Polish infection control nurses' burnout in the context of cooperation of different hospital professionals during COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUNDS: Infection control nurses' job are crucial for patient and healthcare workers safety. However, effective infections prevention is based on the interdisciplinary team work, involving almost all hospital employees professionals. Difficulties in cooperation in such a team, especially prolonged ones, as well as crisis situations, may cause burnout. The aim of the study was to determine burnout among infection control nurses working during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of difficulties in cooperation with different professionals working in hospitals. METHODS: The observational study was conducted between May and September 2021, using an online survey questionnaire consisting of two parts: describing difficulties in ICNs cooperation with different hospital professionals and Maslach Inventory Burnout scale, describing emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment rates (PA). Correctly completed online surveys were obtained from 177 participants. RESULTS: Most of the respondents (176 of 177) were women, working in public hospitals (81.48%). All respondents had considerable experience in work as nurses - the median was 30 years. However, the median experience in the ICNs position was 12 years. Median age of respondents was 51 years. The median level of EE was 31.0, w ith the range 23.0 to 39.0. For DP it was 5.0, with the range 3.0 and 11.5, while for PA - 24.0 (19.0-29.0). The highest values of EE were observed in the context of high level of difficulties with cooperation with management - the median was 36.0. DP was lowest among nurses declaring the lowest difficulties in cooperation with doctors. For PA the lowest level was observed in the group declaring high difficulties in the cooperation with doctors - median 22.0, with range 14.0-29.0. CONCLUSIONS: The surveyed ICNs had higher rates of EE and PA than nurses working with patients, both before and during the pandemic. The level of burnout found in the ICN study group reached a level correlating in other studies with the intention to quit the job. The obtained results indicate the need to include effective training in the skills of working in multidisciplinary teams and the art of communication and achieving goals by ICNs.

Is Antimicrobial Stewardship Policy Effectively Implemented in Polish Hospitals? Results from Antibiotic Consumption Surveillance before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic posed numerous challenges to public health systems, particularly in antimicrobial stewardship. This study aimed to assess antibiotic consumption before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented antimicrobial stewardship program. METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out at the University Hospital in Krakow, Poland, between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020. A total of 80,639 patients were enrolled. Antibiotic usage was measured as the percentage of patients receiving antibiotics and the number of days of therapy (DOTs). The World Health Organization (WHO) methodology and Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) codes and AWaRe classification were utilized. The analyzed ATC antibiotic groups included penicillins (J01CA, J01CE, J01CF, J01CR, excluding piperacillin/tazobactam), piperacillin with tazobactam-beta-lactamase inhibitor (J01CR05), third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins (J01DD, J01DE), carbapenems (J01DH), macrolides (J01FA), fluoroquinolones (J01M), colistin (J01XB01), metronidazole (J01XD01) and others (J01DF, J01DI, J01E, J01G, J01XA, J01A). In the AWaRe classification, Access, Watch and Reserve groups of antibiotics were included. RESULTS: In 2020, 79.2% of COVID-19 patients and 40.1% of non-COVID-19 patients were treated with antibiotics, compared to 28.8% in 2019. Also, in 2020, the antibiotic consumption in non-ICU COVID-19 patients was twice as high as in non-COVID-19 patients: 50.9 vs. 38.5 DOTs/100 patient days (pds). Conversely, in the ICU, antibiotic consumption in COVID-19 patients was 112.1 DOTs/100 pds compared to 248.9 DOTs/100 pds in non-COVID-19 patients. Significant increases were observed in the usage of third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins in 2020. The analysis according to the AWaRe system revealed the highest usage of the Watch group-ranging from 61.9% to 78.7%-and very high usage of the Reserve group-from 5.8% to 11.1%-in non COVID-19 and COVID-19 patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight substantial issues with antibiotic use both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results underscore the urgent need for improved antimicrobial stewardship policy implementation.

Did safety-engineered device implementation contribute to reducing the risk of needlestick and sharps injuries? Retrospective investigation of 20 years of observation in a specialist tertiary referral hospital.

OBJECTIVES: In Poland, there are numerous cases of injuries caused by sharp instruments annually, still significantly more than in other European Union countries. The aim of this study was to analyze work-related injuries among healthcare workers in a selected hospital before and after the implementation of safety-engineered devices (SED). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of medical documentation regarding occupational needlestick and sharps injuries (NSSI) in a tertiary referral surgical hospital in 1998-2018. The study group consisted of nurses and doctors who had been injured and reported the incident. The frequency of injury reports, injury rate, and characterization of circumstances surrounding NSSI are presented. RESULTS: Over the period of 20 years, a total of 257 NSSI incidents were reported. The average injury rate was statistically significant for nurses (p = 0.004) and was higher before the introduction of SED. Moreover, the number of injuries among nurses showed a downward trend during the study period. However, for doctors, there was no statistically significant difference in the median puncture rate (p = 0.099), and the number of injuries showed an increasing trend. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the authors' have demonstrated not only the occurrence of injuries and punctures in the daily work of medical personnel but also the potential for their reduction through the use of safety equipment at every workstation where healthcare services are provided using sharp medical instruments. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(2):234-43.

Post-discharge surveillance of urinary tract infections in patients following hip and knee arthroplasty: Identifying targets for infection prevention and control.

This population-based study aimed to evaluate the incidence of urinary tract infections following hip and knee arthroplasty (HPRO and KPRO) and identify urinary tract infection risk factors among Polish patients. The analysis included data from 83,525 patients, with incidence rates of 0.7% and 0.49% after HPRO and KPRO, respectively. We identified women, individuals over 65 years old, residents of long-term care facilities, patients with chronic circulatory, endocrine, or digestive diseases, and those operated on due to trauma as targets for infection prevention and control.

Landscape of global urban environmental resistome and its association with local socioeconomic and medical status.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical threat to global health and development, with environmental factors-particularly in urban areas-contributing significantly to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, most research to date has been conducted at a local level, leaving significant gaps in our understanding of the global status of antibiotic resistance in urban environments. To address this issue, we thoroughly analyzed a total of 86,213 ARGs detected within 4,728 metagenome samples, which were collected by the MetaSUB International Consortium involving diverse urban environments in 60 cities of 27 countries, utilizing a deep-learning based methodology. Our findings demonstrated the strong geographical specificity of urban environmental resistome, and their correlation with various local socioeconomic and medical conditions. We also identified distinctive evolutionary patterns of ARG-related biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) across different countries, and discovered that the urban environment represents a rich source of novel antibiotics. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the global urban environmental resistome, and fills a significant gap in our knowledge of large-scale urban antibiotic resistome analysis.

Healthcare-Associated Infections and Prevention Programs in General Nursing versus Residential Homes-Results of the Point Prevalence Survey in Polish Long-Term Care Facilities.

Background and Objectives: The number of residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is expected to increase. Determining the epidemiological situation in the context of organizational conditions is therefore extremely important for planning the necessary future activities in the field of infection prevention. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence rates in Polish nursing vs. residential homes, in the context of the medical and functional burdens of residents and the organizational conditions of both types of units. Material and Methods: the data that were analyzed came from a point prevalence survey of infections and antibiotic consumption in LTCFs, conducted in accordance with the HALT-3 protocol in Poland in 2017, between April and June. Results: This study included a total of 2313 residents in 24 LTCFs. The most common risk factors for infections in the study population were urinary and fecal incontinence (77.0%), impaired mobility (the patient was in a wheelchair or lying down) (68.7%), and impaired spatial and temporal orientation (52.5%). The median prevalence in nursing homes (NHs) was 3.2% and that in residential homes (RHs) was 0.7%, but without statistical significance. The median for the entire group was 2.6%. A total of 93 healthcare-related infections were detected in 91 residents. The most frequently reported forms of infections were urinary tract infections, lower respiratory tract infections, and skin infections. A statistically significant positive correlation was found only between the percentage of residents with pressure ulcers and other wounds and the incidence of gastrointestinal infections (correlation coefficient = 0.413, p < 0.05). Infection prevention and control measures were implemented mainly in nursing homes, and in residential homes, only hand hygiene procedures were commonly available. Conclusions: For the two types of LTCFs, the epidemiological situation in terms of nosocomial infections is diverse. Consequently, both types of facilities require different approaches to infection control and prevention and outcomes analysis.

Factors associated with burnout among hospital-based healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional CRACoV-HHS study.

AIMS: To assess the prevalence of burnout and associated factors among healthcare workers (HCWs) working in a hospital admitting patients with COVID-19. BACKGROUND: Burnout among HCWs is related to age, gender and occupation. However, little is known about organisational factors associated with burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of 1412 hospital HCWs (748 nurses) was carried out via online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic between 4 and 19 January 2021. METHODS: The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, the Checklist Individual Strength questionnaire, the interRAI items covering mental health, the WHO questionnaire items assessing HCWs' preparedness and exposure to SARS-CoV-2 were used. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to clarify factors associated with emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA). This study adheres to the STROBE guidelines. RESULTS: Burnout prevalence varied from 10.0% to 22.0%. Most respondents (83.6%) reported low PA, 22.9% high EE and 18.7% high DP. Nurses and physicians had the highest levels of EE and DP. Staff exposed or uncertain if exposed to contaminated patients' body fluids and materials had higher levels of burnout. Preparedness (training) (b = 1.15; 95%CI 0.26 to 2.05) and adherence to infection prevention and control procedures (b = 1.57; 95%CI 0.67 to 2.47) were associated with higher PA, and accessibility of personal protective equipment (PPE) (b = -1.37; 95%CI -2.17 to -0.47) was related to lower EE. HCWs working in wards for patients with COVID-19 reported lower EE (b = -1.39; 95%CI -2.45 to -0.32). HCWs who contracted COVID-19 reported lower DP (b = -0.71, 95%CI -1.30 to -0.12). CONCLUSIONS: Organisational factors such as better access to PPE, training, and adherence to infection prevention and control procedures were associated with a lower level of burnout. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Healthcare managers should promote strategies to reduce burnout among HCWs with regard to preparedness of all staff.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of UV-C Radiation in Eliminating Microorganisms of Special Epidemiological Importance from Touch Surfaces under Laboratory Conditions and in the Hospital Environment.

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare-associated infections in the post-pandemic era are as important as they were before COVID-19. The dominant route of transmission of microorganisms in health care units is the contact route, for which hand hygiene is of cardinal importance, but also effective disinfection of touch surfaces. Traditional disinfection based on chemical compounds is sensitive to human errors. Therefore, a valuable supplement to it can be contactless disinfection methods, including the use of UV-C. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of UV-C radiation in eliminating selected, most important pathogens of particular epidemic importance from surfaces made of various materials: stainless steel, plastic and glass, most often found in hospital conditions. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In laboratory conditions, the study was conducted using bacterial strains of great epidemiological importance and Candida auris. In hospital wards, samples were taken before and after disinfection for comparisons of the composition and quantity of bacteria. In laboratory conditions, carriers made of steel, plastic and glass were contaminated with a bacterial suspension with a density of approx. 0.5 McFarland, and then the density of persistent microorganisms was assessed after 10 min of UV-C irradiation. RESULTS: The high effectiveness of UV-C radiation in eliminating bacteria contaminating touch surfaces in hospital wards and in laboratory conditions has been confirmed. The elimination efficiency in laboratory conditions was slightly lower (statistically insignificant) on the plastic surface, which is probably related to subtle differences in the thickness of the contaminating layer. Hydrophobic properties and the smallest suspension diameter were confirmed for the tested plastic carriers. CONCLUSIONS: UV-C disinfection is a desirable element to support traditional, chemical methods of disinfection in hospital conditions, effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria and C. auris.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia in Polish intensive care unit dedicated to COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) are most frequently associated with patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), led to ICU hospitalization for some patients. METHODS: The study was conducted in 2020 and 2021 at a hospital in southern Poland. The Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance Network (HAI-Net) of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) was used for HAI diagnosis. The aim of this case-control study was to retrospectively assess the epidemiology of HAIs in ICU patients, distinguishing between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases. RESULTS: The study included 416 ICU patients: 125 (30%) with COVID-19 and 291 (70%) without COVID-19, p < 0.05. The mortality rate was 80 (64%) for COVID-19 patients and 45 (16%) for non-COVID-19 patients, p < 0.001. Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) occurred in 40 cases, with an incidence rate density of 6.3/1000 patient-days (pds): 14.1/1000 pds for COVID-19 patients vs. 3.6/1000 pds for non-COVID-19 patients. Odds Ratio (OR) was 2.297, p < 0.01. Acinetobacter baumannii was the most often isolated microorganism in VAP, with 25 cases (incidence rate 8.5%): 16 (18.2%) in COVID-19 patients vs. 9 (4.4%) in non-COVID-19 patients. OR was 4.814 (1.084-4.806), p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated in the ICU for COVID-19 faced twice the risk of VAP compared to non-COVID-19 patients. The predominant microorganism in VAP cases was Acinetobacter baumannii.

Post-discharge occurrence of surgical site infections after hip or knee arthroplasty surgery in Poland, a population-based study.

Arthroplasty is a common procedure improving functioning of patients and their quality of life. Infection is a serious complication that determines subsequent management of the prosthesis and the patient. The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence of post-discharge surgical site infections (SSI) and their risk factors. A retrospective analysis of an anonymized database from the National Health Found for 2017 of 56,068 adult patients undergoing hip replacement surgery (HPRO) and 27,457 patients undergoing knee replacement surgery (KPRO). The cumulative incidence of post-discharge SSI was 0.92% for HPRO and 0.95% for KPRO. The main risk factors for hip SSI were male gender, diseases of hematopoietic, musculoskeletal and nervous system. The risk factor for knee SSI was male gender. All comorbidities significantly increased the risk of SSI. The ICU stay and antibiotics administered at discharge in studied population increased the risk of detection of SSI after HPRO and KPRO by up to four and seven times, respectively. For both procedures rehabilitation after surgery and total endoprosthesis decreased incidence of SSIs. The lower experience of the center was related to higher SSI incidence in HPRO in primary (1.5% vs. 0.9%) and in revision surgeries (3.8% vs. 2.1%), but in KPRO, lower experience only in primary surgeries was significantly associated with SSI. The cumulative incidence of post-discharge SSI in Poland is higher than in other European countries. Special attention should be paid to patients with chronic diseases.

Polish infection control nurses' job satisfaction and cooperation with their colleagues reflect how the value of infection control is appreciated by other health care workers: findings from surveys conducted before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Infection prevention and control (IPC) is based on the activity of specialized, trained and highly qualified personnel, especially infection control nurses (ICNs). Effective implementation of IPC procedures demands close cooperation between IPC teams (IPCTs) and hospital personnel. Based on disturbing results on the epidemiology of health care-associated infections (HAIs) and compliance with preventive procedures, we suspect that cooperation between ICNs and different groups of hospital staff is poor. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of ICNs working in Polish hospitals with regard to difficulties in working with various professional groups in the hospital, their organizational conditions, and their job satisfaction before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The study was conducted twice, in 2014 and 2021, among ICNs working in Polish hospitals. The survey used an anonymous questionnaire designed by the authors. RESULTS: In 2014, 183 ICNs participated in the study, and 175 ICNs participated in 2021. The respondents' average age and seniority (duration of work as an ICN) were higher in 2021. Depending on the ward specialty, approximately 30-48.8% of the ICNs had difficulty cooperating with physicians. However, the ICNs declared better cooperation with nurses in various hospital wards and with other professionals. For some groups of hospital staff, there was a negative correlation between poor cooperation and ICNs' job satisfaction. The job satisfaction data were disturbing; for example, more than half of the respondents considered changing jobs, and the lack of a sense of purpose in their work was declared by 29.7% of ICNs in 2014 and by 54.3% of ICNs in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that infection prevention and control is not highly appreciated by health care workers and hospital management. Our study reveals difficulties in ICNs' cooperation with hospital staff and managers in both 2021 and 2014, moderate job satisfaction, a high level of willingness to change jobs, and insufficient training in interpersonal skills and the implementation of changes. These findings clearly indicate an urgent need to introduce modern competence development systems in infection control beyond the scope of traditional training.

Hospital antibiotic consumption-an interrupted time series analysis of the early and late phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland, a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has been challenging for the entire healthcare system, due to the lack of sufficient treatment protocols, especially during initial phases and as regards antibiotic use. The aim of this study was to identify the trends of antimicrobial consumption in one of the largest tertiary hospitals in Poland during COVID-19. METHODS: This is a retrospective study conducted at the University Hospital in Krakow, Poland, between Feb/Mar 2020 and Feb 2021. It included 250 patients. All included patients were hospitalized due to COVID-19 with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection without bacterial co-infections during the first phase of COVID-19 in Europe and following 3-month intervals: five equal groups of patients in each. COVID severity and antibiotic consumption were assessed according to WHO recommendations. RESULTS: In total 178 (71.2%) patients received antibiotics with a incidence rate of laboratory-confirmed healthcare-associated infection (LC-HAI) was 20%. The severity of COVID-19 was mild in 40.8%, moderate in 36.8%, and severe in 22.4% cases. The ABX administration was significantly higher for intensive care unit (ICU) patients (97.7% vs. 65.7%). Length of hospital stay was extended for patients with ABX (22.3 vs. 14.4 days). In total, 3 946.87 DDDs of ABXs were used, including 1512.63 DDDs in ICU, accounting for 780.94 and 2522.73 per 1000 hospital days, respectively. The median values of antibiotic DDD were greater among patients with severe COVID-19 than others (20.92). Patients admitted at the beginning of the pandemic (Feb/Mar, May 2020) had significantly greater values of median DDDs, respectively, 25.3 and 16.0 compared to those admitted in later (Aug, Nov 2020; Feb 2021), respectively, 11.0, 11.0 and 11.2, but the proportion of patients receiving ABX therapy was lower in Feb/Mar and May 2020 (62.0 and 48.0%), whereas the highest during the late period of the pandemic, i.e., in Aug, Nov. 2020 and Feb. 2021 (78% and both 84.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest great misuse of antibiotics without relevant data about HAIs. Almost all ICU patients received some antibiotics, which was correlated with prolonged hospitalization.

Healthcare-Acquired Infection Surveillance in Neurosurgery Patients, Incidence and Microbiology, Five Years of Experience in Two Polish Units.

Introduction: Patients in neurosurgical units are particularly susceptible to healthcare-associated infections (HAI) due to invasive interventions in the central nervous system. Materials and methods: The study was conducted between 2014 and 2019 in neurosurgery units in Poland. The aim of the study was to investigate the epidemiology and microbiology of HAIs and to assess the effectiveness of surveillance conducted in two hospital units. Both hospitals ran (since 2012) the unified prospective system, based on continuous surveillance of HAIs designed and recommended by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (protocol version 4.3) in the Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance Network (HAI-Net). In study hospitals, HAIs were detected by the Infection Prevention Control Nurse (IPCN). The surveillance of healthcare infections in hospital A was based mainly on analysis of microbiological reports and telephone communication between the epidemiological nurse and the neurosurgery unit. HAI monitoring in hospital B was an outcome of daily personal communication between the infection prevention and control nurse and patients in the neurosurgery unit (HAI detection at the bedside) and assessment of their health status based on clinical symptoms presented by the patient, epidemiological definitions, microbiological and other diagnostic tests (e.g., imaging studies). In hospital A, HAI monitoring did not involve personal communication with the unit but was rather based on remote analysis of medical documentation found in the hospital database. Results: A total of 12,117 patients were hospitalized. There were 373 HAIs diagnosed, the general incidence rate was 3.1%. In hospital A, the incidence rate was 2.3%, and in hospital B: 4.8%. HAI types detected: pneumonia (PN) (n = 112, 0.9%), (urinary tract infection (UTI) (n = 108, 0.9%), surgical site infection (SSI) (n = 96, 0.8%), bloodstream infection (BSI) (n = 57, 0.5%), gastrointestinal system infection (GI) (n = 13, 0.1%), skin and soft tissue (SST) (n = 9, 0.1%). HAI with invasive devices: 44 ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) cases (45.9/1000 pds with ventilator); catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CA-UTI): 105 cases (2.7/1000 pds with catheter); central venous catheter (CVC-BSI): 18 cases (1.9/1000 pds with CVC). The greatest differences between studied units were in the incidence rate of PN (p < 0.001), UTI (p < 0.001), and SSI (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The way HAIs are diagnosed and qualified and the style of work of the infection control team may have a direct impact on the unit epidemiology with the application of epidemiological coefficients. Prospective surveillance run by the infection prevention and control nurse in hospital B could have been associated with better detection of infections expressed in morbidity, especially PN and UTI, and a lower risk of VAP. In hospital A, the lower incidence might have resulted from an inability to detect a UTI or BSI and less supervision of VAP. The present results require further profound research in this respect.

Five-Year Analysis of Surgical Site Infections in Three Orthopaedics and Trauma Wards under HAI-Net from the South of Poland in 2014-2018 Considering the Standardized Infection Ratio.

Background and Objectives: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in surgical wards. The highest risk of developing SSI is carried by operations involving implants, such as: hip prosthesis (HPRO), knee prosthesis (KPRO), open reduction of fracture (FX), and closed reduction of fracture with internal fixation (CR). Objectives. The objective of the study was to assess the incidence of SSI in patients subjected to HPRO, KPRO, FX, and CR procedures in orthopaedics and trauma wards in 2014-2018 considering risk factors included in the SIR index. Materials and Methods: The study included 6261 patients who were subjected to orthopaedic surgery in 2014-2018. The investigation covered three hospitals with orthopaedics and trauma wards. The research was conducted in the framework of the national HAI surveillance programme according to the methodology of the HAI-Net, ECDC. Results: A total of 6261 surgeries were investigated, of which 111 cases of SSI were detected. The incidence was 1.8%; HPRO (incidence 2.1%, median (Me) surgery duration 90 min, and standardized infection ratio (SIR) above 1 in all units tested); KPRO (incidence 2.0%, Me 103 min, and SIR above 1 for all units tested); FX (incidence 1.9%, Me 70 min, and SIR above 1 for two units tested and below 1 in one unit); CR (incidence 1.0%, Me 55 min, and SIR-not calculated). The etiological agents that were most frequently isolated from patients with SSI were Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Conclusions: HPRO, KPRO, and FX operations performed in the studied wards carried a higher risk of developing SSI than that predicted by SIR. SSIs accounted for a significant percentage of the overall infection pool in CR surgeries. Actions should be undertaken to reduce the incidence of SSI in these surgeries. There should be a hospital network which facilitates cooperation in order to better monitor and analyse the incidence of SSI.

The Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies among HealthCare Workers in University Hospital in Krakow before the Era of Vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of occupational health is crucial to the safety of healthcare workers in the pandemic period. The aim of our study was the rating of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in connection with selected demographic, social, and organizational factors, as well as the identification of key elements determining the safety of HCWs and patients of the University Hospital in Krakow. METHODS: This was a non-interventional, uncontrolled, open, single-center, cross-sectional online survey on the preparedness for the COVID-19 epidemic and the seroprevalence of medical and non-medical HCWs and students. Serum specimens from 1221 persons were tested using an immunoassay analyzer based on the ECLIA technique for the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies IgM + IgG. RESULTS: The total seroprevalence was 42.7%. In medical students it was 25.2%, while in physicians it was 43.4% and in nurses/midwives it was 48.1%. Of those who tested positive, 21.5% did not know their serological status. The use of personal protective equipment did not have any significant impact on the result of testing for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The risk of developing the disease was not influenced by sex, professional work experience, workplace, or intensity of contact with the patient. Among the studied elements, only care of COVID-19 patients significantly increased the risk. The protective factor was starting work between the waves of the epidemic (June-September 2020). CONCLUSIONS: PPE is only one element of infection prevention and control-without other components, such as hand hygiene, it can be dangerous and contribute to self-infection. It is also very important to test healthcare workers. Not being aware of the COVID-19 status of HCWs poses a threat to other staff members, as well as patients and the family and friends of the infected. Thus, extreme caution should be applied when employing respirators with exhalation valves during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Post-Discharge Clostridioides difficile Infection after Arthroplasties in Poland, Infection Prevention and Control as the Key Element of Prevention of C. difficile Infections.

Clostridioides difficile is still one of the most common causes of hospital-acquired infectious diarrhea (CDI), and the incidence of CDI is one of the indicators that allows conclusions to be derived on the correctness of antibiotic administration. The objective of this observational study was the analysis of post-discharge CDI incidence in patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty, in order to specify optimum conditions for the surgical procedures and outpatient postoperative care. One-year observational study. Public Polish hospitals. Retrospective records for 83,525 surgery patients having undergone hip or knee arthroplasty were extracted from the Polish National Health Fund databases. CDI and/or antibiotic prescriptions in the 30 day post-surgery period were expressed per 1000 surgeries with antibiotic prescription on discharge or in ambulatory care, respectively. The CDI incidence rate was 34.4 per 10,000 patients, and 7.7 cases per 100,000 post-surgery patient-days. Patients who were prescribed at least one antibiotic were diagnosed with CDI more often than patients who had no antibiotic treatment (55.0/1000 patients vs. 1.8/1000 patients). In the multifactorial analysis, the following factors were significant: being at least 65 years of age, trauma as the cause of surgery, length of stay over 7 days, HAIs other than CDI and taking beta-lactams and/or quinolones but not macrolides in the post-discharge period. Postoperative antibiotic prescription in patients undergoing joint replacement surgery is the main risk factor for CDI. These observations indicate the necessity of improvement of infection control programs as the key factor for CDI prevention.

Postdischarge pneumonia after hip arthroplasty: a population­based study of 55 842 patients in Poland.

INTRODUCTION: Alloplasty is one of the most frequently performed procedures, as it hugely improves the quality of life. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, risk factors, and clinical implications of postdischarge pneumonia after hip endoprosthesis in Polish adults. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted using the database of the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia) containing data from 55 842 hip arthroplasties performed in 2017. RESULTS: Postdischarge pneumonia was identified in 371 patients and accounted for 26.6% of all postdischarge infections, with incidence rate of 0.7%. Multivariable analysis showed a significantly higher risk of pneumonia in patients aged 65 and older (odds ratio [OR], 3.5; 95% CI, 2.40-5.03), urgently admitted (OR, 4.0; 95% CI, 3.16-4.98), operated in winter (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.37-2.11), and hospitalized in the intensive care unit (OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 3.65-9.46). Preventative factors were pre­surgery treatment for diseases of the musculoskeletal system (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.59-0.91) and postoperative rehabilitation (both outpatient and inpatient; OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.10-0.99 and OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.42-0.99, respectively). Seventy patients (18.9% of pneumonia cases) required inpatient pneumonia treatment. The in­hospital case fatality rate observed in postdischarge pneumonia was 21.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Pneumonia is one of the most common postoperative infections after hip endoprosthesis, especially in winter, requiring rehospitalization. Efforts should be made to prepare patients in the perioperative period.

Green, simple analytical method for biogenic amines determination in fruit juice samples using salting-out assisted liquid-liquid microextraction andgas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Salting-out assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (SALLME) was integrated withthederivatization procedure to establish a one-step sample pre-treatment approach for rapid analysis of14 biogenic amines (BAs) in fruit juices. The methodology consists of salting-out ofanalytes,derivatization with ethyl chloroformate (ECF), extraction with ethyl acetate (EtAc), andtheanalysis of the derivatized BAs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Optimization oftheSALLME parameters, including the amount of sample, NaOH, and ECF was carried out through a Box-Behnken response surface design. The developed method exhibits satisfactory limits ofdetection (from 1.5 to 8.1 µg/L) andquantification (from 5.0 to 26.7 µg/L), and average recoveries between 84% and 108%. The developed procedure was used for BAs determination injuices ofdifferent berries withthe highest determined concentrations found for cadaverine, putrescine, tryptamine, andtyramine. Both GAPI and AGREE tools were used to assess the green character of the SALLME-GC-MS procedure.

Annotating unknown species of urban microorganisms on a global scale unveils novel functional diversity and local environment association.

In urban ecosystems, microbes play a key role in maintaining major ecological functions that directly support human health and city life. However, the knowledge about the species composition and functions involved in urban environments is still limited, which is largely due to the lack of reference genomes in metagenomic studies comprises more than half of unclassified reads. Here we uncovered 732 novel bacterial species from 4728 samples collected from various common surface with the matching materials in the mass transit system across 60 cities by the MetaSUB Consortium. The number of novel species is significantly and positively correlated with the city population, and more novel species can be identified in the skin-associated samples. The in-depth analysis of the new gene catalog showed that the functional terms have a significant geographical distinguishability. Moreover, we revealed that more biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) can be found in novel species. The co-occurrence relationship between BGCs and genera and the geographical specificity of BGCs can also provide us more information for the synthesis pathways of natural products. Expanded the known urban microbiome diversity and suggested additional mechanisms for taxonomic and functional characterization of the urban microbiome. Considering the great impact of urban microbiomes on human life, our study can also facilitate the microbial interaction analysis between human and urban environment.

[Bundle care - prevention of pneumonia in patients mechanically ventilated in COVID-19 pandemia - a challenge for patients and personnel safety]. / Bundle care ­ prewencja zapalen pluc u wentylowanych pacjentów w pandemii COVID-19 ­ wyzwanie dla bezpieczenstwa pacjentów i personelu.

Intensive care units are characterized by the high risk of infections in patients. Pneumonia is one of the most common forms of infection with a high risk of death. Hence, to improve patient safety, specific packages of procedures, the so-called "bundle care," are recommended by experts in the field. The usage of selected protective procedures carries the risk of transmitting microbes from patients to staff, which in the case of pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 can have serious health consequences for staff. Therefore, medical staff of intensive care units should strictly follow recommendation concerning healthcare workers safety and the rules of isolation, which in the current pandemic should be supplemented with specific elements. The paper presents an overview of the optimization of patient care and staff safety within the so-called "bundle care" in the COVID-19 pandemic. Med Pr. 2021;72(6):721-8.