Showing papers on "Nosocomial infection control published in 1995"

Evidence for nosocomial transmission of Candida albicans obtained by Ca3 fingerprinting.

Abstract: The moderately repetitive sequence Ca3 was used to fingerprint Candida albicans isolates from 32 patients hospitalized for more than 3 days, 17 recent admissions or outpatients, and 8 recently readmitted patients and 10 commensal isolates from the community in Wellington, New Zealand, plus isolates from 21 hospitalized patients, 26 outpatients or recent admissions, 4 recently readmitted patients, and 10 healthy individuals in the community in Auckland, New Zealand. In Wellington, isolates from patients hospitalized in Wellington Hospital for more than 3 days were genetically significantly less diverse than were isolates from outpatients or recent admissions or isolates from healthy individuals in the community. In addition, two clusters of genetically similar strains were isolated from hospitalized patients significantly more often than from other individuals. These observations provide evidence (albeit indirectly) for nosocomial transmission of hospital-specific C. albicans strains. In contrast, no indication of hospital-specific transmission of C. albicans was found in Auckland Hospital. Since these results were obtained under conditions in which no candidiasis outbreak occurred in either hospital, they also suggest that Ca3 fingerprinting may be a useful tool in preventive nosocomial infection control programs, allowing assessment of the extent of C. albicans transmission occurring in a hospital.

An overview of nosocomial infection control in Brazil.

Abstract: Brazil is the largest country in Latin America, with a population of 146 million people. The socioeconomic development and the distribution of population and health services varies widely within the country. There are approximately 1.2 million hospital admissions per month, 80% of them paid by a government healthcare program that follows the diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) model. The Ministry of Health has been trying to establish a nationwide nosocomial infection control program since 1983. Most Brazilian hospitals now have some kind of infection control activity, but only a few of them have complete programs. Infrastructural deficiencies, the scarcity of well-trained healthcare workers, and the widespread occurrence of multiresistant Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria are some of the challenges faced by Brazilian hospitals in the control of nosocomial infection.

Current occurrence and infection control of MRSA enteritis for surgical patients in Japan (first report)

Abstract: We investigated the current occurrence and the infection control of MRSA enteritis in the surgical facilities in Japan from July 1990 to June 1992. In this two years, MRSA enteritis was encountered in 831 cases in 144 of 279 facilities (51.6%) which had replied to our survey. Frequency of onset of MRSA enteritis in the surgical specialty was 95% in abdominal surgery and general surgery. Nosocomial infection controls for MRSA infection were done in 92.1% of 261 facilities who replied to our questionnaire. Preventive control in the preoperative and postoperative periods were performed in 23.8%. Various controls for MRSA enteritis were recognized and enforced in 56.7% with restriction of postoperative antibiotics, 65.5% with environmental controls, 70.5% with preventive control for the medical staff and 42.9% with the control for the expansion of nosocomial MRSA infections.

Nursing in nosocomial infection control in Spain.

Abstract: This is a descriptive study of nursing practices in nosocomial infection control (NIC) in Spain. During the period 1990-1991, a questionnaire, adapted from that used in the Study on the Efficacy of Nosocomial Infection Control (SENIC), was mailed to all Spanish general hospitals, public and private, having more than 400 beds, and to all those in the public health sector having more than 100 beds. Nursing-related information was selected for analysis from each of three sections: staff, surveillance systems and programmes. The response rate was 70%. While nursing resources allocated to NIC in Spain registered an overall ratio of nosocomial infection control nurses (ICNs) of mean 0.45, SD 0.71 ICN per 250 hospital beds, ICN/beds ratios were below 0.34 and 0.30 in medium-sized and large hospitals respectively. Nurses who were active in NIC were either lacking or worked only a few hours per week in a considerable proportion of hospitals, with this trend being more pronounced in smaller facilities. The intervening period since 1965, and the last decade in particular, has been marked by the progressive adoption of a range of NIC policies. Most procedures proving NIC-efficient had been implemented in approximately 70-80% of responding hospitals. Teaching was most qualified and intensive in medium-sized hospitals. Nursing in NIC has only recently been developed in Spain, is increasingly accepted, exhibits diffusion levels comparable to those reported internationally, lacks monitoring and quality assessment systems and, in general, could be substantially improved.

Hospital management and the role of clinical microbiology laboratory for preventing nosocomial infection

Abstract: Nosocomial infection is a serious issue in the hospital management. Countermeasures for this issue have been discussed from various points including clinical and laboratory medicine, nursing as well as hospital administration. This issue is of great importance to those of us medical practitioners, who engage in diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. The role of clinical microbiology laboratories for prevention of nosocomial infection includes performing epidemiological survey, giving information and education, and training and instruction to medical staff. In order to instruct and inspect the countermeasures against nosocomial infection, it is necessary to have a dedicated team in the hospital. We have organized an infection control team(ICT) to collect information and offer training and instruction regarding nosocomial infection. The ICT activities include 1) inspecting if the nosocomial infection control manual is followed correctly, 2) reporting the results of epidemiological survey regarding nosocomial infection, 3) offering the information regarding antimicrobial agents and disinfectants, 4) offering the information regarding the isolation of microorganisms in the hospital and their antimicrobial sensitivities, 5) cost calculation for nosocomial infection control.

Proteus mirabilis in Nonpuerperal Breast Infection: A Nosocomial Infection?

Abstract: l’z Working in the field of nosocomial infection control, however, was surprised to read the almost casual remark of the potential nosocomial origin of this organism ("... thus suggesting that it was a nosocomial infection."). I believe that there are several epidemiologic considerations to be discussed before the conclusion of a (possible) nosocomial origin can be drawn: What were the characteristics of the patients with P. mirabilis isolated in mixed or pure culture compared with the other patients? Did the affected women have potential risk factors such as carcinoma ofthe breastwhich could predispose them to colonization with "unusual" organisms? Did these women perhaps have a prolonged (or repeated) hospital stay with another organism isolated first before P. mirabilis appeared, demonstrating a change in pathogen during hospitalization? Did the pathogens come from an endogenous or an exogenous reservoir? Did the women have prior medical procedures causing transient bacteremia with body flora or, if an exogenous source were likely, what could have been the mode of transmission: contaminated instruments or the hands of staff or anything else? Without considering at least some of these issues, the presumed nosocomial origin ofP. mirabilis breast infections remains vague and un