Use and quality of point-of-care microscopy, urine culture and susceptibility testing for urinalysis in general practice.

Objective: To describe the use and quality of point-of-care (POC) microscopy, urine culture and susceptibility testing performed in general practice in Northern Denmark from 2013 to 2018.Design: Descriptive studySetting: General practices receiving a fee for examining urine samples.Subjects: Simulated urine samples containing uropathogenic bacteria distributed by the organisation for improvement of microbiological quality (MIKAP).Main outcome measures: Percentage of use and correct answers for microscopy, culture and susceptibility testing.Results: A total of 5361 samples were analysed by the use of microscopy (39.7%), culture (66.0%) and/or susceptibility testing (76.5%). For culture, Flexicult SSI urinary kittm (87.6%) demonstrated the highest percentage of correct answers followed by chromogenic agar (85.1%) and 2-plate dipslide (85.2%). Mueller Hinton agar with tablets had the highest percentage of correct answers for susceptibility testing of most bacterial strains (84.6%), followed by Flexicult (77.2%). Furthermore, susceptibility testing with tablets (range: 76.1-84.6%) was found to be more accurate than discs (range: 72.9-75.5%). Overall, the highest percentage of correct answers was obtained when examining urine samples containing Escherichia coli: Microscopy (78.3%), culture (87.0%) and susceptibility testing (range: 84.3-90.7%).Conclusion: The quality of POC testing in general practice was high when examining urine samples containing the most common uropathogen E. coli. Surprisingly, susceptibility testing was more frequently used than culture. This approach may compromise the treatment decision as only cultures contribute with information about the flora composition and bacterial quantification. Interestingly, microscopy was the least used method even though the result may be reached within a few minutes.Key pointsThe quality of POC tests (microscopy, urine culture, susceptibility testing) performed in general practice was high when examining urine containing E. coli, whereas difficulties were observed for samples including S. saprophyticus or K. pneumoniae.Susceptibility testing was more often performed than urine culture, which indicates a problem as only urine cultures contribute with information about the flora composition and bacterial quantification.

Risk factors of cardiac device infection: Glove contamination during device procedures.

BACKGROUND: Infections in cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) constitute a serious complication. We sought to identify contamination of gloves before handling the device in primary and replacement CIED procedures. METHODS: Two groups of 30 patients underwent primary CIED implantation or replacement. Before the device entered the surgical field, surgeon and assistant imprinted their outer gloves on aerobe and anaerobe agar plates, and a wound swab was performed. Samples were cultured, and the presence of bacteria was identified, counted as the number of colony forming units, and characterized to the level of genus and species. RESULTS: Samples from 40 (67%) procedures revealed bacteria on surgeons' or assistants' gloves. Contamination occurred in 80% of replacements and 67% of primary implantations (risk difference, 13%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -8.8 to 35.5). Contamination of surgeons' and assistants' gloves occurred in 55% and 44% of procedures, respectively. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS) occurred in 52%, and Propionibacterium spp (PS) occurred in 84% of positive cases. For every 15 minutes of procedure time, colony levels increased by 7.4% (95% CI, 1.4%-13.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Contamination of gloves is common during CIED procedures before handling the device. Therefore, devices are often handled with contaminated gloves. The most prevalent bacteria were PS and CNS, which are associated with clinical CIED infections. Changing outer gloves before handling the device might improve sterile state and lower infection risk.

[The quality of susceptibility examinations of urine in general practice is generally good]. / Kvaliteten af resistensbestemmelser på urin i almen praksis er generelt god.

In Denmark, many microbiological tests (microscopy, culture and susceptibility examinations) are done in general practice for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI). In 2006, the costs of susceptibility examinations were 28 million DKK. Some regional health authorities have established a program for quality assessment. National quality requirements for susceptibility examinations have already been established. The clinical microbiological departments send simulated urines with bacteria of common UTI strains. The specimens are examined in general practice with routine methods. The results for a two-year period of susceptibility examinations are reported. Generally, the quality criteria were met.

Detection of methicillin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci by cefoxitin disc diffusion and oxacillin Etest. A study of consecutive bacteraemia isolates.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are a significant cause of nosocomial bacteraemia and their susceptibility to beta-lactamase-stabile penicillins is unpredictable. To ensure appropriate antibiotic therapy reliable methods for detection of methicillin resistance (MR) are needed. The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of MR in a set of CoNS from cases of monomicrobial bacteraemia and to evaluate two phenotypic assays for detection of MR, the 10 microg cefoxitin disk test on Iso-Sensitest agar using a semiconfluent inoculum and the oxacillin Etest. MR was determined by a commercial genomic mecA assay. Of 110 CoNS, 75 were mecA positive and 35 mecA negative. Using interpretive zone diameters R < 22 mm and S > or = 27 mm, the cefoxitin disk test had a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. A correct prediction was obtained for 86 isolates, while 23 were indeterminate (> or = 22 mm; <27 mm). Using CLSI's guidelines, sensitivity and specificity of the oxacillin Etest were 100% and 80%, respectively. A correct prediction was obtained for 102 isolates, while 7 mecA negative isolates were classified as resistant. Thus, the cefoxitin disk test and the oxacillin Etest performed with high accuracy and both seem to be suitable for routine use.