Device-associated hospital-acquired infection rates in Turkish intensive care units. Findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)

Examining the impact of a 9-component bundle and the INICC multidimensional approach on catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates in 32 countries across Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East

BACKGROUND

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs) frequently occur in the intensive care unit (ICU) and are correlated with a significant burden.

METHODS

We implemented a strategy involving a 9-element bundle, education, surveillance of CAUTI rates and clinical outcomes, monitoring compliance with bundle components, feedback of CAUTI rates and performance feedback. This was executed in 299 ICUs across 32 low- and middle-income countries. The dependent variable was CAUTI per 1,000 UC days, assessed at baseline and throughout the intervention, in the second month, third month, 4 to 15 months, 16 to 27 months, and 28 to 39 months. Comparisons were made using a 2-sample t test, and the exposure-outcome relationship was explored using a generalized linear mixed model with a Poisson distribution.

RESULTS

Over the course of 978,364 patient days, 150,258 patients utilized 652,053 UC-days. The rates of CAUTI per 1,000 UC days were measured. The rates decreased from 14.89 during the baseline period to 5.51 in the second month (risk ratio [RR] = 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34-0.39; P < .001), 3.79 in the third month (RR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.23-0.28; P < .001), 2.98 in the 4 to 15 months (RR = 0.21; 95% CI = 0.18-0.22; P < .001), 1.86 in the 16 to 27 months (RR = 0.12; 95% CI = 0.11-0.14; P < .001), and 1.71 in the 28 to 39 months (RR = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.09-0.13; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our intervention, without substantial costs or additional staffing, achieved an 89% reduction in CAUTI incidence in ICUs across 32 countries, demonstrating feasibility in ICUs of low- and middle-income countries.

Efficacy of expanded periurethral cleansing in reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infection in comatose patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The effect of the periurethral cleansing range on catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) occurrence remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of expanded periurethral cleansing for reducing CAUTI in comatose patients.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, eligible patients in our hospital were enrolled and allocated randomly to the experimental group (expanded periurethral cleansing protocol; n = 225) or the control group (usual periurethral cleansing protocol; n = 221). The incidence of CAUTI on days 3, 7, and 10 after catheter insertion were compared, and the pathogen results and influencing factors were analyzed.

RESULTS

The incidences of CAUTI in the experimental and control groups on days 3, 7, and 10 were (5/225, 2.22% vs. 7/221, 3.17%, P = 0.54), (12/225, 5.33% vs. 18/221, 8.14%, P = 0.24), and (23/225, 10.22% vs. 47/221, 21.27%, P = 0.001), respectively; Escherichia coli and Candida albicans were the most common species in the two groups. The incidences of bacterial CAUTI and fungal CAUTI in the two groups were 11/225, 4.89% vs. 24/221, 10.86%, P = 0.02) and (10/225, 4.44% vs. 14/221, 6.33%, P = 0.38), respectively. The incidences of polymicrobial CAUTI in the two groups were 2/225 (0.89%) and 9/221 (4.07%), respectively (P = 0.03). The percentages of CAUTI-positive females in the two groups were 9.85% (13/132) and 29.52% (31/105), respectively (P < 0.05). The proportion of CAUTI-positive patients with diabetes in the experimental and control groups was 17.72% (14/79), which was lower than the 40.85% (29/71) in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Expanded periurethral cleansing could reduce the incidence of CAUTI, especially those caused by bacteria and multiple pathogens, in comatose patients with short-term catheterization (≤ 10 days). Female patients and patients with diabetes benefit more from the expanded periurethral cleansing protocol for reducing CAUTI.

Decreasing central line-associated bloodstream infections rates in intensive care units in 30 low- and middle-income countries: An INICC approach

BACKGROUND

Central line (CL)-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) occurring in the intensive care unit (ICU) are common and associated with a high burden.

METHODS

We implemented a multidimensional approach, incorporating an 11-element bundle, education, surveillance of CLABSI rates and clinical outcomes, monitoring compliance with bundle components, feedback of CLABSI rates and clinical outcomes, and performance feedback in 316 ICUs across 30 low- and middle-income countries. Our dependent variables were CLABSI per 1,000-CL-days and in-ICU all-cause mortality rates. These variables were measured at baseline and during the intervention, specifically during the second month, third month, 4 to 16 months, and 17 to 29 months. Comparisons were conducted using a two-sample t test. To explore the exposure-outcome relationship, we used a generalized linear mixed model with a Poisson distribution to model the number of CLABSIs.

RESULTS

During 1,837,750 patient-days, 283,087 patients, used 1,218,882 CL-days. CLABSI per 1,000 CL-days rates decreased from 15.34 at the baseline period to 7.97 in the 2nd month (relative risk (RR) = 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.48-0.56; P < .001), 5.34 in the 3rd month (RR = 0.35; 95% CI = 0.32-0.38; P < .001), and 2.23 in the 17 to 29 months (RR = 0.15; 95% CI = 0.13-0.17; P < .001). In-ICU all-cause mortality rate decreased from 16.17% at baseline to 13.68% (RR = 0.84; P = .0013) at 17 to 29 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The implemented approach was effective, and a similar intervention could be applied in other ICUs of low- and middle-income countries to reduce CLABSI and in-ICU all-cause mortality rates.

A prospective surveillance study of healthcare-associated infections in an intensive care unit from a tertiary care teaching hospital from 2012-2019

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) continue to be the most common adverse event affecting critically ill inpatients in intensive care units (ICUs). Limited data exist in the English literature on the epidemiology of HAIs in ICUs from China. The purpose of this prospective study was to understand the prevalence and trends of HAIs in the ICU to guide clinicians to take effective prevention and control measures. In total, 20 ICU beds in the hospital from January 2012 to December 2019 were selected for surveillance. HAI diagnosis and device-associated infection surveillance were based on the criteria set forth by the original Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China. The full-time staff for HAI management monitored all patients who stayed in the ICU > 48 hours during the study period and calculated the device utilization ratio and device-associated infection rate. The rate of HAIs and the adjusted rate were 18.78 per 1000 patient-days and 5.17 per 1000 patient-days, respectively. The rates of ventilator-associated pneumonias, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and central line-associated bloodstream infections were 22.68 per 1000 device-days, 2.40 per 1000 device-days, and 2.27 per 1000 device-days, respectively. A total of 731 pathogenic bacteria were detected in the patients with HAIs. Gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria accounted for 67.44% and 16.83%, respectively. Continuous target monitoring, regular analysis of high-risk factors, and timely intervention measures could effectively reduce HAIs in the ICU. Additionally, these findings could be used for developing new strategies to prevent and control HAIs in ICUs.

Risk factors for mortality in ICU patients in 10 middle eastern countries: The role of healthcare-associated infections

PURPOSE

The International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) found a high mortality rate in ICUs of the Middle East (ME). Our goal was to identify mortality risk factor (RF) in ICUs of the ME.

MATERIALS

From 08/01/2003 to 02/12/2022, we conducted a prospective cohort study in 236 ICUs of 77 hospitals in 44 cities in 10 countries of ME. We analyzed 16 independent variables using multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

66,440 patients, hospitalized during 652,167 patient-days, and 13,974 died. We identified following mortality RF: Age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR):1.02;p < 0.0001) rising risk 2% yearly; length of stay (LOS) (aOR:1.02;p < 0.0001) rising the risk 2% per day; central line (CL)-days (aOR:1.01;p < 0.0001) rising risk 1% per day; mechanicalventilator (MV) utilization-ratio (aOR:14.51;p < 0.0001); CL-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) acquisition (aOR):1.49;p < 0.0001); ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) acquisition (aOR:1.50;p < 0.0001); female gender (OR:1.14;p < 0.0001); hospitalization at a public-hospital (OR:1.31;p < 0.0001); and medical-hospitalization (aOR:1.64;p < 0.0001). High-income countries showed lowest risk (aOR:0.59;p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Some identified RF are unlikely to change, such as country income-level, facility ownership, hospitalization type, gender, and age. Some can be modified; LOS, CL-use, MV-use, CLABSI, VAP. So, to lower the mortality risk in ICUs, we recommend focusing on strategies to shorten the LOS, reduce CL and MV-utilization, and use evidence-based recommendations to prevent CLABSI and VAP.

Healthcare-associated infections in adult intensive care unit patients: Changes in epidemiology, diagnosis, prevention and contributions of new technologies

Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are at high risk for healthcare-acquired infections (HAI) due to the high prevalence of invasive procedures and devices, induced immunosuppression, comorbidity, frailty and increased age. Over the past decade we have seen a successful reduction in the incidence of HAI related to invasive procedures and devices. However, the rate of ICU-acquired infections remains high. Within this context, the ongoing emergence of new pathogens, further complicates treatment and threatens patient outcomes. Additionally, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the challenge that an emerging pathogen provides in adapting prevention measures regarding both the risk of exposure to caregivers and the need to maintain quality of care. ICU nurses hold a special place in the prevention and management of HAI as they are involved in basic hygienic care, steering and implementing quality improvement initiatives, correct microbiological sampling, and aspects antibiotic stewardship. The emergence of more sensitive microbiological techniques and our increased knowledge about interactions between critically ill patients and their microbiota are leading us to rethink how we define HAIs and best strategies to diagnose, treat and prevent these infections in the ICU. This multidisciplinary expert review, focused on the ICU setting, will summarise the recent epidemiology of ICU-HAI, discuss the place of modern microbiological techniques in their diagnosis, review operational and epidemiological definitions and redefine the place of several controversial preventive measures including antimicrobial-impregnated medical devices, chlorhexidine-impregnated washcloths, catheter dressings and chlorhexidine-based mouthwashes. Finally, general guidance is suggested that may reduce HAI incidence and especially outbreaks in ICUs.

Infections Due to Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus Complex: Escalation of Antimicrobial Resistance and Evolving Treatment Options

Bacteria within the genus Acinetobacter (principally A. baumannii-calcoaceticus complex [ABC]) are gram-negative coccobacilli that most often cause infections in nosocomial settings. Community-acquired infections are rare, but may occur in patients with comorbidities, advanced age, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung or renal disease, malignancy, or impaired immunity. Most common sites of infections include blood stream, skin/soft-tissue/surgical wounds, ventilator-associated pneumonia, orthopaedic or neurosurgical procedures, and urinary tract. Acinetobacter species are intrinsically resistant to multiple antimicrobials, and have a remarkable ability to acquire new resistance determinants via plasmids, transposons, integrons, and resistance islands. Since the 1990s, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has escalated dramatically among ABC. Global spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR)-ABC strains reflects dissemination of a few clones between hospitals, geographic regions, and continents; excessive antibiotic use amplifies this spread. Many isolates are resistant to all antimicrobials except colistimethate sodium and tetracyclines (minocycline or tigecycline); some infections are untreatable with existing antimicrobial agents. AMR poses a serious threat to effectively treat or prevent ABC infections. Strategies to curtail environmental colonization with MDR-ABC require aggressive infection-control efforts and cohorting of infected patients. Thoughtful antibiotic strategies are essential to limit the spread of MDR-ABC. Optimal therapy will likely require combination antimicrobial therapy with existing antibiotics as well as development of novel antibiotic classes.

Comparison of chlorhexidine impregnated dressing and standard dressing for the prevention of central-line associated blood stream infection and colonization in critically ill pediatric patients: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to compare chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)-impregnated dressing and standard dressing with respect to the frequency of central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), catheter-related bloodstream infection, primary bloodstream infection, and catheter colonization in critically ill pediatric patients with short-term central venous catheters.

METHODS

Children who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary institution between May 2018 and December 2019 and received placement of a short-term central venous catheter were included in this single-center randomized controlled trial. Patients were grouped according to the type of catheter fixation applied.

RESULTS

A total of 307 patients (151 CHG-impregnated dressing, 156 standard dressing), with 307 catheters (amounting to a collective total of 4,993 catheter days), were included in the study. The CHG-impregnated dressing did not significantly decrease the incidence of CLABSI (6.36 vs 7.59 per 1,000 catheter days; hazard ratio (HR): 0.93, P = 0.76), catheter related bloodstream infection (3.82 vs 4.18 per 1,000 catheter days; HR: 0.98; P = 0.98), and primary bloodstream infection (2.54 vs 3.42 catheter days; HR: 0.79; P = 0.67). The CHG-impregnated dressing significantly decreased the incidence of catheter colonization (3.82 vs 7.59 per 1,000 catheter days; HR: 0.40; P = 0.04). In both groups, the most frequent microorganisms isolated in CLABSI or catheter colonization were Gram-positive bacteria (the majority were coagulase-negative staphylococci).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of CHG-impregnated dressing does not decrease CLABSI incidence in critically ill pediatric patients but it significantly reduced catheter colonization. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most common microorganisms causing CLABSI or catheter colonization.

C. R, Thwaites L, Basnyat B, Baker S, Karkey A. Epidemiology, etiology, and diagnosis of health care acquired pneumonia including ventilator-associated pneumonia in Nepal

Epidemiologic data regarding health care acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) from Nepal are negligible. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a major tertiary hospital in Nepal between April 2016 and March 2018, to calculate the incidence of VAP, and to describe clinical variables, microbiological etiology, and outcomes. Four hundred and thirty-eight patients were enrolled in the study. Demographic data, medical history, antimicrobial administration record, chest X-ray, biochemical, microbiological and haematological results, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II score and the sequential organ failure assessment scores were recorded. Categorical variables were expressed as count and percentage and analyzed using the Fisher's exact test. Continuous variables were expressed as median and interquartile range and analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and the pairwise Wilcoxon rank-sum test. 46.8% (205/438) of the patients required intubation. Pneumonia was common in both intubated (94.14%; 193/205) and non-intubated (52.36%; 122/233) patients. Pneumonia developed among intubated patients in the ICU had longer days of stay in the ICU (median of 10, IQR 5-15, P< 0.001) when compared to non-intubated patients with pneumonia (median of 4, IQR 3-6, P< 0.001). The incidence rate of VAP was 20% (41/205) and incidence density was 16.45 cases per 1,000ventilator days. Mortality was significantly higher in patients with pneumonia requiring intubation (44.6%, 86/193) than patients with pneumonia not requiring intubation (10.7%, 13/122, p<0.001, Fisher's exact test). Gram negative bacteria such as Klebsiella and Acinetobacter species were the dominant organisms from both VAP and non-VAP categories. Multi-drug resistance was highly prevalent in bacterial isolates associated with VAP (90%; 99/110) and non-VAP categories (81.5%; 106/130). HAP including VAP remains to be the most prevalent hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) at Patan hospital. A local study of etiological agents and outcomes of HAP and VAP are required for setting more appropriate guidelines for management of such diseases.

National Infection Control Program in Turkey: The healthcare associated infection rate experiences over 10 years

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of healthcare associated infection (HAI) is generally higher in countries with limited resources than developed countries. To address the high prevalence of HAI, Turkish Ministry of Health introduced a national infection control program in 2005.

METHODS

Device associated (DA)-HAIs routinely surveyed included ventilator associated events, urinary catheter associated urinary tract infection and central line associated blood stream infection. Rates in DA-HAI were examined from 2008 to 2017 by type of hospitals, bed capacity, and geographic location of hospitals.

RESULTS

All DA-HAIs declined significantly from 2008 to 2017 nationally for ventilator associated events from 16.69 to 4.86 per 1,000 device days (IRR = 0.29, P < .0001), catheter associated urinary tract infection from 4.98 to 1.59 per 1,000 catheter days (IRR = 0.31, P < .0001) and central line associated blood stream infection from 5.65 to 2.82 per 1,000 catheter days (IRR = 0.47, P < .0001). The rates for DA-HAIs declined significantly in hospitals with ≥200 beds and <200 bed capacity and in all 4 type of hospitals. By 2017 all DA-HAI had significantly improved across all regions.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of a new national surveillance system supported by a national infection control program has significantly reduced 3 major DA-HAIs that are associated with risk of treatment failure and death. The next critical step in sustaining this crucial improvement will require timely feedback to hospitals using technology and continued buy-in from clinicians for their commitment to safety associated with DA-HAIs using aspirational DA-HAI rates.

The nitric oxide donor, (Z)-1-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-ammonioethyl)amino]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (DETA-NONOate/D-NO), increases survival by attenuating hyperoxia-compromised innate immunity in bacterial clearance in a mouse model of ventilator-associated pneumonia

Mechanical ventilation (MV) with supraphysiological levels of oxygen (hyperoxia) is a life-saving therapy for the management of patients with respiratory distress. However, a significant number of patients on MV develop ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Previously, we have reported that prolonged exposure to hyperoxia impairs the capacity of macrophages to phagocytize Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), which can contribute to the compromised innate immunity in VAP. In this study, we show that the high mortality rate in mice subjected to hyperoxia and PA infection was accompanied by a significant decrease in the airway levels of nitric oxide (NO). Decreased NO levels were found to be, in part, due to a significant reduction in NO release by macrophages upon exposure to PA lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Based on these findings, we postulated that NO supplementation should restore hyperoxia-compromised innate immunity and decrease mortality by increasing the clearance of PA under hyperoxic conditions. To test this hypothesis, cultured macrophages were exposed to hyperoxia (95% O₂) in the presence or absence of the NO donor, (Z)-1-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-ammonioethyl)amino]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate (DETA-NONOate/D-NO). Interestingly, D-NO (up to 37.5 µM) significantly attenuated hyperoxia-compromised macrophage migratory, phagocytic, and bactericidal function. To determine whether the administration of exogenous NO enhances the host defense in bacteria clearance, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to hyperoxia (99% O₂) and intranasally inoculated with PA in the presence or absence of D-NO. D-NO (300 µM-800 µM) significantly increased the survival of mice inoculated with PA under hyperoxic conditions, and significantly decreased bacterial loads in the lung and attenuated lung injury. These results suggest the NO donor, D-NO, can improve the clinical outcomes in VAP by augmenting the innate immunity in bacterial clearance. Thus, provided these results can be extrapolated to humans, NO supplementation may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing and treating patients with VAP.

'Adiós Bacteriemias': a multi-country quality improvement collaborative project to reduce the incidence of CLABSI in Latin American ICUs

QUALITY PROBLEM

The incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in Latin America has been estimated at 4.9 episodes per 1000 central line (CL) days, compared to a pooled incidence of 0.9 in the United States. CLABSI usually result from not adhering to standardized health procedures and can be prevented using evidence-based practices.

INITIAL ASSESSMENT

The first phase of the 'Adiós Bacteriemias' Collaborative was implemented in 39 intensive care units (ICUs) from Latin America from September 2012 to September 2013 with a 56% overall reduction in the incidence of CLABSI.

CHOICE OF SOLUTION

Bundles of care for the processes of insertion and maintenance of CLs have proven to be effective in the reduction of CLABSI across different settings.

IMPLEMENTATION

Building on the results of the first phase, we implemented a second phase of the 'Adiós Bacteriemias' Collaborative between June 2014-July 2015. We adapted the Breakthrough Series (BTS) Collaborative model to guide the adoption of bundles of care for CLABSI prevention through virtual learning sessions and continuous feedback.

EVALUATION

Eighty-three ICUs from five Latin American countries actively reported process and outcome measures. The overall reduction in the CLABSI incidence rate was 22% (incidence rate 0.78; 95% CI 0.65, 0.95), from 2.58 episodes per 1000 CL days at baseline to 2.02 episodes per 1000 CL days (P < 0.01) during the intervention period.

LESSONS LEARNED

Adiós Bacteriemias was effective in reducing the incidence of CLABSI and improving the adherence to good practices for CL insertion and maintenance processes in participating ICUs in Latin America.

World-Wide Variation in Incidence of Staphylococcus aureus Associated Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Meta-Regression

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a common Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) isolate. The objective here is to define the extent and possible reasons for geographic variation in the incidences of S. aureus-associated VAP, MRSA-VAP and overall VAP. A meta-regression model of S. aureus-associated VAP incidence per 1000 Mechanical Ventilation Days (MVD) was undertaken using random effects methods among publications obtained from a search of the English language literature. This model incorporated group level factors such as admission to a trauma ICU, year of publication and use of bronchoscopic sampling towards VAP diagnosis. The search identified 133 publications from seven worldwide regions published over three decades. The summary S. aureus-associated VAP incidence was 4.5 (3.9–5.3) per 1000 MVD. The highest S. aureus-associated VAP incidence is amongst reports from the Mediterranean (mean; 95% confidence interval; 6.1; 4.1–8.5) versus that from Asian ICUs (2.1; 1.5–3.0). The incidence of S. aureus-associated VAP varies by up to three-fold (for the lowest versus highest incidence) among seven geographic regions worldwide, whereas the incidence of VAP varies by less than two-fold. Admission to a trauma unit is the most important group level correlate for S. aureus-associated VAP.

Analysis of epidemiology and risk factors for mortality in ventilator-associated pneumonia attacks in intensive care unit patients

BACKGROUND/AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiologic characteristics, the causative microorganisms and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and the prognostic risk factors for mortality in critically ill patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective observational study, all the critically ill patients with VAP hospitalized in a medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2010 and June 2015 were evaluated. Patients' demographic features and microbiological data were reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 417 patients were clinically diagnosed with VAP; 51.1% of them were male and the average age was found as 69.9 ± 15.9 years. VAP was detected at approximately 25.0 ± 18.0 days of ICU stay and 17.9 ± 12.6 days after intubation. Acinetobacter baumannii (69.5%) was isolated as the most frequent VAP agent, and the most effective antibiotic was colistin. The crude mortality rate was detected as 39.8% among the patients. The presence of dyspnea at admission, coronary heart disease as a comorbidity, unconsciousness at admission, steroid usage, and prolonged hospital stay were observed as independent risk factors in multivariate analysis (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

According to the etiological microorganisms and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, colistin was found to be the most reliable antibiotic for empirical antimicrobial therapy.

The Effects of Bundles on Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

BACKGROUND

There are few studies in the literature from developing countries regarding the rates of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), which is frequently encountered in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).

AIM

The aim of this study is to evaluate the 2-year rates of CAUTI in a PICU where a CAUTI Prevention Bundle was implemented.

DESIGN

This was an interventional prospective study.

METHODS

The study was conducted with 390 patients in the PICU of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Turkey, from July 2013 to July 2015. The patients were selected based on the diagnostic criteria of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

RESULTS

Urinary colonization occurred in 8 (2.2%) patients in the prebundle group and 3 (0.8%) patients in the postbundle group, and contamination occurred in 10 (2.8%) patients in the prebundle group and 6 (1.5%) patients in the postbundle group. The CAUTI incidence and rates were 5.8% and 6.1 per 1000 urinary catheter days and 1.5% and 1.8 per 1000 urinary catheter days prebundle and postbundle, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the prebundle and postbundle CAUTI rates.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support that clinical nurse specialists in developing countries should consider the use of CAUTI bundles to prevent CAUTIs.

Device-Associated Healthcare-Associated Infections (DA-HAI) and the caveat of multiresistance in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Device-Associated Healthcare-Associated Infections (DA-HAI), including Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP), Central-Line-Associated Blood Stream Infection (CLABSI), and Catheter-Related Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI), are considered as principal contributors to healthcare hazard and threat to patient safety as they can cause prolonged hospital stay, sepsis, and mortality in the ICU. The study intends to characterize DA-HAI in a tertiary care multidisciplinary ICU of a teaching hospital in eastern India.

METHODS

This prospective outcome-surveillance study was conducted among 2157 ICU patients of a 760-bedded teaching hospital in Eastern India. Clinical, laboratory and environmental surveillance, and screening of HCPs were conducted using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions and methods.

RESULTS

With 8824 patient/bed/ICU days and 14,676 device days, pooled average device utilization ratio was 1.66, total episodes of DA-HAI were 114, and mean monthly rates of DA-HAI, VAP, CLABSI, and CAUTI were 4.75, 2, 1.4, and 1.25/1000 device days. Most common pathogens isolated from DA-HAI patients were Klebsiella pneumoniae (24.6%), Escherichia coli (21.9%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.2%). All Acinetobacter baumanii, >80% K. pneumoniae and E. coli, and >70% P. aeruginosa were susceptible only to colistin and tigecycline. One P. aeruginosa isolate was panresistant.

CONCLUSION

Mean rates of VAP, CLABSI, and CAUTI were 14.4, 8.1, and 4.5 per 1000 device days, which are comparable with Indian and global ICUs. Patients and HCPs form important reservoirs of infection. Resolute conviction and sustained momentum in Infection Control Initiatives are an essential step toward patient safety.

World-wide variation in incidence of Acinetobacter associated ventilator associated pneumonia: a meta-regression

Background

Acinetobacter species such as Acinetobacter baumanii are of increasing concern in association with ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP). In the ICU, Acinetobacter infections are known to be subject to seasonal variation but the extent of geographic variation is unclear. The objective here is to define the extent and possible reasons for geographic variation for Acinetobacter associated VAP whether or not these isolates are reported as Acinetobacter baumanii.

Methods

A meta-regression model of VAP associated Acinetobacter incidence within the published literature was undertaken using random effects methods. This model incorporated group level factors such as proportion of trauma admissions, year of publication and reporting practices for Acinetobacter infection.

Results

The search identified 117 studies from seven worldwide regions over 29 years. There is significant variation in Acinetobacter species associated VAP incidence among seven world-wide regions. The highest incidence is amongst reports from the Middle East (mean; 95 % confidence interval; 8.8; 6 · 2–12 · 7 per 1000 mechanical ventilation days) versus that from North American ICU’s (1 · 2; 0 · 8–2 · 1). There is a similar geographic related disparity in incidence among studies reporting specifically as Acinetobacter baumanii. The incidence in ICU’s with a majority of admission being for trauma is >2.5 times that of other ICU’s.

Conclusion

There is greater than fivefold variation in Acinetobacter associated VAP among reports from various geographic regions worldwide. This variation is not explainable by variations in rates of VAP overall, admissions for trauma, publication year or Acinetobacter reporting practices as group level variables.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1921-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

First report of macroscopic biofilm formation caused by Candida albicans on silver hydrogel-coated urinary catheters

We report macroscopic biofilms on silver hydrogel-coated urinary catheters in 2 patients from 2 different intensive care units. The catheters were removed on observation of a white, jelly layer on the catheters, respectively, 9 and 21 days after insertion. Yeast cells and pseudohyphal structures were observed with microscopy. Both isolates were identified as Candida albicans. To our knowledge, these are the first cases demonstrating the formation of macroscopic biofilm layers on silver nitrate-coated catheters in the literature.

Intensive care unit-acquired infections in a tertiary care hospital: An epidemiologic survey and influence on patient outcomes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Nosocomial infections are common in intensive care units (ICUs), but the pattern of infections and the distribution of microorganisms vary. We studied the ICU-acquired infections and their effect on patient outcomes in our ICU.

METHODS

Patients admitted to our ICU for >48 hours were studied prospectively over a year. Infections were diagnosed based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Antibiotics were administered based on culture and sensitivity. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were carried out to determine the factors associated with infection.

RESULTS

One hundred ninety-eight patients were studied. The crude infection rate was 50% with ventilator-associated pneumonia (40%) and bloodstream infection (21%) being the most common. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most common microorganisms. More than 90% of patients received antibiotics, the most common being β lactam-β lactamase inhibitors, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and carbapenems. Thirty-five percent of staphylococci were methicillin-resistant, 50% of Enterococcus strains were vancomycin-resistant, and 68% of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex, 47% of Pseudomonas strains, and 35% of Klebsiella strains were multidrug-resistant. A longer duration of ventilation was associated with infection. The overall ICU mortality rate was 24% and was similar in patients with or without infection.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of infection and the multidrug resistance in the ICU was high. Infection was associated with duration of ventilation but not mortality.

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) resources: INICC multidimensional approach and INICC surveillance online system

BACKGROUND

The International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) is an international, nonprofit, multicentric health care-associated infection (HAI) cohort surveillance network with a methodology based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN). The INICC was founded in 1998 to promote evidence-based infection control in limited-resource countries through the analysis of surveillance data collected by their affiliated hospitals. The INICC is comprised of >3,000-affiliated infection control professionals from 1,000 hospitals in 67 countries and is the only source of aggregate standardized international data on HAI epidemiology. Having published reports on device-associated (DA) HAI (HAI) and surgical site infections (SSIs) from 43 countries and several reports per individual country, the INICC showed DA HAI and SSI rates in limited-resources countries are 3-5 times higher than in high-income countries.

METHODS

The INICC developed the INICC Multidimensional Approach (IMA) for HAI prevention with 6 components, bundles with 7-13 elements, and the INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS) with 15 modules.

RESOURCES

In this article the IMA, the ISOS for outcome surveillance of HAIs and process surveillance of bundles to prevent HAIs, and the use of surveillance data feedback are described.

COMMENTS

Remarkable features of the IMA and ISOS are INICC's applying of the latest published CDC-NHSN HAI definitions, including their updates and revisions in 2008, 2013, 2015 and 2016; INICC's informatics system to check accuracy of fulfillment of CDC-NHSN HAI criteria; and INICC's system to check compliance with each bundle element.

Nosocomial infections and resistance pattern of common bacterial isolates in an intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in Nigeria: A 4-year review

INTRODUCTION

Infection is a major determinant of clinical outcome among patients in the intensive care unit. However, these data are lacking in most developing countries; hence, we set out to describe the profile of nosocomial infection in one of the major tertiary hospitals in northern Nigeria.

METHOD

Case records of patients who were admitted into the intensive care unit over a 4-year period were retrospectively reviewed. A preformed questionnaire was administered, and data on clinical and microbiological profile of patients with documented infection were obtained.

RESULTS

Eighty-our episodes of nosocomial infections were identified in 76 patients. Road traffic accident (29/76, 38.2%) was the leading cause of admission. The most common infections were skin and soft tissue infections (30/84, 35.7%) followed by urinary tract infection (23/84, 27.4%). The most frequent isolates were Staphylococcus aureus (35/84, 41.7%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (18/84, 21.4%), and Escherichia coli (13/84, 15.5%). High rate of resistance to cloxacillin (19/35, 54.3%) and cotrimoxazole (17/26, 65.4%) was noted among the S aureus isolates. All the Enterobacteriaceae isolates were susceptible to meropenem, whereas resistance rate to ceftriaxone was high (E coli, 55.6%; K pneumoniae, 71.4%; Proteus spp, 50%).

CONCLUSION

Infection control practice and measures to curtail the emergence of antimicrobial resistance need to be improved.

Case fatality rate related to nosocomial and ventilator-associated pneumonia in an ICU: a single-centre retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Nosocomial pneumonia (NP) and ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) have been associated with financially significant economic burden and increased case fatality rate in adult intensive care units (ICUs). This study was designed to evaluate case fatality rate among patients with NP and VAP in a respiratory ICU.

METHODS

In 2008-2013, VAP and NP in the ICUs were included in this retrospective single-centre cohort study. Data on demographics, co-morbidities, severity of illness, mechanical ventilation, empirical treatment, length of hospital stay and laboratory findings were recorded in each group, as were case fatality rate during ICU admission and after discharge including short-term (28-day) and long-term (a year) case fatality rate.

RESULTS

A total of 108 patients with VAP (n = 64, median (IQR) age: 70 (61-75) years, 67.2% were men) or NP (n = 44, median (IQR) age: 68 (62-74) years, 68.2% were men) were found. Appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy was identified only in 45.2 and 42.9% of patients with VAP and NP, respectively. Overall case fatality rate in VAP and NP (81.3 vs 84.1), ICU case fatality rate (42.2 vs 45.5%), short-term case fatality rate (15.6 vs 27.3%) and long-term case fatality rate (23.4 vs 11.4%) were similar between VAP and NP groups along with occurrence 50% of case fatality rate cases in the first 2 months and 90% within the first year of discharge. Multivariate analysis showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (HR: 3.15, 95% CI: 1.06-9.38; p = 0.039) and presence of septic shock (HR: 3.83, 95% CI: 1.26-11.60; p = 0.018) were independently associated with lower survival.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our findings in a retrospective cohort of respiratory ICU patients with VAP or NP revealed high ICU, short- and long-term case fatality rates within 1 year of diagnosis, regardless of the diagnosis of NP after 48 h of initial admission or after induction of ventilator support. COPD and presence of septic shock are associated with high fatality rate and our findings speculate that as increasing compliance with infection control programs and close monitoring especially in 2 months of discharge might reduce high-case fatality rate in patients with VAP and NP.

Excess Length of Stay Due to Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infection in Intensive Care Units in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico

Objective.

To estimate the excess length of stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) due to a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), using a multistate model that accounts for the timing of infection.

Design.

A cohort of 3,560 patients followed up for 36,806 days in ICUs.

Setting.

Eleven ICUs in 3 Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

Patients.

All patients admitted to the ICU during a defined time period with a central line in place for more than 24 hours.

Results.

The average excess length of stay due to a CLABSI increased in 10 of 11 ICUs and varied from -1.23 days to 4.69 days. A reduction in length of stay in Mexico was probably caused by an increased risk of death due to CLABSI, leading to shorter times to death. Adjusting for patient age and Average Severity of Illness Score tended to increase the estimated excess length of stays due to CLABSI.

Conclusions.

CLABSIs are associated with an excess length of ICU stay. The average excess length of stay varies between ICUs, most likely because of the case-mix of admissions and differences in the ways that hospitals deal with infections.

Excess Length of Stay Due to Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infection in Intensive Care Units in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico

Objective.

To estimate the excess length of stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) due to a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), using a multistate model that accounts for the timing of infection.

Design.

A cohort of 3,560 patients followed up for 36,806 days in ICUs.

Setting.

Eleven ICUs in 3 Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

Patients.

All patients admitted to the ICU during a defined time period with a central line in place for more than 24 hours.

Results.

The average excess length of stay due to a CLABSI increased in 10 of 11 ICUs and varied from -1.23 days to 4.69 days. A reduction in length of stay in Mexico was probably caused by an increased risk of death due to CLABSI, leading to shorter times to death. Adjusting for patient age and Average Severity of Illness Score tended to increase the estimated excess length of stays due to CLABSI.

Conclusions.

CLABSIs are associated with an excess length of ICU stay. The average excess length of stay varies between ICUs, most likely because of the case-mix of admissions and differences in the ways that hospitals deal with infections.

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) national report on device-associated infection rates in 19 cities of Turkey, data summary for 2003-2012

Background

Device-associated healthcare-acquired infections (DA-HAI) pose a threat to patient safety, particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU). We report the results of the International Infection Control Consortium (INICC) study conducted in Turkey from August 2003 through October 2012.

Methods

A DA-HAI surveillance study in 63 adult, paediatric ICUs and neonatal ICUs (NICUs) from 29 hospitals, in 19 cities using the methods and definitions of the U.S. NHSN and INICC methods.

Results

We collected prospective data from 94,498 ICU patients for 647,316 bed days. Pooled DA-HAI rates for adult and paediatric ICUs were 11.1 central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) per 1000 central line (CL)-days, 21.4 ventilator-associated pneumonias (VAPs) per 1000 mechanical ventilator (MV)-days and 7.5 catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) per 1000 urinary catheter-days. Pooled DA-HAI rates for NICUs were 30 CLABSIs per 1000 CL-days, and 15.8 VAPs per 1000 MV-days. Extra length of stay (LOS) in adult and paediatric ICUs was 19.4 for CLABSI, 8.7 for VAP and 10.1 for CAUTI. Extra LOS in NICUs was 13.1 for patients with CLABSI and 16.2 for patients with VAP. Extra crude mortality was 12% for CLABSI, 19.4% for VAP and 10.5% for CAUTI in ICUs, and 15.4% for CLABSI and 10.5% for VAP in NICUs. Pooled device use (DU) ratios for adult and paediatric ICUs were 0.54 for MV, 0.65 for CL and 0.88 for UC, and 0.12 for MV, and 0.09 for CL in NICUs. The CLABSI rate was 8.5 per 1,000 CL days in the Medical Surgical ICUs included in this study, which is higher than the INICC report rate of 4.9, and more than eight times higher than the NHSN rate of 0.9. Similarly, the VAP and CAUTI rates were higher compared with U.S. NHSN (22.3 vs. 1.1 for VAP; 7.9 vs. 1.2 for CAUTI) and with the INICC report (22.3 vs. 16.5 in VAP; 7.9 vs. 5.3 in CAUTI).

Conclusions

DA-HAI rates and DU ratios in our ICUs were higher than those reported in the INICC global report and in the US NHSN report.

Increasing incidence of hospital-acquired and healthcare-associated bacteremia in northeast Thailand: a multicenter surveillance study

Background

Little is known about the epidemiology of nosocomial bloodstream infections in public hospitals in developing countries. We evaluated trends in incidence of hospital-acquired bacteremia (HAB) and healthcare-associated bacteremia (HCAB) and associated mortality in a developing country using routinely available databases.

Methods

Information from the microbiology and hospital databases of 10 provincial hospitals in northeast Thailand was linked with the national death registry for 2004–2010. Bacteremia was considered hospital-acquired if detected after the first two days of hospital admission, and healthcare-associated if detected within two days of hospital admission with a prior inpatient episode in the preceding 30 days.

Results

A total of 3,424 patients out of 1,069,443 at risk developed HAB and 2,184 out of 119,286 at risk had HCAB. Of these 1,559 (45.5%) and 913 (41.8%) died within 30 days, respectively. Between 2004 and 2010, the incidence rate of HAB increased from 0.6 to 0.8 per 1,000 patient-days at risk (p<0.001), and the cumulative incidence of HCAB increased from 1.2 to 2.0 per 100 readmissions (p<0.001). The most common causes of HAB were Acinetobacter spp. (16.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.9%), and Staphylococcus aureus (13.9%), while those of HCAB were Escherichia coli (26.3%), S. aureus (14.0%), and K. pneumoniae (9.7%). There was an overall increase over time in the proportions of ESBL-producing E. coli causing HAB and HCAB.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a high and increasing incidence of HAB and HCAB in provincial hospitals in northeast Thailand, increasing proportions of ESBL-producing isolates, and very high associated mortality.

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) report, data summary of 43 countries for 2007-2012. Device-associated module

We report the results of an International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2007-December 2012 in 503 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. During the 6-year study using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) U.S. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 605,310 patients hospitalized in the INICC's ICUs for an aggregate of 3,338,396 days. Although device utilization in the INICC's ICUs was similar to that reported from ICUs in the U.S. in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals: the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection in the INICC's ICUs, 4.9 per 1,000 central line days, is nearly 5-fold higher than the 0.9 per 1,000 central line days reported from comparable U.S. ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was also higher (16.8 vs 1.1 per 1,000 ventilator days) as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (5.5 vs 1.3 per 1,000 catheter days). Frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas isolates to amikacin (42.8% vs 10%) and imipenem (42.4% vs 26.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (71.2% vs 28.8%) and imipenem (19.6% vs 12.8%) were also higher in the INICC's ICUs compared with the ICUs of the CDC's NHSN.

Antibiotic use and emerging resistance: how can resource-limited countries turn the tide?

Antibiotic resistance is a global crisis driven by appropriate and inappropriate antibiotic use to treat human illness and promote animal growth. The antimicrobial resistance epidemic continues to spread due to the triple threat of unfettered access, minimal product regulation and oversight of antibiotic prescription, and lack of clinical diagnostic tools to support antibiotic de-escalation in low-resource settings. In high-resource settings, evidence-based strategies have improved the appropriateness of antibiotic use, limiting the spread of drug-resistant organisms and reducing hospital-associated infections, strategies which may also be effective to stop the spread of resistance in resource-poor countries. Current research and surveillance efforts on antimicrobial resistance and hospital-associated infections in low-resource settings are extremely limited and largely focused on intensive care units. Many challenges exist to improving antibiotic use and infection control in resource-limited settings, and turning the tide requires intensifying research and surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, and developing new bedside diagnostic tools for bacterial infections and antimicrobial susceptibility.

Hospital-acquired urinary tract infection point prevalence in Turkey: differences in risk factors among patient groups

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the point prevalence of nosocomial urinary tract infections (UTIs) and to investigate risk factors for pathogen type (E. coli vs. others) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) positivity among nosocomial UTI patients.

Methods

A questionnaire consisting of 44 questions on demographic data and risk factors of UTI cases was sent to 51 tertiary care hospitals. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.

Results

The overall prevalence of UTI was 1.82% (483/26534). The prevalence of UTI was higher in intensive care units (ICUs) with 6.77% versus 1.45% outside ICUs. Hospitals of the Ministry of Health (compared to university hospitals), hospitals in less developed provinces and hospitals with bed capacity < 500 had higher UTI prevalence. Patients without a urinary catheter were more likely to have received immunosuppressive therapy, current corticosteroid use, renal transplantation and uterine prolapsus and less likely to have another infection outside the urinary tract, as compared to catheterized patients. Among the 422 culture-positive patients, the most common pathogen was E. coli (45.5%). The risk factors increasing the likelihood of E. coli in urine culture were being female, history of urinary tract operation, no use of antibiotics in the preceding three months and infection outside the urinary tract. There were 247 patients with E. coli or Klebsiella spp. positive in culture. Among these, 61% (n=151) were ESBL- positive. Among patients having E. coli/Klebsiella positive in culture, antibiotic use in the preceding three months and history of urinary tract operation were the independent risk factors significantly increasing the risk of ESBL.

Conclusions

The reasons underlying the high prevalence of nosocomial UTIs, and a better understanding of the risk factors might lead to improved control of these infections.

Impact of a multidimensional infection control approach on catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates in adult intensive care units in 10 cities of Turkey: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium findings (INICC)

BACKGROUND

We evaluate the effectiveness of a multidimensional infection control approach for the reduction of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) in 13 intensive care units (ICUs) in 10 hospital members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) from 10 cities of Turkey.

METHODS

A before-after prospective active surveillance study was used to determine rates of CAUTI. The study was divided into baseline (phase 1) and intervention (phase 2). In phase 1, surveillance was performed applying the definitions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Healthcare Safety Network. In phase 2, we implemented a multidimensional approach that included bundle of infection control interventions, education, surveillance and feedback on CAUTI rates, process surveillance, and performance feedback. We used random effects Poisson regression to account for clustering of CAUTI rates across time periods.

RESULTS

The study included 4,231 patients, hospitalized in 13 ICUs, in 10 hospitals, in 10 cities, during 49,644 patient-days. We recorded a total of 41,871 urinary catheter (UC)-days: 5,080 in phase 1 and 36,791 in phase 2. During phase 1, the rate of CAUTI was 10.63 per 1,000 UC-days and was significantly decreased by 47% in phase 2 to 5.65 per 1,000 UC-days (relative risk, 0.53; 95% confidence interval: 0.4-0.7; P value = .0001).

CONCLUSION

Our multidimensional approach was associated with a significant reduction in the rates of CAUTI in Turkey.

Impact of a multidimensional infection control approach on central line-associated bloodstream infections rates in adult intensive care units of 8 cities of Turkey: findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)

Background

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABs) have long been associated with excess lengths of stay, increased hospital costs and mortality attributable to them. Different studies from developed countries have shown that practice bundles reduce the incidence of CLAB in intensive care units. However, the impact of the bundle strategy has not been systematically analyzed in the adult intensive care unit (ICU) setting in developing countries, such as Turkey. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional infection control approach to reduce the rates of CLAB in 13 ICUs of 13 INICC member hospitals from 8 cities of Turkey.

Methods

We conducted active, prospective surveillance before-after study to determine CLAB rates in a cohort of 4,017 adults hospitalized in ICUs. We applied the definitions of the CDC/NHSN and INICC surveillance methods. The study was divided into baseline and intervention periods. During baseline, active outcome surveillance of CLAB rates was performed. During intervention, the INICC multidimensional approach for CLAB reduction was implemented and included the following measures: 1- bundle of infection control interventions, 2- education, 3- outcome surveillance, 4- process surveillance, 5- feedback of CLAB rates, and 6- performance feedback on infection control practices. CLAB rates obtained in baseline were compared with CLAB rates obtained during intervention.

Results

During baseline, 3,129 central line (CL) days were recorded, and during intervention, we recorded 23,463 CL-days. We used random effects Poisson regression to account for clustering of CLAB rates within hospital across time periods. The baseline CLAB rate was 22.7 per 1000 CL days, which was decreased during the intervention period to 12.0 CLABs per 1000 CL days (IRR 0.613; 95% CI 0.43 – 0.87; P 0.007). This amounted to a 39% reduction in the incidence rate of CLAB.

Conclusions

The implementation of multidimensional infection control approach was associated with a significant reduction in the CLAB rates in adult ICUs of Turkey, and thus should be widely implemented.

Effectiveness of a multidimensional approach for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in 11 adult intensive care units from 10 cities of Turkey: findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC)

PURPOSE

To evaluate the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional approach on the reduction of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in adult patients hospitalized in 11 intensive care units (ICUs), from 10 hospitals, members of the INICC, in 10 cities of Turkey.

METHODS

A prospective active before-after surveillance study was conducted to determine the effect of the INICC multidimensional approach in the VAP rate. The study was divided into two phases. In phase 1, active prospective surveillance of VAP was conducted using the definitions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Safety Network, and the INICC methods. In phase 2, we implemented the multidimensional approach for VAP. The INICC multidimensional approach included the following measures: (1) bundle of infection control interventions, (2) education, (3) outcome surveillance, (4) process surveillance, (5) feedback of VAP rates, and (6) performance feedback of infection control practices. We compared the rates of VAP obtained in each phase. A time series analysis was performed to assess the impact of our approach.

RESULTS

In phase 1, we recorded 2,376 mechanical ventilator (MV)-days, and in phase 2, after implementing the multidimensional approach, we recorded 28,181 MV-days. The rate of VAP was 31.14 per 1,000 MV-days during phase 1, and 16.82 per 1,000 MV-days during phase 2, amounting to a 46 % VAP rate reduction (RR, 0.54; 95 % CI, 0.42-0.7; P value, 0.0001.)

CONCLUSIONS

The INICC multidimensional approach was associated with a significant reduction in the VAP rate in these adult ICUs of Turkey.

High Mobility Group Box-1 mediates hyperoxia-induced impairment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clearance and inflammatory lung injury in mice

Mechanical ventilation with supraphysiological concentrations of oxygen (hyperoxia) is routinely used to treat patients with respiratory distress. However, a significant number of patients on ventilators exhibit enhanced susceptibility to infections and develop ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is one of the most common species of bacteria found in these patients. Previously, we demonstrated that prolonged exposure to hyperoxia can compromise the ability of alveolar macrophages (AMs), an essential part of the innate immunity, to phagocytose PA. This study sought to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms underlying hyperoxia-compromised innate immunity against bacterial infection in a murine model of PA pneumonia. Here, we show that exposure to hyperoxia (≥ 99% O2) led to a significant elevation in concentrations of airway high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) and increased mortality in C57BL/6 mice infected with PA. Treatment of these mice with a neutralizing anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) resulted in a reduction in bacterial counts, injury, and numbers of neutrophils in the lungs, and an increase in leukocyte phagocytic activity compared with mice receiving control mAb. This improved phagocytic function was associated with reduced concentrations of airway HMGB1. The correlation between phagocytic activity and concentrations of extracellular HMGB1 was also observed in cultured macrophages. These results indicate a pathogenic role for HMGB1 in hyperoxia-induced impairment with regard to a host's ability to clear bacteria and inflammatory lung injury. Thus, HMGB1 may provide a novel molecular target for improving hyperoxia-compromised innate immunity in patients with VAP.

Effectiveness of a multidimensional approach to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia in pediatric intensive care units of 5 developing countries: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium findings

BACKGROUND

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common health care-associated infections in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). Practice bundles have been shown to reduce VAP rates in PICUs in developed countries; however, the impact of a multidimensional approach, including a bundle, has not been analyzed in PICUs from developing countries.

METHODS

This was a before-after study to determine rates of VAP during a period of active surveillance without the implementation of the multidimensional infection control program (phase 1) to be compared with rates of VAP after implementing such a program, which included the following: bundle of infection control interventions, education, outcome surveillance, process surveillance, feedback on VAP rates, and performance feedback on infection control practices (phase 2). This study was conducted by infection control professionals applying the National Health Safety Network's definitions of health care-associated infections and the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium's surveillance methodology.

RESULTS

During the baseline period, we recorded a total of 5,212 mechanical ventilator (MV)-days, and during implementation of the intervention bundle, we recorded 9,894 MV-days. The VAP rate was 11.7 per 1,000 MV-days during the baseline period and 8.1 per 1,000 MV-days during the intervention period (relative risk, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.5-0.96; P = .02), demonstrating a 31% reduction in VAP rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that implementation of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium's multidimensional program was associated with a significant reduction in VAP rate in PICUs of developing countries.

Socioeconomic impact on device-associated infections in pediatric intensive care units of 16 limited-resource countries: international Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium findings

OBJECTIVES

We report the results of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium prospective surveillance study from January 2004 to December 2009 in 33 pediatric intensive care units of 16 countries and the impact of being in a private vs. public hospital and the income country level on device-associated health care-associated infection rates. Additionally, we aim to compare these findings with the results of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network annual report to show the differences between developed and developing countries regarding device-associated health care-associated infection rates.

PATIENTS

A prospective cohort, active device-associated health care-associated infection surveillance study was conducted on 23,700 patients in International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium pediatric intensive care units.

METHODS

The protocol and methodology implemented were developed by International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium. Data collection was performed in the participating intensive care units. Data uploading and analyses were conducted at International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium headquarters on proprietary software. Device-associated health care-associated infection rates were recorded by applying Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network device-associated infection definitions, and the impact of being in a private vs. public hospital and the income country level on device-associated infection risk was evaluated.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Central line-associated bloodstream infection rates were similar in private, public, or academic hospitals (7.3 vs. 8.4 central line-associated bloodstream infection per 1,000 catheter-days [p < .35 vs. 8.2; p < .42]). Central line-associated bloodstream infection rates in lower middle-income countries were higher than low-income countries or upper middle-income countries (12.2 vs. 5.5 central line-associated bloodstream infections per 1,000 catheter-days [p < .02 vs. 7.0; p < .001]). Catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates were similar in academic, public and private hospitals: (4.2 vs. 5.2 catheter-associated urinary tract infection per 1,000 catheter-days [p = .41 vs. 3.0; p = .195]). Catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates were higher in lower middle-income countries than low-income countries or upper middle-income countries (5.9 vs. 0.6 catheter-associated urinary tract infection per 1,000 catheter-days [p < .004 vs. 3.7; p < .01]). Ventilator-associated pneumonia rates in academic hospitals were higher than private or public hospitals: (8.3 vs. 3.5 ventilator-associated pneumonias per 1,000 ventilator-days [p < .001 vs. 4.7; p < .001]). Lower middle-income countries had higher ventilator-associated pneumonia rates than low-income countries or upper middle-income countries: (9.0 vs. 0.5 per 1,000 ventilator-days [p < .001 vs. 5.4; p < .001]). Hand hygiene compliance rates were higher in public than academic or private hospitals (65.2% vs. 54.8% [p < .001 vs. 13.3%; p < .01]).

CONCLUSIONS

Country socioeconomic level influence device-associated infection rates in developing countries and need to be considered when comparing device-associated infections from one country to another.

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) report, data summary of 36 countries, for 2004-2009

The results of a surveillance study conducted by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) from January 2004 through December 2009 in 422 intensive care units (ICUs) of 36 countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe are reported. During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN; formerly the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system [NNIS]) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infections, we gathered prospective data from 313,008 patients hospitalized in the consortium's ICUs for an aggregate of 2,194,897 ICU bed-days. Despite the fact that the use of devices in the developing countries' ICUs was remarkably similar to that reported in US ICUs in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were significantly higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals; the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection in the INICC ICUs of 6.8 per 1,000 central line-days was more than 3-fold higher than the 2.0 per 1,000 central line-days reported in comparable US ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia also was far higher (15.8 vs 3.3 per 1,000 ventilator-days), as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (6.3 vs. 3.3 per 1,000 catheter-days). Notably, the frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates to imipenem (47.2% vs 23.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (76.3% vs 27.1%), Escherichia coli isolates to ceftazidime (66.7% vs 8.1%), Staphylococcus aureus isolates to methicillin (84.4% vs 56.8%), were also higher in the consortium's ICUs, and the crude unadjusted excess mortalities of device-related infections ranged from 7.3% (for catheter-associated urinary tract infection) to 15.2% (for ventilator-associated pneumonia).

Factors associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infections and the effects of other concomitant nosocomial infections in intensive care units

BACKGROUND

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are the most common nosocomial infections in intensive care units (ICUs). The objectives of this study were to describe the incidence, aetiology, and risk factors of CAUTIs in ICUs and to determine whether concomitant nosocomial infections alter risk factors.

METHODS

Between April and October 2008, all adult catheterized patients admitted to the ICUs of Zonguldak Karaelmas University Hospital were screened daily, and clinical and microbiological data were collected for each patient.

RESULTS

Two hundred and four patients were included and 85 developed a nosocomial infection. Among these patients, 22 developed a CAUTI alone, 38 developed a CAUTI with an additional nosocomial infection, either concomitantly or prior to the onset of the CAUTI, and 25 developed nosocomial infections at other sites. The CAUTI rate was 19.02 per 1000 catheter-days. A Cox proportional hazard model showed that in the presence of other site nosocomial infections, immune suppression (hazard ratio (HR) 3.73, 95% CI 1.47-9.46; p = 0.006), previous antibiotic usage (HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.11-3.83; p = 0.023), and the presence of a nosocomial infection at another site (HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.04-3.20; p = 0.037) were the factors associated with the acquisition of CAUTIs with or without a nosocomial infection at another site. When we excluded the other site nosocomial infections to determine if the risk factors differed depending on the presence of other nosocomial infections, female gender (HR 2.67, 95% CI 1.03-6.91; p = 0.043) and duration of urinary catheterization (HR 1.07 (per day), 95% CI 1.01-1.13; p = 0.019) were found to be the risk factors for the acquisition of CAUTIs alone.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that the presence of nosocomial infections at another site was an independent risk factor for the acquisition of a CAUTI and that their presence alters risk factors.

Predicting hospital-acquired infections by scoring system with simple parameters

Background

Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are associated with increased attributable morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and economic costs. A simple, reliable prediction model for HAI has great clinical relevance. The objective of this study is to develop a scoring system to predict HAI that was derived from Logistic Regression (LR) and validated by Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) simultaneously.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A total of 476 patients from all the 806 HAI inpatients were included for the study between 2004 and 2005. A sample of 1,376 non-HAI inpatients was randomly drawn from all the admitted patients in the same period of time as the control group. External validation of 2,500 patients was abstracted from another academic teaching center. Sixteen variables were extracted from the Electronic Health Records (EHR) and fed into ANN and LR models. With stepwise selection, the following seven variables were identified by LR models as statistically significant: Foley catheterization, central venous catheterization, arterial line, nasogastric tube, hemodialysis, stress ulcer prophylaxes and systemic glucocorticosteroids. Both ANN and LR models displayed excellent discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]: 0.964 versus 0.969, p = 0.507) to identify infection in internal validation. During external validation, high AUC was obtained from both models (AUC: 0.850 versus 0.870, p = 0.447). The scoring system also performed extremely well in the internal (AUC: 0.965) and external (AUC: 0.871) validations.

Conclusions

We developed a scoring system to predict HAI with simple parameters validated with ANN and LR models. Armed with this scoring system, infectious disease specialists can more efficiently identify patients at high risk for HAI during hospitalization. Further, using parameters either by observation of medical devices used or data obtained from EHR also provided good prediction outcome that can be utilized in different clinical settings.

Socioeconomic impact on device-associated infections in limited-resource neonatal intensive care units: findings of the INICC

PURPOSE

To evaluate the impact of country socioeconomic status and hospital type on device-associated healthcare-associated infections (DA-HAIs) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

METHODS

Data were collected on DA-HAIs from September 2003 to February 2010 on 13,251 patients in 30 NICUs in 15 countries. DA-HAIs were defined using criteria formulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Country socioeconomic status was defined using World Bank criteria.

RESULTS

Central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLA-BSI) rates in NICU patients were significantly lower in private than academic hospitals (10.8 vs. 14.3 CLA-BSI per 1,000 catheter-days; p < 0.03), but not different in public and academic hospitals (14.6 vs. 14.3 CLA-BSI per 1,000 catheter-days; p = 0.86). NICU patient CLA-BSI rates were significantly higher in low-income countries than in lower-middle-income countries or upper-middle-income countries [37.0 vs. 11.9 (p < 0.02) vs. 17.6 (p < 0.05) CLA-BSIs per 1,000 catheter-days, respectively]. Ventilator-associated-pneumonia (VAP) rates in NICU patients were significantly higher in academic hospitals than in private or public hospitals [13.2 vs. 2.4 (p < 0.001) vs. 4.9 (p < 0.001) VAPs per 1,000 ventilator days, respectively]. Lower-middle-income countries had significantly higher VAP rates than low-income countries (11.8 vs. 3.8 per 1,000 ventilator-days; p < 0.001), but VAP rates were not different in low-income countries and upper-middle-income countries (3.8 vs. 6.7 per 1,000 ventilator-days; p = 0.57). When examined by hospital type, overall crude mortality for NICU patients without DA-HAIs was significantly higher in academic and public hospitals than in private hospitals (5.8 vs. 12.5%; p < 0.001). In contrast, NICU patient mortality among those with DA-HAIs was not different regardless of hospital type or country socioeconomic level.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital type and country socioeconomic level influence DA-HAI rates and overall mortality in developing countries.