Top in ID: Cockroaches potential infection vector; NDM-positive drug-resistant infection

A 20-month outbreak of multidrug-resistant Enterobacter cloacae in an ICU was associated with the presence of cockroaches, according to a study that linked outbreak strains to strains found in the insects.

Among 128 ICU patients, researchers found that 25 were either infected or colonized with multidrug-resistant Enterobacter cloacae (MRE). Researchers then caught a cockroach in the unit and allowed it to walk around on blood sheep agar for several hours, after which the plate tested positive for MRE and other resistant pathogens. After the hospital reinforced pest control measures, no patients were found to have MRE for 3 months.

“Health care workers likely underestimate the potential for insects to contribute to health care-acquired infections,” Jennifer A. Hanrahan, DO, an infectious diseases internist at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, told Healio. “Health care facilities should have robust pest control programs, and health care workers should report the presence of insects.”

It was the top story in infectious disease last week.

In another top story, half of patients with a carbapenemase-producing organism with a antimicrobial resistance gene, blaNDM, died in a study of nearly a dozen New York hospitals.

Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:

Investigation links cockroaches to outbreak of resistant bacteria in ICU

Cockroaches contributed to an outbreak of multidrug-resistant Enterobacter cloacae in an ICU over the course of 20 months, according to a study that linked outbreak strains to strains found in the insects. Read more.

Half of patients with a deadly resistance gene died in NY study

One-third of patients with a carbapenemase-producing organism died, according to a study conducted at nearly a dozen New York hospitals, researchers reported at IDWeek. Read more.

Trial: 7 days of antibiotics for bloodstream infections noninferior to 14 days

Another study is suggesting that shorter is better — this time, a 2-week course of antibiotics for bloodstream infections was safely cut in half in a multinational randomized trial presented at IDWeek. Read more.

Inadequate staffing linked to higher rates of hospital infections

Insufficient infection prevention staffing can lead to higher rates of health care-associated infection, according to researchers who evaluated an online calculator that could help facilities meet staffing requirements. Read more.

Lights, camera, IDWeek: Field of ID ready for its close-up in LA

Healio was on-site again for IDWeek, which was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center from Oct. 16-19. Read more.