Work environment risks for health care workers with cystic fibrosis.

In Australia and New Zealand, >50% of people with cystic fibrosis (CF) are adults and many of these people are pursuing vocational training and undertaking paid employment. More than 6% of adults with CF are working in health care. There is limited guidance in literature to support health care workers with CF (HCWcf) in training and in employment to support safe practice and to provide protection for themselves and their patients from the acquisition of health care associated infection. A multidisciplinary team of CF and Infectious Disease Clinicians, Infection Prevention and Control Practitioners, HCWcf, academic experts in medical ethics and representatives from universities, appraised the available evidence on the risk posed to and by HCWcf. Specific recommendations were made for HCWcf, CF health care teams, hospitals and universities to support the safe practice and appropriate support for HCWcf.

Health care-associated bloodstream infections associated with negative- or positive-pressure or displacement mechanical valve needleless connectors.

BACKGROUND: Health care-associated, central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections (HA-BSIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Needleless connectors (NCs) are an important component of the intravenous system. NCs initially were introduced to reduce health care worker needlestick injuries, yet some of these NCs may increase HA-BSI risk. METHODS: We compared HA-BSI rates on wards or intensive care units (ICUs) at 5 hospitals that had converted from split septum (SS) connectors or needles to mechanical valve needleless connectors (MV-NCs). The hospitals (16 ICUs, 1 entire hospital, and 1 oncology unit; 3 hospitals were located in the United States, and 2 were located in Australia) had conducted HA-BSI surveillance using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions during use of both NCs. HA-BSI rates and prevention practices were compared during the pre-MV period, MV period, and post-MV period. RESULTS: The HA-BSI rate increased in all ICUs and wards when SS-NCs were replaced by MV-NCs. In the 16 ICUs, the HA-BSI rate increased significantly when SS-NCs or needles were replaced by MV-NCs (6.15 vs 9.49 BSIs per 1000 central venous catheter [CVC]-days; relative risk, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-1.74; P < .001). The 14 ICUs that switched back to SS-NCs had significant reductions in their BSI rates (9.49 vs 5.77 BSIs per 1000 CVC-days; relative risk, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.38-1.96; p < .001). BSI infection prevention strategies were similar in the pre-MV and MV periods. CONCLUSIONS: We found strong evidence that MV-NCs were associated with increased HA-BSI rates, despite similar BSI surveillance, definitions, and prevention strategies. Hospital personnel should monitor their HA-BSI rates and, if they are elevated, examine the role of newer technologies, such as MV-NCs.

ASID/ACIPC position statement - Infection control for patients with Clostridium difficile infection in healthcare facilities.

BACKGROUND: In 2011, the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) and the Australian Infection Control Association (AICA), now known as the Australasian College of Infection Prevention and Control (ACIPC), produced a position statement on infection control requirements for preventing and controlling Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in healthcare settings. METHODS: The statement updated in 2017 to reflect new literature available .The authors reviewed the 2011 position statement and critically appraised new literature published between 2011 and 2017 and relevant current infection control guidelines to identify where new evidence had become available or best practice had changed. RESULTS: The position statement was updated incorporating the new findings. A draft version of the updated position statement was circulated for consultation to members of ASID and ACIPC. The authors responded to all comments received and updated the position statement. CONCLUSIONS: This updated position statement emphasizes the importance of health service organizations having evidence-based infection prevention and control programs and comprehensive antimicrobial stewardship programs, to ensure the risk of C. difficile acquisition, transmission and infection is minimised.

Large outbreak of infection and colonization with gram-negative pathogens carrying the metallo- beta -lactamase gene blaIMP-4 at a 320-bed tertiary hospital in Australia.

A large outbreak of infection and colonization with multiple genera of gram-negative bacilli carrying the metallo- beta -lactamase gene bla(IMP-4) occurred in a 36-bed intensive care unit at a tertiary hospital in Australia. The organisms emerged rapidly, caused severe infections, and contributed to mortality. Controlling the spread of these organisms remains a challenge for all staff involved.

Reduction in hospitalwide incidence of infection or colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with use of antimicrobial hand-hygiene gel and statistical process control charts.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of serial interventions on the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). DESIGN: Longitudinal observational study before and after interventions. SETTING: The Alfred Hospital is a 350-bed tertiary referral hospital with a 35-bed intensive care unit (ICU). INTERVENTIONS: A series of interventions including the introduction of an antimicrobial hand-hygiene gel to the intensive care unit and a hospitalwide MRSA surveillance feedback program that used statistical process control charts but not active surveillance cultures. METHODS: Serial interventions were introduced between January 2003 and May 2006. The incidence and rates of new patients colonized or infected with MRSA and episodes of MRSA bacteremia in the intensive care unit and hospitalwide were compared between the preintervention and intervention periods. Segmented regression analysis was used to calculate the percentage reduction in new patients with MRSA and in episodes of MRSA bacteremia hospitalwide in the intervention period. RESULTS: The rate of new patients with MRSA in the ICU was 6.7 cases per 100 patient admissions in the intervention period, compared with 9.3 cases per 100 patient admissions in the preintervention period (P=.047). The hospitalwide rate of new patients with MRSA was 1.7 cases per 100 patient admissions in the intervention period, compared with 3.0 cases per 100 patient admissions in the preintervention period (P<.001). By use of segmented regression analysis, the maximum and conservative estimates for percentage reduction in the rate of new patients with MRSA were 79.5% and 42.0%, respectively, and the maximum and conservative estimates for percentage reduction in the rate of episodes of MRSA bacteremia were 87.4% and 39.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A sustained reduction in the number of new patients with MRSA colonization or infection has been demonstrated using minimal resources and a limited number of interventions.

APSIC guide for prevention of Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI).

This document is an executive summary of the APSIC Guide for Prevention of Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI). It describes key evidence-based care components of the Central Line Insertion and Maintenance Bundles and its implementation using the quality improvement methodology, namely the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology involving multidisciplinary process and stakeholders. Monitoring of improvement over time with timely feedback to stakeholders is a key component to ensure the success of implementing best practices. A surveillance program is recommended to monitor outcomes and adherence to evidence-based central line insertion and maintenance practices (compliance rate) and identify quality improvement opportunities and strategically targeting interventions for the reduction of CLABSI.

Clinical, microbiological, and economic benefit of a change in antibiotic prophylaxis for cardiac surgery.

Vancomycin and rifampicin replaced cephazolin as antibiotic prophylaxis for coronary artery bypass surgery at our institution. Following this intervention, there was a significant decrease (P < .001) in the surgical-site infection rate from 10.5 (95% confidence interval, 8.2 to 13.3) to 4.9 (95% confidence interval, 3.2 to 7.1) infections per 100 procedures. An estimated $576,655 (Australian) was saved between two 12-month periods.

Acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a large intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of MRSA colonization on admission to the ICU and the incidence of MRSA colonization in the ICU. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients admitted to the ICU in 2000-2001. METHODS: Patients were screened for MRSA with nose, throat, groin, and axilla swabs on admission and discharge. MRSA acquisition was defined as a negative admission screen and a positive discharge screen. Risk factors analyzed included previous wards/current unit, gender, age, and length of stay prior to and in the ICU. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Of screened patients, 6.8% were MRSA colonized on admission to the ICU. Some patients (11.4%) became newly colonized during their stay in the ICU. Factors that remained significant in the multivariate analysis of MRSA colonization on admission were previous admission to various wards and length of stay prior to ICU admission of more than 3 days. In the multivariate analysis of MRSA acquisition in the ICU, being a trauma patient and length of stay in the ICU greater than 2 days remained significant Thirty-six percent of patients had both admission and discharge swabs taken. This percentage increased in the presence of a supervisory nurse. CONCLUSION: Significant acquisition of MRSA occurs in the ICU of our hospital, with trauma patients at increased risk. Patients who had been on the cardiothoracic ward prior to the ICU had a lower risk of MRSA colonization on admission. Presence of a supervisory nurse improved compliance with screening

Surgical-site infection rates and risk factor analysis in coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND: The Victorian Infection Control Surveillance Project (VICSP) is a multicenter collaborative surveillance project established by infection control practitioners. Five public hospitals contributed data for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. OBJECTIVE: To determine the aggregate and comparative interhospital surgical-site infection (SSI) rates for patients undergoing CABG surgery and the risk factors for SSI in this patient group. METHOD: Each institution used standardized definitions of SSI, risk adjustment, and reporting methodology according to the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data on potential risk factors were prospectively collected. RESULTS: For 4,474 patients undergoing CABG surgery, the aggregate SSI rate was 7.8 infections per 100 procedures (95% confidence interval [CI95], 7.0-8.5), with individual institutions ranging between 4.5 and 10.7 infections per 100 procedures. Multivariate risk factor analysis demonstrated age (odds ratio [OR], 1.02; CI95, 1.01-1.04; P < .001), obesity (OR, 1.8; CI95, 1.4-2.3; P < .001), and diabetes mellitus (OR, 1.6; CI95, 1.2-2.1; P < .001) as independent predictors of SSI. Three hundred thirty-four organisms were isolated from 296 SSIs. Of the total SSIs, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 32%, methicillin-sensitive S. aureus from 24%, gram-negative bacilli (eg, Enterobacter and Escherichia coli) from 18%, and miscellaneous organisms from the remainder. CONCLUSION: We documented aggregate and comparative SSI rates among five Victorian public hospitals performing CABG surgery and defined specific independent risk factors for SSI. VICSP data offer opportunities for targeted interventions to reduce SSI following cardiac surgery.

Impact of chlorhexidine-impregnated washcloths on reducing incidence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci colonization in hematology-oncology patients.

BACKGROUND: Daily skin cleansing with washcloths impregnated with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) of patients in intensive care unit is associated with reduction in incidence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) acquisition. This study describes the impact on incidence of VRE colonization after the implementation of daily skin cleansing with 2% CHG-impregnated washcloths in hematology-oncology patients. METHODS: In this before-and-after study, we compared the incidence rate of VRE colonization during the baseline period (where routine soap-and-water bathing was used) with the intervention period where patients were cleansed with 2% CHG-impregnated washcloths. RESULTS: Acquisition of VRE decreased from 7.8% in the baseline to 3.8% in the intervention period (relative risk, 0.48, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-1.09; P = .07). The crude relative rate of acquisition during the intervention period compared with the baseline period was 0.53 (95% CI, 0.23-1.23; P = .13). Patients who had been a roommate of a patient subsequently found to have VRE were at a significantly increased risk for acquiring VRE (hazard ratio, 18.8, 95% CI, 5.37-66.15; P < .001). However, patients admitted to the same bed number of previously known VRE-colonized patient were not at increased risk of VRE acquisition (hazard ratio, 0.37, 95% CI, 0.11-1.22; P = .10). CONCLUSION: We did not observe a statistically significant reduction in the rate of VRE colonization in association with the use of 2% CHG-impregnated washcloths among hematology-oncology patients.

Prevalence and risk factors for VRE colonisation in a tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) has been established as a significant health-care associated problem since its first isolation in Australia in 1994. In this study, we measured the point prevalence and identified risk factors associated with vanB VRE colonisation in a tertiary care hospital in Melbourne, Australia where VRE has been endemic for 15 years. METHODS: A hospital-wide point prevalence survey was conducted on October 13, 2008 with colonisation detected using rectal swab culture. Patient's demographic and medical information was collected through a review of medical records. Factors associated with VRE colonisation in univariate analysis were included in multivariate logistic regression model to adjust for confounding. RESULTS: The prevalence of VRE colonisation on the day of screening was 17.5% (95% CI, 13.7 to 21.9). VRE was detected from patients in each ward with the prevalence ranging from 3% to 29%. Univariate analysis showed the use of any antibiotic, meropenem, ciprofloxacin, diarrhoea and longer length of hospital stay were associated with increased risk of VRE colonisation (p<0.05). However, age, sex, proximity to VRE positive cases, use of other antibiotics including cephalosporins, vancomycin were not associated with increased risk (P>0.05). Multivariate analysis showed the exposure to meropenem (p=0.004), age (≥65 years) (p=0.036) and length of stay ≥7 days (p<0.001) as independent predictors of VRE colonisation. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that exposure to antibiotics may have been more important than recent cross transmission for a high prevalence of vanB VRE colonisation at our hospital.

Daily hazard of acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in the intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: Increasing length of hospital stay is associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) acquisition. The exact risk of becoming colonized with MRSA on a given day has not been clearly elucidated. We determined the hazard of MRSA acquisition in relation to the length of time spent in an intensive care unit in which only standard precautions were used for MRSA-colonized and MRSA-infected patients. METHODS: This study took place at a tertiary referral hospital intensive care unit in which patients were screened for MRSA at hospital admission, at hospital discharge, and twice weekly during intensive care unit stay. We analyzed the hazard of MRSA acquisition by using a statistical smoothing kernel for hazard with a width of 5 days. Patients were stratified according to age, sex, medical unit, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Of the patients who were at risk of colonization or infection, 12.8% acquired MRSA. The mean length of stay in the intensive care unit was 7.2 days. The daily hazard of acquiring MRSA was less than 1% at admission to the intensive care unit and increased linearly to more than 2% risk per day by day 12, followed by a leveling out of risk. CONCLUSIONS: The daily hazard of acquiring MRSA is not constant. This has implications for studies that assume a constant hazard in their analysis and should be considered.

A binational cohort study of ventilator-associated pneumonia in Denmark and Australia.

The objective was to determine the incidence and prognosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in intensive care units (ICUs) in Melbourne (29-bed ICU), Australia and Aarhus and Aalborg (22-bed unit and 8-bed ICU, respectively), Denmark and to characterize participating ICUs with regard to prevalence of nosocomial type bacterial pathogens, antibiotic resistance and antibiotic consumption. In this prospective cohort study 25 patients in Melbourne and 32 patients in Aarhus + Aalborg had a first episode of VAP. The incidence of VAP per 1000 ventilator d was 6.2 in Melbourne and 9.5 in Aarhus + Aalborg. Case fatality during hospital admission was 28% and 59%, respectively (unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1-0.8). OR adjusted for age and APACHE II score was 0.2 (95% CI 0.1-1.0). Nosocomial type pathogens including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus were more prevalent in Melbourne, and antibiotic consumption per VAP patient was 35% higher in Melbourne than in Aarhus + Aalborg. To judge from the present data, there seems to be a complicated interrelationship between prognosis on the 1 hand and antibiotic consumption and resistance on the other. A more favourable prognosis was found in Melbourne, where levels of antibiotic consumption and antimicrobial resistance were higher than in Aarhus + Aalborg.