Eun Suk Park

Trend of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia in an institution with a high rate of MRSA after the reinforcement of antibiotic stewardship and hand hygiene

BACKGROUNDnMethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are a concern across the worldwide.nnnMETHODSnAntibiotic stewardship and hand hygiene programs were reinforced in a 2,000-bed tertiary hospital in South Korea where the methicillin resistance rate of Staphylococcus aureus is about 65%. The computerized prescription restriction was implemented in August 2008. Hand hygiene program, consistent with World Health Organization guideline, was reinforced in December 2008. We assessed the effect of the infection control programs on the incidence of MRSA bloodstream infection (BSI) from January 2006 through November 2011.nnnRESULTSnIncidence of MRSA BSI was reduced from 0.171 per 1,000 patient-days in 2009 to 0.116 per 1,000 patient-days in 2011 (P = .009). Monthly mean antibiotic consumption decreased from 690.54 ± 28.33 defined daily dose per 1,000 patients-days in 2008 to 652.47 ± 20.77 (P = .015) in 2011. The rates of performance in hand hygiene increased from 43% in 2008 to 83% in 2011 (P = .043).nnnCONCLUSIONnAlthough we did not implement all components of MRSA bundle, efforts to reinforce antibiotic stewardship and hand hygiene program for 3 years had beneficial effects on the decrease in MRSA BSI in this institute with high rate of MRSA.

Costs of postexposure management of occupational sharps injuries in health care workers in the Republic of Korea.

BACKGROUNDnCosts of postexposure treatment of sharps injuries (SIs) in health care workers (HCWs) are an economic burden in many countries. This study analyzed the costs associated with SIs in HCWs in the Republic of Korea.nnnMETHODSnBetween October 1, 2005, and February 28, 2006, general information on SIs among HCWs and the direct costs (eg, laboratory, pharmacy, medical and surgical treatments) and indirect costs eg, (loss of working days) were collected prospectively from 34 hospitals nationwide.nnnRESULTSnA total of 700 SIs were documented, 505 of which (72.1%) generated costs. The average costs per SI were pharmacy, 123,091 won (US

Insufficient Discriminatory Power of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Dendrograms to Determine the Clonality of Multi-Drug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates from an Intensive Care Unit

129); laboratory tests, 66,958 won (

Characterization of the Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter species Causing a Nosocomial Outbreak at Intensive Care Units in a Korean Teaching Hospital: Suggesting the Correlations with the Clinical and Environmental Samples, Including Respiratory Tract-related Instruments

70); medical services, 26,332 won (

Molecular Epidemiology and Characterization of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae Isolated at a University Hospital in Korea during 4-Year Period

28); and medical treatments, 9,377 won (

Difficulties in using personal protective equipment: Training experiences with the 2015 outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome in Korea

10). The average costs of preventive measures were 160,274 won (

Multicenter surveillance study for nosocomial infections in major hospitals in Korea

168) for hepatitis B virus (HBV), 127,858 won (

Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System, Intensive Care Unit Module Report: Data Summary from July 2012 through June 2013

134) for hepatitis C virus (HCV), and 139,552 won (

The Nationwide Surveillance Results of Nosocomial Infections along with Antimicrobial Resistance in Intensive Care Units of Sixteen University Hospitals in Korea, 2004

146) for HIV. Of the laboratory tests, 32.9% were HBV-related, 29.4% were HCV-related, and 19.8% were HIV-related. Of postexposure prophylaxes, 34.9% were HB immunoglobulin and 31.4% were HBV vaccines. We estimated that 7,057.5 SIs generated costs, at a total annual cost of 844,587,577 won (

Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System, Intensive Care Unit Module Report: Data Summary from July 2008 through June 2009 and Analysis of 3-Year Results

884,385).nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe direct costs of managing SIs among HCWs constitute an economic burden in Korea. More aggressive and comprehensive preventive measures of SIs should be adopted.