Nicoletta Wischnewski

Healthcare-associated infections in long-term care facilities (HALT)

The development of infections in elderly people living in long-term care facilities may have manifold causes. Infections are often treated with an antibiotic which can trigger the selection of multirestistant microorganisms and, therefore, represents an additional risk factor. In Germany as well as in other European countries, only a few prevalence studies on healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) in long-term care facilities have been performed and there is no continuous surveillance established for HCAI and antibiotic treatment. Therefore, the European prevalence study HALT (healthcare-associated infections in long-term care) was initiated to collect data of HCAI, antibiotic use, and the antibiotic resistance of microorganisms in long-term care facilities. From Germany, 73 institutions participated in the HALT project. The overall prevalence for an optional HCAI (at least one symptom) was 1.6 (CI 1.09-2.03) and for HCAI identified by the modified McGeer criteria 0.79 (CI 0.62-1.04). The overall prevalence for antibiotic use was 1.15 (CI 0.73-1.57). In the present paper, the German results of the HALT project are presented.

[Healthcare-associated infections in long-term care facilities. German results of the European prevalence study HALT].

The development of infections in elderly people living in long-term care facilities may have manifold causes. Infections are often treated with an antibiotic which can trigger the selection of multirestistant microorganisms and, therefore, represents an additional risk factor. In Germany as well as in other European countries, only a few prevalence studies on healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) in long-term care facilities have been performed and there is no continuous surveillance established for HCAI and antibiotic treatment. Therefore, the European prevalence study HALT (healthcare-associated infections in long-term care) was initiated to collect data of HCAI, antibiotic use, and the antibiotic resistance of microorganisms in long-term care facilities. From Germany, 73 institutions participated in the HALT project. The overall prevalence for an optional HCAI (at least one symptom) was 1.6 (CI 1.09-2.03) and for HCAI identified by the modified McGeer criteria 0.79 (CI 0.62-1.04). The overall prevalence for antibiotic use was 1.15 (CI 0.73-1.57). In the present paper, the German results of the HALT project are presented.

Surveillance des Antibiotikaverbrauchs in Krankenhäusern

According to the German Protection Against Infection Act (IfSG; section 23 paragraph 4, July 2011), hospitals and clinics for ambulatory surgery are obliged to establish a continuous monitoring of antibiotic consumption in their institute. The introduction of the surveillance of antibiotic consumption aims to contribute to an optimization of antibiotic prescription practices in order to confine the development and spread of resistant pathogens. The local public health authority is entitled to supervise the implementation of legal requirements in the hospital setting. The main aim of this article is to support local public health authorities in coping with this task by providing background information on the surveillance of antibiotic consumption and its role as a key component of antibiotic stewardship programs. Furthermore, criteria suitable for assessing the implementation of a functioning surveillance system are proposed. The possibilities and limitations of the activities of public health authorities in this context are addressed.

[Surveillance of antibiotic consumption in hospitals: tasks of the Public Health Service].

According to the German Protection Against Infection Act (IfSG; section 23 paragraph 4, July 2011), hospitals and clinics for ambulatory surgery are obliged to establish a continuous monitoring of antibiotic consumption in their institute. The introduction of the surveillance of antibiotic consumption aims to contribute to an optimization of antibiotic prescription practices in order to confine the development and spread of resistant pathogens. The local public health authority is entitled to supervise the implementation of legal requirements in the hospital setting. The main aim of this article is to support local public health authorities in coping with this task by providing background information on the surveillance of antibiotic consumption and its role as a key component of antibiotic stewardship programs. Furthermore, criteria suitable for assessing the implementation of a functioning surveillance system are proposed. The possibilities and limitations of the activities of public health authorities in this context are addressed.

Surveillance des Antibiotikaverbrauchs in KrankenhäusernSurveillance of antibiotic consumption in hospitals

According to the German Protection Against Infection Act (IfSG; section 23 paragraph 4, July 2011), hospitals and clinics for ambulatory surgery are obliged to establish a continuous monitoring of antibiotic consumption in their institute. The introduction of the surveillance of antibiotic consumption aims to contribute to an optimization of antibiotic prescription practices in order to confine the development and spread of resistant pathogens. The local public health authority is entitled to supervise the implementation of legal requirements in the hospital setting. The main aim of this article is to support local public health authorities in coping with this task by providing background information on the surveillance of antibiotic consumption and its role as a key component of antibiotic stewardship programs. Furthermore, criteria suitable for assessing the implementation of a functioning surveillance system are proposed. The possibilities and limitations of the activities of public health authorities in this context are addressed.

Surveillance des Antibiotikaverbrauchs in Krankenhäusern@@@Surveillance of antibiotic consumption in hospitals: Aufgaben des öffentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes@@@Tasks of the Public Health Service

According to the German Protection Against Infection Act (IfSG; section 23 paragraph 4, July 2011), hospitals and clinics for ambulatory surgery are obliged to establish a continuous monitoring of antibiotic consumption in their institute. The introduction of the surveillance of antibiotic consumption aims to contribute to an optimization of antibiotic prescription practices in order to confine the development and spread of resistant pathogens. The local public health authority is entitled to supervise the implementation of legal requirements in the hospital setting. The main aim of this article is to support local public health authorities in coping with this task by providing background information on the surveillance of antibiotic consumption and its role as a key component of antibiotic stewardship programs. Furthermore, criteria suitable for assessing the implementation of a functioning surveillance system are proposed. The possibilities and limitations of the activities of public health authorities in this context are addressed.

Healthcare-associated infections in long-term care facilities (HALT)@@@Healthcare-associated infections in long-term care facilities: Ergebnisse aus Deutschland im Rahmen einer europäischen Prävalenzstudie@@@German results of the European prevalence study HALT

The development of infections in elderly people living in long-term care facilities may have manifold causes. Infections are often treated with an antibiotic which can trigger the selection of multirestistant microorganisms and, therefore, represents an additional risk factor. In Germany as well as in other European countries, only a few prevalence studies on healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) in long-term care facilities have been performed and there is no continuous surveillance established for HCAI and antibiotic treatment. Therefore, the European prevalence study HALT (healthcare-associated infections in long-term care) was initiated to collect data of HCAI, antibiotic use, and the antibiotic resistance of microorganisms in long-term care facilities. From Germany, 73 institutions participated in the HALT project. The overall prevalence for an optional HCAI (at least one symptom) was 1.6 (CI 1.09-2.03) and for HCAI identified by the modified McGeer criteria 0.79 (CI 0.62-1.04). The overall prevalence for antibiotic use was 1.15 (CI 0.73-1.57). In the present paper, the German results of the HALT project are presented.