[Healthcare associated infections in cardiac surgery patients: results of a study conducted in a university hospital in Catanzaro (Italy)]. / Le infezioni correlate all'assistenza sanitaria nei pazienti cardiochirurgici: risultati di uno studio di sorveglianza condotto presso il Policlinico Universitario di Catanzaro.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of healthcare-associated infections in patients admitted to the Cardiac Surgery Division of the University Hospital in Catanzaro (Italy) from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2009. The methodology developed by the National Healthcare Safety Network was used. In total 887 patients were evaluated, 5.9% of whom developed at least one healthcare-associated infection giving an incidence of 4.8 infections/1000 patient days. The incidence of surgical site infections was 1.5 per 100 surgical procedures. In the Intensive Care Unit, the incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infection was found to be 10.6/1000 catheter-days, the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia was 9.7/1000 ventilator days, while the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections was 0.9/1000 catheter days. In the Cardiac Surgery Unit, the incidence of central line-associated bloodstream infection was found to be 2.2 per 1000 catheter-days while the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections was 3.3/1,000 catheter days. Epidemiological surveillance has a fundamental role in the control of healthcare associated infections because it allows us to measure the frequency of infections and to rapidly adopt adequate control measures.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella in Calabria, Italy: a laboratory and patient-based survey.

INTRODUCTION: Although there has been a decrease in the number of cases of salmonellosis in the European Union, it still represents the primary cause of foodborne outbreaks. In Calabria region, data are lacking for the incidence of human non-typhoid salmonellosis as active surveillance has never been carried out. OBJECTIVE: To report the results of a laboratory and patient-based morbidity survey in Calabria to describe the incidence and distribution of Salmonella serovars isolated from humans, with a focus on antimicrobial resistance patterns. METHODS: Positive cultures from human samples were collected from every laboratory participating in the surveillance, with a minimum set of information about each isolate. A questionnaire was then administered to the patients by telephone interview to assess the potential risk exposures.Salmonella isolates underwent biochemical identification, molecular analysis by PCR and antimicrobial susceptibility testing by the disk-diffusion method. RESULTS: During a 2-year period, 105 strains of Salmonella spp were isolated from samples of patients with diarrhoea, with the highest isolation rate for children aged 1-5 years. The standardised rate was 2.7 cases per 1 00 000 population. The most common Salmonella isolates belonged to monophasic variant of S. Typhimurium (S. 4,[5],12:i:-) (33.3%), followed by S. Typhimurium (21.9%). 30.5% of the isolates were susceptible to all microbial agents tested and the most common pan-susceptible serotype was S. Napoli (100%). S. 4,[5],12:i:- was resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfonamides and tetracyclines in 42.9% cases, while resistance to quinolones was seen in 14.3% of the isolates. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide evidence that an active surveillance system effectively enhances Salmonella notifications. The high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, including resistance to quinolones and multiresistance, enforces the need to strengthen strategies of surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial use.