Single-use negative pressure wound therapy versus conventional dressings for the reduction of surgical site infections in closed surgical incisions: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether a single-use negative pressure wound therapy (sNPWT) device can reduce the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) in at-risk patients with closed surgical incisions across a range of surgical specialties, compared with standard care. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from the period January 2011 to April 2021. RESULTS: Out of 15,283 articles identified, 19 were included. A statistically significant improvement (p â€‹< â€‹0.05) in the composite SSI (odds ratio [OR]: 0.36; 95 â€‹% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27-0.49), superficial SSI (OR: 0.30; 95 â€‹% CI: 0.17-0.53), and deep SSI (OR: 0.67; 95 â€‹% CI: 0.46-0.96) outcomes was observed with the sNPWT device compared with standard care in a pooled analysis of all surgical specialties. CONCLUSION: A -80 â€‹mmHg sNPWT device reduces the incidence of composite, superficial, and deep SSIs when compared with standard care across a heterogenous at-risk surgical population containing a variety of surgical specialties.

Patterns of early transmission of pandemic influenza in London - link with deprivation.

BACKGROUND: During the early containment phase in England from April to June 2009, the national strategy for H1N1 pandemic influenza involved case investigation and treatment, and tracing and prophylaxis of contacts. OBJECTIVE: To describe the relationship between early transmission of H1N1 pandemic influenza in London and age and socio-economic status. METHODS: Epidemiological data on cases of pandemic flu in London reported to the London Flu Response Centre were analysed to determine patterns of transmission. RESULTS: There were 3487 reported cases (2202 confirmed, 1272 presumed and 14 probable) from 20 April to 28 June 2009, during the 'containment' period. The highest report rate of 206 per 100 000 (95% CI 195-218) was seen in primary school-age children (5-11 years) followed by 129 (95% CI 119-139) in secondary school-age children (12-18 years). Reports of cases were initially concentrated in affluent areas but overall showed a clear trend with deprivation and risk ratio of 2·32 (95% CI 1·94-2·78) between the most deprived and the least deprived. CONCLUSION: Early transmissions were highest amongst school-aged children but linked with socio-economic deprivation across all age groups.

Trends in invasive Haemophilus influenzae type B disease in Australia, 1995-2005.

The epidemiology of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease and its prevention by vaccination is reviewed for the period 1995 to 2005, comparing surveillance data for 1995-2000, when both PRP-OMP and HbOC vaccines were used, with 2000-2005, when only PRP-OMP vaccine was used. Over the whole time period, notifications of invasive Hib disease have declined dramatically. In the second time period, a greater decline in Hib cases was seen. This could be due to either the different vaccines being used, differences in vaccine coverage or both. Although disease incidence has decreased markedly in both Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, Indigenous people are still at significantly greater risk. It is also concerning that almost 60% of invasive Hib cases in children are preventable, in that they are occurring in unimmunised or incompletely immunised children among whom the incidence of Hib disease is estimated to be about 15 times that of fully immunised children. Australia is now in the third era of Hib vaccine use, during which both PRP-T and PRP-OMP vaccines are used, depending on ethnicity or jurisdiction of residence. Continued enhanced surveillance for invasive Hib disease is important for optimal monitoring of trends into the future.

Annual report: surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia, 2007.

This report summarises Australian passive surveillance data for adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration for 2007, and describes reporting trends over the 8-year period 2000 to 2007. There were 1,538 AEFI records for vaccines administered in 2007. This is an annual AEFI reporting rate of 7.3 per 100,000 population, the highest since 2003 and an 85% increase compared with 2006 (835 AEFI records; 4.0 records per 100,000 population). The increase was almost entirely due to reports following the commencement of the national 3-dose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program for females aged 12 to 26 years in April 2007 (n = 705 reports) and the national infant rotavirus vaccine program in July 2007 (n = 72 reports). AEFI reporting rates in 2007 were 2.3 per 100,000 administered doses of influenza vaccine for adults aged > or = 18 years, 18.6 per 100,000 administered doses of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine for those aged > or = 65 years and 12.7 per 100,000 administered doses of scheduled vaccines for children aged < 7 years. The majority of the 1,538 AEFI reports for 2007 described non-serious events while 9% (n = 141) were classified as serious. Two deaths temporally associated with immunisation were reported; there was no evidence to suggest a causal association. The most significant AEFI reported following HPV vaccine were anaphylaxis (n = 11) and convulsion (n = 18), mostly associated with syncope. The most commonly reported reactions were allergic reaction, injection site reaction, headache and nausea. The data confirm that, despite the low rate of AEFI reporting in Australia, the passive surveillance system is sufficiently robust to detect safety signals which are expected following changes in the immunisation program, allowing these to be investigated further.