Water in the terrestrial planet-forming zone of the PDS 70 disk.

Terrestrial and sub-Neptune planets are expected to form in the inner (less than 10 AU) regions of protoplanetary disks1. Water plays a key role in their formation2-4, although it is yet unclear whether water molecules are formed in situ or transported from the outer disk5,6. So far Spitzer Space Telescope observations have only provided water luminosity upper limits for dust-depleted inner disks7, similar to PDS 70, the first system with direct confirmation of protoplanet presence8,9. Here we report JWST observations of PDS 70, a benchmark target to search for water in a disk hosting a large (approximately 54 AU) planet-carved gap separating an inner and outer disk10,11. Our findings show water in the inner disk of PDS 70. This implies that potential terrestrial planets forming therein have access to a water reservoir. The column densities of water vapour suggest in-situ formation via a reaction sequence involving O, H2 and/or OH, and survival through water self-shielding5. This is also supported by the presence of CO2 emission, another molecule sensitive to ultraviolet photodissociation. Dust shielding, and replenishment of both gas and small dust from the outer disk, may also play a role in sustaining the water reservoir12. Our observations also reveal a strong variability of the mid-infrared spectral energy distribution, pointing to a change of inner disk geometry.

Evaluation of the practice of reprocessing ORs in German hospitals from an infection prevention and control perspective.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the cleaning and disinfection of operating rooms (ORs) status quo focusing on hygiene plans in German hospitals. METHODS: In 2016, a structured online survey was sent to infection prevention and control (IPC) specialists at the cost calculation hospitals of the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK) and all university hospitals in Germany (n = 365). RESULTS: With a response rate of 27.4%, 78% stated that written hygiene plans were available. After cleaning and disinfecting an OR with a "septic" patient, 55% waited until surfaces were dry before reusing in accordance with national recommendations, 27% waited > 30 min. Additionally, 28% of hospitals had ORs only for "septic" patients. In 56% "septic" patients were only operated on at the end of the program. Postoperative monitoring of patients with bacteria with special IPC requirements took place in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU) (29%), operating room (OR) (52%), intensive care unit (ICU) (53%), and in the intermediate care unit (IMC) (19%). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Despite written hygiene plans in place the partly long duration of OR nonuse time following IPC measures, the consistent continued use of stratification for "septic" patients and the postoperative follow-up care of patients with colonizing/infecting bacteria with special IPC requirements in the OR and high care areas represent relevant potential for improvement.

The role of routine SARS-CoV-2 screening of healthcare-workers in acute care hospitals in 2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCW) are at increased risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2. Vulnerable patient populations in particular must be protected, and clinics should not become transmission hotspots to avoid delaying medical treatments independent of COVID. Because asymptomatic transmission has been described, routine screening of asymptomatic HCW would potentially be able to interrupt chains of infection through early detection. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in the Cochrane COVID-19 Study Register, Web of Science and WHO COVID-19 Global literature on coronavirus with regard to non-incident related testing of healthcare workers using polymerase chain reaction on May 4th 2021. Studies since January 2020 were included. An assessment of risk of bias and representativeness was performed. RESULTS: The search identified 39 studies with heterogeneous designs. Data collection of the included studies took place from January to August 2020. The studies were conducted worldwide and the sample size of the included HCW ranged from 70 to 9449 participants. In total, 1000 of 51,700 (1.9%) asymptomatic HCW were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 using PCR testing. The proportion of positive test results ranged between 0 and 14.3%. No study reported on HCW-screening related reductions in infected person-days. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The heterogeneous proportions might be explained by different regional incidences, lock-downs, and pre-analytical pitfalls that reduce the sensitivity of the nasopharyngeal swab. The very high prevalence in some studies indicates that screening HCW for SARS-CoV-2 may be important particularly in geographical regions and pandemic periods with a high-incidence. With low numbers and an increasing rate of vaccinated HCW, a strict cost-benefit consideration must be made, especially in times of low incidences. Since we found no studies that reported on HCW-screening related reductions in infected person-days, re-evaluation should be done when these are available.

Test of the Einstein Equivalence Principle near the Galactic Center Supermassive Black Hole.

During its orbit around the four million solar mass black hole Sagittarius A* the star S2 experiences significant changes in gravitational potential. We use this change of potential to test one part of the Einstein equivalence principle: the local position invariance (LPI). We study the dependency of different atomic transitions on the gravitational potential to give an upper limit on violations of the LPI. This is done by separately measuring the redshift from hydrogen and helium absorption lines in the stellar spectrum during its closest approach to the black hole. For this measurement we use radial velocity data from 2015 to 2018 and combine it with the gravitational potential at the position of S2, which is calculated from the precisely known orbit of S2 around the black hole. This results in a limit on a violation of the LPI of |ß_{He}-ß_{H}|=(2.4±5.1)×10^{-2}. The variation in potential that we probe with this measurement is six magnitudes larger than possible for measurements on Earth, and a factor of 10 larger than in experiments using white dwarfs. We are therefore testing the LPI in a regime where it has not been tested before.

[Prevention of postoperative surgical site infections : Between tradition and evidence]. / Prävention der postoperativen Wundinfektion : Zwischen Tradition und Evidenz.

Postoperative wound infections represent a relevant complication of invasive interventions. Current European prevalence data show that for participating hospitals from Germany (n = 132) surgical site infections represent the most commonly occurring nosocomial infection with 24.3 %. This corresponds to a point prevalence of 1.31 %. It is assumed that approximately 25-33 % of all infections acquired in hospital could be prevented if all possible precautions would be taken. Recent studies have indicated that this rate might be even higher for individual infection entities. Infection control measures can be divided into general measures, which are valid for prevention in many fields and for many infection entities and into specific precautions related to hospital-specific circumstances or specific infection entities. In this article the various hygiene measures and recommendations are presented with respect to the level of evidence.

[Implementation of a rational standard of hygiene for preparation of operating rooms]. / Implementierung eines rationalen Hygienestandards zur Aufbereitung von Operationssälen.

BACKGROUND: The assurance of high standards of care is a major requirement in German hospitals while cost reduction and efficient use of resources are mandatory. These requirements are particularly evident in the high-risk and cost-intensive operating theatre field with multiple process steps. The cleaning of operating rooms (OR) between surgical procedures is of major relevance for patient safety and requires time and human resources. The hygiene procedure plan for OR cleaning between operations at the university hospital in Göttingen was revised and optimized according to the plan-do-check-act principle due to not clearly defined specifications of responsibilities, use of resources, prolonged process times and increased staff engagement. METHODS: The current status was evaluated in 2012 as part of the first step "plan". The subsequent step "do" included an expert symposium with external consultants, interdisciplinary consensus conferences with an actualization of the former hygiene procedure plan and the implementation process. All staff members involved were integrated into this management change process. The penetration rate of the training and information measures as well as the acceptance and compliance with the new hygiene procedure plan were reviewed within step "check". The rates of positive swabs and air sampling as well as of postoperative wound infections were analyzed for quality control and no evidence for a reduced effectiveness of the new hygiene plan was found. After the successful implementation of these measures the next improvement cycle ("act") was performed in 2014 which led to a simplification of the hygiene plan by reduction of the number of defined cleaning and disinfection programs for preparation of the OR. RESULTS: The reorganization measures described led to a comprehensive commitment of the hygiene procedure plan by distinct specifications for responsibilities, for the course of action and for the use of resources. Furthermore, a simplification of the plan, a rational staff assignment and reduced process times were accomplished. Finally, potential conflicts due to an insufficient evidence-based knowledge of personnel was reduced. CONCLUSION: This present project description can be used by other hospitals as a guideline for similar changes in management processes.

Reduction of central venous line-associated bloodstream infection rates by using a chlorhexidine-containing dressing.

PURPOSE: The reduction of central venous line (CVL)-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) is generally advocated. However, despite implementing infection prevention recommendations, CLABSI rates remain high at some institutions. Therefore, a chlorhexidine-containing dressing should be assessed for its potential for infection reduction, adverse events (AEs) and practicability. METHODS: The number of CVLs, CVL days, CLABSIs and CLABSI rates with regard to the kind of dressing (standard vs. chlorhexidine-containing) were documented from November 2010 to may 2012 (1,298 patients with 12,220 CVL days) at two intensive care units (ICUs) and compared to historical controls. The practicability and safety of the chlorhexidine-containing dressing and reasons for not using this dressing were assessed. RESULTS: Forty CLABSIs occurred in 34 patients, resulting in a significantly lower overall CLABSI rate in patients with the chlorhexidine-containing dressing [1.51/1,000 CVL days; confidence interval (CI): 0.75-2.70] compared to patients with the standard dressing (5.87/1,000 CVL days; CI: 3.93-8.43; p < 0.0001). The CLABSI rate in historical controls receiving the standard dressing was 6.2/1,000 CVL days. The main reason for not using chlorhexidine-containing dressing was bleeding at the insertion site. AEs occurred in five patients and represented self-healing skin macerations (3 cases) and superficial skin necrosis (2 cases). CONCLUSIONS: In case of high CLABSI rates despite the implementation of standard recommendations, our findings suggest that a chlorhexidine-containing dressing safely decreases CLABSI rates.

Are chlorhexidine-containing dressings safe for use with ventricular drainages?

The purpose of this report was to assess the safety and application of chlorhexidine (CHG)-containing dressings--shown to reduce central line infection rates markedly--for external ventricular drainages (EVDs) and lumbar drainages (LDs). Cerebrospinal fluid samples of patients receiving standard dressings and CHG-containing dressing (ten each) were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography for the presence of CHG. The application was evaluated. CHG was not detectable in all samples. The dressings' application for EVDs and LDs worked without problems. Thus, the use of CHG-containing dressings for EVDs and LDs seems to be safe. Further studies addressing their infection reduction potential are warranted.

Unpacking nudge sensu lato: insights from a scoping review.

Nudges may play an important role in improving infection prevention and control (IPC) in hospitals. However, despite the novelty of the framework, their objectives, strategies and implementation approaches are not new. This review aims to provide an overview of the methods typically used by nudge interventions in IPC in hospitals targeting healthcare workers (HCWs). The initial search in PubMed yielded nine hits. Consequently, the search criteria were broadened and a second search was conducted, introducing 'nudge sensu lato' which incorporates insights from sources beyond the traditional nudge framework while maintaining the same objectives, strategies and approaches. During the second search, PubMed, Epistemonikos, Web of Science and PsycInfo were searched in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Abstracts were screened, and reviewers from an interdisciplinary team read the full text of selected papers. In total, 5706 unique primary studies were identified. Of these, 67 were included in the review, and only four were listed as nudge sensu stricto, focusing on changing HCWs' hand hygiene. All articles reported positive intervention outcomes. Of the 56 articles focused on improving hand hygiene compliance, 71.4% had positive outcomes. For healthcare equipment disinfection, 50% of studies showed significant results. Guideline adherence interventions had a 66.7% significant outcome rate. The concept of nudge sensu lato was introduced, encompassing interventions that employ strategies, methods and implementation approaches found in the nudge framework. The findings demonstrate that this concept can enhance the scientific development of more impactful nudges. This may help clinicians, researchers and policy makers to develop and implement effective nudging interventions.

Drug monitoring during ciprofloxacin prophylaxis of allogeneic stem cell transplant patients: associations with bacterial infections through a monocentric observational prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial infection ranks amongst the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT). Although ciprofloxacin (CIP) prophylaxis is recommended, information on serum levels and clinical course is lacking. AIM: To investigate relationships between CIP level and failure of prophylaxis, particularly in terms of whether different pharmacokinetic (PK) indices [area under the concentration-time curve (AUC0-24h) vs single time samples] correlate differently with the outcome. METHODS: This prospective observational monocentric study was conducted at a 1500-bed teaching hospital (March 2018-March 2019), including 63 adult patients with alloHSCT receiving CIP prophylaxis. Blood samples were drawn at three sampling times (1, 6 and 12 h post-administration), twice per week, and measured via high performance liquid chromatography. The onset of febrile episodes (FEBs) indicated suspected failure of CIP prophylaxis. Positive blood cultures [bloodstream infection (BSI)] indicated confirmed failure of prophylaxis. FINDINGS: Seven of 63 patients died without significant differences in their average CIP levels compared with survivors, with patients experiencing FEBs (54/63) displaying a 13% [95% confidence interval (CI) 4-22%] lower probability of survival. In total, 225 sets of three values (triplets) were obtained from 58 primary CIP episodes. Triplets preceding BSI with Gram-negative bacteria (GNB-BSI) showed lower AUC0-24h on average, but similar single time sample indices. An AUC0-24h of ≤21.61 mgh/L resulted in four-fold higher odds of GNB-BSI (adjusted odds ratio 3.96, 95% CI 1.21-13.00). These results were independent of the administration route, patient demographics or sampling protocol deviations, indicating reduced CIP exposure upon GNB-BSI events. CONCLUSION: Monitoring CIP levels, using multiple sampling times, may be useful to reduce alloHSCT-associated bacterial infections. Further analysis is needed to investigate causality.

Refining the hospitalization rate: A mixed methods approach to differentiate primary COVID-19 from incidental cases.

Purpose: Until now, the Hospitalization Rate (HR) served as an indicator (among others) for the COVID-19 associated healthcare burden. To ensure that the HR accomplishes its full potential, hospitalizations caused by COVID-19 (primary cases) and hospitalizations of patients with incidental positive SARS-CoV-2 test results (incidental cases) must be differentiated. The aim of this study was to synthesize the existing evidence on differentiation criteria between hospitalizations of primary cases and incidental cases. Methods: An online survey of the members of the German Network University Medicine (NUM) was conducted. Additionally, senior clinicians with expertise in COVID-19 care were invited for qualitative, semi-structured interviews. Furthermore, a rapid literature review was undertaken on publications between 03/2020 and 12/2022. Results: In the online survey (n=30, response rate 56%), pneumonia and acute upper respiratory tract infections were the most indicative diagnoses for a primary case. In contrast, malignant neoplasms and acute myocardial infarctions were most likely to be associated with incidental cases. According to the experts (n=6), the diagnosis, ward, and type of admission (emergency or elective), low oxygen saturation, need for supplemental oxygen, and initiation of COVID-19 therapy point to a primary case. The literature review found that respiratory syndromes and symptoms, oxygen support, and elevated levels of inflammatory markers were associated with primary cases. Conclusion: There are parameters for the differentiation of primary from incidental cases to improve the objective of the HR. Ultimately, an updated HR has the potential to serve as a more accurate indicator of the COVID-19 associated healthcare burden.

Architectural interventions to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in emergency departments.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency departments (EDs) are a critical entry gate for infectious agents into hospitals. In this interdisciplinary study, we explore how infection prevention and control (IPC) architectural interventions mitigate the spread of emerging respiratory pathogens using the example of SARS-CoV-2 in a prototypical ED. METHODS: Using an agent-based approach, we integrated data on patients' and healthcare workers' (HCWs) routines and the architectural characteristics of key ED areas. We estimated the number of transmissions in the ED by modelling the interactions between and among patients and HCWs. Architectural interventions were guided towards the gradual separation of pathogen carriers, compliance with a minimum interpersonal distance, and deconcentrating airborne pathogens (higher air exchange rates (AERs)). Interventions were epidemiologically evaluated for their mitigation effects on diverse endpoints. RESULTS: Simulation results indicated that higher AERs in the ED (compared with baseline) may provide a moderate level of infection mitigation (incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.95 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-0.98)) while the overall burden decreased more when rooms in examination areas were separated (IRR of 0.78 (95% CI 0.76-0.81)) or when the size of the ED base was increased (IRR of 0.79 (95% CI 0.78-0.81)). The reduction in SARS-CoV-2-associated nosocomial transmissions was largest when architectural interventions were combined (IRR of 0.61 (95% CI 0.59-0.63)). CONCLUSIONS: These modelling results highlight the importance of IPC architectural interventions; they can be devised independently of profound knowledge of an emerging pathogen, focusing on technical, constructive, and functional components. These results may inform public health decision-makers and hospital architects on how IPC architectural interventions can be optimally used in healthcare premises.

Abundant hydrocarbons in the disk around a very-low-mass star.

Very-low-mass stars (those less than 0.3 solar masses) host orbiting terrestrial planets more frequently than other types of stars. The compositions of those planets are largely unknown but are expected to relate to the protoplanetary disk in which they form. We used James Webb Space Telescope mid-infrared spectroscopy to investigate the chemical composition of the planet-forming disk around ISO-ChaI 147, a 0.11-solar-mass star. The inner disk has a carbon-rich chemistry; we identified emission from 13 carbon-bearing molecules, including ethane and benzene. The high column densities of hydrocarbons indicate that the observations probe deep into the disk. The high carbon-to-oxygen ratio indicates radial transport of material within the disk, which we predict would affect the bulk composition of any planets forming in the disk.

Long-term sustainability of hand hygiene improvements in the hemodialysis setting.

PURPOSE: In a previous observational intervention study, we achieved a more than 100 % increase in overall hand hygiene (HH) compliance in the hemodialysis setting by increasing the number of hand rubs (HR) performed and concomitantly optimizing HH standard operating procedures (SOPs). SOPs were mainly aimed at reducing the number of avoidable opportunities due to a less than perfect workflow. However, the long-term sustainability of this successful intervention was not evaluated. The present study was carried out to evaluate the long-term effects of our previous successful intervention. METHODS: We conducted a follow-up observational study 1 year after the first intervention study in the same hemodialysis unit to assess the sustainability. No HH-related interventions were performed in the 1 year between studies. The main outcome was HH compliance, and the secondary outcome was opportunities per hemodialysis procedure. RESULTS: A total of 1,574 opportunities for HH and 871 hand rubs (HR) were observed during the follow-up observational study. Overall, compliance was 55 %, which was significantly than that at the end of the first study (62 %; p < 0.0001), but significantly higher than that at the start and mid-term phases of the first study (37 and 49 %, p < 0.0001). Both the decrease in HH opportunities and the increase in HR were sustained over the course of this observational study. The number of avoidable opportunities in the present study was similar to that at the end of the previous study. Thus, in 320 opportunities (20 %), gloves were worn instead of HR performed, representing 46 % of all missed HR. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a decrease in HH compliance compared to the last postintervention period, a multifaceted intervention focusing on standardization and workflow optimization resulted in a sustained improvement in HH. We therefore propose that standardization of the hemodialysis workflow aimed at improving HH is a promising avenue for improving the quality of patient care and outcome.

Misidentification as Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospital water supply samples.

Drinking water in hospitals is often tested for Pseudomonas aeruginosa because of its virulence potential. This article describes a case where, based on EN ISO 16266, seven of 11 (64%) samples taken simultaneously from the drinking water system at a single hospital tested positive for P. aeruginosa. This resulted in extensive investigations and interventions, and a number of measures were implemented. However, supplementary analyses with more discriminatory power (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, 16S-rRNA sequencing) ruled out P. aeruginosa completely. The authors wish to raise awareness of this problem, and suggest that diagnostic uncertainty of results obtained by EN ISO 16266 should be indicated on laboratory reports. Wrongly assuming the presence of P. aeruginosa in hospital water supply systems can lead to unnecessary control measures, as analytical uncertainty massively influences the health risk assessment and the remediation measures initiated in medical environments.

Central venous catheter contamination rate in suspected sepsis patients: an observational clinical study.

BACKGROUND: More than 160,000 central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are estimated for Europe each year, leading to about 25,000 deaths. AIM: To characterize the contamination of administration sets in suspected CLABSI cases in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: In ICU patients (from February 2017 to February 2018) with suspected CLABSI, all sampled central venous catheters (CVCs) were examined in four segments (from CVC tip to connected tubing systems) for contamination. A risk factor analysis using binary logistic regression was performed. FINDINGS: Fifty-two consecutively sampled CVCs with 1004 elements were analysed with 45 elements being positive for at least one micro-organism (4.48%). There was a significant association with the duration of catheterization (P = 0.038, N = 50) with a daily increase of contamination risk by 11.5% (odds ratio: 1.115). The mean number of CVC manipulations was 40 within 72 h (standard deviation: 20.5), with no association with contamination risk (P = 0.381). The contamination risk of the CVC segments decreased from proximal to distal. Non-replaceable components of the CVC had a high risk (14 times higher; P = 0.01). A significant positive correlation was detected between positive tip cultures and microbial growth in the administration set (r(49) = 0.437; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although only a minority of CLABSI-suspect patients had positive blood cultures, the contamination rate of CVCs and administration set was high, possibly indicating a relevant underreporting. The finding of identical species in adjacent segments underlines the role of upward or downward spread of micro-organisms within the tubes; therefore, aseptic tasks should be emphasized.

Infection prevention and control between legal requirements and German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology expert assessments: a cross-sectional study in September-November 2022.

BACKGROUND: In contrast to the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), pandemic, more and more hospital issues are now regulated by policy. AIM: To identify differences between expert recommendations and legal requirements regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 29th September 2022 and 3rd November 2022 addressing 1319 members of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology. The response rate was 12%. This paper reports the expert recommendations on different IPC strategies. FINDINGS: The majority (66%) of experts recommended universal mask usage, with 34% recommending it seasonally, even after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Medical microbiology (MM) experts were more likely to recommend continuing to wear the masks indefinitely compared with IPC experts. Concerning the mask type, medical masks were recommended more frequently by IPC experts (47.3%), while FFP2 masks were preferred by MM experts (31.8%). The majority (54.7%) of experts recommended universal screening of employees, mainly in settings with extremely vulnerable patients and if regional incidence rates were high, at a frequency of twice per week. The dominant advice (recommended by at least 50% of experts) for employees exposed to SARS-CoV-2 was daily testing and wearing a mask, regardless of the length of exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Expert recommendations deviate from the legal requirements and appear to be more differentiated and proportional. The influence of specific experience and expertise on mask recommendations should be investigated in more detail. For relevant policy decisions, a quick, focused and broad-based consultation of expertise could be of added value.

[The current pathogen spectrum--what are we fighting against?]. / Das Keimspektrum von heute--gegen wen kämpfen wir?

Surgical site infections are mainly caused by bacteria from the patients' skin or gut flora representing endogenous infections. In orthopedic and trauma surgery the skin commensals dominate and as a consequence Gram-positive bacteria are the main pathogens, particularly S. aureus. Additionally and especially in the case of foreign body infections, less virulent pathogens, e.g. coagulase-negative staphylococci play an important role. Due to newer microbiological techniques in detecting pathogens the spectrum of causative organisms is steadily increasing. As known for other nosocomial infections the relevance of multidrug resistant bacteria in surgical site infections is growing and the key player is methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA); however vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), extended spectrum betalactamases and/or carbapenemases producing enterobacteria and recently even panresistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates have to be considered.

[Infection control in the operating room: preventive measures and isolation precautions in cases of multidrug resistant pathogens]. / Infektionskontrolle im OP: Präventions- und Isolierungsmaßnahmen bei multiresistenten Erregern.

BACKGROUND: Providing surgical treatment for patients colonised or infected with multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) is daily routine in German hospitals. However, there is uncertainty about the application of adequate infection control measures in the OR. One of the reasons is that specific guidelines are not available. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated current practice in surgical departments of selected German university medical centres using a questionnaire. In addition, centres were asked to provide in-house standard operating procedures (SOP), if available. RESULTS: Nineteen questionnaires from 19 departments within 4 centres and 5 in-house SOPs were ana-lysed. The results showed a broad spectrum of applied infection control measures. Wide variations existed both within centres and within departments of the same centre regardless of existing in-house standards. CONCLUSIONS: Guidelines addressing perioperative infection control measures for patients harbouring MDROs should be developed with a focus on practicability to reduce both transmission of MDROs and unreasonable measures. Implementation of existing SOPs can be a target for optimisation.

Do patients need advice and information to prevent infections - results of a single centre structured survey.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections are a major burden for hospitals, leading to morbidity and mortality and unnecessary medical costs. They can probably be reduced through what is known as patient empowerment. This study aims to address the question of whether patients are interested in receiving infection prevention and control information. Methods: Patients were asked in structured interviews whether they would like more information on infection prevention and control. Inclusion criteria comprised 2 groups of patients. Group 1 were patients undergoing elective total endoprosthesis (TEP) and Group 2 were patients tested positive for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Results: The response rate was 38.4 % (163/425 patients). Approximately 75 % of the patients were interested in information on infection prevention and control. The topics of interest differed between the two patient groups: MRSA patients had a higher need for infection prevention and control information. TEP patients showed a high acceptance of antiseptic body wash and a willingness to pay for it themselves. Information given to patients should be group-specific and timely. Conclusion: Our data suggest a lack of information on infection prevention and control among patients and underline the importance of patient empowerment. The willingness of patients to pay personally for antiseptic wash should be assessed further.