family of bacteria with high levels of resistance to antibiotics, can cause difficult-to-treat infections in humans and are a major public health threat.
- This is the first report of the concerning New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-5 (NDM-5) carbapenemase gene in a U.S. E. coli isolate, but NDM-5 has been found in humans, animals, and the environment outside the U.S.
- Read the news release at Penn Vet, Ryan Hospital Update.
This outbreak highlights the importance of surveillance for multidrug-resistant organisms of concern in veterinary patients, robust infection prevention and control practices, optimized use of antibiotics in veterinary settings, and strong relationships between veterinary and public health institutions.
Carbapenem Use Reported by Veterinary Teaching Hospital
There is no comprehensive estimate of carbapenem use (nor antimicrobial use, in general) for companion animals in the U.S., but a new publication from Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine provides a snapshot of carbapenem use in a single veterinary teaching hospital during 2016-2017.
Carbapenem antibiotics are not approved for veterinary use in the U.S., although extralabel use does occur, as allowed in Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 Food and Drugs, Part 530-Extralabel Drug Use in Animals.
- Whether carbapenems should be used for animal patients is debated within the veterinary profession. It is increasingly important that experts come to consensus regarding essential clinical and microbiologic criteria that must be met for use, if they are to be used at all.
- It is also imperative that the profession establish reliable, sustainable approaches to measure antibiotic use in companion animal veterinary practice.
- The International Society of Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) provides criteria for use of critically important antibiotic use for urinary tract disease in ISCAID, Antimicrobial Use Guidelines for Treatment of Urinary Tract Disease in Dogs and Cats.
Dogs Help Identify C. diff in Hospitals
Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) causes approximately 450,000 infections annually in U.S. hospitals, 29,000 associated deaths, and health care costs of $5 billion.
Infections often occur in persons with recent antibiotic and/or health care exposure.
In one Canadian hospital, canines are used to detect C. diff on hospital surfaces and equipment, supporting identification of environmental reservoirs potential opportunities for mitigation.
National Penicillin Allergy Day
September 28, 2019, the anniversary of Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin, is recognized as National Penicillin Allergy Day, meant to increase knowledge of penicillin allergies and benefits of allergy testing.
Ten percent of Americans report a penicillin allergy, but less than 1% is truly allergic.
Correctly identifying those with a penicillin allergy will ensure that more patients receive safer, less toxic antibiotics and contribute to combating antibiotic resistance by decreasing broad-spectrum antibiotic use.
Get involved! Download or order free print materials from the National Penicillin Allergy Day Tool Kit and show your commitment to raising awareness of penicillin allergies within your health system and community. These materials can be used all year.
New Infection Prevention Courses Provided by CDC
CDC has released new courses in the States Targeting Reduction in Infections via Engagement (STRIVE) learning module.
The new courses highlight environmental cleaning, personal protective equipment, building a business case for infection prevention, and patient and family engagement. Previous courses cover hand hygiene, strategies for preventing healthcare-associated infections, and competency-based training.
Targeted prevention strategies on CAUTI, MRSA, CLABSI, and CDI were also recently added to the STRIVE curriculum.
Courses are free and can be accessed at CDC/STRIVE, Infection Control Training.
Participate in One Health Day on November 3
One Health Day is an annual, global campaign that celebrates and brings attention to the need for a One Health approach to address shared health threats at the human-animal-environment interface, including antimicrobial resistance.
Consider participating in One Health Day on November 3 by planning an event and spreading the word through social media (#OneHealthDay).
Learn more and register an event at One Health Commission, One Health Day.
U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week, Nov. 18–24
It's not too early to plan for CDC: U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW).
USAAW is an annual one-week observance to raise awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing.
Look for enhanced antibiotic stewardship messaging from MDH and think about how you can highlight the important issue of antibiotic resistance within your own work and life.
Follow MDH on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to help spread the word about USAAW.
Utilize these helpful resources as you prepare for USAAW.
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