What to know
- Presentation Day/Time: Thursday, April 24, 10:55 am–12:20 pm
- Presenter: Matthew Lambert, MD, EIS officer assigned to the Connecticut Department of Public Health
What did we do?
- In September 2023, four Group B Streptococcus (GBS) late-onset invasive disease (LOD) cases were reported by a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to Connecticut's Department of Public Health (DPH). We investigated to characterize the outbreak and guide response by identifying patients with LOD in the NICU during January 2020–July 2024, collecting case data through medical record review, and conducting three on-site assessments of infection prevention and control (IPC) practices and policies.
What did we find?
- We identified 12 outbreak-associated cases; 3 outbreak-associated patients died.
- Chart abstraction and on-site assessments indicated the milk room as an area for potential transmission.
- There were inconsistent practices in adhering to appropriate hand hygiene, personal protective equipment usage, and environmental cleaning throughout the NICU.
- Among 144 infants screened for GBS, seven infants were colonized. GBS isolates from five infants matched the outbreak, and one colonized infant developed LOD.
Why does it matter?
- This investigation highlights integration of whole genome sequencing (WGS) with classic epidemiology to distinguish outbreak-associated cases with long intervals between identification.
- In outbreaks where IPC gaps appear to contribute to transmission, colonization screening and WGS can be used to evaluate implementation of protocols to address IPC gaps.
Abstract Category: Group B Strep, Healthcare-Associated Infections, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health