Successful control of a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit: a retrospective, before-after study.

BACKGROUND: Aim of this study was to provide a detailed description of a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreak management strategy in the neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective, "before-after" study, over two consecutive 18-month periods. The outbreak management strategy was performed by a multidisciplinary team and included: extensive healthcare workers (HCW) involvement, education, continuous hand-hygiene training and active MRSA colonization surveillance. The actions implemented were identified based on an anonymous, voluntary, reporting system, carried out among all the HCW, and regular audit and feedback were provided to the nursing staff. The main measured outcome was the rate of MRSA infections before and after the implementation of the outbreak management strategy. Piecewise linear Poisson regression was performed and the model adjusted for confounding variables. The secondary outcome was the rate of laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infections before and after the outbreak management strategy. The rates of MRSA colonization, implementation of proposed actions, observed compliance for hand-hygiene and insertion/care of central lines were also recorded during the second period. RESULTS: 1015 newborns were included. The rate of MRSA infections throughout the two periods fell from 3.5 to 0.7 cases per 1000 patient-days (p=0.0005). The piecewise Poisson regression analysis adjusted for confounding variables showed a significant decrease in the MRSA infection rate after the outbreak management strategy (p=0.046). A significant decrease in positive laboratory confirmed blood cultures was observed over the two periods (160 vs 83; p<0.0001). A significant decline in the MRSA colonization rate occurred over the second period (p=0.001); 93% of the proposed actions were implemented. The compliance rate for hand-hygiene and insertion/care of central lines was respectively 95.9% and 62%. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of multiple, simultaneous, evidence-based management strategies is effective for controlling nosocomial infections. Outbreak management strategies may benefit from tools improving the communication between the institutional and scientific leadership and the ground-level staff. These measures can help to identify individualized solutions addressing specific unit needs.

Very preterm birth: who has access to antenatal corticosteroid therapy?

We describe the administration of antenatal corticosteroid therapy (ACT) for liveborn very preterm neonates in a population-based study. A total of 790 very preterm neonates (between 24 and 31 full weeks of gestation) were included in this regionally defined population of very preterm neonates in France. The main outcome measure was non-access to ACT. Data were analysed using logistic and polytomous models to control for neonatal and sociodemographic characteristics, mechanisms of very preterm birth and neonatal network organisation. As compared with level III, births in levels I-II maternity units were closely related to non-access to ACT (60.1% vs. 8.8%), but not to pregnancy follow-up (19.7% vs. 17.8%). Only 6.3% of very preterm neonates that benefited from antepartum referral did nor receive ACT. Births associated with rupture of membranes and gestational hypertension were significantly more often transferred to level-III units (73.8% and 68.3% respectively) than those due to maternal bleeding and spontaneous labour (57.0% and 50.7% respectively), and the neonates had a lower probability of not receiving ACT (8.5%, 11.5%, 23.0%, 31.2% respectively). Very preterm neonates referred in utero to a level-III unit came from a more favourable socio-economic environment. Non-access to ACT was more often observed in neonates born to 14- to 24-year-old mothers, smokers, of low socio-economic status, and preterm birth resulting from maternal bleeding or spontaneous labour. These data from a French regional study show that access to ACT is not only explained by practitioners' support of recommendations. In our population-based study, ACT access was related to socio-economic factors and to the mechanisms of very preterm birth. Improving the rate of access to ACT should take these organisational, medical and socio-economic dimensions into account.