A six-month prospective survey was carried out in a university hospital to assess the incidence of Acinetobacter baumannii cross-contamination and to identify risk factors for colonization. Clinical isolates obtained during the study period were biotyped and genotyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis after ApaI macrorestriction of total DNA. Case-control univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for Acinetobacter baumannii colonization. One hundred forty-seven patients hospitalized in 36 units were colonized or infected, of whom 52 were in three intensive care units. The urinary (29%) and bronchopulmonary tracts (26%) were the most frequently colonized sites. Nine major restriction patterns were identified: two were exhibited by epidemic multi-resistant strains of biotype 9 which were isolated from 65 patients hospitalized in ten units. Multivariate analysis showed that case-patients were (a) more likely than non-infected controls to be male, to have been previously hospitalized in another unit and to have had longer stays in the unit before colonization and hyperalimentation; and (b) more likely than controls colonized with other gram-negative bacilli to be male, to have had longer hospitalization, to have received treatment with third-generation cephalosporins and to have had a urinary catheter. The high incidence of colonization with Acinetobacter baumannii can thus be attributed to frequent cross-contamination and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Colonized patients appear to be the major source of cross-contamination as epidemic strains spread throughout the hospital.

In a prospective study, we screened specimens from 190 mechanically ventilated patients hospitalized in a surgical intensive care unit, and from the environment to assess risks and routes of colonization/infection. Specimens from various sites were collected on admission and once a week throughout each patient's stay. All P. aeruginosa isolates were typed by determination of DNA patterns. Data were collected from patients to identify risk factors. In vitro production of exoenzymes of different strains were compared. Forty-four patients were colonized with P. aeruginosa on the bronchopulmonary tract and 13 suffered from pneumonia. The 7-d and 14-d Kaplan-Meier rates of colonization were 2.21 and 7.03%. Twenty-one patterns of bronchopulmonary tract isolates were isolated from single patients and 10 from several patients. The lower airway was often the first site of colonization. The contribution of environment to patient colonization appeared to be small. The length of hospitalization, the previous use of third-generation cephalosporins less effective against P. aeruginosa, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were the most significant predictors of colonization/infection. The in vitro exoprotein production was not correlated with the presence of pneumonia. Our study may be useful in identifying which patients in the mechanically ventilated population are at greater risk of P. aeruginosa pneumonia.

Introduction: In the context of the stage 3 SARS-Cov-2 epidemic situation, it is necessary to put forward a method of rapid response for an HAS position statement in order to answer to the requests from the French Ministry of Solidarity and Health, healthcare professionals and/or health system users' associations concerning follow-up of pregnant women during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: A simplified 7-step process that favours HAS collaboration with experts (healthcare professionals, health system users' associations, scientific societies etc.), the restrictive selection of available evidence and the use of digital means of communication. A short and specific dissemination format, which can be quickly updated in view of the changes in available data has been chosen.

We describe the administration of antenatal corticosteroid therapy (ACT) for liveborn very preterm neonates in a population-based study. A total of 790 very preterm neonates (between 24 and 31 full weeks of gestation) were included in this regionally defined population of very preterm neonates in France. The main outcome measure was non-access to ACT. Data were analysed using logistic and polytomous models to control for neonatal and sociodemographic characteristics, mechanisms of very preterm birth and neonatal network organisation. As compared with level III, births in levels I-II maternity units were closely related to non-access to ACT (60.1% vs. 8.8%), but not to pregnancy follow-up (19.7% vs. 17.8%). Only 6.3% of very preterm neonates that benefited from antepartum referral did nor receive ACT. Births associated with rupture of membranes and gestational hypertension were significantly more often transferred to level-III units (73.8% and 68.3% respectively) than those due to maternal bleeding and spontaneous labour (57.0% and 50.7% respectively), and the neonates had a lower probability of not receiving ACT (8.5%, 11.5%, 23.0%, 31.2% respectively). Very preterm neonates referred in utero to a level-III unit came from a more favourable socio-economic environment. Non-access to ACT was more often observed in neonates born to 14- to 24-year-old mothers, smokers, of low socio-economic status, and preterm birth resulting from maternal bleeding or spontaneous labour. These data from a French regional study show that access to ACT is not only explained by practitioners' support of recommendations. In our population-based study, ACT access was related to socio-economic factors and to the mechanisms of very preterm birth. Improving the rate of access to ACT should take these organisational, medical and socio-economic dimensions into account.

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