ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Isolation precautions (IP) are applied to prevent transmission of pathogens in healthcare settings. Potential negative health outcomes experienced by patients have been previously described but results remain conflicting. We aimed at evaluating the psychological impact of IP in adult patients in isolation using a novel psychological assessment tool. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective matched cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care centre in Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: Hospitalised patients under IP and non-isolated patients were matched by ward, age and illness severity. OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured surrogates of mental and social well-being by using the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) instrument once during hospitalisation. PRISM is a visual psychometric instrument that has been validated as a quantitative measure of suffering. Smaller distance in self-to-illness separation (SIS) signifies higher importance for a patient. RESULTS: 156 patients agreed to participate of which 63 were under IP and 93 were matched controls. Median (IQR) duration of isolation was 5 days (2-10). The median SIS (IQR) for perceived inferior nurses' care was 22.8 (18.5-24.3) and 23.8 (23.3-25.5) for isolated and non-isolated patients, respectively (p<0.001). Similarly, median SIS (IQR) was significantly smaller in isolated than non-isolated patients for avoidance by visitors with 17.5 (7.7-22.0) and 22.2 (21.8-22.6), for loneliness with 7.5 (3.6-16.0) and 18 (10.2-21.6) and for feeling impure with 19 (17.0-21.5) and 21.5 (18.9-22.1), respectively (all p values<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: IP to prevent transmission of pathogens may negatively impact mental and social well-being. Measures to alleviate adverse effects of IP should be taken routinely.
Subject(s)
Perception , Quality of Life , Adult , Cohort Studies , Humans , Prospective Studies , Quality of Life/psychology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The hospital environment has got more attention as evidence as source for bacterial transmission and subsequent hospital-acquired infection increased. Regular cleaning and disinfection have been proposed to lower the risk of infection, in particular for gram-positive bacteria. Auto-disinfecting surfaces would allow to decrease survival of pathogens, while limiting resource to achieve a safe environment in patient rooms. METHODS: A controlled trial to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of a polyvinyl chloride foil containing an integrated silver-based agent (containing silver ions 2%) on high-touch surfaces in patient rooms. RESULTS: The overall log reduction of the mean values was 1.8 log10 CFU, the median 0.5 log10 CFU comparing bioburden of control vs antimicrobial foil (p < 0.01). Important pathogens were significantly less likely recovered from the foil, in particular enterococci. These effects were present even after 6 months of in-use. CONCLUSIONS: A foil containing an integrated silver-based agent applied to high-touch surfaces effectively results in lower recovery of important pathogens from such surfaces over a 6-month study period.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection/prevention & control , Disinfectants/pharmacology , Disinfection/methods , Equipment Contamination/prevention & control , Patients' Rooms , Silver/pharmacology , Fomites/microbiology , Hospitals , Polyvinyl Chloride , Prospective Studies , Switzerland , TouchABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Accessibility to alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) dispenser is crucial to improve compliance to hand hygiene (HH), being offered as wall-mounted dispensers (ABHR-Ds), and/or pocket bottles. Nevertheless, information on the distribution and density of ABHR-Ds and their impact on HH have hardly been studied. Institutions such as the World Health Organisation or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not provide guidance. The Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI) from Germany recommends an overall density of > 0.5 dispensers per patient bed. We aimed to investigate current conditions in hospitals to develop a standard on the minimal number of ABHR-D. METHODS: Between 07 and 09/2019, we applied a questionnaire to 178 hospitals participating in the Swissnoso National Surveillance Network to evaluate number and location of ABHR-Ds per bed in acute care hospitals, and compared the data with consumption and compliance with HH. RESULTS: 110 of the 178 (62%) hospitals provided data representing approximately 20,000 hospital beds. 83% hospitals provided information on both the total number of ABHR-Ds and patient beds, with a mean of 2.4 ABHR-Ds per bed (range, 0.4-22.1). While most hospitals (84%) had dispensers located at the room entrance, 47% reported also locations near or at the bed. Additionally, pocket-sized dispensers (100 mL) are available in 97% of hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Swiss hospitals provide 2.4 dispensers per bed, much more than governmental recommendation. The first study on the number of ABHR-Ds in hospitals may help to define a minimal standard for national and international recommendations.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection/prevention & control , Hand Disinfection , Hand Sanitizers/administration & dosage , Ethanol/administration & dosage , Guideline Adherence , Hand Disinfection/instrumentation , Hand Disinfection/standards , Hospitals , Humans , Patients' Rooms , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To gain further insights into health care workers (HCWs) attitudes toward influenza vaccination to guide future interventions to increase vaccination rates. METHODS: A standardized anonymous questionnaire was sent to all employees of the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland following the influenza season 2013/2014. We collected information regarding HCW's demographics, experiences with flu vaccinations, and reasons for nonvaccination. RESULTS: Vaccination rates ranged from 14.7% to 31% from 2007 to 2019. A total of 1,454 HCW participated in the survey, of which 62% reported being vaccinated. HCW not vaccinated were more commonly female and differed by occupational group and department. The main reasons for nonvaccination were fear of short-term adverse reactions, followed by assessing the evidence regarding vaccination-benefits as insufficient and fears of violation of the right to self-determination. Fear of long-term sequela and violation of the right of self-determination differed between the 4 professional groups, both being most commonly indicated by nurses and at least indicated by physicians. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides some insight into differences regarding barriers to vaccination between different occupational groups, which might not have been adequately addressed so far. Policy makers should consider such differences when designing campaigns to raise acceptance of influenza vaccine among HCWs.
Subject(s)
Influenza Vaccines , Influenza, Human , Attitude of Health Personnel , Female , Health Personnel , Humans , Influenza, Human/prevention & control , Surveys and Questionnaires , Switzerland , VaccinationABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Although photoselective laser vaporisation of the prostate (PVP) is a recognised alternative to transurethral resection in treating benign prostatic obstruction, there is limited data on the incidence and determinants of postoperative urinary tract infections (UTI). We assessed patients subjected to PVP, evaluating incidence and potential determinants of postoperative UTIs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing PVP between April 2010 and August 2018 were candidates for this retrospective cohort study. The primary outcome measure was microbiologically confirmed postoperative UTI. We fitted uni- and multi-variable Cox models to identify potential risk factors. RESULTS: Among the 665 included patients, 20% developed postoperative UTIs. The overall incidence rate per 100 patient-days was 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.77). Risk factors for postoperative UTIs were end-stage renal failure (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 14.10, 95% CI 2.08-64.58; p = 0.001) and presence of at least one of the following factors in the 3 months preceding PVP: (i) placement of urinary catheter, (ii) bacteriuria, (iii) UTI, or (iv) antimicrobial treatment (composite aHR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.22-3.24; p < 0.001). There was no apparent association between choice or duration of antimicrobial prophylaxis and incident UTIs. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis revealed a high incidence of UTIs after PVP and served to identify certain preoperative risk factors. Neither the choice of antimicrobial regimen nor its duration affected the incidence of UTIs. Prolonged antimicrobials proved to be disproportionately high, warranting further scrutiny in randomised controlled trials.
Subject(s)
Laser Therapy , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Prostatectomy/methods , Prostatic Hyperplasia/surgery , Urinary Tract Infections/epidemiology , Aged , Cohort Studies , Humans , Incidence , Laser Therapy/methods , Male , Retrospective Studies , Risk Assessment , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
We report an influenza outbreak in a 75-bed rehabilitation centre and present the detailed microeconomic impact that it had during the season 2016/2017. The direct medical, direct non-medical and indirect costs were calculated. The outbreak included 18 patients with influenza and 8 contact patients, leading to 86 days with isolation precautions. During the outbreak month, 25 (15%) employees were absent from work for 89 days (mean 3.6 days, SD ± 1.8), and during the entire influenza season 33 for 175 (5.3 ± SD 4.6) days, respectively. The economic burden related to the outbreak was 114 373 CHF (106 890 , 112 131 $).
Subject(s)
Cost of Illness , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , Rehabilitation Centers/economics , Disease Outbreaks , Hospitalization/economics , Humans , Influenza, Human/economics , Rehabilitation Centers/statistics & numerical data , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To compare the detection rates of vaginal-perineal cultures for group B streptococci (GBS) with the standard vaginal and rectal cultures and evaluate the diagnostic yield of vaginal-perineal vs. rectal swabs for extended spectrum ß-lactamase producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) during the third trimester of pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Vagino-perineal and rectal swabs were collected cross-sectionally from pregnant women between 35-37 weeks gestation and tested for the presence of GBS and ESBL-E. Accuracy of the vagino-perineal swab was compared to the combined vagino-perineal/rectal swab. Risk factors for ESBL carriage were examined. Degrees of pain, discomfort and stress related to the rectal swab were analyzed on visual analogue scales. RESULTS: 48 out of 250 participants (19.2%) were GBS positive. The vagino-perineal swab was positive in 44 of 48 women (91.7%) yielding a negative predictive value of 98.1%. Agreement (kappa) between the two methods was 0.95. Six out of 190 women with additional ESBL-E screening (3.2%) tested positive by rectal swab. Of these, only two had also a positive vagino-perineal swab. The rectal swab caused overall little subjective discomfort, pain or stress, as indicated by low scores indicated on the visual scales. CONCLUSIONS: The GBS detection rate of the vagino-perineal swab was lower compared to the reference standard. However, agreement between the two screening methods was high and there were no cases of GBS neonatal sepsis in the recruited population, supporting this less invasive screening strategy. In contrast, the vaginal-perineal swab was inferior to the rectal swab for detecting ESBL-E, indicating that this less invasive method for detecting antibiotic resistant bacteria that may be potentially transferred to the neonate during labor and delivery would be inappropriate for ESBL-E screening in pregnant women. The low ESBL-E carriage rate among pregnant women likely reflects the prevalence in the general population.
Subject(s)
Enterobacteriaceae Infections/diagnosis , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/diagnosis , Specimen Handling/methods , Streptococcal Infections/diagnosis , Adult , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Prevalence , Streptococcal Infections/epidemiology , Switzerland/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Health insurance status may affect the risk for surgical site infection (SSI). A large prospective cohort study in a Swiss tertiary-care hospital did not find evidence of a difference in SSI risk in individuals with basic versus semiprivate or private insurance in a setting with universal health insurance coverage.
Subject(s)
Insurance Coverage/statistics & numerical data , Insurance, Health/statistics & numerical data , Surgical Wound Infection/epidemiology , Aged , Female , Humans , Incidence , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Risk Factors , Switzerland/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Preliminary studies that analyzed surrogate markers have suggested that operating room (OR) door openings may be a risk factor for surgical site infection (SSI). We therefore aimed to estimate the effect of OR door openings on SSI risk in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: This prospective, observational study involved consecutive patients undergoing cardiac surgery in 2 prespecified ORs equipped with automatic door-counting devices from June 2016 to October 2017. Occurrence of an SSI within 30 days after cardiac surgery was our primary outcome measure. Respective outcome data were obtained from a national SSI surveillance cohort. We analyzed the relationship between mean OR door opening frequencies and SSI risk by use of uni- and multivariable Cox regression models. RESULTS: A total of 301 594 OR door openings were recorded during the study period, with 87 676 eligible door openings being logged between incision and skin closure. There were 688 patients included in the study, of whom 24 (3.5%) developed an SSI within 30 days after surgery. In uni- and multivariable analysis, an increased mean door opening frequency during cardiac surgery was associated with higher risk for consecutive SSI (adjusted hazard ratio per 5-unit increment, 1.49; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-2.00; P = .008). The observed effect was driven by internal OR door openings toward the clean instrument preparation room. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent door openings during cardiac surgery were independently associated with an increased risk for SSI. This finding warrants further study to establish a potentially causal relationship between OR door openings and the occurrence of SSI.
Subject(s)
Air Microbiology , Operating Rooms , Surgical Wound Infection/epidemiology , Thoracic Surgery , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Incidence , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Risk Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In an experimental setting, a simplified, 3-step hand hygiene technique for applying alcohol-based hand rub was non inferior in terms of reduction of bacterial counts, as compared to the conventional World Health Organization 6-step technique. We therefore compared compliance and microbiological efficacy between both hand hygiene techniques in routine clinical practice. METHODS: We performed a cluster-randomized trial from October-November 2015 at the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland: a tertiary, academic care center (ISRCTN45923734). We randomly assigned 12 wards to either the 3-step technique or the conventional 6-step technique of hand rubbing. The primary endpoints were compliance with the assigned technique and reduction of bacterial counts on the hands of health-care workers. RESULTS: Overall, 2923 hand hygiene indications were observed, and compliance was 70.7% (2066/2923). Compliance with technique and indications was 51.7% (595/1151) and 75.9% (1151/1516) on wards assigned to the 3-step technique, respectively, as compared to 12.7% (116/915) and 65.0% (915/1407) on wards assigned to the 6-step technique (P < .001). The reduction factor (RF) of bacterial colony counts did not differ between techniques (median RF 0.97 log10 colony-forming units [CFU] [interquartile range 0.39-1.59] for the 3-step technique vs median RF 1.04 log10 CFU [interquartile range 0.49-1.52] for the 6-step technique; P = .629). CONCLUSIONS: In a clinical setting, the simpler hand hygiene technique, consisting of 3 steps, resulted in higher compliance with both hand hygiene indications and technique, as compared to the 6 steps. As the results of the microbiological analyses exclude inferiority, the conventional 6 steps could be safely replaced by a simpler hand hygiene technique. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: ISRCTN45923734.
Subject(s)
Hand Hygiene , Adult , Anti-Infective Agents, Local , Bacterial Load , Female , Guideline Adherence/statistics & numerical data , Hand/microbiology , Hand Hygiene/methods , Hand Hygiene/standards , Hand Hygiene/statistics & numerical data , Health Personnel , Hospitals, University , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Switzerland , World Health OrganizationABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance data from surveillance networks are frequently do not accurately predict resistance patterns of urinary tract infections at the bedside. OJECTIVE: To determine simple patient- and institution-related risk factors affecting antimicrobial resistance patterns of Escherichia coli urine isolates. METHODS: From January 2012 to May 2015 all consecutive urine samples with significant growth of E. coli (≥103 CFU/ml) obtained from a tertiary care hospital were analysed for antimicrobial susceptibility and related to basic clinical data such a patient age, ward, sample type (catheter vs non-catheter urine). RESULTS: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was available for 5246 E. coli urine isolates from 4870 patients. E. coli was most commonly resistant to amoxicillin (43.1%), cotrimoxazole (24.5%) and ciprofloxacin (17.4%). Resistance rates were low for meropenem (0.0%), fosfomycin (0.9%) and nitrofurantoin (1.5%). Significantly higher rates of resistance to ciprofloxacin (32.8 vs 15.8%) and cotrimoxazole (30.6 vs 23.9%) were found in urological patients compared with patients on other wards (p <0.01). In multivariable analysis, predictors for E. coli resistance against ciprofloxacin and cotrimoxazole were: treatment in the urological unit (odds ratio [OR] 2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.63-2.54; p <0.001 and OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.07-1.64; p = 0.010, respectively), male sex (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.630-2.29; p <0.001 and OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.22-1.04; p = 0.015), and only to a lesser extent urine samples obtained from indwelling catheters (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.05-1.61; p = 0.014 and OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04-1.53; p = 0.020). Age ≥65 years was associated with higher resistance to ciprofloxacin (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.21-1.67; p <0.001), but lower resistance to cotrimoxazole (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.67-0.86; p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Simple bedside patient data such as age, sex and treating hospital unit help to predict antimicrobial resistance and can improve the empirical treatment of urinary tract infections.
Subject(s)
Drug Resistance, Bacterial , Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Urinary Tract Infections/microbiology , Urology Department, Hospital/statistics & numerical data , Age Factors , Amoxicillin/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Catheters, Indwelling/statistics & numerical data , Ciprofloxacin/pharmacology , Escherichia coli/isolation & purification , Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy , Female , Hospitals , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Sex Factors , Switzerland , Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination/pharmacology , Urinary Tract Infections/drug therapyABSTRACT
Based on a surgical site infection (SSI) cohort at an academic center, we showed a median potentially preventable loss per non-SSI case of $17,916 in colon surgery and of $34,741 in coronary artery bypass grafting.
Subject(s)
Coronary Artery Bypass/adverse effects , Digestive System Surgical Procedures/adverse effects , Hospital Costs/statistics & numerical data , Prospective Payment System , Surgical Wound Infection/economics , Aged , Colon/surgery , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Motivation , Physician Incentive Plans , Prospective Studies , Switzerland , Tertiary Care CentersABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES To evaluate host characteristics, mode of infection acquisition, and infection control procedures in patients with a positive respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) test result after the introduction of the GenXpert Influenza/RSV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. PATIENTS Adults with a positive PCR test result for RSV who were hospitalized in a tertiary academic medical center between January 2015 and December 2016 were included in this study. Our infection control policy applies contact isolation precautions only for immunocompromised patients. METHODS Patients were identified through 2 databases, 1 consisting of patients isolated because of RSV infection and 1 with automatically collected laboratory results. Baseline and clinical characteristics were collected through a retrospective medical chart review. The rate of and clinical factors associated with healthcare-associated RSV infections were evaluated. RESULTS In total, 108 episodes in 106 patients hospitalized with a positive Xpert RSV test result were recorded during the study period. Among them, 11 episodes were healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and 97 were community-acquired infections (CAIs). The mean length of hospital stay (LOS, 40.2 vs 11.2 days), the mean number of room switches (3.5 vs 1.7) and ward switches (1.5 vs 0.4), and the mean numbers of contact patients (9.9 vs 3.8) were significantly longer and higher in the HAI group than in the CAI group (P<.0001). Surveillance of microbiology records and clinical data did not reveal evidence for a cluster or an epidemic during the 2-year observation period. CONCLUSIONS The introduction of a rapid molecular diagnostic test systematically applied to patients with influenza-like illness may challenge current infection control policies. In our study, patients with HAIs had a prolonged hospital stay and a high number of contact patients, and they switched rooms and wards frequently. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1291-1297.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection/prevention & control , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections/prevention & control , Respiratory Syncytial Viruses , Aged , Humans , Middle Aged , Respiratory Syncytial Viruses/genetics , Retrospective Studies , Tertiary Care CentersABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The widely used Pitt Bacteraemia Score (PBS) has repeatedly been described as a risk factor for short-term mortality in Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection (BSI), but little is known about its overall predictive performance. We therefore aimed to externally validate the PBS in S. aureus BSIs. METHODS: We performed a retrospective validation study at the University Hospital Basel. Adult patients with a first episode of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus BSI between January 2008 and December 2013 were eligible for the study. We measured the overall discriminative power of the PBS at day of BSI onset in predicting 30-day all-cause mortality by receiver-operating characteristics analysis. For each PBS cut-off, we calculated the corresponding sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for prediction of 30-day all-cause mortality. RESULTS: A total of 329 patients were included in the final analysis: The median PBS at BSI onset was 0 (interquartile range, 0-2) with patients suffering from various comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index median 3, interquartile range 1-5). Thirteen percent of patients (43/329) died within 30 days from any cause. At BSI onset, 52% (170/329) of patients had a PBS of zero; the concomitant specificity and positive predictive value for prediction of 30-day all-cause mortality were 0% and 13%, respectively. The overall performance of the PBS in predicting the 30-day all-cause mortality was lower than published, with an area under the curve of 0.711 (95% confidence interval 0.614-0.807; p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: For short-term mortality, the PBS had a low predictive value in a patient population with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus BSI. There is a need to improve simple clinical scores to better predict mortality, in particular for S. aureus.
Subject(s)
Bacteremia/mortality , Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcal Infections/mortality , Aged , Female , Hospital Mortality , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Automated laboratory-based prediction models may support clinical decisions in Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections (BSIs), which carry a particularly high mortality. Small studies indicated that the laboratory-based Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score is a risk factor for mortality in critically ill patients with infections. For S. aureus BSIs, we therefore aimed to assess a potential association of the MELD score with mortality. METHODS: In this single-centre observational study, all consecutive patients with a first episode of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus BSI occurring between 2001 and 2013 were eligible. Relevant patient data were retrieved from our prospective in-house BSI database. We assessed the association of the MELD score at day of BSI onset (range ± two days) with 30-day all-cause mortality using uni- and multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: 561 patients were included in the final analysis. The MELD score at BSI onset was associated with 30-day mortality in S. aureus BSIs (odds ratio per 1-point increase, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.03â1.09; P < 0.001). After adjustment for relevant patient and infection characteristics, an increased MELD score remained a predictor of 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio per 1-point increase, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.01â1.08; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: In our study population, the MELD score at BSI onset was an independent predictor of mortality in S. aureus BSIs. We therefore suggest to prospectively validate the MELD score as part of clinical decision support systems in inpatients with suspected or confirmed BSI.
Subject(s)
Bacteremia/mortality , End Stage Liver Disease/mortality , Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus , Staphylococcal Infections/mortality , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Models, Biological , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Infections and colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) identified >48 hours after hospital admission are considered healthcare-acquired according to the definition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some may originate from delayed diagnosis rather than true acquisition in the hospital, potentially diluting the impact of infection control programs. In addition, such infections are not necessarily reimbursed in a healthcare system based on the diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). OBJECTIVE The goal of the study was to estimate the preventable proportion of healthcare-acquired infections in a tertiary care hospital in Switzerland by analyzing patients colonized or infected with MDROs. METHODS All hospitalized patients with healthcare-acquired MDRO infection or colonization (HAMIC) or according to the CDC definition (CDC-HAMIC) were prospectively assessed from 2002 to 2011 to determine whether there was evidence for nosocomial transmission. We utilized an additional work-up with epidemiological, microbiological, and molecular typing data to determine the true preventable proportion of HAMICs. RESULTS Overall, 1,190 cases with infection or colonization with MDROs were analyzed; 274 (23.0%) were classified as CDC-HAMICs. Only 51.8% of CDC-HAMICs had confirmed evidence of hospital-acquisition and were considered preventable. Specifically, 57% of MRSA infections, 83.3% of VRE infections, 43.9% of ESBL infections, and 74.1% of non-ESBL MDRO infections were preventable HAMICs. CONCLUSIONS The CDC definition overestimates the preventable proportion of HAMICs with MDROs by more than 50%. Relying only on the CDC definition of HAMICs may lead to inaccurate measurement of the impact of infection control interventions and to inadequate reimbursement under the DRG system. Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2016;1-6.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection/epidemiology , Diagnosis-Related Groups/statistics & numerical data , Staphylococcal Infections/epidemiology , Virus Diseases/epidemiology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anti-Infective Agents/therapeutic use , Drug Resistance, Microbial/drug effects , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Infection Control/methods , Male , Middle Aged , Switzerland/epidemiology , Tertiary Care CentersABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection is associated with considerable mortality. Experimental models suggest a direct antistaphylococcal effect of acetylsalicylic acid, but evidence from human studies is scarce. We aimed to estimate the effect of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid therapy on mortality in bloodstream infections caused by S. aureus compared with Escherichia coli. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study based on observational data from 838 and 602 episodes of S. aureus and E. coli bloodstream infection, respectively. SETTING: Swiss tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Adult patients with S. aureus and E. coli bloodstream infection, respectively, categorized according to low-dose acetylsalicylic acid therapy as outpatient or inpatient before bacteremia. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-day all-cause mortality was analyzed in a total of 314 propensity score-matched S. aureus bloodstream infection and in 268 E. coli bloodstream infection patients, respectively (1:1 match of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid users and nonusers). S. aureus bloodstream infection cases and controls were equally matched for relevant confounders except treatment with statins, which was strongly associated with a low-dose acetylsalicylic acid use (p < 0.001). At day 30, 12.1% of cases and 27.4% of controls had died (hazard ratio, 0.40; p < 0.001). Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid use was associated with a reduced 30-day all-cause mortality in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.21-0.69; p = 0.001) of matched patients and also of the entire cohort (n = 689) after adjustment for the propensity score (hazard ratio, 0.58, 95% CI, 0.34-0.98; p = 0.04). In contrast, low-dose acetylsalicylic acid use was not associated with the primary endpoint in patients with E. coli bloodstream infection (hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.40-1.55; p = 0.8). CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid at the time of bloodstream infection was strongly associated with a reduced short-term mortality in patients with S. aureus bloodstream infection. Future studies are required to investigate if early low-dose acetylsalicylic acid is a suitable treatment in patients with S. aureus bloodstream infection.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Aspirin/therapeutic use , Staphylococcal Infections/drug therapy , Staphylococcus aureus/isolation & purification , Adult , Bacteremia/drug therapy , Bacteremia/prevention & control , Cross Infection/mortality , Escherichia coli/isolation & purification , Escherichia coli Infections/blood , Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy , Female , Hospital Mortality , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Propensity Score , Proportional Hazards Models , Retrospective Studies , Staphylococcal Infections/blood , Staphylococcal Infections/mortality , SwitzerlandABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Plasmid-mediated AmpC beta-lactamase-producing (pAmpC) Enterobacteriaceae are increasing worldwide, difficult to identify and often confounded with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers. The low prevalence precludes routine universal admission screening. Therefore, we evaluated potential risk factors for carriage of pAmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae that would allow targeted screening to improve yield and reduce cost. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a case control study at a tertiary care center from 1/2006 to 12/2010. Cases were adult patients in whom pAmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae were isolated; controls were chosen among carriers of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Both infected and colonized patients were included. RESULTS: Over five years, we identified 40 pAmpC producers in 39 patients among 16,247 screened consecutive isolates of Enterobacteriaceae. The pAmpC prevalence was low (0.25%), but more than 30% of pAmpC carriers received incorrect empirical antibiotic treatment. When compared with 39 ESBL controls, pAmpC carriage was associated with clinically confirmed infections in 74% (versus 51%) (p=0.035), mainly of the urinary tract, previous antibiotic exposure in 63% (versus 36%) (p=0.035) and carriage of a nasogastric tube in 23% (versus 0%) (p=0.002). In the multivariate regression analysis only clinically confirmed infections remained significantly associated with pAmpC carriage (OR 1.44 (95%CI 1.15-2.57)). No other clinical and blood test-associated risk factor allowed discrimination of pAmpC-carrying patients from ESBL controls. The type of acquisition - nosocomial versus community-acquired - was also non-informative for resistance type, as 46% of pAmpC- and 44% of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were community-acquired. CONCLUSIONS: This study could not identify a clinical profile that would allow targeted screening for pAmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae when compared to ESBL carriers. Because empiric antimicrobial therapy was inappropriate in more than 30%, rapid identification of pAmpC carriers is needed. New microbiological methods are therefore required to simplify rapid and reliable detection of pAmpC carriers.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Proteins/metabolism , Carrier State/diagnosis , Enterobacteriaceae Infections/diagnosis , Enterobacteriaceae/enzymology , Enterobacteriaceae/isolation & purification , Plasmids/metabolism , beta-Lactamases/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Carrier State/microbiology , Case-Control Studies , Enterobacteriaceae Infections/microbiology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young AdultABSTRACT
This prospective randomized controlled study with 975 nontunneled central venous catheters (CVCs) showed that the semiquantitative roll-plate culture technique (SQC) was as accurate as the sonication method for diagnosis of catheter-related infections. Sonication is difficult to standardize, whereas SQC is simpler, faster, and as reliable as the sonication method for culturing CVCs.