ABSTRACT
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends all healthcare practitioners and hospital staff receive an annual influenza vaccination. Many challenges were noted in achieving this goal; especially during the last 2 influenza seasons throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past 3 years our institution has implemented a Drive-Thru fixed Point of Distribution (POD) event for this purpose. Drive-Thru PODs can be a safe and effective strategy for employee vaccination during a pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Influenza Vaccines , Influenza, Human , Veterans , Humans , Influenza, Human/prevention & control , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , Pandemics/prevention & control , COVID-19/prevention & control , Personnel, Hospital , Vaccination , Hospitals , SeasonsABSTRACT
A Veterans Affairs long term care facility on Long Island New York was confronted with a COVID-19 outbreak in late March to Mid-April 2020. Faced with a dwindling supply of PPE, the Infection Control team distributed supplies saved for a possible Ebola outbreak. A COVID unit was created within the nursing home facilitating the geographic isolation of cases; universal testing of residents and employees allowed for the implementation of proper quarantine measures. It was a multidisciplinary team approach led by the Infection Control team that successfully contained this outbreak.
Subject(s)
Asymptomatic Infections/epidemiology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Carrier State/epidemiology , Infection Control/organization & administration , Nursing Homes/organization & administration , Personal Protective Equipment/supply & distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19/transmission , COVID-19 Testing , Carrier State/diagnosis , Carrier State/transmission , Disease Outbreaks , Female , Health Personnel , Humans , Infection Control/methods , Infection Control Practitioners , Male , Mass Screening , Middle Aged , Patient Isolation , SARS-CoV-2 , United States/epidemiology , United States Department of Veterans AffairsABSTRACT
Clostridium (or Clostridioides) difficile infection (CDI) is a common side effect of antimicrobial therapy and is increasingly linked with health care-associated transmissions. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP) have demonstrated success in decreasing in-hospital CDI cases. We implemented an ASP targeting inappropriate or unnecessary use of all antibiotics especially empiric piperacillin-tazobactam and fluoroquinolone use. Concurrently, we monitored all health-care associated CDI. Our CDI cases were markedly decreased after initiation of our ASP.
Subject(s)
Antimicrobial Stewardship , Clostridioides difficile , Clostridium Infections , Hospitals, Veterans , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Clostridium Infections/drug therapy , Humans , United StatesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Clonorchiasis caused by Clonorchis sinensis and opisthorchiasis caused by Opisthorchis viverrini are prevalent in the Far East, including Vietnam. The causal relationship between the 2 liver flukes and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has been well documented. Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare tumor of bile ducts, usually occurs in the sixth-seventh decade of life. In the United States, 8000 people are diagnosed with CCA each year. US Vietnam Veterans, 5 decades after the end of the war, are being diagnosed with CCA. Although CCA is linked to several conditions, no study has been done to our knowledge linking C. sinensis or O. viverrini as the culprits for CCA diagnosis in Vietnam Veterans. METHODS: A pilot prospective epidemiological study was performed at the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We screened Vietnam Veterans for exposure to eating raw or undercooked fish from the rivers in Vietnam during their service. Serological testing was performed by the multiantigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in Seoul National University of Medicine, South Korea. RESULTS: Of the 97 Veterans screened, 50 met the inclusion criteria with 1 Veteran being diagnosed with CCA. Of the 50 Veterans, 24% tested positive for serum IgG antibodies to C. sinensis. Those who tested positive had no detectable liver fluke parasites by fecal examination. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first to show evidence of exposure to liver flukes in US soldiers during their service in the Vietnam War. Further research is needed to examine the possible link of liver fluke infection and risk for developing CCA in Vietnam Veterans.
