ABSTRACT
SETTING: Quality assurance for the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) global tuberculosis (TB) drug resistance surveillance programme. OBJECTIVE: To monitor the quality of drug susceptibility testing (DST) in different countries. METHODS: In 2002-2003 and 2005-2006, 20 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains were sent by the WHO/Union Supranational Reference Laboratory of Rome to TB reference laboratories in Albania, Bahrain, Kosovo, Mozambique, Oman, Qatar and Turkey for external quality control (EQC). RESULTS: In 2002-2003, the specificity, sensitivity, efficiency, reproducibility and predictive values for resistance/susceptibility were >or=90% for streptomycin (SM), isoniazid (INH) and ethambutol (EMB). In 2005-2006, all statistical values were >or=96% for SM, INH, rifampicin and EMB. CONCLUSION: EQC improved the quality of M. tuberculosis DST in the participating countries.
Subject(s)
Antitubercular Agents/pharmacology , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/standards , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/drug effects , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/drug therapy , Humans , Quality Control , Sensitivity and Specificity , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiologyABSTRACT
This article presents the authors' views on infection control in hospitals in Kosova, focusing on the main problems and appropriate solutions. Past and present government initiatives are briefly presented, and available data on the prevalence of hospital infections and antimicrobial resistance in Kosova are outlined.
Subject(s)
Cross Infection/prevention & control , Delivery of Health Care/trends , Infection Control/trends , Cross Infection/epidemiology , Delivery of Health Care/legislation & jurisprudence , Developing Countries , Drug Resistance, Microbial , Humans , Infection Control/legislation & jurisprudence , Infection Control/methods , Yugoslavia/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A point-prevalence study was performed to determine the prevalence of nosocomial infections in University Clinical Center of Kosova. Of 167 surveyed patients, 27 had a total of 29 nosocomial infections, with an overall prevalence rate of 17.4%. Nosocomial bloodstream infections were most prevalent (62%). The prevalence was highest among neonates in intensive-care units (77.8%).
