Infection prevention and control in outpatient settings in China-structure, resources, and basic practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Fu; Huang, Wenzhi; Zong, Zhiyong; Yin, Weijia

2018-01-25

More than 7 billion visits are made by patients to ambulatory services every year in mainland China. Healthcare-associated infections are becoming a new source of illness for outpatients. Little is known about infection prevention, control structure, resources available, and basic practices in outpatient settings. In 2014, we conducted a multisite survey. Five provinces were invited to participate based on geographic dispersion. Self-assessment questionnaires regarding the structure, infrastructure, apparatus and materials, and basic activities of infection prevention and control were issued to 25 hospitals and 5 community health centers in each province. A weight was assigned to each question according to its importance. Overall, 146 of 150 facilities (97.3%) participated in this study. The average survey score was 77.6 (95% confidence interval 75.7-79.5) and varied significantly between the different gross domestic product areas (P infection prevention and control was practiced consistently, although there were lapses in some areas. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-infection and infection control in dentistry: Knowledge, attitude and practice of patients attended dental clinics in King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nahla K. Ibrahim

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to determine the level of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP of patients attended dental clinics at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH regarding cross infections and infection control in dentistry. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 225 patients who attended the dental clinics of KAUH, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2014. A standardized, confidential, anonymous, interviewing questionnaire was used. Knowledge about dental infections was assessed by 12 MCQs. The attitudes were assessed through answering seven statements on a three- point Likert scale. Patients’ self reported practices were also evaluated. Descriptive and inferential statistics were done.Results of the study revealed that 39.5%, 38.7% and 21.8% of the participants obtained poor, fair and satisfactory level of knowledge about infections and infection control in dentistry, respectively. Social media was the commonest source of information about dental infection. Participant's educational level was significantly associated with the level of knowledge about dental infection. Patients had positive attitudes towards infection control in dentistry. Regarding self-reported practice, only few participants would ask dentists about sterilization of dental instruments (9.3%, wearing face mask (13.3% and gloves (16.4% if they don’t do so. In conclusion, our participants had good attitudes towards infection control in dentistry. However, their knowledge and practice need improvements. Conduction of educational programs is needed through social media, mass media, schools and public places. These programs involve both patients and providers. Keywords: Patient safety, Cross infection, Dental infection, Infection control, Emerging diseases, KAP

[Ethical issues linked to the professional practice of nurses in a hospital infection control committee].

Science.gov (United States)

Alves, Débora Cristina Ignácio; Evora, Yolanda Dora Martinez

2002-01-01

This qualitative work was developed according to Bardin's method of content analysis. It aimed at finding out the perceptions of nurses that are members of a Hospital Infection Control Commission about ethical issues that are inherent to their professional practice as well as understanding the clinical nurses opinion regarding the professional practice of the nurses that are members of the Hospital Infection Control Commission, considering the ethical aspects. In order to achieve an ethical, efficient and effective professional practice, there is a need for governmental changes and professional recognition through autonomy, respect and exclusivity in the Service of Hospital Infection Control, as well as improvements regarding information, the care provided to the patient and professional secret. The predominance of bureaucratic activities and team work were mentioned by the clinical nurses as differentiating factors of the activities performed by nurses that are members of the Commission.

Factors associated with good TB infection control practices among primary healthcare workers in the Free State Province, South Africa.

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Engelbrecht, Michelle; Janse van Rensburg, André; Kigozi, Gladys; van Rensburg, Hcj Dingie

2016-11-04

Despite the availability of TB infection control guidelines, and good levels of healthcare worker knowledge about infection control, often these measures are not well implemented. This study sought to determine the factors associated with healthcare workers' good TB infection control practices in primary health care facilities in the Free State Province, South Africa. A cross-sectional self-administered survey among nurses (n = 202) and facility-based community healthcare workers (n = 34) as well as facility observations were undertaken at all 41 primary health care facilities in a selected district of the Free State Province. The majority of respondents were female (n = 200; 87.7 %) and the average age was 44.19 years (standard deviation ±10.82). Good levels of knowledge were recorded, with 42.8 % (n = 101) having an average score (i.e. 65-79 %) and 31.8 % (n = 75) a good score (i.e. ≥ 80 %). Most respondents (n = 189; 80.4 %) had positive attitudes towards TB infection control practices (i.e. ≥ 80 %). While good TB infection control practices were reported by 72.9 % (n = 161) of the respondents (i.e. ≥75 %), observations revealed this to not necessarily be the case. For every unit increase in attitudes, good practices increased 1.090 times (CI:1.016-1.169). Respondents with high levels of knowledge (≥80 %) were 4.029 (CI: 1.550-10.469) times more likely to have good practices when compared to respondents with poor levels of knowledge (control were the main factors associated with good infection control practices. Although many respondents reported good infection control practices - which was somewhat countered by the observations - there are areas that require attention, particularly those related to administrative controls and the use of personal protective equipment.

Infection Prevention Practices and Associated Factors among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2018-03-01

Mar 1, 2018 ... Healthcare Workers in Governmental Healthcare Facilities in Addis. Ababa .... personal protective equipments and materials, ... disinfection practice, tuberculosis infection control ..... E. Knowledge and practice of infection.

Knowledge, attitude and practices about hepatitis B and Infection Control Measures among dental students in Patiala

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Vishal Malhotra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Hepatitis B is highly infectious, but preventable diseases and dentists are at increased risk of exposure to saliva and blood of patients during their clinical practice, and so it is of utmost importance that they follow standard guidelines for infection control. Aims: To assess knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding infection control measures among dental students of Government Dental College in Punjab. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered pretested questionnaire to dental students and responses were statistically analyzed. The analysis of variance was used to compare means of knowledge, attitude, and practice scores between four groups of study subjects and P < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results: Although the students have sufficient knowledge regarding hepatitis B, still there are gaps in putting their knowledge into practice. Third and final year students have significantly less mean knowledge and practice scores compared to interns and postgraduate students. The majority of students have a positive attitude and were willing to perform any procedure on hepatitis B-infected patients. Conclusions: Dental students have adequate knowledge and good attitude but still there are some misconceptions. There is poor implementation of standard infection control measures in their practice. Rigorous training programs on preventive practices and regular workshops must be organized on an annual basis in dental colleges. Moreover, hepatitis B vaccination must be made mandatory for students before they start their clinical practice.

Infection control practice in countries with limited resources

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Alp Emine

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Nosocomial infections and their control are a world-wide challenge. The prevalence of nosocomial infections is generally higher in developing countries with limited resources than industrialized countries. In this paper we aimed to further explain the differences with regard to infection control challenges between Turkey, a country with "limited" resources, and the Netherlands, a country with "reasonable" resources. Infrastructure of hospitals, low compliance of hand hygiene, understaffing, overcrowding, heavy workload, misuse of personal protective equipments, late establishment of infection control programme are major problems in limited-resources countries. These problems cause high infection rates and spread of multi-drug resistant pathogens. To improve the control and prevention of infections in countries with limited resources, a multi-facet approach is needed.

A survey of infection control practices of consultant anaesthesiologists in teaching hospitals of pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaqub, K.M.; Tariq, M.; Janjua, S.; Masroor, R.

2007-01-01

To determine the infection control practices of Anaesthesiologist in the teaching hospitals of Pakistan. Cross-sectional survey. The survey was closed after allowing 6 months for return of the replies. A questionnaire was distributed to 170 consultant anaesthesiologist randomly selected from all over Pakistan. Out of these, 90 (53%) were returned and analyzed. To reduce self-report bias, the forms were filled anonymously. Thirty four percent of the respondents always used masks, and only 9% used gloves in their every day practice. Only 18% of respondents stated that they always washed their hands after every patient contact and 54% reported that they always used aseptic technique for placing an indwelling cannula. Most respondents had a good knowledge of universal precautions for prevention of occupational transmission of infection. Five percent of the anaesthetists reported frequently or always reusing syringes for more than one patient. The practice of reusing syringes was significantly greater when the same consultants were anaesthetizing patients in private clinics rather than in their primary institutions (p 5, in 58% of cases. Whereas most responding anaesthesiologist exhibit appropriate infection control behaviour, there are several potentially hazardous practices that continue unabated. (author)

Infection control practice in countries with limited resources.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alp, E.; Leblebicioglu, H.; Doganay, M.; Voss, A.

2011-01-01

Nosocomial infections and their control are a world-wide challenge. The prevalence of nosocomial infections is generally higher in developing countries with limited resources than industrialized countries. In this paper we aimed to further explain the differences with regard to infection control

Improvements in cross-infection control in general dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, E M; Sarll, D W

1995-07-08

A questionnaire about cross-infection control was sent to all GDPs in five FHSAs in the North Western Region. Replies came from 312 dentists, a response rate of 74%. They worked in 185 practices, a response rate of 85%. Gloves were worn routinely by 86% of dentists and 80% of DSAs. Handpieces were autoclaved between patients in 77% of practices. Much however, remains to be improved. DSAs could be better protected if more ultrasonic cleaners were used, eye protection encouraged and heavy duty gloves were available for cleaning instruments. BDA guidelines were reported as being the most influential factor, though it would appear that the media did persuade many practitioners to use autoclavable handpieces and sterilise them after each use.

Barriers and motivators affecting tuberculosis infection control practices of Russian health care workers.

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Woith, W; Volchenkov, G; Larson, J

2012-08-01

Five in-patient and out-patient tuberculosis (TB) care facilities in two regions of Russia. To identify barriers and motivators to the use of infection control measures among Russian TB health care workers. In this qualitative study, a convenience sample of 96 health care workers (HCWs) was used to generate 15 homogeneous focus groups, consisting of physicians, nurses, and laboratory or support staff. Barriers and motivators related to knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and practices were identified. The three main barriers were 1) knowledge deficits, including the belief that TB was transmitted by dust, linens and eating utensils; 2) negative attitudes related to the discomfort of respirators; and 3) practices with respect to quality and care of respirators. Education and training, fear of infecting loved ones, and fear of punishment were the main motivators. Our results point to the need for evaluation of current educational programs. Positive health promotion messages that appeal to fear might also be successful in promoting TB infection control. Individualized rewards based on personal motivators or group rewards that build on collectivist theory could be explored.

Update to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection (2017): A summary, review, and strategies for implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Hara, Lyndsay M; Thom, Kerri A; Preas, Michael Anne

2018-03-07

Surgical site infections remain a common cause of morbidity, mortality, and increased length of stay and cost amongst hospitalized patients in the United States. This article summarizes the evidence used to inform the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection (2017), and highlights key updates and new recommendations. We also present specific suggestions for how infection preventionists can play a central role in guideline implementation by translating these recommendations into evidence-based policies and practices in their facility. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Introduction to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee Guideline for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomkin, Joseph S; Mazuski, John; Blanchard, Joan C; Itani, Kamal M F; Ricks, Philip; Dellinger, E Patchen; Allen, George; Kelz, Rachel; Reinke, Caroline E; Berríos-Torres, Sandra I

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common type of health-care-associated infection (HAI) and adds considerably to the individual, social, and economic costs of surgical treatment. This document serves to introduce the updated Guideline for the Prevention of SSI from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). The Core section of the guideline addresses issues relevant to multiple surgical specialties and procedures. The second procedure-specific section focuses on a high-volume, high-burden procedure: Prosthetic joint arthroplasty. While many elements of the 1999 guideline remain current, others warrant updating to incorporate new knowledge and changes in the patient population, operative techniques, emerging pathogens, and guideline development methodology.

Manual of infection prevention and control

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Damani, N. N

2012-01-01

.... Unlike other books on infection control, the main strength of this book is to provide clear, up-to-date and practical guidance in infection control in an easy to read format which can act as a quick...

Healthcare associated infection: good practices, knowledge and the locus of control in heatlhcare professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Taffurelli, Chiara; Sollami, Alfonso; Camera, Carmen; Federa, Francesca; Grandi, Annise; Marino, Marcella; Marrosu, Tiziano; Sarli, Leopoldo

2017-07-18

  The incidence of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) is an important indicator of the quality of care. The behaviors associated with the prevention of infections are not only supported by rational knowledge or motivation, but are mediated by social, emotional and often stereotyped behaviors. The awarness of the good practices related to HAI, may be a factor. Other studies, identify how the perception of the problem in healthcare professionals is often influenced by a tendency towards an external Locus of Control: the patient, the family, the other wards, other care settings. The aim of this study is to investigate the perception of healthcare professionals. In particular they have been measured their  awarness of the good practices, perceptions of the potential contamination level of some commonly used objects, knowledge about the management of invasive devices, Locus of Control.   A cross-sectional correlational design was utilized.  An ad hoc questionnaire was interviewed by 222 health professionals nurses and physicians in a northern hospital of Italy. The percentage of professionals who have attended training courses over the last 5 years was quite high, both for upgrades on HAI (78.7%) and Vascular Catheters (78.8%), while the percentage of professionals who updated on bladder catheterization (59.46%) was lower. The mean  score of good practice awareness towards HAI (5.06), is high. The perception of the potential level of contamination of some devices had a  mean ranging from 4.62 (for the drip) to 5.26 (for the door handle). The average value of the Locus of Control (43.54) indicates that participants demonstrated a value that is midway between External and Internal. The correlation test analysis revealed no significant relationships among professionals'age, knowledge about HAI, or infection related venus catheter. Also, results revealed that there were statistically significant positive relationships between professionals' Good Practices

Patient Involvement Can Affect Clinicians’ Perspectives and Practices of Infection Prevention and Control

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Mary Wyer

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study, set in a mixed, adult surgical ward of a metropolitan teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, used a novel application of video-reflexive ethnography (VRE to engage patients and clinicians in an exploration of the practical and relational complexities of patient involvement in infection prevention and control (IPC. This study included individual reflexive sessions with eight patients and six group reflexive sessions with 35 nurses. VRE usually involves participants reflecting on video footage of their own (and colleagues’ practices in group reflexive sessions. We extended the method here by presenting, to nurses, video clips of their clinical interactions with patients, in conjunction with footage of the patients themselves analyzing the videos of their own care, for infection risks. We found that this novel approach affected the nurses’ capacities to recognize, support, and enable patient involvement in IPC and to reflect on their own, sometimes inconsistent, IPC practices from patients’ perspectives. As a “post-qualitative” approach, VRE prioritizes participants’ roles, contributions, and learning. Invoking affect as an explanatory lens, we theorize that a “safe space” was created for participants in our study to reflect on and reshape their assumptions, positionings, and practices.

[Evaluation of practices for the prevention and control of bloodstream infections in a government hospital].

Science.gov (United States)

Jardim, Jaquelline Maria; Lacerda, Rúbia Aparecida; Soares, Naury de Jesus Danzi; Nunes, Bruna Kosar

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to observe clinical procedures in order to evaluate the practices used for the control and prevention of bloodstream infections associated with short-term central venous catheters (BSI-ACVC). The study data came from 5877 assessments distributed among selected practices. The results revealed the following adherence rates among the practices selected: 91.6% for recording the indication and permanence time of the CVC, 51.5% for adhering to the care and maintenance of the dressing at the CVC insertion site and its devices, 10.7% for hand hygiene practices while performing procedures related to the CVC, and 0.0% for the practices related to the insertion of the central venous catheter (CVC). The results demonstrate the need for further elaboration of strategies that ensure sustainable compliance practices for prevention and control BSI-ACVC in the institution being assessed.

Pandemic preparedness - Risk management and infection control for all respiratory infection outbreaks.

Science.gov (United States)

Nori, Annapurna; Williams, Mary-Anne

2009-11-01

There has been substantial effort and activity in regards to pandemic planning, preparedness and response, mainly in the realm of public health. However, general practitioners and other primary care providers are important players in the health response to a pandemic. To discuss the importance of general practice preparedness for managing respiratory infection outbreaks and to provide a model for the general practice response. Pandemic planning and preparedness in general practice is ultimately a crucial risk management exercise, the cornerstone of which is sound infection control. As planning will be significantly aided by, and should extend to, other respiratory outbreaks, we propose a framework for managing outbreaks of respiratory infections with a focus on planned, practised and habitual infection control measures, and a stepwise response according to the extent and severity of the outbreak.

Exploring the context for effective clinical governance in infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

Halton, Kate; Hall, Lisa; Gardner, Anne; MacBeth, Deborough; Mitchell, Brett G

2017-03-01

Effective clinical governance is necessary to support improvements in infection control. Historically, the focus has been on ensuring that infection control practice and policy is based on evidence, and that there is use of surveillance and auditing for self-regulation and performance feedback. There has been less exploration of how contextual and organizational factors mediate an infection preventionists (IP's) ability to engage with evidence-based practice and enact good clinical governance. A cross sectional Web-based survey of IPs in Australia and New Zealand was undertaken. Questions focused on engagement in evidence-based practice and perceptions about the context, culture, and leadership within the infection control team and organization. Responses were mapped against dimensions of Scally and Donaldson's clinical governance framework. Three hundred surveys were returned. IPs appear well equipped at an individual level to undertake evidence-based practice. The most serious set of perceived challenges to good clinical governance related to a lack of leadership or active resistance to infection control within the organization. Additional challenges included lack of information technology solutions and poor access to specialist expertise and financial resources. Focusing on strengthening contextual factors at the organizational level that otherwise undermine capacity to implement evidence-based practice is key to sustaining current infection control successes and promoting further practice improvements. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.

Nosocomial infections and their control strategies

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Hassan Ahmed Khan

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Nosocomial infections are also known as hospital-acquired/associated infections. National Healthcare Safety Network along with Centers for Disease Control for surveillance has classified nosocomial infection sites into 13 types with 50 infection sites, which are specific on the basis of biological and clinical criteria. The agents that are usually involved in hospital-acquired infections include Streptococcus spp., Acinetobacter spp., enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Legionella and Enterobacteriaceae family members, namely, Proteus mirablis, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens. Nosocomial pathogens can be transmitted through person to person, environment or contaminated water and food, infected individuals, contaminated healthcare personnel's skin or contact via shared items and surfaces. Mainly, multi-drug-resistant nosocomial organisms include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia, whereas Clostridium difficile shows natural resistance. Excessive and improper use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, especially in healthcare settings, is elevating nosocomial infections, which not only becomes a big health care problem but also causes great economic and production loss in the community. Nosocomial infections can be controlled by measuring and comparing the infection rates within healthcare settings and sticking to the best healthcare practices. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides the methodology for surveillance of nosocomial infections along with investigation of major outbreaks. By means of this surveillance, hospitals can devise a strategy comprising of infection control practices.

Vascular access and infection prevention and control: a national survey of routine practices in Irish haemodialysis units.

Science.gov (United States)

McCann, Margaret; Clarke, Michael; Mellotte, George; Plant, Liam; Fitzpatrick, Fidelma

2013-04-01

National and international guidelines recommend the use of effective vascular access (VA) and infection prevention and control practices within the haemodialysis environment. Establishing an arterio-venous fistula (AVF) and preventing central venous catheter (CVC)-related infections are ongoing challenges for all dialysis settings. We surveyed VA and routine infection prevention and control practices in dialysis units, to provide national data on these practices in Ireland. A descriptive survey was emailed to nurse managers at all adult (n = 19) and children (n = 1) outpatient haemodialysis units in the Republic of Ireland. Data collected included AVF formation, CVC insertion and maintenance practices, VA use and surveillance of infection and screening protocols. Nineteen of the 20 units responded to the survey. The AVF prevalence was 49% for 1370 patients in 17 units who provided these data [mean prevalence per unit: 45.7% (SD 16.2)]; the CVC mean prevalence per unit was 52.5% (SD 16.0). Fourteen dialysis units experienced inadequate access to vascular surgical procedures either due to a lack of dedicated theatre time or hospital beds. Six units administered intravenous prophylactic antimicrobials prior to CVC insertion with only two units using a CVC insertion checklist at the time of catheter insertion. In general, dialysis units in Ireland show a strong adherence to national guidelines. Compared with the 12 countries participating in the Dialysis Outcomes Practice Patterns Study (DOPPS 4), in 2010, AVF prevalence in Irish dialysis units is the second lowest. Recommendations include establishing an AVF national prevalence target rate, discontinuing the administration of intravenous prophylactic antimicrobials prior to CVC insertion and promoting the use of CVC insertion checklists.

Introduction to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee Guideline for Prevention of Surgical Site Infection: Prosthetic Joint Arthroplasty Section.

Science.gov (United States)

Segreti, John; Parvizi, Javad; Berbari, Elie; Ricks, Philip; Berríos-Torres, Sandra I

Peri-prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a severe complication of total joint arthroplasty that appears to be increasing as more of these procedures are performed. Numerous risk factors for incisional (superficial and deep) and organ/space (e.g., PJI) surgical site infections (SSIs) have been identified. A better understanding and reversal of modifiable risk factors may lead to a reduction in the incidence of incisional SSI and PJI. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) recently updated the national Guideline for Prevention of Surgical Site Infection. The updated guideline applies evidence-based methodology, presents recommendations for potential strategies to reduce the risk of SSI, and includes an arthroplasty-specific section. This article serves to introduce the guideline development process and to complement the Prosthetic Joint Arthroplasty section with background information on PJI-specific economic burden, epidemiology, pathogenesis and microbiology, and risk factor information.

Helminth infections and practice of prevention and control measures among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Anbesame health center, Northwest Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiferaw, Melashu Balew; Zegeye, Amtatachew Moges; Mengistu, Agmas Dessalegn

2017-07-12

Helminth infections have a terrible impact on child growth and development, and harm pregnant women. Regular treatment and long term preventive interventions are important measures to break the transmission routes. Hence, identifying the status of helminth infection and practices of prevention and control measures among pregnant women is important in different geographical areas of Ethiopia including our setting. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 pregnant women from March to June, 2015. About 2 g of stool was collected and examined to identify helminth infections. Proportions and risk factors of helminth infections were calculated using SPSS version 20. Among the total 180 study participants, 38 (21.1% [95% CI 15.2-27.0%]) pregnant women had helminth infections. Hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni were the only identified helminth species. Thirty-six (20.0% [95% CI 14.3-25.7%]) and 4 (2.2% [95% CI 0.2-4.2%]) pregnant women had hookworm and S. mansoni infections, respectively. Of which, double infection (hookworm and S. mansoni) was found in two pregnant women. Only 32 (17.8%) pregnant women had proper hand wash practice after toilet, 48 (26.7%) drank treated water, and 40 (22.2%) wore shoes regularly. Those pregnant women who did not take albendazole or mebendazole dewormers (AOR 3.57; 95% CI 1.19-10.69; P 0.023) were more infected from helminth infections. This study showed that there was a high intestinal helminth infection among pregnant women, and low practice of prevention and control measures. Thus, prevention and control measures should be strengthened in the setting.

77 FR 58397 - Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-20

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthcare...) strategies for surveillance, prevention, and control of healthcare-associated infections (e.g., nosocomial infections) antimicrobial resistance and related events in settings where healthcare is provided, including...

The assessment of infection control in dental practices in the municipality of São Paulo

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Jacqueline Kimiko Matsuda

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the infection control measures actually implemented by dental surgeons during dental practice, as patients and professionals are exposed to high biological risk in dental care environments. METHOD: 614 questionnaires (90.69% were answered by professionals registered in updating or in post-graduate courses in the Municipality of São Paulo. RESULTS: Out of surveyed professionals 30.62% admitted that surface protection barriers were not used, whereas 34.17% were using non ideal or outdated pre-disinfection practices. The autoclave was used by 69.38% of participants, although 33.80% were not monitoring control of the sterilization cycles. Chemical and biological indicators were not used simultaneously by 83.21% of respondents and were not employed on a daily or weekly basis by at least 81.75%. Dubious methods of sterilization were cited by 44.77%. Occupational accidents caused by cutting and piercing objects were reported by 47.88%; however, the biologic risk was underestimated by 74.15% of the professionals who suffered the accidents. Irritant solutions were used as an antiseptic agent by 18.55%. CONCLUSIONS: Infection control measures reported by dental surgeons during their practices are deficient. It is necessary to educate, raise awareness of professionals, and promote constant updating courses on procedures which aim at improving safety of dental care.

Using ‘appreciative inquiry’ in India to improve infection control practices in maternity care: a qualitative study

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Bharati Sharma

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Infections acquired during childbirth are a common cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Changing provider behaviour and organisational settings within the health system is key to reducing the spread of infection. Objective: To explore the opinions of health personnel on health system factors related to infection control and their perceptions of change in a sample of hospital maternity units. Design: An organisational change process called ‘appreciative inquiry’ (AI was introduced in three maternity units of hospitals in Gujarat, India. AI is a change process that builds on recognition of positive actions, behaviours, and attitudes. In-depth interviews were conducted with health personnel to elicit information on the environment within which they work, including physical and organisational factors, motivation, awareness, practices, perceptions of their role, and other health system factors related to infection control activities. Data were obtained from three hospitals which implemented AI and another three not involved in the intervention. Results: Challenges which emerged included management processes (e.g. decision-making and problem-solving modalities, human resource shortages, and physical infrastructure (e.g. space, water, and electricity supplies. AI was perceived as having a positive influence on infection control practices. Respondents also said that management processes improved although some hospitals had already undergone an accreditation process which could have influenced the changes described. Participants reported that team relationships had been strengthened due to AI. Conclusion: Technical knowledge is often emphasised in health care settings and less attention is paid to factors such as team relationships, leadership, and problem solving. AI can contribute to improving infection control by catalysing and creating forums for team building, shared decision making and problem solving in an

Effectiveness of Training Program Related to Infection Control and Waste Management Practices in a Private Dental College, Pune − A Quasi-Experimental Study

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Shruti Ladia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Healthcare workers, in general, are susceptible to contracting with infectious diseases. Thus, appropriate infection control practices are of prime importance in academic institutions, wherein under-graduate students form a major part of the oral healthcare team right from the 3rd year of the curriculum. This fact underlines the need to provide extensive training to prevent healthcare-related infections to the patient and themselves. Aim: To assess the effectiveness of training related to infection control and waste management practices among under-graduate students in a private dental institution. Materials and Methods: The present study conducted among 3rd year under-graduate dental students in Pune, 2015 assessed their knowledge, attitude, and practices related to infection control and waste management followed by an intervention in the form of training. A quasi-experimental design (before and after comparison was employed. Complete enumeration was performed. Results: Out of the 88 students, 46 (52.27% had good knowledge at baseline, which improved to 72 (81.81% after the training; 80 (90.90% had good attitude, which improved to 88 (100%; and 67 (76.13% had good practice, which improved to 88 (100%. At the baseline, the results showed that the mean knowledge score was 3.45 ± 1.03, the mean attitude score was 2.90 ± 0.28, and the mean practice score was 7.3 ± 0.76. After the training, the results showed that the mean knowledge score was 4.5 ± 0.25, the mean attitude score was 3, and the mean practice score was 8.1 ± 0.5. Conclusion: The training was effective in improving the over-all score of the participants related to the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding infection control and waste management. Thus, we propose to train the students on various aspects of infection control and waste management and introduce an on-going training program in the curriculum.

Patient safety and infection control: bases for curricular integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Andréa Mara Bernardes da; Bim, Lucas Lazarini; Bim, Felipe Lazarini; Sousa, Alvaro Francisco Lopes; Domingues, Pedro Castania Amadio; Nicolussi, Adriana Cristina; Andrade, Denise de

2018-05-01

To analyze curricular integration between teaching of patient safety and good infection prevention and control practices. Integrative review, designed to answer the question: "How does curricular integration of content about 'patient safety teaching' and content about 'infection prevention and control practices' occur in undergraduate courses in the health field?". The following databases were searched for primary studies: CINAHL, LILACS, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, Europe PMC and MEDLINE. The final sample consisted of 13 studies. After content analysis, primary studies were grouped into two subject categories: "Innovative teaching practices" and "Curricular evaluation. Patient safety related to infection prevention and control practices is present in the curriculum of health undergraduate courses, but is not coordinated with other themes, is taught sporadically, and focuses mainly on hand hygiene.

Abstract: Implementing Infection Control Measures in Neonatology ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. Background Neonatal infection is a primary cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Objective The project's objective is to facilitate quality improvement by reduction of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) in hospitalized neonates. Methods Current infection control practices were surveyed and three main areas were ...

Korean clinical practice guidelines for preventing the transmission of infections in hemodialysis facilities

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Hayne Cho Park

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Patients receiving hemodialysis are vulnerable to infectious diseases due to their impaired immunity and high risk of exposure to pathogens. To protect patients, staff, and visitors from potential infections, each hemodialysis unit should establish and follow standard infection control and prevention measures. Therefore, clinical practice guidelines were developed by a working group of nephrologists and infection control specialists to provide evidence-based guidance for dialysis physicians and nurses, with the aim of preventing infection transmission and controlling infection sources in hemodialysis facilities. The areas of infection control covered by these guidelines include standard precautions, isolation strategies, vascular access, water treatment, cleaning/disinfecting/sterilizing, and vaccination. This special report summarizes the key recommendations from the Korean clinical practice guidelines for preventing the transmission of infections in hemodialysis facilities.

Discourse of 'transformational leadership' in infection control.

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Koteyko, Nelya; Carter, Ronald

2008-10-01

The article explores the impact of the ;transformational leadership' style in the role of modern matron with regards to infection control practices. Policy and guidance on the modern matron role suggest that it is distinctive in its combination of management and clinical components, and in its reliance on transformational leadership. Senior nurses are therefore expected to motivate staff by creating high expectations, modelling appropriate behaviour, and providing personal attention to followers by giving respect and responsibility. In this article, we draw on policy documents and interview data to explore the potential impact of this new management style on infection control practices. Combining the techniques of discourse analysis and corpus linguistics, we identify examples where matrons appear to disassociate themselves from the role of ;an empowered manager' who has control over human and financial resources to resolve problems in infection control efficiently.

Implications of design on infection prevention and control practice in a novel hospital unit: the Medical Ward of the 21st Century.

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VanSteelandt, Amanda; Conly, John; Ghali, William; Mather, Charles

2015-01-01

The physical design of hospital wards is associated with transmission of pathogenic organisms and hospital-acquired infections. A novel hospital unit, the Medical Ward of the 21st Century (W21C), optimizes features for infection prevention and control practices. Ethnographic research on the W21C versus conventional hospital wards examined the experiential and behavioural elements of the different designs. Three recurring themes emerged regarding the design features on the W21C and included visual cues, 'having a place for things', and less sharing of spaces and materials. Observational data of healthcare worker practices demonstrated significantly higher compliance with hand hygiene opportunities on the W21C compared with older hospital units. These findings suggest how the physical design of a hospital ward may enhance infection prevention and control practices.

Knowledge, awareness and practice of infection control by health ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Training workshop on infection control should be organized for all ICU health care ... across the world are infected at any given time. ... er during the course of their stay in the hospital.4,5 The ... which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, ..... Batuduwaarachchi VR, Balasubramanium M, Bal-.

Tuberculosis infection control practices and associated factors among health care workers in health centers of West Gojjam zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

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Tamir, Kassahun; Wasie, Belaynew; Azage, Muluken

2016-08-08

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem. The emerging epidemic of multi- and extensively drug-resistant (M/XDR) TB further imperils health workers, patients and public health. Health facilities with inadequate infection control are risky environments for the emergence and transmission of TB. There was no study that presented data on infection control practices of health care workers. This study aimed to assess tuberculosis infection control practices and associated factors among health care workers in West Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia. Institution based quantitative cross-sectional study triangulated with qualitative observation and key informant interview was conducted. Six hundred sixty two health care workers were selected by multistage random sampling method. Self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data. Observation checklists and key informant interview guides were used to collect qualitative data. Quantitative data were entered in to Epi Info version 3.5.3 and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Odds ratio with 95 % confidence interval was used to identify factors associated with TB infection control practice of health care workers. Qualitative data were translated, transcribed, analyzed and triangulated with the quantitative findings. The proportion of proper TB infection control (TBIC) practices was 38 %. Qualitative data showed that administrative, environmental and personal respiratory protection control measures were not practiced well. Knowledge on the presence of TBIC plan [AOR = 4.25, 95 % CI: 2.46 - 7.35], knowledge on the presence of national guideline [AOR = 8.95, 95 % CI: 4.35 - 18.40] and working department of the health care workers were independent predictors of TBIC practices. The proportion of proper TBIC practices of health care workers was low. TBIC practices were determined by knowing the presence of TBIC plan and national guideline and working department. Hence, supportive

Organizational culture and its implications on infection prevention and control

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R Baral

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The hospital acquired infections are becoming common in our hospitals lately. These infections are difficult to treat and maybe life threatening. Hospital acquired infection  can be minimized or eradicated by good Infection Prevention and Control guidelines and good hand hygiene practices. The success of Infection Prevention and Control guidelines program in any hospital is largely impacted by the organizational culture.  In any health care setting the management is challenged by the organizational culture to change of any kind. Where implementation of Infection Prevention and Control guidelines program is easily implemented in some hospitals it is very difficult in others. Moreover, hand hygiene is not only biomedical practice but also has more behavioral factors. 

Australian Infection Control Association members' use of skills and resources that promote evidence-based infection control.

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Murphy, C L; McLaws, M

2000-04-01

To adopt an evidence-based approach, professionals must be able to access, identify, interpret, and critically appraise best evidence. Critical appraisal requires essential skills, such as computer literacy and an understanding of research principles. These skills also are required for professionals to contribute to evidence. In 1996, members of the Australian Infection Control Association were surveyed to establish a profile including the extent to which they were reading infection control publications, using specific documents for policy and guideline development, developing and undertaking research, publishing research, and using computers. The relationships between demographics, computer use, and research activity were examined. The response rate was 63. 4% (630/993). The study group comprised mostly women (96.1%), and most (66.4%) were older than 40 years of age. Median infection control experience was 4 years (mean, 5.4 years; range, Australian infection control professionals must be adequately prepared to contribute to, access, appraise, and where appropriate, apply best evidence to their practice. We suggest that computer literacy, an understanding of research principles, and familiarity with infection control literature are three essential skills that infection control professionals must possess and regularly exercise.

Infection control in design and construction work.

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Collinge, William H

2015-01-01

To clarify how infection control requirements are represented, communicated, and understood in work interactions through the medical facility construction project life cycle. To assist project participants with effective infection control management by highlighting the nature of such requirements and presenting recommendations to aid practice. A 4-year study regarding client requirement representation and use on National Health Service construction projects in the United Kingdom provided empirical evidence of infection control requirement communication and understanding through design and construction work interactions. An analysis of construction project resources (e.g., infection control regulations and room data sheets) was combined with semi-structured interviews with hospital client employees and design and construction professionals to provide valuable insights into the management of infection control issues. Infection control requirements are representationally indistinct but also omnipresent through all phases of the construction project life cycle: Failure to recognize their nature, relevance, and significance can result in delays, stoppages, and redesign work. Construction project resources (e.g., regulatory guidance and room data sheets) can mask or obscure the meaning of infection control issues. A preemptive identification of issues combined with knowledge sharing activities among project stakeholders can enable infection control requirements to be properly understood and addressed. Such initiatives should also reference existing infection control regulatory guidance and advice. © The Author(s) 2015.

78 FR 62636 - Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-22

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthcare... Healthcare Quality Promotion, the Director, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases... healthcare infection prevention and control; (2) strategies for surveillance, prevention, and control of...

78 FR 28221 - Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-14

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthcare... Healthcare Quality Promotion, the Director, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases... healthcare infection prevention and control; (2) strategies for surveillance, prevention, and control of...

Infection control knowledge and practice: A cross-sectional survey on dental laboratories in dental institutes of North India.

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Gupta, Sakshi; Rani, Sapna; Garg, Sandeep

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of dental laboratory technicians regarding infection control and modes of infection control employed by them. A self-assessment questionnaire-based survey was carried out among dental technicians to assess the knowledge and practice of infection control in dental laboratories. Survey instrument containing 16 questions were randomly distributed to 70 dental colleges of North India regarding knowledge of infection control methods and infection control practised in laboratories. Data were collected and analyzed. The response showed that 30.76% of dental technicians receive 30-50 or more than 50 impressions in a week. About 96.15% of the technicians used a plastic bag to carry impressions. Twenty-five percent of the dental technicians were aware of infection control protocol. Fifty-five percent of the technicians received impressions while wearing gloves and 61.53% of the institutes had a separate receiving area. Nearly 71.15% of the technicians communicate with the doctor regarding the disinfection of impression received in the laboratory. Almost 30.76% of the dental technicians disinfect all the impressions and 67.30% technicians use immersion for disinfection of impressions. Only 38.46% responded that they immerse impressions for 10 min for disinfection. About 73.07% use gloves, 90.38% use mouth masks, 57.69% wear eye shields, and 88.46% wear aprons while working. Nearly 78.84% of the technicians received vaccination against hepatitis B virus. Almost 69.23% of the technicians change pumice slurry after regular intervals, and 75% do not add any disinfectant. Nearly 59.61% of technicians disinfect the prostheses before sending it to the clinic, and 42.30% disinfect them by immersion technique. About disposal of waste, 80.76% said that they dispose the waste properly. To summarize, most of the technicians were not aware of basic infection control protocols.

Prevention of nosocomial infections in intensive care unit and nursing practices

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Sevilay Yüceer

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Nosocomial infections which are considered as the primary indicator of the quality of care in hospitals, cause to prolong hospitalization at intensive care unit and hospital, increase morbidity, mortality, and the cost of treatment. Although only 5-10% of the patients are treated in the intensive care units, 20-25% of all nosocomial infections are seen in these units. Preventing nosocomial infections in intensive care units is a process started at the patient acceptance to unit that requires an interdisciplinary team approach of intensive care staffs’ and Infection Control Committee members.Intensive care nurses who are in constant contact with patients have important responsibilities in preventing nosocomial infections. Intensive care nurses should be aware that the nosocomial infections can be prevented. They should have current knowledge about universal precautions related to prevention and control of infections, which are accepted by the entire world and they reinforce this knowledge by practice and should provide the most effective care to patients.In this article, nursing practices for prevention of nosocomial infections in intensive care units are discussed based on universal precautions.

Translating infection control guidelines into practice: implementation process within a health care institution.

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Raveis, Victoria H; Conway, Laurie J; Uchida, Mayuko; Pogorzelska-Maziarz, Monika; Larson, Elaine L; Stone, Patricia W

2014-04-01

Health-care-associated infections (HAIs) remain a major patient safety problem even as policy and programmatic efforts designed to reduce HAIs have increased. Although information on implementing effective infection control (IC) efforts has steadily grown, knowledge gaps remain regarding the organizational elements that improve bedside practice and accommodate variations in clinical care settings. We conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews in 11 hospitals across the United States with a range of hospital personnel involved in IC (n = 116). We examined the collective nature of IC and the organizational elements that can enable disparate groups to work together to prevent HAIs. Our content analysis of participants' narratives yielded a rich description of the organizational process of implementing adherence to IC. Findings document the dynamic, fluid, interactional, and reactive nature of this process. Three themes emerged: implementing adherence efforts institution-wide, promoting an institutional culture to sustain adherence, and contending with opposition to the IC mandate.

Implementation of infection control best practice in intensive care units throughout Europe: a mixed-method evaluation study.

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Sax, Hugo; Clack, Lauren; Touveneau, Sylvie; Jantarada, Fabricio da Liberdade; Pittet, Didier; Zingg, Walter

2013-02-19

The implementation of evidence-based infection control practices is essential, yet challenging for healthcare institutions worldwide. Although acknowledged that implementation success varies with contextual factors, little is known regarding the most critical specific conditions within the complex cultural milieu of varying economic, political, and healthcare systems. Given the increasing reliance on unified global schemes to improve patient safety and healthcare effectiveness, research on this topic is needed and timely. The 'InDepth' work package of the European FP7 Prevention of Hospital Infections by Intervention and Training (PROHIBIT) consortium aims to assess barriers and facilitators to the successful implementation of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) prevention in intensive care units (ICU) across several European countries. We use a qualitative case study approach in the ICUs of six purposefully selected acute care hospitals among the 15 participants in the PROHIBIT CRBSI intervention study. For sensitizing schemes we apply the theory of diffusion of innovation, published implementation frameworks, sensemaking, and new institutionalism. We conduct interviews with hospital health providers/agents at different organizational levels and ethnographic observations, and conduct rich artifact collection, and photography during two rounds of on-site visits, once before and once one year into the intervention. Data analysis is based on grounded theory. Given the challenge of different languages and cultures, we enlist the help of local interpreters, allot two days for site visits, and perform triangulation across multiple data sources. Qualitative measures of implementation success will consider the longitudinal interaction between the initiative and the institutional context. Quantitative outcomes on catheter-related bloodstream infections and performance indicators from another work package of the consortium will produce a final mixed

Implementation of infection control best practice in intensive care units throughout Europe: a mixed-method evaluation study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sax Hugo

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The implementation of evidence-based infection control practices is essential, yet challenging for healthcare institutions worldwide. Although acknowledged that implementation success varies with contextual factors, little is known regarding the most critical specific conditions within the complex cultural milieu of varying economic, political, and healthcare systems. Given the increasing reliance on unified global schemes to improve patient safety and healthcare effectiveness, research on this topic is needed and timely. The ‘InDepth’ work package of the European FP7 Prevention of Hospital Infections by Intervention and Training (PROHIBIT consortium aims to assess barriers and facilitators to the successful implementation of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI prevention in intensive care units (ICU across several European countries. Methods We use a qualitative case study approach in the ICUs of six purposefully selected acute care hospitals among the 15 participants in the PROHIBIT CRBSI intervention study. For sensitizing schemes we apply the theory of diffusion of innovation, published implementation frameworks, sensemaking, and new institutionalism. We conduct interviews with hospital health providers/agents at different organizational levels and ethnographic observations, and conduct rich artifact collection, and photography during two rounds of on-site visits, once before and once one year into the intervention. Data analysis is based on grounded theory. Given the challenge of different languages and cultures, we enlist the help of local interpreters, allot two days for site visits, and perform triangulation across multiple data sources. Qualitative measures of implementation success will consider the longitudinal interaction between the initiative and the institutional context. Quantitative outcomes on catheter-related bloodstream infections and performance indicators from another work package of the

An Integrative Review of Infection Control Research in Korean Nursing Journals

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Kyung Mi Kim, RN, PhD

2014-06-01

Conclusions: To enhance the quality of infection control studies and establish infection control studies as a nursing knowledge body, meta-analyses and systematic literature reviews as well as quantitative studies are needed. Moreover, studies employing behavioral science to identify factors influencing the level of knowledge and practice and to change infection control behaviors are also warranted.

A survey of United States dental hygienists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices with infection control guidelines.

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Garland, Kandis V

2013-06-01

To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of U.S. dental hygienists with infection control guidelines (ICG). Research has shown improved compliance with specific aspects of dental ICG is needed. This study supports the American Dental Hygienists' Association National Research Agenda's Occupational Health and Safety objective to investigate methods to decrease errors, risks and or hazards in health care. Data are needed to assess compliance, prevention and behavioral issues with current ICG practices. A proportional stratified random sample (n=2,500) was recruited for an online survey. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitudes and practices responses. Spearman's rho correlations determined relationships between knowledge, attitudes and practices responses (pexpectations for using ICG (rs=0.529) and no time to use (rs=-0.537). Themes from comments indicated time is a barrier, and respondents' perceived a need for involvement of all co-workers. Dental hygienists are adhering with most aspects of the ICG. High compliance with ICG among respondents in this study was associated with positive safety beliefs and practices, whereas lower compliance with ICG was associated with less positive safety beliefs and practices. A safety culture appears to be a factor in compliance with ICG.

Importance of Multifaceted Approaches in Infection Control: A Practical Experience from an Outbreak Investigation.

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Nina Katharina Stock

Full Text Available This study presents the results of a multidisciplinary, nosocomial MRSA outbreak investigation in an 8-bed medical intensive care unit (ICU. The identification of seven MRSA positive patients in the beginning of 2014 led to the closure of the ward for several weeks. A multidisciplinary, retrospective investigation was initiated in order to identify the reason and the source for the outbreak, describe MRSA transmission in the department and identify limitations in infection control.The investigation comprised an epidemiological description of MRSA cases from 2012 to 2014 and a characterization of MRSA isolates, including phage-, spa- and PFGE-typing. Additionally, MRSA screening was performed from the hospital staff and the environment. To identify the reason for the outbreak, work-related, psychological and behavioral factors were investigated by impartial audits and staff interviews.Thirty-one MRSA cases were registered during the study period, and 36 isolates were investigated. Molecular typing determined the outbreak strain (phage type 54/812, PFGE type A4, spa type t003 and identified the probable index case. Nasal carriage in one employee and a high environmental contamination with the outbreak strain was documented. Important gaps in nursing procedures and general management were identified. Elevated stress levels and communication problems preceded the outbreak. Compliance with hand hygiene and isolation procedures was evaluated as appropriate.This study demonstrates the complexity of controlling hospital-associated infections. The combined use of different typing methods is beneficial for outbreak investigations. Psychological, behavioral and other work-related factors have an important impact on the spread of nosocomial pathogens. These factors should be addressed and integrated in routine infection control practice.

Current standards for infection control: audit assures compliance.

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Flanagan, Pauline

Having robust policies and procedures in place for infection control is fundamentally important. However, each organization has to go a step beyond this; evidence has to be provided that these policies and procedures are followed. As of 1 April 2009, with the introduction of the Care Quality Commission and The Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for the NHS on the Prevention and Control of Healthcare-Associated Infections and Related Guidance, the assurance of robust infection control measures within any UK provider of health care became an even higher priority. Also, the commissioning of any service by the NHS must provide evidence that the provider has in place robust procedures for infection control. This article demonstrates how the clinical audit team at the Douglas Macmillan Hospice in North Staffordshire, UK, have used audit to assure high rates of compliance with the current national standards for infection control. Prior to the audit, hospice staff had assumed that the rates of compliance for infection control approached 100%. This article shows that a good quality audit tool can be used to identify areas of shortfall in infection control and the effectiveness of putting in place an action plan followed by re-audit.

How to Manage and Control Healthcare Associated Infections

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Wijaya, L.

2018-03-01

Healthcare associated infections (HAI) are the major complications of modern medical therapy. The most important HAIs are related to invasive devices including central line- associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and surgical-site infections (SSI). Excessive use of antibiotics has also led to the emergence and the global dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria over the last few decades. Reducing HAIs will involve a multi-modal approach to infection control practices as well as antibiotic stewardship program.

Hospital adoption of automated surveillance technology and the implementation of infection prevention and control programs.

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Halpin, Helen; Shortell, Stephen M; Milstein, Arnold; Vanneman, Megan

2011-05-01

This research analyzes the relationship between hospital use of automated surveillance technology (AST) for identification and control of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) and implementation of evidence-based infection control practices. Our hypothesis is that hospitals that use AST have made more progress implementing infection control practices than hospitals that rely on manual surveillance. A survey of all acute general care hospitals in California was conducted from October 2008 through January 2009. A structured computer-assisted telephone interview was conducted with the quality director of each hospital. The final sample includes 241 general acute care hospitals (response rate, 83%). Approximately one third (32.4%) of California's hospitals use AST for monitoring HAI. Adoption of AST is statistically significant and positively associated with the depth of implementation of evidence-based practices for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and ventilator-associated pneumonia and adoption of contact precautions and surgical care infection practices. Use of AST is also statistically significantly associated with the breadth of hospital implementation of evidence-based practices across all 5 targeted HAI. Our findings suggest that hospitals using AST can achieve greater depth and breadth in implementing evidenced-based infection control practices. Copyright © 2011 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

ICMR programme on Antibiotic Stewardship, Prevention of Infection & Control (ASPIC).

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Chandy, Sujith J; Michael, Joy Sarojini; Veeraraghavan, Balaji; Abraham, O C; Bachhav, Sagar S; Kshirsagar, Nilima A

2014-02-01

Antimicrobial resistance and hospital infections have increased alarmingly in India. Antibiotic stewardship and hospital infection control are two broad strategies which have been employed globally to contain the problems of resistance and infections. For this to succeed, it is important to bring on board the various stakeholders in hospitals, especially the clinical pharmacologists. The discipline of clinical pharmacology needs to be involved in themes such as antimicrobial resistance and hospital infection which truly impact patient care. Clinical pharmacologists need to collaborate with faculty in other disciplines such as microbiology to achieve good outcomes for optimal patient care in the hospital setting. The ASPIC programme was initiated by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in response to the above need and was designed to bring together faculty from clinical pharmacology, microbiology and other disciplines to collaborate on initiating and improving antibiotic stewardship and concurrently curbing hospital infections through feasible infection control practices. This programme involves the participation of 20 centres per year throughout the country which come together for a training workshop. Topics pertaining to the above areas are discussed in addition to planning a project which helps to improve antibiotic stewardship and infection control practices in the various centres. It is hoped that this programme would empower hospitals and institutions throughout the country to improve antibiotic stewardship and infection control and ultimately contain antimicrobial resistance.

Zoonotic disease risk perceptions and infection control practices of Australian veterinarians: call for change in work culture.

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Dowd, Karen; Taylor, Melanie; Toribio, Jenny-Ann L M L; Hooker, Claire; Dhand, Navneet K

2013-08-01

This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of zoonotic disease risk among Australian veterinarians, the infection control practices they use to protect themselves from zoonotic diseases, and the factors influencing their use of these protective practices. A questionnaire was designed and piloted prior to its administration to veterinarians at the annual Australian Veterinary Association Conference in May 2011. The questionnaire comprised 21 closed, semi-closed and open questions. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression analyses to determine significant factors for veterinarians' use of personal protective equipment (PPE). A total of 344 veterinarians completed the questionnaire of which 63.7% were women, 63.2% worked in small/companion animal practice, and 79.9% worked in private veterinary practice. Of the respondents, 44.9% reported contracting a zoonosis during their careers with 19.7% reporting a suspected case and 25.2% reporting a confirmed incidence. Around 40-60% of veterinarians perceived exposure to zoonosis likely or very likely in a variety of situations. With reference to current national industry guidelines, the reported use of PPE was less than "adequate" for most scenarios except for performing postmortems, surgery or dental procedures. No PPE was used by 60-70% of veterinarians for treating respiratory and neurological cases and by 40-50% when treating gastrointestinal and dermatological cases. Workplace conditions need improvement as 34.8% of workplaces did not have isolation units for infected animals, 21.1% did not have separate eating areas for staff, and 57.1% did not have complete PPE kits for use. Veterinarians were more likely to use PPE if they had undertaken postgraduate education, perceived that zoonosis exposure from animals and procedures was likely, consciously considered PPE use for every case they dealt with and believed that liability issues and risks encouraged use of PPE. In contrast

Identifying Core Competencies of Infection Control Nurse Specialists in Hong Kong.

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Chan, Wai Fong; Bond, Trevor G; Adamson, Bob; Chow, Meyrick

2016-01-01

To confirm a core competency scale for Hong Kong infection control nurses at the advanced nursing practice level from the core competency items proposed in a previous phase of this study. This would serve as the foundation of competency assurance in Hong Kong hospitals. A cross-sectional survey design was used. All public and private hospitals in Hong Kong. All infection control nurses in hospitals of Hong Kong. The 83-item proposed core competency list established in an earlier study was transformed into a questionnaire and sent to 112 infection control nurses in 48 hospitals in Hong Kong. They were asked to rate the importance of each infection prevention and control item using Likert-style response categories. Data were analyzed using the Rasch model. The response rate of 81.25% was achieved. Seven items were removed from the proposed core competency list, leaving a scale of 76 items that fit the measurement requirements of the unidimensional Rasch model. Essential core competency items of advanced practice for infection control nurses in Hong Kong were identified based on the measurement criteria of the Rasch model. Several items of the scale that reflect local Hong Kong contextual characteristics are distinguished from the overseas standards. This local-specific competency list could serve as the foundation for education and for certification of infection control nurse specialists in Hong Kong. Rasch measurement is an appropriate analytical tool for identifying core competencies of advanced practice nurses in other specialties and in other locations in a manner that incorporates practitioner judgment and expertise.

Working practices and success of infection prevention and control teams: a scoping study.

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Hale, R; Powell, T; Drey, N S; Gould, D J

2015-02-01

Little research has been undertaken on how infection prevention and control (IPC) teams operate and how their effectiveness is assessed. This review aimed to explore how IPC teams embed IPC throughout hospitals, balance outbreak management with strategic aspects of IPC work (e.g. education), and how IPC team performance is measured. A scoping exercise was performed combining literature searches, evidence synthesis, and intelligence from expert advisers. Eleven publications were identified. One paper quantified how IPC nurses spend their time, two described daily activities of IPC teams, five described initiatives to embed IPC across organizations following legislation since 1999 in the UK or changes in the delivery of healthcare, and three explored the contribution of IPC intermediaries (link nurses and champions). Eight publications reported research findings. The others reported how IPC teams are embedding IPC practice in UK hospitals. In conclusion, there is scope for research to explore different models of IPC team-working and effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. Other topics that need addressing are the willingness and ability of ward staff to assume increased responsibility for IPC and the effectiveness of intermediaries. Copyright © 2014 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, attitude, and infection control practices of two tertiary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-04-02

Apr 2, 2014 ... This study assessed the effects of the implementation of the policy in a tertiary hospital in Port Harcourt, ... malpractice suit in developing countries, not only for the ... Infection control policy has however been shown to reduce the burden of ..... SSIs‑activities that mirror the plan‑do‑check‑act that is applied in ...

Infection control and practice of standard precautions among healthcare workers in northern Nigeria

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O E Amoran

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs have been reported to be a serious problem in the healthcare services as they are common causes of illness and mortality among hospitalized patients including healthcare workers (HCWs. Compliance with these standard precautions has been shown to reduce the risk of exposure to blood and body fluids. Aims: This study therefore assesses the level of knowledge and compliance with standard precautions by the various cadre of HCWs and the factors influencing compliance in hospital environment in Nasarawa State, Northern Nigeria. Settings and Design: Nasarawa State has a current human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 10.0%, which was higher than most states in Nigeria with a high level of illiteracy and ignorance. Majority of the people reside in the rural areas while a few are found in the towns, informal settlements with no direct access to healthcare facilities are common. Materials and Methods: This study is an analytical, cross-sectional study. Proportional sampling technique was used to obtain a representative sample and a structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect relevant information from the healthcare providers working in Nasarawa State from January to February 2009. Statistical analysis used: To describe patient characteristics, we calculated proportions and medians. For categorical variables, we compared proportions using chi-square tests. A logistic regression model was produced with infection control as outcome variable to identify associated factors. Results: A total of 421 HCWs were interviewed, Majority (77.9% correctly describe universal precaution and infection control with 19.2, 19.2, and 28.0%, respectively unable to recognize vaccination, postexposure prophylaxis, and surveillance for emerging diseases as standard precaution for infection control. About 70.1% usually wear gloves before handling patients or

Predictors of certification in infection prevention and control among infection preventionists: APIC MegaSurvey findings.

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Kalp, Ericka L; Harris, Jeanette J; Zawistowski, Grace

2018-06-06

The 2015 APIC MegaSurvey was completed by 4,078 members to assess infection prevention practices. This study's purpose was to examine MegaSurvey results to relate infection preventionist (IP) certification status with demographic characteristics, organizational structure, compensation benefits, and practice and competency factors. Descriptive statistics were used to examine population characteristics and certification status. Bivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships between independent variables and certification status. Variables demonstrating statistical significance (P Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National survey of practices to prevent health care-associated infections in Thailand: The role of prevention bundles.

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Apisarnthanarak, Anucha; Ratz, David; Greene, M Todd; Khawcharoenporn, Thana; Weber, David J; Saint, Sanjay

2017-07-01

We evaluated the practices used in Thai hospitals to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). From January 1, 2014-November 30, 2014, we surveyed all Thai hospitals with an intensive care unit and at least 250 beds. The use of prevention practices for CAUTI, CLABSI, and VAP was assessed. High compliance (≥75%) with all components of the CLABSI and VAP prevention bundles were determined. CAUTI, CLABSI, and VAP infection rates before and after implementing infection control practices are reported. Multivariable regression was used to examine associations between infection prevention bundle compliance and infection rate changes. Out of 245 eligible hospitals, 212 (86.5%) responded. A total of 120 (56.6%) and 115 hospitals (54.2%) reported ≥75% compliance for all components of the CLABSI and VAP prevention bundles, respectively, and 91 hospitals (42.9%) reported using ≥ 4 recommended CAUTI-prevention practices. High compliance with all of the CLABSI and VAP bundle components was associated with significant infection rate reductions (CLABSI, 38.3%; P Hospitals regularly using ≥ 4 CAUTI-prevention practices did not have greater reductions in CAUTI (0.02%; P = .99). Compliance with practices to prevent hospital infections was suboptimal. Policies and interventions promoting bundled approaches may help reduce hospital infections for Thai hospitals. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Critical role of clinical laboratories in hospital infection control].

Science.gov (United States)

Yagi, Tetsuya

2010-11-01

The hospital infection control and prevention is recognized to be more and more important according to the advances in modern medical treatment and care. Clinical microbiology laboratory play critical roles in the hospital infection control as a member of infection control team (ICT). They are the first in a hospital to identify outbreak of MRSA in NICU and molecular epidemiological analysis of the isolates lead proper intervention of ICT to the concerned ward. From a viewpoint of infectious disease specialist, rapid and precise microbiological information is essential for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Each medical technologist need to make efforts to understand the characteristics of the examinations for infectious diseases and send out information useful for clinical practices. In our hospital, with the participation of all members of medical technologists, rapid reporting system was developed for blood culture examinations, which greatly contribute to the appropriate treatment of bloodstream infections. Collaborations of clinical microbiology laboratory with other members of ICT realize high quality hospital infection control. They also need to be aware of themselves as good practitioners of infection control measures to prevent hospital infections.

Re-Thinking Microbiology/Infection Control Education to Enhance the Practice-Readiness of Health Professional Students: More than Just a Curriculum Issue

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Cox, Jennifer L.; Simpson, Maree Donna; Letts, Will; Cavanagh, Heather

2015-01-01

Undergraduate education in the health professions is intended to produce competent health professional graduates. Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a necessary element of daily practice in many health professions, to safeguard patients and staff, however previous research has established poor knowledge and implementation of IPC precautions…

Infection Prevention and Control in Pediatric Ambulatory Settings.

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Rathore, Mobeen H; Jackson, Mary Anne

2017-11-01

Since the American Academy of Pediatrics published its statement titled "Infection Prevention and Control in Pediatric Ambulatory Settings" in 2007, there have been significant changes that prompted this updated statement. Infection prevention and control is an integral part of pediatric practice in ambulatory medical settings as well as in hospitals. Infection prevention and control practices should begin at the time the ambulatory visit is scheduled. All health care personnel should be educated regarding the routes of transmission and techniques used to prevent the transmission of infectious agents. Policies for infection prevention and control should be written, readily available, updated every 2 years, and enforced. Many of the recommendations for infection control and prevention from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for hospitalized patients are also applicable in the ambulatory setting. These recommendations include requirements for pediatricians to take precautions to identify and protect employees likely to be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials while on the job. In addition to emphasizing the key principles of infection prevention and control in this policy, we update those that are relevant to the ambulatory care patient. These guidelines emphasize the role of hand hygiene and the implementation of diagnosis- and syndrome-specific isolation precautions, with the exemption of the use of gloves for routine diaper changes and wiping a well child's nose or tears for most patient encounters. Additional topics include respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette strategies for patients with a respiratory tract infection, including those relevant for special populations like patients with cystic fibrosis or those in short-term residential facilities; separation of infected, contagious children from uninfected children when feasible; safe handling and disposal of needles and other sharp medical devices; appropriate use of personal

Multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogens challenging veterinary infection control.

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Walther, Birgit; Tedin, Karsten; Lübke-Becker, Antina

2017-02-01

Although the problems associated with healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and the emergence of zoonotic and multidrug-resistant pathogens in companion animal (dogs, cats and horses) medicine have been well-known for decades, current progress with respect to practical implementation of infection control programs in veterinary clinics has been limited. Clinical outbreak events reported for methicillin-resistant Staphylooccus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP), extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella Serovars indicate the necessity of infection control strategies for protecting animal patients at risk as well as veterinary personnel. The close bond between humans and their companion animals provides opportunities for exchange of microorganisms, including MDR pathogens. This particular aspect of the "One Health" idea requires more representative surveillance efforts and infection control strategies with respect to animal-species specific characters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Infection control in delivery care units, Gujarat state, India: A needs assessment

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Ramani KV

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Increasingly, women in India attend health facilities for childbirth, partly due to incentives paid under government programs. Increased use of health facilities can alleviate the risks of infections contracted in unhygienic home deliveries, but poor infection control practices in labour and delivery units also cause puerperal sepsis and other infections of childbirth. A needs assessment was conducted to provide information on procedures and practices related to infection control in labour and delivery units in Gujarat state, India. Methods Twenty health care facilities, including private and public primary health centres and referral hospitals, were sampled from two districts in Gujarat state, India. Three pre-tested tools for interviewing and for observation were used. Data collection was based on existing infection control guidelines for clean practices, clean equipment, clean environment and availability of diagnostics and treatment. The study was carried out from April to May 2009. Results Seventy percent of respondents said that standard infection control procedures were followed, but a written procedure was only available in 5% of facilities. Alcohol rubs were not used for hand cleaning and surgical gloves were reused in over 70% of facilities, especially for vaginal examinations in the labour room. Most types of equipment and supplies were available but a third of facilities did not have wash basins with "hands-free" taps. Only 15% of facilities reported that wiping of surfaces was done immediately after each delivery in labour rooms. Blood culture services were available in 25% of facilities and antibiotics are widely given to women after normal delivery. A few facilities had data on infections and reported rates of 3% to 5%. Conclusions This study of current infection control procedures and practices during labour and delivery in health facilities in Gujarat revealed a need for improved information systems

RELEVANCE OF SERVICE INFECTION CONTROL IN THE VISION OF NURSING TECHNICIANS

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Patrick Leonardo Nogueira da Silva

2013-09-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to identify the relevance of Service Infection Control in an Intensive Care Unit in the view of licensed practical nurses. This is a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory and research field. We used an interview in which he applied a semi-structured to eleven practical nurses working in intensive care of a hospital foundation. As the understanding of the benefits arising from the Service Infection Control for the industry, contacted that the respondents cited more often by the prevention of infections, was also mentioned as a boon to the maintenance of the organization in the industry, the quality and safety of assistance as other benefits generated by this executor service standards. It is concluded that the nursing staff have a lack of knowledge about the activities undertaken by the service control infections since the actions of the members of the Commission executors encompass a series of regulatory actions.

Knowledge, attitude and practice related to liver fluke infection in northeast Thailand

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Natthawut Kaewpitoon; Soraya J Kaewpitoon; Prasit Pengsaa; Chutigan Pilasri

2007-01-01

AIM:To investigate the knowledge,attitude and practice (KAP) in prevention and control of liver fluke infection in northeast Thailand.METHODS:A descriptive KAP survey pertaining to liver fluke infection was carried out in June 2005 to October 2006 using structured questionnaires. Data were collected by questionnaires consisting of general parameters,knowledge,attitude,practice,and a history of participation in the prevention and control of liver fluke infection.RESULTS:A total of 1077 persons who were interviewed and completed the questionnaires were enrolled in the study. The majority were females (69.5%) and many of them were 15-20 years of age (37.26%). The questionnaires revealed that information resources on Uver fluke infection included local public health volunteers (31.37%),public health officers (18.72%),televisions (14.38%),local heads of sub-districts (12.31%),doctors and nurses (9.18%),newspaper (5.72),internets (5.37%),and others (12.95%). Fifty-five point eleven percent of the population had a good level of liver fluke knowledge concerning the mode of disease transmission and 79.72% of the population had a good level of prevention and control knowledge with regards to defecation and consumption. The attitude and practice in liver fluke prevention and control were also at a good level with a positive awareness,participation,and satisfaction of 72.1% and 60.83% of the persons studied. However,good health behavior was found in 39.26% and 41.42% of the persons studied who had unhygienic defecation and ate raw cyprinoid's fish. Theresult also showed that 41.25% of the persons studied previously joined prevention and control campaigns.CONCLUSION:The persons studied have a high level of liver fluke knowledge and positive attitude. However,improvement is required regarding personal hygiene specifically with hygienic defecation and consumption of undercooked fish.

Infection control practices in dental school: A patient perspective from Saudi Arabia

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Mohammad Abdul Baseer

2013-01-01

Conclusions: Patients revealed adequate knowledge towards the use of gloves, face mask and spectacles by dentist. However, their knowledge regarding the spread of Hepatitis-B, HIV infection and use of autoclave was poor. Previous visitor of dental clinics showed higher knowledge of infection control as compared to the first time visitors. Many patients expressed their negative attitudes towards dental care due to AIDS and Hepatitis-B concerns.

Rural Indonesian health care workers' constructs of infection prevention and control knowledge.

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Marjadi, Brahmaputra; McLaws, Mary-Louise

2010-06-01

Understanding the constructs of knowledge behind clinical practices in low-resource rural health care settings with limited laboratory facilities and surveillance programs may help in designing resource-appropriate infection prevention and control education. Multiple qualitative methods of direct observations, individual and group focus discussions, and document analysis were used to examine health care workers' knowledge of infection prevention and control practices in intravenous therapy, antibiotic therapy, instrument reprocessing, and hand hygiene in 10 rural Indonesian health care facilities. Awareness of health care-associated infections was low. Protocols were in the main based on verbal instructions handed down through the ranks of health care workers. The evidence-based knowledge gained across professional training was overridden by empiricism, nonscientific modifications, and organizational and societal cultures when resources were restricted or patients demanded inappropriate therapies. This phenomenon remained undetected by accreditation systems and clinical educators. Rural Indonesian health care workers would benefit from a formal introduction to evidence-based practice that would deconstruct individual protocols that include nonscientific knowledge. To achieve levels of acceptable patient safety, protocols would have to be both evidence-based and resource-appropriate. Copyright 2010 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.

Menstrual Hygiene Practices, WASH Access and the Risk of Urogenital Infection in Women from Odisha, India

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Das, Padma; Baker, Kelly K.; Dutta, Ambarish; Swain, Tapoja; Sahoo, Sunita; Das, Bhabani Sankar; Panda, Bijay; Nayak, Arati; Bara, Mary; Bilung, Bibiana; Mishra, Pravas Ranjan; Panigrahi, Pinaki; Cairncross, Sandy; Torondel, Belen

2015-01-01

Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices vary worldwide and depend on the individual’s socioeconomic status, personal preferences, local traditions and beliefs, and access to water and sanitation resources. MHM practices can be particularly unhygienic and inconvenient for girls and women in poorer settings. Little is known about whether unhygienic MHM practices increase a woman’s exposure to urogenital infections, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV) and urinary tract infection (UTI). This study aimed to determine the association of MHM practices with urogenital infections, controlling for environmental drivers. A hospital-based case-control study was conducted on 486 women at Odisha, India. Cases and controls were recruited using a syndromic approach. Vaginal swabs were collected from all the participants and tested for BV status using Amsel’s criteria. Urine samples were cultured to assess UTI status. Socioeconomic status, clinical symptoms and reproductive history, and MHM and water and sanitation practices were obtained by standardised questionnaire. A total of 486 women were recruited to the study, 228 symptomatic cases and 258 asymptomatic controls. Women who used reusable absorbent pads were more likely to have symptoms of urogenital infection (AdjOR=2.3, 95%CI1.5-3.4) or to be diagnosed with at least one urogenital infection (BV or UTI) (AdjOR=2.8, 95%CI1.7-4.5), than women using disposable pads. Increased wealth and space for personal hygiene in the household were protective for BV (AdjOR=0.5, 95%CI0.3-0.9 and AdjOR=0.6, 95%CI0.3-0.9 respectively). Lower education of the participants was the only factor associated with UTI after adjusting for all the confounders (AdjOR=3.1, 95%CI1.2-7.9). Interventions that ensure women have access to private facilities with water for MHM and that educate women about safer, low-cost MHM materials could reduce urogenital disease among women. Further studies of the effects of specific practices for managing

Infection Control in Dentistry: The Challenge of “SARS” | Uti | Journal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), a newly discovered infectious disease poses a fresh threat to infection control in dental practice. This paper reviews the mode of transmission of SARS and its implication on dental practice. It gives practical guidelines for the prevention of its transmission in the dental environment.

The barriers and motivators to learning infection control in clinical placements: interviews with midwifery students.

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Ward, Deborah J

2013-05-01

To investigate the barriers to and motivators for learning infection prevention and control as identified by midwifery students. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 15 undergraduate midwifery students within one large university. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis. Barriers to good clinical practice were identified by students which were concordant with previous literature related to reasons for non-compliance with infection control precautions. Issues such as competing demands specific to midwifery were also identified. Factors which act as barriers to learning good practice in placements included conflicting information and practices from different staff and placement areas and staff attitudes towards students who tried to comply with precautions. Motivators to good practice included the perceived vulnerability of infants to infection, the role modelling of good practice to new mothers and the monitoring of practice. This study demonstrated that midwifery students perceive barriers and motivators to learning infection prevention and control in their clinical placements. Many of the barriers identified are related to the attitudes and practices of qualified staff. Some of the motivators are related specifically to midwifery practice. Midwives need to be aware of the effects of what is observed in practice on midwifery students and how their practices and attitudes can influence learning both positively and negatively. As healthcare-associated infection and poor compliance with precautions are a global problem, this research should be of benefit to midwives and midwifery educators worldwide in terms of addressing barriers and ensuring better clinical education. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infection control and the burden of tuberculosis infection and disease in health care workers in china: a cross-sectional study.

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He, Guang Xue; van denHof, Susan; van der Werf, Marieke J; Wang, Guo Jie; Ma, Shi Wen; Zhao, Dong Yang; Hu, Yuan Lian; Yu, Shi Cheng; Borgdorff, Martien W

2010-10-28

Hospitals with inadequate infection control are risky environments for the emergence and transmission of tuberculosis (TB). We evaluated TB infection control practices, and the prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI) and TB disease and risk factors in health care workers (HCW) in TB centers in Henan province in China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2005. To assess TB infection control practices in TB centers, checklists were used. HCW were tuberculin skin tested (TST) to measure LTBI prevalence, and were asked for sputum smears and chest X-rays to detect TB disease, and questionnaires to assess risk factors. Differences between groups for categorical variables were analyzed by binary logistic regression. The clustered design of the study was taken into account by using a multilevel logistic model. The assessment of infection control practices showed that only in a minority of the centers the patient consultation areas and X-ray areas were separated from the waiting areas and administrative areas. Mechanical ventilation was not available in any of the TB centers. N95 respirators were not available for HCW and surgical masks were not available for TB patients and suspects. The LTBI prevalence of HCW with and without BCG scar was 55.6% (432/777) and 49.0% (674/1376), respectively (P = 0.003). Older HCW, HCW with longer duration of employment, and HCW who worked in departments with increased contact with TB patients had a higher prevalence of LTBI. HCW who work in TB centers at the prefecture level, or with an inpatient ward also had a higher prevalence of LTBI. Twenty cases of pulmonary TB were detected among 3746 HCW. The TB prevalence was 6.7/1000 among medical staff and 2.5/1000 among administrative/logistic staff. TB infection control in TB centers in Henan, China, appears to be inadequate and the prevalence of LTBI and TB disease among HCW was high. TB infection control practices in TB centers should be strengthened in China, including administrative

[Infection control and hand hygiene in nursing homes in Oslo].

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Sie, Ingrid; Thorstad, Margrete; Andersen, Bjørg Marit

2008-06-26

Nosocomial infections and transmission can be substantially reduced by good infection control. The laws and regulations for infection control in heath care institutions emphasize establishment of infection control programs and improved hand hygiene. Our study reviews some factors that are important for practicing adequate hand hygiene (knowledge about infection control and hand-washing facilities). Health care workers (HCW) in nursing homes in Oslo participated in this study in 2006-2007. A questionnaire was made and SPSS was used to analyse the data . 70.7% of 324 HCW (in 42 nursing homes) answered the questionnaires. Nearly all of the respondents (95.6%) knew about the written procedures for hygiene and infection control; 88.5% knew that an infection control program was in place and about 50% had received information through internal education. Three of four had read the National guidelines for hand hygiene, 77.5% thought that hand disinfection was more effective than hand washing, and 97% reported hand hygiene after contact with a patient having an infection. Dispensers for hand disinfection were situated at central work places. At the same time, 17.9% informed that they worked in more than one place at the same time. This study confirms that most nursing homes in Oslo have an infection control program and training that improves the knowledge and awareness of hand hygiene among HCWs. However, the fact that nursing homes in Oslo have the resources, knowledge and education, is not the same as compliance.

Awareness of Infection Control Protocols Among Dental Students in Babylon Dental Faculty

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Khalil Ibraheem Zaidan

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Infection control and knowledge of common "infectious diseases" is essential for safe dental practice. Conveyance of infectious diseases is likely "from one individual to another during dental procedures", thorough" blood-borne" viruses and bacteria   "such as hepatitis" , human immunodeficiency virus (HIV. Thence in dental practice, the  sterilization and particular protection  is of most importance Process in  dental procedures,  and patient sponsor settings seek specific strategies guide to prevent the  transmission of diseases among dental students , oral verdure care staffs and their patients. Aim: Current study highlight  the methods and behavior  to evaluate  the  benefits of awareness, stance and pursuit of infection control between dental students in training dental clinic at Babylon  dental collage . Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional wipe using a rear ordered questionnaire was executed. The reconnaissance consisted of 38 closed-ended questions that included the key areas of infection control, including hand hygiene, personal preservation, sterilization and disinfection and ecological infection monitoring. There were also questions to elicit perceptions regarding the treatment of HBV and HIV/AIDS patients. Results: Survey study was done for dental students replied to the reconnaissance. Their situation and realization across infection control in college teaching  clinic .The results were assorted between 100% were orderly using gloves and 96% mask   with patient to 6% were orderly wore eye glasses. The type of sterilization of instrument was 90% autoclave and 10% oven and from analysis of data revealed most teaching clinics devoid of instruction post about control of infection control measures   Conclusion: "Improved compliance with recommended infection control procedures is required for all dentists" and graduated dental students  predestined in the existing project. Enduring instruction "programs and short

Pathology Laboratories and Infection Prevention and Control

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R Baral

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Laboratory health care workers are vulnerable to infection with the Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs while receiving, handling and disposing biological samples. Ideally the infrastructure of the lab should be according to the best practices like good ventilation, room pressure differential, lighting, space adequacy, hand hygiene facilities, personal protective equipments, biological safety cabinets etc. Disinfection of the environment, and specific precautions with sharps and microbial cultures should follow the protocols and policies of the Infection Prevention and Control Practices (IPAC. If Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Legionella pneumophila are expected, diagnostic tests should be performed in a bio-safety level 3 facilities (for agents which may cause serious or potentially lethal disease in healthy adults after inhalation. Laboratory access should be limited only to people working in it.Along with the advent of new technologies and advanced treatment we are now facing problems with the dreadful HAIs with Antimicrobial Resistant Organisms (AROs which is taking a pandemic form. According to WHO, hundreds of millions of patients develop HAI every year worldwide and as many as 1.4 million occur each day in hospitals alone. The principal goals for hospital IPAC programs are to protect the patient, protect the health care worker (HCW, visitors, and other persons in the health environment, and to accomplish the previous goals in a cost-effective manner like hand hygiene, surveillance, training of the HCWs, initiating awareness programs and making Best Practices and Guidelines to be followed by everyone in the hospital.The initiation for the best practices in the Pathology Laboratories can be either Sporadic or Organizational. Sporadic initiation is when the laboratories make their own IPAC policies. It has been seen that in few centres these policies have been conceptualized but not materialized. Organizational initiation is much more

Infection control challenges in deployed US military treatment facilities.

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Hospenthal, Duane R; Crouch, Helen K

2009-04-01

Personnel sustaining combat-related injuries in current overseas conflicts continue to have their care complicated by infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms, including Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas. Although presumed to be due to multiple factors both within and outside of the combat theater, concern has been raised about the difficulties in establishing and maintaining standard infection control (IC) practices in deployed medical treatment facilities and in the evacuation of the injured back to the United States. Level III facilities (hospitals capable of holding patients >72 hours) in Iraq and Afghanistan and the evacuation system from Iraq to the continental US were reviewed by an expert IC-infectious disease team. All reviewed facilities had established IC programs, but these were staffed by personnel with limited IC experience, often without perceived adequate time dedicated to perform their duties, and without uniform levels of command emphasis or support. Proper hand hygiene between patients was not always ideal. Isolation and cohorting of patients to decrease multidrug-resistant organism colonization and infection varied among facilities. Review of standard operating procedures found variability among institutions and in quality of these documents. Application of US national and theater-specific guidelines and of antimicrobial control measures also varied among facilities. Effective IC practices are often difficult to maintain in modern US hospitals. In the deployed setting, with ever-changing personnel in a less than optimal practice environment, IC is even more challenging. Standardization of practice with emphasis on the basics of IC practice (e.g., hand hygiene and isolation procedures) needs to be emplaced and maintained in the deployed setting.

Cost-Effectiveness of a Model Infection Control Program for Preventing Multi-Drug-Resistant Organism Infections in Critically Ill Surgical Patients.

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Jayaraman, Sudha P; Jiang, Yushan; Resch, Stephen; Askari, Reza; Klompas, Michael

2016-10-01

Interventions to contain two multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter (MDRA) outbreaks reduced the incidence of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) organisms, specifically methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, and Clostridium difficile in the general surgery intensive care unit (ICU) of our hospital. We therefore conducted a cost-effective analysis of a proactive model infection-control program to reduce transmission of MDR organisms based on the practices used to control the MDRA outbreak. We created a model of a proactive infection control program based on the 2011 MDRA outbreak response. We built a decision analysis model and performed univariable and probabilistic sensitivity analyses to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the proposed program compared with standard infection control practices to reduce transmission of these MDR organisms. The cost of a proactive infection control program would be $68,509 per year. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated to be $3,804 per aversion of transmission of MDR organisms in a one-year period compared with standard infection control. On the basis of probabilistic sensitivity analysis, a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $14,000 per transmission averted would have a 42% probability of being cost-effective, rising to 100% at $22,000 per transmission averted. This analysis gives an estimated ICER for implementing a proactive program to prevent transmission of MDR organisms in the general surgery ICU. To better understand the causal relations between the critical steps in the program and the rate reductions, a randomized study of a package of interventions to prevent healthcare-associated infections should be considered.

The role of education in the prevention and control of infection: a review of the literature.

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Ward, Deborah J

2011-01-01

This paper discusses a literature review which was undertaken prior to a research study about student nurses' and midwives' experiences of learning infection control in clinical practice. Its aim is to identify the role of education in the prevention and control of infection, with a specific focus on compliance with infection control precautions and reduction in infection rates. It also identifies the methods used for teaching infection control. The review concludes that there is no rigorous and convincing evidence that education improves compliance with infection control precautions or reduces rates of infection, particularly in the long-term. Areas for future research are identified. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A survey of cross-infection control procedures: knowledge and attitudes of Turkish dentists

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Emir Yüzbasioglu

2009-12-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of Turkish dentists in Samsun City regarding cross-infection control. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire was designed to obtain information about procedures used for the prevention of cross-infection in dental practices and determine the attitudes and perceptions of respondent dental practitioners to their procedures. The study population included all dentists in the city of Samsun, Turkey, in April 2005 (n=184. The questionnaire collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and practice of infection control procedures, sterilization, wearing of gloves, mask, use of rubber dam, method of storing instruments and disposal methods of contaminated material, etc. Questionnaire data was entered into a computer and analyzed by SPSS statistical software. RESULTS: From the 184 dentists to whom the questionnaires were submitted, 135 participated in the study (overall response rate of 73.36%. As much as 74.10% dentists expressed concern about the risk of cross-infection from patients to themselves and their dental assistants. Forty-three percent of the participants were able to define "cross-infection" correctly. The greatest majority of the respondents (95.60% stated that all patients have to be considered as infectious and universal precautions must apply to all of them. The overall responses to the questionnaire showed that the dentists had moderate knowledge of infection control procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Improved compliance with recommended infection control procedures is required for all dentists evaluated in the present survey. Continuing education programs and short-time courses about cross-infection and infection control procedures are suitable to improve the knowledge of dentists.

[Infection control and hygiene management in equine hospitals].

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Walther, Birgit; Janssen, Traute; Gehlen, Heidrun; Vincze, Szilvia; Borchers, Kerstin; Wieler, Lothar H; Barton, Ann Kristin; Lübke-Becker, Antina

2014-01-01

With the rising importance of nosocomial infections in equine hospitals, increased efforts with regard to biosecurity and infection control are necessary. This even more since nosocomial infections are often associated with multi-drug resistant pathogens. Consequently, the implementation of targeted prevention programs is essential. Since nosocomial infections are usually multifactorial events, realization of only a single measure is rarely effective to overcome nosocomial spread in clinical practice. Equine patients may be colonized at admission with multi-drug resistant pathogens such as methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and/or extended spectrum beta lactamase-producing (ESBL-) Enterobacteriaceae. Regardless of their individual resistance properties, these bacteria are common and usually unnoticed colonizers of either the nasopharynx or the intestinal tract. Also viral diseases caused by equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and EHV-4 may reach a clinic by patients which are latently infected or in the incubation period. To prevent nosocomal outbreaks, achieve an interruption in the infection chain and to eradicate infectious agents from the hospital environment, a professional hospital management is necessary. This should be adapted to both the wide range of pathogens causing nosocomial infections and the individual needs of equine patients. Amongst others, this approach includes a risk classification of equine patients at admission and information/enlightenment of the animal owners at discharge. An efficient management of inpatients, a targeted hygiene management and clear responsibilities with respect to biosecurity together with a surveillance of nosocomial infections form the cornerstone of infection control in equine hospitals.

Infection control education: how to make an impact--tools for the job.

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Farrington, Mark

2007-06-01

Infection control education is difficult and time consuming, but there is persuasive evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness. When Infection Control practitioners are educating and influencing healthcare workers, compliance with the well-established guidance on implementation of health service research is advisable, and thus educative efforts must be repeated and administered as part of a concerted and multifaceted approach. Infection Control education must be specifically designed for and targeted at the groups of staff concerned, and medical staff pose especial problems. Recruitment of clinical champions from peer groups, and direct approaches from medical members of the Infection Control team are usually needed. Familiarity with only a limited range of published evidence is needed to answer the majority of clinicians who challenge Infection Control practices, and referral to higher medical and managerial authority is required very infrequently and as a last resort. Some recent initiatives in the NHS in England may make Infection Control education more difficult, and these are reviewed. New sanctions have been made available to hospitals and Infection control teams in the UK with the passing of the Health Act in 2006, and the effects of these allied to educative interventions on benchmarks such as hospitals' MRSA bacteraemia rates will be observed with interest.

Infection control in anaesthesia in regional, tertiary and central ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2012-09-10

Sep 10, 2012 ... Describe how self-inflating resuscitation bags (Ambu®) are decontamined? Question 8. Do you feel that you have enough time between each case to adequately clean anaesthetic equipment and still perform your other duties? Table II: Definitions and classifications used in infection control practices.

Impact of a multidimensional infection control approach on central line-associated bloodstream infections rates in adult intensive care units of 8 cities of Turkey: findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABs) have long been associated with excess lengths of stay, increased hospital costs and mortality attributable to them. Different studies from developed countries have shown that practice bundles reduce the incidence of CLAB in intensive care units. However, the impact of the bundle strategy has not been systematically analyzed in the adult intensive care unit (ICU) setting in developing countries, such as Turkey. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional infection control approach to reduce the rates of CLAB in 13 ICUs of 13 INICC member hospitals from 8 cities of Turkey. Methods We conducted active, prospective surveillance before-after study to determine CLAB rates in a cohort of 4,017 adults hospitalized in ICUs. We applied the definitions of the CDC/NHSN and INICC surveillance methods. The study was divided into baseline and intervention periods. During baseline, active outcome surveillance of CLAB rates was performed. During intervention, the INICC multidimensional approach for CLAB reduction was implemented and included the following measures: 1- bundle of infection control interventions, 2- education, 3- outcome surveillance, 4- process surveillance, 5- feedback of CLAB rates, and 6- performance feedback on infection control practices. CLAB rates obtained in baseline were compared with CLAB rates obtained during intervention. Results During baseline, 3,129 central line (CL) days were recorded, and during intervention, we recorded 23,463 CL-days. We used random effects Poisson regression to account for clustering of CLAB rates within hospital across time periods. The baseline CLAB rate was 22.7 per 1000 CL days, which was decreased during the intervention period to 12.0 CLABs per 1000 CL days (IRR 0.613; 95% CI 0.43 – 0.87; P 0.007). This amounted to a 39% reduction in the incidence rate of CLAB

Environmental scan of infection prevention and control practices for containment of hospital-acquired infectious disease outbreaks in acute care hospital settings across Canada.

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Ocampo, Wrechelle; Geransar, Rose; Clayden, Nancy; Jones, Jessica; de Grood, Jill; Joffe, Mark; Taylor, Geoffrey; Missaghi, Bayan; Pearce, Craig; Ghali, William; Conly, John

2017-10-01

Ward closure is a method of controlling hospital-acquired infectious diseases outbreaks and is often coupled with other practices. However, the value and efficacy of ward closures remains uncertain. To understand the current practices and perceptions with respect to ward closure for hospital-acquired infectious disease outbreaks in acute care hospital settings across Canada. A Web-based environmental scan survey was developed by a team of infection prevention and control (IPC) experts and distributed to 235 IPC professionals at acute care sites across Canada. Data were analyzed using a mixed-methods approach of descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. A total of 110 completed responses showed that 70% of sites reported at least 1 outbreak during 2013, 44% of these sites reported the use of ward closure. Ward closure was considered an "appropriate," "sometimes appropriate," or "not appropriate" strategy to control outbreaks by 50%, 45%, and 5% of participants, respectively. System capacity issues and overall risk assessment were main factors influencing the decision to close hospital wards following an outbreak. Results suggest the use of ward closure for containment of hospital-acquired infectious disease outbreaks in Canadian acute care health settings is mixed, with outbreak control methods varying. The successful implementation of ward closure was dependent on overall support for the IPC team within hospital administration. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acute maternal infection and risk of pre-eclampsia: a population-based case-control study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caroline Minassian

Full Text Available Infection in pregnancy may be involved in the aetiology of pre-eclampsia. However, a clear association between acute maternal infection and pre-eclampsia has not been established. We assessed whether acute urinary tract infection, respiratory tract infection, and antibiotic drug prescriptions in pregnancy (a likely proxy for maternal infection are associated with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia.We used a matched nested case-control design and data from the UK General Practice Research Database to examine the association between maternal infection and pre-eclampsia. Primiparous women aged at least 13 years and registered with a participating practice between January 1987 and October 2007 were eligible for inclusion. We selected all cases of pre-eclampsia and a random sample of primiparous women without pre-eclampsia (controls. Cases (n=1533 were individually matched with up to ten controls (n=14236 on practice and year of delivery. We calculated odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for pre-eclampsia comparing women exposed and unexposed to infection using multivariable conditional logistic regression. After adjusting for maternal age, pre-gestational hypertension, diabetes, renal disease and multifetal gestation, the odds of pre-eclampsia were increased in women prescribed antibiotic drugs (adjusted odds ratio 1.28;1.14-1.44 and in women with urinary tract infection (adjusted odds ratio 1.22;1.03-1.45. We found no association with maternal respiratory tract infection (adjusted odds ratio 0.91;0.72-1.16. Further adjustment for maternal smoking and pre-pregnancy body mass index made no difference to our findings.Women who acquire a urinary infection during pregnancy, but not those who have a respiratory infection, are at an increased risk of pre-eclampsia. Maternal antibiotic prescriptions are also associated with an increased risk. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanism of this association and to determine

Supporting Tablet Configuration, Tracking, and Infection Control Practices in Digital Health Interventions: Study Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Furberg, Robert D; Ortiz, Alexa M; Zulkiewicz, Brittany A; Hudson, Jordan P; Taylor, Olivia M; Lewis, Megan A

2016-06-27

Tablet-based health care interventions have the potential to encourage patient care in a timelier manner, allow physicians convenient access to patient records, and provide an improved method for patient education. However, along with the continued adoption of tablet technologies, there is a concomitant need to develop protocols focusing on the configuration, management, and maintenance of these devices within the health care setting to support the conduct of clinical research. Develop three protocols to support tablet configuration, tablet management, and tablet maintenance. The Configurator software, Tile technology, and current infection control recommendations were employed to develop three distinct protocols for tablet-based digital health interventions. Configurator is a mobile device management software specifically for iPhone operating system (iOS) devices. The capabilities and current applications of Configurator were reviewed and used to develop the protocol to support device configuration. Tile is a tracking tag associated with a free mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. The features associated with Tile were evaluated and used to develop the Tile protocol to support tablet management. Furthermore, current recommendations on preventing health care-related infections were reviewed to develop the infection control protocol to support tablet maintenance. This article provides three protocols: the Configurator protocol, the Tile protocol, and the infection control protocol. These protocols can help to ensure consistent implementation of tablet-based interventions, enhance fidelity when employing tablets for research purposes, and serve as a guide for tablet deployments within clinical settings.

Towards changing healthcare workers' behaviour: a qualitative study exploring non-compliance through appraisals of infection prevention and control practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, N; Castro-Sánchez, E; Charani, E; Drumright, L N; Holmes, A H

2015-06-01

Improving behaviour in infection prevention and control (IPC) practice remains a challenge, and understanding the determinants of healthcare workers' (HCWs) behaviour is fundamental to develop effective and sustained behaviour change interventions. To identify behaviours of HCWs that facilitated non-compliance with IPC practices, focusing on how appraisals of IPC duties and social and environmental circumstances shaped and influenced non-compliant behaviour. This study aimed to: (1) identify how HCWs rationalized their own behaviour and the behaviour of others; (2) highlight challenging areas of IPC compliance; and (3) describe the context of the working environment that may explain inconsistencies in IPC practices. Clinical staff at a National Health Service hospital group in London, UK were interviewed between December 2010 and July 2011 using qualitative methods. Responses were analysed using a thematic framework. Three ways in which HCWs appraised their behaviour were identified through accounts of IPC policies and practices: (1) attribution of responsibilities, with ambiguity about responsibility for certain IPC practices; (2) prioritization and risk appraisal, which demonstrated a divergence in values attached to some IPC policies and practices; and (3) hierarchy of influence highlighted that traditional clinical roles challenged work relationships. Overall, behaviours are not entirely independent of policy rules, but often an amalgamation of local normative practices, individual preferences and a degree of professional isolation. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Healthcare-associated infections in intensive care units: epidemiology and infection control in low-to-middle income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Alp, Emine; Damani, Nizam

2015-10-29

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are major patient safety problems in hospitals, especially in intensive care units (ICUs). Patients in ICUs are prone to HAIs due to reduced host defense mechanisms, low compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) measures due to lack of education and training, and heavy workload and low staffing levels, leading to cross-transmission of microorganisms from patient to patient. Patients with HAIs have prolonged hospital stays, and have high morbidity and mortality, thus adding economic burden on the healthcare system. For various reasons, in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs), the scale of the problem is huge; each year, many people die from HAIs. In this review, epidemiology of HAIs and infection prevention and control measures in ICUs is discussed, with especial emphasis on LMICs. High rates of HAIs caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are serious problems in ICUs in LMICs. In view of increasing prevalence of MDROs, LMICs should establish effective IPC infrastructure, appoint IPC teams, and provide adequate training and resources. These resources to establish and appoint IPC teams can be released by avoiding ritualistic, wasteful, and unsafe IPC practices, and by diverting resources to implement basic IPC measures, including early detection of infection, isolation of patients, application of appropriate IPC precautions, adherence to hand hygiene, and implementation of HAIs care bundles and basic evidence-based practices.

Current biomedical waste management practices and cross-infection control procedures of dentists in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Balendra Pratap; Khan, Suleman A; Agrawal, Neeraj; Siddharth, Ramashanker; Kumar, Lakshya

2012-06-01

To investigate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of dentists working in dental clinics and dental hospitals regarding biomedical waste management and cross-infection control. A national survey was conducted. Self-administered questionnaires were sent to 800 dentists across India. A total of 494 dentists responded, giving a response rate of 61.8%. Of these, 228 of 323 (70.6%) general dentists reported using boiling water as a sterilising medium and 339 (68.6%) dentists reported disposing of hazardous waste such as syringes, blades and ampoules in dustbins and emptying these into municipal corporation bins. Dentists should undergo continuing education programmes on biomedical waste management and infection control guidelines. Greater cooperation between dental clinics and hospitals and pollution control boards is needed to ensure the proper handling and disposal of biomedical waste. © 2012 FDI World Dental Federation.

Infection control resources in New York State hospitals, 2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Stricof, Rachel L; Schabses, Karolina A; Tserenpuntsag, Boldtsetseg

2008-12-01

In July 2005, New York State legislation requiring the mandatory reporting of specific hospital-associated infections (HAIs) was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor. In an effort to measure the impact of this legislation on infection control resources, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) conducted a baseline survey in March 2007. This report presents an overview of the methods and results of this survey. An electronic survey of infection control resources and responsibilities was conducted by the NYSDOH on their secure data network. The survey contained questions regarding the number and percent time for infection prevention and control professional (ICP) and hospital epidemiologist (HE) staff members, ICP/HE educational background and certification, infection control program support services, activities and responsibilities of infection prevention and control program staff, and estimates of time dedicated to various activities, including surveillance. Practitioners in 222 of 224 acute care hospitals (99%) responded. The average number of ICPs per facility depended on the average daily census of acute care beds and ranged from a mean of 0.64 full-time equivalent (FTE) ICP in facilities with an average daily census of or = 900 beds. Averaging the ICP resources over the health care settings for which they were responsible revealed that the "average full-time ICP" was responsible for 151 acute care facility beds, 1.3 intensive care units (ICUs) (average, 16 ICU beds), 21 long-term care facility beds, 0.6 dialysis centers, 0.5 ambulatory surgery centers, 4.8 ambulatory/outpatient clinics, and 1.1 private practice offices. The ICPs reported that 45% of their time is dedicated to surveillance. Other activities for which ICPs reported at least partial responsibility include staff education, quality assurance, occupational health, emergency preparedness, construction, central supply/processing, and risk management. This survey was designed to

knowledge and practice of post-operative wound infection

African Journals Online (AJOL)

honey

2014-03-31

Mar 31, 2014 ... International Journal of Basic, Applied and Innovative Research ... AMONG NURSES IN THE SURGICAL UNIT OF A TEACHING ... 3Nursing Science, Faculty ... study suggest that nurses had poor knowledge and attitude of infection ... wound infection and evaluate their practice regarding postoperative.

Epidemiological factors associated with ESBL- and non ESBL-producing E. coli causing urinary tract infection in general practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hertz, Frederik Boëtius; Schønning, Kristian; Rasmussen, Steen Christian; Littauer, Pia; Knudsen, Jenny Dahl; Løbner-Olesen, Anders; Frimodt-Møller, Niels

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate how use of antibiotics precedes the presence of ESBL-producing E.coli in general practice. The authors performed a triple-case-control study where three case groups were individually compared to a single control group of uninfected individuals. Urine samples were prospectively collected and retrospective statistical analyses were done. This study included 98 cases with urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by ESBL-producing E. coli, 174 with antibiotic-resistant (non-ESBL) E. coli, 177 with susceptible E. coli and 200 with culture negative urine samples. Case groups had significantly higher use of antibiotics than the control group within 30 days before infection (p E. coli. Exposure to antibiotics was a risk factor for UTI with E. coli, while prior antibiotic usage was not an indisputable predictor for infection with ESBL-producing E.coli in general practice.

[Changing medical practices and nosocomial infection rates in French maternity units from 1997 to 2000].

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent-Boulétreau, A; Caillat-Vallet, E; Dumas, A M; Ayzac, L; Chapuis, C; Emery, M N; Girard, R; Haond, C; Lafarge-Leboucher, J; Tissot-Guerraz, F; Fabry, J

2005-04-01

In this study we describe the changes in medical practices and nosocomial infection rates in obstetrics observed through a surveillance network in the South East of France. The maternity units which belong to this network participated in voluntary surveillance using the network's methodology. The criteria for the diagnosis of nosocomial infections were in accordance with the methods described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 101240 pregnancies including 18503 caesareans (18.3%) were included in the network from 1997 to 2000. During the study period, nosocomial infection rates following caesarean section and vaginal delivery decreased respectively from 7.8% to 4.3% (p infection control programs in maternity units has been confirmed by the results of this surveillance network. During the study period, both obstetrics-related risk factors for nosocomial infection and observed hospital-acquired infection rates were dramatically reduced, what prove an improvement of quality of care in maternity units.

Towards an effective control programme of soil-transmitted helminth infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Part 2: Knowledge, attitude, and practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasr Nabil A

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the first part of this study, we investigated the prevalence and associated key factors of soil-transmitted helminth (STH infections among Orang Asli children in rural Malaysia; an alarming high prevalence and five key factors significantly associated with infections were reported. Part 2 of this study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP on STH infections among Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among 215 households from 13 villages in Lipis district, Pahang, Malaysia. Demographic and socioeconomic information of the participants and their KAP on STH were collected by using a pre-tested questionnaire. Results Overall, 61.4% of the participants had prior knowledge about intestinal helminths with a lack of knowledge on the transmission (28.8%, signs and symptoms (29.3% as well as the prevention (16.3%. Half of the respondents considered STH as harmful, while their practices to prevent infections were still inadequate. Significant associations between the KAP and age, gender, educational and employment status, family size, and household monthly income were reported. Moreover, significantly lower prevalence of STH infections was reported among children of respondents who wear shoes/slippers when outside the house (72.8%; 95% CI= 62.6, 80.5 vs 87.0%; 95% CI= 81.4, 91.1, wash their hands before eating (32.4%; 95% CI= 24.3, 42.2 vs 51.4%; 95% CI= 44.7, 60.1, and wash their hands after defecation (47.8%; 95% CI= 35.7, 57.1 vs 69.2%; 95% CI= 63.7, 78.7 as compared to their counterparts. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the educational level of the respondents was the most important factor significantly associated with the KAP on STH among this population. Conclusion This study reveals inadequate knowledge, attitude and practices on STH infections among Orang Asli in rural Malaysia. Hence, there is a great need for a proper health education

Infection prevention practices in adult intensive care units in a large community hospital system after implementing strategies to reduce health care-associated, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Moody, Julia; Septimus, Edward; Hickok, Jason; Huang, Susan S; Platt, Richard; Gombosev, Adrijana; Terpstra, Leah; Avery, Taliser; Lankiewicz, Julie; Perlin, Jonathan B

2013-02-01

A range of strategies and approaches have been developed for preventing health care-associated infections. Understanding the variation in practices among facilities is necessary to improve compliance with existing programs and aid the implementation of new interventions. In 2009, HCA Inc administered an electronic survey to measure compliance with evidence-based infection prevention practices as well as identify variation in products or methods, such as use of special approach technology for central vascular catheters and ventilator care. Responding adult intensive care units (ICUs) were those considering participation in a clinical trial to reduce health care-associated infections. Responses from 99 ICUs in 55 hospitals indicated that many evidenced-based practices were used consistently, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) screening and use of contact precautions for MRSA-positive patients. Other practices exhibited wide variability including discontinuation of precautions and use of antimicrobial technology or chlorhexidine patches for central vascular catheters. MRSA decolonization was not a predominant practice in ICUs. In this large, community-based health care system, there was substantial variation in the products and methods to reduce health care-associated infections. Despite system-wide emphasis on basic practices as a precursor to adding special approach technologies, this survey showed that these technologies were commonplace, including in facilities where improvement in basic practices was needed. Copyright © 2013 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

New technologies in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Humphreys, H

2010-06-01

The increased interest in healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) among the public, patients and politicians has led to the development of potential new approaches to its prevention by industrial concerns and others. Such developments include better methods of assessing hospital hygiene, enhanced decontamination of the healthcare environment, biosynthetic tissue alternatives, antibiotic-impregnated medical devices and information technology that can help improve professional practice. Although promising, many of these have not been adequately evaluated in the clinical setting, highlighting the need for greater collaboration between industry and infection prevention and control practitioners to maximise the benefit of new products and to complement conventional approaches to HCAI prevention such as education, professional practice and the provision of better facilities.

42 CFR 460.74 - Infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Infection control. 460.74 Section 460.74 Public...) PACE Administrative Requirements § 460.74 Infection control. (a) Standard procedures. The PACE organization must follow accepted policies and standard procedures with respect to infection control, including...

Outcomes of an infection prevention project focusing on hand hygiene and isolation practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Aragon, Daleen; Sole, Mary Lou; Brown, Scott

2005-01-01

Nosocomial infections are a major health problem for hospitalized patients and their families. Since the 1800s, hand hygiene has been recognized as the single best method to prevent the spread of pathogens and nosocomial infections. Despite this fact, many healthcare workers do not adhere to hand hygiene policies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a guideline for hand hygiene practices in 2002. Multifaceted approaches to improve hand hygiene have been shown to increase compliance among healthcare workers and subsequently reduce infections. A performance improvement project was initiated to implement this guideline and other strategies to prevent nosocomial infection. This article summarizes the performance improvement processes and the preliminary outcomes on adherence to infection prevention policies related to hand hygiene and isolation practices. Clinically and statistically significant increases were noted for hand hygiene prior to patient care and in wearing masks when indicated. Nurses and patient care technicians had the greatest increases in compliance. Increases in hand hygiene after patient contact and wearing of gown and gloves were also noted, but results were not statistically significant. Nosocomial infection rates from antibiotic-resistant organisms decreased in the first surveillance, but rates increased during the 1-year surveillance. Consumption of alcohol-based foam disinfectant doubled from baseline. Findings are consistent with other published studies. The project will continue with further reinforcement and education over the second year.

42 CFR 483.65 - Infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Infection control. 483.65 Section 483.65 Public... Care Facilities § 483.65 Infection control. The facility must establish and maintain an infection control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and to help prevent the...

38 CFR 52.190 - Infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Infection control. 52.190... FOR ADULT DAY HEALTH CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES Standards § 52.190 Infection control. The program management must establish and maintain an infection control program designed to prevent the development and...

38 CFR 51.190 - Infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Infection control. 51.190... FOR NURSING HOME CARE OF VETERANS IN STATE HOMES Standards § 51.190 Infection control. The facility management must establish and maintain an infection control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary, and...

Organization of infection control in European hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, S; Zingg, W; Ahmad, R; Kyratsis, Y; Behnke, M; Schwab, F; Pittet, D; Gastmeier, P

2015-12-01

The Prevention of Hospital Infections by Intervention and Training (PROHIBIT) survey was initiated to investigate the status of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) prevention across Europe. This paper presents the methodology of the quantitative PROHIBIT survey and outlines the findings on infection control (IC) structure and organization including management's support at the hospital level. Hospitals in 34 countries were invited to participate between September 2011 and March 2012. Respondents included IC personnel and hospital management. Data from 309 hospitals in 24 countries were analysed. Hospitals had a median (interquartile range) of four IC nurses (2-6) and one IC doctor (0-2) per 1000 beds. Almost all hospitals (96%) had defined IC objectives, which mainly addressed hand hygiene (87%), healthcare-associated infection reduction (84%), and antibiotic stewardship (66%). Senior management provided leadership walk rounds in about half of hospitals, most often in Eastern and Northern Europe, 65% and 64%, respectively. In the majority of hospitals (71%), sanctions were not employed for repeated violations of IC practices. Use of sanctions varied significantly by region (P hospitals should be a public health priority. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Infection prevention and control practice for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever-A multi-center cross-sectional survey in Eurasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, Tom E; Gulzhan, Abuova; Ahmeti, Salih; Al-Abri, Seif S; Asik, Zahide; Atilla, Aynur; Beeching, Nick J; Bilek, Heval; Bozkurt, Ilkay; Christova, Iva; Duygu, Fazilet; Esen, Saban; Khanna, Arjun; Kader, Çiğdem; Mardani, Masoud; Mahmood, Faisal; Mamuchishvili, Nana; Pshenichnaya, Natalia; Sunbul, Mustafa; Yalcin, Tuğba Y; Leblebicioglu, Hakan

2017-01-01

Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a life threatening acute viral infection that presents significant risk of nosocomial transmission to healthcare workers. Evaluation of CCHF infection prevention and control (IP&C) practices in healthcare facilities that routinely manage CCHF cases in Eurasia. A cross-sectional CCHF IP&C survey was designed and distributed to CCHF centers in 10 endemic Eurasian countries in 2016. Twenty-three responses were received from centers in Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Georgia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Oman, Iran, India and Kazakhstan. All units had dedicated isolation rooms for CCHF, with cohorting of confirmed cases in 15/23 centers and cohorting of suspect and confirmed cases in 9/23 centers. There was adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) in 22/23 facilities, with 21/23 facilities reporting routine use of PPE for CCHF patients. Adequate staffing levels to provide care reported in 14/23 locations. All centers reported having a high risk CCHFV nosocomial exposure in last five years, with 5 centers reporting more than 5 exposures. Education was provided annually in most centers (13/23), with additional training requested in PPE use (11/23), PPE donning/doffing (12/23), environmental disinfection (12/23) and waste management (14/23). Staff and patient safety must be improved and healthcare associated CCHF exposure and transmission eliminated. Improvements are recommended in isolation capacity in healthcare facilities, use of PPE and maintenance of adequate staffing levels. We recommend further audit of IP&C practice at individual units in endemic areas, as part of national quality assurance programs.

Questionnaire-based survey on structural quality of hospitals and nursing homes for the elderly, their staffing with infection control personal, and implementation of infection control measures in Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, A; Assadian, O; Helfrich, J; Krüger, C; Pfenning, I; Ryll, S; Perner, A; Loczenski, B

2013-01-01

From January to May 2012, 1,860 hospitals throughout Germany received a questionnaire encompassing 77 items. Additionally, 300 outpatient care services and 310 nursing homes for elderly in Berlin also received a 10-item questionnaire asking on their implemented infection control practices. All questionnaires were anonymous. A total of 229 completed questionnaires from hospitals, 14 questionnaires from outpatient care services, and 16 questionnaires from nursing homes were eligible for further analysis. The lack of Infection Control physicians was identified as the largest issue. In hospitals sized 400-999 beds a gap of 71%, and in hospitals sized ≥1,000 beds a gap of 17% was reported. Depending on the number of hospital beds, 13-29% of hospitals sized ≥100 beds reported not havening one infection control nurse. Since based on the number of beds in larger institutions or in facilities caring for high-risk patients several infection control nurses may be required, the deficiency in infection control nurses may even be higher, particularly in secondary and tertiary care facilities. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that the legal requirements for surveillance and reporting of notifiable infectious diseases have not yet been implemented in 11% of the facilities. The implementation of antibiotic strategies did show significant gaps. However, deficiencies in the implemented measures for the prevention of surgical site infections were less frequent. Yet 12% of the participants did not have a dedicated infection control concept for their surgical services. Eight percent of hospitals were not prepared for an outbreak management and 10% did not have established regulations for wearing surgical scrubs. Deficiencies in waste disposal and the control of air-conditioning systems were also noted. Based on the results of this survey, conclusions on the optimal resource allocation for further improvement of patient safety may be drawn. While all participating nursing homes had

Roles of sunlight and natural ventilation for controlling infection: historical and current perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobday, R A; Dancer, S J

2013-08-01

Infections caught in buildings are a major global cause of sickness and mortality. Understanding how infections spread is pivotal to public health yet current knowledge of indoor transmission remains poor. To review the roles of natural ventilation and sunlight for controlling infection within healthcare environments. Comprehensive literature search was performed, using electronic and library databases to retrieve English language papers combining infection; risk; pathogen; and mention of ventilation; fresh air; and sunlight. Foreign language articles with English translation were included, with no limit imposed on publication date. In the past, hospitals were designed with south-facing glazing, cross-ventilation and high ceilings because fresh air and sunlight were thought to reduce infection risk. Historical and recent studies suggest that natural ventilation offers protection from transmission of airborne pathogens. Particle size, dispersal characteristics and transmission risk require more work to justify infection control practices concerning airborne pathogens. Sunlight boosts resistance to infection, with older studies suggesting potential roles for surface decontamination. Current knowledge of indoor transmission of pathogens is inadequate, partly due to lack of agreed definitions for particle types and mechanisms of spread. There is recent evidence to support historical data on the effects of natural ventilation but virtually none for sunlight. Modern practice of designing healthcare buildings for comfort favours pathogen persistence. As the number of effective antimicrobial agents declines, further work is required to clarify absolute risks from airborne pathogens along with any potential benefits from additional fresh air and sunlight. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New approaches to infection prevention and control: implementing a risk-based model regionally.

Science.gov (United States)

Wale, Martin; Kibsey, Pamela; Young, Lisa; Dobbyn, Beverly; Archer, Jana

2016-06-01

Infectious disease outbreaks result in substantial inconvenience to patients and disruption of clinical activity. Between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009, the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) declared 16 outbreaks of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci and Clostridium difficile in acute care facilities. As a result, infection prevention and control became one of Island Health's highest priorities. Quality improvement methodology, which promotes a culture of co-production between front-line staff, physicians and Infection Control Practitioners, was used to develop and test a bundle of changes in practices. A series of rapid Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, specific to decreasing hospital-acquired infections, were undertaken by a community hospital, selected for its size, clinical specialty representation, and enthusiasm amongst staff and physicians for innovation and change. Positive results were incorporated into practice at the test site, and then introduced throughout the rest of the Health Authority. The changes implemented as a result of this study have enabled better control of antibiotic resistant organisms and have minimized disruption to routine activity, as well as saving an estimated $6.5 million per annum. When outbreaks do occur, they are now controlled much more promptly, even in existing older facilities. Through this process, we have changed our approach in Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) from a rules-based approach to one that is risk-based, focusing attention on identifying and managing high-risk situations. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Infection control measures among dental practitioners in a Southern state of India: A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vikram Simha Bommireddy

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The identification of hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus as an occupational hazard in dentistry urged all practicing dentists, dental auxiliaries, and dental laboratories to employ appropriate infection control procedures. Aim: The aim of this study to investigate whether there is a scope for improvement in the practice of infection control measures. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaire, to obtain information about procedures used for prevention of cross-infection in dental practices. The study subjects, dental practitioners in Guntur district, were obtained using snowball technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 19 software. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarize the results and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of the study population was 36.48 ± 8.94 years. Of the 183 study subjects, 136 (74.3% were males and 47 (25.7% females. Of the total practitioners, 45% usually treated ≥10 patients per day, and 52% had the habit of taking medical history for all patients. Statistically significant difference had been found between the practitioners with Bachelor of Dental Surgery and Master of Dental Surgery as their highest qualification, regarding the method of sterilization of handpiece (P = 0.03. Conclusion: This study result suggests that there was a scope for improvement in the practice of infection control procedures among dental care professionals.

Evaluating effectiveness of infection control efforts in hospitals using information in microbiological laboratory databases.

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Norihiro; Itoga, Masamichi; Kimura, Masahiko; Inoue, Fumio; Minakawa, Satoko; Kimura, Toshiyuki; Ozaki, Hiromi; Saito, Yumiko; Takahashi, Mikiko; Fujishima, Tetsuhiro; Mizuno, Sumie; Ogawa, Shin; Kitayama, Yuko; Kudo, Kazumi; Minami, Kazushi; Abo, Fumiko; Takano, Yasuyuki; Ohdaira, Naotake; Hamada, Satoshi; Ueki, Shigeharu; Hirokawa, Makoto; Kayaba, Hiroyuki

2017-12-01

To analyze the quality of infection control activities, bacteriological data relevant to infection control was evaluated through the microbiological data warehouse networking hospitals in two medical regions. Data regarding bacterial test results of 19 hospitals were extracted from two microbiological laboratory information data bases. The rate of MRSA among total S. aureus was used as a general indicator of infection control activities. The occupancy rate of nasal or pharyngeal swabs among MRSA-positive bacteriological samples was used as an indicator of attention paid for infection control in intensive care wards. The number of blood culture sets per examined patient was utilized as an indicator for life-long vocational education on updated medical practice relevant to infectious diseases. The rate of MRSA was significantly higher in secondary private hospitals. The occupancy rate of nasal or pharyngeal swabs was significantly higher in tertiary hospitals. The average number of blood culture set per examined patient were 1.55, 1.54 and 1.39 in tertiary, secondary public and secondary private hospitals, respectively; however, there were no statistical differences between groups. Data bases of microbiological test results shared by hospital laboratories are useful for evaluating regional infection control activities.

Regional differences in infection control conditions in a sample of primary health care services in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães de Abreu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available International guidelines have pointed out the importance of the physical environment of health care facilities in preventing and controlling infection. We aimed to describe the physical environment of dental care facilities in Brazil in 2014, focusing on characteristics designed to control infections. Exactly 16,202 dental offices in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS participated in this survey. Trained researchers extracted information about the infection control characteristics of health facilities by using a structured instrument. We used data from 12 dichotomous questions that evaluated the wall, floor, sink and tap conditions, and the presence and condition of sterilization equipment. We calculated a score by summing the number of characteristics handled appropriately for infection control, which could range from 0 to 12. Hierarchical cluster analyses were developed. None of the 12 criteria were met by all the oral health teams. Only 208 (1.3% dental offices correctly performed all 12-infection control practices. Two clusters, with different frequencies of structure for infection control in dental offices, were identified. South and Southeast regions had the highest frequencies for Cluster 1, with better structure of infection control in dental offices. Dental care facilities of oral health teams were not typically meeting the infection control guidelines regarding clinic design and equipment. Adherence to the guidelines varied among the Brazilian geographic regions.

Infection Control: MedlinePlus Health Topic

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... Staph infections - hospital (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish Topic Image MedlinePlus Email Updates Get Infection Control updates ... infections when visiting Staph infections - hospital Related Health Topics Hepatitis HIV/AIDS MRSA National Institutes of Health ...

Characterisation of antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections in Danish general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aabenhus, Rune; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; Saust, Laura Trolle

2017-01-01

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is contributing to the increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance. Several Danish guidelines on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in general practice have been issued to promote rational prescribing of antibiotics, however it is unclear...... if these recommendations are followed. We aimed to characterise the pattern of antibiotic prescriptions for patients diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infections, by means of electronic prescriptions, labeled with clinical indications, from Danish general practice. Acute respiratory tract infections accounted for 456...... prescription patterns for acute respiratory tract infections by data linkage of clinical indications. The findings confirm that penicillin V is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic agent for treatment of patients with an acute respiratory tract infection in Danish general practice. However, second...

Prevalence of Skin Infections and Hygiene Practices among Pupils ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Practices in the treatment of infections like the use of herbal soap (31.5%), brake oil (4.2%), Baby oil (3.9%), chicken's egg (2.7%) were reported by respondents. Poor personal hygiene and housing conditions are contributing factors to skin infections in the study area. Early introduction of health education in schools would ...

Diagnostic strategies for urinary tract infections in French general practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinouani, S; de Lary de Latour, H; Joseph, J-P; Letrilliart, L

2017-10-01

We aimed to describe the diagnostic management procedures for detection of urinary tract infections in general practice and their correlated factors. We analyzed data from the ECOGEN study on urinary tract infections, collected in France between November 2011 and April 2012. This national cross-sectional study was carried out in general practices. Data was coded according to the International Classification of Primary Care. A total of 340 consultations or home visits were held for urinary tract infections. The five most frequent diagnostic procedures were (in descending order) clinical examination (67.6%), urine cytobacteriological examination (UCBE) (47.9%), urine dipstick test (15.6%), blood test (8.5%), and imaging (6.5%). No urine dipstick test or UCBE was performed in 43% of cases. Factors correlated with diagnostic procedures were age and gender of patients, annual number of consultations held by family physicians, and duration of consultation. Family physicians did not comply with guidelines on diagnostic management for detection of urinary tract infections. We hypothesized that this non-compliance could be due to the family physicians' environment and characteristics, and to clinical practice guidelines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Infection control in the intensive care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Osman, Mohamed F; Askari, Reza

2014-12-01

It is critical for health care personnel to recognize and appreciate the detrimental impact of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infections. The economic, clinical, and social expenses to patients and hospitals are overwhelming. To limit the incidence of ICU-acquired infections, aggressive infection control measures must be implemented and enforced. Researchers and national committees have developed and continue to develop evidence-based guidelines to control ICU infections. A multifaceted approach, including infection prevention committees, antimicrobial stewardship programs, daily reassessments-intervention bundles, identifying and minimizing risk factors, and continuing staff education programs, is essential. Infection control in the ICU is an evolving area of critical care research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Infection control in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Meers, P D

1988-02-01

The level of socio-political and economic development achieved by a country determines the quality and quantity of the health care its citizens receive. These factors also govern the amount of attention given to hospital-acquired infection. The problems of infection control in 'developing' countries include, first, the international problems that arise from clashes of personality and viewpoint among those responsible for it, exacerbated in some places by ethnic or religious traditions. Second are problems imposed by factors that affect the spectrum of infectious disease, and third is a variable deficiency of human and financial resources. In the search for solutions, an analysis suggests that nurses are particularly suited to take the lead in the prevention of infection, so that a special initiative directed towards their education in the rapidly developing science of hospital infection and its control is likely to be the most cost effective and appropriate initial approach. This needs to be accompanied by parallel improvements in the education of medical undergraduates. Anything else should be applied in response to measured need, and then only as money and manpower permit. Careful thought is required to avoid squandering scarce resources by applying inappropriate infection control technology.

Implementation of tuberculosis infection control measures in designated hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China: are we doing enough to prevent nosocomial tuberculosis infections?

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bin; Liu, Min; Gu, Hua; Wang, Xiaomeng; Qiu, Wei; Shen, Jian; Jiang, Jianmin

2016-03-03

Tuberculosis (TB) infection control measures are very important to prevent nosocomial transmission and protect healthcare workers (HCWs) in hospitals. The TB infection control situation in TB treatment institutions in southeastern China has not been studied previously. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of TB infection control measures in TB-designated hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China. Cross-sectional survey using observation and interviews. All TB-designated hospitals (n=88) in Zhejiang Province, China in 2014. Managerial, administrative, environmental and personal infection control measures were assessed using descriptive analyses and univariate logistic regression analysis. The TB-designated hospitals treated a median of 3030 outpatients (IQR 764-7094) and 279 patients with confirmed TB (IQR 154-459) annually, and 160 patients with TB (IQR 79-426) were hospitalised in the TB wards. Most infection control measures were performed by the TB-designated hospitals. Measures including regular monitoring of TB infection control in high-risk areas (49%), shortening the wait times (42%), and providing a separate waiting area for patients with suspected TB (46%) were sometimes neglected. N95 respirators were available in 85 (97%) hospitals, although only 44 (50%) hospitals checked that they fit. Hospitals with more TB staff and higher admission rates of patients with TB were more likely to set a dedicated sputum collection area and to conduct annual respirator fit testing. TB infection control measures were generally implemented by the TB-designated hospitals. Measures including separation of suspected patients, regular monitoring of infection control practices, and regular fit testing of respirators should be strengthened. Infection measures for sputum collection and respirator fit testing should be improved in hospitals with lower admission rates of patients with TB. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to

[Hygiene and Infection Prevention in Medical Institutions, Kindergartens and Schools - Statutory Basis, Infection Control Practice and Experiences of the Public Health Services].

Science.gov (United States)

Heudorf, U

2015-07-01

Infection prevention is one of the main tasks of the public health services. The "Protection against infection act" places all medical institutions and facilities for children (kindergartens and schools) under the obligation to assume responsibility and to cooperate. Duties of the institutions are described, and public health services are obliged to perform hygiene control visits.Regarding medical institutions, the guidelines of the German Commission on Hospital Hygiene and Infection Control have to be observed, and the counties were obliged to publish hygiene enactments. Subsequently, good improvements in hygiene management in medical institutions were achieved. In schools, however, severe hygienic problems (i.e. sanitary hygiene, indoor air hygiene) are detected, without any improvement - obviously due to a missing sense of responsibility in the school community. Causes for poor behaviour prevention (hand hygiene, ventilation) and missing situational prevention (i.e. cleaning) are discussed. Without reversion to the obviously needed but nearly forgotten subject school hygiene, obligatory guidelines and the assuming of responsibility, permanent improvements cannot be achieved. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Infection Control Practices in Dental Settings - A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Mukhit Kazi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In the era of HIV/ AIDS it is essential to follow the infection prevention protocols in all health care settings including dental settings. The present review article highlighted the various preventive protocols to be followed in dental settings. It includes right from the simple hand hygiene to biomedical waste segregation.

Infection control during filoviral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Raabe Vanessa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Breaking the human-to-human transmission cycle remains the cornerstone of infection control during filoviral (Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreaks. This requires effective identification and isolation of cases, timely contact tracing and monitoring, proper usage of barrier personal protection gear by health workers, and safely conducted burials. Solely implementing these measures is insufficient for infection control; control efforts must be culturally sensitive and conducted in a transparent manner to promote the necessary trust between the community and infection control team in order to succeed. This article provides a review of the literature on infection control during filoviral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks focusing on outbreaks in a developing setting and lessons learned from previous outbreaks. The primary search database used to review the literature was PUBMED, the National Library of Medicine website.

Knowledge and attitudes of infection prevention and control among health sciences students at University of Namibia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojulong, J; Mitonga, K H; Iipinge, S N

2013-12-01

Health Sciences students are exposed early to hospitals and to activities which increase their risk of acquiring infections. Infection control practices are geared towards reduction of occurrence and transmission of infectious diseases. To evaluate knowledge and attitudes of infection prevention and control among Health Science students at University of Namibia. To assess students' knowledge and attitudes regarding infection prevention and control and their sources of information, a self-administered questionnaire was used to look at standard precautions especially hands hygiene. One hundred sixty two students participated in this study of which 31 were medical, 17 were radiography and 114 were nursing students. Medical students had better overall scores (73%) compared to nursing students (66%) and radiology students (61%). There was no significant difference in scores between sexes or location of the high school being either in rural or urban setting. Serious efforts are needed to improve or review curriculum so that health sciences students' knowledge on infection prevention and control is imparted early before they are introduced to the wards.

[Respiratory syncytial virus infections in children in general practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Lisa Monica; Halgrener, Jørgen; Hansen, Bjarne V Lühr

2003-06-30

The aim of the study was to describe the course of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in children under two years of age seen in general practice. Children under two years of age presenting acute respiratory infection during the registration period on 59 GPs' lists participated in the study. The GPs recorded data on a registration chart and a questionnaire was sent to the parents of the children in question one month after the date of inclusion. The children were tested in general practice for the presence of RSV. The GPs' objective findings and choice of treatment as well as the parents' account of the course of disease were compared in children with and without the presence of RSV. A total of 221 children participated in the study. Fifty-seven children were found RSV positive (25.8%). Among the RSV positive children there were significantly more with wheezing audibly detected with examination by stethoscope than among the RSV negative. The remaining parameters (the GP's objective examination, treatment and course of the disease) were distributed independently of the result of the RSV analysis. The results showed that RSV infections in children under two years in general practice are frequent and that the clinical picture most often is uncomplicated.

[Inspection by infection control team of the University Hospital, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University].

Science.gov (United States)

Sunakawa, Mitsuhiro; Matsumoto, Hiroyuki; Harasawa, Hideki; Tsukikawa, Wakana; Takagi, Yuzo; Suda, Hideaki

2006-06-01

Factors affecting infection are the existence of infectious microorganisms, sensitivity of hosts, number of microorganisms, and infectious routes. Efforts to prevent infection focus on not allowing these factors to reach the threshold level. Inspection by an infection control team (ICT) of a hospital is one countermeasure for preventing nosocomial infection. We summarize here the problems for complete prevention of nosocomial infection based on the results of inspection by our ICT, so that staff working in the hospital can recognize the importance of preventing nosocomial infection. The following were commonly observed problems in our clinics found by the ICT : (1) incomplete practice of standard precautions and/or isolation precautions, (2) noncompliance with guidelines for the prevention of cross-infection, and (3) inappropriate management of medical rejectamenta. Infection control can be accomplished by strictly observing the standard precautions and isolation precautions. The ICT inspection round in the hospital could be an effective metaff working in the hod to clarify and overcome the problems involved in infection.

Influence of staff infection control training on infection-related quality measures in US nursing homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaur, Jasjit; Stone, Patricia W; Travers, Jasmine L; Cohen, Catherine C; Herzig, Carolyn T A

2017-09-01

Health care-associated infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in US nursing home residents. Ongoing training of nursing home staff is vital to the implementation of infection prevention and control processes. Our aim was to describe associations between methods, frequency, and timing of staff infection prevention and control training and infection-related quality measures. In this national survey of nursing homes, timing of staff infection prevention and control training was associated with reduced indwelling urinary catheter use. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Infection control in Indonesian Hospitals

OpenAIRE

Duerink, Daphne Offra

2009-01-01

The studies in this thesis were performed as part of the AMRIN (Antimicrobial Resistance in Indonesia) study that addressed antimicrobial resistance, antibiotic usage and infection control in Indonesia. They are the first studies that give insight into the incidence of healthcare-associated infections, determinants for carriage of resistant bacteria in Indonesian individuals and the implementation of measures for the prevention of the spread of bacteria and nosocomial infections in Indonesian...

Effectiveness and efficiency of the two trolley system as an infection control mechanism in the operating theatre.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuisawana, Viliame

2009-11-01

A good infection control manager understands the need to prevent a complete cycle of infection. The Infection Control Working Group Manual of Fiji, emphasised that the Cycle of Infection is the series of stage in which infection is spread. Operating theatres have infection control protocols. Most equipments and instruments used in operating theatre circulate within the theatre. The theatre trolleys are a main component in managing an operating theatre but the least recognised. This paper reviews the effectiveness and efficiency of the current two-trolley system as an infection control mechanism in theatre. The paper will discuss infection control using the current trolley system in relation to the layout of Labasa Hospital operating theatre, human resource, equipment standard and random swab results. The following are random swab results of theatre equipments taken by the Infection Control Nurse from 2006 to 2008. The Labasa Hospital Infection Committee have discouraged random swab sample from mid 2008 based on new guidelines on infection control. The two trolley system, in which an allocated outside trolley transports patients from the ward to a semi-sterile area in theatre. The inside trolley which transports the patient to the operating table. The two trolley system means more trolleys, extra staffs for lifting, additional handling of very sick patients, congestion and delay in taking patients to operating table in theatres should be considered. The one-trolley system in theatre greatly reduces the chances of manually lifting patients, thus reducing the risk of patient injury from fall and risk of back injuries to nurses. There are other evident based practices which can compliment the one trolley system for an effective infection control mechanism in theatres. The Fiji Infection Control Manual (2002) emphases the importance of regularly cleaning the environment and equipments in theatre but there is never a mention about using a two trolley system as an

Infection control as a topic for ward-based nursing education.

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, D; Chamberlain, A

1994-08-01

The link between nursing theory and practice remains a topic of ongoing debate. Related to this issue is the best place to effectively combine the two. The solution may be ward-based teaching programmes as part of formal continuing staff development, involving collaboration between college-based lecturers and acknowledged clinical experts. Using infection control as an example of a topic in need of regular and continual updating for qualified practitioners, it is argued that such programmes would be desirable because they would afford sufficient flexibility to fulfil individual learning needs and could be assessed to indicate whether nursing practice had been enhanced. Participants could be accredited for successful completion of ward-based programmes.

Infection control in neonatal intensive care unit : from a certified nurse in infection control's point of view

OpenAIRE

坂木, 晴世

2007-01-01

Neonates, especially those in neonatal intensive care units (NICU), are at high risk for infection. And nosocomial infections are responsible for almost 50% of the deaths that occur beyond 2 weeks of age. Advances in neonatal intensive care have resulted in survival of more low birth weight and sick infants. On the other hand, infection control measures in NICU are hard to say that we established. Therefore it is often that infection control measure in NICU of our country is taken in original...

Using human factors engineering to improve the effectiveness of infection prevention and control.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Judith; Gosbee, Laura Lin; Bessesen, Mary; Williams, Linda

2010-08-01

Human factors engineering is a discipline that studies the capabilities and limitations of humans and the design of devices and systems for improved performance. The principles of human factors engineering can be applied to infection prevention and control to study the interaction between the healthcare worker and the system that he or she is working with, including the use of devices, the built environment, and the demands and complexities of patient care. Some key challenges in infection prevention, such as delayed feedback to healthcare workers, high cognitive workload, and poor ergonomic design, are explained, as is how human factors engineering can be used for improvement and increased compliance with practices to prevent hospital-acquired infections.

Mission impossible or border security – Practical and effective infection control on air ambulances

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kuhn*

2013-12-01

These principles have been applied to our air ambulance system based from Lanseria International Airport. By combining preventative and control measures, there has been no breach in our infection control strategies, as evidenced by no growth noted on specific and random swabs even when more and more ”super bugs” are being identified in hospital. As an air ambulance service flying patients from various African countries, we have the responsibility to conduct our own ”Border Security” to keep our hospitals, patients, aircraft and crews clean and safe. In this presentation we will share our ”Border Security” principles and experiences with the audience.

[Role of medium-sized independent laboratories in control of healthcare-associated infection].

Science.gov (United States)

Anzai, Eiko; Fukui, Toru

2009-05-01

In 2006, the Ministry of Health and Welfare revised the regulations regarding the Medical Service Law. The amendments stipulate that all healthcare institutions are required to implement infection control programs. However, small hospitals and clinics have no clinical microbiology laboratories, whereas medium-sized hospitals have few medical technologists and the outsourcing of microbiology tests to independent laboratories is common. The decreasing number of laboratories and recent outsourcing tendency reflect the increasing commercialization, and, with it, the escalating number of commercially operating chains. Each independent laboratory is responsible for supporting activities related to the surveillance, control, and prevention of healthcare-associated infections in the associated small and medium-sized hospitals. The people responsible for infection control in these hospitals usually do not have a background in microbiology. The evaluation of communication between independent laboratory staff and hospital personnel, and rapid turnaround time of microbiology laboratory test reports are important elements ensuring the quality of independent laboratory work. With the pressures of financial constraints in the Japanese medical insurance system, the development of a cost-effective and practical protocol for quality assurance is a real dilemma.

Journal of the Nigerian Infection Control Association

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The Journal of the Nigerian Infection Control Association publishes articles which deal with clinical medicine, basic medical science, dental sciences, pharmaceutical, veterinary sciences, nursing services and medical education and other related disciplines which are pertinent to infection control. Language of Publication: ...

Perceptions of Clostridium difficile infections among infection control professionals in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Yuan-Pin; Lee, Jen-Chieh; Lin, Hsiao-Ju; Chiu, Chun-Wei; Wu, Jia-Ling; Liu, Hsiao-Chieh; Huang, I-Hsiu; Tsai, Pei-Jane; Ko, Wen-Chien

2017-08-01

High Clostridium difficile colonization and infection rates among hospitalized patients had been noted in Taiwan. Nevertheless, the cognition about clinical diagnosis and management of CDI among infection control professionals in Taiwan is not clear. A 24-item survey questionnaire about the diagnosis, therapy, or infection control policies toward CDI was distributed in the annual meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of Taiwan (IDST) in October 2015 and Infectious Control Society of Taiwan (ICST) in April 2016. Totally 441 individuals responded to the survey, and 280 (63.5%) participants would routinely monitor the prevalence of CDI and 347 (78.7%) reported the formulation of infection control policies of CDI in their hospital, including contact precaution (75.7%), wearing gloves (88.9%) or dressing (80.0%) at patient care, single room isolation (49.7%), preference of soap or disinfectant-based sanitizer (83.2%) and avoidance of alcohol-based sanitizer (63.3%), and environmental disinfection with 1000 ppm bleach (87.1%). For the timing of contact precaution discontinuation isolation for CDI patients, most (39.9%) participants suggested the time point of the absence of C. difficile toxin in feces. To treat mild CDI, most (61.9%) participants preferred oral metronidazole, and for severe CDI 26.1% would prescribe oral vancomycin as the drug of choice. There were substantial gaps in infection control polices and therapeutic choices for CDI between international guidelines and the perceptions of medical professionals in Taiwan. Professional education program and the setup of guideline for CDI should be considered in Taiwan. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Implementation in the midst of complexity: Using ethnography to study health care-associated infection prevention and control.

Science.gov (United States)

Knobloch, Mary Jo; Thomas, Kevin V; Patterson, Erin; Zimbric, Michele L; Musuuza, Jackson; Safdar, Nasia

2017-10-01

Contextual factors associated with health care settings make reducing health care-associated infections (HAIs) a complex task. The aim of this article is to highlight how ethnography can assist in understanding contextual factors that support or hinder the implementation of evidence-based practices for reducing HAIs. We conducted a review of ethnographic studies specifically related to HAI prevention and control in the last 5 years (2012-2017). Twelve studies specific to HAIs and ethnographic methods were found. Researchers used various methods with video-reflexive sessions used in 6 of the 12 studies. Ethnography was used to understand variation in data reporting, identify barriers to adherence, explore patient perceptions of isolation practices and highlight the influence of physical design on infection prevention practices. The term ethnography was used to describe varied research methods. Most studies were conducted outside the United States, and authors indicate insights gained using ethnographic methods (whether observations, interviews, or reflexive video recording) as beneficial to unraveling the complexities of HAI prevention. Ethnography is well-suited for HAI prevention, especially video-reflexive ethnography, for activating patients and clinicians in infection control work. In this era of increasing pressure to reduce HAIs within complex work systems, ethnographic methods can promote understanding of contextual factors and may expedite translation evidence to practice. Published by Elsevier Inc.

42 CFR 482.42 - Condition of participation: Infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Hospital Functions § 482.42 Condition of participation: Infection control. The hospital must provide a... be an active program for the prevention, control, and investigation of infections and communicable... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition of participation: Infection control. 482...

Practical parasitology courses and infection with intestinal parasites in students.

Science.gov (United States)

Fallahi, Sh; Rostami, A; Mohammadi, M; Ebrahimzadeh, F; Pournia, Y

2016-01-01

Students who are working in research or educational laboratories of parasitology, as well as health care workers providing care for patients, are at the risk of becoming infected with parasites through accidental exposure. The main purpose of this study was to identify potential positive cases of intestinal parasitic infections among students who took practical parasitology courses compared with students who did not take any practical parasitology courses in Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran, in 2013-2014. A total of 310 subjects from various majors were invited to voluntarily participate in the study. Various demographic data were collected using questionnaires. Three stool samples were collected from each individual on alternate days. Saline wet mounts (SWM), formalin-ether sedimentation test (FEST), Sheather floatation test (SHFT) and trichrome and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining methods were used to diagnose the presence of intestinal parasites. The prevalence rate of intestinal parasites (IPs) among the students was 11.93%. There was a significant difference between majors in the infection with IPs (Pparasites in the educational course of practical parasitology could occur and must be taken into careful consideration. Copyright © 2015 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building new hospitals: a UK infection control perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Stockley, J M; Constantine, C E; Orr, K E

2006-03-01

Infection control input is vital throughout the planning, design and building stages of a new hospital project, and must continue through the commissioning (and decommissioning) process, evaluation and putting the facility into full clinical service. Many hospitals continue to experience problems months or years after occupying the new premises; some of these could have been avoided by infection control involvement earlier in the project. The importance of infection control must be recognized by the chief executive of the hospital trust and project teams overseeing the development. Clinical user groups and contractors must also be made aware of infection control issues. It is vital that good working relationships are built up between the infection control team (ICT) and all these parties. ICTs need the authority to influence the process. This may require their specific recognition by the Private Finance Initiative National Unit, the Department of Health or other relevant authorities. ICTs need training in how to read design plans, how to write effective specifications, and in other areas with which they may be unfamiliar. The importance of documentation and record keeping is paramount. External or independent validation of processes should be available, particularly in commissioning processes. Building design in relation to infection control needs stricter national regulations, allowing ICTs to focus on more local usage issues. Further research is needed to provide evidence regarding the relationship between building design and the prevalence of infection.

Infective endocarditis prophylaxis: current practice trend among paediatric cardiologists: are we following the 2007 guidelines?

Science.gov (United States)

Naik, Ronak J; Patel, Neil R; Wang, Ming; Shah, Nishant C

2016-08-01

In 2007, the American Heart Association modified the infective endocarditis prophylaxis guidelines by limiting the use of antibiotics in patients with cardiac conditions associated with the highest risk of adverse outcomes after infective endocarditis. Our objective was to evaluate current practice for infective endocarditis prophylaxis among paediatric cardiologists. A web-based survey focussing on current practice, describing the use of antibiotics for infective endocarditis prophylaxis in various congenital and acquired heart diseases, was distributed via e-mail to paediatric cardiologists. The survey was kept anonymous and was distributed twice. Data from 253 participants were analysed. Most paediatric cardiologists discontinued infective endocarditis prophylaxis in patients with simple lesions such as small ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, and bicuspid aortic valve without stenosis or regurgitation; however, significant disagreement persists in prescribing infective endocarditis prophylaxis in certain conditions such as rheumatic heart disease, Fontan palliation without fenestration, and the Ross procedure. Use of antibiotic prophylaxis in certain selected conditions for which infective endocarditis prophylaxis has been indicated as per the current guidelines varies from 44 to 83%. Only 44% follow the current guidelines exclusively, and 34% regularly discuss the importance of oral hygiene with their patients at risk for infective endocarditis. Significant heterogeneity still persists in recommending infective endocarditis prophylaxis for several cardiac lesions among paediatric cardiologists. More than half of the participants (56%) do not follow the current guidelines exclusively in their practice. Counselling for optimal oral health in patients at risk for infective endocarditis needs to be optimised in the current practice.

Urinary tract infections in general practice patients: diagnostic tests versus bacteriological culture.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nys, S.; Merode, T. van; Bartelds, A.I.M.; Stobberingh, E.E.

2006-01-01

Objectives: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections encountered in general practice. For the optimal treatment the general practitioner (GP) should rely on the results of diagnostic tests and recent antimicrobial susceptibility of uropathogens. Patients and methods: In total

Traditional insulin-use practices and the incidence of bacterial contamination and infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Borders, L M; Bingham, P R; Riddle, M C

1984-01-01

While complex procedures are usually recommended to prevent infection at insulin injection sites, adherence to these procedures is imperfect and their value incompletely established. Among 254 adult insulin users in two clinic populations, the reported prevalence of complete performance of four traditional insulin-use practices (handwashing, vial prep, skin prep, discarding of plastic syringes after one use) was 29%, and none of the individual practices considered was performed regularly by more than two-thirds of the subjects. Even so, there was no infection at 2828 injection sites, and there was no significant bacterial contamination of insulin or syringes. These findings fail to support the view that traditional practices provide protection to insulin users against infection or bacterial growth in insulin or syringes. The authors suggest that modification of traditional teaching methods would do no harm, and that benefits could include financial savings, improved client success with self-care, and enhanced health care provider credibility.

Hand hygiene: Back to the basics of infection control

Science.gov (United States)

Mathur, Purva

2011-01-01

Health care associated infections are drawing increasing attention from patients, insurers, governments and regulatory bodies. This is not only because of the magnitude of the problem in terms of the associated morbidity, mortality and cost of treatment, but also due to the growing recognition that most of these are preventable. The medical community is witnessing in tandem unprecedented advancements in the understanding of pathophysiology of infectious diseases and the global spread of multi-drug resistant infections in health care set-ups. These factors, compounded by the paucity of availability of new antimicrobials have necessitated a re-look into the role of basic practices of infection prevention in modern day health care. There is now undisputed evidence that strict adherence to hand hygiene reduces the risk of cross-transmission of infections. With “Clean Care is Safer Care” as a prime agenda of the global initiative of WHO on patient safety programmes, it is time for developing countries to formulate the much-needed policies for implementation of basic infection prevention practices in health care set-ups. This review focuses on one of the simplest, low cost but least accepted from infection prevention: hand hygiene. PMID:22199099

High infection control rate and function after routine one-stage exchange for chronically infected TKA.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenny, Jean-Yves; Barbe, Bruno; Gaudias, Jeannot; Boeri, Cyril; Argenson, Jean-Noël

2013-01-01

Many surgeons consider two-stage exchange the gold standard for treating chronic infection after TKA. One-stage exchange is an alternative for infection control and might provide better knee function, but the rates of infection control and levels of function are unclear. We asked whether a one-stage exchange protocol would lead to infection control rates and knee function similar to those after two-stage exchange. We followed all 47 patients with chronically infected TKAs treated with one-stage exchange between July 2004 and February 2007. We monitored for recurrence of infection and obtained Knee Society Scores. We followed patients a minimum of 3 years or until death or infection recurrence. Three of the 47 patients (6%) experienced a persistence or recurrence of the index infection with the same pathogen isolated. Three patients (6%) had control of the index infection but between 6 and 17 months experienced an infection with another pathogen. The 3-year survival rates were 87% for being free of any infection and 91% for being healed of the index infection. Twenty-five of the 45 patients (56%) had a Knee Society Score of more than 150 points. While routine one-stage exchange was not associated with a higher rate of infection recurrence failure, knee function was not improved compared to that of historical patients having two-stage exchange. One stage-exchange may be a reasonable alternative in chronically infected TKA as a more convenient approach for patients without the risks of two operations and hospitalizations and for reducing costs. The ideal one stage-exchange candidate should be identified in future studies.

[Helsinki declaration on patient safety in anaesthesiology -part 10: infection control/hygiene].

Science.gov (United States)

Kerwat, Klaus; Wulf, Hinnerk

2013-11-01

There is a plethora of laws, regulations, guidelines and recommendations relating to infection control and hygiene. Major issues are the prevention of nosocomial infections, staff protection and environmental protection. Of the highest relevance are the infection control law [Infektionsschutzgesetz (IfSG)], the hygiene regulations of the German federal states [Hygieneverordnungen der Bundesländer], the German technical rules for biological materials [Technische Regel Biologische Arbeitsstoffe 250 (TRBA 250)] - biological materials in health-care and welfare work [Biologische Arbeitsstoffe im Gesundheitswesen und in der Wohlfahrtspflege], the guidelines for hospital hygiene and prevention of infection of the commission for hospital hygiene and prevention of infection of the Robert-Koch Institute [Richtlinie für Krankenhaushygiene und Infektionsprävention von der Kommission für Krankenhaushygiene und Infektionsprävention (KRINKO) beim Robert Koch-Institut], the recommendations of the commission on anti-infectives, resistance and therapy of the Robert-Koch Institute [Empfehlungen der Kommission Antiinfektiva, Resistenz und Therapie (ART) beim Robert Koch-Institut]. Of subordinate importance are, e.g., the recommendations of the German Society for Anesthesiology and Intensive Medicine (DGAI). It is practically impossible for an anesthesiologist working in a hospital to have knowledge of all laws, regulations, guidelines and recommendations. And this is also not reasonable. Thus it is necessary to distinguish the relevant from the irrelevant. Checklists can be useful here. The most important and effective individual action in hospital hygiene is and remains hand hygiene as is propagated in the action "clean hands", irrespective of all laws, regulations, guidelines and recommendations. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.

Controlling urinary tract infections associated with intermittent bladder catheterization in geriatric hospitals.

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Girard, R; Gaujard, S; Pergay, V; Pornon, P; Martin Gaujard, G; Vieux, C; Bourguignon, L

2015-07-01

Controlling urinary tract infections (UTIs) associated with intermittent catheterization in geriatric patients. After a local epidemiological study identified high rates of UTI, a multi-disciplinary working group implemented and evaluated corrective measures. In 2009, a one-month prospective study measured the incidence of UTI, controlled for risk factors and exposure, in six geriatric hospitals. In 2010, a self-administered questionnaire on practices was administered to physicians and nurses working in these geriatric units. In 2011, the working group developed a multi-modal programme to: improve understanding of micturition, measurement of bladder volume and indications for catheter drainage; limit available medical devices; and improve prescription and traceability procedures. Detailed training was provided to all personnel on all sites. The epidemiological study was repeated in 2012 to assess the impact of the programme. Over 1500 patients were included in the 2009 study. The incidence of acquired infection was 4.8%. The infection rate was higher in patients with intermittent catheters than in patients with indwelling catheters (29.7 vs 9.9 UTI per 100 patients, P = 0.1013) which contradicts the literature. In 2010, the 269 responses to the questionnaire showed that staff did not consider catheterization to place patients at risk of infection, staff had poor knowledge of the recommended indications and techniques, and the equipment varied widely between units. Following implementation of the programme, the study was repeated in 2012 with over 1500 patients. The frequency of UTI in patients with intermittent catheters fell to rates in the published literature. Multi-modal programmes are an effective means to control UTI. Copyright © 2015 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-infection immunodeficiency virus control by neutralizing antibodies.

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Hiroyuki Yamamoto

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Unlike most acute viral infections controlled with the appearance of virus-specific neutralizing antibodies (NAbs, primary HIV infections are not met with such potent and early antibody responses. This brings into question if or how the presence of potent antibodies can contribute to primary HIV control, but protective efficacies of antiviral antibodies in primary HIV infections have remained elusive; and, it has been speculated that even NAb induction could have only a limited suppressive effect on primary HIV replication once infection is established. Here, in an attempt to answer this question, we examined the effect of passive NAb immunization post-infection on primary viral replication in a macaque AIDS model. METHODS AND FINDINGS: The inoculums for passive immunization with simian immunodeficiency virus mac239 (SIVmac239-specific neutralizing activity were prepared by purifying polyclonal immunoglobulin G from pooled plasma of six SIVmac239-infected rhesus macaques with NAb induction in the chronic phase. Passive immunization of rhesus macaques with the NAbs at day 7 after SIVmac239 challenge resulted in significant reduction of set-point plasma viral loads and preservation of central memory CD4 T lymphocyte counts, despite the limited detection period of the administered NAb responses. Peripheral lymph node dendritic cell (DC-associated viral RNA loads showed a remarkable peak with the NAb administration, and DCs stimulated in vitro with NAb-preincubated SIV activated virus-specific CD4 T lymphocytes in an Fc-dependent manner, implying antibody-mediated virion uptake by DCs and enhanced T cell priming. CONCLUSIONS: Our results present evidence indicating that potent antibody induction post-infection can result in primary immunodeficiency virus control and suggest direct and indirect contribution of its absence to initial control failure in HIV infections. Although difficulty in achieving requisite neutralizing titers for

Epidemiological factors associated with ESBL- and non ESBL-producing E. coli causing urinary tract infection in general practice

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Hertz, Frederik Boetius; Schønning, Kristian; Rasmussen, Steen Christian

2016-01-01

were prospectively collected and retrospective statistical analyses were done. This study included 98 cases with urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by ESBL-producing E. coli, 174 with antibiotic-resistant (non-ESBL) E. coli, 177 with susceptible E. coli and 200 with culture negative urine samples....... Case groups had significantly higher use of antibiotics than the control group within 30 days before infection (p UTI by ESBL......-producing E. coli. Exposure to antibiotics was a risk factor for UTI with E. coli, while prior antibiotic usage was not an indisputable predictor for infection with ESBL-producing E.coli in general practice....

The first step in infection control is hand hygiene.

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Canham, Leslie

2011-01-01

A dental health care worker (DHCW) has an obligation to prevent the spread of health care associated infections. Adhering to proper hand hygiene procedures, selecting appropriate hand hygiene products and the use of gloves are all important elements of infection control. The CDC Guidelines for Hand Hygiene state that improved hand hygiene practices can reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and personnel in health care settings. DHCWs must also protect themselves by recognizing pitfalls such as irritants or allergies that may pose obstacles to proper hand hygiene. Occupational irritants and allergies can be caused by frequent hand washing, exposure to hand hygiene products, exposure to chemicals and shear forces associated with wearing or removing gloves. Since the primary defense against infection and transmission of pathogens is healthy, unbroken skin, DHCWs must take steps to ensure that their skin remains healthy and intact. These steps include evaluating different types of hand hygiene products, lotions and gloves for the best compatibility. If the DHCW sees a breakdown of his or her skin barrier, steps should be taken to determine the cause and remedy. Remedies can include the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers containing emollients and moisturizers and regular use of a medical grade hand lotion. The bottom line: healthy skin protects you at work and at home. Selection and use of appropriate hand hygiene products, including moisturizers, are an essential part ofa dental office infection control program. My coworker lost the use of her thumb for several months due to complications of a staph infection. She was unable to work and found even simple tasks such as closing a button hard to do. Think of how difficult your work would be if something happened to your hands. Injury, irritation or allergies could alter your ability to work or even perform routine tasks. Our hands provide us with the ability to work in clinical dentistry. It makes

Control of parasitic infections among school children in the peri-urban area of Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil

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Regina Coeli Cunha Dórea

1996-10-01

Full Text Available Tide prevalence of intestinal parasitosis ivas investigated in a primaiy school located in Rubiâo Júnior, a peri-urban district of Botucatu, São Paulo slate, Brazil, in order to assess the effect of treatment and practical measures of prophylaxis in the control of parasitic infections among 7-to- 18-year-old school children of a low socio-economic status. The first series of parasitological examinations included 219 school children, ef which 123 (56.1 % were found to be infected with one or more parasite species. Eighty- four children canying pathogenic parasites were submitted to various anti-parasitic treatment schedules. We re-evaluated 15 (89 % students after 4 to 6 months post- chemotherapy. The results indicate that the combination of treatment with prophylactic measures has been successful in the control of parasitic infections, since reinfection rates were generally low ( 73-1 % in children infected with most parasite species. The reasons for the apparent failure in the control of infections caused by Hymenolepis nana and Strongyloides stercoralis are discussed.

Successful human infection with P. falciparum using three aseptic Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes: a new model for controlled human malaria infection.

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Matthew B Laurens

Full Text Available Controlled human malaria infection (CHMI is a powerful method for assessing the efficacy of anti-malaria vaccines and drugs targeting pre-erythrocytic and erythrocytic stages of the parasite. CHMI has heretofore required the bites of 5 Plasmodium falciparum (Pf sporozoite (SPZ-infected mosquitoes to reliably induce Pf malaria. We reported that CHMI using the bites of 3 PfSPZ-infected mosquitoes reared aseptically in compliance with current good manufacturing practices (cGMP was successful in 6 participants. Here, we report results from a subsequent CHMI study using 3 PfSPZ-infected mosquitoes reared aseptically to validate the initial clinical trial. We also compare results of safety, tolerability, and transmission dynamics in participants undergoing CHMI using 3 PfSPZ-infected mosquitoes reared aseptically to published studies of CHMI using 5 mosquitoes. Nineteen adults aged 18-40 years were bitten by 3 Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes infected with the chloroquine-sensitive NF54 strain of Pf. All 19 participants developed malaria (100%; 12 of 19 (63% on Day 11. The mean pre-patent period was 258.3 hours (range 210.5-333.8. The geometric mean parasitemia at first diagnosis by microscopy was 9.5 parasites/µL (range 2-44. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR detected parasites an average of 79.8 hours (range 43.8-116.7 before microscopy. The mosquitoes had a geometric mean of 37,894 PfSPZ/mosquito (range 3,500-152,200. Exposure to the bites of 3 aseptically-raised, PfSPZ-infected mosquitoes is a safe, effective procedure for CHMI in malaria-naïve adults. The aseptic model should be considered as a new standard for CHMI trials in non-endemic areas. Microscopy is the gold standard used for the diagnosis of Pf malaria after CHMI, but qPCR identifies parasites earlier. If qPCR continues to be shown to be highly specific, and can be made to be practical, rapid, and standardized, it should be considered as an alternative for diagnosis

Catheter – associated urinary tract infection: process indicators for analysis of prevention practices in critical patients

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Caroline Cury Ferreira

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Background and objective: Urinary tract infections have a significant impact on the patient's clinical evolution. In this way, the objective of this study was to analyze, through two process indicators. The conformities and nonconformities related to the practices of control and prevention of urinary tract infection related to delayed bladder catheterization in sectors with critical patients. Methods: Documental, observational and cross-sectional research of quantitative approach, performed in an Intensive Care Center and an Emergency unit of a public hospital in Curitiba. The data collection and analysis were based on process indicators elaborated and validated by Fernandez (2006. The indicators are evaluated accordingly when values between 73 – 87 % and 75 – 85 %, respectively. Results: For Indicators 1 and 2, the overall compliance rate was 68.8 % and 29.5 %, respectively. When the items that subsided the numerator of both indicators were registered, the indication for use of the device was more satisfactory in the Emergency (80.6 % and the adequate fixation presented nonconformity in the two sectors evaluated (67.5 % in the Center for Intensive Care and 96.8 % in Emergency.Conclusion: In general, the indicators revealed nonconformities with regard to the prevention practices for urinary tract infection related to delayed bladder catheterization and address the need for the implementation of guidance strategies for care teams and continuous monitoring of catheter use. KEYWORDS: Indicators. Quality indicators, Health care. Urinary Tract Infections. Catheters, Indwelling.

Controlled Human Malaria Infection: Applications, Advances, and Challenges.

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Stanisic, Danielle I; McCarthy, James S; Good, Michael F

2018-01-01

Controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) entails deliberate infection with malaria parasites either by mosquito bite or by direct injection of sporozoites or parasitized erythrocytes. When required, the resulting blood-stage infection is curtailed by the administration of antimalarial drugs. Inducing a malaria infection via inoculation with infected blood was first used as a treatment (malariotherapy) for neurosyphilis in Europe and the United States in the early 1900s. More recently, CHMI has been applied to the fields of malaria vaccine and drug development, where it is used to evaluate products in well-controlled early-phase proof-of-concept clinical studies, thus facilitating progression of only the most promising candidates for further evaluation in areas where malaria is endemic. Controlled infections have also been used to immunize against malaria infection. Historically, CHMI studies have been restricted by the need for access to insectaries housing infected mosquitoes or suitable malaria-infected individuals. Evaluation of vaccine and drug candidates has been constrained in these studies by the availability of a limited number of Plasmodium falciparum isolates. Recent advances have included cryopreservation of sporozoites, the manufacture of well-characterized and genetically distinct cultured malaria cell banks for blood-stage infection, and the availability of Plasmodium vivax -specific reagents. These advances will help to accelerate malaria vaccine and drug development by making the reagents for CHMI more widely accessible and also enabling a more rigorous evaluation with multiple parasite strains and species. Here we discuss the different applications of CHMI, recent advances in the use of CHMI, and ongoing challenges for consideration. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

[Knowledge, perceptions and practice of dermatologists with respect to Giardia lamblia infection].

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Iglesias Hernández, Tania; Almannoni, Saleh Ali; Rodríguez, Maria Elena; Sánchez Valdés, Lizet; Pupo, Deisy Martín; Manzur Katrib, Julián; Fonte Galindo, Luis

2010-01-01

to ascertain the level of knowledge, the perceptions and practice of dermatologists in the City of Havana with respect to Giardia lamblia infection. with prior informed consent given by the dermatologists from the City of Havana, 50 dermatologists- a number very close to the universe of these experts in the province- were administered a survey of their knowledge, perceptions and practice about this parasitosis. The survey was prepared in 4 phases; that is, interviews to physicians on diagnosis, treatment and control of giardiasis; drafting of a preliminary questionnaire based on the interview results; submission of this instruments to the experts, and finally its validation through its application to a small group of physicians. it was evinced that the dermatologists in the City of Havana had poor knowledge about giardiasis, particularly its cutaneous manifestations (out of 19 questions on cognitive aspects, the correct answer mean was 10,18), inadequate perceptions on this disease and practice was not good. with the aim of mitigating these difficulties, some academic intervention is needed to make emphasis on the formative aspects related to parasitic diseases in general and giardiasis in particular

Safe injection practices for administration of propofol.

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King, Cecil A; Ogg, Mary

2012-03-01

Sepsis and postoperative infection can occur as a result of unsafe practices in the administration of propofol and other injectable medications. Investigations of infection outbreaks have revealed the causes to be related to bacterial growth in or contamination of propofol and unsafe medication practices, including reuse of syringes on multiple patients, use of single-use medication vials for multiple patients, and failure to practice aseptic technique and adhere to infection control practices. Surveys conducted by AORN and other researchers have provided additional information on perioperative practices related to injectable medications. In 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a group of clinicians to gain a better understanding of the issues related to infection outbreaks and injectable medications. The meeting participants proposed collecting data to persuade clinicians to adopt new practices, developing guiding principles for propofol use, and describing propofol-specific, site-specific, and practitioner-specific injection techniques. AORN provides resources to help perioperative nurses reduce the incidence of postoperative infection related to medication administration. Copyright © 2012 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Staffing and structure of infection prevention and control programs.

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Stone, Patricia W; Dick, Andrew; Pogorzelska, Monika; Horan, Teresa C; Furuya, E Yoko; Larson, Elaine

2009-06-01

The nature of infection prevention and control is changing; however, little is known about current staffing and structure of infection prevention and control programs. Our objectives were to provide a snapshot of the staffing and structure of hospital-based infection prevention and control programs in the United States. A Web-based survey was sent to 441 hospitals that participate in the National Healthcare Safety Network. The response rate was 66% (n = 289); data were examined on 821 professionals. Infection preventionist (IP) staffing was significantly negatively related to bed size, with higher staffing in smaller hospitals (P hospital epidemiologists were reported to have authority to close beds for outbreaks always or most of the time (n = 225, 78%). Only 32% (n = 92) reported using an electronic surveillance system to track infections. This study is the first to provide a comprehensive description of current infection prevention and control staffing, organization, and support in a select group of hospitals across the nation. Further research is needed to identify effective staffing levels for various hospital types as well as examine how the IP role is changing over time.

Practices, patients and (imperfect data - feasibility of a randomised controlled clinical drug trial in German general practices

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Hummers-Pradier Eva

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Randomised controlled clinical (drug trials supply high quality evidence for therapeutic strategies in primary care. Until now, experience with drug trials in German general practice has been sparse. In 2007/2008, the authors conducted an investigator-initiated, non-commercial, double-blind, randomised controlled pilot trial (HWI-01 to assess the clinical equivalence of ibuprofen and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI. Here, we report the feasibility of this trial in German general practices and the implementation of Good Clinical Practice (GCP standards as defined by the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH in mainly inexperienced general practices. Methods This report is based on the experience of the HWI-01 study conducted in 29 German general practices. Feasibility was defined by 1 successful practice recruitment, 2 sufficient patient recruitment, 3 complete and accurate data collection and 4 appropriate protection of patient safety. Results The final practice recruitment rate was 18%. In these practices, 79 of 195 screened UTI patients were enrolled. Recruitment differed strongly between practices (range 0-12, mean 2.8 patients per practice and was below the recruitment goal of approximately 100 patients. As anticipated, practice nurses became the key figures in the screening und recruitment of patients. Clinical trial demands, in particular for completing symptom questionnaires, documentation of source data and reporting of adverse events, did not agree well with GPs' documentation habits and required support from study nurses. In many cases, GPs and practice staff seemed to be overwhelmed by the amount of information and regulations. No sudden unexpected serious adverse reactions (SUSARs were observed during the trial. Conclusions To enable drug trials in general practice, it is necessary to adapt the setup of clinical research infrastructure to the needs of GPs and

Immunostimulation using bacterial antigens – mechanism ofaction and clinical practice inviral respiratory tract infections

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Wojciech Feleszko

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Recurrent respiratory tract infections constitute a significant problem in the practice of a general practitioner and paediatrician. Antibiotic resistance of bacterial strains, which has been growing for years, prompts the search for alternative ways of combating pathogens. One of them is the usage of preparations based on cell lysis of various bacterial strains. Bacterial lysates have been available in Europe for many years. In preclinical trials, they are characterised by the capability of reducing infections caused by bacteria and viruses that are not the components of the preparations. A range of clinical trials have demonstrated their usefulness in reducing the frequency of seasonal respiratory tract infections and antibiotic use. Moreover, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease gain an additional advantage in the form of the reduction of the risk of hospitalization due to disease exacerbations and a positive influence on the survival curve. The action of bacterial lysates is based on oral immunostimulation of gut-associated lymphoid tissue, which results in increased antibody production. Moreover, they activate a range of mucosal mechanisms of non-specific immunity, mainly by enhancing the activity of TLR-dependent mechanisms. The efficacy of this group of drugs has been confirmed in a range of clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Recent studies also indicate their immunoregulatory potential, suggesting that they might be used in the future in preventing allergies, asthma and autoimmune diseases. To conclude, physicians (paediatricians, laryngologists, pulmonologists should consider reducing the use of antibiotics in their daily practice. Instead, they should offer preparations that promote the immune system, thus controlling infections in a better way.

Communication strategies in acute health care: evaluation within the context of infection prevention and control.

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Edwards, R; Sevdalis, N; Vincent, C; Holmes, A

2012-09-01

Communication in healthcare settings has recently received significant attention in the literature. However, there continues to be a large gap in current understanding of the effectiveness of different communication channels used in acute healthcare settings, particularly in the context of infection prevention and control (IPC). To explore and evaluate the main communication channels used within hospitals to communicate with healthcare workers (HCWs) and to propose practical recommendations. Critical review of the main communication channels used within acute health care to communicate information to HCWs, and analysis of their impact on practice. The analysis covers verbal communications, standardization via guidelines, education and training, electronic communications and marketing strategies. Traditional communication channels have not been successful in changing and sustaining best practice in IPC, but newer approaches (electronic messages and marketing) also have pitfalls. A few simple recommendations are made in relation to the development, implementation and evaluation of communications to HCWs; top-down vs bottom-up communications; and the involvement of HCWs, particularly ward personnel. Copyright © 2012 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceptions of dental outpatients toward cross-infection control measures in Jabalpur city

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Suryakant C Deogade

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Infection control practices are crucial and important elements in clinical dentistry as there is an enormous increase in the prevalence of infectious diseases among dental patients. This necessitates the application of recommended procedures for infection control in the dental schools and clinics. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess patients' perception toward the use of protective barriers (such as gloves, face masks, and eye goggles by working dentists in a private dental teaching school in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh (India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of a convenient sample of patients visiting the dental school of RDU was conducted in 2015. A structured, close-ended, self-administered questionnaire was distributed among 700 patients and a response rate of 89% was obtained. The questionnaire consisted of a series of questions related to awareness, knowledge, attitude, and perception of patients toward infection control measures. Data analysis included frequency distribution tables. Results: Of 664 patients (298 males and 366 females, 97.7%, 93.5%, and 43.6% of the patients believed that dentist should wear gloves, face masks, and eye goggles, respectively, when treating patients. The majority of them (95.3% refused to undergo treatment if the dentist is not wearing gloves and face masks. More than two-thirds (73.3% denied receiving treatment from a dentist, who is not immunized against hepatitis B. Nearly 79.2% of patients refused to attend school if they knew that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV patients treated there. The majority of patients (92.7%, 72.3%, and 23.1% believed that gloves, facemasks, and eye goggles protect both dentist and patient, respectively. Only 44.9% said that autoclave is the best method of sterilization. A significantly higher knowledge of infection control was observed among the previous dental visitors compared to the first-time visitors

Enterobiasis (Pinworm Infection): Prevention and Control

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... General Information Pinworm Infection FAQs Epidemiology & Risk Factors Biology Disease Diagnosis Treatment Prevention & Control Resources for Health Professionals Publications Get Email Updates ...

Practical use of povidone-iodine antiseptic in the maintenance of oral health and in the prevention and treatment of common oropharyngeal infections.

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Kanagalingam, J; Feliciano, R; Hah, J H; Labib, H; Le, T A; Lin, J-C

2015-11-01

To better inform medical practitioners on the role of antiseptics in oropharyngeal health and disease, this article focuses on povidone-iodine (PVP-I), an established and widely-available antiseptic agent. Review of the anti-infective profile, efficacy and safety of PVP-I in managing common upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold, influenza and tonsillo-pharyngitis, as well as oral complications resulting from cancer treatment (oral mucositis), and dental conditions (periodontitis, caries). Antiseptics with broad-spectrum anti-infective activity and low resistance potential offer an attractive option in both infection control and prevention. While there is some evidence of benefit of antiseptics in a variety of clinical settings that include dental and oral hygiene, dermatology, oncology, and pulmonology, there appears to be discordance between the evidence-base and practice. This is especially apparent in the management and prevention of oropharyngeal infections, for which the use of antiseptics varies considerably between clinical practices, and is in marked contrast to their dermal application, where they are extensively used as both a prophylaxis and a treatment of skin and wound infections, thus minimising the use of antibiotics. The link between oral and oropharyngeal health status and susceptibility to infection has long been recognised. The high rates of antibiotic misuse and subsequent development of bacterial resistance (e.g. increasing vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)) in large parts of the world, especially across Asia Pacific, highlight the need for identifying alternative antimicrobials that would minimise the use of these medications. This, together with recent large-scale outbreaks of, for example, avian and swine influenza virus, further underline the importance of an increasing armamentarium for infection prevention and control. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Infection control for SARS in a tertiary neonatal centre.

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Ng, P C; So, K W; Leung, T F; Cheng, F W T; Lyon, D J; Wong, W; Cheung, K L; Fung, K S C; Lee, C H; Li, A M; Hon, K L E; Li, C K; Fok, T F

2003-09-01

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a newly discovered infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus, which can readily spread in the healthcare setting. A recent community outbreak in Hong Kong infected a significant number of pregnant women who subsequently required emergency caesarean section for deteriorating maternal condition and respiratory failure. As no neonatal clinician has any experience in looking after these high risk infants, stringent infection control measures for prevention of cross infection between patients and staff are important to safeguard the wellbeing of the work force and to avoid nosocomial spread of SARS within the neonatal unit. This article describes the infection control and patient triage policy of the neonatal unit at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong. We hope this information is useful in helping other units to formulate their own infection control plans according to their own unit configuration and clinical needs.

The associations of humorous coping styles, affective states, job demands and job control with the frequency of upper respiratory tract infection

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Sibe Doosje

2011-05-01

Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to test a model including these variables as well as job-related affect, in order to explore their role in the explanation of the frequency of upper respiratory tract infection. Motivation of the study: This study has been conducted in order to extend our understanding of the role of traditional variables like job demands and job control with humorous coping styles and affective variables with regard to the explanation of the frequency of URTI. Research design, approach and method: A sample of 2094 employees filled out questionnaires assessing job demands, job control, generic (MSHS-C, antecedent-focused and responsefocused humorous coping (QOHC and job-related affect (JAWS. Main findings: Job demands were indirectly related to the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections, mediated by their relationships with job control and negative job-related affect. Generic and response-focused humorous coping were less relevant for the explanation of the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections than the presumably ‘healthy’ antecedentfocused humorous coping style. The latter showed a negative association with negative jobrelated affect. The frequency of upper respiratory tract infections was better predicted by job control and negative job-related affect than by humorous coping, in the expected directions. Practical/managerial implication: These findings may have practical relevance for the improvement of stress management interventions in organisations. Contribution/value-add: Although it was shown that healthy humorous coping does contribute to decreases in upper respiratory tract infection, job demands, job resources and negative affective state seem the most important predictors.

Healthcare Associated Infections of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: A Case-Control-Control Study.

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Zhenjiang Yao

Full Text Available Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA is one of the most widespread and dangerous pathogens in healthcare settings. We carried out this case-control-control study at a tertiary care hospital in Guangzhou, China, to examine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, risk factors and clinical outcomes of MRSA infections.A total of 57 MRSA patients, 116 methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA patients and 102 S. aureus negative patients were included in this study. We applied the disk diffusion method to compare the antimicrobial susceptibilities of 18 antibiotics between MRSA and MSSA isolates. Risk factors of MRSA infections were evaluated using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. We used Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression analysis to assess the hospital stay duration and fatality for patients with MRSA infections.The MRSA group had significantly higher resistance rates for most drugs tested compared with the MSSA group. Using MSSA patients as controls, the following independent risk factors of MRSA infections were identified: 3 or more prior hospitalizations (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-5.8, P = 0.007, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.7-20.7, P = 0.006, and use of a respirator (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.0-12.9, P = 0.046. With the S. aureus negative patients as controls, use of a respirator (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.0-13.9, P = 0.047 and tracheal intubation (OR 8.2, 95% CI 1.5-45.1, P = 0.016 were significant risk factors for MRSA infections. MRSA patients had a longer hospital stay duration and higher fatality in comparison with those in the two control groups.MRSA infections substantially increase hospital stay duration and fatality. Thus, MRSA infections are serious issues in this healthcare setting and should receive more attention from clinicians.

Dengue infection and miscarriage: a prospective case control study.

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Peng Chiong Tan

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Dengue is the most prevalent mosquito borne infection worldwide. Vertical transmissions after maternal dengue infection to the fetus and pregnancy losses in relation to dengue illness have been reported. The relationship of dengue to miscarriage is not known. METHOD: We aimed to establish the relationship of recent dengue infection and miscarriage. Women who presented with miscarriage (up to 22 weeks gestation to our hospital were approached to participate in the study. For each case of miscarriage, we recruited 3 controls with viable pregnancies at a similar gestation. A brief questionnaire on recent febrile illness and prior dengue infection was answered. Blood was drawn from participants, processed and the frozen serum was stored. Stored sera were thawed and then tested in batches with dengue specific IgM capture ELISA, dengue non-structural protein 1 (NS1 antigen and dengue specific IgG ELISA tests. Controls remained in the analysis if their pregnancies continued beyond 22 weeks gestation. Tests were run on 116 case and 341 control sera. One case (a misdiagnosed viable early pregnancy plus 45 controls (39 lost to follow up and six subsequent late miscarriages were excluded from analysis. FINDINGS: Dengue specific IgM or dengue NS1 antigen (indicating recent dengue infection was positive in 6/115 (5·2% cases and 5/296 (1·7% controls RR 3·1 (95% CI 1·0-10 P = 0·047. Maternal age, gestational age, parity and ethnicity were dissimilar between cases and controls. After adjustments for these factors, recent dengue infection remained significantly more frequently detected in cases than controls (AOR 4·2 95% CI 1·2-14 P = 0·023. INTERPRETATION: Recent dengue infections were more frequently detected in women presenting with miscarriage than in controls whose pregnancies were viable. After adjustments for confounders, the positive association remained.

Attitudes, knowledge and practices of healthcare workers regarding occupational exposure of pulmonary tuberculosis

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Lesley T. Bhebhe

2014-10-01

Objective: Following a high incidence of TB among HCWs at Maluti Adventist Hospital in Lesotho, a study was carried out to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of HCWs regarding healthcare-associated TB infection and infection controls. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study performed in June 2011; it involved HCWs at Maluti Adventist Hospital who were involved with patients and/or sputum. Stratified sampling of 140 HCWs was performed, of whom, 129 (92.0% took part. A self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was used. Results: Most respondents (89.2% had appropriate knowledge of transmission, diagnosis and prevention of TB; however, only 22.0% of the respondents knew the appropriate method of sputum collection. All of the respondents (100.0% were motivated and willing to implement IPC measures. A significant proportion of participants (36.4% reported poor infection control practices, with the majority of inappropriate practices being the administrative infection controls (> 80.0%. Only 38.8% of the participants reported to be using the appropriate N-95 respirator. Conclusion: Poor infection control practices regarding occupational TB exposure were demonstrated, the worst being the first-line administrative infection controls. Critical knowledge gaps were identified; however, there was encouraging willingness by HCWs to adapt to recommended infection control measures. Healthcare workers are inevitably exposed to TB, due to frequent interaction with patients with undiagnosed and potentially contagious TB. Implementation of infection prevention and control practices is critical whenever there is a possibility of exposure.

Heterogeneity in testing practices for infections during pregnancy: national survey across Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Aebi-Popp, Karoline; Kahlert, Christian; Rauch, Andri; Mosimann, Beatrice; Baud, David; Low, Nicola; Surbek, Daniel

2016-01-01

Detection and treatment of infections during pregnancy are important for both maternal and child health. The objective of this study was to describe testing practices and adherence to current national guidelines in Switzerland. We invited all registered practicing obstetricians and gynaecologists in Switzerland to complete an anonymous web-based questionnaire about strategies for testing for 14 infections during pregnancy. We conducted a descriptive analysis according to demographic characteristics. Of 1138 invited clinicians, 537 (47.2%) responded and 520 (45.6%) were eligible as they are currently caring for pregnant women. Nearly all eligible respondents tested all pregnant women for group B streptococcus (98.0%), hepatitis B virus (HBV) (96.5%) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (94.7%), in accordance with national guidelines. Although testing for toxoplasmosis is not recommended, 24.1% of respondents tested all women and 32.9% tested at the request of the patient. Hospital doctors were more likely not to test for toxoplasmosis than doctors working in private practice (odds ratio [OR] 2.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-6.13, p = 0.04). Only 80.4% of respondents tested all women for syphilis. There were regional differences in testing for some infections. The proportion of clinicians testing all women for HIV, HBV and syphilis was lower in Eastern Switzerland and the Zurich region (69.4% and 61.2%, respectively) than in other regions (range 77.1-88.1%, p Switzerland. More extensive national guidelines could improve consistency of testing practices.

Case control study to identify risk factors for acute hepatitis C virus infection in Egypt

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Kandeel Amr M

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Identification of risk factors of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV infection in Egypt is crucial to develop appropriate prevention strategies. Methods We conducted a case–control study, June 2007-September 2008, to investigate risk factors for acute HCV infection in Egypt among 86 patients and 287 age and gender matched controls identified in two infectious disease hospitals in Cairo and Alexandria. Case-patients were defined as: any patient with symptoms of acute hepatitis; lab tested positive for HCV antibodies and negative for HBsAg, HBc IgM, HAV IgM; and 7-fold increase in the upper limit of transaminase levels. Controls were selected from patients’ visitors with negative viral hepatitis markers. Subjects were interviewed about previous exposures within six months, including community-acquired and health-care associated practices. Results Case-patients were more likely than controls to have received injection with a reused syringe (OR=23.1, CI 4.7-153, to have been in prison (OR=21.5, CI 2.5-479.6, to have received IV fluids in a hospital (OR=13.8, CI 5.3-37.2, to have been an IV drug user (OR=12.1, CI 4.6-33.1, to have had minimal surgical procedures (OR=9.7, CI 4.2-22.4, to have received IV fluid as an outpatient (OR=8, CI 4–16.2, or to have been admitted to hospital (OR=7.9, CI 4.2-15 within the last 6 months. Multivariate analysis indicated that unsafe health facility practices are the main risk factors associated with transmission of HCV infection in Egypt. Conclusion In Egypt, focusing acute HCV prevention measures on health-care settings would have a beneficial impact.

Attitudes, knowledge and practices of healthcare workers regarding occupational exposure of pulmonary tuberculosis

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Lesley T. Bhebhe

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Healthcare-associated tuberculosis (TB has become a major occupational hazard for healthcare workers (HCWs. HCWs are inevitably exposed to TB, due to frequent interaction with patients with undiagnosed and potentially contagious TB. Whenever there is a possibility of exposure, implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC practices is critical.Objective: Following a high incidence of TB among HCWs at Maluti Adventist Hospital in Lesotho, a study was carried out to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of HCWs regarding healthcare-associated TB infection and infection controls.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study performed in June 2011; it involved HCWs at Maluti Adventist Hospital who were involved with patients and/or sputum. Stratified sampling of 140 HCWs was performed, of whom, 129 (92.0% took part. A self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was used.Results: Most respondents (89.2% had appropriate knowledge of transmission, diagnosis and prevention of TB; however, only 22.0% of the respondents knew the appropriate method of sputum collection. All of the respondents (100.0% were motivated and willing to implement IPC measures. A significant proportion of participants (36.4% reported poor infection control practices, with the majority of inappropriate practices being the administrative infection controls (> 80.0%. Only 38.8% of the participants reported to be using the appropriate N-95 respirator.Conclusion: Poor infection control practices regarding occupational TB exposure were demonstrated, the worst being the first-line administrative infection controls. Critical knowledge gaps were identified; however, there was encouraging willingness by HCWs to adapt to recommended infection control measures. Healthcare workers are inevitably exposed to TB, due to frequent interaction with patients with undiagnosed and potentially contagious TB. Implementation of infection prevention and control practices is

Human factors related to time-dependent infection control measures: "Scrub the hub" for venous catheters and feeding tubes.

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Caspari, Lindsay; Epstein, Elizabeth; Blackman, Amy; Jin, Li; Kaufman, David A

2017-06-01

The use of catheter hub decontamination protocols is a common practice to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections. However, few data exist on the most effective disinfection procedure prior to hub access accounting for human factors and time-dependent practices in real time in the clinical setting. An observational design with a multimodal intervention was used in this study in a neonatal intensive care unit. Direct observations on nurse compliance of scrub times with decontamination when accessing of venous catheter and feeding tube hubs were conducted during 3 phases: (1) baseline period prior to any interventions; (2) during an educational intervention phase; and (3) during a timer intervention period when using a timing device, either an actual timer or music button. Overall, both education and the timing device interventions increased the mean scrub time ± SD of venous catheter hubs. Mean baseline scrub times of 10 ± 5 seconds were lower compared with 23 ± 12 seconds after educational intervention (P music button use (P observed with scrub times of feeding tubes. Time-based infection control measures, such as scrubbing the hub, must be implemented with aids that qualify specific times to account for human factors, to ensure adherence to time-dependent measures aimed at decreasing nosocomial infections. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and Practice of Standard Precautions by Health-Care ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2018-02-23

Feb 23, 2018 ... SPs are the minimum infection prevention practices that apply to all patients regardless ... Nonavailability of materials, limited organizational support, and lack of knowledge regarding infection control practices among HCWs ...

Impact of Infection Prevention and Control Initiatives on Acute Respiratory Infections in a Pediatric Long-Term Care Facility.

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Murray, Meghan T; Jackson, Olivia; Cohen, Bevin; Hutcheon, Gordon; Saiman, Lisa; Larson, Elaine; Neu, Natalie

2016-07-01

We evaluated the collective impact of several infection prevention and control initiatives aimed at reducing acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in a pediatric long-term care facility. ARIs did not decrease overall, though the proportion of infections associated with outbreaks and average number of cases per outbreak decreased. Influenza rates decreased significantly. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:859-862.

Biological agents and respiratory infections: Causative mechanisms and practice management.

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Takayanagi, Noboru

2015-09-01

Biological agents are increasingly being used to treat patients with immune-mediated inflammatory disease. In Japan, currently approved biological agents for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, interleukin-6 receptor-blocking monoclonal antibody, and T-cell costimulation inhibitor. Rheumatologists have recognized that safety issues are critical aspects of treatment decisions in RA. Therefore, a wealth of safety data has been gathered from a number of sources, including randomized clinical trials and postmarketing data from large national registries. These data revealed that the most serious adverse events from these drugs are respiratory infections, especially pneumonia, tuberculosis, nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, and that the most common risk factors associated with these respiratory infections are older age, concomitant corticosteroid use, and underlying respiratory comorbidities. Because of this background, in 2014, the Japanese Respiratory Society published their consensus statement of biological agents and respiratory disorders. This review summarizes this statement and adds recent evidence, especially concerning respiratory infections in RA patients, biological agents and respiratory infections, and practice management of respiratory infections in patients treated with biological agents. To decrease the incidence of infections and reduce mortality, we should know the epidemiology, risk factors, management, and methods of prevention of respiratory infections in patients receiving biological agents. Copyright © 2015 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Infection control in Indonesian Hospitals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Duerink, Daphne Offra

2009-01-01

The studies in this thesis were performed as part of the AMRIN (Antimicrobial Resistance in Indonesia) study that addressed antimicrobial resistance, antibiotic usage and infection control in Indonesia. They are the first studies that give insight into the incidence of healthcare-associated

[Infection prevention and control in neonatal intensive care unit].

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenzini, Elisiane; Lorenzini, Elisiane; da Costa, Tatiane Costa; da Silva, Eveline Franco

2013-12-01

This study was aimed to identify the knowledge of the nursing team of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on infection control, identijfying the factors that facilitate or hinder the prevention and control of Healthcare Associated Infections (HICAI). A descriptive study using a qualitative research method conducted with three nurses and 15 nurse technicians, who work in a NICU of a charitable organization, in southern Brazil. It became evident that the nursing staff had great knowledge about the factors that facilitate the prevention and control of HCAI in NICU, the most important factor being proper hand hygiene. Among the factors that hinder infection prevention and control are to overcrowding and excessive workload. The efficient performance of the nursing staff is an important part of the strategy for prevention and control of HCAI.

Infection prevention and control and the refugee population: Experiences from the University of Louisville Global Health Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrico, Ruth M; Goss, Linda; Wiemken, Timothy L; Bosson, Rahel S; Peyrani, Paula; Mattingly, William A; Pauly, Allison; Ford, Rebecca A; Kotey, Stanley; Ramirez, Julio A

2017-06-01

During 2016, approximately 140,000 individuals entered the United States as part of the federal government refugee resettlement program and established themselves in communities in virtually every state. No national database regarding refugee health currently exists; therefore, little is known about existing infectious diseases, conditions, and cultural practices that impact successful acculturation. The objective of this report is to identify what is currently known about refugees and circumstances important to infection prevention and control with respect to their roles as new community members, employees, and consumers of health care. Using data from the University of Louisville Global Health Center's Newly Arriving Refugee Surveillance System, health issues affecting refugees from the perspective of a community member, an employee, and a patient were explored. Lack of immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases is the most widespread issue impacting almost every adult, adolescent, and child refugee resettled in Kentucky. Health issues of concern from an infection prevention and control perspective include latent tuberculosis infection, HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and parasites. Other health conditions that may also be important include anemia, obesity, oral health, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Refugee resettlement provides motivation for collaborative work among those responsible for infection prevention and control in all settings, their public health partners, and those responsible for and interested in community workforce concerns. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and Infection Control

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Lynn Johnston

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Over the past year, several situations have occurred in Canada in which patients who had recently undergone a surgical procedure were subsequently diagnosed with confirmed or suspected Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD. This raised concerns over contamination of surgical instruments: which instruments might have been contaminated from direct exposure to tissues; can instruments become cross-contaminated by exposure to other contaminated instruments; what assessment is necessary to determine cross-contamination; and what should be done with instruments that have been contaminated. Additionally, should there be a patient traceback in the face of potential but unproven exposure? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers to most of the above questions. Australia, the United Kingdom and the World Health Organization have developed guidelines for the infection control management of patients with CJD, as well as instruments and devices that come into contact with them and their tissues (1-3. Health Canada's draft CJD infection control guidelines, withdrawn from the Health Canada Web site until safety concerns regarding sodium hydroxide can be addressed, closely mirrored recommendations made in those documents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for CJD are under revision. However, a recent American publication made recommendations on what procedures should be used for reprocessing items that have been in contact with the prion protein (PrP (4. These recommendations differ substantially from the draft Canadian guidelines. This article reviews current knowledge about CJD, and highlights some of the infection control concerns and controversies.

[Infection control and safety culture in German hospitals].

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Sonja; Schwab, Frank; Gropmann, Alexander; Behnke, Michael; Gastmeier, Petra

2016-07-01

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are the most frequent adverse events in the healthcare setting and their prevention is an important contribution to patient safety in hospitals. To analyse to what extent safety cultural aspects with relevance to infection control are implemented in German hospitals. Safety cultural aspects of infection control were surveyed with an online questionnaire; data were analysed descriptively. Data from 543 hospitals with a median of [IQR] 275 [157; 453] beds were analysed. Almost all hospitals (96.6 %) had internal guidelines for infection control (IC) in place; 82 % defined IC objectives, most often regarding hand hygiene (HH) (93 %) and multidrug resistant organisms (72 %) and less frequently for antibiotic stewardship (48 %) or prevention of specific HAI. In 94 % of hospitals, a reporting system for adverse events was in place, which was also used to report low compliance with HH, outbreaks and Clostridium difficile-associated infections. Members of the IC team were most often seen to hold daily responsibility for IC in the hospital, but rarely other hospital staff (94 versus 19 %). Safety cultural aspects are not fully implemented in German hospitals. IC should be more strongly implemented in healthcare workers' daily routine and more visibly supported by hospital management.

Prevention and Control Strategies to Counter Dengue Virus Infection

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Irfan A. Rather

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Dengue is currently the highest and rapidly spreading vector-borne viral disease, which can lead to mortality in its severe form. The globally endemic dengue poses as a public health and economic challenge that has been attempted to suppress though application of various prevention and control techniques. Therefore, broad spectrum techniques, that are efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable, are proposed and practiced in dengue-endemic regions. The development of vaccines and immunotherapies have introduced a new dimension for effective dengue control and prevention. Thus, the present study focuses on the preventive and control strategies that are currently employed to counter dengue. While traditional control strategies bring temporary sustainability alone, implementation of novel biotechnological interventions, such as sterile insect technique, paratransgenesis, and production of genetically modified vectors, has improved the efficacy of the traditional strategies. Although a large-scale vector control strategy can be limited, innovative vaccine candidates have provided evidence for promising dengue prevention measures. The use of tetravalent dengue vaccine (CYD-TDV has been the most effective so far in treating dengue infections. Nonetheless, challenges and limitation hinder the progress of developing integrated intervention methods and vaccines; while the improvement in the latest techniques and vaccine formulation continues, one can hope for a future without the threat of dengue virus.

Prevention and Control Strategies to Counter Dengue Virus Infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Rather, Irfan A; Parray, Hilal A; Lone, Jameel B; Paek, Woon K; Lim, Jeongheui; Bajpai, Vivek K; Park, Yong-Ha

2017-01-01

Dengue is currently the highest and rapidly spreading vector-borne viral disease, which can lead to mortality in its severe form. The globally endemic dengue poses as a public health and economic challenge that has been attempted to suppress though application of various prevention and control techniques. Therefore, broad spectrum techniques, that are efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable, are proposed and practiced in dengue-endemic regions. The development of vaccines and immunotherapies have introduced a new dimension for effective dengue control and prevention. Thus, the present study focuses on the preventive and control strategies that are currently employed to counter dengue. While traditional control strategies bring temporary sustainability alone, implementation of novel biotechnological interventions, such as sterile insect technique, paratransgenesis, and production of genetically modified vectors, has improved the efficacy of the traditional strategies. Although a large-scale vector control strategy can be limited, innovative vaccine candidates have provided evidence for promising dengue prevention measures. The use of tetravalent dengue vaccine (CYD-TDV) has been the most effective so far in treating dengue infections. Nonetheless, challenges and limitation hinder the progress of developing integrated intervention methods and vaccines; while the improvement in the latest techniques and vaccine formulation continues, one can hope for a future without the threat of dengue virus.

Intravaginal practices, bacterial vaginosis, and HIV infection in women: individual participant data meta-analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Low

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Identifying modifiable factors that increase women's vulnerability to HIV is a critical step in developing effective female-initiated prevention interventions. The primary objective of this study was to pool individual participant data from prospective longitudinal studies to investigate the association between intravaginal practices and acquisition of HIV infection among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Secondary objectives were to investigate associations between intravaginal practices and disrupted vaginal flora; and between disrupted vaginal flora and HIV acquisition.We conducted a meta-analysis of individual participant data from 13 prospective cohort studies involving 14,874 women, of whom 791 acquired HIV infection during 21,218 woman years of follow-up. Data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. The level of between-study heterogeneity was low in all analyses (I(2 values 0.0%-16.1%. Intravaginal use of cloth or paper (pooled adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18-1.83, insertion of products to dry or tighten the vagina (aHR 1.31, 95% CI 1.00-1.71, and intravaginal cleaning with soap (aHR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01-1.53 remained associated with HIV acquisition after controlling for age, marital status, and number of sex partners in the past 3 months. Intravaginal cleaning with soap was also associated with the development of intermediate vaginal flora and bacterial vaginosis in women with normal vaginal flora at baseline (pooled adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.24, 95% CI 1.04-1.47. Use of cloth or paper was not associated with the development of disrupted vaginal flora. Intermediate vaginal flora and bacterial vaginosis were each associated with HIV acquisition in multivariable models when measured at baseline (aHR 1.54 and 1.69, p<0.001 or at the visit before the estimated date of HIV infection (aHR 1.41 and 1.53, p<0.001, respectively.This study provides evidence to suggest that some intravaginal practices increase

Where does infection control fit into a hospital management structure?

Science.gov (United States)

Brannigan, E T; Murray, E; Holmes, A

2009-12-01

To be effective, infection prevention and control must be integrated into the complex and multiple interlinking systems within a hospital's management structure. Each of the systems must consider how activity associated with it can be optimised to minimise infection risk to patients. The components of an organisational structure to achieve these quality assurance and patient safety aims are discussed. The use of performance management tools in relation to infection control metrics is reviewed, and the use of hospital-acquired infection as a proxy indicator for deficiencies of system management is considered. Infection prevention and control cannot be the role and responsibility of a single individual or a small dedicated team; rather it should be a priority at all levels and integrated within all management systems, including the research and educational agendas.

Minibus taxi drivers’ sexual beliefs and practices associated with HIV infection and AIDS in KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busisiwe Ncama

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Risky sexual behaviours in South Africa are a major contributing factor to the spread of HIV infection and AIDS. HIV infection amongst minibus taxi drivers is a concern, because these people belong to an occupational group that exhibits risky behaviours due to the demands of their work. Given the high vulnerability of minibus taxi drivers, exploring the sexual beliefs and health-related sexual practices of this group will assist in planning targeted interventions.The objectives of this study were to assess the level of knowledge, beliefs and practices regarding HIV infection and AIDS amongst minibus taxi drivers. An exploratory descriptive study was conducted using a pre-tested questionnaire to explore and describe sexual beliefs and practices associated with HIV infection and AIDS in a convenience sample of 175 minibus taxi drivers. Permission to undertake the study was obtained from the KwaZulu-Natal Taxi Alliance and individuals who participated in the study. Data analysis were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences 13.0. The study revealed that minibus taxi drivers are one of the high- risk groups in the spread of HIV infection and AIDS; they lack necessary education and need attention in relation to control and prevention of the spread of HIV and AIDS. Multiple sexual partners are relatively common amongst the minibus taxi drivers. Violence against women and even forceful sexual intercourse in the belief that women should tolerate it to keep the family together was reported. There is a need for intervention programmes with a focus on minibus taxi drivers and similar high-risk groups. Prevention activities should incorporate the distribution of condoms amongst this group and HIV prevention educational programmes, as well as creating mechanisms for accessing circumcision by the minibus taxi drivers.

Toxoplasma gondii infection in interstate truck drivers: a case-control seroprevalence study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Pacheco-Vega, Sandy Janet; Hernández-Tinoco, Jesús; Salcedo-Jáquez, Misael; Sánchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Berumen-Segovia, Luis Omar; Rábago-Sánchez, Elizabeth; Liesenfeld, Oliver

2015-02-05

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii can be acquired via the ingestion of undercooked or raw meat containing tissue cysts, or via ingestion of water contaminated with oocysts. Professional long distance truck driving may have epidemiological importance for food-borne infections since drivers eat out of home and in places where hygiene and cooking practices are uncertain. We aimed to determine whether interstate truck drivers in Durango, Mexico have an increased risk of infection with T. gondii as indicated by seropositivity; and to determine the socio-demographic, work, clinical, and behavioral characteristics associated with T. gondii seropositivity in interstate truck drivers. Through a case-control study design, 192 truck drivers and 192 controls from the general population of the same region matched by gender and age were examined with enzyme-linked immunoassays for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies. Socio-demographic, work, clinical and behavioral characteristics from the truck drivers were obtained. Anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were found in 23 (12.0%) of 192 truck drivers and in 13 (6.8%) of 192 controls (OR = 21.0; 95% CI: 1.23-358.38; P = 0.002). Anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies were found in 7 (3.6%) cases and in 7 (3.6%) controls (P = 1.00). The seroprevalence of T. gondii infection was higher in drivers with reflex impairment than in those without this impairment (4/13, 30.8% vs 19/179, 10.6%, respectively; P = 0.05), and in drivers with hearing impairment than in those without this impairment (3/7, 42.9% vs 20/185, 10.8%, respectively; P = 0.03). Multivariate analysis of work and behavioral characteristics of truck drives showed positive associations of T. gondii exposure with trips to the south of Mexico (OR = 3.11; 95% CI: 1.02-9.44; P = 0.04) and consumption of horse meat (OR = 5.18; 95% CI: 1.62-16.55; P = 0.005). Results suggest that interstate truck drivers may have an increased risk for T

T-cell-dependent control of acute Giardia lamblia infections in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, S M; Nash, T E

2000-01-01

We have studied immune mechanisms responsible for control of acute Giardia lamblia and Giardia muris infections in adult mice. Association of chronic G. lamblia infection with hypogammaglobulinemia and experimental infections of mice with G. muris have led to the hypothesis that antibodies are required to control these infections. We directly tested this hypothesis by infecting B-cell-deficient mice with either G. lamblia or G. muris. Both wild-type mice and B-cell-deficient mice eliminated the vast majority of parasites between 1 and 2 weeks postinfection with G. lamblia. G. muris was also eliminated in both wild-type and B-cell-deficient mice. In contrast, T-cell-deficient and scid mice failed to control G. lamblia infections, as has been shown previously for G. muris. Treatment of wild-type or B-cell-deficient mice with antibodies to CD4 also prevented elimination of G. lamblia, confirming a role for T cells in controlling infections. By infecting mice deficient in either alphabeta- or gammadelta-T-cell receptor (TCR)-expressing T cells, we show that the alphabeta-TCR-expressing T cells are required to control parasites but that the gammadelta-TCR-expressing T cells are not. Finally, infections in mice deficient in production of gamma interferon or interleukin 4 (IL-4) and mice deficient in responding to IL-4 and IL-13 revealed that neither the Th1 nor the Th2 subset is absolutely required for protection from G. lamblia. We conclude that a T-cell-dependent mechanism is essential for controlling acute Giardia infections and that this mechanism is independent of antibody and B cells.

Efficacy of an infection control programme in reducing nosocomial bloodstream infections in a Senegalese neonatal unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Landre-Peigne, C; Ka, A S; Peigne, V; Bougere, J; Seye, M N; Imbert, P

2011-10-01

Neonatal nosocomial infections are public health threats in the developing world, and successful interventions are rarely reported. A before-and-after study was conducted in the neonatal unit of the Hôpital Principal de Dakar, Senegal to assess the efficacy of a multi-faceted hospital infection control programme implemented from March to May 2005. The interventions included clustering of nursing care, a simple algorithm for empirical therapy of suspected early-onset sepsis, minimal invasive care and promotion of early discharge of neonates. Data on nosocomial bloodstream infections, mortality, bacterial resistance and antibiotic use were collected before and after implementation of the infection control programme. One hundred and twenty-five infants were admitted immediately before the programme (Period 1, January-February 2005) and 148 infants were admitted immediately after the programme (Period 2, June-July 2005). The two groups of infants were comparable in terms of reason for admission and birth weight. After implementation of the infection control programme, the overall rate of nosocomial bloodstream infections decreased from 8.8% to 2.0% (P=0.01), and the rate of nosocomial bloodstream infections/patient-day decreased from 10.9 to 2.9/1000 patient-days (P=0.03). Overall mortality rates did not differ significantly. The proportion of neonates who received antimicrobial therapy for suspected early-onset sepsis decreased significantly from 100% to 51% of at-risk infants (Punit, simple, low-cost and sustainable interventions led to the control of a high incidence of bacterial nosocomial bloodstream infections, and the efficacy of these interventions was long-lasting. Such interventions could be extended to other low-income countries. Copyright © 2011 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infection control and prevention practices implemented to reduce transmission risk of Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus in a tertiary care institution in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Butt, Taimur S; Koutlakis-Barron, Irene; AlJumaah, Suliman; AlThawadi, Sahar; AlMofada, Saleh

2016-05-01

Transmission of Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) among health care workers (HCWs) and patients has been documented with mortality rate approximating 36%. We propose advanced infection control measures (A-IC) used in conjunction with basic infection control measures (B-IC) help reduce pathogen transmission. B-IC include standard and transmission-based precautions. A-IC are initiatives implemented within our center to enhance effectiveness of B-IC. Study effectiveness of combining B-IC and A-IC to prevent transmission of MERS-CoV to HCWs. A retrospective observational study was undertaken. A-IC measures include administrative support with daily rounds; infection control risk assessment; timely screening, isolation, and specimen analysis; collaboration; epidemic planning; stockpiling; implementation of contingency plans; full personal protective equipment use for advanced airway management; use of a real-time electronic isolation flagging system; infection prevention and control team on-call protocols; pretransfer MERS-CoV testing; and education. A total of 874 real-time polymerase chain reaction MERS-CoV tests were performed during the period beginning July 1, 2013, and ending January 31, 2015. Six hundred ninety-four non-HCWs were tested, of these 16 tested positive for MERS-CoV and their infection was community acquired. Sixty-nine percent of the confirmed MERS-CoV-positive cases were men, with an average age of 56 years (range, 19-84 years). Of the total tested for MERS-CoV, 180 individuals were HCWs with zero positivity. Adhering to a combination of B-IC and A-IC reduces the risk of MERS-CoV transmission to HCWs. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contamination and infection transmission in dental practice in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

most of dental clinics in Tanzania are a part of a hospital or health centre. So when one talks on the subject of contamination and infection transmission in ... emergencies or field work. Dust is a ... standard of cleanliness outlined above, control.

Management of Clostridium difficile Infection in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Expert Review from the Clinical Practice Updates Committee of the AGA Institute.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanna, Sahil; Shin, Andrea; Kelly, Ciarán P

2017-02-01

The purpose of this expert review is to synthesize the existing evidence on the management of Clostridium difficile infection in patients with underlying inflammatory bowel disease. The evidence reviewed in this article is a summation of relevant scientific publications, expert opinion statements, and current practice guidelines. This review is a summary of expert opinion in the field without a formal systematic review of evidence. Best Practice Advice 1: Clinicians should test patients who present with a flare of underlying inflammatory bowel disease for Clostridium difficile infection. Best Practice Advice 2: Clinicians should screen for recurrent C difficile infection if diarrhea or other symptoms of colitis persist or return after antibiotic treatment for C difficile infection. Best Practice Advice 3: Clinicians should consider treating C difficile infection in inflammatory bowel disease patients with vancomycin instead of metronidazole. Best Practice Advice 4: Clinicians strongly should consider hospitalization for close monitoring and aggressive management for inflammatory bowel disease patients with C difficile infection who have profuse diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, a markedly increased peripheral blood leukocyte count, or other evidence of sepsis. Best Practice Advice 5: Clinicians may postpone escalation of steroids and other immunosuppression agents during acute C difficile infection until therapy for C difficile infection has been initiated. However, the decision to withhold or continue immunosuppression in inflammatory bowel disease patients with C difficile infection should be individualized because there is insufficient existing robust literature on which to develop firm recommendations. Best Practice Advice 6: Clinicians should offer a referral for fecal microbiota transplantation to inflammatory bowel disease patients with recurrent C difficile infection. Copyright © 2017 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Role of the clinical microbiology laboratory in infection control - a Danish perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolmos, H J

2001-01-01

for standardization and documentation of quality. Currently a national standard for infection control is being prepared. It consists of a main standard defining requirements for the management system and 12 subsidiary standards defining requirements for specific areas of infection control. Adoption of the standard...... will undoubtedly require additional resources for infection control at a local level, and some organizational changes may also be needed. Infection control should be maintained as an integrated part of clinical microbiology....

A case-control study of Yersinia enterocolitica infections in Auckland.

Science.gov (United States)

Satterthwaite, P; Pritchard, K; Floyd, D; Law, B

1999-10-01

To identify major risk factors for Yersinia enterocolitica (YE) and identify measures to reduce YE infections. A prospective case control study, group age matched, using 186 cases of YE identified by community pathology laboratories and 379 randomly selected controls. Conducted between April 1995 and June 1996 in Auckland, New Zealand. Face-to-face interviews used a standardised questionnaire examining exposures to factors potentially associated with YE infections including untreated water, unreticulated sewerage, consumption of selected foods, selected food handling practices and socio-demographic factors. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios for the potential risk factors. Population attributable risk (PAR) was calculated for significant exposures. Having more than two people living in the home was more common among cases than controls (OR = 2.2). Town supply water (OR = 0.2), reticulated sewerage (OR = 0.34) and looking after a young child (OR = 0.51) were significantly less common. Of the meats, only pork (OR = 1.34) had a higher consumption rate, while bacon (OR = 0.75) and smallgoods (OR = 0.73) were consumed less frequently by cases than controls. Eating food from a sandwich bar was more frequent among cases (OR = 1.18). Fruit and vegetable consumption was marginally less (OR = 0.98). The population attributable risk of these factors was 0.89, implying that 89% of YE would be eliminated if adverse exposures were removed. The risk of YE illness is increased by contact with untreated water, unreticulated sewerage and consumption of pork. Investigation of non-town water supply, informal sewerage systems and methods of preparation and consumption of pork are recommended to determine how YE enters the human food chain.

Mathematical modelling : a tool for hospital infection control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grundmann, H; Hellriegel, B

Health-care-associated infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens have become a menace in hospitals worldwide and infection control measures have lead to vastly different outcomes in different countries. During the past 6 years, a theoretical framework based on mathematical models has

Mathematical modelling: a tool for hospital infection control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grundmann, Hajo; Hellriegel, B.

2006-01-01

Health-care-associated infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens have become a menace in hospitals worldwide and infection control measures have lead to vastly different outcomes in different countries. During the past 6 years, a theoretical framework based on mathematical models has

Mathematical modelling: a tool for hospital infection control.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grundmann, Hajo; Hellriegel, B

2006-01-01

Health-care-associated infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens have become a menace in hospitals worldwide and infection control measures have lead to vastly different outcomes in different countries. During the past 6 years, a theoretical framework based on mathematical models has

Maternal geohelminth infections are associated with an increased susceptibility to geohelminth infection in children: a case-control study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raaj S Mehta

Full Text Available Children of mothers infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH may have an increased susceptibility to STH infection.We did a case-control study nested in a birth cohort in Ecuador. Data from 1,004 children aged 7 months to 3 years were analyzed. Cases were defined as children with Ascaris lumbricoides and/or Trichuris trichiura, controls without. Exposure was defined as maternal infection with A. lumbricoides and/or T. trichiura, detected during the third trimester of pregnancy. The analysis was restricted to households with a documented infection to control for infection risk. Children of mothers with STH infections had a greater risk of infection compared to children of uninfected mothers (adjusted OR 2.61, 95% CI: 1.88-3.63, p<0.001. This effect was particularly strong in children of mothers with both STH infections (adjusted OR: 5.91, 95% CI: 3.55-9.81, p<0.001. Newborns of infected mothers had greater levels of plasma IL-10 than those of uninfected mothers (p=0.033, and there was evidence that cord blood IL-10 was increased among newborns who became infected later in childhood (p=0.060.Our data suggest that maternal STH infections increase susceptibility to infection during early childhood, an effect that was associated with elevated IL-10 in cord plasma.

Development, application, and validation of a survey for infectious disease control practices at equine boarding facilities.

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Kirby, Alanna T; Traub-Dargatz, Josie L; Hill, Ashley E; Kogan, Lori R; Morley, Paul S; Heird, James C

2010-11-15

To develop a questionnaire for self-assessment of biosecurity practices at equine boarding facilities and to evaluate infectious disease control practices in these facilities in Colorado. Cross-sectional study. 64 equine boarding facilities in Colorado. Survey questions were rated according to importance for prevention and containment of equine infectious diseases. Point values (range, 0 to 20) were assigned for possible responses, with greater values given for optimal infection control methods. Questionnaires were mailed to equine boarding facilities in Colorado advertised on the World Wide Web. Survey responses were compared with assessments made by a member of the research team during visits to 30 randomly selected facilities. Agreement among results was analyzed via a kappa test and rated as poor, fair, moderate, substantial, or nearly perfect. Survey responses were received for 64 of 163 (39%) equine boarding facilities. Scores ranged from 106 to 402 points (maximum possible score, 418). Most facilities received better scores for movement and housing of equids than for other sections of the survey. Respondents at 24 of 48 (50%) facilities that routinely received new equids reported isolation of new arrivals. Agreement between self-assessment by survey respondents and evaluation by a member of the research team was determined to be fair to substantial. Most equine boarding facilities have opportunities to improve measures for prevention or containment of contagious diseases (eg, isolation of newly arrived equids and use of written health management protocols). Most self-assessments of infection control practices were accurate.

Challenges to Safe Injection Practices in Ambulatory Care.

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Anderson, Laura; Weissburg, Benjamin; Rogers, Kelli; Musuuza, Jackson; Safdar, Nasia; Shirley, Daniel

2017-05-01

Most recent infection outbreaks caused by unsafe injection practices in the United States have occurred in ambulatory settings. We utilized direct observation and a survey to assess injection practices at 31 clinics. Improper vial use was observed at 13 clinics (41.9%). Pharmacy support and healthcare worker education may improve injection practices. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:614-616.

Recent advances in understanding the biology, epidemiology and control of chlamydial infections in koalas.

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Polkinghorne, Adam; Hanger, Jon; Timms, Peter

2013-08-30

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is recognised as a threatened wildlife species in various parts of Australia. A major contributing factor to the decline and long-term viability of affected populations is disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacteria, Chlamydia. Two chlamydial species infect the koala, Chlamydia pecorum and Chlamydia pneumoniae, and have been reported in nearly all mainland koala populations. Chlamydial infections of koalas are associated with ocular infections leading to blindness and genital tract infections linked to infertility, among other serious clinical manifestations. Diagnosis can be based on clinical presentation alone, however, it is complicated by the observation that many koala chlamydial infections occur with no overt signs of clinical disease. Instead, accurate diagnosis requires detailed clinical assessment and confirmatory testing by a range of PCR-based assays. Antibiotic treatment for koala chlamydial infection is possible, however, results on its success are mixed. A more practical solution for the protection of diseased populations is the application of a koala Chlamydia vaccine, with recent trials indicating promising results. Interestingly, molecular epidemiology studies of koala C. pecorum infections and recent comparative genomic analyses of koala C. pneumoniae have revealed potential differences in their origin that will have wider ramifications for our understanding of human chlamydial infections and host adaptation of the chlamydiae. This review summarises changes to the taxonomy of koala chlamydial infections and recent advances in our understanding of the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, control and evolution of Chlamydia infections in this iconic wildlife species. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Indwelling urinary catheter management and catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention practices in Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders hospitals.

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Fink, Regina; Gilmartin, Heather; Richard, Angela; Capezuti, Elizabeth; Boltz, Marie; Wald, Heidi

2012-10-01

Indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs) are commonly used in hospitalized patients, especially elders. Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) account for 34% of all health care associated infections in the United States, associated with excess morbidity and health care costs. Adherence to CAUTI prevention practices has not been well described. This study used an electronic survey to examine IUC care practices for CAUTI prevention in 3 areas-(1) equipment and alternatives and insertion and maintenance techniques; (2) personnel, policies, training, and education; and (3) documentation, surveillance, and removal reminders-at 75 acute care hospitals in the Nurses Improving the Care of Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) system. CAUTI prevention practices commonly followed included wearing gloves (97%), handwashing (89%), maintaining a sterile barrier (81%), and using a no-touch insertion technique (73%). Silver-coated catheters were used to varying degrees in 59% of the hospitals; 4% reported never using a catheter-securing device. Urethral meatal care was provided daily by 43% of hospitals and more frequently that that by 41% of hospitals. Nurses were the most frequently reported IUC inserters. Training in aseptic technique and CAUTI prevention at the time of initial nursing hire was provided by 64% of hospitals; however, only 47% annually validated competency in IUC insertion. Systems for IUC removal were implemented in 56% of hospitals. IUC documentation and routine CAUTI surveillance practices varied widely. Although many CAUTI prevention practices at NICHE hospitals are in alignment with evidence-based guidelines, there is room for improvement. Further research is needed to identify the effect of enhanced compliance with CAUTI prevention practices on the prevalence of CAUTI in NICHE hospitals. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Perceived Barriers to Adherence to Tuberculosis Infection Control Measures among Health Care Workers in the Dominican Republic.

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Chapman, Helena J; Veras-Estévez, Bienvenido A; Pomeranz, Jamie L; Pérez-Then, Eddy N; Marcelino, Belkys; Lauzardo, Michael

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION Health care workers have an increased risk of infection due to occupational Mycobacterium tuberculosis exposure, including multidrug-resistant strains. Health care workers' risk of developing tuberculosis is greater than that of the general population, whether in low-, intermediate- or high-incidence countries. Adherence to infection control measures (administrative controls, environmental controls, and personal respiratory protection) is essential to reduce risk of disease transmission between suspected tuberculosis patients and health care workers, but for different reasons, both objective and subjective, adherence is low. Identifying the causes of low adherence is a prerequisite to effective programming to reduce risk. OBJECTIVE Identify perceived barriers to adherence to tuberculosis infection control measures among health care workers in the Dominican Republic. METHODS During August 2014, a qualitative study was conducted in two tertiary-level hospitals in different regions of the Dominican Republic. A semi-structured interview guide of nine questions was developed, based on the scientific literature and with consensus of clinical experts. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of seven physicians (five men, two women) and two baccalaureate nurses (both women) working in the emergency medicine, internal medicine or nursing departments of those institutions. Question topics included clinical experience of M. tuberculosis infection and disease; knowledge of disease transmission and preventive practices; clinical management strategies; and perceptions of effectiveness of directly observed treatment, short-course, and disease coping strategies. RESULTS Perceived barriers were described as: 1) sense of invincibility of health care workers; 2) personal beliefs of health care workers related to direct patient communication; 3) low provider-to-patient ratios in hospitals; 4) absence of tuberculosis isolation units for

Evaluation of 'best practice' (SCOPS) guidelines for nematode control on commercial sheep farms in England and Wales.

Science.gov (United States)

Learmount, Jane; Gettinby, George; Boughtflower, Valerie; Stephens, Nathalie; Hartley, Kayleigh; Allanson, Peter; Gutierrez, Alba Barrecheguren; Perez, David; Taylor, Mike

2015-01-30

Parasitic diseases are a major constraint to optimum livestock production and are the major cause of economic loss in UK sheep flocks, with farmers remaining dependant on anthelmintics for control. In the UK, research and evidence based, "best practice" guidelines for sustainable control of parasites in sheep (SCOPS) were first produced in 2004 and have been regularly updated since. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of these best practice guidelines for worm control on lamb production and infection levels, compared with more traditional management. Sixteen farms were selected based on a 2 cube factorial design with 3 factors known to affect worm epidemiology: control regimen; farm type; and climatic region. A formalised plan for worm control using 7 potential resistance-delaying practices was prepared for each of the 8 best practice (SCOPS) farms, in conjunction with the farms veterinarians. The 8 farms in the traditional management group (CONTROL farms) were selected based on ongoing evidence of them using worm control strategies deemed to be "higher-risk". A cohort of 40-50 study lambs at each farm was monitored from birth to finishing, allowing evaluation of lamb productivity, worm infection levels and for comparison of numbers of anthelmintic treatments. Birth and mid-season weights were used to calculate daily live-weight gain. Birth and finish dates were used to calculate time to finish and finish weights were also compared. Faecal egg counts, larval culture and species differentiation were undertaken throughout the year to assess the impact of the control strategies on worm burdens. There was no significant difference in results for any of the 3 production responses when comparing predicted means accounting for the differences in birth weight. In fact SCOPS farms had, on average, a higher daily weight gain and finish weight than CONTROL farms when comparing observed means. Statistical analysis of infection levels clearly showed no significant

The habitus of hygiene: discourses of cleanliness and infection control in nursing work.

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Brown, Brian; Crawford, Paul; Nerlich, Brigitte; Koteyko, Nelya

2008-10-01

This paper reports upon a qualitative interview study of 22 matrons, infection control staff and operating theatre staff who were questioned about their working lives and the role they played in the control of healthcare acquired infections such as MRSA virus in the UK. A theoretical framework drawing upon the work of Bourdieu is deployed as his notion of habitus captures the combination of practical work, physical disposition and ways of looking at the world which are displayed in the interview accounts of labour in the healthcare field. Three themes emerged from the analysis: first, the 'securitization' of healthcare work, concerned with control, supervision, 'making sure' and the management of risk through inspection, audit and the exercise of responsibility; second, the sense of struggle against doctors who were seen to represent a threat to the carefully organized boundaries, through such alleged violations as not washing their hands, wandering between theatre and canteen areas in soiled clothing and thinking the rules did not apply to them; third, in a 'back to basics' theme participants emphasised the fundamentals of what they saw to be nursing work and were concerned with cleanliness and practically based training -- the habitus of hygiene itself. This was formulated in nostalgic terms with reminiscences about basic training earlier in the participants' careers. The preoccupation with hygiene and its 'basic' processes can be seen as a way of managing uncertainty, accumulating a certain kind of symbolic capital and constructing and maintaining boundaries in the healthcare field. It also makes for self-governing, self-exploiting individuals who accrue responsibility to themselves for implementing the 'habitus of hygiene'.

Research progress on influencing factors of hospital infection and prevention and control measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

He Wenlong

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Hospital infections are associated with the emergence of hospitals. As the understanding of hospital infections deepen and prevention and control measures improve, hospital infections have become manageable. In recent years, affected by the increase in invasive treatment technology, antimicrobial abuse, and other factors, the control of hospital infection has encountered new problems. This paper reviews the influencing factors of hospital infections and their prevention and control measures.

The rectal microbiota of cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus infection and uninfected controls.

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Weese, J S; Nichols, J; Jalali, M; Litster, A

2015-10-22

Rectal swabs were collected from 31 cats, 16 with FIV infection and 15 uninfected controls, to evaluate and compare the rectal bacterial microbiota in cats with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection and uninfected controls. The rectal microbiota was characterized via next generation sequencing of 16S rRNA gene (V4 region) polymerase chain reaction products. Eighteen different phyla were identified. Firmicutes dominated in both groups, followed by Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, but there were no significant differences between groups. When predominant orders are compared, FIV-infected cats had significant higher median relative abundances of Bifidobacteriales (P=0.022), Lactobacillales (P=0.022) and Aeromonadales (P=0.043). No differences were identified in the 50 most common genera when adjusted for false discovery rate. There were significant differences in community membership (Jaccard index, unifrac P=0.008, AMOVA P<0.001) and community structure (Yue&Clayton index, unifrac P=0.03, AMOVA P=0.005) between groups. However, only one metacommunity (enterotype) was identified. The rectal microbiota differed between cats with FIV infection and uninfected controls. Some of the changes that were noted have been associated with 'dysbiosis' and proinflammatory states in other species, so it is possible that subclinical alteration in the intestinal microbiota could influence the health of FIV-infected cats. Evaluation of the reasons for microbiota alteration and the potential impact on cat health is required. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of effort-reward imbalance and burnout on infection control among Ecuadorian nurses.

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Colindres, C V; Bryce, E; Coral-Rosero, P; Ramos-Soto, R M; Bonilla, F; Yassi, A

2018-06-01

Nurses are frequently exposed to transmissible infections, yet adherence to infection control measures is suboptimal. There has been inadequate research into how the psychosocial work environment affects compliance with infection control measures, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To examine the association between effort-reward imbalance, burnout and adherence to infection control measures among nurses in Ecuador. A cross-sectional study linking psychosocial work environment indicators to infection control adherence. The study was conducted among 333 nurses in four Ecuadorian hospitals. Self-administered questionnaires assessed demographic variables, perceived infection risk, effort-reward imbalance, burnout and infection control adherence. Increased effort-reward imbalance was found to be a unique incremental predictor of exposure to burnout, and burnout was a negative unique incremental predictor of nurses' self-reported adherence with infection control measures. Results suggest an effort-reward imbalance-burnout continuum, which, at higher levels, contributes to reduce adherence to infection control. The Ecuadorean government has made large efforts to improve universal access to health care, yet this study suggests that workplace demands on nurses remain problematic. This study highlights the contribution of effort-reward-imbalance-burnout continuum to the chain of infection by decreased adherence to infection control of nurses. Health authorities should closely monitor the effect of new policies on psychosocial work environment, especially when expanding services and increasing public accessibility with limited resources. Additionally, organizational and psychosocial interventions targeting effort-reward imbalance and burnout in nurses should be considered part of a complete infection prevention and control strategy. Further study is warranted to identify interventions that best ameliorate effort-reward imbalance and burnout in low- and middle

Strategies to promote infection prevention and control in acute care hospitals with the help of infection control link nurses: A systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Peter, Daniel; Meng, Michael; Kugler, Christiane; Mattner, Frauke

2018-02-01

Infection control link nurses (ICLNs) are important backup personnel for the prevention and control of infections in hospitals. To identify facilitators and barriers for the implementation of and long-term collaboration with ICLNs. We conducted a systematic literature review, following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Inclusion criteria were defined as description of de novo implementation of an ICLN system, strengthening of an existing ICLN system, or analysis of an ICLN system. In 10 publications, facilitators and barriers were identified for mode of selection of ICLN candidates, characteristics and responsibilities of ICLNs, composition of a training curriculum, educational strategies, and external influencing factors. Experienced nurses with an interest in infection control seemed appropriate candidates. The importance of psychological skills in addition to technical knowledge was emphasized. A clear definition of responsibilities was important. Viable tasks for ICLNs included surveillance and teaching activities and the implementation of prevention measures. Ongoing teaching was superior to a single course. Management support was pivotal for success. Research on ICLNs is scarce. The potential to decrease health care-associated infections with the help of ICLNs has been demonstrated. The training in psychological skills in addition to technical knowledge deserves more attention. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors related to sexual practices and successful sexually transmitted infection/HIV intervention programs for Latino adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Young-Me; Dancy, Barbara; Florez, Elizabeth; Holm, Karyn

2013-01-01

The purpose of this integrative literature review was to explore factors that are related to sexual practices among Latino adolescents and identify which of those factors are common across successful sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV intervention programs for Latino adolescents. An integrative literature review was conducted. Search terms included Latino, Hispanic, education, intervention/prevention programs, sex, sexuality, reproductive health, health risk behaviors, multiple sex partners, contraception, STI/HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, delay in initiation of sexual intercourse, consistent use of birth control, avoidance of STI/HIV infections, unintended pregnancy, cultural factors, and gender roles. Findings revealed from the review of 17 articles addressing factors related to sexual practices among Latino adolescents included familialism, religion, gender roles, level of knowledge/information, and privacy/confidentiality. Five successful STI/HIV intervention programs, that incorporated those factors to effectively reduce risky sexual behaviors were identified. STI/HIV knowledge and gender roles were recognized as common factors integrated into and across successful intervention programs for this population. Only STI/HIV knowledge and gender roles were found as common factors across the five successful STI/HIV intervention programs and should be incorporated into future intervention programs that are culturally and gender specific. Therefore, health care providers need to understand culturally related gender roles and their impact on sexual practices to provide culturally sensitive and appropriate sex education about STIs and HIV for Latino adolescents to increase the program potential for reducing STI/HIV. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Presentation and antimicrobial treatment of acute orofacial infections in general dental practice.

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Lewis, M A; Meechan, C; MacFarlane, T W; Lamey, P J; Kay, E

1989-01-21

Information on the presentation of orofacial infections and the use of antimicrobial agents in general dental practice in the United Kingdom was obtained using a postal questionnaire. Six hundred dentists were randomly selected and a total of 340 replies were received, giving a response rate of 57%. The dental practitioners estimated that acute infection was present in only a minority (approximately 5%) of patients. A total of seven different antibiotics were prescribed, in a variety of regimens, for the treatment of bacterial infection. However, the majority of dentists (46-62%) preferred a 5-day course of penicillin (250 mg, qid) for bacterial conditions other than acute ulcerative gingivitis, for which most practitioners (89%) prescribed 3 days of metronidazole (200 mg, tid). Nystatin was the most frequently selected anticandidal agent and topical acyclovir the most popular therapy for Herpes simplex infection.

Infection prevention and control in deployed military medical treatment facilities.

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Hospenthal, Duane R; Green, Andrew D; Crouch, Helen K; English, Judith F; Pool, Jane; Yun, Heather C; Murray, Clinton K

2011-08-01

Infections have complicated the care of combat casualties throughout history and were at one time considered part of the natural history of combat trauma. Personnel who survived to reach medical care were expected to develop and possibly succumb to infections during their care in military hospitals. Initial care of war wounds continues to focus on rapid surgical care with debridement and irrigation, aimed at preventing local infection and sepsis with bacteria from the environment (e.g., clostridial gangrene) or the casualty's own flora. Over the past 150 years, with the revelation that pathogens can be spread from patient to patient and from healthcare providers to patients (including via unwashed hands of healthcare workers, the hospital environment and fomites), a focus on infection prevention and control aimed at decreasing transmission of pathogens and prevention of these infections has developed. Infections associated with combat-related injuries in the recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have predominantly been secondary to multidrug-resistant pathogens, likely acquired within the military healthcare system. These healthcare-associated infections seem to originate throughout the system, from deployed medical treatment facilities through the chain of care outside of the combat zone. Emphasis on infection prevention and control, including hand hygiene, isolation, cohorting, and antibiotic control measures, in deployed medical treatment facilities is essential to reducing these healthcare-associated infections. This review was produced to support the Guidelines for the Prevention of Infections Associated With Combat-Related Injuries: 2011 Update contained in this supplement of Journal of Trauma.

Risk practices for HIV infection and other STDs amongst female prostitutes working in legalized brothels.

Science.gov (United States)

Pyett, P M; Haste, B R; Snow, J

1996-02-01

Most research investigating risk practices for HIV infection and other STDs amongst sex workers has focused on street prostitutes to the exclusion of those prostitutes who work in different sections of the industry. This is largely a consequence of methodological difficulties in accessing prostitutes other than those who work on the streets. HIV prevention research and interventions must address the fact that risk practices may vary according to the type of prostitution engaged in. This paper reports on risk practices for HIV infection and other STDs amongst prostitutes working in legalized brothels in Victoria, Australia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed by representatives of a sex worker organization whose collaboration was an important factor in obtaining a large sample of prostitutes. The study found low levels of risk practices for prostitutes working in legal brothels in Victoria. The major risk practices indentified were injecting drug use and condom non-use with non-paying partners.

Hospital design for better infection control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lateef Fatimah

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The physical design and infrastructure of a hospital or institution is an essential component of its infection control measure. Thus is must be a prerequisite to take these into consideration from the initial conception and planning stages of the building. The balance between designing a hospital to be an open, accessible and public place and the control to reduce the spread of infections diseases is a necessity. At Singapore General Hospital, many lessons were learnt during the SARS outbreak pertaining to this. During and subsequent to the SARS outbreak, many changes evolved in the hospital to enable us to handle and face any emerging infectious situation with calm, confidence and the knowledge that staff and patients will be in good stead. This paper will share some of our experiences as well as challenges

Antimicrobials for the treatment of urinary tract infection in pregnancy: practices in southern India.

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Mathai, Elizabeth; Thomas, Raja John; Chandy, Sujith; Mathai, Matthews; Bergstrom, Staffan

2004-09-01

Although urinary tract infection (UTI) in pregnancy is a common medical problem, very little is known about the susceptibility patterns of bacteria causing UTI and the prescription practices for UTI in pregnancy in low-income countries. Studies were, therefore, carried out in southern India to document the susceptibility patterns and to compare these with prescription practices. Data on susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated in significant counts from urine of pregnant women suspected to have urinary infection were collected. Prescribing patterns for these infections were ascertained using a questionnaire. About 90% of E. coli causing UTI is still susceptible to nitrofurantoin, a relatively inexpensive and safe drug. However, less than 25% of doctors used it for treatment of cystitis. Cephalosporins were most commonly used in hospital practice for the treatment of UTI. Amoxycillin was being used widely to treat UTI in pregnancy in spite of high prevalence of resistance. There were wide variations in the duration of therapy and use of prophylaxis. Our findings indicate an urgent need for proper guidelines, dissemination of information to practitioners and supervision of antimicrobial usage in low income countries like India. Irrational and unnecessary drug use can be expensive and harmful.

Impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional hand hygiene approach in 3 cities in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Medeiros, Eduardo A; Grinberg, Gorki; Rosenthal, Victor D; Bicudo Angelieri, Daniela; Buchner Ferreira, Iselde; Bauer Cechinel, Raquel; Zanandrea, Bruna Boaria; Rohnkohl, Carolina; Regalin, Marcos; Spessatto, Jamile Leda; Scopel Pasini, Ricardo; Ferla, Shaline

2015-01-01

Hand hygiene (HH) is the main tool for cross-infection prevention, but adherence to guidelines is low in limited-resource countries, and there are not available published data from Brazil. This is an observational, prospective, interventional, before-and-after study conducted in 4 intensive care units in 4 hospitals, which are members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC), from June 2006-April 2008. The study was divided into a 3-month baseline period and a follow-up period. A multidimensional HH approach was introduced, which included administrative support, supplies availability, education and training, reminders in the workplace, process surveillance, and performance feedback. Health care workers were observed for HH practices in each intensive care unit during randomly selected 30-minute periods. We recorded 4,837 opportunities for HH, with an overall HH compliance that increased from 27%-58% (P Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Effectiveness and difficulty of education on nosocomial infection control for pre-clinical practice in the clinic, so-called inclusive clinical practice phase I, for students in the Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University].

Science.gov (United States)

Sunakawa, Mitsuhiro; Matsumoto, Hiroyuki

2009-03-01

It has been planned to give pre-clinical practice in the clinic, so-called inclusive clinical practice phase I, for fifth-grade students in the School of Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, to give them the clinical training needed to perform dental practice and clinical practicum for comprehensive patient care, namely inclusive clinical practice phase II. This study analyzed the educative efficiency of the class on nosocomial infection control (NIC) by comparing achievements pre- and post-test, and discussed appropriate education planning on the NIC for dental students. Sixty-two fifth-grade students in the 2007 academic year sat the pre- and post-tests; the mean score and standard deviation of these tests were 5.30 +/- 1.26 (n = 56) and 8.59 +/- 1.18 (n = 59), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between them (paired t-test, p < 0.01). Another finding was that students with high scores in the post-test did not necessarily achieve high ratings in the pre-test. It is suggested that the introduction of pre- and post-tests and the clarification of main points in the class as a theme of NIC could be a useful tool for increasing the comprehension of students on the theme. Since students at lower grades will attend clinical practice in the university hospital, it is thought that students should be given NIC training early in the clinical course, and the current curriculum should be improved to increase the opportunity for students to study this important issue.

Urinary tract infection in male general practice patients: uropathogens and antibiotic susceptibility.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koeijers, J.J.; Verbon, A.; Kessels, A.G.H.; Bartelds, A.; Donker, G.; Nys, S.; Stobberingh, E.E.

2010-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate uropathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility in male general practitioner (GP) patients presenting with an uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI). Material and Methods: A population-based study was conducted among males, 18 years and older, general practice patients,

Diagnostic approach to urinary tract infections in male general practice patients: a national surveillance study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijer, C.D.J. den; Dongen, M.C.J.M. van; Donker, G.A.; Stobberingh, E.E.

2012-01-01

Background: Diagnostic urinary tract infection (UTI) studies have primarily been performed among female patients. Aim: To create a diagnostic algorithm for male general practice patients suspected of UTI. Design and setting: Surveillance study in the Dutch Sentinel General Practice Network. Method:

Humans, 'things' and space: costing hospital infection control interventions.

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Page, K; Graves, N; Halton, K; Barnett, A G

2013-07-01

Previous attempts at costing infection control programmes have tended to focus on accounting costs rather than economic costs. For studies using economic costs, estimates tend to be quite crude and probably underestimate the true cost. One of the largest costs of any intervention is staff time, but this cost is difficult to quantify and has been largely ignored in previous attempts. To design and evaluate the costs of hospital-based infection control interventions or programmes. This article also discusses several issues to consider when costing interventions, and suggests strategies for overcoming these issues. Previous literature and techniques in both health economics and psychology are reviewed and synthesized. This article provides a set of generic, transferable costing guidelines. Key principles such as definition of study scope and focus on large costs, as well as pitfalls (e.g. overconfidence and uncertainty), are discussed. These new guidelines can be used by hospital staff and other researchers to cost their infection control programmes and interventions more accurately. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of an Infection Control Program on the Prevalence of Nosocomial Infections at a Tertiary Care Center in Switzerland

OpenAIRE

Ebnöther, Corina; Tanner, Beate; Schmid, Flavia; Rocca, Vittoria La; Heinzer, Ivo; Bregenzer, Thomas

2017-01-01

Objective. To study the impact of a multimodal infection control program on the rate of nosocomial infections at a 550-bed tertiary care center. Methods. Before and after the implementation of an infection control program, the rate of nosocomial infection was recorded in time-interval prevalence studies. Hand hygiene compliance was studied before and after the intervention. As a surrogate marker of compliance, the amount of alcohol-based hand rub consumed before the intervention was compared ...

The role of patient isolation and compliance with isolation practices in the control of nosocomial MRSA in acute care.

Science.gov (United States)

Halcomb, Elizabeth J; Griffiths, Rhonda; Fernandez, Ritin

2008-06-01

Background  Nosocomial infection remains the most common complication of hospitalisation. Despite infection control efforts, nosocomial methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission continues to rise. Various isolation practices are used to minimise MRSA transmission in acute care. However, the effectiveness of these practices has seldom been evaluated. Objectives  This review sought to evaluate the efficacy of isolation practices in minimising MRSA transmission in the acute hospital setting and explore staff, visitor and patient compliance with isolation practices. This review updates a review published in 2002. Search strategy  A systematic search for relevant published or unpublished English language literature was undertaken using electronic databases, the reference lists of retrieved papers and the Internet. This extended the search published in the original review. Databases searched included: Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Library. Selection criteria  All English language research reports published between 1990 and August 2005 that focused on the role of isolation practices on the nosocomial transmission of MRSA in adult, paediatric or neonatal acute care settings were eligible for inclusion in the review. Studies that evaluated multiple infection control strategies or control of MRSA outbreaks were excluded. The main outcome of interest was the incidence of new cases of MRSA. The secondary outcome was staff, visitor and patient compliance with the isolation practices. Data collection and analysis  Two reviewers assessed each paper against the inclusion criteria and a validated quality scale. Data extraction was undertaken using a tool designed specifically for this review. Statistical comparisons of findings were not possible, so findings are presented in a narrative form. Results  Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Given the small number of included studies and variable

Impact of participation in the California Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Initiative on adoption and implementation of evidence-based practices for patient safety and health care-associated infection rates in a cohort of acute care general hospitals.

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Halpin, Helen Ann; McMenamin, Sara B; Simon, Lisa Payne; Jacobsen, Diane; Vanneman, Megan; Shortell, Stephen; Milstein, Arnold

2013-04-01

In 2008, hospitals were selected to participate in the California Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Initiative (CHAIPI). This research evaluates the impact of CHAIPI on hospital adoption and implementation of evidence-based patient safety practices and reduction of health care-associated infection (HAI) rates. Statewide computer-assisted telephone surveys of California's general acute care hospitals were conducted in 2008 and 2010 (response rates, 80% and 76%, respectively). Difference-in-difference analyses were used to compare changes in process and HAI rate outcomes in CHAIPI hospitals (n = 34) and non-CHAIPI hospitals (n = 149) that responded to both waves of the survey. Compared with non-CHAIPI hospitals, CHAIPI hospitals demonstrated greater improvements between 2008 and 2010 in adoption (P = .021) and implementation (P = .012) of written evidence-based practices for overall patient safety and prevention of HAIs and in assessing their compliance (P = .033) with these practices. However, there were no significant differences in the changes in HAI rates between CHAIPI and non-CHAIPI hospitals over this time period. Participation in the CHAIPI collaborative was associated with significant improvements in evidence-based patient safety practices in hospitals. However, determining how evidence-based practices translate into changes in HAI rates may take more time. Our results suggest that all hospitals be offered the opportunity to participate in an active learning collaborative to improve patient safety. Copyright © 2013 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of Trichinella infection in the horse: the risk from animal product feeding practices.

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Murrell, K D; Djordjevic, M; Cuperlovic, K; Sofronic, Lj; Savic, M; Djordjevic, M; Damjanovic, S

2004-09-02

A discovery in 2002 of a Trichinella spiralis-infected horse in Serbia offered an opportunity to conduct needed epidemiological studies on how horses, considered herbivores, acquire a meat-borne parasite. This enigma has persisted since the first human outbreaks from infected horse meat occurred in then 1970s. The trace back of the infected horse to a farm owner was carried out. Interviews and investigations on the farm led to the conclusion that the owner had fed the horse food waste in order to condition the horse prior to sale. Further investigations were then carried out to determine the frequency of such practices among horse owners. Based on interviews of horse producers at local horse markets, it was revealed that the feeding of animal products to horses was a common practice. Further, it was alleged that many horses, particularly those in poor nutritional condition would readily consume meat. A subsequent series of trials involving the experimental feeding of 219 horses demonstrated that 32% would consume meat patties. To confirm that horses would eat infected meat under normal farm conditions, three horses were offered infected ground pork balls containing 1100 larvae. All three became infected, and at necropsy at 32 weeks later, were still positive by indirect IFA testing, but not by ELISA using an excretory-secretory (ES) antigen. This result indicates that further study is needed on the nature of the antigen(s) used for potential serological monitoring and surveillance of horse trichinellosis, especially the importance of antigenic diversity. The experimentally-infected horses also had very low infection levels (larvae per gram of muscle) at 32 weeks of infection, and although the public health consequences are unknown, the question of whether current recommended inspection procedures based on pepsin digestion of selected muscle samples require sufficient quantities of muscle should be addressed. It is concluded that horses are more willing to consume

42 CFR 494.30 - Condition: Infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... of potentially infectious waste; and (ii) Cleaning and disinfection of contaminated surfaces, medical... adjacent hospital or other public areas. (a) Standard: Procedures for infection control. The facility must...

Cluster of cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome among Toronto healthcare workers after implementation of infection control precautions: a case series.

Science.gov (United States)

Ofner-Agostini, Marianna; Gravel, Denise; McDonald, L Clifford; Lem, Marcus; Sarwal, Shelley; McGeer, Allison; Green, Karen; Vearncombe, Mary; Roth, Virginia; Paton, Shirley; Loeb, Mark; Simor, Andrew

2006-05-01

To review the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) infection control practices, the types of exposure to patients with SARS, and the activities associated with treatment of such patients among healthcare workers (HCWs) who developed SARS in Toronto, Canada, after SARS-specific infection control precautions had been implemented. A retrospective review of work logs and patient assignments, detailed review of medical records of patients with SARS, and comprehensive telephone-based interviews of HCWs who met the case definition for SARS after implementation of infection control precautions. Seventeen HCWs from 6 hospitals developed disease that met the case definition for SARS after implementation of infection control precautions. These HCWs had a mean age (+/-SD) of 39+/-2.3 years. Two HCWs were not interviewed because of illness. Of the remaining 15, only 9 (60%) reported that they had received formal infection control training. Thirteen HCWs (87%) were unsure of proper order in which personal protective equipment should be donned and doffed. Six HCWs (40%) reused items (eg, stethoscopes, goggles, and cleaning equipment) elsewhere on the ward after initial use in a room in which a patient with SARS was staying. Use of masks, gowns, gloves, and eyewear was inconsistent among HCWs. Eight (54%) reported that they were aware of a breach in infection control precautions. HCWs reported fatigue due to an increased number and length of shifts; participants worked a median of 10 shifts during the 10 days before onset of symptoms. Seven HCWs were involved in the intubation of a patient with SARS. One HCW died, and the remaining 16 recovered. Multiple factors were likely responsible for SARS in these HCWs, including the performance of high-risk patient care procedures, inconsistent use of personal protective equipment, fatigue, and lack of adequate infection control training.

The "RESEAU MATER": An efficient infection control for endometritis, but not for urinary tract infection after vaginal delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayzac, Louis; Caillat-Vallet, Emmanuelle; Girard, Raphaële; Berland, Michel

"RESEAU MATER" is useful to monitor nosocomial infections in maternity and contributes to the decreasing trend of it, since its implementation. Specifically, this network demonstrates its efficiency in the control of endometritis following vaginal deliveries, but not in the control of urinary tract infections. The aim of this study is to determine whether the difference between the control of endometritis and of urinary tract infection could be explained by an unsuitable regression model or by an unsuitable care policy concerning urinary cares. This study includes (1) the analysis of historic data of the network and (2) the description of French guidelines for maternity cares and available evaluations, concerning endometritis and urinary tract infection prevention. Univariate and multivariate odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for the total study period of 1999-2013, for these infections and their risk factors. The endometritis frequency is decreasing, in association with no significant evolution of associated risk factors, but urinary tract infection frequency is constant, in association with a increasing trend of its risk factors such as intermittent catheterization and epidural analgesia. In French guidelines, all preventive measures against endometritis are clearly broadcasted by all field operators, and repeated audits have reinforced the control of their application. But preventive measures against urinary tract infection seem to be broadcasted exclusively in the circle of infection prevention agencies and not in the obstetrics societies or in the Health Ministry communication. Urinary tract infection prevention requires a clearer public and professional policy in favor of a more efficient urinary cares, with a specific target to maternity. Copyright © 2016 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of alcohol hand sanitizer as an infection control strategy in an acute care facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilburn, Jessica; Hammond, Brian S; Fendler, Eleanor J; Groziak, Patricia A

2003-04-01

Nosocomial infections are a major problem in health care facilities, resulting in extended durations of care, substantial morbidity and mortality, and excess costs. Since alcohol gel hand sanitizers combine high immediate antimicrobial efficacy with ease of use, this study was carried out to determine the effect of the use of an alcohol gel hand sanitizer by caregivers on infection types and rates in an acute care facility. Patients were educated about the study through a poster on the unit, and teachable patients were given portable bottles of the alcohol hand gel for bedside use, along with an educational brochure explaining how and why to practice good hand hygiene. Infection rate and type data were collected in 1 unit of a 498-bed acute care facility for 16 months (February 2000 to May 2001). An alcohol gel hand sanitizer was provided and used by caregivers in the orthopedic surgical unit of the facility during this period. The primary infection types (more than 80%) found were urinary tract (UTI) and surgical site (SSI) infections. Infection types and rates for the unit during the period the alcohol hand sanitizer (intervention) was used were compared with the infection types and rates for the same unit when the alcohol hand sanitizer was not used (baseline); the results demonstrated a 36.1% decrease in infection rates for the 10-month period that the hand sanitizer was used. This study indicates that use of an alcohol gel hand sanitizer can decrease infection rates and provide an additional tool for an effective infection control program in acute care facilities.

CISH controls bacterial burden early after infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Carow, Berit; Gao, Yu; Terán, Graciela; Yang, Xuexian O; Dong, Chen; Yoshimura, Akihiko; Rottenberg, Martin E

2017-12-01

CISH gene has been associated with increased susceptibility to human tuberculosis. We found that cish -/- mice had higher M. tuberculosis load in spleens and lungs up to 2.5 weeks after infection but not later compared to controls. Cish mRNA levels were increased in lungs at early and late time points after M. tuberculosis infection. In relation, the titers of inos and tnf mRNA in lungs were reduced early after infection of cish -/- mice. The transfer of cish -/- and control T cells conferred rag1 -/- mice similar protection to infection with M. tuberculosis. Macrophages showed increased cish mRNA levels after M. tuberculosis infection in vitro. However, mycobacterial uptake and growth in cish -/- and control macrophages was similar. Thus, we here show that CISH mediates control of M. tuberculosis in mice early after infection via regulation of innate immune mechanisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Practical concept of pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics in the management of skin and soft tissue infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Pea, Federico

2016-04-01

This article gives an overview of the practical concept of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic principles useful for clinicians in the management of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). Recent studies suggest that distinguishing between bacteriostatic or bactericidal activity when choosing an antimicrobial for the treatment of severe infections could probably be clinically irrelevant. Conversely, what could help clinicians in maximizing the therapeutic efficacy of the various drugs in routine practice is taking care of some pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic principles. Concentration-dependent agents may exhibit more rapid bacterial killing than observed with time-dependent agents. Serum concentrations may not always adequately predict tissue exposure in patients with SSTIs, and measuring concentrations at the infection site is preferable. Hydrophilic antimicrobials showed generally lower penetration rates than the lipophilic ones and might require alternative dosing approaches in the presence of severe sepsis or septic shock. Conversely, tissue penetration of lipophilic antimicrobials is often unaffected by the pathophysiological status. Real-time therapeutic drug monitoring may be a very helpful tool for optimizing therapy of severe infections. Taking care of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic principles deriving from the most recent findings may help clinicians in maximizing treatment of SSTIs with antimicrobials in every situation.

Use of folk healing practices by HIV-infected Hispanics living in the United States.

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Suarez, M; Raffaelli, M; O'Leary, A

1996-12-01

In the absence of a medical cure for AIDS, HIV-infected individuals may seek alternative treatments that are consistent with cultural and social beliefs. This paper examines beliefs about, and use of, folk healing practices by HIV-infected Hispanics receiving care at an HIV/AIDS clinic in inner-city New Jersey. Anonymous individual interviews were conducted with 58 male and 18 female HIV-infected Hispanics aged 23-55, primarily of Puerto Rican origin (61%) or descent (29%). The majority of respondents believed in good and evil spirits (73.7%); among the 56 believers, 48% stated that the spirits had a causal role in their infection, either alone or in conjunction with the AIDS virus. Two thirds of the respondents engaged in folk healing (spiritualism and/or santeria). The main desired outcomes of folk healing included physical relief (44%), spiritual relief (40%), and protection from evil (26%). A number of respondents (n = 9) stated that they hoped to effect a cure by engaging in folk healing. These results indicate that health care professionals treating HIV-positive Hispanics should be aware of the prevalence of folk beliefs and alternative healing practices in this population.

Progress in research, control and elimination of helminth infections in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Utzinger, Jürg; Brattig, Norbert W; Leonardo, Lydia; Zhou, Xiao-Nong; Bergquist, Robert

2015-01-01

Global health has substantially improved over the past 20 years. In low- and middle-income countries, in particular, great strives have been made in the control of communicable diseases, including helminth infections. Nevertheless, the most marginalised communities still suffer from infectious diseases that are intimately connected with poverty and lack of access to essential commodities and services, such as clean water, improved sanitation and sufficient food. A two-pronged approach is thus necessary: (i) intensifying control in remaining high-endemicity areas and pockets of high transmission; and (ii) moving from morbidity control to interruption of disease transmission in low-endemicity areas with the goal of local elimination. The latter will require new tools and strategies, going hand-in-hand with strong partnerships and new strategic alliances. In this special issue of Acta Tropica, 35 articles are featured that, together, provide an up-to-date overview of the latest progress made in research, control and elimination of helminth infections in East and Southeast Asia. The first 12 articles expound tools and approaches for improved detection, surveillance and monitoring of helminth infections. Control and elimination approaches for the most important helminth infections are revisited in the next 20 articles. The three remaining articles are cross-cutting pieces examining the interface of agriculture, environment and helminth infections and providing a rationale for integrated, multi-sectorial control approaches that are necessary for sustaining helminthiasis control and progressively moving towards elimination. An interesting aspect revealed through an in-depth analysis of the provenance of the 35 contributions is that the People's Republic of China emerges as a key player in global health, which is documented through its prominent role in research and control of helminth infection and networking throughout Asia. Policy implications are discussed and will

Education in infection control : A need for European certification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zingg, W.; Mutters, N. T.; Harbarth, S.; Friedrich, A. W.

2015-01-01

Healthcare-associated infections are common adverse events in acute-care medicine, causing significant morbidity and mortality. There has been a significant increase in the commitment to infection prevention and control (IPC) among European countries in recent years. However, there is still

Measuring the quality of infection control in Dutch nursing homes using a standardized method; the Infection prevention RIsk Scan (IRIS)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willemsen, I.; Nelson-Melching, J.; Hendriks, Y.; Mulders, A.; Verhoeff, S.; Kluytmans-Vandenbergh, M.; Kluytmans, J.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: We developed a standardised method to assess the quality of infection control in Dutch Nursing Home (NH), based on a cross-sectional survey that visualises the results. The method was called the Infection control RIsk Infection Scan (IRIS). We tested the applicability of this new tool in

Virus-Induced Type I Interferon Deteriorates Control of Systemic Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection

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Katja Merches

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Type I interferon (IFN-I predisposes to bacterial superinfections, an important problem during viral infection or treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-α. IFN-I-induced neutropenia is one reason for the impaired bacterial control; however there is evidence that more frequent bacterial infections during IFN-α-treatment occur independently of neutropenia. Methods: We analyzed in a mouse model, whether Pseudomonas aeruginosa control is influenced by co-infection with the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV. Bacterial titers, numbers of neutrophils and the gene-expression of liver-lysozyme-2 were determined during a 24 hours systemic infection with P. aeruginosa in wild-type and Ifnar-/- mice under the influence of LCMV or poly(I:C. Results: Virus-induced IFN-I impaired the control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This was associated with neutropenia and loss of lysozyme-2-expression in the liver, which had captured P. aeruginosa. A lower release of IFN-I by poly(I:C-injection also impaired the bacterial control in the liver and reduced the expression of liver-lysozyme-2. Low concentration of IFN-I after infection with a virulent strain of P. aeruginosa alone impaired the bacterial control and reduced lysozyme-2-expression in the liver as well. Conclusion: We found that during systemic infection with P. aeruginosa Kupffer cells quickly controlled the bacteria in cooperation with neutrophils. Upon LCMV-infection this cooperation was disturbed.

Quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saust, Laura Trolle; Bjerrum, Lars; Arpi, Magnus

2017-01-01

Objective: To develop quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections, tailored to the Danish general practice setting. Design: A RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method was used. Setting: General practice. Subjects: A panel of nine experts, mainly...... general practitioners, was asked to rate the relevance of 64 quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections based on guidelines. Subsequently, a face-to-face meeting was held to resolve misinterpretations and to achieve consensus. Main outcome measures...

Collaboration between infection control and occupational health in three continents: a success story with international impact

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ndelu Lindiwe

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Globalization has been accompanied by the rapid spread of infectious diseases, and further strain on working conditions for health workers globally. Post-SARS, Canadian occupational health and infection control researchers got together to study how to better protect health workers, and found that training was indeed perceived as key to a positive safety culture. This led to developing information and communication technology (ICT tools. The research conducted also showed the need for better workplace inspections, so a workplace audit tool was also developed to supplement worker questionnaires and the ICT. When invited to join Ecuadorean colleagues to promote occupational health and infection control, these tools were collectively adapted and improved, including face-to-face as well as on-line problem-based learning scenarios. The South African government then invited the team to work with local colleagues to improve occupational health and infection control, resulting in an improved web-based health information system to track incidents, exposures, and occupational injury and diseases. As the H1N1 pandemic struck, the online infection control course was adapted and translated into Spanish, as was a novel skill-building learning tool that permits health workers to practice selecting personal protective equipment. This tool was originally developed in collaboration with the countries from the Caribbean region and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO. Research from these experiences led to strengthened focus on building capacity of health and safety committees, and new modules are thus being created, informed by that work. The products developed have been widely heralded as innovative and interactive, leading to their inclusion into “toolkits” used internationally. The tools used in Canada were substantially improved from the collaborative adaptation process for South and Central America and South Africa. This international

Collaboration between infection control and occupational health in three continents: a success story with international impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Yassi, Annalee; Bryce, Elizabeth A; Breilh, Jaime; Lavoie, Marie-Claude; Ndelu, Lindiwe; Lockhart, Karen; Spiegel, Jerry

2011-11-08

Globalization has been accompanied by the rapid spread of infectious diseases, and further strain on working conditions for health workers globally. Post-SARS, Canadian occupational health and infection control researchers got together to study how to better protect health workers, and found that training was indeed perceived as key to a positive safety culture. This led to developing information and communication technology (ICT) tools. The research conducted also showed the need for better workplace inspections, so a workplace audit tool was also developed to supplement worker questionnaires and the ICT. When invited to join Ecuadorean colleagues to promote occupational health and infection control, these tools were collectively adapted and improved, including face-to-face as well as on-line problem-based learning scenarios. The South African government then invited the team to work with local colleagues to improve occupational health and infection control, resulting in an improved web-based health information system to track incidents, exposures, and occupational injury and diseases. As the H1N1 pandemic struck, the online infection control course was adapted and translated into Spanish, as was a novel skill-building learning tool that permits health workers to practice selecting personal protective equipment. This tool was originally developed in collaboration with the countries from the Caribbean region and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Research from these experiences led to strengthened focus on building capacity of health and safety committees, and new modules are thus being created, informed by that work.The products developed have been widely heralded as innovative and interactive, leading to their inclusion into "toolkits" used internationally. The tools used in Canada were substantially improved from the collaborative adaptation process for South and Central America and South Africa. This international collaboration between occupational

[Social marketing: applying commercial strategies to the prevention of nosocomial infections].

Science.gov (United States)

Sax, Hugo; Longtin, Yves; Alvarez-Ceyssat, Raymonde; Bonfillon, Chantal; Cavallero, Sabrina; Dayer, Pierre; Ginet, Claude; Herrault, Pascale

2009-04-01

Although a large proportion of healthcare-associated infections are avoidable, healthcare workers do not always practice evidence-based preventive strategies. Marketing technologies might help to improve patient safety. This article presents the basic principles of marketing and its potential use to promote good infection control practices. The marketing mix (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) should be taken into account to induce behaviour change. By placing the emphasis on the perceived "profits" for healthcare workers the approach might lose its moral aspect and gain in effectiveness. VigiGerme, a non-commercial registered trademark, applies social marketing techniques to infection control and prevention.

Impact of an infection-control program on nurses' knowledge and attitude in pediatric intensive care units at Cairo University hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Galal, Yasmine S; Labib, John R; Abouelhamd, Walaa A

2014-04-01

Healthcare-associated infection is a prominent problem among patients in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) as it could result in significant morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and increase in medical care costs. The role of nurses is extremely important in preventing hazards and sequela of healthcare-associated infections. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a health education program regarding infection-control measures on nurses' knowledge and attitude in PICUs at Cairo University hospitals. This was a pre-post test interventional study in which a convenient sample of 125 nurses was taken from the nursing staff in different PICUs at Cairo University hospitals. The study took place in three phases. In the first phase, the nursing staff's knowledge, attitude and practice concerning infection-control measures were tested using a self-administered pretested questionnaire and an observation checklist. The second phase included health education sessions in the form of powerpoint and video presentations; and in the third phase the nurses' knowledge and attitude on infection-control measures were reassessed. A significantly higher level of knowledge was revealed in the postintervention phase as compared with the preintervention phase with regards to the types of nosocomial infections (94.4 vs. 76.8%, Pcontrol nosocomial infections (89.6 vs. 68%, Pcontrol measures could protect them completely from acquiring infection (79.2 vs. 65.6%, P=0.033). Statistically significant higher total knowledge and attitude scores were revealed in the postintervention phase as compared with the preintervention one (PHospital (88%), whereas it was the lowest in the emergency pediatric unit (65%). There is scope for improvement in knowledge and attitude after educational program was offered to the nursing staff. Educational training programs should be multidisciplinary interventions in the era of quality control to help healthcare workers realize the importance of basic

Infections associated with body modification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samson Sai-Yin Wong

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Although exact statistics are lacking, body modifications for cosmetic purposes are performed in many countries. The commonest forms include tattooing, body piercing, and breast and facial augmentation using implants or injectable fillers. Liposuction and, to a lesser extent, mesotherapy are also practiced in many countries. Infective complications of these procedures include local infections, transmission of bloodborne pathogens (viral hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus, and distant infections such as infective endocarditis. Presence of foreign bodies, long healing time of piercing wounds, and poor compliance with infection control practices of some practitioners all predispose the recipients to infections. Apart from the endogenous microbial flora of the skin and mucosae, atypical mycobacteria, especially the rapid growers, have emerged as some of the most important pathogens in such settings. Outbreaks of infection are commonly reported. We hereby review the current knowledge of the topic with specific focus on infections associated with tattooing, body piercing, breast augmentation, mesotherapy, liposuction, and tissue filler injections. Greater awareness among consumers and health-care professionals, as well as more stringent regulations by the health authorities, is essential to minimize the health risks arising from these procedures.

Identifying the gaps in infection prevention and control resources for long-term care facilities in British Columbia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamage, Bruce; Schall, Valerie; Grant, Jennifer

2012-03-01

Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a critical, although often neglected, part of long-term care (LTC) management. Little is known about what IPC resources are available for LTC and how that impacts patient care and safety. One hundred eighty-eight LTC facilities were randomly selected out of all British Columbia facilities and surveyed using a validated survey tool. The tool was used to collect data regarding IPC resources grouped within 6 indices: (1) leadership, (2) infection control professionals (ICP) coverage, (3) policies and procedures, (4) support through partnerships, (5) surveillance, and (6) control activities. All components measured have been identified as key for an effective IPC program. Survey responses were used to calculate scores for IPC programs as a whole and for each of the 6 indices. Of 188 randomly selected facilities, 86 institutions participated. Facilities were compared by region, funding source, and ICP coverage. Overall, LTC facilities lacked IPC leadership, especially physician support. Having no dedicated ICP was associated with poorer scores on all indices. Only 41% of practicing ICPs had more than 2 years experience, and only 14% were professionally certified. Twenty-two percent of ICPs had additional roles within the institution, and 44% had additional roles outside of the institution. Thirty-five percent of institutions had no IPC dedicated budget. LTC institutions-with bed numbers exceeding those in acute care-represent an important aspect of health services. These data show that many LTC facilities lack the necessary resources to provide quality infection control programs. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Nosocomial infection control in healthcare settings: Protection against emerging infectious diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Chuanxi; Wang, Shengyong

2016-04-12

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreak in Korea in 2015 may be attributable to poor nosocomial infection control procedures implemented. Strict infection control measures were taken in the hospital where an imported case with MERS was treated in southern China and 53 health care workers were confirmed to be MERS-CoV negative. Infection control in healthcare settings, in which patients with emerging infectious diseases such as MERS, Ebola virus disease, and the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are diagnosed and treated, are often imperfect. When it comes to emerging or unknown infectious diseases, before the imported case was finally identified or community transmission was reported, cases have often occurred in clusters in healthcare settings. Nosocomial infection control measures should be further strengthened among the workers and inpatients in designated healthcare settings that accommodate suspected cases suffering from emerging or unknown infectious diseases.

Cost effectiveness of prophylaxis in dental practice to prevent infective endocarditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, I M; Buckingham, J K

1993-01-01

BACKGROUND--Although antimicrobial prophylaxis for infective endocarditis (IE) is common practice for many dental procedures, there is little information on whether it represents value for money. A study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of prophylaxis for all at risk patients in routine dental practice with published data from the United Kingdom. METHODS--The risk of contracting infective endocarditis was calculated from published data to find (for high risk patients) both the annual number of deaths attributable to infective endocarditis and the number of high risk dental procedures performed without prophylaxis. Costs are estimated by examining the notes of 63 patients with proved IE during the decade 1980-90. RESULTS--Such prophylaxis is highly cost effective before dental extractions, but its value for other invasive dental procedures is unproved. It was calculated that, for every 10,000 extractions in at risk patients, appropriate prophylaxis will prevent 5.7 deaths and a further 22.85 cases of non-fatal IE. This represents a saving in the costs of hospital care of 289,600 pounds for 10,000 extractions. CONCLUSION--Prophylaxis to prevent IE in at risk patients undergoing dental extraction is highly cost effective. Net savings each year throughout the United Kingdom, that might be achieved by improving the existing proportion of such patients given antibiotics from its present level of about 50% would amount to 2.5 million pounds and would prevent over 50 deaths. PMID:8038004

Control of mycobacterium bovis infection in two sika deer herds in ireland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Partridge Tom

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract In a number of countries, tuberculosis (due to infection with Mycobacterium bovis is a significant health problem of captive deer. This paper describes outbreaks of bovine tuberculosis in sika deer (Cervus nippon on two farms in Ireland and the methods used to control the disease. On Farm A, infection was first detected during 1993. The infection was eradicated using a programme of test and removal, in association with segregation of young animals. A second outbreak (also due to infection with M. bovis, but a different RFLP profile was detected in 2002. In the latter outbreak, infection was particularly prevalent in two groups of young deer. M. bovis with the same RFLP profile was also isolated in a badger found dead on the farm. Control was achieved by test and removal in association with herd management changes. In Herd B, infection was first detected in 1995, and subsequently eradicated using test and removal alone. In Herd A, re-infection remains an ongoing risk. Control rather than eradication of infection may more realistic in the short-to medium-term.

Myths, perceptions knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) linked to mycobacterial infection management among the pastoralist communities of Uganda

OpenAIRE

Kankya, Clovice; Muwonge, Adrian; Skjerve, Eystein

2011-01-01

The present study was conducted to assess community myths, perceptions, knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP) of the pastoral farmers and explore mycobacterial infection management practices. Both structured questionnaire survey and participatory rural appraisal approaches were used. This study revealed that mycobacterial infection especially tuberculosis as referred to in vernacular as akakonko, akasubba or akafuba because of the persistent cough and other respiratory symptoms. Knowledge att...

Personal hygiene and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Turabelidze, George; Lin, Mei; Wolkoff, Barbara; Dodson, Douglas; Gladbach, Stephen; Zhu, Bao-Ping

2006-03-01

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections outside the healthcare setting are an increasing concern. We conducted a case-control study to investigate an MRSA outbreak during 2002-2003 in a Missouri prison and focused on hygiene factors. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, and hygiene practices of study participants was collected by interview and medical record review. Logistic regression was used to evaluate MRSA infection in relation to hygiene factors individually and as a composite hygiene score; potential confounding factors were controlled. Selected MRSA isolates were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). MRSA infection was significantly associated with a low composite hygiene score. Transmission among prison inmates appeared to be responsible for this outbreak. PFGE analysis showed that isolates were indistinguishable and associated with community-onset MRSA infections in other US prisons. Improving hygiene practices and environmental conditions may help prevent and interrupt future MRSA outbreaks in prison settings.

Infection control and quality assurance of health services provided in ICU: development of an ICU website.

Science.gov (United States)

Diomidous, Marianna; Ponirou, Paraskevi; Mpizopoulou, Zoi; Tzalera, Vaia; Mechili, Aggelos

2013-01-01

The aim of this study is to examine the infections control methods in ICU as well as the issue of quality in health services provided, as they constitute an important quality assurance indicator. Moreover, nowadays the causes of Nosocomial infections are known and so do the measures for their control. There is a need however for an information resource that will promote specialized and general guidelines. The measures include the appropriate use of gloves, cleaning and disinfection of the ICU environment and hand washing which is the most important of all. Therefore an effort was made to develop an easy to navigate webpage with practical and comprehensible clinical guidelines. Additionally, it gives to all visitors the opportunity for further information research with the use of the included links. For the development of the web side existing clinical guide lines were scrutinizes as well as studies that concern the effectiveness of the measures mentioned and for the identification of quality assurance criteria.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antiretroviral management, reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual risk behavior among perinatally HIV-infected youth in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Lolekha, Rangsima; Boon-Yasidhi, Vitharon; Leowsrisook, Pimsiri; Naiwatanakul, Thananda; Durier, Yuitiang; Nuchanard, Wipada; Tarugsa, Jariya; Punpanich, Warunee; Pattanasin, Sarika; Chokephaibulkit, Kulkanya

2015-01-01

More than 30% of perinatally HIV-infected children in Thailand are 12 years and older. As these youth become sexually active, there is a risk that they will transmit HIV to their partners. Data on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of HIV-infected youth in Thailand are limited. Therefore, we assessed the KAP of perinatally HIV-infected youth and youth reporting sexual risk behaviors receiving care at two tertiary care hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand and living in an orphanage in Lopburi, Thailand. From October 2010 to July 2011, 197 HIV-infected youth completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview to assess their KAP regarding antiretroviral (ARV) management, reproductive health, sexual risk behaviors, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A majority of youth in this study correctly answered questions about HIV transmission and prevention and the importance of taking ARVs regularly. More than half of the youth in this study demonstrated a lack of family planning, reproductive health, and STI knowledge. Girls had more appropriate attitudes toward safe sex and risk behaviors than boys. Although only 5% of the youth reported that they had engaged in sexual intercourse, about a third reported sexual risk behaviors (e.g., having or kissing boy/girlfriend or consuming an alcoholic beverage). We found low condom use and other family planning practices, increasing the risk of HIV and/or STI transmission to sexual partners. Additional resources are needed to improve reproductive health knowledge and reduce risk behavior among HIV-infected youth in Thailand.

[Practical aspects of implementation quality management system ISO 9001:2000 by hospital infection control team].

Science.gov (United States)

Kuziemski, Arkadiusz; Czerniak, Beata; Frankowska, Krystyna; Gonia, Ewa; Salińska, Teresa; Motuk, Andrzej; Sobociński, Zbigniew

2009-01-01

In 2006 the Board of the Jan Biziel Hospital in Bydgoszcz decided to include procedures of health services in the implementation process within the confines of ISO 9001:2000 certification. The hospital infection control team that has operated in the hospital since 1989 performed the analysis of the forms of activities to date and on that basis the team prepared original plan of quality management. In April 2007, this plan was successfully accepted by the certifying team. The aim of this study is to present the aforementioned plan which is the result of 18 years experience of the team. At the same time, I hope that this study will be very helpful for all professionals interested in hospital epidemiology, especially in the context of implementing quality management systems.

Minibus taxi drivers’ sexual beliefs and practices associated with HIV infection and AIDS in KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa

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Busisiwe Ncama

2013-01-01

The objectives of this study were to assess the level of knowledge, beliefs and practices regarding HIV infection and AIDS amongst minibus taxi drivers. An exploratory descriptive study was conducted using a pre-tested questionnaire to explore and describe sexual beliefs and practices associated with HIV infection and AIDS in a convenience sample of 175 minibus taxi drivers. Permission to undertake the study was obtained from the KwaZulu-Natal Taxi Alliance and individuals who participated in the study. Data analysis were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences 13.0. The study revealed that minibus taxi drivers are one of the high- risk groups in the spread of HIV infection and AIDS; they lack necessary education and need attention in relation to control and prevention of the spread of HIV and AIDS. Multiple sexual partners are relatively common amongst the minibus taxi drivers. Violence against women and even forceful sexual intercourse in the belief that women should tolerate it to keep the family together was reported. There is a need for intervention programmes with a focus on minibus taxi drivers and similar high-risk groups. Prevention activities should incorporate the distribution of condoms amongst this group and HIV prevention educational programmes, as well as creating mechanisms for accessing circumcision by the minibus taxi drivers.

Controlling the Seedbeds of Tuberculosis: Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculosis Infection

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Rangaka, Molebogeng X.; Cavalcante, Solange C.; Marais, Ben J.; Thim, Sok; Martinson, Neil A.; Swaminathan, Soumya; Chaisson, Richard E.

2015-01-01

The billions of people with latent tuberculosis infection serve as the seedbeds for future cases of active tuberculosis. Virtually all episodes of tuberculosis disease are preceded by a period of asymptomatic Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection; therefore, identifying infected individuals most likely to progress to disease and treating such subclinical infections to prevent future disease provides a critical opportunity to interrupt tuberculosis transmission and reduce the global burden of tuberculosis disease. Programs focusing on single strategies rather than comprehensive programs that deliver an integrated arsenal for tuberculosis control may continue to struggle. Tuberculosis preventive therapy is a poorly utilized tool that is essential for controlling the reservoirs of disease that drive the current epidemic. Comprehensive control strategies that combine preventive therapy for the most high-risk populations and communities with improved case-finding and treatment, control of transmission and health systems strengthening could ultimately lead to worldwide tuberculosis elimination. This paper outlines challenges to implementation of preventive therapy and provides pragmatic suggestions for overcoming them. It further advocates for tuberculosis preventive therapy as the core of a renewed global focus to implement a comprehensive epidemic control strategy that would reduce new tuberculosis cases to elimination targets. This strategy would be underpinned by accelerated research to further understand the biology of subclinical tuberculosis infections, develop novel diagnostics, and drug regimens specifically for subclinical tuberculosis infection, strengthen health systems, community engagement, and enhance sustainable large scale implementation of preventive therapy programs. PMID:26515679

Impact of a multidimensional infection control approach on catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates in an adult intensive care unit in Lebanon: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) findings.

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Kanj, Souha S; Zahreddine, Nada; Rosenthal, Victor Daniel; Alamuddin, Lamia; Kanafani, Zeina; Molaeb, Bassel

2013-09-01

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of a multidimensional infection control approach for the reduction of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in an adult intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital member of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) in Lebanon. A before-after prospective active surveillance study was carried out to determine rates of CAUTI in 1506 ICU patients, hospitalized during 10 291 bed-days. The study period was divided into two phases: phase 1 (baseline) and phase 2 (intervention). During phase 1, surveillance was performed applying the definitions of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC/NHSN). In phase 2, we adopted a multidimensional approach that included: (1) a bundle of infection control interventions, (2) education, (3) surveillance of CAUTI rates, (4) feedback on CAUTI rates, (5) process surveillance, and (6) performance feedback. We used random effects Poisson regression to account for clustering of CAUTI rates across time-periods. We recorded a total of 9829 urinary catheter-days: 306 in phase 1 and 9523 in phase 2. The rate of CAUTI was 13.07 per 1000 urinary catheter-days in phase 1, and was decreased by 83% in phase 2 to 2.21 per 1000 urinary catheter-days (risk ratio 0.17; 95% confidence interval 0.06-0.5; p=0.0002). Our multidimensional approach was associated with a significant reduction in the CAUTI rate. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A Web-based course on infection control for physicians in training: an educational intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Fakih, Mohamad G; Enayet, Iram; Minnick, Steven; Saravolatz, Louis D

2006-07-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a Web-based course on infection control accessed by physicians in training. Educational intervention. A 607-bed urban teaching hospital. A total of 55 physicians in training beginning their first postgraduate year (the iPGY1 group) and 59 physicians completing their first, second, or third postgraduate year (the oPGY group). Individuals in the iPGY1 group took a Web-based course on infection control practices. Persons in the iPGY1 group who took the Web-based course completed an evaluation test consisting of 15 multiple-choice questions (total possible score, 15 points). The same test was given to persons in the oPGY group, who did not take the Web-based course. We compared scores of the Web-based test taken by subjects in the iPGY1 group immediately after the course with scores of the test they took 3 months after the course and with test scores of subjects in the oPGY group. The mean score (+/-SD) for subjects in the iPGY1 group who took the Web-based course was 10.6+/-2.2, compared with 8.0+/-2.5 for subjects in the oPGY group (P<.001). The mean score (+/-SD) for subjects in the iPGY1 group 3 months after completing the course decreased to 8.0+/-2.4 (P<.001 by the paired t test). For the oPGY group, significant differences were found between the scores (+/-SD) for subjects in the internal medicine (9.9+/-2.3), emergency medicine (8.4+/-1.7), pediatrics (7.0+/-1.7), and family medicine (5.8+/-1.6) residency programs (P<.001); there were no significant differences in scores according to the year of residency. Web-based infection control courses are an attractive teaching tool for physicians in training and need to be considered for teaching infection control. The evaluation of information retention will help identify physicians in training who require further training.

Software engineering practices for control system reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

S. K. Schaffner; K. S White

1999-01-01

This paper will discuss software engineering practices used to improve Control System reliability. The authors begin with a brief discussion of the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) which is a framework for evaluating and improving key practices used to enhance software development and maintenance capabilities. The software engineering processes developed and used by the Controls Group at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), using the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) for accelerator control, are described. Examples are given of how their procedures have been used to minimized control system downtime and improve reliability. While their examples are primarily drawn from their experience with EPICS, these practices are equally applicable to any control system. Specific issues addressed include resource allocation, developing reliable software lifecycle processes and risk management

Clinician practice and the National Healthcare Safety Network definition for the diagnosis of catheter-associated urinary tract infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Qas Hanna, Fadi; Sambirska, Oksana; Iyer, Sugantha; Szpunar, Susanna; Fakih, Mohamad G

2013-12-01

The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definition for catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is used to evaluate improvements in CAUTI prevention efforts. We assessed whether clinician practice was reflective of the NHSN definition. We evaluated all adult inpatients hospitalized between July 2010 and June 2011, with a first positive urine culture > 48 hours of admission obtained while catheterized or within 48 hours of catheter discontinuation. Data comprised patients' signs, symptoms, and diagnostic tests; clinician's diagnosis; and the impression of the infectious diseases (ID) consultant. The clinician's practice was compared with the NHSN definition and the ID consultant's impression. Antibiotics were initiated by clinicians to treat CAUTI in 216 of 387 (55.8%) cases, with 119 of 387 (30.7%) fitting the NHSN CAUTI definition, and 63 of 211 (29.9%) considered by ID to have a CAUTI. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of a clinician diagnosis of CAUTI were 62.2%, 47%, 34.3%, and 73.7% when compared with NHSN CAUTI definition (n = 387) and 100%, 57.4%, 50%, and 100% when compared with the ID consultant evaluation (n = 211), respectively. The positive predictive value of the NHSN CAUTI definition was 35.1% when compared with the ID consultant's impression (n = 211). NHSN CAUTI definition did not reflect clinician or ID consultant practices. Our findings reflect the differences between surveillance definitions and clinical practice. Copyright © 2013 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Randomised controlled trials and changing public health practice

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Anne Cockcroft

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract One reason for doing randomised controlled trials (RCTs is that experiments can be convincing. Early epidemiological experimenters, such as Jenner and the smallpox vaccine and Snow and his famous Broad Street pump handle, already knew the answer they were demonstrating; they used the experiments as knowledge translation devices to convince others. More sophisticated modern experiments include cluster randomised controlled trials (CRCTs for experiments in the public health setting. The knowledge translation value remains: RCTs and CRCTs can potentially stimulate changes of practice among stakeholders. Capitalising on the knowledge translation value of RCTs requires more than the standard reporting of trials. Those who are convinced by a trial and want to act, need to know how the trial relates to their own context, what contributed to success, and what might make it even more effective. Implementation research unpacks the back-story, examining how and why an intervention worked. The Camino Verde trial of community mobilisation for control of dengue reported a significant impact on entomological indices of the Aedes aegypti vector, and on serological dengue virus infection and self-reported dengue cases. This important study should lead to studies of similar interventions in other contexts, and ultimately to changes in dengue control practices. This supplement is the back-story of the trial, providing information to help researchers and planners to make use of the trial findings. Background articles include the full protocol, a systematic review of CRCTs of approaches for Aedes aegypti control, epidemiological and entomological findings from the baseline survey, and how baseline findings were used to set up the intervention. Secondary analyses of the entomological findings examine associations with the use of the larvicide temephos, and the impact of the intervention in different conditions of water supply and seasons. Other articles

Knowledge, awareness, and attitude regarding infection prevention and control among medical students: a call for educational intervention

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Ibrahim AA

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Awab Ali Ibrahim,1 Sittana Shamseldin Elshafie,2 1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, 2Aspetar, Laboratory Department, Qatar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar Background: Medical students can be exposed to serious health care-associated infections, if they are not following infection prevention and control (IPC measures. There is limited information regarding the knowledge, awareness, and practices of medical students regarding IPC and the educational approaches used to teach them these practices. Aim: To evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and attitude of medical students toward IPC guidelines, and the learning approaches to help improve their knowledge. Methods: A cross-sectional, interview-based survey included 73 medical students from Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar. Students completed a questionnaire concerning awareness, knowledge, and attitude regarding IPC practices. Students’ knowledge was assessed by their correct answers to the survey questions. Findings: A total of 48.44% of the respondents were aware of standard isolation precautions, 61.90% were satisfied with their training in IPC, 66.13% were exposed to hand hygiene training, while 85.48% had sufficient knowledge about hand hygiene and practiced it on a routine basis, but only 33.87% knew the duration of the hand hygiene procedure. Conclusion: Knowledge, attitude, and awareness of IPC measures among Weill Cornell Medical Students in Qatar were found to be inadequate. Multifaceted training programs may have to target newly graduated medical practitioners or the training has to be included in the graduate medical curriculum to enable them to adopt and adhere to IPC guidelines. Keywords: infection prevention, education, medical students

Socioeconomic impact on device-associated infections in pediatric intensive care units of 16 limited-resource countries: international Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium findings.

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Rosenthal, Victor D; Jarvis, William R; Jamulitrat, Silom; Silva, Cristiane Pavanello Rodrigues; Ramachandran, Bala; Dueñas, Lourdes; Gurskis, Vaidotas; Ersoz, Gulden; Novales, María Guadalupe Miranda; Khader, Ilham Abu; Ammar, Khaldi; Guzmán, Nayide Barahona; Navoa-Ng, Josephine Anne; Seliem, Zeinab Salah; Espinoza, Teodora Atencio; Meng, Cheong Yuet; Jayatilleke, Kushlani

2012-07-01

We report the results of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium prospective surveillance study from January 2004 to December 2009 in 33 pediatric intensive care units of 16 countries and the impact of being in a private vs. public hospital and the income country level on device-associated health care-associated infection rates. Additionally, we aim to compare these findings with the results of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network annual report to show the differences between developed and developing countries regarding device-associated health care-associated infection rates. A prospective cohort, active device-associated health care-associated infection surveillance study was conducted on 23,700 patients in International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium pediatric intensive care units. The protocol and methodology implemented were developed by International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium. Data collection was performed in the participating intensive care units. Data uploading and analyses were conducted at International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium headquarters on proprietary software. Device-associated health care-associated infection rates were recorded by applying Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network device-associated infection definitions, and the impact of being in a private vs. public hospital and the income country level on device-associated infection risk was evaluated. None. Central line-associated bloodstream infection rates were similar in private, public, or academic hospitals (7.3 vs. 8.4 central line-associated bloodstream infection per 1,000 catheter-days [p infection rates in lower middle-income countries were higher than low-income countries or upper middle-income countries (12.2 vs. 5.5 central line-associated bloodstream infections per 1,000 catheter-days [p infection rates were similar in academic, public and private

Impact of an International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium multidimensional approach on catheter-associated urinary tract infections in adult intensive care units in the Philippines: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC findings

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Josephine Anne Navoa-Ng

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Summary: Objectives: To assess the impact of a multidimensional infection control approach on the reduction of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI rates in adult intensive care units (AICUs in two hospitals in the Philippines that are members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium. Materials and methods: This was a before–after prospective active surveillance study to determine the rates of CAUTI in 3183 patients hospitalized in 4 ICUS over 14,426 bed-days. The study was divided into baseline and intervention periods. During baseline, surveillance was performed using the definitions of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC/NHSN. During intervention, we implemented a multidimensional approach that included: (1 a bundle of infection control interventions, (2 education, (3 surveillance of CAUTI rates, (4 feedback on CAUTI rates, (5 process surveillance and (6 performance feedback. We used random effects Poisson regression to account for the clustering of CAUTI rates across time. Results: We recorded 8720 urinary catheter (UC-days: 819 at baseline and 7901 during intervention. The rate of CAUTI was 11.0 per 1000 UC-days at baseline and was decreased by 76% to 2.66 per 1000 UC-days during intervention [rate ratio [RR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11–0.53; P-value, 0.0001]. Conclusions: Our multidimensional approach was associated with a significant reduction in the CAUTI rates in the ICU setting of a limited-resource country. Keywords: Philippines, Catheter-associated urinary tract infections, Developing countries, Adult intensive care unit, Multidimensional approach, Bundle

Controlling endemic multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Intensive Care Units using antimicrobial stewardship and infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheon, Shinhye; Kim, Mi-Ja; Yun, Seon-Jin; Moon, Jae Young; Kim, Yeon-Sook

2016-03-01

Nosocomial infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii have become public-health problem. However, few studies have evaluated the control of endemic MDR A. baumannii in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness of antimicrobial stewardship and comprehensive intensified infection control measures for controlling endemic MDR A. baumannii in ICUs at a tertiary care center. Carbapenem use was strictly restricted through antimicrobial stewardship. Environmental cleaning and disinfection was performed at least 3 times per day in addition to basic infection control measures. Isolation using plastic curtains and contact precautions were applied to patients who were colonized or infected with MDR A. baumannii. The outcome was measured as the incidence density rate of hospital-onset MDR A. baumannii among patients in the ICUs. The incidence density rate of hospital-onset MDR A. baumannii decreased from 22.82 cases per 1,000 patient-days to 2.68 cases per 1,000 patient-days after the interventions were implemented (odds ratio, 0.12; 95% confidence interval, 0.03 to 0.4; p baumannii in our ICUs within 1 year.

Why sensitive bacteria are resistant to hospital infection control

Science.gov (United States)

van Kleef, Esther; Luangasanatip, Nantasit; Bonten, Marc J; Cooper, Ben S

2017-01-01

Background: Large reductions in the incidence of antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile have been observed in response to multifaceted hospital-based interventions. Reductions in antibiotic-sensitive strains have been smaller or non-existent. It has been argued that since infection control measures, such as hand hygiene, should affect resistant and sensitive strains equally, observed changes must have largely resulted from other factors, including changes in antibiotic use. We used a mathematical model to test the validity of this reasoning. Methods: We developed a mechanistic model of resistant and sensitive strains in a hospital and its catchment area. We assumed the resistant strain had a competitive advantage in the hospital and the sensitive strain an advantage in the community. We simulated a hospital hand hygiene intervention that directly affected resistant and sensitive strains equally. The annual incidence rate ratio ( IRR) associated with the intervention was calculated for hospital- and community-acquired infections of both strains. Results: For the resistant strain, there were large reductions in hospital-acquired infections (0.1 ≤ IRR ≤ 0.6) and smaller reductions in community-acquired infections (0.2 ≤ IRR ≤  0.9). These reductions increased in line with increasing importance of nosocomial transmission of the strain. For the sensitive strain, reductions in hospital acquisitions were much smaller (0.6 ≤ IRR ≤ 0.9), while communityacquisitions could increase or decrease (0.9 ≤ IRR ≤ 1.2). The greater the importance of the community environment for the transmission of the sensitive strain, the smaller the reductions. Conclusions: Counter-intuitively, infection control interventions, including hand hygiene, can have strikingly discordant effects on resistant and sensitive strains even though they target them equally, following differences in their adaptation to hospital and community

Why sensitive bacteria are resistant to hospital infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

van Kleef, Esther; Luangasanatip, Nantasit; Bonten, Marc J; Cooper, Ben S

2017-01-01

Large reductions in the incidence of antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile have been observed in response to multifaceted hospital-based interventions. Reductions in antibiotic-sensitive strains have been smaller or non-existent. It has been argued that since infection control measures, such as hand hygiene, should affect resistant and sensitive strains equally, observed changes must have largely resulted from other factors, including changes in antibiotic use. We used a mathematical model to test the validity of this reasoning. We developed a mechanistic model of resistant and sensitive strains in a hospital and its catchment area. We assumed the resistant strain had a competitive advantage in the hospital and the sensitive strain an advantage in the community. We simulated a hospital hand hygiene intervention that directly affected resistant and sensitive strains equally. The annual incidence rate ratio (IRR) associated with the intervention was calculated for hospital- and community-acquired infections of both strains. For the resistant strain, there were large reductions in hospital-acquired infections (0.1 ≤ IRR ≤ 0.6) and smaller reductions in community-acquired infections (0.2 ≤ IRR ≤ 0.9). These reductions increased in line with increasing importance of nosocomial transmission of the strain. For the sensitive strain, reductions in hospital acquisitions were much smaller (0.6 ≤ IRR ≤ 0.9), while community acquisitions could increase or decrease (0.9 ≤ IRR ≤ 1.2). The greater the importance of the community environment for the transmission of the sensitive strain, the smaller the reductions. Counter-intuitively, infection control interventions, including hand hygiene, can have strikingly discordant effects on resistant and sensitive strains even though they target them equally. This follows from differences in their adaptation to hospital- and community-based transmission. Observed lack of

Adaptive change in corporate control practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, J A

1991-03-01

Multidivisional organizations are not concerned with what structure to adopt but with how they should exercise control within the divisional form to achieve economic efficiencies. Using an information-processing framework, I examined control arrangements between the headquarters and operating divisions of such organizations and how managers adapted control practices to accommodate increasing environmental uncertainty. Also considered were the moderating effects of contextual attributes on such adaptive behavior. Analyses of panel data from 97 multihospital systems suggested that organizations generally practice selective decentralization under conditions of increasing uncertainty but that organizational age, dispersion, and initial control arrangements significantly moderate the direction and magnitude of such changes.

Management of children's urinary tract infections in Dutch family practice: A cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Harmsen (Mirjam); M.E. Wensing (Michel); J.C.C. Braspenning (Jozé); R.J. Wolters (René); J.C. van der Wouden (Hans); R.P.T.M. Grol (Richard)

2007-01-01

textabstractBackground. Optimal clinical management of childhood urinary tract infections (UTI) potentiates long-term positive health effects. Insight into the quality of care in Dutch family practices for UTIs was limited, particularly regarding observation periods of more than a year. Our aim was

Application of optimal control strategies to HIV-malaria co-infection dynamics

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Fatmawati; Windarto; Hanif, Lathifah

2018-03-01

This paper presents a mathematical model of HIV and malaria co-infection transmission dynamics. Optimal control strategies such as malaria preventive, anti-malaria and antiretroviral (ARV) treatments are considered into the model to reduce the co-infection. First, we studied the existence and stability of equilibria of the presented model without control variables. The model has four equilibria, namely the disease-free equilibrium, the HIV endemic equilibrium, the malaria endemic equilibrium, and the co-infection equilibrium. We also obtain two basic reproduction ratios corresponding to the diseases. It was found that the disease-free equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable whenever their respective basic reproduction numbers are less than one. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis to determine the dominant factor controlling the transmission. sic reproduction numbers are less than one. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis to determine the dominant factor controlling the transmission. Then, the optimal control theory for the model was derived analytically by using Pontryagin Maximum Principle. Numerical simulations of the optimal control strategies are also performed to illustrate the results. From the numerical results, we conclude that the best strategy is to combine the malaria prevention and ARV treatments in order to reduce malaria and HIV co-infection populations.

Quantifying consumer portion control practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spence, M.; Lähteenmäki, Liisa; Stancu, Violeta

2015-01-01

of Ireland. Three factors were extracted and named: measurement-strategy scale, eating-strategy scale, and purchasing-strategy scale. The eating-strategy scale score was the highest, while the measurement-strategy scale carried the lowest frequency score. For each strategy scale score, the strongest...... predictor was GHI, followed by gender. Having higher GHI and being female were independently associated with more frequent portion control. Both the eating-strategy scale score and the purchasing-strategy scale score were negatively associated with pizza portion size consumption estimates. In conclusion......, while this study demonstrates that the reported use of portion control practices is low, the findings provide preliminary evidence for their validity. Further studies are needed to explore how portion control practices are used in different kinds of portion size decisions and what their contribution...

Management of children's urinary tract infections in Dutch family practice: a cohort study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harmsen, M.; Wensing, M.J.P.; Braspenning, J.C.C.; Wolters, R.J.; Wouden, J.C. van der; Grol, R.P.T.M.

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Optimal clinical management of childhood urinary tract infections (UTI) potentiates long-term positive health effects. Insight into the quality of care in Dutch family practices for UTIs was limited, particularly regarding observation periods of more than a year. Our aim was to describe

The rate of following infection control principles in educational hospitals of Khorramabad

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tahereh Toulabi

2006-11-01

Results: The degree of following infection control principles in most of the personnel’s was medium (53.7% and in hand washing was low (90%. Wards status about physical environment (47.83%, resources and equipment (78.3% were medium level. Conclusion: Continuous education of personnel in different job categories, using instruments and methods to reduce infection, improvement of resources and equipment and physical environment, establishment of National Nosocomial Infection surveillance system (NNISS, yearly epidemiological investigations and performing regular microbiological cultures are the most important strategies for infection control, that must be performed in educational hospitals.

Lactobacillus paracasei feeding improves the control of secondary experimental meningococcal infection in flu-infected mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Belkacem, Nouria; Bourdet-Sicard, Raphaëlle; Taha, Muhamed-Kkeir

2018-04-10

The use of probiotics to improve anti-microbial defence, such as for influenza infections, is increasingly recommended. However, no data are available on the effect of probiotics on flu-associated secondary bacterial infections. There is strong evidence of a spatiotemporal association between influenza virus infection and invasive Neisseria meningitidis. We thus investigated the effect of feeding mice Lactobacillus paracasei CNCM I-1518 in a mouse model of sequential influenza-meningococcal infection. We intranasally infected BALB/c mice with a strain of influenza A virus (IAV) H3N2 that was first adapted to mice. Seven days later, a secondary bacterial infection was induced by intranasal administration of bioluminescent N. meningitidis. During the experiment, mice orally received either L. paracasei CNCM I-1518 or PBS as a control. The effect of L. paracasei administration on secondary bacterial infection by N. meningitidis was evaluated. Oral consumption of L. paracasei CNCM I-1518 reduced the weight loss of infected mice and lowered the bioluminescent signal of infecting meningococci. This improvement was associated with higher recruitment of inflammatory myeloid cells, such as interstitial monocytes and dendritic cells, to the lungs. Our data highlight the role of the gut-lung axis. L. paracasei CNCM I-1518 may boost the defence against IAV infection and secondary bacterial infection, which should be further studied and validated in clinical trials.

Standard practice for strain controlled thermomechanical fatigue testing

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2010-01-01

1.1 This practice covers the determination of thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) properties of materials under uniaxially loaded strain-controlled conditions. A “thermomechanical” fatigue cycle is here defined as a condition where uniform temperature and strain fields over the specimen gage section are simultaneously varied and independently controlled. This practice is intended to address TMF testing performed in support of such activities as materials research and development, mechanical design, process and quality control, product performance, and failure analysis. While this practice is specific to strain-controlled testing, many sections will provide useful information for force-controlled or stress-controlled TMF testing. 1.2 This practice allows for any maximum and minimum values of temperature and mechanical strain, and temperature-mechanical strain phasing, with the restriction being that such parameters remain cyclically constant throughout the duration of the test. No restrictions are placed on en...

Low average blister-rust infection rates may mean high control costs

Science.gov (United States)

Robert Marty

1965-01-01

The Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, in cooperation with Federal and State forest-pest-control agencies, undertook a survey of blister-rust infection rates in the white pine region of the East during 1962 and 1963. Those engaged in blister-rust-control activities will not be surprised at the survey's results. We found that infection rates were significantly...

Optimising Controlled Human Malaria Infection Studies Using Cryopreserved P. falciparum Parasites Administered by Needle and Syringe.

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Susanne H Sheehy

Full Text Available Controlled human malaria infection (CHMI studies have become a routine tool to evaluate efficacy of candidate anti-malarial drugs and vaccines. To date, CHMI trials have mostly been conducted using the bite of infected mosquitoes, restricting the number of trial sites that can perform CHMI studies. Aseptic, cryopreserved P. falciparum sporozoites (PfSPZ Challenge provide a potentially more accurate, reproducible and practical alternative, allowing a known number of sporozoites to be administered simply by injection.We sought to assess the infectivity of PfSPZ Challenge administered in different dosing regimens to malaria-naive healthy adults (n = 18. Six participants received 2,500 sporozoites intradermally (ID, six received 2,500 sporozoites intramuscularly (IM and six received 25,000 sporozoites IM.Five out of six participants receiving 2,500 sporozoites ID, 3/6 participants receiving 2,500 sporozoites IM and 6/6 participants receiving 25,000 sporozoites IM were successfully infected. The median time to diagnosis was 13.2, 17.8 and 12.7 days for 2,500 sporozoites ID, 2,500 sporozoites IM and 25,000 sporozoites IM respectively (Kaplan Meier method; p = 0.024 log rank test.2,500 sporozoites ID and 25,000 sporozoites IM have similar infectivities. Given the dose response in infectivity seen with IM administration, further work should evaluate increasing doses of PfSPZ Challenge IM to identify a dosing regimen that reliably infects 100% of participants.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01465048.

National Survey of Practices to Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Apisarnthanarak, Anucha; Ratz, David; Khawcharoenporn, Thana; Patel, Payal K; Weber, David J; Saint, Sanjay; Greene, M Todd

2017-05-15

We evaluated the extent to which hospital characteristics, infection control practices, and compliance with prevention bundles impacted multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infections in Thai hospitals. From 1 January 2014 to 30 November 2014, we surveyed all Thai hospitals with an intensive care unit and ≥250 beds. Infection control practices for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MDR-AB) were assessed. Linear regression was used to examine associations between hospital characteristics and prevention bundle compliance and changes in MDRO infection rates. A total of 212 of 245 (86.5%) eligible hospitals responded. Most hospitals regularly used several fundamental infection control practices for MRSA and MDR-AB (ie, contact precautions, private room/cohorting, hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, and antibiotic stewardship); advanced infection control practices (ie, active surveillance, chlorhexidine bathing, decolonization for MRSA, and hydrogen peroxide vaporizer for MDR-AB) were used less commonly. Facilities with ≥75% compliance with the MRSA prevention bundle experienced a 17.4% reduction in MRSA rates (P = .03). Although the presence of environmental cleaning services (41.3% reduction, P = .01) and a microbiology laboratory (82.8% reduction, P = .02) were among characteristics associated with decreases in MDR-AB rates, greater compliance with the MDR-AB prevention bundle did not lead to reductions in MDR-AB rates. Although fundamental MRSA and MDR-AB control practices are used regularly in most Thai hospitals, compliance with more comprehensive bundled prevention approaches is suboptimal. Improving compliance with bundled infection prevention approaches and promoting the integration of certain hospital factors into infection control efforts may help reduce MDRO infections in Thai hospitals. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America

Prevention of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections in European hospitals: moving beyond policies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borg, M.A.; Hulscher, M.; Scicluna, E.A.; Richards, J.; Azanowsky, J.M.; Xuereb, D.; Huis, A. van; Moro, M.L.; Maltezou, H.C.; Frank, U.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia can be reduced with improved infection control and antibiotic stewardship. AIM: To survey infection control and antibiotic stewardship practices within European hospitals and to identify initiatives that

Influence of agricultural practices on fusarium infection of cereals and subsequent contamination of grain by trichothecene mycotoxins.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Simon G

2004-10-10

Fusarium head blight (FHB) of small grain cereals and ear rot in maize are significant diseases across the world. Infection can not only result in reduced yield as a result of shrunken grains but also result in reduced milling and malting quality and the contamination of grains with mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are hazardous to animal and human health. Therefore, guidelines and legislation are in place, or under consideration, in most countries to protect consumers and animal welfare. As fusarium mycotoxins are produced within the growing crop, it is important to understand how agricultural practices affect mycotoxin contamination of grain. Such information could then be used to determine guidelines on "Good Agricultural Practice" (GAP) to minimise the mycotoxin contamination of cereal products. Evidence is provided to show the importance of choice of cultivar, crop rotation, soil cultivation, fertiliser and the chemical and biological control of insects, weeds and fungi.

Infection Control and Prevention: A Review of Hospital-Acquired Infections and the Economic Implications

OpenAIRE

Reed, Deoine; Kemmerly, Sandra A.

2009-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2 million patients suffer from hospital-acquired infections every year and nearly 100,000 of them die. Most of these medical errors are preventable. Hospital-acquired infections result in up to $4.5 billion in additional healthcare expenses annually. The U.S. government has responded to this financial loss by focusing on healthcare quality report cards and by taking strong action to curb healthcare spending. The Medicare Program ha...

Evaluation of Copper Supplementation to Control Haemonchus contortus Infections of Sheep in Sweden

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Rydzik A

2004-09-01

Full Text Available A pen study was conducted to assess the effect of providing daily copper mineral supplement, or copper wire particle (COWP capsules, on established or incoming mixed nematode infections in young sheep. For lambs with established (6 week old infections, COWP resulted in 97% and 56% reduction of the adult and early L4 stages of H. contortus, respectively, compared with controls (p Teladorsagia circumcincta infections in the COWP lambs compared with controls (p H. contortus infections, but lack of parasites during the grazing season prevented an adequate assessment from being made. These results indicate that there is little, if any, benefit from a parasite control standpoint in recommending copper therapy, specifically to control parasites in Swedish sheep flocks.

Good control practices underlined by an on-line fuzzy control database

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Alonso, M. V.

1994-04-01

Full Text Available In the olive oil trade, control systems that automate extraction processes, cutting production costs and increasing processing capacity without losing quality, are always desirable. The database structure of an on-line fuzzy control of centrifugation systems and the algorithms used to attain the best control conditions are analysed. Good control practices are suggested to obtain virgin olive oil of prime quality.

In the olive oil trade, control systems that automate extraction processes, cutting production costs and increasing processing capacity without losing quality, are always desirable. The database structure of an on-line fuzzy control of centrifugation systems and the algorithms used to attain the best control conditions are analysed. Good control practices are suggested to obtain virgin olive oil of prime quality.

Quality indicators for diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in general practice:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Plejdrup, Malene; Bjerrum, Lars; Gahrn-Hansen, Bente

Objective: To develop a set of quality indicators focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in general practice.  Material and methods: A modified 2-round Delphi study was conducted from April to July 2008. A panel of 27 experts (13 countries) comprising mainly general...

TLR-dependent control of Francisella tularensis infection and host inflammatory responses.

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Allison L Abplanalp

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Francisella tularensis is the causative agent of tularemia and is classified as a Category A select agent. Recent studies have implicated TLR2 as a critical element in the host protective response to F. tularensis infection, but questions remain about whether TLR2 signaling dominates the response in all circumstances and with all species of Francisella and whether F. tularensis PAMPs are predominantly recognized by TLR2/TLR1 or TLR2/TLR6. To address these questions, we have explored the role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs in the host response to infections with F. tularensis Live Vaccine Strain (LVS and F. tularensis subspecies (subsp. novicida in vivo.C57BL/6 (B6 control mice and TLR- or MyD88-deficient mice were infected intranasally (i.n. or intradermally (i.d. with F. tularensis LVS or with F. tularensis subsp. novicida. B6 mice survived >21 days following infection with LVS by both routes and survival of TLR1(-/-, TLR4(-/-, and TLR6(-/- mice infected i.n. with LVS was equivalent to controls. Survival of TLR2(-/- and MyD88(-/- mice, however, was significantly reduced compared to B6 mice, regardless of the route of infection or the subspecies of F. tularensis. TLR2(-/- and MyD88(-/- mice also showed increased bacterial burdens in lungs, liver, and spleen compared to controls following i.n. infection. Primary macrophages from MyD88(-/- and TLR2(-/- mice were significantly impaired in the ability to secrete TNF and other pro-inflammatory cytokines upon ex vivo infection with LVS. TNF expression was also impaired in vivo as demonstrated by analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and by in situ immunofluorescent staining.We conclude from these studies that TLR2 and MyD88, but not TLR4, play critical roles in the innate immune response to F. tularensis infection regardless of the route of infection or the subspecies. Moreover, signaling through TLR2 does not depend exclusively on TLR1 or TLR6 during F. tularensis LVS infection.

Antiviral immunity following smallpox virus infection: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammarlund, Erika; Lewis, Matthew W; Hanifin, Jon M; Mori, Motomi; Koudelka, Caroline W; Slifka, Mark K

2010-12-01

Outbreaks of smallpox (i.e., caused by variola virus) resulted in up to 30% mortality, but those who survived smallpox infection were regarded as immune for life. Early studies described the levels of neutralizing antibodies induced after infection, but smallpox was eradicated before contemporary methods for quantifying T-cell memory were developed. To better understand the levels and duration of immunity after smallpox infection, we performed a case-control study comparing antiviral CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses and neutralizing antibody levels of 24 smallpox survivors with the antiviral immunity observed in 60 smallpox-vaccinated (i.e., vaccinia virus-immune) control subjects. We found that the duration of immunity following smallpox infection was remarkably similar to that observed after smallpox vaccination, with antiviral T-cell responses that declined slowly over time and antiviral antibody responses that remained stable for decades after recovery from infection. These results indicate that severe, potentially life-threatening disease is not required for the development of sustainable long-term immunity. This study shows that the levels of immunity induced following smallpox vaccination are comparable in magnitude to that achieved through natural variola virus infection, and this may explain the notable success of vaccination in eradicating smallpox, one of the world's most lethal diseases.

Antiviral Immunity following Smallpox Virus Infection: a Case-Control Study▿

Science.gov (United States)

Hammarlund, Erika; Lewis, Matthew W.; Hanifin, Jon M.; Mori, Motomi; Koudelka, Caroline W.; Slifka, Mark K.

2010-01-01

Outbreaks of smallpox (i.e., caused by variola virus) resulted in up to 30% mortality, but those who survived smallpox infection were regarded as immune for life. Early studies described the levels of neutralizing antibodies induced after infection, but smallpox was eradicated before contemporary methods for quantifying T-cell memory were developed. To better understand the levels and duration of immunity after smallpox infection, we performed a case-control study comparing antiviral CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses and neutralizing antibody levels of 24 smallpox survivors with the antiviral immunity observed in 60 smallpox-vaccinated (i.e., vaccinia virus-immune) control subjects. We found that the duration of immunity following smallpox infection was remarkably similar to that observed after smallpox vaccination, with antiviral T-cell responses that declined slowly over time and antiviral antibody responses that remained stable for decades after recovery from infection. These results indicate that severe, potentially life-threatening disease is not required for the development of sustainable long-term immunity. This study shows that the levels of immunity induced following smallpox vaccination are comparable in magnitude to that achieved through natural variola virus infection, and this may explain the notable success of vaccination in eradicating smallpox, one of the world's most lethal diseases. PMID:20926574

The impact of economic recession on infection prevention and control.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Riordan, M; Fitzpatrick, F

2015-04-01

The economic recession that began in 2007 led to austerity measures and public sector cutbacks in many European countries. Reduced resource allocation to infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes is impeding prevention and control of tuberculosis, HIV and vaccine-preventable infections. In addition, higher rates of infectious disease in the community have a significant impact on hospital services, although the extent of this has not been studied. With a focus on quick deficit reduction, preventive services such IPC may be regarded as non-essential. Where a prevention programme succeeds in reducing disease burden to a low level, its very success can undermine the perceived need for the programme. To mitigate the negative effects of recession, we need to: educate our political leaders about the economic benefits of IPC; better quantify the costs of healthcare-associated infection; and evaluate the effects of budget cuts on healthcare outcomes and IPC activities. Copyright © 2015 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatial Targeting for Bovine Tuberculosis Control: Can the Locations of Infected Cattle Be Used to Find Infected Badgers?

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Catherine M Smith

Full Text Available Bovine tuberculosis is a disease of historical importance to human health in the UK that remains a major animal health and economic issue. Control of the disease in cattle is complicated by the presence of a reservoir species, the Eurasian badger. In spite of uncertainty in the degree to which cattle disease results from transmission from badgers, and opposition from environmental groups, culling of badgers has been licenced in two large areas in England. Methods to limit culls to smaller areas that target badgers infected with TB whilst minimising the number of uninfected badgers culled is therefore of considerable interest. Here, we use historical data from a large-scale field trial of badger culling to assess two alternative hypothetical methods of targeting TB-infected badgers based on the distribution of cattle TB incidents: (i a simple circular 'ring cull'; and (ii geographic profiling, a novel technique for spatial targeting of infectious disease control that predicts the locations of sources of infection based on the distribution of linked cases. Our results showed that both methods required coverage of very large areas to ensure a substantial proportion of infected badgers were removed, and would result in many uninfected badgers being culled. Geographic profiling, which accounts for clustering of infections in badger and cattle populations, produced a small but non-significant increase in the proportion of setts with TB-infected compared to uninfected badgers included in a cull. It also provided no overall improvement at targeting setts with infected badgers compared to the ring cull. Cattle TB incidents in this study were therefore insufficiently clustered around TB-infected badger setts to design an efficient spatially targeted cull; and this analysis provided no evidence to support a move towards spatially targeted badger culling policies for bovine TB control.

Using Positive Deviance for Determining Successful Weight-Control Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Stuckey, Heather L.; Boan, Jarol; Kraschnewski, Jennifer L.; Miller-Day, Michelle; Lehman, Erik B.; Sciamanna, Christopher N.

2013-01-01

Based on positive deviance (examining the practices of successful individuals), we identified five primary themes from 36 strategies that help to maintain long-term weight loss (weight control) in 61 people. We conducted in-depth interviews to determine what successful individuals did and/or thought about regularly to control their weight. The themes included weight-control practices related to (a) nutrition: increase water, fruit, and vegetable intake, and consistent meal timing and content; (b) physical activity: follow and track an exercise routine at least 3×/week; (c) restraint: practice restraint by limiting and/or avoiding unhealthy foods; (d) self-monitor: plan meals, and track calories/weight progress; and (e) motivation: participate in motivational programs and cognitive processes that affect weight-control behavior. Using the extensive data involving both the practices and practice implementation, we used positive deviance to create a comprehensive list of practices to develop interventions for individuals to control their weight. PMID:20956609

Health care-associated infection prevention in Japan: the role of safety culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakamoto, Fumie; Sakihama, Tomoko; Saint, Sanjay; Greene, M Todd; Ratz, David; Tokuda, Yasuharu

2014-08-01

Limited data exist on the use of infection prevention practices in Japan. We conducted a nationwide survey to examine the use of recommended infection prevention strategies and factors affecting their use in Japanese hospitals. Between April 1, 2012, and January 31, 2013, we surveyed 971 hospitals in Japan. The survey instrument assessed general hospital and infection prevention program characteristics and use of infection prevention practices, including practices specific to preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Logistic regression models were used to examine multivariable associations between hospital characteristics and the use of the various prevention practices. A total of 685 hospitals (71%) responded to the survey. Maintaining aseptic technique during catheter insertion and maintenance, avoiding routine central line changes, and using maximum sterile barrier precautions and semirecumbent positioning were the only practices regularly used by more than one-half of the hospitals to prevent CAUTI, CLABSI, and VAP, respectively. Higher safety-centeredness was associated with regular use of prevention practices across all infection types. Although certain practices were used commonly, the rate of regular use of many evidence-based prevention practices was low in Japanese hospitals. Our findings highlight the importance of fostering an organization-wide atmosphere that prioritizes patient safety. Such a commitment to patient safety should in turn promote the use of effective measures to reduce health care-associated infections in Japan. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Update on bacterial nosocomial infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Bereket, W; Hemalatha, K; Getenet, B; Wondwossen, T; Solomon, A; Zeynudin, A; Kannan, S

2012-08-01

With increasing use of antimicrobial agents and advance in lifesaving medical practices which expose the patients for invasive procedures, are associated with the ever increasing of nosocomial infections. Despite an effort in hospital infection control measures, health care associated infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality adding additional health care expenditure which may leads to an economic crisis. The problem is further complicated with the emergence of difficult to treat multidrug resistant (MDR) microorganism in the hospital environment. Virtually every pathogen has the potential to cause infection in hospitalized patients but only limited number of both gram positive and gram negative bacteria are responsible for the majority of nosocomial infection. Among them Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococci takes the leading. Many intrinsic and extrinsic factors predispose hospitalized patients for these pathogens. Following simple hospital hygienic practices and strictly following standard medical procedures greatly reduces infection to a significant level although not all nosocomial infections are avoidable. The clinical spectrum caused by nosocomial pathogens depend on body site of infection, the involving pathogen and the patient's underlying condition. Structural and non structural virulence factors associated with the bacteria are responsible for the observed clinical manifestation. Bacteria isolation and characterization from appropriate clinical materials with antimicrobial susceptibility testing is the standard of laboratory diagnosis.

Focus on Infection Control in Child Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Biblio Alert! New Resources for Child Care Health and Safety, 1994

1994-01-01

The first in a series intended to provide child caregivers, parents, schools, health departments, and regulatory agencies with recent resources on child health and safety, this bibliography cites sources on the topic of controlling infections in child care settings. The list of annotated references contains background information and resource…

Impact of an International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium multidimensional approach on catheter-associated urinary tract infections in adult intensive care units in the Philippines: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Navoa-Ng, Josephine Anne; Berba, Regina; Rosenthal, Victor D; Villanueva, Victoria D; Tolentino, María Corazon V; Genuino, Glenn Angelo S; Consunji, Rafael J; Mantaring, Jacinto Blas V

2013-10-01

To assess the impact of a multidimensional infection control approach on the reduction of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates in adult intensive care units (AICUs) in two hospitals in the Philippines that are members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium. This was a before-after prospective active surveillance study to determine the rates of CAUTI in 3183 patients hospitalized in 4 ICUS over 14,426 bed-days. The study was divided into baseline and intervention periods. During baseline, surveillance was performed using the definitions of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC/NHSN). During intervention, we implemented a multidimensional approach that included: (1) a bundle of infection control interventions, (2) education, (3) surveillance of CAUTI rates, (4) feedback on CAUTI rates, (5) process surveillance and (6) performance feedback. We used random effects Poisson regression to account for the clustering of CAUTI rates across time. We recorded 8720 urinary catheter (UC)-days: 819 at baseline and 7901 during intervention. The rate of CAUTI was 11.0 per 1000 UC-days at baseline and was decreased by 76% to 2.66 per 1000 UC-days during intervention [rate ratio [RR], 0.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11-0.53; P-value, 0.0001]. Our multidimensional approach was associated with a significant reduction in the CAUTI rates in the ICU setting of a limited-resource country. Copyright © 2013 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality indicators for diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in general practice: a modified Delphi study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; Bjerrum, Lars; Gahrn-Hansen, Bente

2010-01-01

was achieved in both Delphi rounds. A total of 41 of the proposed 59 quality indicators attained consensus. None of the quality indicators focusing on the diagnostic process achieved consensus. Consensus was attained for 14 quality indicators focusing on the decision regarding antibiotic treatment and for 27...... quality indicators focusing on the choice of antibiotics. CONCLUSION: This study resulted in a final set of 41 quality indicators concerning respiratory tract infections in general practice. These quality indicators may be used to strengthen general practitioners' focus on their management of patients......OBJECTIVE: To develop a set of quality indicators focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in general practice. DESIGN: A modified 2-round Delphi study. SETTING: General practice. SUBJECTS: A panel of 27 experts (13 countries) comprising mainly general practitioners...

Controlling the spread of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negatives: therapeutic approach and infection control.

Science.gov (United States)

Carmeli, Y; Akova, M; Cornaglia, G; Daikos, G L; Garau, J; Harbarth, S; Rossolini, G M; Souli, M; Giamarellou, H

2010-02-01

Although the rapid spread of carbapenemase-producing Gram-negatives (CPGNs) is providing the scientific community with a great deal of information about the molecular epidemiology of these enzymes and their genetic background, data on how to treat multidrug-resistant or extended drug-resistant carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and how to contain their spread are still surprisingly limited, in spite of the rapidly increasing prevalence of these organisms and of their isolation from patients suffering from life-threatening infections. Limited clinical experience and several in vitro synergy studies seem to support the view that antibiotic combinations should be preferred to monotherapies. But, in light of the data available to date, it is currently impossible to quantify the real advantage of drug combinations in the treatment of these infections. Comprehensive clinical studies of the main therapeutic options, broken down by pathogen, enzyme and clinical syndrome, are definitely lacking and, as carbapenemases keep spreading, are urgently needed. This spread is unveiling the substantial unpreparedness of European public health structures to face this worrisome emergency, although experiences from different countries-chiefly Greece and Israel-have shown that CPGN transmission and cross-infection can cause a substantial threat to the healthcare system. This unpreparedness also affects the treatment of individual patients and infection control policies, with dramatic scarcities of both therapeutic options and infection control measures. Although correct implementation of such measures is presumably cumbersome and expensive, the huge clinical and public health problems related to CPGN transmission, alongside the current scarcity of therapeutic options, seem to fully justify this choice.

Effectiveness of hospital-wide methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA infection control policies differs by ward specialty.

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Rosemarie Sadsad

Full Text Available Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA is a major cause of preventable nosocomial infections and is endemic in hospitals worldwide. The effectiveness of infection control policies varies significantly across hospital settings. The impact of the hospital context towards the rate of nosocomial MRSA infections and the success of infection control is understudied. We conducted a modelling study to evaluate several infection control policies in surgical, intensive care, and medical ward specialties, each with distinct ward conditions and policies, of a tertiary public hospital in Sydney, Australia. We reconfirm hand hygiene as the most successful policy and find it to be necessary for the success of other policies. Active screening for MRSA, patient isolation in single-bed rooms, and additional staffing were found to be less effective. Across these ward specialties, MRSA transmission risk varied by 13% and reductions in the prevalence and nosocomial incidence rate of MRSA due to infection control policies varied by up to 45%. Different levels of infection control were required to reduce and control nosocomial MRSA infections for each ward specialty. Infection control policies and policy targets should be specific for the ward and context of the hospital. The model we developed is generic and can be calibrated to represent different ward settings and pathogens transmitted between patients indirectly through health care workers. This can aid the timely and cost effective design of synergistic and context specific infection control policies.

Macrolide overuse for treatment of respiratory tract infections in general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hinnerskov, Mette; Therkildsen, Julie Maria; Cordoba, Gloria

2011-01-01

High consumption of macrolides has been linked to increased macrolide resistance in the common pathogens of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). According to Danish recommendations, penicillin is the first-choice treatment for RTIs and macrolides should only be prescribed when a patient is allergic...... to penicillin or for treatment of mycoplasma pneumonias. The aim of the present study was to explore the prescription of macrolides for different RTIs to patients without penicillin allergy in general practice in Denmark....

A survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards skin and soft tissue infections in rural Alaska

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Gregory A. Raczniak

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus infections are common to south-western Alaska and have been associated with traditional steambaths. More than a decade ago, recommendations were made to affected communities that included preventive skin care, cleaning methods for steambath surfaces, and the use of protective barriers while in steambaths to reduce the risk of S. aureus infection. Objective: A review of community medical data suggested that the number of skin infection clinical encounters has increased steadily over the last 3 years and we designed a public health investigation to seek root causes. Study design: Using a mixed methods approach with in-person surveys, a convenience sample (n=492 from 3 rural communities assessed the range of knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning skin infections, skin infection education messaging, prevention activities and home self-care of skin infections. Results: We described barriers to implementing previous recommendations and evaluated the acceptability of potential interventions. Prior public health messages appear to have been effective in reaching community members and appear to have been understood and accepted. We found no major misconceptions regarding what a boil was or how someone got one. Overall, respondents seemed concerned about boils as a health problem and reported that they were motivated to prevent boils. We identified current practices used to avoid skin infections, such as the disinfection of steambaths. We also identified barriers to engaging in protective behaviours, such as lack of access to laundry facilities. Conclusions: These findings can be used to help guide public health strategic planning and identify appropriate evidence-based interventions tailored to the specific needs of the region.

First step to reducing infection risk as a system: evaluation of infection prevention processes for 71 hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Fakih, Mohamad G; Heavens, Michelle; Ratcliffe, Carol J; Hendrich, Ann

2013-11-01

Hospitals can better focus their efforts to prevent health care-associated infections (HAIs) if they identify specific areas for improvement. We administered a 96-question survey to infection preventionists at 71 Ascension Health hospitals to evaluate opportunities for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infection, central line-associated bloodstream infection, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and surgical site infection. Seventy-one (100%) infection preventionists completed the survey. The majority of hospitals had established policies for urinary catheter placement and maintenance (55/70, 78.6%), central venous catheter maintenance (68/71, 95.8%), and care for the mechanically ventilated patient (62/66, 93.9%). However, there was variation in health care worker practice and evaluation of competencies and outcomes. When addressing device need, 55 of 71 (77.5%) hospitals used a nurse-driven evaluation of urinary catheter need, 26 of 71 (36.6%) had a team evaluation for central venous catheters on transfer out of intensive care, and 53 of 57 (93%) assessed daily ventilator support for continued need. Only 19 of 71 (26.8%) hospitals had annual nursing competencies for urinary catheter placement and maintenance, 29 of 71 (40.8%) for nursing venous catheter maintenance, and 38 of 66 (57.6%) for appropriate health care worker surgical scrubbing. We suggest evaluating infection prevention policies and practices as a first step to improvement efforts. The next steps include implementing spread of evidence-based practices, with focus on competencies and feedback on performance. Copyright © 2013 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of clinical and parasitological data from controlled human malaria infection trials.

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Meta Roestenberg

Full Text Available Exposing healthy human volunteers to Plasmodium falciparum-infected mosquitoes is an accepted tool to evaluate preliminary efficacy of malaria vaccines. To accommodate the demand of the malaria vaccine pipeline, controlled infections are carried out in an increasing number of centers worldwide. We assessed their safety and reproducibility.We reviewed safety and parasitological data from 128 malaria-naïve subjects participating in controlled malaria infection trials conducted at the University of Oxford, UK, and the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, The Netherlands. Results were compared to a report from the US Military Malaria Vaccine Program.We show that controlled human malaria infection trials are safe and demonstrate a consistent safety profile with minor differences in the frequencies of arthralgia, fatigue, chills and fever between institutions. But prepatent periods show significant variation. Detailed analysis of Q-PCR data reveals highly synchronous blood stage parasite growth and multiplication rates.Procedural differences can lead to some variation in safety profile and parasite kinetics between institutions. Further harmonization and standardization of protocols will be useful for wider adoption of these cost-effective small-scale efficacy trials. Nevertheless, parasite growth rates are highly reproducible, illustrating the robustness of controlled infections as a valid tool for malaria vaccine development.

PERTUSSIS IS COMING BACK? IMPROVEMENT OF FORGOTTEN CHILDHOOD INFECTION CONTROL

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M. V. Fedoseenko

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Infection that more than 60 years ago was recognized one of the leading childhood diseases that caused infant mortality, is returning. Of course, with the introduction of vaccination against pertussis in the national programs, we rarely meet severe pertussis infection in our practice, considering that vaccinating children, we protect them. But why so far is this infectious disease remains a serious problem not only in Russia but throughout the world? Several global reasons contribute to the fact that until now vaccine-preventable diseases leads to a prolonged, exhausting cough in schoolchildren, deceiving the doctors with the correct diagnosis is still a real threat to infants. 

[Assessment of disinfection and sterilization processes in dental practice as an important factors in prevention of infections].

Science.gov (United States)

Podgórska, Marta; Jakimiak, Bozenna; Röhm-Rodowald, Ewa; Chojecka, Agnieszka

2009-01-01

The dental health-care settings is an environment where disease transmission occurs easily. Prevention of cross infection is therefore a crucial aspect of dental practice and dental clinic stuffmust adopt certain basic routines while practicing. Infections may be transmitted in the dental operatory through direct contact with blood, oral fluids or other secretions; via indirect contact with contaminated instruments, equipment or environmental surfaces; or by contact with airborne contaminants present in either droplet splatter or aerosols of oral and respiratory fluids. Strategies to prevent dental patient infections have focused on disinfection and sterilization. This study evaluates basic routines in prevention of cross-infection in the dentistry. The sample comprised 100 dentists, who completed questionnaires. Based on inquires the conditions for disinfection and sterilization of medical devices were assessed. The following issues were taken into consideration: the way of disinfection and preparation of the disinfectants, the localization of disinfection, preparing to disinfection, washing and packing of dental devices, the frequency of disinfection, methods of sterilization and the monitoring system, type of sterilizers and the available cycles. The dental practices are well equiped to proceed the steam sterilization, but 33% of dentists don't know the available cycles in their autoclaves. Only 35% of them made sterilization process protocols. Very common are three failures of instruments disinfections: multiple use of disinfectant, adding of disinfectant, adding new instruments. There is still need for improvement in disinfection and sterilization in dental practice, especially including: monitoring and documentation of sterilization process, proper use of disinfectants according to manufactures instructions, frequent disinfection of surfaces which contact with patients. Dental stuff should take part in advanced training courses about disinfection and

Physician behaviour for antimicrobial prescribing for paediatric upper respiratory tract infections: a survey in general practice in Trinidad, West Indies

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Ramdhanie Joseph

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs are among the most frequent reasons for physician office visits in paediatrics. Despite their predominant viral aetiology, URTIs continue to be treated with antimicrobials. We explored general practitioners' (GPs prescribing behaviour for antimicrobials in children (≤ 16 years with URTIs in Trinidad, using the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC as a reference. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 92 consenting GPs from the 109 contacted in Central and East Trinidad, between January to June 2003. Using a pilot-tested questionnaire, GPs identified the 5 most frequent URTIs they see in office and reported on their antimicrobial prescribing practices for these URTIs to trained research students. Results The 5 most frequent URTIs presenting in children in general practice, are the common cold, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis and acute otitis media (AOM in rank order. GPs prescribe at least 25 different antibiotics for these URTIs with significant associations for amoxicillin, co-amoxiclav, cefaclor, cefuroxime, erythromycin, clarithromycin and azithromycin (p 30 years were more likely to prescribe antibiotics for the common cold (p = 0.014. Severity (95.7% and duration of illness (82.5% influenced doctors' prescribing and over prescribing in general practice was attributed to parent demands (75% and concern for secondary bacterial infections (70%. Physicians do not request laboratory investigations primarily because they are unnecessary (86% and the waiting time for results is too long (51%. Conclusions Antibiotics are over prescribed for paediatric URTIs in Trinidad and amoxicillin with co-amoxiclav were preferentially prescribed. Except for AOM, GPs' prescribing varied from the CDC guidelines for drug and duration. Physicians recognise antibiotics are overused and consider parents expecting antibiotics and a concern for secondary

Post-operative endophthalmitis: the application of hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) to an infection control problem.

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Baird, D R; Henry, M; Liddell, K G; Mitchell, C M; Sneddon, J G

2001-09-01

Hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) is a quality assurance system widely used in the food industry to ensure safety. We adopted the HACCP approach when conventional infection control measures had failed to solve an ongoing problem with an increased incidence of postoperative endophthalmitis, and our ophthalmology unit was threatened with permanent cessation of intraocular surgery. Although time-consuming, the result was an entirely new set of protocols for the care of patients undergoing intraocular surgery, the development of an integrated care pathway, and a comprehensive and robust audit programme, which enabled intraocular surgery to continue in a new spirit of confidence. HACCP methodology has so far been little used in healthcare, but it might be usefully applied to a variety of apparently intractable infection control problems. Copyright 2001 The Hospital Infection Society.

Sexually transmitted infections: prevalence, knowledge and treatment practices among female sex workers in a cosmopolitan city in Nigeria.

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Sekoni, Adekemi O; Odukoya, Oluwakemi O; Onajole, Adebayo T; Odeyemi, Kofoworola A

2013-03-01

Sexually transmitted infections constitute economic burden for developing countries, exposure to causative agents is an occupational hazard for female sex workers. Targeted interventions for this population can reduce the incidence and prevalence of sexually transmitted infections including human immunodeficiency virus, but barriers exists which can hinder effective implementation of such programs. This descriptive cross sectional study sought to assess the prevalence, knowledge and treatment practices of sexually transmitted infections among brothel based female sex workers. Three hundred and twenty three consenting female sex workers were surveyed using pre tested, interviewer administered questionnaires. More than half of the respondents (54.2%) had poor knowledge of symptoms of sexually transmitted infections. Only 13.9% were aware that sexually transmitted infections could be asymptomatic. The self reported prevalence of symptomatic sexually transmitted infections was 36.5%. About half of those with sexually transmitted infectionss sought treatment in a hospital or health centre while 32.5% from a patent medicine vendor. Most respondents (53.8%) mentioned the perceived quality of care as the main reason for seeking treatment in their chosen place. More of the respondents with good knowledge of sexually transmitted infections reported symptoms compared to those with fair and poor knowledge. The knowledge of sexually transmitted infections among these female sex workers is poor and the prevalence is relatively high. Efforts to improve knowledge promote and encourage preventive as well as effective treatment practices must be made for this population.

Iatrogenic Hepatitis C Virus Transmission and Safe Injection Practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Defendorf, Charles M; Paul, Sindy; Scott, George J

2018-05-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection poses significant adverse health effects. Improper use of vials, needles, syringes, intravenous bags, tubing, and connectors for injections and infusions is a current preventable cause of iatrogenic HCV transmission. Numerous cases have demonstrated the need for continued vigilance and the widespread nature of this iatrogenic infection risk across a variety of medical practice settings in the United States. Failure to implement the evidence-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) infection prevention guidelines exposes patients to preventable harm. The guidelines establish the requirement to notify patients in cases of suspected virus transmission, as well as to screen those patients who would not otherwise have been at risk for HCV seroconversion and other bloodborne pathogens. Legal and regulatory ramifications, including state, criminal, and tort laws, hold physicians and other health care professionals accountable to use safe injection practices. This article reviews the major health risks of HCV infection, significant effects of iatrogenic infection transmission, CDC guidelines for safe injection practices, and legal regulations and ramifications designed to promote safe injection practices.

Surveillance of Environmental and Procedural Measures of Infection Control in the Operating Theatre Setting

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Laura Dallolio

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The microbiological contamination of operating theatres and the lack of adherence to best practices by surgical staff represent some of the factors affecting Surgical Site Infections (SSIs. The aim of the present study was to assess the microbiological quality of operating settings and the staff compliance to the SSI evidence-based control measures. Ten operating rooms were examined for microbiological contamination of air and surfaces, after cleaning procedures, in “at rest” conditions. Furthermore, 10 surgical operations were monitored to assess staff compliance to the recommended practices. None of the air samples exceeded microbiological reference standards and only six of the 200 surface samples (3.0% were slightly above recommended levels. Potentially pathogenic bacteria and moulds were never detected. Staff compliance to best practices varied depending on the type of behaviour investigated and the role of the operator. The major not compliant behaviours were: pre-operative skin antisepsis, crowding of the operating room and hand hygiene of the anaesthetist. The good environmental microbiological quality observed is indicative of the efficacy of the cleaning-sanitization procedures adopted. The major critical point was staff compliance to recommended practices. Awareness campaigns are therefore necessary, aimed at improving the organisation of work so as to facilitate compliance to operative protocols.

[Infection control team (ICT) in cooperation with microbiology laboratories].

Science.gov (United States)

Okazaki, Mitsuhiro

2012-10-01

Infection control as a medical safety measure is an important issue in all medical facilities. In order to tackle this measure, cooperation between the infection control team (ICT) and microbiological laboratory is indispensable. Multiple drug-resistant bacteria have shifted from Gram-positive bacteria to Gram-negative bacilli within the last ten years. There are also a variety of bacilli, complicating the examination method and test results further. Therefore, cooperation between the ICT and microbiological laboratory has become important to understand examination results and to use them. In order to maintain functional cooperation, explanatory and communicative ability between the microbiological laboratory and ICT is required every day. Such positive information exchange will develop into efficient and functional ICT activity.

Lowbury Lecture 2007: infection prevention and control strategies for tuberculosis in developing countries - lessons learnt from Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehtar, S

2008-08-01

The World Health Organization ranks South Africa among the top ten of high-burden countries for tuberculosis (TB). The Western Cape Province has the highest prevalence of TB in the country. Studies performed in healthcare facilities both at Tygerberg Hospital and from Kwa-Zulu Natal province indicate a significant risk for nosocomial transmission of tuberculosis. An audit of provision for infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes revealed that although there were adequate supplies of protective clothing, the greatest need was for training and understanding of IPC principles among healthcare workers. In establishing national IPC guidelines for TB in South Africa, it has become evident that most of these were derived from existing guidelines in developed countries. Though the principles were sound, the practices were not realistic for developing economies and generally not implemented in healthcare facilities. Factors that influence a robust TB management programme are poverty, concurrent human immunodeficiency virus infection, overcrowding, ignorance of the disease and a varied level of health service delivery. It is recommended that a foundation of sound knowledge should be established upon which best practices should be built within the framework of good IPC principles.

22 CFR 96.39 - Information disclosure and quality control practices.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Information disclosure and quality control... for Convention Accreditation and Approval Information Disclosure, Fee Practices, and Quality Control Policies and Practices § 96.39 Information disclosure and quality control practices. (a) The agency or...

An Integrated Approach to Control Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis, Schistosomiasis, Intestinal Protozoa Infection, and Diarrhea: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Raso, Giovanna; Essé, Clémence; Dongo, Kouassi; Ouattara, Mamadou; Zouzou, Fabien; Hürlimann, Eveline; Koffi, Veronique A; Coulibaly, Gaoussou; Mahan, Virginie; Yapi, Richard B; Koné, Siaka; Coulibaly, Jean Tenena; Meïté, Aboulaye; Guéhi-Kabran, Marie-Claire; Bonfoh, Bassirou; N'Goran, Eliézer Kouakou; Utzinger, Jürg

2018-06-12

The global strategy to control helminthiases (schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis) emphasizes preventive chemotherapy. However, in the absence of access to clean water, improved sanitation, and adequate hygiene, reinfection after treatment can occur rapidly. Integrated approaches might be necessary to sustain the benefits of preventive chemotherapy and make progress toward interruption of helminthiases transmission. The aim of this study was to assess and quantify the effect of an integrated control package that consists of preventive chemotherapy, community-led total sanitation, and health education on soil-transmitted helminthiasis, schistosomiasis, intestinal protozoa infection, and diarrhea in rural Côte d'Ivoire. In a first step, a community health education program was developed that includes an animated cartoon to promote improved hygiene and health targeting school-aged children, coupled with a health education theater for the entire community. In a second step, a cluster randomized trial was implemented in 56 communities of south-central Côte d'Ivoire with 4 intervention arms: (1) preventive chemotherapy; (2) preventive chemotherapy plus community-led total sanitation; (3) preventive chemotherapy plus health education; and (4) all 3 interventions combined. Before implementation of the aforementioned interventions, a baseline parasitologic, anthropometric, and hygiene-related knowledge, attitudes, practices, and beliefs survey was conducted. These surveys were repeated 18 and 39 months after the baseline cross-sectional survey to determine the effect of different interventions on helminth and intestinal protozoa infection, nutritional indicators, and knowledge, attitudes, practices, and beliefs. Monitoring of diarrhea was done over a 24-month period at 2-week intervals, starting right after the baseline survey. Key results from this cluster randomized trial will shed light on the effect of integrated approaches consisting of preventive

Canadian Laboratory Standards for Sexually Transmitted Infections: Best Practice Guidelines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Max A Chernesky

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Sexually transmitted infections (STI continue to spread, and show no international boundaries. Diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis, which we thought were under control in Canadian populations, have increased in incidence. Sexually transmitted or associated syndromes such as cervicitis, enteric infections, epididymitis, genital ulcers, sexually related hepatitis, ophthalmia neonatorum, pelvic inflammatory disease, prostatitis and vulvovaginitis present a challenge for the physician to identify the microbial cause, treat the patient and manage contacts. During the past 10 years, new technologies developed for the diagnosis of STIs have provided a clearer understanding of the real accuracy of traditional tests for the diagnosis of infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum, herpes simplex viruses, hepatitis B virus, human papillomaviruses, HIV, Haemophilus ducreyi, Trichomonas vaginalis and mycoplasmas. This has presented a major challenge to the diagnostic laboratory, namely, selecting the most sensitive and specific test matched with the most appropriate specimens to provide meaningful and timely results to facilitate optimal patient care.

Helicobacter pylori infection is not associated with failure to thrive: a case control study.

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Chiu, Nan-Chang; Lin, Chien-Yu; Chi, Hsin; Yeung, Chun-Yan; Ting, Wei-Hsin; Chan, Wai-Tao; Jiang, Chuen-Bin; Li, Sung-Tse; Lin, Chao-Hsu; Lee, Hung-Chang

2017-01-01

The long-term impact of Helicobacter pylori infection is complex, and concerns about the need for eradication exist. We conducted this case control study to investigate the association between H. pylori infection and failure to thrive (FTT). From January 2009 to December 2011, 53 children with FTT group and matched children with the same sex and age and similar socioeconomic status without FTT (control group) were enrolled. A questionnaire was administered to the parents/guardian, and a 13 C-urea breath test was performed to detect H. pylori infection. We found that the total prevalence of H. pylori infection was 29.2% and that there was no association between FTT and H. pylori infection (FTT group: 32%; control group: 26.4%; P =0.67). Short stature was more common in the FTT group and abdominal pain in the control group (FTT group: 37.7%; control group: 11.3%; P =0.003). In a comparison between the H. pylori -positive and -negative groups, abdominal pain (87.1% vs 64%; P =0.032) and the frequency of endoscopy (74.2% vs 32%; P <0.001) were significantly more common in the H. pylori -positive group. We found that children with H. pylori infection are at an increased risk for abdominal pain and that FTT is not associated with H. pylori infection. The decision for eradication should be evaluated carefully and individualized.

Quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saust, Laura Trolle; Bjerrum, Lars; Arpi, Magnus

2017-01-01

Objective: To develop quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections, tailored to the Danish general practice setting. Design: A RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method was used. Setting: General practice. Subjects: A panel of nine experts, mainly...... general practitioners, was asked to rate the relevance of 64 quality indicators for the diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory tract infections based on guidelines. Subsequently, a face-to-face meeting was held to resolve misinterpretations and to achieve consensus. Main outcome measures...... indicators focusing on the diagnostic process and 19 indicators focusing on the decision about antibiotic treatment and choice of antibiotics, respectively. Conclusion: These newly developed quality indicators may be used to strengthen Danish general practitioners’ focus on their management of patients...

Infection prevention and control of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia, 2014-2015: key challenges and successes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Catherine; Fisher, Dale; Gupta, Neil; MaCauley, Rose; Pessoa-Silva, Carmem L

2016-01-05

Prior to the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, infection prevention and control (IPC) activities in Liberian healthcare facilities were basic. There was no national IPC guidance, nor dedicated staff at any level of government or healthcare facility (HCF) to ensure the implementation of best practices. Efforts to improve IPC early in the outbreak were ad hoc and messaging was inconsistent. In September 2014, at the height of the outbreak, the national IPC Task Force was established with a Ministry of Health (MoH) mandate to coordinate IPC response activities. A steering group of the Task Force, including representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), supported MoH leadership in implementing standardized messaging and IPC training for the health workforce. This structure, and the activities implemented under this structure, played a crucial role in the implementation of IPC practices and successful containment of the outbreak. Moving forward, a nationwide culture of IPC needs to be maintained through this governance structure in Liberia's health system to prevent and respond to future outbreaks.

Improving surgical site infection prevention practices through a multifaceted educational intervention.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Owens, P

2015-03-01

As part of the National Clinical Programme on healthcare-associated infection prevention, a Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) working group developed a quality improvement tool for prevention of surgical site infection (SS). We aimed to validate the effectiveness of an educational campaign, which utilises this quality improvement tool to prevent SSI in a tertiary hospital. Prior to the SSI educational campaign, surgical patients were prospectively audited and details of antibiotic administration recorded. Prophylactic antibiotic administration recommendations were delivered via poster and educational presentations. Post-intervention, the audit was repeated. 50 patients were audited pre-intervention, 45 post-intervention. Post-intervention, prophylaxis within 60 minutes prior to incision increased from 54% to 68% (p = 0.266). Appropriate postoperative prescribing improved from 71% to 92% (p = 0.075). A multifaceted educational program may be effective in changing SSI prevention practices.

Projecting the long-term impact of school- or community-based mass-treatment interventions for control of Schistosoma infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxia Wang

Full Text Available Schistosomiasis remains a significant health burden in many areas of the world. Morbidity control, focused on limiting infection intensity through periodic delivery of anti-schistosomal medicines, is the thrust of current World Health Organization guidelines (2006 for reduction of Schistosoma-related disease. A new appreciation of the lifetime impact of repeated Schistosoma infection has directed attention toward strategies for greater suppression of parasite infection per se, with the goal of transmission interruption. Variations in drug schedules involving increased population coverage and/or treatment frequency are now undergoing field trials. However, their relative effectiveness in long-term infection suppression is presently unknown.Our study used available field data to calibrate advanced network models of village-level Schistosoma transmission to project outcomes of six different community- or school age-based programs, as compared to the impact of current 2006 W.H.O. recommended control strategies. We then scored the number of years each of 10 typical villages would remain below 10% infection prevalence (a practicable level associated with minimal prevalence of disease. All strategies that included four annual treatments effectively reduced community prevalence to less than 10%, while programs having yearly gaps ('holidays' failed to reach this objective in half of the communities. Effective post-program suppression of infection prevalence persisted in half of the 10 villages for 7-10 years, whereas in five high-risk villages, program effects on prevalence lasted zero to four years only.At typical levels of treatment adherence (60 to 70%, current WHO recommendations will likely not achieve effective suppression of Schistosoma prevalence unless implemented for ≥6 years. Following more aggressive 4 year annual intervention, some communities may be able to continue without further intervention for 8-10 years, while in higher

CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs - 2007

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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. Funding. CDC's Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco...

CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs - 2014

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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. Funding. CDC's Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco...

IFNγ and perforin cooperate to control infection and prevent fatal pathology during persistent gammaherpesvirus infection in mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bartholdy, Christina; Høgh-Petersen, Mette; Storm, Pernille

2014-01-01

herpes virus infection, we infected IFNγ/perforin double deficient C57BL/6 mice and followed the outcome of infection. While absence of perforin prevented the splenic atrophy in IFNγ deficient mice, fibrosis did not disappear. Moreover, double deficient mice developed extreme splenomegaly, were unable...... in double deficient mice, other aspects are exaggerated, and the normal architecture of the spleen is completely destroyed. Thus, IFNγ and perforin work in concert to minimize pathology and control the viral load. In the absence of both effector molecules, the balancing race between the virus and the host...

Characterisation of antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections in Danish general practice: a retrospective registry based cohort study.

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Aabenhus, Rune; Hansen, Malene Plejdrup; Saust, Laura Trolle; Bjerrum, Lars

2017-05-19

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is contributing to the increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance. Several Danish guidelines on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections in general practice have been issued to promote rational prescribing of antibiotics, however it is unclear if these recommendations are followed. We aimed to characterise the pattern of antibiotic prescriptions for patients diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infections, by means of electronic prescriptions, labeled with clinical indications, from Danish general practice. Acute respiratory tract infections accounted for 456,532 antibiotic prescriptions issued between July 2012 and June 2013. Pneumonia was the most common indication with 178,354 prescriptions (39%), followed by acute tonsillitis (21%) and acute otitis media (19%). In total, penicillin V accounted for 58% of all prescriptions, followed by macrolides (18%) and amoxicillin (15%). The use of second-line agents increased with age for all indications, and comprised more than 40% of the prescriptions in patients aged >75 years. Women were more often prescribed antibiotics regardless of clinical indication. This is the first Danish study to characterise antibiotic prescription patterns for acute respiratory tract infections by data linkage of clinical indications. The findings confirm that penicillin V is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic agent for treatment of patients with an acute respiratory tract infection in Danish general practice. However, second-line agents like macrolides and amoxicillin with or without clavulanic acid are overused. Strategies to improve the quality of antibiotic prescribing especially for pneumonia, acute otitis media and acute rhinosinusitis are warranted. TRACKING THE OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS: Better adherence to guidelines for prescribing antibiotics for different respiratory tract infections are warranted in Danish general practice. The over-use of antibiotics, particularly so

Association between canine leishmaniosis and Ehrlichia canis co-infection: a prospective case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Attipa, Charalampos; Solano-Gallego, Laia; Papasouliotis, Kostas; Soutter, Francesca; Morris, David; Helps, Chris; Carver, Scott; Tasker, Séverine

2018-03-20

In the Mediterranean basin, Leishmania infantum is a major cause of disease in dogs, which are frequently co-infected with other vector-borne pathogens (VBP). However, the associations between dogs with clinical leishmaniosis (ClinL) and VBP co-infections have not been studied. We assessed the risk of VBP infections in dogs with ClinL and healthy controls. We conducted a prospective case-control study of dogs with ClinL (positive qPCR and ELISA antibody for L. infantum on peripheral blood) and clinically healthy, ideally breed-, sex- and age-matched, control dogs (negative qPCR and ELISA antibody for L. infantum on peripheral blood) from Paphos, Cyprus. We obtained demographic data and all dogs underwent PCR on EDTA-blood extracted DNA for haemoplasma species, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Hepatozoon spp., with DNA sequencing to identify infecting species. We used logistic regression analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the risk of VBP infections between ClinL cases and controls. From the 50 enrolled dogs with ClinL, DNA was detected in 24 (48%) for Hepatozoon spp., 14 (28%) for Mycoplasma haemocanis, 6 (12%) for Ehrlichia canis and 2 (4%) for Anaplasma platys. In the 92 enrolled control dogs, DNA was detected in 41 (45%) for Hepatozoon spp., 18 (20%) for M. haemocanis, 1 (1%) for E. canis and 3 (3%) for A. platys. No Babesia spp. or "Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum" DNA was detected in any dog. No statistical differences were found between the ClinL and controls regarding age, sex, breed, lifestyle and use of ectoparasitic prevention. A significant association between ClinL and E. canis infection (OR = 12.4, 95% CI: 1.5-106.0, P = 0.022) was found compared to controls by multivariate logistic regression. This association was confirmed using SEM, which further identified that younger dogs were more likely to be infected with each of Hepatozoon spp. and M. haemocanis, and dogs with Hepatozoon spp. were more likely to

Coping with parvovirus infections in mice: health surveillance and control.

Science.gov (United States)

Janus, Lydia M; Bleich, Andre

2012-01-01

Parvoviruses of mice, minute virus of mice (MVM) and mouse parvovirus (MPV), are challenging pathogens to eradicate from laboratory animal facilities. Due to the impediment on rodent-based research, recent studies have focused on the assessment of re-derivation techniques and parvoviral potential to induce persistent infections. Summarizing recent data, this review gives an overview on studies associated with parvoviral impact on research, diagnostic methods, parvoviral persistence and re-derivation techniques, demonstrating the complex nature of parvovirus infection in mice and unfolding the challenge of controlling parvovirus infections in laboratory animal facilities.

A Legume Genetic Framework Controls Infection of Nodules by Symbiotic and Endophytic Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Zgadzaj, Rafal; James, Euan K.; Kelly, Simon; Kawaharada, Yasuyuki; de Jonge, Nadieh; Jensen, Dorthe B.; Madsen, Lene H.; Radutoiu, Simona

2015-01-01

Legumes have an intrinsic capacity to accommodate both symbiotic and endophytic bacteria within root nodules. For the symbionts, a complex genetic mechanism that allows mutual recognition and plant infection has emerged from genetic studies under axenic conditions. In contrast, little is known about the mechanisms controlling the endophytic infection. Here we investigate the contribution of both the host and the symbiotic microbe to endophyte infection and development of mixed colonised nodules in Lotus japonicus. We found that infection threads initiated by Mesorhizobium loti, the natural symbiont of Lotus, can selectively guide endophytic bacteria towards nodule primordia, where competent strains multiply and colonise the nodule together with the nitrogen-fixing symbiotic partner. Further co-inoculation studies with the competent coloniser, Rhizobium mesosinicum strain KAW12, show that endophytic nodule infection depends on functional and efficient M. loti-driven Nod factor signalling. KAW12 exopolysaccharide (EPS) enabled endophyte nodule infection whilst compatible M. loti EPS restricted it. Analysis of plant mutants that control different stages of the symbiotic infection showed that both symbiont and endophyte accommodation within nodules is under host genetic control. This demonstrates that when legume plants are exposed to complex communities they selectively regulate access and accommodation of bacteria occupying this specialized environmental niche, the root nodule. PMID:26042417

Role of antibodies in controlling dengue virus infection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Schaar, Hilde M.; Wilschut, Jan C.; Smit, Jolanda M.

The incidence and disease burden of arthropod-borne flavivirus infections have dramatically increased during the last decades due to major societal and economic changes, including massive urbanization, lack of vector control, travel, and international trade. Specifically, in the case of dengue virus

[Infection prevention check-in and infection prevention check-out to prevent nosocomial infections].

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, A; Schilling, M; Heidecke, C D

2010-02-01

A precondition for the success of the prevention of SSI is the complete realisation of the proven anti-infective measures in form of the multi-barrier strategy or the so-called bundles. In daily practice it is important to follow the fixed instructions, i. e., to ensure a high compliance. In much the same way as an airline pilot or co-pilot must examine whether all instruments are functioning before each take-off, a comparable procedure should be developed as a pre-operative control for the observance of all -defined measures by the responsible surgeon and for the post-operative supervision by the patient. For the control of the observance of the defined pre-operative prevention measures, a check list with 12 items was developed, named the "infection prevention check-in". The check list is authorised by the responsible surgeon be-fore each operation. For the surveillance of the general hygiene in the post-operative period the "infection prevention check-out" with 14 items was developed. Thereby the patient is able to evaluate the staff's compliance with the hygienic measures at the time of dismissal. With the introduction of the check-lists a simple means is given to involve both the team of the surgeons and the ward staff, together with the patient, into the infection prophylaxis even more effectively. In order to assess the success of those measures, the influence on the rate of SSI is to be determined prospectively. Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart, New York.

Infection prevention and control measures for acute respiratory infections in healthcare settings: an update.

Science.gov (United States)

Seto, W H; Conly, J M; Pessoa-Silva, C L; Malik, M; Eremin, S

2013-01-01

Viruses account for the majority of the acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) globally with a mortality exceeding 4 million deaths per year. The most commonly encountered viruses, in order of frequency, include influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza and adenovirus. Current evidence suggests that the major mode of transmission of ARls is through large droplets, but transmission through contact (including hand contamination with subsequent self-inoculation) and infectious respiratory aerosols of various sizes and at short range (coined as "opportunistic" airborne transmission) may also occur for some pathogens. Opportunistic airborne transmission may occur when conducting highrisk aerosol generating procedures and airborne precautions will be required in this setting. General infection control measures effective for all respiratory viral infections are reviewed and followed by discussion on some of the common viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and the recently discovered novel coronavirus.

Candida infections in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients treated with IL-17 inhibitors and their practical management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saunte, D M; Mrowietz, U; Puig, L

2017-01-01

infections, especially those due to Candida sp., as evidenced by findings in patients with genetic defects in IL-17 related immune responses. To assess the potential of anti-Il-17 treatment to promote Candida infections, here we have systematically reviewed published clinical trials of patients...... with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Candida infections were reported in 4.0% of patients treated with brodalumab, 2.1% with secukinumab, and 3.3% with ixekizumab, compared with 0.3%, 2.3% and 0.8% of those assigned to placebo, ustekinumab or etanercept, respectively. Although the incidence of Candida...... infection was found to be increased by a only small degree during anti-IL-17 therapy, patients undergoing such treatment should be monitored for fungal infection and treated as necessary. We propose to adopt the recently updated recommendations for the practical management of Candida infection in patients...

Pregnancy and postpartum control in HIV infected women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo M. Warley

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Pregnancy and postpartum control in HIV infected women. We present data from a retrospective observational descriptive study with the objective of evaluating characteristics of HIV-infected pregnant women, analyze the level of control of pregnancy and assess adherence to treatment and loss of follow up after delivery. We analyzed reported data of 104 pregnancies, 32.7% of them under 25 years old. The diagnosis was performed as part of pregnancy control in 36.5% of women. TARV started before 24 weeks of pregnancy in 70% of them and a regimen with 2 nucleos(tides and 1 ritonavir potenciated protease inhibitor (PIr was prescribed in 84.5%. Elective c-section was the most frequent mode of delivery. The viral load after 32 weeks of pregnancy was available in 82.7%, being less than 1000 cop/ml in 78 (75%, less than 200 cop/ml in 70 (67.3% and not available in 18 (17.3% of cases. We observed a considered high rate of adherence failure and loss of follow up after delivery. Reported data should alert programs on the need to implement strategies to promote early pregnancy control and increase adherence and retention in care, especially in the postpartum period

[Pregnancy and postpartum control in HIV infected women].

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Warley, Eduardo M; Tavella, Silvina; Rosas, Alejandra

2017-01-01

Pregnancy and postpartum control in HIV infected women. We present data from a retrospective observational descriptive study with the objective of evaluating characteristics of HIV-infected pregnant women, analyze the level of control of pregnancy and assess adherence to treatment and loss of follow up after delivery. We analyzed reported data of 104 pregnancies, 32.7% of them under 25 years old. The diagnosis was performed as part of pregnancy control in 36.5% of women. TARV started before 24 weeks of pregnancy in 70% of them and a regimen with 2 nucleos(t)ides and 1 ritonavir potenciated protease inhibitor (PIr) was prescribed in 84.5%. Elective c-section was the most frequent mode of delivery. The viral load after 32 weeks of pregnancy was available in 82.7%, being less than 1000 cop/ml in 78 (75%), less than 200 cop/ml in 70 (67.3%) and not available in 18 (17.3%) of cases. We observed a considered high rate of adherence failure and loss of follow up after delivery. Reported data should alert programs on the need to implement strategies to promote early pregnancy control and increase adherence and retention in care, especially in the postpartum period.

Definition of infection after fracture fixation: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials to evaluate current practice.

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Metsemakers, W J; Kortram, K; Morgenstern, M; Moriarty, T F; Meex, I; Kuehl, R; Nijs, S; Richards, R G; Raschke, M; Borens, O; Kates, S L; Zalavras, C; Giannoudis, P V; Verhofstad, M H J

2018-03-01

One of the most challenging musculoskeletal complications in modern trauma surgery is infection after fracture fixation (IAFF). Although infections are clinically obvious in many cases, a clear definition of the term IAFF is crucial, not only for the evaluation of published research data but also for the establishment of uniform treatment concepts. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the definitions used in the scientific literature to describe infectious complications after internal fixation of fractures. The hypothesis of this study was that the majority of fracture-related literature do not define IAFF. A comprehensive search was performed in Embase, Cochrane, Google Scholar, Medline (OvidSP), PubMed publisher and Web-of-Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on fracture fixation. Data were collected on the definition of infectious complications after fracture fixation used in each study. Study selection was accomplished through two phases. During the first phase, titles and abstracts were reviewed for relevance, and the full texts of relevant articles were obtained. During the second phase, full-text articles were reviewed. All definitions were literally extracted and collected in a database. Then, a classification was designed to rate the quality of the description of IAFF. A total of 100 RCT's were identified in the search. Of 100 studies, only two (2%) cited a validated definition to describe IAFF. In 28 (28%) RCTs, the authors used a self-designed definition. In the other 70 RCTs, (70%) there was no description of a definition in the Methods section, although all of the articles described infections as an outcome parameter in the Results section. This systematic review shows that IAFF is not defined in a large majority of the fracture-related literature. To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted with the objective to explore this important issue. The lack of a consensus definition remains a problem in current orthopedic

Ag85-focused T-cell immune response controls Mycobacterium avium chronic infection.

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Bruno Cerqueira-Rodrigues

Full Text Available CD4+ T cells are essential players for the control of mycobacterial infections. Several mycobacterial antigens have been identified for eliciting a relevant CD4+ T cell mediated-immune response, and numerous studies explored this issue in the context of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Antigen 85 (Ag85, a highly conserved protein across Mycobacterium species, is secreted at the early phase of M. tuberculosis infection leading to the proliferation of Ag85-specific CD4+ T cells. However, in the context of Mycobacterium avium infection, little is known about the expression of this antigen and the elicited immune response. In the current work, we investigated if a T cell receptor (TCR repertoire mostly, but not exclusively, directed at Ag85 is sufficient to mount a protective immune response against M. avium. We show that P25 mice, whose majority of T cells express a transgenic TCR specific for Ag85, control M. avium infection at the same level as wild type (WT mice up to 20 weeks post-infection (wpi. During M. avium infection, Ag85 antigen is easily detected in the liver of 20 wpi mice by immunohistochemistry. In spite of the propensity of P25 CD4+ T cells to produce higher amounts of interferon-gamma (IFNγ upon ex vivo stimulation, no differences in serum IFNγ levels are detected in P25 compared to WT mice, nor enhanced immunopathology is detected in P25 mice. These results indicate that a T cell response dominated by Ag85-specific T cells is appropriate to control M. avium infection with no signs of immunopathology.

APIC position paper: Safe injection, infusion, and medication vial practices in health care.

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Dolan, Susan A; Arias, Kathleen Meehan; Felizardo, Gwen; Barnes, Sue; Kraska, Susan; Patrick, Marcia; Bumsted, Amelia

2016-07-01

The transmission of bloodborne viruses and other microbial pathogens to patients during routine health care procedures continues to occur because of the use of improper injection, infusion, medication vial, and point-of-care testing practices by health care personnel. These unsafe practices occur in various clinical settings and result in unacceptable and devastating events for patients. This document updates the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology 2010 position paper on safe injection, infusion, and medication vial practices in health care. Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Facilitating central line-associated bloodstream infection prevention: a qualitative study comparing perspectives of infection control professionals and frontline staff.

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McAlearney, Ann Scheck; Hefner, Jennifer L

2014-10-01

Infection control professionals (ICPs) play a critical role in implementing and managing healthcare-associated infection reduction interventions, whereas frontline staff are responsible for delivering direct and ongoing patient care. The objective of our study was to determine if ICPs and frontline staff have different perspectives about the facilitators and challenges of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention program success. We conducted key informant interviews at 8 hospitals that participated in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality CLABSI prevention initiative called "On the CUSP: Stop BSI." We analyzed interview data from 50 frontline nurses and 26 ICPs to identify common themes related to program facilitators and challenges. We identified 4 facilitators of CLABSI program success: education, leadership, data, and consistency. We also identified 3 common challenges: lack of resources, competing priorities, and physician resistance. However, the perspective of ICPs and frontline nurses differed. Whereas ICPs tended to focus on general descriptions, frontline staff noted program specifics and often discussed concrete examples. Our results suggest that ICPs need to take into account the perspectives of staff nurses when implementing infection control and broader quality improvement initiatives. Further, the deliberate inclusion of frontline staff in the implementation of these programs may be critical to program success. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Large Outbreak of Hepatitis C Virus Infections in a Hemodialysis Clinic

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Nguyen, Duc B.; Gutowski, Jennifer; Ghiselli, Margherita; Cheng, Tabitha; Hamdounia, Shadia Bel; Suryaprasad, Anil; Xu, Fujie; Moulton-Meissner, Heather; Hayden, Tonya; Forbi, Joseph C.; Xia, Guo-liang; Arduino, Matthew J.; Patel, Ami; Patel, Priti R.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND In November and December 2012, 6 patients at a hemodialysis clinic were given a diagnosis of new hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. OBJECTIVE To investigate the outbreak to identify risk factors for transmission. METHODS A case patient was defined as a patient who was HCV-antibody negative on clinic admission but subsequently was found to be HCV-antibody positive from January 1, 2008, through April 30, 2013. Patient charts were reviewed to identify and describe case patients. The hypervariable region 1 of HCV from infected patients was tested to assess viral genetic relatedness. Infection control practices were evaluated via observations. A forensic chemiluminescent agent was used to identify blood contamination on environmental surfaces after cleaning. RESULTS Eighteen case patients were identified at the clinic from January 1, 2008, through April 30, 2013, resulting in an estimated 16.7% attack rate. Analysis of HCV quasispecies identified 4 separate clusters of transmission involving 11 case patients. The case patients and previously infected patients in each cluster were treated in neighboring dialysis stations during the same shift, or at the same dialysis station on 2 consecutive shifts. Lapses in infection control were identified. Visible and invisible blood was identified on multiple surfaces at the clinic. CONCLUSIONS Epidemiologic and laboratory data confirmed transmission of HCV among numerous patients at the dialysis clinic over 6 years. Infection control breaches were likely responsible. This outbreak highlights the importance of rigorous adherence to recommended infection control practices in dialysis settings. PMID:26573412

Parasitic worms: knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Western Côte d'Ivoire with implications for integrated control.

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Cinthia A Acka

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In the developing world where parasitic worm infections are pervasive, preventive chemotherapy is the key strategy for morbidity control. However, local knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP of parasitic worms are poorly understood, although such information is required for prevention and sustainable control. METHODS: We carried out KAP surveys in two rural communities of Côte d'Ivoire that were subjected to school-based and community-based research and control activities. We used qualitative and quantitative methods. The former included observations, in-depth interviews with key informants, and focus group discussions with school children and adults. Quantitative methods consisted of a structured questionnaire administered to household heads. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Access to clean water was lacking in both communities and only a quarter of the households had functioning latrines. There was a better understanding of soil-transmitted helminthiasis than intestinal schistosomiasis, but community-based rather than school-based interventions appeared to improve knowledge of schistosomiasis. In the villages with community-based interventions, three-quarters of household interviewees knew about intestinal schistosomiasis compared to 14% in the village where school-based interventions were implemented (P<0.001. Whereas two-thirds of respondents from the community-based intervention village indicated that the research and control project was the main source of information, only a quarter of the respondents cited the project as the main source. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Preventive chemotherapy targeting school-aged children has limitations, as older population segments are neglected, and hence lack knowledge about how to prevent and control parasitic worm infections. Improved access to clean water and sanitation is necessary, along with health education to make a durable impact against helminth infections.

The final word. OSHA's final ruling offers firm deadlines for infection control.

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West, K

1992-03-01

Departments that have put off program development while waiting for the final ruling to be published have a lot of work to do. Many departments have been cited and fined by OSHA in the past year for failure to begin infection-control programs or provide hepatitis-B vaccines to personnel. Under the new budget, OSHA was granted permission to up its fine structure sevenfold--thus, a small fine is $7,000, and the highest fine for a single violation is $70,000. Fines can have a greater impact on a department's budget than implementation of the program over time. A key point to remember is that a strong infection-control program will reduce exposure follow-up costs and worker-compensation claims. Infection control is a win-win situation.

H. pylori infection and gastric cancer in Bangladesh: a case-control study.

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Sarker, Khandker Kawser; Kabir, Md Jahangir; Bhuyian, A K M Minhaj Uddin; Alam, Md Shahjadul; Chowdhury, Fazle Rabbi; Ahad, M Abdul; Rahman, Md Anisur; Rahman, M Mizanur

2017-11-01

Like that of other Asian countries gastric cancer (GC) is also a leading cancer in Bangladesh and also a cause for cancer-related mortality. Infection with Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ) is the strongest recognized risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma. The infection is also prevalent in common people. This case-control study was carried out to find an association between GC and H. pylori infection in the community. To evaluate association of H. pylori and carcinoma of stomach this study was conducted at National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital, Dhaka from January 2013 to December 2014. H. pylori status was determined serologically by using H. pylori kit in the department of Biochemistry laboratory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. In total, 114 patients with GC and 520 patients not having GC were studied as controls. Logistic regression method was used to calculate the odds ratio. Significantly more patients in the case group (86.8%) were found to be seropositive for H. pylori antigen in contrast to the control group (67.5%). All of the cases in the present study were in advanced stage. No significant association between H. pylori seropositivity and tumor location was found. It was noted that undifferentiated gastric carcinoma had slightly more association with H. pylori infection. Younger H. pylori -infected patients had been found to be at higher relative risk for GC than older patients. As there is a strong association found between GC and H. pylori infection special emphasis to eradicate H. pylori infection might reduce the incidence of this dreadly disease.

Effect of point-of-care susceptibility testing in general practice on appropriate prescription of antibiotics for patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Anne; Cordoba, Gloria; Møller Sørensen, Tina

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of adding point-of-care (POC) susceptibility testing to POC culture on appropriate use of antibiotics as well as clinical and microbiological cure for patients with suspected uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) in general practice. DESIGN: Open......, individually randomised controlled trial. SETTING: General practice. PARTICIPANTS: Women with suspected uncomplicated UTI, including elderly patients above 65, patients with recurrent UTI and patients with diabetes. The sample size calculation predicted 600 patients were needed. INTERVENTIONS: Flexicult SSI......-Urinary Kit was used for POC culture and susceptibility testing and ID Flexicult was used for POC culture only. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome: appropriate antibiotic prescribing on the day after consultation defined as either (1) patient with UTI: to prescribe a first-line antibiotic to which...

Translational models of infection prevention and control: lessons from studying high risk aging populations.

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Mody, Lona

2018-06-13

The present review describes our research experiences and efforts in advancing the field of infection prevention and control in nursing facilities including postacute and long-term care settings. There are over two million infections in postacute and long-term care settings each year in the United States and $4 billion in associated costs. To define a target group most amenable to infection prevention and control interventions, we sought to quantify the relation between indwelling device use and microbial colonization in nursing facility patients. Using various methodologies including survey methods, observational epidemiology, randomized controlled studies, and collaboratives, we showed that indwelling device type is related to the site of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) colonization; multianatomic site colonization with MDROs is common; community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) appeared in the nursing facility setting almost immediately following its emergence in acute care; (4) MDRO prevalence and catheter-associated infection rates can be reduced through a multimodal targeted infection prevention intervention; and (5) using a collaborative approach, such an intervention can be successfully scaled up. Our work advances the infection prevention field through translational research utilizing various methodologies, including quantitative and qualitative surveys, patient-oriented randomized controlled trials, and clinical microbiologic and molecular methods. The resulting interventions employ patient-oriented methods to reduce infections and antimicrobial resistance, and with partnerships from major national entities, can be implemented nationally.

Randomised controlled trial of effects of Helicobacter pylori infection and its eradication on heartburn and gastro-oesophageal reflux: Bristol helicobacter project

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Harvey, Richard F; Lane, J Athene; Murray, Liam J; Harvey, Ian M; Donovan, Jenny L; Nair, Prakash

2004-01-01

Objectives To investigate the effects of Helicobacter pylori infection and its eradication on heartburn and gastro-oesophageal reflux. Design Cross sectional study, followed by a randomised placebo controlled trial. Setting Seven general practices in Bristol, England. Participants 10 537 people, aged 20-59 years, with and without H pylori infection (determined by the 13C-urea breath test). Main outcome measures Prevalence of heartburn and gastro-oesophageal acid reflux at baseline and two years after treatment to eradicate H pylori infection. Results At baseline, H pylori infection was associated with increased prevalence of heartburn (odds ratio 1.14, 95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.23) but not reflux (1.05, 0.97 to 1.14). In participants with H pylori infection, active treatment had no effect on the overall prevalence of heartburn (0.99, 0.88 to 1.12) or reflux (1.04, 0.91 to 1.19) and did not improve pre-existing symptoms of heartburn or reflux. Conclusions H pylori infection is associated with a slightly increased prevalence of heartburn but not reflux. Treatment to eradicate H pylori has no net benefit in patients with heartburn or gastro-oesophageal reflux. PMID:15126313

The role of 'no-touch' automated room disinfection systems in infection prevention and control.

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Otter, J A; Yezli, S; Perl, T M; Barbut, F; French, G L

2013-01-01

Surface contamination in hospitals is involved in the transmission of pathogens in a proportion of healthcare-associated infections. Admission to a room previously occupied by a patient colonized or infected with certain nosocomial pathogens increases the risk of acquisition by subsequent occupants; thus, there is a need to improve terminal disinfection of these patient rooms. Conventional disinfection methods may be limited by reliance on the operator to ensure appropriate selection, formulation, distribution and contact time of the agent. These problems can be reduced by the use of 'no-touch' automated room disinfection (NTD) systems. To summarize published data related to NTD systems. Pubmed searches for relevant articles. A number of NTD systems have emerged, which remove or reduce reliance on the operator to ensure distribution, contact time and process repeatability, and aim to improve the level of disinfection and thus mitigate the increased risk from the prior room occupant. Available NTD systems include hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) vapour systems, aerosolized hydrogen peroxide (aHP) and ultraviolet radiation. These systems have important differences in their active agent, delivery mechanism, efficacy, process time and ease of use. Typically, there is a trade-off between time and effectiveness among NTD systems. The choice of NTD system should be influenced by the intended application, the evidence base for effectiveness, practicalities of implementation and cost constraints. NTD systems are gaining acceptance as a useful tool for infection prevention and control. Copyright © 2012 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The surgical care improvement project and prevention of post-operative infection, including surgical site infection.

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Rosenberger, Laura H; Politano, Amani D; Sawyer, Robert G

2011-06-01

In response to inconsistent compliance with infection prevention measures, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services collaborated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the Surgical Infection Prevention (SIP) project, introduced in 2002. Quality improvement measures were developed to standardize processes to increase compliance. In 2006, the Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) developed out of the SIP project and its process measures. These initiatives, published in the Specifications Manual for National Inpatient Quality Measures, outline process and outcome measures. This continually evolving manual is intended to provide standard quality measures to unify documentation and track standards of care. Seven of the SCIP initiatives apply to the peri-operative period: Prophylactic antibiotics should be received within 1 h prior to surgical incision (1), be selected for activity against the most probable antimicrobial contaminants (2), and be discontinued within 24 h after the surgery end-time (3); (4) euglycemia should be maintained, with well-controlled morning blood glucose concentrations on the first two post-operative days, especially in cardiac surgery patients; (6) hair at the surgical site should be removed with clippers or by depilatory methods, not with a blade; (9) urinary catheters are to be removed within the first two post-operative days; and (10) normothermia should be maintained peri-operatively. There is strong evidence that implementation of protocols that standardize practices reduce the risk of surgical infection. The SCIP initiative targets complications that account for a significant portion of preventable morbidity as well as cost. One of the goals of the SCIP guidelines was a 25% reduction in the incidence of surgical site infections from implementation through 2010. Process measures are becoming routine, and as we practice more evidence-based medicine, it falls to us, the surgeons and scientists, to be active

The network approach for prevention of healthcare-associated infections: long-term effect of participation in the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network.

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Anderson, Deverick J; Miller, Becky A; Chen, Luke F; Adcock, Linda H; Cook, Evelyn; Cromer, A Lynn; Louis, Susan; Thacker, Paul A; Sexton, Daniel J

2011-04-01

To describe the rates of several key outcomes and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) among hospitals that participated in the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network (DICON). Prospective, observational cohort study of patients admitted to 24 community hospitals from 2003 through 2009. The following data were collected and analyzed: incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), and HAIs caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); employee exposures to bloodborne pathogens (EBBPs); physician EBBPs; patient-days; central line-days; ventilator-days; and urinary catheter-days. Poisson regression was used to determine whether incidence rates of these HAIs and exposures changed during the first 5 and 7 years of participation in DICON; nonrandom clustering of each outcome was controlled for. Cost saved and lives saved were calculated on the basis of published estimates. In total, we analyzed 6.5 million patient-days, 4,783 EBPPs, 2,948 HAIs due to MRSA, and 2,076 device-related infections. Rates of employee EBBPs, HAIs due to MRSA, and device-related infections decreased significantly during the first 5 years of participation in DICON (Pprevented. Each hospital saved approximately $100,000 per year of participation, and collectively the hospitals may have prevented 52-105 deaths from CLABSI or VAP. The 7-year analysis demonstrated that these trends continued with further participation. Hospitals with long-term participation in an infection control network decreased rates of significant HAIs by approximately 50%, decreased costs, and saved lives.

Child-rearing practices of primary caregivers of HIV-infected children: An integrative review of the literature.

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Klunklin, Pimpaporn; Harrigan, Rosanne C

2002-08-01

The number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children has increased because of the HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic. Yet little is known about the child-rearing practices of these children's primary caregivers. The purpose of this article is to describe what is known about the child-rearing practices of primary caregivers of HIV-infected children. The review covers a 10-year period from 1990 to 2000. Three electronic bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, and AIDSLINE) were explored. Key words used were HIV-positive children, caregivers, and child-rearing. A total of 50 papers were examined. Using the Matrix Method, each paper was evaluated according to five frames of reference: journal, purpose, sample, method, and findings. Content analysis was used to identity salient themes. Themes that emerged were: caregiver, child, and interactions or child-rearing practices. These findings affirm the parent-child interaction model generated by Kathryn E. Barnard and support this framework as a tool for investigating the relationships between these children and their caregivers. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Staphylococcus aureus epidemic in a neonatal nursery: a strategy of infection control.

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Bertini, Giovanna; Nicoletti, PierLuigi; Scopetti, Franca; Manoocher, Pourshaban; Dani, Carlo; Orefici, Graziella

2006-08-01

The risk of nosocomial infection due to Staphylococcus aureus in fullterm newborns is higher under hospital conditions where there are overcrowded nurseries and inadequate infection control techniques. We report on an outbreak of skin infection in a Maternity Nursery (May 21, 2000) and the measures undertaken to bring the epidemic under control. These measures included: separating neonates already present in the nursery on August 23, 2000 from ones newly arriving by creating two different cohorts, one of neonates born before this date and one of neonates born later; restricting healthcare workers caring for S. aureus- infected infants from working with non-infected infants; disallowing carrier healthcare workers from caring for patients; introducing contact and droplet precautions (including the routine use of gowns, gloves, and mask); ensuring appropriate disinfection of potential sources of contamination. A representative number of isolates were typed by genomic DNA restriction length polymorphism analysis by means of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Among the 227 cases of skin lesions, microbiological laboratory analyses confirmed that 175 were staphylococcal infections. The outbreak showed a gradual reduction in magnitude when the overcrowding of the Nursery was reduced by separating the newborns into the two different Nurseries (two cohorts). The genotyping of the strains by PFGE confirmed the nurse-to-newborn transmission of S. aureus. The measures adopted for controlling the S. aureus outbreak can, in retrospect, be assessed to have been very effective.

Visitation in the intensive care unit: impact on infection prevention and control.

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Adams, Sheila; Herrera, Amando; Miller, Laura; Soto, Rhonda

2011-01-01

Evidence-based practice has shown that open visitation in the intensive care setting positively impacts patient outcomes. However, many intensive care units continue to strictly limit visitation hours. One concern for nurses is that open visitation will expose their vulnerable patients to an increased risk of infection. This fear is unfounded in professional literature as well as in the experience of a busy intensive care unit in San Antonio, Texas. Keeping our patients safe from hospital-acquired infections requires vigilant attention to infection prevention procedures. Meanwhile, what may actually be bugging our patients is a health care culture that is based on tradition and is blind to the many benefits provided by a more liberal visitation policy rooted in patient-centered care.

Validation of a proposal for evaluating hospital infection control programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Cristiane Pavanello Rodrigues; Lacerda, Rúbia Aparecida

2011-02-01

To validate the construct and discriminant properties of a hospital infection prevention and control program. The program consisted of four indicators: technical-operational structure; operational prevention and control guidelines; epidemiological surveillance system; and prevention and control activities. These indicators, with previously validated content, were applied to 50 healthcare institutions in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2009. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the hospitals and indicator scores, and Cronbach's α coefficient was used to evaluate the internal consistency. The discriminant validity was analyzed by comparing indicator scores between groups of hospitals: with versus without quality certification. The construct validity analysis was based on exploratory factor analysis with a tetrachoric correlation matrix. The indicators for the technical-operational structure and epidemiological surveillance presented almost 100% conformity in the whole sample. The indicators for the operational prevention and control guidelines and the prevention and control activities presented internal consistency ranging from 0.67 to 0.80. The discriminant validity of these indicators indicated higher and statistically significant mean conformity scores among the group of institutions with healthcare certification or accreditation processes. In the construct validation, two dimensions were identified for the operational prevention and control guidelines: recommendations for preventing hospital infection and recommendations for standardizing prophylaxis procedures, with good correlation between the analysis units that formed the guidelines. The same was found for the prevention and control activities: interfaces with treatment units and support units were identified. Validation of the measurement properties of the hospital infection prevention and control program indicators made it possible to develop a tool for evaluating these programs

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Antibiotic Treatment of Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, U-Syn; Lee, Seung-Ju; Yeo, Jeong Kyun; Min, Seung Ki; Lee, Heeyoung

2018-01-01

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are infectious diseases that commonly occur in communities. Although several international guidelines for the management of UTIs have been available, clinical characteristics, etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns may differ from country to country. This work represents an update of the 2011 Korean guideline for UTIs. The current guideline was developed by the update and adaptation method. This clinical practice guideline provides recommendations for the diagnosis and management of UTIs, including asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute uncomplicated cystitis, acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis, complicated pyelonephritis related to urinary tract obstruction, and acute bacterial prostatitis. This guideline targets community-acquired UTIs occurring among adult patients. Healthcare-associated UTIs, catheter-associated UTIs, and infections in immunocompromised patients were not included in this guideline. PMID:29637759

Creating a meaningful infection control program: one home healthcare agency's lessons.

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Poff, Renee McCoy; Browning, Sarah Via

2014-03-01

Creating a meaningful infection control program in the home care setting proved to be challenging for agency leaders of one hospital-based home healthcare agency. Challenges arose when agency leaders provided infection control (IC) data to the hospital's IC Committee. The IC Section Chief asked for national benchmark comparisons to align home healthcare reporting to that of the hospital level. At that point, it was evident that the home healthcare IC program lacked definition and structure. The purpose of this article is to share how one agency built a meaningful IC program.

Communication interventions to improve adherence to infection control precautions: a randomised crossover trial.

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Ong, Mei-Sing; Magrabi, Farah; Post, Jeffrey; Morris, Sarah; Westbrook, Johanna; Wobcke, Wayne; Calcroft, Ross; Coiera, Enrico

2013-02-06

Ineffective communication of infection control requirements during transitions of care is a potential cause of non-compliance with infection control precautions by healthcare personnel. In this study, interventions to enhance communication during inpatient transfers between wards and radiology were implemented, in the attempt to improve adherence to precautions during transfers. Two interventions were implemented, comprising (i) a pre-transfer checklist used by radiology porters to confirm a patient's infectious status; (ii) a coloured cue to highlight written infectious status information in the transfer form. The effectiveness of the interventions in promoting adherence to standard precautions by radiology porters when transporting infectious patients was evaluated using a randomised crossover trial at a teaching hospital in Australia. 300 transfers were observed over a period of 4 months. Compliance with infection control precautions in the intervention groups was significantly improved relative to the control group (p group was 38%. Applying the coloured cue resulted in a compliance rate of 73%. The pre-transfer checklist intervention achieved a comparable compliance rate of 71%. When both interventions were applied, a compliance rate of 74% was attained. Acceptability of the coloured cue was high, but adherence to the checklist was low (40%). Simple measures to enhance communication through the provision of a checklist and the use a coloured cue brought about significant improvement in compliance with infection control precautions by transport personnel during inpatient transfers. The study underscores the importance of effective communication in ensuring compliance with infection control precautions during transitions of care.

Is There a Correlation Between Infection Control Performance and Other Hospital Quality Measures?