Emily K. Shuman

Contact Precautions: More Is Not Necessarily Better

OBJECTIVE To determine whether increases in contact isolation precautions are associated with decreased adherence to isolation practices among healthcare workers (HCWs). DESIGN Prospective cohort study from February 2009 to October 2009. SETTING Eleven teaching hospitals. PARTICIPANTS HCWs. METHODS One thousand thirteen observations conducted on HCWs. Additional data included the number of persons in isolation, types of HCWs, and hospital-specific contact precaution practices. Main outcome measures included compliance with individual components of contact isolation precautions (hand hygiene before and after patient encounter, donning of gown and glove upon entering a patient room, and doffing upon exiting) and overall compliance (all 5 measures together) during varying burdens of isolation. RESULTS Compliance with hand hygiene was as follows: prior to donning gowns/gloves, 37.2%; gowning, 74.3%; gloving, 80.1%; doffing of gowns/gloves, 80.1%; after gown/glove removal, 61%. Compliance with all components was 28.9%. As the burden of isolation increased (20% or less to greater than 60%), a decrease in compliance with hand hygiene (43.6%-4.9%) and with all 5 components (31.5%-6.5%) was observed. In multivariable analysis, there was an increase in noncompliance with all 5 components of the contact isolation precautions bundle (odds ratio [OR], 6.6 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15-37.44]; P = .03) and in noncompliance with hand hygiene prior to donning gowns and gloves (OR, 10.1 [95% CI, 1.84-55.54]; P = .008) associated with increasing burden of isolation. CONCLUSIONS As the proportion of patients in contact isolation increases, compliance with contact isolation precautions decreases. Placing 40% of patients under contact precautions represents a tipping point for noncompliance with contact isolation precautions measures.

Recognition and prevention of healthcare-associated urinary tract infections in the intensive care unit.

Urinary tract infection is the most common healthcare-associated infection in the intensive care unit and predominantly occurs in patients with indwelling urinary catheters. The predominant microorganisms causing catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in the intensive care unit are enteric Gram-negative bacilli, enterococci, Candida species, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Multidrug resistance is a significant problem in urinary pathogens. Duration of catheterization is the most important risk factor for development of CAUTI. Diagnosis, particularly in the intensive care unit setting, is very difficult, as asymptomatic bacteriuria may be difficult to differentiate from symptomatic CAUTI. In general, asymptomatic bacteriuria should not be treated, and treatment of CAUTI often requires removal of the catheter along with systemic antimicrobial therapy. General strategies for prevention of CAUTI apply to all healthcare-associated infections and include measures such as adherence to hand hygiene. Targeted strategies for prevention of CAUTI include limiting the use and duration of urinary catheterization, using aseptic technique for catheter insertion, and adhering to proper catheter care.

Analysis of central line-associated bloodstream infections in the intensive care unit after implementation of central line bundles.

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) have been reduced in number but not eliminated in our intensive care units with use of central line bundles. We performed an analysis of remaining CLABSIs. Many bloodstream infections that met the definition of CLABSI had sources other than central lines or represented contaminated blood samples.

Epidemiology of Hospital-Acquired Urinary Tract-Related Bloodstream Infection at a University Hospital

Little is known about the epidemiology of nosocomial urinary tract-related bloodstream infection. In a case series from an academic medical center, Enterococcus (28.7%) and Candida (19.6%) species were the predominant microorganisms, which suggests a potential shift from gram-negative microorganisms. A case-fatality rate of 32.8% highlights the severity of this condition.

Predictors of hospital-acquired urinary tract-related bloodstream infection.

OBJECTIVE Bloodstream infection (BSI) secondary to nosocomial urinary tract infection is associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, and additional financial costs. Our objective was to identify predictors of nosocomial urinary tract-related BSI. DESIGN Matched case-control study. SETTING Midwestern tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS Cases (n=298) were patients with a positive urine culture obtained more than 48 hours after admission and a blood culture obtained within 14 days of the urine culture that grew the same organism. Controls (n=667), selected by incidence density sampling, included patients with a positive urine culture who were at risk for BSI but did not develop one. Methods. Conditional logistic regression and classification and regression tree analyses. RESULTS The most frequently isolated microorganisms that spread from the urinary tract to the bloodstream were Enterococcus species. Independent risk factors included neutropenia (odds ratio [OR], 10.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.78-20.88), renal disease (OR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.98-4.41), and male sex (OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.52-3.12). The probability of developing a urinary tract-related BSI among neutropenic patients was 70%. Receipt of immunosuppressants (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.04-2.25), insulin (OR, 4.82; 95% CI, 2.52-9.21), and antibacterials (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.44-0.97) also significantly altered risk. CONCLUSIONS The heightened risk of urinary tract-related BSI associated with several comorbid conditions suggests that the management of nosocomial bacteriuria may benefit from tailoring to certain patient subgroups. Consideration of time-dependent risk factors, such as medications, may also help guide clinical decisions in reducing BSI.

Management and Prevention of Prosthetic Joint Infection

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) that can negatively affect functional status and quality of life. This article examines the epidemiology of PJI and reviews current diagnostic, treatment, and management strategies. Diagnosis can be challenging because presenting symptoms are often nonspecific and there is no simple gold standard diagnostic test. Successful treatment of PJI requires a combination of medical and surgical strategies. Given the devastating nature of PJI and the increasing numbers of TJAs performed, prevention efforts remain critical.

Preoperative topical antimicrobial decolonization in head and neck surgery

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality after head and neck surgery. Our primary objective was to determine the efficacy of preoperative topical antimicrobial decolonization before head and neck surgery.

Reuse of Medical Devices: Implications for Infection Control

Reuse of both single-use and multiuse medical devices is a common practice and can result in transmission of infection when appropriate sterilization or reprocessing does not occur. Reuse of single-use devices can be problematic because there are no clear standards for reprocessing, although data regarding adverse outcomes are limited. Single-use devices are commonly reused, appropriately or inappropriately, in resource-limited settings because of cost constraints. Reuse of medical devices raises important legal and ethical questions.

Prevention and management of prosthetic joint infection in older adults.

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is commonly performed on older adults. Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication of TJA that can significantly impact quality of life and physical function. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology and risk factors for PJIs among older adults. We also offer an overview of current diagnostic, treatment and management strategies for PJI. Given the serious nature of PJI, prevention efforts remain essential. Several approaches to infection prevention exist, including antimicrobial prophylaxis and decolonization. Although there are standardized recommendations for antimicrobial prophylaxis, the specific regimens must be individualized based on the patient’s drug allergies, potential for drug interactions, renal function and bodyweight. The best approach to preoperative screening and decolonization programmes remains unclear. Each of these issues is reviewed in detail with a focus on adverse effects and current debates regarding best practice. Given the increased numbers of TJAs performed, additional research on prevention and management is critical.

Role of transfusion in the development of urinary tract-related bloodstream infection.

There is a growing body of evidence that transfusion alters host defenses against infection.1 A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials demonstrated that a restrictive approach to red blood cell (RBC) transfusion decreases the risk of infection by 24%.2 This evidence has prompted changes in guidelines for the use of RBC transfusion.3 The objective of this investigation was to examine whether transfusion affects the risk of developing a bloodstream infection from a urinary source.