Hospital-wide pathogen transmission surveillance combining epidemiological, genetic, and spectroscopic approaches

Nosocomial infections, particularly those caused by multidrug-resistant organisms, pose a significant challenge in healthcare facilities. This study presents a novel approach that combines tracking patient contacts in the hospital with Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of bacterial isolates for rapid surveillance of nosocomial pathogen transmissions. Isolates from relevant species were collected over a 2-month period, and FTIR spectroscopy and WGS were performed on strains suspected in transmission events. The integrated approach identified 94 suspected transmission events involving 103 patients, with single nucleotide polymorphism analysis confirming 32% of these transmissions. FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated good specificity and moderate sensitivity compared to WGS, with the performance highly dependent on the bacterial species analyzed. Room contact of the patients played an important role in pathogen transmission, particularly with Klebsiella pneumoniae. This described approach offers a rapid and accurate means of identifying and tracking the spread of nosocomial pathogens, thereby enhancing infection control strategies and improving patient safety.IMPORTANCEThis manuscript presents a study that employs pathogen typing and monitors hospital occupancy data for the detection of transmissions of hospital-acquired pathogens. The results demonstrate that this approach can be a powerful tool for real-time surveillance and control of nosocomial infections in healthcare settings. The findings have important implications for improving patient safety and reducing the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms in hospitals.