Infection Control Policies and Practices for Iowa Long-Term Care Facility Residents With Clostridium difficile Infection

2007 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 1228-1232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K. Quinn ◽  
Yiyi Chen ◽  
Loreen A. Herwaldt
Keyword(s):  
Clostridium Difficile ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Control Policies ◽  
Severe Diarrhea ◽  
Policies And Practices

Objective.To identify infection control policies and practices used by Iowa long-term care facilities (LTCFs) for residents with Clostridium difficile infection or C. difficile-associated diarrhea and to assess use of antimicrobial agents.Design.Survey.Setting.LTCFs in Iowa that responded between March 25, 2005 (ie, when surveys were mailed), and July 2005.Results.Of the 418 LTCFs in Iowa, 263 (62.9%) responded. Most facilities (94.3%) reported that they accept persons known to have C. difficile infection. Few LTCFs reported that clusters of C. difficile infection had been identified. However, only 111 facilities (42.2%) had a protocol to identify residents with C. difficile infection, and most (77.5%) did not test for C. difficile unless a resident had severe diarrhea. Only 58.5% of the facilities placed residents with C. difficile infection in private rooms, and 60.9% cohorted residents infected with C. difficile with other residents with C. difficile colonization or infection. Only 66 facilities (25.1%) have a program to control the use of antimicrobial agents. Staff could use alcohol-based hand gel products after contact with residents known to have C. difficile infection (in 188 facilities [71.5%]) or diarrhea (in 173 [65.8%]). However, the survey did not ask whether the staff used alcohol-based products instead of soap and water.Conclusions.C. difficile is present in Iowa LTCFs, but many C. difficile infections probably remain undiagnosed. Staff in LTCFs should be educated about this organism so that they can implement appropriate testing and preventive strategies.

scholarly journals Investigation of a Prolonged Group A Streptococcus Outbreak Among Residents and Outpatients Receiving Wound Care at a Long-Term Care Facility (LTCF)

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s305-s306
Author(s):  
Alana Cilwick ◽  
April Burdorf ◽  
Wendy Bamberg ◽  
Christopher Czaja ◽  
Alexis Burakoff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Staff Member ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Term Care Facility ◽  
Long Term Care Facility ◽  
Group A

Background: In February 2019, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) identified a cluster of 3 invasive group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections in residents receiving wound care in a long-term care facility (LTCF). An investigation revealed a larger outbreak that extended to nonresidents receiving outpatient wound care at the LTCF. Methods: A case was defined as a positive culture for GAS emm type 82 from an individual with exposure to the LTCF between January and June 2019. Cases were categorized as clinical (symptoms of GAS disease or GAS isolated from a wound or sterile site) or carriage (no symptoms). Carriers were identified via samples collected from throat and skin lesions. Screening occurred in 2 rounds and included residents of affected units followed by screening of all wound-care staff and residents facility-wide. Available isolates were sent for emm type testing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) at the CDC. CDPHE staff performed infection control observations. Results: We identified 14 cases: 8 clinical and 6 carriage (from 5 residents and 1 staff member). Two patients with invasive GAS died. Of 8 patients with clinical GAS, 6 resided in the facility on or 1 day prior to symptom onset; 2 were not residents but received outpatient therapy at the LTCF. All 8 patients with clinical GAS (100%) and 3 carriers had received wound care. The staff member with emm 82 carriage had provided wound care and occupational therapy to the affected residents and the 2 outpatients. Two additional cases were detected with onset dates following staff member decolonization. Moreover, 13 of the 14 emm 82 isolates were found to be identical by WGS. Infection control observations identified lapses in staff wound care and hand hygiene practices in the residential and outpatient settings of the facility. Conclusions: This investigation details a large GAS outbreak in an LTCF associated with asymptomatic carriage in residents and staff that included patients who had only received care in the outpatient portion of the facility. The outbreak was halted following decolonization of a staff member and improvements in infection control, including in the outpatient setting. Outpatient services, particularly wound care, provided by LTCFs should be considered when investigating LTCF-related GAS cases and outbreaks.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

Dirty laundry? Evaluation of Clostridium Difficile Contamination in the Laundry at a Long-Term Care Facility

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. e172
Author(s):  
Marguerite O'Donnell ◽  
Marguerite O'Donnell ◽  
Jennifer Cadnum ◽  
Brett M. Sitzlar ◽  
Curtis J. Donskey
Keyword(s):  
Clostridium Difficile ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Term Care Facility ◽  
Long Term Care Facility

Clostridium difficile Infection in a Department of Veterans Affairs Long-Term Care Facility

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 513-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dubert M. Guerrero ◽  
Michelle M. Nerandzic ◽  
Lucy A. Jury ◽  
Shelley Chang ◽  
Robin L. Jump ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clostridium Difficile ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Term Care Facility ◽  
Long Term Care Facility

In a Veterans Affairs medical center, 39% of healthcare facility–onset, healthcare facility-associated Clostridium difficile infections had their onset in the affiliated long-term care facility (LTCF). Eighty-five percent of LTCF-onset patients had been transferred from the hospital within the past month. Delays in diagnosis and treatment were common for LTCF-onset patients.

scholarly journals Investigation of a COVID-19 Outbreak and Its Successful Containment in a Long Term Care Facility in Qatar

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanadi Al Hamad ◽  
Manal Mustafa Mohd. Malkawi ◽  
Jameela Ali A. A. Al Ajmi ◽  
Mariam Nooh J. H. Al-Mutawa ◽  
Sanjay Harish Doiphode ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Term Care Facility ◽  
Long Term Care Facility ◽  
Artery Disease

Introduction: The objective of this study is to investigate the COVID-19 outbreak and its successful containment in a long-term care facility, Qatar.Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective case series of 24 COVID-19 positive patients inclusive of elderly, patient attenders, and front-liners from 06th to 18th June 2020. Laboratory, radiological, and treatment findings were assessed from electronic records.Results: The outbreak management team concluded that despite all the pre-existing preventive measures implemented at the start of the pandemic, there was still evidence of lapses in infection control practices such as breach of infection control protocols like improper use of personal protective equipment. The infection prevention and control team promptly reassessed and implemented more stringent infection control methods and practices that successfully contained the outbreak on July 1, 2020. Among the seven elderly patients, the average age was 76.28 years ± SD25.5 and all were females. 57% of the patients were symptomatic. The most common comorbidities were Dementia (57%), Diabetes mellitus (43%), Coronary Artery Disease (43%), and Seizures (43%). Ground glass appearances in the lungs were found in 29% of the patients. Among the three deceased patients, Dementia and Coronary Artery Disease were the common comorbidities. Persistent elevation in blood glucose levels was observed among all patients during this period of infection.Conclusion: Elderlies in long-term care facilities are with certain pre-existing comorbidities which makes them more prone to develop COVID-19 complications. Thus, intensive infection control measures like ongoing education and awareness, staff compliance monitoring, quick contact tracing, visitor policy revision, ongoing patient and caregivers monitoring are inevitable recommendations for effective outbreak prevention and management.

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