Contact precautions prevent cross-contamination of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales in an intensive care unit: a prospective observational study
Authors' conclusion
Contact precautions without single-room isolation of ESBL-E-positive patients did not result in any cross-contamination between ICU-patients in an endemic setting with a short length of stay.
Study context
- Population
- All patients admitted to a general intensive care unit (ICU) during 19 monthsadmitted to the ICU
- Participants
- 1,042 patients
- Exposure
- Contact precautions without single-room isolation of ESBL-E-positive patients
- Indexn = 82
- Co-treatedn = 365
- Outcome
- Cross-contamination of ESBL-E in the ICU (confirmed by whole-genome sequencing vs index patient isolate)
Methodological detailssingle ICU, whole-genome sequencing, Study began before the COVID-19 pandemic and continued, interrupted during the first wave, through the second and third wave
- Single ICU
- Whole-genome sequencing
- Study began before the COVID-19 pandemic and continued, interrupted during the first wave, through the second and third wave
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Cross-contamination of ESBL-E from index patients (WGS-confirmed) · Post-ICU discharge
- ESBL-E-negative patients co-treated in the same room as an index patient who tested positive for ESBL-E post-ICU discharge
- 3
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Contact precautions prevent cross-contamination of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales in an intensive care unit: a prospective observational study. Ann Intensive Care. Published 10 December 2025. doi:10.
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