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Modern trends in infection control practices in intensive care unitsHospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. There has been an increasing effort to prevent HAIs, and infection control practices are paramount in avoiding these complications. In the last several years, numerous developments have been seen in the infection prevention strategies in various health care settings. This article reviews the modern trends in infection control practices to prevent HAIs in ICUs with a focus on methods for monitoring hand hygiene, updates in isolation precautions, new methods for environmental cleaning, antimicrobial bathing, prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia, central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and Clostridium difficile infection.
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Impact of contact precautions on falls, pressure ulcers and transmission of MRSA and VRE in hospitalized patientsBACKGROUND: Hospitals use contact precautions to prevent the spread of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). There is concern that contact precautions may have adverse effects on the safety of isolated patients. In November 2010, the infection control policy at an academic medical centre was modified, and contact precautions were discontinued for patients colonized or infected with MRSA or VRE (MRSA/VRE patients). AIM: To assess the rates of falls and pressure ulcers among MRSA/VRE patients and other adult medical-surgical patients, as well as changes in MRSA and VRE transmission before and after the policy change. METHODS: A single-centre retrospective hospital-wide cohort study was performed from 1st November 2009 to 31st October 2011. FINDINGS: Rates of falls and pressure ulcers were significantly higher among MRSA/VRE patients compared with other adult medical-surgical patients before the policy change (falls: 4.57 vs 2.04 per 1000 patient-days, P < 0.0001; pressure ulcers: 4.87 vs 1.22 per 1000 patient-days, P < 0.0001) and after the policy change (falls: 4.82 vs 2.10 per 1000 patient-days, P < 0.0001; pressure ulcers: 4.17 vs 1.19 per 1000 patient-days, P < 0.0001). No significant differences in the rates of falls and pressure ulcers among MRSA/VRE patients were found after the policy change compared with before the policy change. There was no overall change in MRSA or VRE hospital-acquired transmission. CONCLUSION: MRSA/VRE patients had higher rates of falls and pressure ulcers compared with other adult medical-surgical patients. Rates were not affected by removal of contact precautions, suggesting that other factors contribute to these complications. Further research is required among this population to prevent complications.
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Multiple reservoirs contribute to intraoperative bacterial transmissionBACKGROUND: Intraoperative stopcock contamination is a frequent event associated with increased patient mortality. In the current study we examined the relative contributions of anesthesia provider hands, the patient, and the patient environment to stopcock contamination. Our secondary aims were to identify risk factors for stopcock contamination and to examine the prior association of stopcock contamination with 30-day postoperative infection and mortality. Additional microbiological analyses were completed to determine the prevalence of bacterial pathogens within intraoperative bacterial reservoirs. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was used to assess the contribution of reservoir bacterial pathogens to 30-day postoperative infections. METHODS: In a multicenter study, stopcock transmission events were observed in 274 operating rooms, with the first and second cases of the day in each operating room studied in series to identify within- and between-case transmission events. Reservoir bacterial cultures were obtained and compared with stopcock set isolates to determine the origin of stopcock contamination. Between-case transmission was defined by the isolation of 1 or more bacterial isolates from the stopcock set of a subsequent case (case 2) that were identical to reservoir isolates from the preceding case (case 1). Within-case transmission was defined by the isolation of 1 or more bacterial isolates from a stopcock set that were identical to bacterial reservoirs from the same case. Bacterial pathogens within these reservoirs were identified, and their potential contribution to postoperative infections was evaluated. All patients were followed for 30 days postoperatively for the development of infection and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Stopcock contamination was detected in 23% (126 out of 548) of cases with 14 between-case and 30 within-case transmission events confirmed. All 3 reservoirs contributed to between-case (64% environment, 14% patient, and 21% provider) and within-case (47% environment, 23% patient, and 30% provider) stopcock transmission. The environment was a more likely source of stopcock contamination than provider hands (relative risk [RR] 1.91, confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 3.35, P = 0.029) or patients (RR 2.56, CI 1.34 to 4.89, P = 0.002). Hospital site (odds ratio [OR] 5.09, CI 2.02 to 12.86, P = 0.001) and case 2 (OR 6.82, CI 4.03 to 11.5, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of stopcock contamination. Stopcock contamination was associated with increased mortality (OR 58.5, CI 2.32 to 1477, P = 0.014). Intraoperative bacterial contamination of patients and provider hands was linked to 30-day postoperative infections. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial contamination of patients, provider hands, and the environment contributes to stopcock transmission events, but the surrounding patient environment is the most likely source. Stopcock contamination is associated with increased patient mortality. Patient and provider bacterial reservoirs contribute to 30-day postoperative infections. Multimodal programs designed to target each of these reservoirs in parallel should be studied intensely as a comprehensive approach to reducing intraoperative bacterial transmission.