Hands Of Healthcare Workers Research Articles

Candida tropicalis is the most prevalent yeast species causing candidemia in Algeria: the urgent need for antifungal stewardship and infection control measures

BackgroundDespite being associated with a high mortality and economic burden, data regarding candidemia are scant in Algeria. The aim of this study was to unveil the epidemiology of candidemia in Algeria, evaluate the antifungal susceptibility pattern of causative agents and understand the molecular mechanisms of antifungal resistance where applicable. Furthermore, by performing environmental screening and microsatellite typing we sought to identify the source of infection.MethodsWe performed a retrospective epidemiological-based surveillance study and collected available blood yeast isolates recovered from the seven hospitals in Algiers. To identify the source of infection, we performed environmental screening from the hands of healthcare workers (HCWs) and high touch areas. Species identification was performed by API Auxa-Color and MALDI-TOF MS and ITS sequencing was performed for species not reliably identified by MALDI-TOF MS. Antifungal susceptibility testing followed CLSI M27-A3/S4 and included all blood and environmental yeast isolates. ERG11 sequencing was performed for azole-resistant Candida isolates. Microsatellite typing was performed for blood and environmental Candida species, where applicable.ResultsCandida tropicalis (19/66) was the main cause of candidemia in these seven hospitals, followed by Candida parapsilosis (18/66), Candida albicans (18/66), and Candida glabrata (7/66). The overall mortality rate was 68.6% (35/51) and was 81.2% for C. tropicalis-infected patients (13/16). Fluconazole was the main antifungal drug used (12/51); 41% of the patients (21/51) did not receive any systemic treatment. Candida parapsilosis was isolated mainly from the hands of HCWs (7/28), and various yeasts were collected from high-touch areas (11/47), including Naganishia albida, C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata. Typing data revealed interhospital transmission on two occasions for C. parapsilosis and C. glabrata, and the same clone of C. parapsilosis infected two patients within the same hospital. Resistance was only noted for C. tropicalis against azoles (6/19) and fluconazole-resistant C. tropicalis isolates (≥8 μg/ml) (6/19) contained a novel P56S (5/6) amino acid substitution and a previously reported one (V234F; 1/6) in Erg11p.ConclusionsCollectively, our data suggest an urgent need for antifungal stewardship and infection control strategies to improve the clinical outcome of Algerian patients with candidemia. The high prevalence of C. tropicalis joined by fluconazole-resistance may hamper the therapeutic efficacy of fluconazole, the frontline antifungal drug used in Algeria.

Portable Integrated Hand Sterilizer and Dispenser to Ensure Hand Hygiene and Subsidized Facial Mask

As per the recent report published by WHO, the number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 300,000 globally on 23rd March 2020. ICMR has confirmed more than 500 confirm cases of COVID-19 in India. The nature of the disease is to spread exponentially and till now there is no Proven medicine or vaccine to fight against this pandemic. The situation is critical and alarming, it is very important to know and think about the consequences. The most important factor in preventing the spread of the Virus locally is to empower the citizens with the right information and taking precautions as per the advisories being issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare i.e. to maintain social distancing and ensuring safe health and hygiene by using sanitizers and mask. India has a huge population with population density of 1,202 people per m2 on an average and some cities with 2,000 plus density where the chances of spreading COVID-19 becomes easier. In future when there will be less cases of COVID-19 then Government has to withdraw the lockdown and mass gathering in Societies, School, Colleges, Multiplex, Railways, Airport and Bus Terminals will be seen. There will be always a chance of contamination from the carrier to a healthy person, and the chain continues. All the public places must include Integrated Hand Sterilizer with Alcohol Sanitizers, UV rays and Hand Drier. There is ample evidence that hand antisepsis reduces the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens and the incidence of HCAI. Hand hygiene recommendations are critical to reducing colonization and infection of the hands of all people, and specifically the hands of health-care workers (HCW).

Hand hygiene initiative: comparative study of pre- and postintervention outcomes.

Adequate hand hygiene is considered the most effective measure to reduce transmission of nosocomial pathogens. To determine the effectiveness of infection control intervention to improve compliance with hand hygiene in the Emergency Department, Al-Leith General Hospital, Saudi Arabia, and evaluate bacterial load on hands as a possible indicator of improvement. The study consisted of 3 phases: Phase I, measurement of basal hand hygiene compliance level; Phase II, multimodal hand hygiene educational programme was initiated; and Phase III, hand hygiene compliance level was measured again. Data were collected by direct observation of healthcare workers in the emergency department between October 2016 and March 2017, using the standardized World Health Organization method for direct observation, "Five Moments for Hand Hygiene". The intervention comprised health education sessions using direct personal contact. Hands of healthcare workers were sampled during Phases I and III by sterile bag method, and bacterial load was determined. A total of 1374 opportunities for hand hygiene were observed during the triphase study. Implementation of the interventional hand hygiene educational programme significantly improved compliance with hand hygiene guidelines from 30.7% to 45.5% (P < 0.01). Log10 bacterial load per hand dropped from 4.97 (standard deviation = 0.32) to 4.57 (0.47) (P < 0.05). Hand hygiene educational programmes were effective in improving compliance in the emergency department, and bacterial load on hands of healthcare workers could be used as an indicator of improvement in hand hygiene compliance.

NICU Healthcare Workers Hand Hygiene Compliance during 6 Months of Direct Observation

Introduction: Hospitalized neonates are at risk of developing nosocomial sepsis, a systemic infection due to unhygienic healthcare, especially in Indonesia where healthcare-associated infection incidence rate is 5.9%-8.3%. Hand hygiene by healthcare workers is an effective measure to prevent it. This study aimed to understand the healthcare workers’ hand hygiene compliance towards WHO guidelines 2009 in Dr. Soetomo General Hospital NICU. Methods: This research was an observational study. The healthcare workers’ hand hygiene compliance was obtained through 6 months of direct observation, from November 2018 to April 2019, with doctors and nurses who agreed to be observed and present during the observation period as samples. The observation was recorded with WHO observation form, and processed with Microsoft Excel 2013 to obtain compliance rate. Results: Overall, the compliance of healthcare worker in NICU Dr. Soetomo General Hospital during the 6 months of study was 84%. Nurses’ compliance was higher (87%) than doctors’ (78%). Compliance to My 5 Moments of Hand Hygiene indications varied from 82% for moments before patient contact to 93% for moments after patient contact. Conclusion: In conclusion, hand hygiene compliance of healthcare workers in Dr. Soetomo General Hospital NICU varied between profession categories and each indication. To maintain and improve hand hygiene compliance, intervention in healthcare workers’ behavior is needed, so that healthcare-associated infection can be better prevented.

Can a nasal and skin decolonization protocol safely replace contact precautions for MRSA-colonized patients?

Contact precautions (CP) are employed in United States hospitals in order to prevent transmission of pathogens via supplies, equipment, and health care worker hands. CP is required in many hospitals for both colonized and infected methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) patients. The isolation of colonized patients often results in a high rate of CP, leading some hospitals to abandon CP for MRSA-colonized patients without adding any safety measure to address transmission risk. Understanding this risk, 7 network hospitals in a US health care system made the decision to replace CP for high-risk MRSA-colonized patients with targeted nasal and body decolonization, leading to significant cost savings and staff satisfaction without any increase in MRSA transmission.

Product dose considerations for real-world hand sanitiser efficacy

Alcohol based hand rubs (ABHR) are extremely effective at reducing microbial contamination and have an essential role in best practice hand hygiene described by the World Health Organization. We determined ABHR drying time when performing hand hygiene in a laboratory setting. Which was followed by identifying the amount of ABHR needed for complete hand coverage. When the aforementioned was analyzed real-time data were gathered to examine the amount used for hand hygiene in a hospital setting. In parallel hands of healthcare workers (HCWs) were monitored for drying time and perception on ABHR use. In 86% (24,446,397/28,280,383) of the events a single dose of ABHR was used on clinical wards. Twenty-four HCWs expected hand hygiene to take 7.5 seconds (median; range 3-30 seconds). Forty-three HCWs show that 1.5 mL ABHR dose achieves the desired drying time according to World Health Organization guidelines (av. median 26 seconds), but is consistently perceived to have a longer drying time than expected (av. median 18 seconds). In-vivo results (n = 10) indicate that 2.25 mL ABHR is required for adequate coverage (82%-90%) of both sides of the hand. Results indicate that set standards for the use of ABHR do not match "in-vivo" behaviour of HCWs. Perceived drying times are shorter than actual drying time. The needed drying time to reach acceptable antimicrobial efficacy of ABHRs should be revisited.

Prolonged Outbreak of Candida krusei Candidemia in Paediatric Ward of Tertiary Care Hospital.

BackgroundA sudden rise of Candida krusei candidemia cases was noticed in our hospital within 1 year with maximum cases from paediatric unit. The present study reports the results of epidemiological investigation of possible outbreak of candidemia by C. krusei in paediatric unit at our tertiary care centre.MethodsClinical characteristics and risk factors associated with C. krusei candidemia were evaluated. Yeast identification and antifungal susceptibility testing was performed according to standard protocol. To find the potential source of C. krusei in hospital environment and hand colonization, swabs were collected from different fomites (n = 40) and hand washings from 24 health care workers (HCW), respectively. Infection control and prevention practices were intensified following the recognition of outbreak. Genetic typing was done by fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (FAFLP) technique. Case–control comparison was performed with C. tropicalis and C. pelliculosa cases.ResultsCandida krusei fungaemia significantly affected paediatric group (82/186, 44%) as compared to adults (14/130, 10.8%; p < 0.001). Among paediatric group, maximum isolation was reported from neonatal unit of paediatric emergency (NUPE). C. krusei was isolated from hands of one HCW and washbasin in NUPE. FAFLP revealed clonality between blood and environmental isolates indicating cross-transmission of C. krusei. Gastrointestinal disease (p = 0.018), previous antibiotics (p = 0.021) especially to carbapenems (p = 0.039), was significant among C. krusei candidemia cases compared to C. pelliculosa cases.ConclusionWe report the largest outbreak of C. krusei candidemia in paediatric unit within 1 year with isolation of related strains from environment and hands of HCW. Routine screening of hand hygiene practices revealed non-compliance to standard practices leading to the increase in C. krusei candidemia cases.

Analysis of Compliance and Barriers for Hand Hygiene Practices among Health Care Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic Management in Tertiary Care Hospital of India—An Important Step for Second Wave Preparedness

Introduction: Hands of health care workers play an important part in infection transmission in a healthcare setting infections. Even though it is a simple and effective procedure, it is many times ignored by the health care workers (HCWs) due to lack of knowledge and interest, time constraints, skin irritation, understaffing, etc. There are no specific drugs and vaccines available for COVID-19 pandemic management, so as control measures, hand hygiene is an essential measure. It will be helpful even for the second wave preparedness. So this study was planned for analysis of barriers and practices of hand hygiene among health care workers which determine the adherence of hand hygiene in medical practice. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study designed during COVID-19 pandemic management to analyze the barriers and knowledge, attitude and practices in health care workers for hand hygiene. Semi-structured questionnaires based study based on previous experience of seasonal flu outbreak was make to know barriers as well as to analyze the knowledge, attitude and practices of Health care workers. 215 participants were enrolled who were doctors, resident doctors, nurses, lab technicians, ward boys and food distributors. Results: The “Barriers” related questions’ analysis showed that hand hygiene facilities, with the supply of soap, hand rub, basins with adequate as well as clean water, are available at various places in the Hospital. In knowledge related questions, major gaps are found in 5 moments of hand hygiene and regarding aspects of alcohol-based hand-rub. Majority HCWs show a good attitude towards questions that hand hygiene is an important thing to do along with other works and they feel frustrated when others or they themselves omit hand hygiene. But the attitude toward hand hygiene when hands are not visibly soiled and when working with gloved hand showed a wrong attitude. There is a major gap in practices of hand hygiene. The majority feel hand hygiene is difficult due to work pressure, sometimes they forgot, they feel it difficult to adhere due to more steps during an emergency. Discussion: Hand hygiene is an essential part of COVID-19 pandemic management. Less compliance was observed due to a lack of knowledge and awareness. Such ignorance leads to an increase in Hospital-acquired infection. Conclusion: Good preparedness by Government and Institute for supplying adequate hand hygiene facilities in the work area for health care workers. But there were few gaps found in knowledge and attitude-related questionnaires and major gaps in practices were found which should be corrected by repeated training, awareness programs, demonstrations for hand hygiene and hands-on training. Conducting Periodic Webinar can be the most useful, convenient and safe method to provide training during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Contamination of Hands and Mobile Phones of Health Care Workers in a Health Care Setting: A Silent Threat

Background: The extensive use of mobile phones in the hospital among health care workers (HCWs) can lead to infectious agents being transferred from one patient to another and thus serve as a vehicle in the transmission of nosocomial pathogens.&#x0D; Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus auerus (MRSA) contamination of mobile phones and hands of HCWs in Gandaki Medical College and Teaching Hospital.&#x0D; Methods: The present study was hospital and laboratory based cross-sectional study, carried out from April, 2017 to December, 2017. A total of 100 mobile phone swab and 100 hand swab samples of HCWs were collected and cultured directly on MacConkey agar, blood agar, and mannitol salt agar after 24 hrs of enrichment. All the isolated organisms including MRSA were identified using standard microbiological techniques and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing using disc diffusion technique.&#x0D; Results: Among the Gram positive isolates, frequency distribution from mobile phones showed the highest prevalence of coagulase negative Staphylococci (CONS) (34.69%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (20.41%), Bacillus spp (15.31%), Micrococci spp (11.23%), however considerable number of Diptheroides (8.16%), Enterococci (6.12%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (4.08%). Siimilarly from hand swabs CONS (39.62%), followed by S. aureus (26.42%), Bacillus spp (10.38%), Micrococci (11.32%), Enterococci (6.60%) and Diptheroids (5.66%) were isolated. The frequency of MRSA was 20%, 25% among mobile phones and hands of HCWs respectively. Drugs like Vancomycin, Amikacin, Clindamycin and Gentamycin were found quite effective against S. aureus in the present study and would be better options for the management of such infections.&#x0D; Conclusions: Mobile phones and hands of HCWs were the potential source of nosocomial infections including multidrug-resistant pathogens like methicillin-resistant S. aureus.

A family empowerment strategy is associated with increased healthcare worker hand hygiene in a resource-limited setting.

Guidelines recommend empowering patients and families to remind healthcare workers (HCWs) to perform hand hygiene (HH). The effectiveness of empowerment tools for patients and their families in Southeast Asia is unknown. We performed a prospective study in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a Vietnamese pediatric referral hospital. With family and HCW input, we developed a visual tool for families to prompt HCW HH. We used direct observation to collect baseline HH data. We then enrolled families to receive the visual tool and education on its use while continuing prospective collection of HH data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of HH in baseline and implementation periods. In total, 2,014 baseline and 2,498 implementation-period HH opportunities were observed. During the implementation period, 73 families were enrolled. Overall, HCW HH was 46% preimplementation, which increased to 73% in the implementation period (P < .001). The lowest HH adherence in both periods occurred after HCW contact with patient surroundings: 16% at baseline increased to 24% after implementation. In multivariable analyses, the odds of HCW HH during the implementation period were significantly higher than baseline (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.54-3.41; P < .001) after adjusting for observation room, HCW type, time of observation (weekday business hours vs evening or weekend), and HH moment. The introduction of a visual empowerment tool was associated with significant improvement in HH adherence among HCWs in a Vietnamese PICU. Future research should explore acceptability and barriers to use of similar tools in low- and middle-income settings.

Effects of the proportion of high-risk patients and control strategies on the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an intensive care unit

BackgroundThe presence of nosocomial pathogens in many intensive care units poses a threat to patients and public health worldwide. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important pathogen endemic in many hospital settings. Patients who are colonized with MRSA may develop an infection that can complicate their prior illness.MethodsA mathematical model to describe transmission dynamics of MRSA among high-risk and low-risk patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) via hands of health care workers is developed. We aim to explore the effects of the proportion of high-risk patients, the admission proportions of colonized and infected patients, the probability of developing an MRSA infection, and control strategies on MRSA prevalence among patients.ResultsThe increasing proportion of colonized and infected patients at admission, along with the higher proportion of high-risk patients in an ICU, may significantly increase MRSA prevalence. In addition, the prevalence becomes higher if patients in the high-risk group are more likely to develop an MRSA infection. Our results also suggest that additional infection prevention and control measures targeting high-risk patients may considerably help reduce MRSA prevalence as compared to those targeting low-risk patients.ConclusionsThe proportion of high-risk patients and the proportion of colonized and infected patients in the high-risk group at admission may play an important role on MRSA prevalence. Control strategies targeting high-risk patients may help reduce MRSA prevalence.

Contamination of health-care workers' hands with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species after routine patient care: a prospective observational study

ObjectiveTo compare the frequency of health-care worker (HCW) hand contamination by Escherichia coli versus Klebsiella species after patient care and to determine activities associated with contamination. MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational study at two tertiary-care centres. We observed HCWs caring for patients colonized/infected with E. coli or Klebsiella. HCW hands were cultured before room entry and after patient care. Contamination was defined as detecting E. coli or Klebsiella on HCW hands. Risk factors for contamination were analysed using logistic regression. Patient-to-HCW transmission was confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). ResultsWe performed 466 HCW observations: 290 from patients with E. coli, 149 with Klebsiella, and 27 with both species. Eighty-seven per cent of observations (404/464) occurred in patients who had received chlorhexidine bathing within 2 days. HCW hand contamination rates were similar between E. coli (6.2%; 18/290) and Klebsiella (7.4%; 11/149) (p 0.6). High-risk activities independently associated with contamination were toilet assistance (OR 9.34; 95% CI 3.10–28.16), contact with moist secretions (OR 6.93; 95% CI 2.82–17.00), and hygiene/bed-bathing (OR 3.80; 95% CI 1.48–9.80). PFGE identified identical/closely related isolates in the patient and HCW hands in 100% (18/18) of E. coli and 54.5% (6/11) of Klebsiella observations. ConclusionsWe did not find a difference in HCW hand contamination rates between E. coli and Klebsiella after patient care. Hand hygiene should be reinforced after high-risk activities. Discrepancies in matching patient and HCW hand isolates occurred more frequently for Klebsiella than for E. coli; differences in species-level transmission dynamics might exist.

Impact of patient and visitor hand hygiene interventions at a pediatric hospital: A stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial

Patient and visitor hand hygiene has the potential to prevent health care-associated infections, but there are few data on the efficacy of interventions to improve patient/visitor hand hygiene. To determine whether conventional and front-line ownership (FLO) patient/visitor hand hygiene interventions improve patient/visitor and health care worker (HCW) hand hygiene rates. A stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted on inpatient units and the emergency department. A conventional intervention included pediatric-focused posters, which also served as reminders for HCWs. This was compared to a FLO intervention aimed at finding "positive deviants," staff who were already taking steps to improve patient/visitor hand hygiene. Patient/visitor and HCW hand hygiene rates were measured covertly by trained medical students. Patient/visitor hand hygiene rates increased from 9.2% at baseline to 13.9% in the post-intervention period. Hand hygiene rates on units randomized to the standard intervention changed from 7.3% to 10.9% (P = .46), but FLO intervention units significantly changed from 14.3% to 25% (P = .03). The baseline HCW hand hygiene rate was 68.2%, which increased to a greater extent in the FLO group (79.1%) than in the standard intervention (73.1%), but the change was not statistically significant for either intervention compared to control (P = .18 and P = .64, respectively). Hand hygiene interventions in hospitals can improve patient/visitor and HCW hand hygiene rates, and a FLO intervention appears to be more effective than a conventional intervention.

Intervention on knowledge and perception of hand hygiene among healthcare workers

Abstract Background Many studies conducted in healthcare settings with limited resources reported healthcare associated infections (HAIs) rates higher than in developed countries. Hand hygiene is considered as the most effective procedure for reducing infection in a wide variety of settings. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention program to improve knowledge and perception of hand hygiene among healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods We conducted a prospective before-and-after study design in university hospital Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisia, from January 2015 to December 2016. The same questionnaire, constructed by the WHO was distributed and collected at HCWs’ workplace. Results A total of 149 and 146 HCWs were enrolled, respectively at pre and post intervention. The majority was nursed women aged between 20 and 35 in pre intervention, whereas in post intervention the majority where physicians. Globally, our results showed tendencies toward improvement, but only two items were significant: the HW is the appropriate technique after injury (73.5% vs 86.8%; p = 0.006) and the hands of HCWs are the lead vehicle of HAIs (65.1% vs 83.6%; p = 0.01). On the other hand, judging by the HCWs’ responses, the probably most effective intervention to enhance hand hygiene compliance was that an alcohol-based hand-rub is available at each point of patient care. In contrast, empowering patients to remind HCWs to perform hand hygiene was mostly rated to be the least effective intervention both in pre and post intervention. Conclusions Our intervention to positively influence hand hygiene knowledge was unfortunately less effective than we had hoped it would be, which suggests a HCWs’ reluctance to attend the training program. Key messages Hand hygiene is considered as the most effective procedure for reducing nosocomial infection. the intervention to positively influence hand hygiene knowledge was effective.

511. MDRO Carriage in Patients in Two ICUs and Prevalence of Environmental Surface and Healthcare Worker Hand Contamination

BackgroundDetermining MDRO (multidrug-resistant organism) transmission routes in intensive care units (ICUs) can be complex and require the evaluation of multiple potential MDRO sources, including patients, the environment, and healthcare worker (HCW) hands. The objective of this study was to determine MDRO carriage in patients in two separate ICUs, and simultaneous environmental and HCW hand contamination from associated rooms.MethodsPatient (P), environmental (E), and HCW hand (H) samples were collected from hospital A (1183 H, 1253 E, 729 P) and hospital B (699 H, 1372 E, 437 P) over approximately 5 weeks in each unit. Environmental and HCW hand samples were collected using a cellulose sponge. HCW hand samples were collected prior to any hand hygiene. Patient samples were collected from the axilla, groin, and perianal areas with a flocked swab with patient consent. All samples were tested semi-quantitatively for Clostridium difficile (Cdiff), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and cefotaxime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (Cef-R-Ent) by selective culture. Cdiff isolates representative of each P/E/H cluster were tested for Cdiff toxin testing by PCR.ResultsCdiff, VRE, and Cef-R-Ent were detected in patients, patient rooms, and on HCW hands in both facilities (Table 1). Cdiff was more prevalent in Facility A, while Cef-R-Ent was more prevalent in Facility B. The prevalence of VRE was minimal in both facilities. Cdiff toxin gene testing revealed that 17% of the Cdiff isolate clusters tested positive for toxin genes. In Facility A, the prevalence of a given MDRO was similar regardless of sample type, but was more widely varied between sample types in Facility B. Prevalence of MDROs on HCW hands and in the environment was typically higher in Facility A compared with Facility B. Individual patient positives were frequently linked to positive HCW hand and environmental cultures.ConclusionWe discovered a low prevalence of all MDROs in both facilities, with most positive cultures associated with patients who were not on MDRO precautions. HCW hand and environmental MDRO prevalence was generally similar for each MDRO, regardless of patient prevalence, supporting previously reported links on HCW hand contamination and hospital room surfaces. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

1199. Provider Perspectives on Nonsterile Glove Use in the NICU

BackgroundLate-onset infection is a serious cause of mortality and long-term morbidity in NICU patients. Healthcare worker hands are the most common vehicle for transmission of pathogenic organisms to neonates. Studies have suggested a reduction in infections in neonatal and pediatric patients cared for with universal nonsterile glove use.MethodsWe developed an online survey (https://fhspeds.mcmaster.ca/pedsCapOne/surveys/?s=9RDX7EHT79) for clinicians to understand the current glove use and hand hygiene practices in NICUs in North America. The survey was sent to neonatologists and Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialists via the AAP Neonatal-Perinatal Section listserv, SHEA and the Canadian Neonatal Network.ResultsOf 336 responses; the majority were from physicians at level 3 to 4 NICUs (97%), and from the United States (96.1%). Beyond sterile procedures, sterile gloves were used for central line dressing changes (88.4%), contact with central nervous system shunts (61.0%), and direct contact with central lines (57.4%). Nonsterile gloves were used most commonly for universal precautions and diaper changes (Table 1). Almost half of participants also used nonsterile gloves for all patients and 37.5% for extremely low birth weight (<1000 g) infants. While most sites (76.8%) stated that nonsterile gloves were not required for parents, 15.8% requested gloves also for parents. 58% of respondents felt there was not enough evidence for a practice change at this time and 53.3% felt further study was needed to assess the effect of nonsterile gloves and infection (Figures 2 and 3). Almost a third of respondents (n = 109) would be interested in participating in a randomized study to assess glove-based care. Major concerns with this approach included a possible reduction in hand hygiene compliance, environmental waste, and glove contamination (Figure 4).ConclusionThere is variability in gloving practices across NICUs in North America, with equipoise and interest in a potential randomized study to further explore the hypothesis that nonsterile gloves prevent late-onset infections in neonates. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

1192. A Visual Family Empowerment Tool Is Associated with Increased Healthcare Worker Hand Hygiene in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Vietnam

BackgroundHand hygiene (HH) is the most effective way to prevent healthcare-associated infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends empowering patients and families to remind healthcare workers (HCWs) to perform HH. The effectiveness of patient and family empowerment tools in Southeast Asia is unknown.MethodsWe performed a prospective intervention study in an intensive care unit of a pediatric referral hospital in Vietnam. Using family and HCW input, we created a visual tool for families to use to remind HCWs to perform HH. For 2 weeks pre-intervention, we collected baseline data on HH performance, method (hand rub or soap and water), adequacy, HCW type (e.g., physician, nurse), and WHO 5 moments of HH using direct, unobtrusive observation. During a subsequent 3-week intervention period, consenting families were provided the visual tool and educated on its use to prompt HCW HH. Prospective collection of outcome data continued during the intervention period. The primary outcome was change in HCW HH between baseline and intervention periods. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify independent predictors of HH.ResultsA total of 2,014 pre-intervention and 2,498 intervention period HH opportunities were observed. During the intervention period, 73 families received visual reminder tools and education. Overall HCW HH was 46% pre-intervention, which increased to 73% in the intervention period (P < 0.001). Lowest HH adherence in both periods occurred after HCW contact with patient surroundings (WHO Moment 5; 16% pre-intervention and 24% intervention). In multivariable analyses, the odds of HCW HH during the intervention period were significantly higher than pre-intervention (OR 2.94 [95% CI 2.54 – 3.41], P < 0.001) after adjusting for observation room, HCW type, time of observation (weekday business hours vs. evening/weekend), and HH moment. Among completed HH opportunities, HH adequacy was >90% in both periods.ConclusionIntroduction of a visual empowerment tool was associated with significant improvement in HH adherence among HCWs in a Vietnamese pediatric intensive care unit. More research is needed to explore acceptability and barriers to the use of such tools in other low- and middle-income settings. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

2418. Determining the Impact of Visitor Contact Precautions on Hospital-Onset Clostridioides difficile Infection Rates: An Agent-Based Simulation Modeling Approach

BackgroundVisitor contact precautions (VCP) have been suggested to reduce the transmission of Clostridiodes difficile at healthcare institutions. However, there are no data describing the impact of VCP on hospital-acquired C. difficile infection (HO-CDI) rates. Enforcing VCP for CDI control is also controversial, as VCP are poorly implemented and highly variable.MethodsWe developed an agent-based simulation model of C. difficile transmission at a model 200-bed acute-care adult hospital. Our agent-based simulation model represented interactions among the physicians, nurses, patients, visitors, and physical environment. We used the agent-based simulation model to evaluate the impact of VCP on reducing HO-CDI considering many different hospital settings and various assumptions on patient susceptibility, adherence rates to other infection control practices, interactions between healthcare workers and patients.ResultsVCP did not reduce the CDC-defined HO-CDI rates by more than 1% in any of the tested scenarios and hospital settings. Increasing the adherence of hand hygiene of healthcare workers to 56% from a baseline estimate of 55%, or compliance to room cleaning to 50% from a baseline estimate of 47% have led to higher rates of reduction in CDI compared with VCP.ConclusionThis is the first mathematical model to quantify the reduction in HO-CDI with VCP. The agent-based simulation model suggests that the impact of VCP on hospital-onset CDI is minimal and hospitals can achieve a higher rate of reduction for HO-CDI by implementing other interventions such as healthcare worker hand hygiene, environmental cleaning and healthcare worker contact precautions. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of VCP on C. difficile colonization in community.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Genetic diversity of Candida albicans isolates recovered from hospital environments and patients with severe acquired brain injuries

Although the epidemiology of pathogenic Candida species causing invasive human diseases is changing, Candida albicans still remains the most common cause of bloodstream infections worldwide. The propensity of this pathogen to cause infections is undoubtedly the result of its unique genetic plasticity that allow it to adapt and respond quickly to a myriad of changing conditions both in the host and in the environment. For this reason, we decided to investigate the genetic diversity of this important fungal pathogen in a particular category of patients with severe neurological deficits including the hospital environments where they are hospitalized.Genetic diversity of 21 C. albicans isolates recovered from blood, hands of healthcare workers and hospital environments was evaluated by using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) which revealed a high genetic heterogeneity with a set of 18 diploid sequence types (DSTs) recovered among 21 isolates investigated. Interestingly, 13 of these 18 MLST genotypes were completely new and added to the C. albicans MLST central database. Six eBURST clonal complexes (CC-1, CC-2, CC-6, CC-9, CC-27 and CC-42) and three singletons contained all DSTs found in this study. Among all the new DSTs identified, DST3388 was the most intriguing as this genotype was recovered from a typical C. albicans isolate clustering within the MLST-Clade 13, the most divergent evolutionary lineage within C. albicans population containing only isolates with unusual phenotypes originally known as Candida africana.In conclusion, the results of this study expand our understanding of the molecular epidemiology and global population structure of C. albicans suggesting that further studies on different categories of patients and hospital environments are needed to better understand how the population of this species adapts and evolves in heterogeneous hosts and changing environments.

Hand Colonization with Gram-Negative Organisms of Healthcare Workers Accessing the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit: A Cross-Sectional Study at the Uganda Heart Institute.

Background Hands of healthcare workers (HCWs) are vehicles for pathogens responsible for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Following the identification of Gram-negative organisms (GNOs) in all cases of HAIs in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU), we sought to determine the burden of hand colonization with GNOs among healthcare workers who access the cardiac ICU. Methods We retrospectively reviewed results from surveillance cultures of fingertip imprints of HCWs who access the cardiac ICU at the Uganda Heart Institute. We collected data on staff category, isolates, and susceptibility to antibiotics. We analyzed the data using Microsoft Excel, and the results are summarized in proportions and percentages and presented in charts and tables. Results Fifty-six healthcare workers participated in the surveillance. 21 were ICU clinicians, 21 non-ICU clinicians, and 14 nonclinicians. GNOs were cultured in 19 (33.9%) HCWs, in which 8/19 (42.1%) were non-ICU clinicians, 6/19 (31.2%) ICU clinicians, and 5/19 (26.3%) nonclinicians. 32 isolates were identified, of which 47%, 28%, and 25% were cultured from non-ICU clinicians, nonclinicians, and ICU clinicians, respectively. Predominant isolates were Acinetobacter (34%), Citrobacter (21.9%), and Pseudomonas (21.9%). Antimicrobial resistance ranged from 4% to 90%. 9/28 (32.1%) isolates, predominantly Acinetobacter species (spp), were carbapenem resistant. 8/28 (28.6%) isolates, predominantly Citrobacter spp, were multidrug resistant. Resistance to ciprofloxacin and cefepime was low at 3.6% and 4.4%, respectively. Conclusion Gram-negative organisms, predominantly Acinetobacter, Citrobacter, and Pseudomonas spp, were prevalent on the hands of HCWs who access the cardiac ICU irrespective of the staff category. Antimicrobial resistance was high, with multidrug resistance and carbapenem resistance common among Citrobacter spp and Acinetobacter spp, respectively. Resistance to cefepime and ciprofloxacin was low.