Is hand-rub consumption correlated with hand hygiene and rate of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE)-acquired infections?

Abstract

A retrospective investigation was conducted to determine whether the consumption of alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) used was correlated with the incidence of acquired nosocomial infection due to meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or to extended-spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains. Between 2005 and 2008, the use of ABHRs increased significantly by 8L per 1000 patient-days of hospitalization per year. During the same period, adherence to hand hygiene increased significantly from 55.6% to 70.9% (P<0.0001). Despite these improvements there was a steady increase in the incidence of ESBL-producing strains in the past three years and no correlation was found between ABHR consumption and either nosocomially acquired ESBL or adherence to hand hygiene.