Purpose To describe the Norton Healthcare electronic antimicrobial stewardship program (E-ASP), a novel prospective audit and feedback approach that leverages the electronic medical record to overcome efficiency barriers. Additionally, to describe an accompanying opt-out antimicrobial stewardship approach that addresses provider nonresponsiveness. Summary Prospective audit and feedback is recommended by antimicrobial stewardship guidelines; however, execution can be difficult due to labor requirements, delays in communication, and provider nonparticipation. The Norton E-ASP was developed to address these issues by reliably identifying target patients, documenting assessments, streamlining recommendation delivery, promoting handoff, and providing automated tracking of recommendation responses. Opt-out stewardship allows recommendations to be implemented if not rejected after 24 hours. Conclusion A 25% reduction in target antimicrobial use has been achieved and sustained with the program. Use of the Norton E-ASP, including opt-out antimicrobial stewardship, broadened the reach and furthered the impact of infectious diseases pharmacists. Successes of this program justified addition of 3 full-time infectious diseases pharmacist positions at a large community health system. This strategy may serve as a model for tele-antimicrobial stewardship or other pharmacy recommendations.

Hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients receiving antibiotics (n = 173) were retrospectively assigned to the early or late discontinuation groups. The length of therapy was shorter in the early discontinuation group (3 vs 7 days; P < .0001). Mortality rates (14.3% vs 20.7%; P = .316) and length of stay (7 vs 9 days; P = .063) were similar.

Objective: To describe inpatient fluoroquinolone use and susceptibility data over a 10-year period after the implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) led by an infectious diseases pharmacist starting in 2011. Design: Retrospective surveillance study. Setting: Large community health system. Methods: Fluoroquinolone use was quantified by days of therapy (DOT) per 1,000 patient days (PD) and reported quarterly. Use data are reported for inpatients from 2016 to 2020. Levofloxacin susceptibility is reported for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli for inpatients from 2011 to 2020 at a 4 adult-hospital health system. Results: Inpatient fluoroquinolone use decreased by 74% over a 5-year period, with an average decrease of 3.45 DOT per 1,000 PD per quarter (P < .001). Over a 10-year period, inpatient levofloxacin susceptibility increased by 57% for P. aeruginosa and by 15% for E. coli. P. aeruginosa susceptibility to levofloxacin increased by an average of 2.73% per year (P < .001) and had a strong negative correlation with fluoroquinolone use, r = -0.99 (P = .002). E. coli susceptibility to levofloxacin increased by an average of 1.33% per year (P < .001) and had a strong negative correlation with fluoroquinolone use, r = -0.95 (P = .015). Conclusions: A substantial decrease in fluoroquinolone use and increase in P. aeruginosa and E. coli levofloxacin susceptibility was observed after implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship program. These results demonstrate the value of stewardship services and highlight the effectiveness of an infectious diseases pharmacist led antimicrobial stewardship program.

Abstract Background Retrospective studies demonstrate similar efficacy between oral (PO) and intravenous (IV) antibiotics at discharge for gram negative bacteremia (GNB), with reduced duration of hospitalization, hospital costs, and duration of therapy with PO. Understanding current physician discharge practices can help guide future antimicrobial stewardship initiatives. Methods A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult inpatients admitted between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 with urinary source GNB. Patients with both blood and urine cultures positive for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, or Proteus mirabilis and a PO antibiotic available at discharge were included. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients discharged on PO antibiotics. Secondary outcomes included duration of hospitalization, total length of therapy, and 30-day readmission secondary to clinical failure or therapeutic complication in the IV and PO at discharge groups. Results Of the 157 included patients, 128 (82%) were discharged on PO antibiotics. Patients discharged on IV and PO had similar median quick Pitt bacteremia scores [1(IQR, 0 – 2) vs. 1 (IQR, 0 – 1), p=0.420]. Mean duration of hospitalization for patients discharged on IV vs. PO therapy was 5 (SD, 2.91) days vs. 4 (SD, 2.75) days, p=0.001, respectively. Mean total length of antibiotic therapy was 21.6 (SD, 13.80) days as compared to 13.5 (SD, 4.94) days, p=0.017, for the IV vs. PO arms, respectively. Thirty–day readmission rates were 11/29 (38%) and 23/128 (18%), p=0.035, in the IV and PO arms, respectively. Notably, 21/29 (72%) of the IV arm had an organism from blood culture that was susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX). Conclusion Most patients with urinary source GNB were discharged on PO antibiotics. Patients discharged on IV antibiotics were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Future efforts to decrease IV antibiotic use may focus on increasing TMP-SMX use at discharge. Disclosures Matthew Song, PharmD, BCIDP, Merck: Stocks/Bonds|ObsEva: Stocks/Bonds.

Introduction: Hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship efforts have traditionally focused on inpatient settings. Antibiotic prescribing at discharge is often an overlooked area of focus for antimicrobial stewardship programs. Discharge prescribing optimization is necessary to combat antibiotic overuse. Methods: This was an observational, retrospective cohort study at a four–adult community hospital system. Four hundred adult patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia and discharged with antibiotics were included. The primary outcome was overall (inpatient and discharge) antibiotic length of therapy. The secondary outcome was percentage of patients discharged on a fluoroquinolone who had not received one in the hospital. Descriptive statistics were utilized. Results: The median total antibiotic length of therapy was 9.5 days (IQR 8, 11). The median inpatient and discharge antibiotic lengths of therapy were 4 days (IQR 3, 5) and 5 days (IQR 5, 7), respectively. Of the 108 patients prescribed a fluoroquinolone at discharge, 43% (46/108) had not previously received a fluoroquinolone while hospitalized. Conclusion: Both length of therapy and fluoroquinolone stewardship at discharge may represent possible antimicrobial stewardship targets in community-acquired pneumonia patients.

Background: In September 2018, pharmacy antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) services were expanded to include weekends at this academic medical center. Activities performed by AMS pharmacists on the weekends include blood culture rapid diagnostic (RDT) review, antiretroviral therapy (ART) review, prospective audit and feedback (PAF) utilizing clinical decision support, vancomycin dosing, and operational support. The purpose of this study was to assess the operational and clinical impact of these expanded AMS services. Methods: This single-center, quasi-experimental study included data from weekends before (9/2017-11/2017) and after (9/2018-11/2018) implementation. The descriptive primary outcome was the number of activities completed for each AMS activity type in the post-implementation group only. Secondary outcomes were time to AMS opportunity resolution, time to escalation or de-escalation following PAF or RDT alert, time to resolution of miscellaneous AMS related opportunities, length of stay (LOS), and antimicrobial use outcomes. Results: During the post-implementation period 1258 activities were completed, averaging 97/weekend. Inclusion criteria for time to resolution outcomes were met by 72 patients pre-implementation and 59 patients post. The median (IQR) time to AMS opportunity resolution decreased from 18.5 hours pre-intervention (7.7-35.7) to 8.5 hours post-intervention (IQR 1.8-14.0), p < 0.01. Time to escalation was 11.6 hours compared to 1.7 hours (p = 0.1), de-escalation 16.7 hours compared to 10.8 hours (p = 0.03), and miscellaneous opportunity 40.8 hours compared to 13.2 hours (p = 0.01). No differences were observed in LOS or antimicrobial use outcomes. Conclusion: Presence of pharmacist-driven weekend AMS services significantly reduced time to resolution of AMS opportunities. These data support the value of weekend AMS services.

In this study, we evaluated the impact of a microbiology nudge on de-escalation to first-generation cephalosporins in hospitalized patients with urinary tract infections secondary to Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis isolates with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ≤ 16 µg/mL. De-escalation to first generation-cephalosporins was uncommon at MICs = 4-16 µg/mL.

Rapid diagnostic technologies are revolutionizing the clinical microbiology laboratory. Next generation sequencing (NGS) is poised to be the next powerful tool in standard clinical laboratories building on the widespread adoption of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panels and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDITOF) technology.[1] NGS can provide a quantitative analysis of all non-human DNA or RNA in a sample without requiring growth on a traditional medium. This improves the diagnostic yield of infections that are difficult to culture due to biofilm production, such as prosthetic joint infections.[2] As these technologies become faster and cheaper, research efforts are urgently needed to guide clinicians to wider applications of NGS, including use in non-sterile sites, such as lower and upper respiratory tract samples. The diagnostic utility of NGS of respiratory samples has already been noted in cases of pneumonia caused by pathogens that are difficult to identify through conventional testing.[3, 4] However, the use of NGS as a diagnostic tool in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains to be elucidated. The characterization of the respiratory microbiome in clinical practice may improve the diagnosis and therefore the treatment of CAP. However, without adequate research, using NGS in patients with suspected CAP may unnecessarily accelerate antimicrobial prescribing simply by providing the names of all commensal organisms present in a respiratory sample.

Abstract Background The Infectious Diseases Society of America asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) guidelines recommend against screening for or treating ASB in most patients without symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI). The purpose of this study was to characterize current urine testing practices and their potential impact on identification and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria on hospitalized adults. Methods This retrospective, point prevalence study conducted at a 4 hospital community health-system that included all inpatients ≥ 18 years old present on November 13th, 2019. Patients were excluded if they were admitted or transferred to either a labor & delivery or mother-baby unit. A chart review was performed for a sub-group of patients with abnormal urine testing, with a target sample size of 200 (n=50 from each hospital). The primary outcome was the prevalence of patients with a urinalysis, urine culture, or both performed during their admission. Secondary outcomes included abnormal urine testing in the overall cohort and symptomatology and antibiotic use in the sub-group (Figure 1). Results 947 patients met inclusion criteria. Of those patients, 516 (54%) had urine testing performed during their admission. 322 (34%) patients had abnormal urine testing results (Table 1). In the sub-group, 192 patients with abnormal urine tests were included. Antibiotics with a documented indication of UTI were administered to 66 (34%) patients. Of those given antibiotics with a UTI indication, 49/66 (74%) did not have documented signs or symptoms of a UTI (Figure 2). Conclusion Urine testing was performed on the majority of admitted adult patients. Unnecessary testing likely contributes to guideline discordant screening and treatment of ASB. Future studies are needed to identify effective diagnostic stewardship interventions to decrease screening and treatment of ASB. Disclosures Ashley Wilde, PharmD, BCPS-AQ ID, Nothing to disclose

Abstract Background Fluoroquinolone stewardship is a common target for antimicrobial stewardship programs seeking to maintain or improve fluoroquinolone susceptibility rates. Additional benefits include reducing C. difficile infection rates, drug toxicities, and resistance to other antimicrobials as fluoroquinolones can co-select for resistance. The Norton Healthcare antimicrobial stewardship program was founded in 2011 and provides services at 4 adult hospitals with ~1600 beds. Main fluoroquinolone stewardship activities have included provider education, prospective audit and feedback, and guideline and order-set development. The purpose of this study was to describe the resistance and usage rates of fluoroquinolones over time. Methods This was a descriptive study examining individual adult hospital antibiograms from 2010 to 2020. Levofloxacin susceptibility rates to E. coli and P. aeruginosa were collated from annual antibiograms between 2010 and 2020 for outpatients and each adult hospital. Adult hospital resistance rates were aggregated and weighted accordingly to number of isolates per hospital per year. Additionally, levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin inpatient days of therapy (DOT) was collected since 2016 when DOT was first readily retrievable and was normalized per 1000 patient days to compare between different time points. Results Outpatient levofloxacin likelihood of activity against P. aeruginosa improved from 81% to 91%. Outpatient levofloxacin likelihood of activity against E. coli remained stable between 84 – 86% (Figure 1). Adult inpatient fluoroquinolone usage decreased by approximately 75% from 83.5 to 21.37 DOT/1000 patient days since 2016 (Figure 2). Adult inpatient levofloxacin likelihood of activity against P. aeruginosa improved from 53% to 83%. Adult inpatient levofloxacin likelihood of activity against E. coli improved from 65% to 75% (Figure 3). Conclusion The Norton Healthcare antimicrobial stewardship program has been effective in reducing unnecessary fluoroquinolone usage and improving inpatient fluoroquinolone susceptibility rates. Future studies should examine opportunities to translate successes to the outpatient phase of care. Disclosures Ashley Wilde, PharmD, BCPS-AQ ID, Nothing to disclose Paul S. Schulz, MD, Gilead (Consultant, Speaker’s Bureau)Merck (Consultant, Speaker’s Bureau)

Introduction: Social distancing has been utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2; it is also expected to reduce the spread of common respiratory viruses. Methods: This retrospective, descriptive study assessed the rate of positivity of common respiratory viruses from a commercially available respiratory pathogen panel across a five-hospital health system during four-week periods within March to April of 2019 and 2020. Results: During the four-week period in 2019, the percent positivity of common respiratory viruses from week 1 to week 4 decreased from 6 to 32% among the four included viruses. In the comparator period in 2020, a decrease ranging from 74 to 100% was observed from week 1 to week 4. Conclusions: These data indicate that the social distancing efforts implemented in Louisville, Kentucky, may be associated with a decrease in incidence of common respiratory viruses. This decrease in positivity of common respiratory viruses may serve as a surrogate marker for the effect of social distancing on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

A 60-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) with a 1–2 day history of confusion, headache, and subjective fever. Because he had met with a contact two days prior to admission who had recently traveled from the Bahamas, a COVID-19 nasopharyngeal (NP) and oropharyngeal (OP) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was ordered. He was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis based on presenting neurologic symptoms and the identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae from blood cultures. The COVID-19 NP and OP test returned positive, although he never developed shortness of breath, cough, other respiratory symptoms, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or any change in sense of smell or taste. On day 3 of hospitalization, the patient had improved clinically on intravenous (IV) antibiotics and was discharged home with instructions to self-quarantine. This case demonstrates the possibility of co-infections with COVID-19 and raises the possibility of an association between COVID-19 and patient susceptibility to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).

We report a case of false-negative SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on a nasopharyngeal swab. Treating clinicians and infection preven- tionists should maintain a high suspicion for COVID-19 in the appropriate clinical setting despite negative test results. Utilization of chest computed tomography (CT) should be strongly considered in the diagnostic work-up for suspected COVID-19, particularly in areas with limited RT-PCR availabil- ity.

A hospital's response to a global pandemic requires a coordinated effort to provide consistent guidance as information rapidly changes. In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, diagnosis and subsequent containment was challenging due to unfamiliarity with disease presentation, unknown reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction sensitivity, and inconsistent access to testing supplies. A centralized COVID-19 clinical case review team can provide guidance on test interpretation, isolation, resource coordination and more.

Patients with COVID-19 may have co-infections with other microorganisms. Here we report a case of a patient with an Escheria coli bacteremia secondary to a urinary tract infection, who experienced fevers while on active antimicrobial therapy. The patient was eventually tested for COVID-19 and found to be positive. This case emphasizes the need to suspect COVID-19 even in patients with documented bacterial infection.

Abstract Background In September 2018, pharmacy antimicrobial stewardship services were expanded to include weekends at Cleveland Clinic. Activities performed by antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) pharmacists on the weekend include blood culture rapid diagnostic (RDT) review, antiretroviral therapy (ART) review, prospective audit and feedback (PAF) utilizing clinical decision support, vancomycin dosing, and operational support. The purpose of this study was to assess the operational and clinical impact of these expanded AMS services. Methods This single-center, the quasi-experimental study included data from 13 weekends before (9/2017 – November 2017) and after (9/2018 – November 2018) implementation of weekend services. The primary outcome was the number of reviews relating to each stewardship activity. Secondary outcomes were time to AMS opportunity resolution, time to escalation or de-escalation following PAF or RDT alert, time to resolution of other AMS-related opportunities, length of stay (LOS), and antimicrobial use outcomes. Patients were included in time to resolution outcomes if they had an RDT, ART, or select PAF review requiring intervention. Time to opportunity resolution was defined as the time from AMS alert to implementation of the recommendation in the electronic health record. Results During the post-intervention period 1261 reviews were conducted, averaging 97/weekend. This included 187 RDT, 432 PAF, 124 ART, 331 vancomycin dosing notes and 187 other. Inclusion criteria for time to resolution outcomes were met by 72 patients pre-intervention compared with 59 patients post. No significant differences were seen in baseline characteristics between groups with 43% of patients requiring ID consultation and 58% requiring ICU admission. The median time to opportunity resolution improved significantly overall (P < 0.01), with de-escalation (P = 0.03), and with time to other AMS opportunity (P = 0.01) (Figure 1). A numerical reduction was seen with time to escalation (P = 0.1). LOS was a median of 13 and 14 days pre- and post-intervention, respectively (P = 0.4). No differences were seen in antimicrobial use outcomes. Conclusion Presence of pharmacist-driven weekend AMS services significantly reduced time to resolution of AMS interventions. These data support the value of weekend AMS services. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial consumption metrics as a means for differentiating patient populations and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) opportunities. Methods This single-center, retrospective, descriptive study included all patients from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018 that received ≥1 day of therapy (DOT) of any antimicrobial included in the National Healthcare Safety Network Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (NHSN AUR) module. The cohort was then grouped into 4 quartiles based on DOT (Q1 lowest; Q4 highest). The primary outcome was a Lorenz Curve of DOT per patient over the study period. Secondary outcomes included a comparison of patient characteristics and number/type of AMS-related opportunities present (using a randomized convenience sample of 25 patients per quartile). AMS opportunities were defined as any unnecessary, inappropriate, or suboptimal antimicrobial use with pharmacist intervention or potential for intervention occurring 24 hours after the antimicrobial initiation. Results During the 6 month study period, 24,743 patients accounted for 163,859 days present, and 13,039 (52%) received ≥ 1 DOT. After dividing the population into quartiles of antimicrobial use, median (range) DOT were as follows: Q1 [2 (1–2)], Q2 [4 (3–4)], Q3 [7 (5–10)], Q4 [20 (11–636)] (Figure 1). The top 24% of patients according to antimicrobial use accounted for 74% of total antimicrobial DOT. Patient-level DOT data are displayed by SAAR grouping in Figure 2. In the cohort of 100 patients, differences between quartiles included Infectious diseases consultation in 76% of patients in Q4 compared with 4–24% in other quartiles, ICU admission during hospitalization in 68% in Q4 compared with 28–40% in other quartiles, and any surgical procedure in 88% in Q1 compared with 48–60% in Q2–4. The number of AMS opportunities present were 4 (0.5/1000 DOT) in Q1, 13 (1.6/1000 DOT) in Q2, 28 (1.4/1000 DOT) in Q3, and 86 (0.8/1000 DOT) in Q4. The most common type of AMS opportunity differed by quartile: inappropriate prophylaxis for Q1-3, and de-escalation in Q4. Conclusion Evaluating antimicrobial consumption from a patient-level perspective at a large academic medical center reveals heterogeneity and variable AMS opportunities across quartiles Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most commonly occurring infectious complication following kidney transplantation. Questions remain regarding whether asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) should be treated. The aim was to evaluate the incidence and management of ASB in kidney transplant recipients at a large academic medical center.

Background: Thiazide diuretics are often utilized to overcome loop diuretic resistance when treating acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). In addition to a large cost advantage, several pharmacokinetic advantages exist when administering oral metolazone (MTZ) compared with intravenous (IV) chlorothiazide (CTZ), yet many providers are reluctant to utilize an oral formulation to treat ADHF. The purpose of this study was to compare the increase in 24-hour total urine output (UOP) after adding MTZ or CTZ to IV loop diuretics (LD) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Methods and Results: From September 2013 to August 2016, 1002 patients admitted for ADHF received either MTZ or CTZ in addition to LD. Patients were excluded for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) (n = 469), <24-hour LD or UOP data prior to drug initiation (n = 129), or low dose MTZ/CTZ (n = 91). A total of 168 patients were included with 64% receiving CTZ. No significant difference was observed between the increase in 24-hour total UOP after MTZ or CTZ initiation (1458 [514, 2401] mL vs 1820 [890, 2750] mL, P = .251). Conclusions: Both MTZ and CTZ similarly increased UOP when utilized as an adjunct to IV LD. These results suggest that while thiazide agents can substantially increase UOP in ADHF patients with HFrEF, MTZ and CTZ have comparable effects.

UTIs are the most common infection after renal transplant (RTx) with an incidence of 6–86%. Post-RTx UTI has been associated with risk for graft loss and mortality, and RTx recipients are at risk for multidrug-resistant (MDR) UTI given immunosuppression (IS) and instrumentation. We sought to evaluate the incidence, timing, microbiology, and MDR risk of post-RTx UTI, as well as to characterize asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) practices at our center. This was a retrospective cohort of subjects with ≥1 positive culture (≥105 CFU/mL) during the first year post-RTx that were transplanted from September 1, 2012 to October 1, 2016. Each bacteriuria episode was adjudicated as cystitis, pyelonephritis, or ASB (Figure 1). Subjects without bacteriuria were excluded from primary analysis but used to calculate UTI incidence. The primary outcome was 1-year symptomatic UTI incidence. Secondary outcomes: incidence of cystitis, pyelonephritis, and ASB; time-to-first UTI; microbiologic trends; and presence of MDR risk factors. Baseline characteristics: 52% male, median age 57 years, 65% stented, 34% antithymocyte globulin induction, 94% standard IS regimen (tacrolimus/mycophenolate/prednisone), 93% trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis, and 21% receipt of IV antibiotics for ≥48 hours within 90 days of first positive culture (IV Abx); Of 527 RTx subjects, 100 had ≥1 positive culture. The 100 subjects had 234 cultures representing 359 isolates. Primary outcome: 12.1% symptomatic UTI incidence. Secondary outcomes (1-year incidences): 18.6% positive culture, 4.3% cystitis, 8.6% pyelonephritis, 11.9% ASB. Time to the first symptomatic UTI was a median of 50 days. A summary of microbiologic results can be found in Figure 2. ASB occurred 130 times and was treated 74.6% of the time (Figure 3). Significant risk factors for MDR UTI included female gender (P = 0.005), IV abx (P = 0.001), and recurrent UTI (P = 0.017). Incidence of symptomatic UTI at our center was lower than previous reports. E. coli and E. faecalis were the most common urinary pathogens identified. MDR risk factors identified were biologically plausible and consistent with prior literature. ASB treatment occurred frequently and is an area to target stewardship interventions. All authors: No reported disclosures.