Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/05/news-scan-may-06-2020
News Scan for May 06, 2020
Pediatric Candida auris infections; Burundi measles outbreak
Filed Under:
Candida auris; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Fungal Infection
Study describes C auris bloodstream infections in Colombian kids
In a study today in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, US and Colombian researchers report that nearly one-third of the pediatric invasive Candida bloodstream infections (BSIs) analyzed at two Colombian pediatric hospitals were caused by Candida auris.
Of the 110 pediatric BSIs caused by Candida species at the two hospitals from July 2014 through October 2017, the researchers found that 34 (31%) were caused by C auris, a multidrug-resistant fungus that has primarily been identified in hospitalized and immunocompromised adults and rarely among children. Twenty-one percent of the children were younger than 28 days, 47% were 1 year old and younger, and 32% were over 1 year old. Underlying conditions included preterm birth (26%), being malnourished (59%), cancer (3%), solid-organ transplant (3%), and kidney disease (3%). All patients had at least one indwelling device, and 82% had a central venous catheter.
Thirty-three of the children (97%) received specific antifungal treatment for C auris. Analysis of 13 isolates found that 7 (54%) were resistant to amphotericin-B, 2 (15%) were resistant to fluconazole, and 1 (8%) was resistant to anidulafungin. In-hospital mortality was 41%.
The authors of the study note that the two hospitals were part of a large C auris outbreak investigation in Colombia, and that environmental and patient sampling at the hospitals showed extensive C auris contamination. They suspect that the infections were acquired during hospitalization.
"Rapid and accurate identification of C. auris is needed to guide treatment decisions, as are infection-control measures to stop the spread of the organism," they write. "Pediatricians need to be vigilant for C. auris infections in pediatric populations."
May 6 J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc abstract
Measles spread to Burundi refugee camps triggers outbreak
The World Health Organization (WHO) today said a measles outbreak that began at a refugee camp in Burundi, under way since November 2019, has so far sickened 857 people from four of the country's districts.
The people at the refugee camps were from measles-affected parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They first arrived at a transit camp in Cibitoke health district, then were sent to permanent camps in four other areas.
In the affected parts of Burundi, measles vaccination coverage is relatively high, but not in those arriving from the DRC. Pockets of undervaccinated people in Burundi are vulnerable to the disease, the WHO said. About 77% people affected were unvaccinated.
The outbreak in the Cibitoke health region is ongoing, but activity has declined in other areas. Burundi's health ministry had developed a comprehensive plan, which includes vaccinating targeted children ages 9 months to 14 years at the camps and strengthening surveillance. The outbreak poses a high risk to Burundi, partly owing to a lack of infrastructure, suboptimal vaccine coverage, and large population movements from the DRC, which is grappling with a large measles outbreak.
May 6 WHO notification
News Scan for May 06, 2020
Pediatric Candida auris infections; Burundi measles outbreak
Filed Under:
Candida auris; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Fungal Infection
Study describes C auris bloodstream infections in Colombian kids
In a study today in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, US and Colombian researchers report that nearly one-third of the pediatric invasive Candida bloodstream infections (BSIs) analyzed at two Colombian pediatric hospitals were caused by Candida auris.
Of the 110 pediatric BSIs caused by Candida species at the two hospitals from July 2014 through October 2017, the researchers found that 34 (31%) were caused by C auris, a multidrug-resistant fungus that has primarily been identified in hospitalized and immunocompromised adults and rarely among children. Twenty-one percent of the children were younger than 28 days, 47% were 1 year old and younger, and 32% were over 1 year old. Underlying conditions included preterm birth (26%), being malnourished (59%), cancer (3%), solid-organ transplant (3%), and kidney disease (3%). All patients had at least one indwelling device, and 82% had a central venous catheter.
Thirty-three of the children (97%) received specific antifungal treatment for C auris. Analysis of 13 isolates found that 7 (54%) were resistant to amphotericin-B, 2 (15%) were resistant to fluconazole, and 1 (8%) was resistant to anidulafungin. In-hospital mortality was 41%.
The authors of the study note that the two hospitals were part of a large C auris outbreak investigation in Colombia, and that environmental and patient sampling at the hospitals showed extensive C auris contamination. They suspect that the infections were acquired during hospitalization.
"Rapid and accurate identification of C. auris is needed to guide treatment decisions, as are infection-control measures to stop the spread of the organism," they write. "Pediatricians need to be vigilant for C. auris infections in pediatric populations."
May 6 J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc abstract
Measles spread to Burundi refugee camps triggers outbreak
The World Health Organization (WHO) today said a measles outbreak that began at a refugee camp in Burundi, under way since November 2019, has so far sickened 857 people from four of the country's districts.
The people at the refugee camps were from measles-affected parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They first arrived at a transit camp in Cibitoke health district, then were sent to permanent camps in four other areas.
In the affected parts of Burundi, measles vaccination coverage is relatively high, but not in those arriving from the DRC. Pockets of undervaccinated people in Burundi are vulnerable to the disease, the WHO said. About 77% people affected were unvaccinated.
The outbreak in the Cibitoke health region is ongoing, but activity has declined in other areas. Burundi's health ministry had developed a comprehensive plan, which includes vaccinating targeted children ages 9 months to 14 years at the camps and strengthening surveillance. The outbreak poses a high risk to Burundi, partly owing to a lack of infrastructure, suboptimal vaccine coverage, and large population movements from the DRC, which is grappling with a large measles outbreak.
May 6 WHO notification