Hospital-Acquired Infections in the Surgical Intensive Care: Epidemiology and Prevention

Bacterial Contamination of Computer and Hand Hygiene Compliance in the Emergency Department

Introduction

The aim of this study was to determine the degree and nature of bacterial contamination of computer equipment in three Korean emergency departments (ED).

Methods

Hand hygiene practices of ED doctors and nurses were observed before contact with computer equipment. Microbiological swab samples were obtained from 112 multiple-user computer keyboards and electronic mice in the ED of three teaching hospitals. Isolated organisms were identified by a clinical microbiologist using Gram stain, colony morphology, and susceptibility test.

Results

Of the 112 samples, 103 (92.0%) showed growth of organisms on culture. Thirty-eight (33.9%) pieces of computer equipment yielded multiple bacterial species. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most common microorganism isolated (85.7%). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was obtained from two keyboards in two hospitals (1.8%). Hand hygiene compliance was observed on 29.9% occasions. Hand hygiene compliance after patient contact (38.0%) was higher than after other environmental contact (20.7%).

Conclusions

Multiple user computer equipment in the ED may serve as reservoirs for nosocomial infection. Hand hygiene should be performed before and after using all ED equipment, including computer equipment.

Bacterial Contamination of Computer and Hand Hygiene Compliance in the Emergency Department

Introduction

The aim of this study was to determine the degree and nature of bacterial contamination of computer equipment in three Korean emergency departments (ED).

Methods

Hand hygiene practices of ED doctors and nurses were observed before contact with computer equipment. Microbiological swab samples were obtained from 112 multiple-user computer keyboards and electronic mice in the ED of three teaching hospitals. Isolated organisms were identified by a clinical microbiologist using Gram stain, colony morphology, and susceptibility test.

Results

Of the 112 samples, 103 (92.0%) showed growth of organisms on culture. Thirty-eight (33.9%) pieces of computer equipment yielded multiple bacterial species. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most common microorganism isolated (85.7%). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was obtained from two keyboards in two hospitals (1.8%). Hand hygiene compliance was observed on 29.9% occasions. Hand hygiene compliance after patient contact (38.0%) was higher than after other environmental contact (20.7%).

Conclusions

Multiple user computer equipment in the ED may serve as reservoirs for nosocomial infection. Hand hygiene should be performed before and after using all ED equipment, including computer equipment. (Hong Kong j.emerg.med. 2012;19:387-393)

Successful strategy to decrease indwelling catheter utilization rates in an academic medical intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Duration of indwelling urinary catheterization is an important risk factor for urinary tract infections. We devised a strategy to decrease the utilization of indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs). We also highlight the challenges of managing critically ill patients without IUCs and demonstrate some of the initiatives that we undertook to overcome these challenges.

METHODS

A retrospective observational outcomes review was performed in an adult medical intensive care unit (ICU) between January 2012 and December 2016. This period included a baseline and series of intervals, whereby different aspects of the strategies were implemented. IUC utilization ratio and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates were calculated.

RESULTS

Our IUC utilization ratio had a statistically significant decrease from 0.92 (baseline) to 0.28 (after 3 interventions) (P < .0001). Similarly, CAUTI rates had a statistically significant decrease from 5.47 (baseline) to 1.08 (after 3 intervention) (P = .0134). These rates sustained a statistically significant difference over the 2-year follow-up period from the last intervention. Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) was identified as a potential complication of not using an IUC. There was no statistically significant change in the IAD rates during 2013-2016.

CONCLUSIONS

Our interventions demonstrated that aggressive and comprehensive IUC restriction protocol and provider training can lead to a successful decrease in IUC use, leading to a lower IUC utilization ratio and CAUTI rate in a large complex academic ICU setting.

Hand Hygiene Noncompliance and the Cost of Hospital-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Background.

Hand hygiene noncompliance is a major cause of nosocomial infection. Nosocomial infection cost data exist, but the effect of hand hygiene noncompliance is unknown.

Objective.

To estimate methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-related cost of an incident of hand hygiene noncompliance by a healthcare worker during patient care.

Design.

Two models were created to simulate sequential patient contacts by a hand hygiene-noncompliant healthcare worker. Model 1 involved encounters with patients of unknown MRSA status. Model 2 involved an encounter with an MRSA-colonized patient followed by an encounter with a patient of unknown MRSA status. The probability of new MRSA infection for the second patient was calculated using published data. A simulation of 1 million noncompliant events was performed. Total costs of resulting infections were aggregated and amortized over all events.

Setting.

Duke University Medical Center, a 750-bed tertiary medical center in Durham, North Carolina.

Results.

Model 1 was associated with 42 MRSA infections (infection rate, 0.0042%). Mean infection cost was $47,092 (95% confidence interval [CI], $26,040–$68,146); mean cost per noncompliant event was $1.98 (95% CI, $0.91–$3.04). Model 2 was associated with 980 MRSA infections (0.098%). Mean infection cost was $53,598 (95% CI, $50,098–$57,097); mean cost per noncompliant event was $52.53 (95% CI, $47.73–$57.32). A 200-bed hospital incurs $1,779,283 in annual MRSA infection-related expenses attributable to hand hygiene noncompliance. A 1.0% increase in hand hygiene compliance resulted in annual savings of $39,650 to a 200-bed hospital.

Conclusions.

Hand hygiene noncompliance is associated with significant attributable hospital costs. Minimal improvements in compliance lead to substantial savings.

Early tracheostomy decreases ventilation time but has no impact on mortality of intensive care patients: a randomized study

BACKGROUND

Long-term ventilation in intensive care units (ICUs) is associated with several problems such as increased mortality, increased rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and prolonged time of hospitalization, and thus leads to enormous healthcare expenditure. While the influence of tracheostomy on VAP incidence, duration of ventilation, and time of hospitalization has already been analyzed in several studies, the timing of the tracheostomy procedure on patient's mortality is still controversial. The aim of our study was to investigate whether early tracheostomy improved outcome in critically ill patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Within 2 years, 100 critically ill, predominantly surgical patients entered this prospective randomized study. A percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy was performed either early (≤4 days, 2.8 days median) or late (≥6 days, 8.1 days median) after intubation.

RESULTS

We could demonstrate that mortality was not significantly reduced in the early tracheostomy (ET) group in contrast to the late tracheostomy (LT) group. ET was associated with decreased VAP incidence (ET 38% vs. LT 64%), decreased duration of ventilation (ET 367.5 h vs LT 507.5 h), and shorter time of hospitalization both in hospital (ET 31.5 days vs LT 68 days) and in ICU (ET 21.5 days vs LT 27 days).

CONCLUSION

Despite many advantages like reduced time of ventilation and hospitalization, early tracheostomy is not associated with decreased mortality in critically ill patients.

Infectious complications of regional anesthesia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Regional anesthesia is commonly used to provide intraoperative anesthesia and postoperative analgesia. Potential complications of both neuraxial and peripheral regional techniques include infectious sequelae. This review examines important components of practice that are known to minimize the risk of infection associated with regional anesthesia.

RECENT FINDINGS

Healthcare-associated infections increase morbidity and mortality, patient pain and suffering, direct medical costs, and hospital length-of-stay. Recently published national guidelines from subspecialty societies and government agencies emphasize the importance of strict aseptic technique in the prevention of infectious complications associated with regional anesthesia. Proper hand hygiene, the use of surgical masks, appropriate antiseptic selection and application, and proper preparation of local anesthetic infusate solutions are all considered essential components of asepsis. Anesthesia providers need to adhere to strict aseptic guidelines to minimize the risk of potentially devastating infectious complications.

SUMMARY

Infectious complications associated with regional anesthesia are exceedingly rare events. Adherence to strict aseptic guidelines as published by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiologists, and the Royal College of Anaesthetists may reduce the risk of infectious complications.

Inflammation and the host response to injury, a large-scale collaborative project: patient-oriented research core--standard operating procedures for clinical care VII--Guidelines for antibiotic administration in severely injured patients

When the clinical decision to treat a critically ill patient with antibiotics has been made, one must attempt to identify the site of infection based on clinical signs and symptoms, laboratory or diagnostic radiology studies. Identification of site requires, examination of patient, inspection of all wounds, chest radiograph, and calculation of clinical pulmonary infection score if ventilated, obtaining blood cultures, urinalysis, and line change if clinical suspicion of central venous catheter (CVC) source. If it is impossible to identify site, obtain cultures from all accessible suspected sites and initiate empiric, broad spectrum antibiotics. If likely site can be identified answer these questions: Is intra-abdominal site suspected? Is pulmonary source of infection suspected? Is skin, skin structure or soft tissue site suspected? If yes, does the patient have clinical signs suspicion for necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI)? Is a CVC infection suspected? Risk factors for more complicated infections are discussed and specific antibiotic recommendations are provided for each type and severity of clinical infection. Decision to continue, discontinue and/or alter antibiotic/antimicrobial treatment should be based on the clinical response to treatment, diagnostic or interventional findings, and culture and sensitivity data, bearing in mind that not all patients with infections will have positive cultures because of limitations of specimen handling, microbiology laboratory variations, time between specimen acquisition and culture, or presence of effective antibiotics at the time that specimens were obtained. It should also be noted that not all patients with increased temperature/WBC have an infection. Discontinuation of antibiotics is appropriate if cultures and other diagnostic studies are negative.

[Results of epidemiological surveillance of hospital infections at the Clinic of Digestive System Surgery, CCS, in 2007]

INTRODUCTION

Nosocomial infections (NI) are significant medical problem in the countries worldwide. NI significance reflects in higher morbidity and mortality rates, and moreover, NIs add to longer stay and higher treatment costs. Based on data obtained from underdeveloped and developing countries, over 20% of hospitalized patients acquire some of NIs, while that proportion is 5% in developed countries.

OBJECTIVE

A) to establish the frequency of noosocomial infections at the Clinic of Digestive System Diseases, b) determine the NI incidence in accord with anatomic localizations, c) evaluate the percentage prevalence of NI causes according to anatomic localizations, and d) review the problem of resistance of NI causative agents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study of NI incidence was calculated by Center for Diseases and Prevention (CDC) methodology. Sampling, cultivation, isolation, identification and sensitivity tests of cauosative agents to antimicrobial drugs, obtained from patient's material, were carried out by standard microbiological methods in Microbiological laboratory of the Emergency Center, Clinical Center of Serbia. All infections in patients hospitalized at the Clinic of Digestive System Surgery in 2007 were recorded. Data available from medical documentation as well as data obtained from interviews of medical personnel were analyzed.

RESULTS

The incidence rates of patients with NI ranged from 1.7-3.4 per 1000 hospital days. Out of a total number of recorded nosocomial infections, surgical site infections accounted for 69%, blood infections 23% and urinary tract infections 6.8%. The most frequent causative agents of surgical site infections in the last year were as follows: Pseudomonas spp (19%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella spp--(18%), Acinetobacter spp (13%), and Enterococcus spp (8%). Forty percent (40%) of all blood infections verified by laboratory tests in 2007 was caused by coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp (CNS), followed by Acinetobacter spp (18%). Enterococcus spp (11%), and Staphylococcus aureus (7%). The most frequent causative agents of urinary infections were: Escherichia coli (35%) and Enterococcus spp (29%). Over 80% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates were resistant to Methicillin (MRSA) and enterobacteria produced by beta lactamase were recorded (ESBL).

CONCLUSION

Enforcement of epidemiological surveillance of nosocomial infections contributes to insight of severity of NI problem, recognition of resistance of causative agents to antibiotics and recommendation of specific preventive measures related to these infections.

Examining the association between chest tube-related factors and the risk of developing healthcare-associated infections in the ICU of a community hospital: a retrospective case-control study

OBJECTIVES

The study examined the association between chest tube-related factors and the risk for developing healthcare-associated infections (HAI).

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A case-control retrospective chart review was performed on 120 intensive care patients. Eligible patients were 18 years of age or older, had been in the intensive care unit (ICU) for 48 h or more, and had one or more chest tubes.

SETTING

A 20-bed medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of a community hospital in south-western Ontario, Canada.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Documented diagnosis of hospital-acquired pneumonia or bloodstream infection.

RESULTS

The variable chest tube days was the only chest tube-related factor that was independently associated with HAI (OR = 5.78; p = 0.013). Mechanical ventilation (OR = 4.88; p = 0.002) and outcome length of stay (OR = 0.72; p < or = 0.001) were also independently associated with HAI.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of infection among patients with chest tubes increases as the number of chest tube days increases. Infection is likely to happen early during admission, which necessitates stringent adherence to infection control strategies, especially during that time frame.

Nosocomial infections in the intensive care units

Background/Aim. The risk for nosocomial infections (NIs) is 5-10 times higher in patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) than in patients staying in other wards. The higher incidence rates of NIs in the ICUs may be explained by the fact that the patients in the ICUs have more severe underlying disease, and are exposed to the invasive diagnostic and therapeutical procedures. The unreasonable use of antibiotics leads to the selection of multiresistant agents, which have been increasingly recorded as the NIs causative agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of NIs in the ICUs in the period January-June 2005. Methods. The study of incidence was performed in accordance with the methodology of the Centers for Diseases and Prevention. Any infections in the patients hospitalized in the ICUs in the period from January to June 2005 were registered. The results both from medical documentation and from the direct contacts with the medical personnel were analyzed. The samples were tested using standard methods in the microbiological laboratory. Results. The incidence rates of NIs patients ranged from 1.5 to 40.8, and the incidence rates of infections were 1.5 to 65.6 per 1 000 patient?s days. Out of the total number of NIs, urinary infections accounted for 44.6%, blood infections for 37.6%, and surgical site infections for 16.9%. Conclusion. The most frequent cause of nosocomial urinary infections was Klebsiella, of nosocomial sepsis - coagulase ? negative staphylococci, and of surgical site infections - Staphylococcus aureus.