VIM-CRPA in West Texas: Developing a Regional Multidrug-Resistant Organism Containment Strategy for a Novel Bug

• Published in: Infection control and hospital epidemiology 2020-10, Vol.41 (S1), p.s432-s432
• Main Authors: Blackwell, Gillian, Dang, Thi, Hoffman, Abby, McConnell, Mary, Wells, Katherine, Nutt, Anna, Garcia, Bobbiejean, Arnold, Sandi, Baumann, Susana, Merengwa, Enyinnaya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Collaboration; Containment; Disease control; Disease transmission; Drug resistance; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Health care; Health facilities; Health services; Infections; Multidrug resistant organisms; Personal hygiene; Public health
• ISSN: 0899-823X; 1559-6834
• DOI: 10.1017/ice.2020.1094

Background: The Texas Department of State Health Services Healthcare Safety (HCS) Investigation Team began investigating a cluster of positive carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) results in August 2017. These CRPA isolates contained the novel carbapenemase Verona integron-encoded metallo-β-lactamase (VIM). This cluster became an outbreak that spanned >2 years and involved multiple healthcare facilities in and around northern Texas. In response to positive results, infection control assessments were conducted, which exposed common infection control gaps including inadequate hand hygiene performance, environmental cleaning issues, and poor communication during interfacility patient transfers. As part of the ongoing investigation efforts, a regional containment strategy was developed to prevent the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms. Methods: Beginning in October 2018, the HCS Investigation Team made site visits to participating facilities every 6 months to provide targeted infection control support and hand hygiene performance and environmental cleaning observations. An initial kick-off meeting was held in February 2019 for facilities to begin collaboration on the containment strategy. This strategy became known as BOOT, an acronym meaning: B eing prompt in response to positive cases, O btaining isolates for testing, O ptimizing infection prevention, and T ransferring patients using a designated form. An interfacility transfer form to reduce the risk of transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms when patients are transferred between healthcare facilities was developed by a work group that consisted of the local health department, the Public Health Region healthcare-associated infections epidemiologist, and multiple healthcare facilities. Results: Facilities have increased communication with other facilities and with the health departments since the implementation of the BOOT strategy. The local health department is contacted when facilities do not receive a transfer form, and follow-up is initiated to ensure appropriate understanding and compliance. Facility handwashing rates and environmental cleaning results have improved with each visit, and access to alcohol-based hand sanitizing dispensers has increased in select facilities. Conclusions: The regional containment strategy is dynamic and ongoing, and changes are implemented as obstacles are encountered. Implementation has resulted in a successful decrease of positive VIM results in