scholarly journals Prevention of Nosocomial Transmission of Norovirus by Strategic Infection Control Measures

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent C. C. Cheng ◽  
Lisa M. W. Wong ◽  
Josepha W. M. Tai ◽  
Jasper F. W. Chan ◽  
Kelvin K. W. To ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Nosocomial Transmission ◽  
Infection Control Team ◽  
Concurrent Control ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Control Team ◽  
Hospital Networks ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Background.Nosocomial outbreaks of norovirus infection pose a great challenge to the infection control team.Methods.Between November 1, 2009, and February 28, 2010, strategic infection control measures were implemented in a hospital network. In addition to timely staff education and promotion of directly observed hand hygiene, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for norovirus was performed as an added test by the microbiology laboratory for all fecal specimens irrespective of the request for testing. Laboratory-confirmed cases were followed up by the infection control team for timely intervention. The incidence of hospital-acquired norovirus infection per 1,000 potentially infectious patient-days was compared with the corresponding period in the preceding 12 months, and the incidence in the other 6 hospital networks in Hong Kong was chosen as the concurrent control. Phylogenetic analysis of norovirus isolates was performed.Results.Of the 988 patients who were tested, 242 (25%) were positive for norovirus; 114 (47%) of those 242 patients had norovirus detected by our added test. Compared with the corresponding period in the preceding 12 months, the incidence of hospital-acquired norovirus infection decreased from 131 to 16 cases per 1,000 potentially infectious patient-days (P < .001 ), although the number of hospital-acquired infections was low in both the study period (n = 8) and the historical control periods (n = 11). The incidence of hospital-acquired norovirus infection in our hospital network (0.03 cases per 1,000 patient-days) was significantly lower than that of the concurrent control (0.06 cases per 1,000 patient-days) (P = .015). Forty-three (93%) of 46 norovirus isolates sequenced belonged to the genogroup II.4 variant.Conclusions.Strategic infection control measures with an added test maybe useful in controlling nosocomial transmission of norovirus.

scholarly journals Management of a Hospital-Wide COVID-19 Outbreak Affecting Patients and Healthcare Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (12) ◽  
pp. 2540-2545
Author(s):  
Steffen Höring ◽  
René Fussen ◽  
Johannes Neusser ◽  
Michael Kleines ◽  
Thea Laurentius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Spatial Separation ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Medical Conditions ◽  
Hospital Workers ◽  
Infection Control Team ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Control Team

AbstractTo the best of our knowledge, here, we describe the first hospital-wide outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 that occurred in Germany in April 2020. We aim to share our experience in order to facilitate the management of nosocomial COVID-19 outbreaks in healthcare facilities. All patients and hospital workers were screened for SARS-CoV-2 repeatedly. An infection control team on the side was installed. Strict spatial separation of patients and intensified hygiene training of healthcare workers (HCW) were initiated. By the time of reporting, 26 patients and 21 hospital workers were infected with a cluster of cases in the geriatric department. Fourteen patients developed COVID-19 consistent symptoms and five patients with severe pre-existing medical conditions died. The outbreak was successfully contained after intensified infection control measures were implemented and no further cases among patients were detected over a period of 14 days. Strict application of standard infection control measures proved to be successful in the management of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks.

scholarly journals The interplay of SARS-CoV-2 and Clostridioides difficile infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 439-443
Author(s):  
Sahil Khanna ◽  
Colleen S Kraft
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Antibiotic Exposure ◽  
Hospital Acquired Infections ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile Infection ◽  
Hospital Acquired

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we practice medicine and lead our lives. In addition to pulmonary symptoms; COVID-19 as a syndrome has multisystemic involvement including frequent gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. Due to microbiome alterations with COVID-19 and frequent antibiotic exposure, COVID-19 can be complicated by Clostridioides difficile infection. Co-infection with these two can be associated with a high risk of complications. Infection control measures in hospitals is enhanced due to the COVID-19 pandemic which in turn appears to reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired infections such as C. difficile infection. Another implication of COVID-19 and its potential transmissibility by stool is microbiome-based therapies. Potential stool donors should be screened COVID-19 symptoms and be tested for COVID-19.

112 Outbreak of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in a Regional Burn Centre

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S75-S75
Author(s):  
Sarah Rehou ◽  
Sydney Rotman ◽  
Melisa Avaness ◽  
Marc G Jeschke ◽  
Shahriar Shahrokhi
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Total Body Surface Area ◽  
Skin Barrier ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Environmental Cleaning ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Total Body ◽  
Hospital Acquired

Abstract Introduction Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing problem in hospitals worldwide, though the prevalence of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in our region is low. Burn patients are among the most vulnerable to infection because of the loss of the protective skin barrier. Because of this, burn centres prioritize infection prevention and control with measures like additional precautions, enhanced environmental cleaning, dedicated facilities, and mandatory use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Methods This report describes a CPE outbreak in a regional burn centre. We hypothesized that contamination of in-room hand hygiene sinks with CPE was a potential source of transmission. In a period of 2.5 months, four nosocomial cases of CPE were identified, three containing the KPC gene and one VIM gene. There was more than one month between the first and second KPC case, with no overlap in patient stay or rooms. Results The first two cases were identified while there was no CPE patient source on the unit. CPE KPC gene was isolated in sink drains of three different rooms. In addition to the rigorous infection control practices already in place due to the unique patient population, additional outbreak control measures were implemented. The burn centre restricted admissions to complex burns or burns &gt;10% total body surface area, in consultation with the attending surgeon. No elective admissions were permitted. To avoid CPE exposure to new patients, initial admissions were rerouted to the emergency department and, if possible, the patient was admitted to another unit. Patient cohorting was implemented through nursing team separation for CPE positive and negative patients and geographical separation of CPE positive cases to one side of the unit. Conclusions Despite aggressive infection control measures already in place at our burn centre, there was hospital acquired CPE colonization/infection. Given there was CPE acquisition when there was no positive patients on the unit and CPE contaminated sinks of the same enzyme were identified, it suggests that hospital sink drains can become a potential source of CPE.

scholarly journals Infection Control for a Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Outbreak in an Advanced Emergency Medical Services Center

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1537
Author(s):  
Yoshiro Sakai ◽  
Kenji Gotoh ◽  
Ryuichi Nakano ◽  
Jun Iwahashi ◽  
Miho Miura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Medical Service ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Control Team ◽  
Partial Closure ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Lactamase Gene ◽  
Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Background: A carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) outbreak occurred in an advanced emergency medical service center [hereafter referred to as the intensive care unit (ICU)] between 2016 and 2017. Aim: Our objective was to evaluate the infection control measures for CRE outbreaks. Methods: CRE strains were detected in 16 inpatients located at multiple sites. Environmental cultures were performed and CRE strains were detected in 3 of 38 sites tested. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and detection of β-lactamase genes were performed against 25 CRE strains. Findings: Molecular typing showed the PFGE patterns of two of four Klebsiella pneumoniae strains were closely related and the same MLST (ST2388), and four of five Enterobacter cloacae strains were closely related and same MLST (ST252). Twenty-three of 25 CRE strains harbored the IMP-1 β-lactamase gene and 15 of 23 CRE strains possessed IncFIIA replicon regions. Despite interventions by the infection control team, new inpatients with the CRE strain continued to appear. Therefore, the ICU was partially closed and the inpatients with CRE were isolated, and the ICU staff was divided into two groups between inpatients with CRE and non-CRE strains to avoid cross-contamination. Although the occurrence of new cases dissipated quickly after the partial closure, a few months were required to eradicate the CRE outbreak. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the various and combined measures that were used for infection control were essential in stopping this CRE outbreak. In particular, partial closure to isolate the ICU and division of the ICU staff were effective.

scholarly journals Proactive infection control measures to prevent nosocomial transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in Hong Kong

2014 ◽  
Vol 113 (10) ◽  
pp. 734-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng ◽  
Josepha Wai-Ming Tai ◽  
Jonathan Hon-Kwan Chen ◽  
Simon Yung-Chun So ◽  
Wing-Chun Ng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Nosocomial Transmission ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci ◽  
Vancomycin Resistant
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