The effect of rings on microbial load of health care workers' hands.

BACKGROUND: The hands of health care workers (HCWs) serve as a major route for transmission of nosocomial infection. Although handwashing is known to reduce cross-transmission of infection, the influence of rings on the efficacy of handwashing and the carriage of bacteria on the hands has not been well established. METHODS: In this study, 50 HCWs with rings were paired by unit with 50 HCWs without rings. Cultures were obtained by use of a timed-friction rinse before and after a timed handwashing. Standard laboratory procedures were followed for identification of the bacteria. RESULT: When colony counts before handwashing are taken into consideration, a significant difference is seen after handwashing between the two groups (R2 = 0.56). The regression model showed that the slope was significantly steeper (p < 0.0014) for the group with rings. This effect is more apparent when the colony count on hands is greater than 1000 colony forming units before handwashing. CONCLUSIONS: A standardized, timed handwashing procedure was effective in decreasing the bioload of HCWs' hands. The effect of rings on the bioload was significant in this study.

Does pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopy increase bacterial translocation?

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the impact of laparoscopy in the presence of peritonitis, this study was designed to assess bacteremia caused by E. coli-induced peritonitis with a carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum in a rat model. METHODS: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into inoculum groups (no E. coli, 10(6) colony-forming units [CFU] E. coli, and 10(8) CFU E. coli), followed by induction of a carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum or no pneumoperitoneum. Fifteen-minute-interval blood cultures were obtained to determine time of bacteremia development. Statistical assessment to determine significant differences among groups was done using ANOVA and t-test analysis. RESULTS: A total of 20 animals with E. coli introduced into the peritoneum and a carbon-dioxide-induced pneumoperitoneum had more frequent positive blood cultures at all time intervals compared to identical inoculum subgroups without a pneumoperitoneum. ANOVA revealed a significant difference in bacteremia within the same concentration inoculum groups in animals receiving a pneumoperitoneum vs none (p < 0.01). Bacteremia increased significantly as inoculum concentrations increased (25% with 10(6) E. coli inoculum vs 80% with 10(8) E. coli), especially among the insufflated subgroups (45% with 10(6) E. coli vs 100% with 10(8) E. coli) over 180 min (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum increases the incidence of E. coli bacterial translocation from the peritoneum into the bloodstream in this rat model.

The incidence of bacteremia associated with emergent intubation: relevance to prophylaxis against bacterial endocarditis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence of bacteremia associated with emergent nasotracheal intubation. STUDY DESIGN: Non-randomized, controlled cohort trial during 30 minutes post-intubation with limited in-hospital follow-up. SETTING: Emergency care unit and inpatient setting of a tertiary care facility. PATIENTS: Emergency care unit patients with acute respiratory distress necessitating non-elective emergency airway placement. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We studied 84 blood cultures obtained from 21 patients intubated emergently. Fourteen patients were intubated by the nasotracheal (NT) route and seven patients were intubated orotracheally (OT) for comparison. Pre-intubation and post-intubation blood cultures were obtained at two to five, 10 to 15 and 30 minutes after intubation. Patients were excluded if they had strong clinical evidence of pre-existing bacterial infection, had received antibiotics within 48 hours of presentation or were less than 16 years of age. Of the patients that were NT intubated, 29% (4/14) of patients became bacteremic after intubation. All had negative pre-intubation cultures. Organisms isolated were nasopharyngeal florae and included: Streptococcus viridans, Veillonellae sp., aerobic diphtheroids, and other mouth florae. Of the seven patients with OT intubation, six were culture negative. One was excluded because of positive preintubation cultures secondary to urosepsis. No patients in our study developed complications that could be directly attributed to these organisms or to intubation alone. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of bacteremia associated with emergency nasotracheal intubation is substantial and is accompanied by organisms that may produce serious morbidity in the patient with valvular heart disease or compromised immunity. Our findings suggest that, whenever possible, the nasotracheal route should be avoided for emergency intubation in patients with valvular heart disease and if used, prophylactic antibiotics should be strongly considered.