Ten-Year Evaluation of Thermal Comfort in Operating Rooms.

The microclimate is a particularly important environmental aspect in operating rooms (ORs), where more than in other hospital environments, it is extremely important, and at the same time extremely difficult, to reconcile the needs of different types of occupants (patients and operators). Moreover, unsuitable microclimatic conditions may affect the onset of infection. The present study aimed to analyze the periodic monitoring of the microclimatic conditions carried out in ORs over 10 years, to verify the adequacy of the thermal comfort conditions for all occupants. The evaluation of thermal comfort was carried out using the Fanger indices and the standards required by current legislation and specific guidelines. Non-compliant values for at least one parameter were found in 98.8% of the examinations performed in the ORs. A condition of thermal discomfort was calculated for 3.6% of healthcare professionals and 98.3% of patients. The monitoring of microclimatic conditions is particularly important in the OR as an indicator of inadequate functioning of the air conditioning system, which might affect the thermal comfort of all occupants and lead to microbial contamination of the room.

Rehabilitative of COVID-19 patients with acute lower extremity Ischemia and amputation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and rehabilitation management of patients who undergo amputation for COVID-19-associated coagulopathy. METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data for 3 patients were analysed and their rehabilitative management discussed. RESULTS: The medical records of 3 patients who had undergone amputation due to acute lower extremity ischaemia and who were provided with rehabilitation in our COVID-19 unit were reviewed. CONCLUSION: Coagulation changes related to SARS-CoV-2 may complicate recovery from this devastating disease. The rehabilitation management of amputated patients for COVID-19 acute lower extremity ischaemia is based on a multilevel approach for clinical, functional, nutritional and neuropsychological needs. Based on this limited experience, a dedicated programme for this specific group of patients seems advantageous to warrant the best functional outcome and quality of life.

Evaluation of Legionella Air Contamination in Healthcare Facilities by Different Sampling Methods: An Italian Multicenter Study.

Healthcare facilities (HF) represent an at-risk environment for legionellosis transmission occurring after inhalation of contaminated aerosols. In general, the control of water is preferred to that of air because, to date, there are no standardized sampling protocols. Legionella air contamination was investigated in the bathrooms of 11 HF by active sampling (Surface Air System and Coriolis®µ) and passive sampling using settling plates. During the 8-hour sampling, hot tap water was sampled three times. All air samples were evaluated using culture-based methods, whereas liquid samples collected using the Coriolis®µ were also analyzed by real-time PCR. Legionella presence in the air and water was then compared by sequence-based typing (SBT) methods. Air contamination was found in four HF (36.4%) by at least one of the culturable methods. The culturable investigation by Coriolis®µ did not yield Legionella in any enrolled HF. However, molecular investigation using Coriolis®µ resulted in eight HF testing positive for Legionella in the air. Comparison of Legionella air and water contamination indicated that Legionella water concentration could be predictive of its presence in the air. Furthermore, a molecular study of 12 L. pneumophila strains confirmed a match between the Legionella strains from air and water samples by SBT for three out of four HF that tested positive for Legionella by at least one of the culturable methods. Overall, our study shows that Legionella air detection cannot replace water sampling because the absence of microorganisms from the air does not necessarily represent their absence from water; nevertheless, air sampling may provide useful information for risk assessment. The liquid impingement technique appears to have the greatest capacity for collecting airborne Legionella if combined with molecular investigations.

Serological and molecular identification of Legionella spp. isolated from water and surrounding air samples in Italian healthcare facilities.

BACKGROUND: Legionella is an intracellular microorganism living in natural and artificial aquatic environments. Although its transmission to humans is linked to the inhalation of contaminated aerosols, there is no validated air sampling method for the control and prevention of the disease. The aim of the present study was to provide more information on the distribution of Legionella spp. in indoor environments and to determine whether the same Legionella strains are isolated from air and water samples. METHODS: Ten healthcare facilities located in seven regions of Italy were enrolled. The serological typing of Legionella spp. from water samples and the surrounding air by active and passive sampling was assessed using polyvalent and monovalent antisera. Subsequently, the strains identified as Legionella pneumophila (Lpn) underwent molecular typing by sequence-based typing (SBT) using seven genes (flaA, pilE, asd, mip, mompS, proA, and neuA). The allelic profile number was assigned using the European Working Group for Legionella Infections-SBT database. RESULTS: Lpn serogroup 6 was the most prevalent serogroup; it was found simultaneously in the air and water samples of three different healthcare facilities. In the remaining seven hospitals, Lpn serogroups 1, 6, 7, 9, and 12 were isolated exclusively from water samples. The molecular investigation showed that Lpn strains in the water and air samples of each positive healthcare facility had the same allelic profile. Strains, identified as sequence types (STs) 728 and ST 1638+ST 1324, were isolated in two respective healthcare facilities, and a new strain, identified as ST 1989, was obtained in one healthcare facility. CONCLUSION: The application of the SBT method allowed to verify the homology among Legionella strains from water samples and the surrounding air. The results showed that the same Lpn strains were present in the air and water samples, and a new Legionella strain was identified.

Outbreak of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in an intensive care unit.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a ubiquitous microrganism often able to colonize and survive in different environments. Currently it is one of the most common pathogens responsible for nosocomial infections, including outbreaks, especially in long-term care facilities. The aim of this study was to show the results of an environmental investigation and genotyping analysis of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii associated with an outbreak in an intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital located in Northern Sardinia, Italy. Positive cultures of MDR Acinetobacter baumannii were reported during the month of June 2012, after the collection of biological samples from ten patients. Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated during the following environmental investigation from the headboard of two beds. All the strains were genotyped by performing multiplex PCR to identify the presence of genes encoding carbapenemases. The results showed specific bands of bla(OXA-51-like) gene and of the bla(OXA-23-like) gene. PFGE highlighted minimal differences in genomic fingerprints, while the cluster analysis grouped the isolated microorganisms into two closely related clusters, characterized by Dice's similarity coefficient equal to 95.1%. MLST showed that the strains belonged to ST31. The results of the study highlight the need, especially in high-risk areas, to adopt strict hygiene practices, particularly hand hygiene, and to ensure an appropriate turnover of personal protective equipment, which could be responsible for the spread of biological agents, such as MDR Acinetobacter baumannii.

[Legionella spp. contamination in indoor air: preliminary results of an Italian multicenter study]. / La contaminazione indoor da Legionella spp: risultati preliminari di una indagine multicentrica italiana.

OBJECTIVE: To propose a standardized protocol for the evaluation of Legionella contamination in air. DESIGN: A bathroom having a Legionella contamination in water >1,000 cfu/l was selected in 10 different healthcare facilities. Air contamination was assessed by active (Surface Air System, SAS) and passive (Index of Microbial Air, IMA) sampling for 8 hours, about 1 m away from the floor and 50 cm from the tap water. Two hundred liters of air were sampled by SAS every 12 min, after flushing water for 2 min. The IMA value was calculated as the mean value of colony forming units/16 plates exposed during sampling (2 plates/hour). Water contamination was evaluated at T0, after 4 and 8 hours, according to the standard methods. RESULTS: Air contamination by Legionella was found in three healthcare facilities (one with active and two with passive sampling), showing a concomitant tap water contamination (median=40,000; range 1,100-43,000 cfu/l). The remaining seven hospitals isolated Legionella spp. exclusively from water samples (median=8,000; range 1,200-70,000 cfu/l). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that environmental Legionella contamination cannot be assessed only through the air sampling, even in the presence of an important water contamination.

Evaluation of fungal contamination in operating rooms using a dusting cloth pad: comparison among different sampling methods.

To evaluate microbial contamination in hospitals environments, several methods are available, each one having its limitations. Therefore, the choice of system to use is open. This study compares the ability of a dusting cloth pad (DC pad) with 2 other methods (Rodac contact plate and air sampling) to detect contamination because of filamentous fungi in operating rooms, performing 110 sampling campaigns in hospitals of 3 Italian cities. Overall, 96% of the DC pad samples were positive compared with 51% of Rodac plates (P < .0001) and 35% of air samples (P < .0001). Authors conclude that the DC pad improves the ability to detect an environmental contamination of filamentous fungi.

Epilepsy in Sardinia, insular Italy: a population-based prevalence study.

BACKGROUND: Sardinia, insular Italy, represents a particular epidemiological setting to investigate polyfactorial diseases, by virtue of its phylogeny and geographic isolation over time and of a well-established network of health operators and information systems. We present the first prevalence study of epilepsy conducted on a large Sardinian population by means of multiple source ascertainment. METHODS: Cases were ascertained in the province of Sassari (population of 333,576) for the period between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2008 based on records from (a) the District Center for Epilepsy, (b) the District Health Information System Unit, and (c) the neurologists practicing within the National Health System. RESULTS: The total crude prevalence of active epilepsy on December 31, 2007 was 6.62 per 1,000 (95% CI 5.3-7.9), 6.51 in men (95% CI 5.4-7.6), and 6.73 in women (95% CI 5.7-7.7). The highest prevalence (8.78 per 1,000) was estimated in the elderly (≥65 years). 50.5% were symptomatic epilepsies. Of these, over 50% were secondary to cerebrovascular disorders in the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiological behavior of prevalence of active epilepsy in Sardinia appears to be in line with that of other developed countries, despite the role that population-specific genetic and environmental factors exert in modulating the risk for other neurological diseases. The action of (exogenous) factors commonly distributed in western populations, also influencing, at least partially, the epidemiological patterns of epilepsy in Sardinians, should not be ruled out.

Prevalence study of Legionella spp. contamination in ferries and cruise ships.

BACKGROUND: In the last years, international traffic volume has significantly increased, raising the risk for acquisition of infectious diseases. Among travel-associated infections, increased incidence of legionellosis has been reported among travellers. Aim of our study was: to describe the frequency and severity of Legionella spp. contamination in ferries and cruise ships; to compare the levels of contamination with those indicated by the Italian ministerial guidelines for control and prevention of legionellosis, in order to assess health risks and to adopt control measures. METHOD: A prevalence study was carried out on 9 ships docked at the seaports of northern Sardinia in 2004. Water samples were collected from critical sites: passenger cabins, crew cabins, kitchens, coffee bars, rooms of the central air conditioning system. It was performed a qualitative and quantitative identification of Legionella spp. and a chemical, physical and bacteriological analysis of water samples. RESULTS: Forty-two percent (38/90) water samples were contaminated by Legionella spp.. Positive samples were mainly drawn from showers (24/44), washbasins (10/22). L. pneumophila was isolated in 42/44 samples (95.5%), followed by L. micdadei (4.5%). Strains were identified as L. pneumophila serogroup 6 (45.2%; 19 samples), 2-14 (42.9%), 5 (7.1%) and 3 (4.8%). Legionella spp. load was high; 77.8% of the water samples contained > 10(4) CFU/L. Low residual free chlorine concentration (0-0.2 mg/L) was associated to a contamination of the 50% of the water samples. CONCLUSION: Legionella is an ubiquitous bacterium that could create problems for public health. We identified Legionella spp. in 6/7 ferries. Microbial load was predominantly high (> 10(4) CFU/L or ranging from 10(3) to 10(4) CFU/L). It is matter of concern when passengers are subjects at risk because of Legionella spp. is an opportunist that can survive in freshwater systems; high bacterial load might be an important variable related to disease's occurrence. High level of contamination required disinfecting measures, but does not lead to a definitive solution to the problem. Therefore, it is important to identify a person responsible for health safety in order to control the risk from exposure and to apply preventive measures, according to European and Italian guidelines.