Patients with ICD-10-CM codes for Naegleriasis in U.S. hospitals, 2016-2024: A retrospective analysis of administrative data
Objectives: Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare and nearly always fatal infection. Other free-living amoebae may cause similar presentations. This study characterizes demographic features, clinical outcomes, and antimicrobial use am...
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Elsevier
2025-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971225002231 |
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| author | Thad Wilkins Alyssa Harris Will Cagle Pravin Vikram Phillip Coule Jose Vazquez |
| author_facet | Thad Wilkins Alyssa Harris Will Cagle Pravin Vikram Phillip Coule Jose Vazquez |
| author_sort | Thad Wilkins |
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| description | Objectives: Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare and nearly always fatal infection. Other free-living amoebae may cause similar presentations. This study characterizes demographic features, clinical outcomes, and antimicrobial use among patients coded with naegleriasis in a large administrative database. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Vizient® Clinical Database, which includes discharge-level data from over 500 U.S. hospitals. Patients discharged between January 2016 and February 2024 with ICD-10-CM code B60.2 (naegleriasis) were identified. Demographics, inpatient mortality, antimicrobial use, and discharge disposition were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: Twenty-two patients were identified. The mean age was 37 years; 73% were adults. In-hospital mortality was 50%. Survivors had longer hospital stays than nonsurvivors. Amphotericin B and fluconazole were the most used antimicrobials. Diagnostic confirmation of PAM was unavailable, and additional clinical details were not accessible. Conclusions: Patients coded with naegleriasis were mostly adults and had lower mortality than expected for confirmed PAM. The 50% survival rate suggests possible misclassification. These findings are hypothesis-generating and highlight the need for case-based studies with laboratory confirmation to clarify epidemiologic trends. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dcabd3ec591c429e8fec8f5f2ceae552 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1201-9712 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Infectious Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-dcabd3ec591c429e8fec8f5f2ceae5522025-08-20T03:44:06ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Infectious Diseases1201-97122025-10-0115910799910.1016/j.ijid.2025.107999Patients with ICD-10-CM codes for Naegleriasis in U.S. hospitals, 2016-2024: A retrospective analysis of administrative dataThad Wilkins0Alyssa Harris1Will Cagle2Pravin Vikram3Phillip Coule4Jose Vazquez5Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA; Corresponding author: Thad Wilkins, MD, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.Vizient, Inc., Irving, Texas, USADepartment of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Critical Care, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USAMedical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USADepartment of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USAObjectives: Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba that causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare and nearly always fatal infection. Other free-living amoebae may cause similar presentations. This study characterizes demographic features, clinical outcomes, and antimicrobial use among patients coded with naegleriasis in a large administrative database. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Vizient® Clinical Database, which includes discharge-level data from over 500 U.S. hospitals. Patients discharged between January 2016 and February 2024 with ICD-10-CM code B60.2 (naegleriasis) were identified. Demographics, inpatient mortality, antimicrobial use, and discharge disposition were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: Twenty-two patients were identified. The mean age was 37 years; 73% were adults. In-hospital mortality was 50%. Survivors had longer hospital stays than nonsurvivors. Amphotericin B and fluconazole were the most used antimicrobials. Diagnostic confirmation of PAM was unavailable, and additional clinical details were not accessible. Conclusions: Patients coded with naegleriasis were mostly adults and had lower mortality than expected for confirmed PAM. The 50% survival rate suggests possible misclassification. These findings are hypothesis-generating and highlight the need for case-based studies with laboratory confirmation to clarify epidemiologic trends.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971225002231Naegleria fowleriCentral Nervous System Protozoal InfectionsAdministrative dataInternational Classification of DiseasesEpidemiology |
| spellingShingle | Thad Wilkins Alyssa Harris Will Cagle Pravin Vikram Phillip Coule Jose Vazquez Patients with ICD-10-CM codes for Naegleriasis in U.S. hospitals, 2016-2024: A retrospective analysis of administrative data International Journal of Infectious Diseases Naegleria fowleri Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections Administrative data International Classification of Diseases Epidemiology |
| title | Patients with ICD-10-CM codes for Naegleriasis in U.S. hospitals, 2016-2024: A retrospective analysis of administrative data |
| title_full | Patients with ICD-10-CM codes for Naegleriasis in U.S. hospitals, 2016-2024: A retrospective analysis of administrative data |
| title_fullStr | Patients with ICD-10-CM codes for Naegleriasis in U.S. hospitals, 2016-2024: A retrospective analysis of administrative data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patients with ICD-10-CM codes for Naegleriasis in U.S. hospitals, 2016-2024: A retrospective analysis of administrative data |
| title_short | Patients with ICD-10-CM codes for Naegleriasis in U.S. hospitals, 2016-2024: A retrospective analysis of administrative data |
| title_sort | patients with icd 10 cm codes for naegleriasis in u s hospitals 2016 2024 a retrospective analysis of administrative data |
| topic | Naegleria fowleri Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections Administrative data International Classification of Diseases Epidemiology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971225002231 |
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