Hand hygiene opportunities in pediatric extended care facilities.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: Children in extended care facilities (ECFs) are at risk of healthcare-associated infections, but little hand hygiene (HH) research has been conducted in this unique setting. METHODS: Eight children across four pediatric ECFs were observed for a cumulative 128 hours, and all care giver HH opportunities were characterized by the World Health Organization's '5 Moments for HH'. Data were analyzed using Pearson's χ2 test. RESULTS: Observers documented 865 HH opportunities. Overall HH adherence was 43% and was significantly higher among clinical care givers than among non-clinical care givers (61% and 14%, respectively, (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Hand hygiene adherence was low, suggesting multiple opportunities for transmission of infectious agents.

Comparing the clinical severity of the first versus second wave of 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) in a New York City pediatric healthcare facility.

OBJECTIVE: We previously reported the epidemiology of 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) in our pediatric healthcare facility in New York City during the first wave of illness (May-July 2009). We hypothesized that compared with the first wave, the second wave would be characterized by increased severity of illness and mortality. DESIGN: : Case series conducted from May 2009 to April 2010. SETTING: Pediatric emergency departments and inpatient facilities of New York-Presbyterian Hospital. PATIENTS: All hospitalized patients ÷ 18 yrs of age with positive laboratory tests for influenza A. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We compared severity of illness during the first and second wave assessed by the number of hospitalized children, including those in the pediatric intensive care unit, bacterial superinfections, and mortality rate. Compared to the first wave, fewer children were hospitalized during the second wave (n = 115 vs. 76), but a comparable portion were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (30.4% vs. 19.7%; p = .10). Pediatric Risk of Mortality III scores, length of hospitalization in the pediatric intensive care unit, incidence of respiratory failure and pneumonia, and peak oxygenation indices were similar during both waves. Bacterial superinfections were comparable in the first vs. second wave (3.5% vs. 1.3%). During the first wave, no child received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and one died, while during the second wave, one child received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and there were no deaths. CONCLUSIONS: At our pediatric healthcare facility in New York City, fewer children were hospitalized with 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) during the second wave, but both waves had a similar spectrum of illness severity and low mortality rate.

Predictors of Staphylococcus aureus Rectovaginal Colonization in Pregnant Women and Risk for Maternal and Neonatal Infections.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus infections are increasing among pregnant and postpartum women and neonates, but risk factors for S. aureus colonization in pregnancy and the association between maternal colonization and infant infections are not well defined. We sought to identify risk factors for maternal S. aureus rectovaginal colonization and assess colonization as a risk factor for infections among mothers and infants. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women and their infants. Demographic and clinical data, including S. aureus infections that occurred in mothers from 3 months before to 3 months after delivery and in infants during the first 3 months of life, were extracted from electronic medical records. Predictors for maternal S. aureus rectovaginal colonization were assessed through multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The cohort included 2702 women and 2789 infants. The prevalence of maternal rectovaginal colonization with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was 13% and 0.7%. Independent predictors of colonization included multigravidity, human immunodeficiency virus seropositivity, and group B Streptococcus colonization. S. aureus colonization was associated with an increased risk of infection in mothers (odds ratio [OR], 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-8.8) but not in their infants (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, .6-5.6). The frequency of S. aureus infections was 0.8% in mothers and 0.7% in infants. CONCLUSIONS: S. aureus rectovaginal colonization was associated with an increased risk of infections in women but not in their infants. The frequency of MRSA infections was low. These data suggest that routine MRSA screening of pregnant women may not be indicated.

Preventive strategies for central line-associated bloodstream infections in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have described preventive strategies for central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients. METHODS: We performed a pilot intervention study in our pediatric HSCT population in 2006-2008 and compared CLABSI rates before and after implementation of preventive strategies (ie, training staff and caregivers in procedures for dressing changes and drawing blood) in the inpatient, outpatient, and non-health care (ie, home) settings. We also studied the pathogens associated with hospital-onset versus community-onset CLABSIs. RESULTS: During the study period, 90 children (median age, 10 years) underwent HSCT. Fifty-nine children (66%) developed a CLABSI; 18 in the hospital, 27 in the community, and 14 in both settings. After implementation of central line (CL) maintenance care strategies, the overall CLABSI rate declined from 10.03 to 3.00 CLABSIs per 1,000 CL-days (rate ratio, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-0.5, P < .0001) and rates declined for both hospital- and community-onset CLABSIs. Gram negative pathogens caused more community-onset (45/65, 69%) than hospital-onset (22/46, 48%) CLABSIs (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-5.4; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Standardization of care practices for CL maintenance was associated with a reduction of CLABSIs in our pediatric HSCT population. A multicenter study is needed to confirm these observations.