How to Assess Risk of Disease Transmission to Patients When There Is a Failure to Follow Recommended Disinfection and Sterilization Guidelines

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Rutala ◽  
David J. Weber

Background.Disinfection and sterilization are critical components of infection control. Unfortunately, breaches of disinfection and sterilization guidelines are not uncommon.Objective.To describe a method for evaluating a potential breach of guidelines for high-level disinfection and sterilization of medical devices.Methods.The appropriate scientific literature was reviewed to determine the frequency of failures of compliance. A risk assessment model was constructed.Results.A 14-step protocol was constructed to aid infection control professionals in the evaluation of potential disinfection and sterilization failures. In addition, a model is presented for aiding in determining how patients should be notified of the potential adverse event. Sample statements and letters are provided for communicating with the public and individual patients.Conclusion.Use of a protocol can guide an institution in managing potential disinfection and sterilization failures.

1999 ◽  
Vol 62 (11) ◽  
pp. 1314-1319 ◽  
Author(s):  
EYSTEIN SKJERVE

A Monte Carlo risk assessment model was developed to estimate the public health risk of importing prime cuts of beef infested with Taenia saginata to Norway from an endemic area in southern Africa. The model predicted that 21 (lower 5% = 1, upper 95% = 56) viable cysts would be present in domestic prime cuts during 1996 and 1997, with 8 (0 to 21) of them being ingested without sufficient heat treatment to kill the parasite. These cysts were expected to cause 2 (0 to 7) human infections. Corresponding figures for the imported prime cuts were 1,260 (99 to 2,900) viable cysts, 462 (37 to 1,065) ingested without sufficient heat treatment, causing 132 (8 to 361) human infections. The model was sensitive to the uncertainties related to the estimates of probabilities of cysts being viable and the probability of their causing infection in humans. The public health impact from consuming imported beef is not large, but the model illustrates how imported cuts may change the epidemiological pattern of a disease even when the import constitutes only 3% of the prime cuts consumed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 748-754 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Sikora ◽  
A. Uma Chandran ◽  
A. Mark Joffe ◽  
David Johnson ◽  
Marcia Johnson

Background.In 2008, the Medical Officer of Health at Alberta Health Services (Edmonton, Canada) was notified that, in some practice settings, a syringe was used to administer medication through the side port of an intravenous circuit and then the syringe, with residual drug, was used to administer medication to other patients in the same manner. This practice has been implicated in several outbreaks of bloodborne infection in hospital and clinic settings.Methods.A risk assessment model was developed to predict the risk of a patient contracting a bloodborne viral infection from the practice. The risk of transmission was defined as the product of 5 factors: (1) the population prevalence of a specific bloodborne pathogen, (2) the probability of finding a viral bloodborne pathogen in an intravenous circuit, (3) the rate of syringe reuse, (4) the probability of causing disease given a bloodborne pathogen exposure, and (5) the susceptibility of the exposed person.Results.The risk was modeled first with consistent use of the proximal port of the intravenous circuit. The risk of transmission of hepatitis B virus was approximately 12–53 transmission events per 1,000,000 exposure events for a range of practice probabilities (ie, frequency of the risk practice) from 20% to 80%, respectively. The risk of transmission of hepatitis C virus was approximately 1.0–4.3 transmission events per 1,000,000 exposure events for the same practice probability range, and the risk of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus was approximately 0.03–0.15 transmission events per 1,000,000 exposure events for the same practice probability range. The use of the distal port was associated with a 10-fold decrease in the risk.Conclusions.Practitioners must practice safe, aseptic injection techniques. The model presented here can be used to estimate the risk of disease transmission in situations where reuse has occurred and can serve as a framework for informing public health action.


2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 401-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Giacobbe ◽  
L. Monica ◽  
D. Geraci

Recent development of nanotechnology allows precise assessment of the risks workers are exposed to. To assess the risks, a specific risk assessment model has been developed with reference to workplaces where nanoparticles are present. This model allows identification and quantification of the health hazards for workers. The use of nanomaterials presents some uncertainties regarding effective level of danger, and risk assessment takes this into consideration with the help of an appropriate index. An evaluation algorithm considers both normal work conditions and abnormal/emergency situations. Evaluation outcome consists of several risk levels with several subdivisions. For each single level, it is possible to develop specific behavioral guidelines. The present evaluation model has been implemented in research laboratories. The results are middle to high-level risks.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Economides ◽  
C.J. Hourdakis ◽  
C. Pafilis ◽  
G. Simantirakis ◽  
P. Tritakis ◽  
...  

This paper concerns an analysis regarding the performance of X-ray equipment as well as the radiological safety in veterinary facilities. Data were collected from 380 X-ray veterinary facilities countrywide during the on-site regulatory inspections carried out by the Greek Atomic Energy Commission. The analysis of the results shows that the majority of the veterinary radiographic systems perform within the acceptable limits; moreover, the design and shielding of X-ray rooms as well as the applied procedures ensure a high level of radiological safety for the practitioners, operators and the members of the public. An issue that requires specific attention in the optimization process for the proper implementation of veterinary radiology practices in terms of radiological safety is the continuous training of the personnel. The above findings and the regulatory experience gained were valuable decision-making elements regarding the type of the regulatory control of veterinary radiology practices in the new radiation protection framework.


Author(s):  
Sarah Palmeter

In the completion of my practicum at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) this summer, I worked to develop a surveillance knowledge product to support the national surveillance of developmental disorders. This project used Statistics Canada’s 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability to investigate the burden of developmental disorders in Canada. Developmental disorders are conditions with onset in the developmental period. They are associated with developmental deficits and impairments of personal, social, academic, and occupational function. The project objectives are to estimate the prevalence of developmental disorders in Canadians 15 years of age or older, overall and by age and sex, as well as report on the age of diagnosis, disability severity, and disability co-occurrence in those with developmental disorders. The majority of the analysis has been completed and preliminary results completed, which cannot be released prior to PHAC publication. Although not highly prevalent, developmental disorders are associated with a high level of disability in young Canadians. Early detection and interventions have been shown to improve health and social outcomes among affected individuals. Understanding the burden of developmental disorders in Canada is essential to the development of public health policies and services.


2010 ◽  
Vol 151 (34) ◽  
pp. 1365-1374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Dávid ◽  
Hajna Losonczy ◽  
Miklós Udvardy ◽  
Zoltán Boda ◽  
György Blaskó ◽  
...  

A kórházban kezelt sebészeti és belgyógyászati betegekben jelentős a vénásthromboembolia-rizikó. Profilaxis nélkül, a műtét típusától függően, a sebészeti beavatkozások kapcsán a betegek 15–60%-ában alakul ki mélyvénás trombózis vagy tüdőembólia, és az utóbbi ma is vezető kórházi halálok. Bár a vénás thromboemboliát leggyakrabban a közelmúltban végzett műtéttel vagy traumával hozzák kapcsolatba, a szimptómás thromboemboliás események 50–70%-a és a fatális tüdőembóliák 70–80%-a nem a sebészeti betegekben alakul ki. Nemzetközi és hazai felmérések alapján a nagy kockázattal rendelkező sebészeti betegek többsége megkapja a szükséges trombózisprofilaxist. Azonban profilaxis nélkül marad a rizikóval rendelkező belgyógyászati betegek jelentős része, a konszenzuson alapuló nemzetközi és hazai irányelvi ajánlások ellenére. A belgyógyászati betegek körében növelni kell a profilaxisban részesülők arányát és el kell érni, hogy trombózisrizikó esetén a betegek megkapják a hatásos megelőzést. A beteg trombóziskockázatának felmérése fontos eszköze a vénás thromboembolia által veszélyeztetett betegek felderítésének, megkönnyíti a döntést a profilaxis elrendeléséről és javítja az irányelvi ajánlások betartását. A trombózisveszély megállapításakor, ha nem ellenjavallt, profilaxist kell alkalmazni. „A thromboemboliák kockázatának csökkentése és kezelése” című, 4. magyar antithromboticus irányelv felhívja a figyelmet a vénástrombózis-rizikó felmérésének szükségességére, és elsőként tartalmazza a kórházban fekvő belgyógyászati és sebészeti betegek kockázati kérdőívét. Ismertetjük a kockázatbecslő kérdőíveket és áttekintjük a kérdőívekben szereplő rizikófaktorokra vonatkozó bizonyítékokon alapuló adatokat.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 860-884
Author(s):  
V.G. Kogdenko ◽  
A.A. Sanzharov

Subject. The article deals with the analysis of suppliers in the public procurement system based on reasonable prequalification parameters. Objectives. The aim is to test the hypothesis about strong reputation characteristics of the winners in the public procurement system and develop a methodology for assessing the reputation of suppliers for prequalification purposes. Methods. We employ general scientific principles and methods of research, like abstraction, generalization of approaches used by domestic and foreign authors for prequalification and assessment of reputation of public procurement participants. Results. To test the hypothesis, we calculated four groups of indicators on corporate, financial, market, and social components of reputation. The methodology was tested on the data obtained from SPARK-Interfax and SPARK-Marketing information resources. Conclusions. The study revealed that not all reputational characteristics of public procurement winners can be regarded as high level. In terms of the corporate component, it is the low level of share capital, indicating the mistrust on the part of owners and their reluctance to invest in the business, and the low percentage of non-current assets. In terms of the market component, it is a low sales growth rate, as well as low return on sales. As to the financial component, it is a low capitalization of winners, low share of long-term debt capital and low credit limit. With respect to the social component, it is a below-average tax burden.


Author(s):  
C.K. Lakshminarayan ◽  
S. Pabbisetty ◽  
O. Adams ◽  
F. Pires ◽  
M. Thomas ◽  
...  

Abstract This paper deals with the basic concepts of Signature Analysis and the application of statistical models for its implementation. It develops a scheme for computing sample sizes when the failures are random. It also introduces statistical models that comprehend correlations among failures that fail due to the same failure mechanism. The idea of correlation is important because semiconductor chips are processed in batches. Also any risk assessment model should comprehend correlations over time. The statistical models developed will provide the required sample sizes for the Failure Analysis lab to state "We are A% confident that B% of future parts will fail due to the same signature." The paper provides tables and graphs for the evaluation of such a risk assessment. The implementation of Signature Analysis will achieve the dual objective of improved customer satisfaction and reduced cycle time. This paper will also highlight it's applicability as well as the essential elements that need to be in place for it to be effective. Different examples have been illustrated of how the concept is being used by Failure Analysis Operations (FA) and Customer Quality and Reliability Engineering groups.


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