Healthcare-associated Infections In Intensive Care Units Research Articles

Estimation of Additional Costs in Patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) present a global public health challenge, contributing to high morbidity and mortality and substantial economic burdens. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) ranks as the second most prevalent HAI in intensive care units (ICUs), emphasizing the need for economic analyses in this context. This retrospective cohort study, conducted at the General Hospital of Alicante from 2012 to 2019, aimed to assess additional costs related to VAP by comparing the extended length of stay for infected and non-infected ICU patients undergoing mechanical ventilation (MV) for more than 48 h. Employing propensity score association, 434 VAP patients were compared to an equal number without VAP. The findings indicate a significantly longer mechanical ventilation period for VAP patients (17.40 vs. 8.93 days, p < 0.001), resulting in an extra 13.56 days of stay and an additional cost of EUR 20,965.28 per VAP episode. The study estimated a total cost of EUR 12,348,965.28 for VAP during the study period, underscoring the economic impact of VAP. These findings underscore the urgent need for rigorous infection surveillance, prevention, and control measures to enhance healthcare quality and reduce overall expenditures.

A prospective surveillance study of healthcare-associated infections in an intensive care unit from a tertiary care teaching hospital from 2012-2019.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) continue to be the most common adverse event affecting critically ill inpatients in intensive care units (ICUs). Limited data exist in the English literature on the epidemiology of HAIs in ICUs from China. The purpose of this prospective study was to understand the prevalence and trends of HAIs in the ICU to guide clinicians to take effective prevention and control measures. In total, 20 ICU beds in the hospital from January 2012 to December 2019 were selected for surveillance. HAI diagnosis and device-associated infection surveillance were based on the criteria set forth by the original Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China. The full-time staff for HAI management monitored all patients who stayed in the ICU > 48 hours during the study period and calculated the device utilization ratio and device-associated infection rate. The rate of HAIs and the adjusted rate were 18.78 per 1000 patient-days and 5.17 per 1000 patient-days, respectively. The rates of ventilator-associated pneumonias, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and central line-associated bloodstream infections were 22.68 per 1000 device-days, 2.40 per 1000 device-days, and 2.27 per 1000 device-days, respectively. A total of 731 pathogenic bacteria were detected in the patients with HAIs. Gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria accounted for 67.44% and 16.83%, respectively. Continuous target monitoring, regular analysis of high-risk factors, and timely intervention measures could effectively reduce HAIs in the ICU. Additionally, these findings could be used for developing new strategies to prevent and control HAIs in ICUs.

Active Surveillance and Contact Precautions for Preventing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Healthcare-Associated Infections During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Statistically significant decreases in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occurred in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals from 2007 to 2019 using a national policy of active surveillance (AS) for facility admissions and contact precautions for MRSA colonized (CPC) or infected (CPI) patients, but the impact of suspending these measures to free up laboratory resources for testing and conserve personal protective equipment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on MRSA HAI rates is not known. From July 2020 to June 2022 all 123 acute care VA hospitals nationwide were given the rolling option to suspend (or re-initiate) any combination of AS, CPC, or CPI each month, and MRSA HAIs in intensive care units (ICUs) and non-ICUs were tracked. There were 917 591 admissions, 5 225 174 patient-days, and 568 MRSA HAIs. The MRSA HAI rate/1000 patient-days in ICUs was 0.20 (95% confidence interval [CI], .15-.26) for facilities practicing "AS + CPC + CPI" compared to 0.65 (95% CI, .41-.98; P < .001) for those not practicing any of these strategies, and in non-ICUs was 0.07 (95% CI, .05-.08) and 0.12 (95% CI, .08-.19; P = .01) for the respective policies. Accounting for monthly COVID-19 facility admissions using a negative binomial regression model did not change the relationships between facility policy and MRSA HAI rates. There was no significant difference in monthly facility urinary catheter-associated infection rates, a non-equivalent dependent variable, in the policy categories in either ICUs or non-ICUs. Facility removal of MRSA prevention practices was associated with higher rates of MRSA HAIs in ICUs and non-ICUs.

Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare-associated infections, antibiotic resistance and consumption rates in intensive care units.

This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), antibiotic resistance and consumption rates in intensive care units (ICUs) of a tertiary care university hospital. Between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2021, adult patients diagnosed with HAIs in ICUs were investigated retrospectively. Patients were divided into pre-pandemic (2018-2019) and pandemic periods (2020-2021). Antibiotic consumption index was calculated via using the formula of (total dose (grams)/defined daily dose (DDD) x total patient days) x1000. A p value below 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. The incidence of HAIs (per 1000 patient days) in the ICU of COVID-19 patients was 16.59, while it was 13.42 in the other ICUs during the pandemic period (p=0.107). The bloodstream infection (BSI) incidence was 3.32 in the pre-pandemic period and 5.41 in the pandemic period in ICUs other than the ICU of COVID-19 patients (p<0.001). In the pandemic period, the BSI incidence rate was significantly higher in the ICU of COVID-19 patients than in the other ICUs (14.26 vs 5.41, p<0.001). Central venous catheter bloodstream infections incidence rate was 4.72 in the pre-pandemic and 7.52 in the pandemic period in ICUs other than the ICU of COVID-19 patients (p=0.0019). During the pandemic period, the bacteraemia episode rates of Acinetobacter baumannii (5.375 vs 0.984, p<0.001), Enterococcus spp. (1.635 vs 0.268, p<0.001) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (3.038 vs 1.297, p=0.0086) in the ICU of COVID-19 patients were significantly found higher than others. The extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) positivity rates for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli were 61% and 42% in the pre-pandemic period; 73% and 69% in the pandemic period in ICUs other than the ICU of COVID-19 patients (p>0.05). In the pandemic period, the ESBL positivity rates for K. pneumoniae and E. coli were 83% and 100% in the ICU of COVID-19 patients, respectively. Meropenem (p<0.001), teicoplanin (p<0.001) and ceftriaxone (p<0.001) consumptions were increased while ciprofloxacin (p=0.003) consumption was decreased in all ICUs after the pre-pandemic period. BSI and CVCBSI incidence rates were significantly increased in all ICUs after the COVID-19 pandemic in our hospital. Bacteraemia episode rates of A. baumannii, Enterococcus spp. and S. maltophilia in ICU of COVID-19 patients were significantly found higher than others. In addition, meropenem, teicoplanin and ceftriaxone consumptions were increased in all ICUs after the COVID-19 pandemic.

A National Implementation Project to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections in Intensive Care Units: A Collaborative Initiative Using the Breakthrough Series Model.

Although there are simple and low-cost measures to prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), they remain a major public health problem. Quality issues and a lack of knowledge about HAI control among healthcare professionals may contribute to this scenario. In this study, our aim is to present the implementation of a project to prevent HAIs in intensive care units (ICUs) using the quality improvement (QI) collaborative model Breakthrough Series (BTS). A QI report was conducted to assess the results of a national project in Brazil between January 2018 and February 2020. A 1-year preintervention analysis was conducted to determine the incidence density baseline of the 3 main HAIs: central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), ventilation-associated pneumonia (VAP), and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs). The BTS methodology was applied during the intervention period to coach and empower healthcare professionals providing evidence-based, structured, systematic, and auditable methodologies and QI tools to improve patients' care outcomes. A total of 116 ICUs were included in this study. The 3 HAIs showed a significant decrease of 43.5%, 52.1%, and 65.8% for CLABSI, VAP, and CA-UTI, respectively. A total of 5140 infections were prevented. Adherence to bundles inversely correlated with the HAI incidence densities: CLABSI insertion and maintenance bundle (R = -0.50, P = .010 and R = -0.85, P < .001, respectively), VAP prevention bundle (R = -0.69, P < .001), and CA-UTI insertion and maintenance bundle (R = -0.82, P < .001 and R = -0.54, P = .004, respectively). Descriptive data from the evaluation of this project show that the BTS methodology is a feasible and promising approach to preventing HAIs in critical care settings.

2041. Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic on healthcare-associated infections at intensive care unit in South Korea: Data from Korean National Healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance System (KONIS)

Abstract Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has influenced hospital infection control practices. We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in the intensive care unit. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis using data from the Korean National Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance System (KONIS). KONIS has conducted nationwide prospective surveillance of HAIs in intensive care units. Comparisons of incidence rates of bloodstream infection (BSI), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) before (Jan 2018-Dec 2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (Jan 2020-Jun 2021) were performed according to hospital size. The microorganism distributions in BSI, urinary tract infection, and pneumonia were compared between the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results The incidence rate of BSI significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 period (1.38 vs. 1.19 per 10,000 patient-days; P &amp;lt; 0.001) [Table 1]. Incidence rates of CLABSI (2.30 vs. 2.17 per 1,000 device-days; P = 0.03) and VAP (1.03 vs. 0.81 per 1,000 device-days; P &amp;lt; 0.001) decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 period, whereas that rate of CAUTI was similar between the two periods. The annual trends of incidence rate of CLABSI and VAP also has decreased (Figure 1). According to the hospital size, the incidence rate per 1,000 device-days of CLABSI significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 period in small to medium-sized hospitals (300-699 beds). The incidence rate per 1,000 device-days of VAP significantly decreased only in small-sized hospitals (200-449 beds). The microorganism distributions in HAIs did not change significantly. Conclusion The incidence rates of CLABSI and VAP decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 period, which was attributable to the changes in small to medium-sized hospitals. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Chlorhexidine gluconate bathing of adult patients in intensive care units in São Paulo, Brazil: Impact on the incidence of healthcare-associated infection

BackgroundThere is an increasing use of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing to decrease healthcare associated infections (HAI). Daily bathing of patients with CHG has been successfully used to prevent multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) HAI in intensive care units (ICU). MethodsThis was a 12-month, single-center, open, cluster randomized trial, conducted at four ICUs of the University Hospital of Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Unifesp, Brazil. ICUs were randomized to either perform daily bathing of the patients with pH neutral soap and water – control units, or daily bathing with 2% CHG detergent solution – intervention units. We evaluated the incidence density rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing enterobacteria HAI, and death in the intervention and control units. ResultsA total of 1,640 admissions of 1,487 patients occurred during the study period (41.2% control group, and 58.8% intervention group). Incidence density rates of KPC-producing enterobacteria HAI were 5.01 and 2.25 infections/1000 patient-days in the control units and in the intervention units (p = 0.013) and mortality rates were 28.7% and 18.7% in the control units and in the intervention units (p<0.001), respectively. No difference between groups was observed in CLABSI incidence (p = 0.125), VAP incidence (p = 0.247) and CAUTI incidence (p = 0.435). No serious skin reactions were noted in either study group.Daily 2% CHG detergent solution bathing is a feasible, low cost option for HAI prevention in ICU.

Monitoring microbial communities in intensive care units over one year in China

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) seriously threaten patient health in intensive care units (ICUs). Profiling the microbial composition and diversity in ICU is important to prevent HAI-related spreading. Given that microbial communities vary across different environments, the time-scale characteristics of pathogens in ICUs have not been explored in China. In our study, to study the bacterial communities of two different ICUs in China, we proceeded dynamic monitoring using 16S rRNA sequencing for a whole year among the bed sheets, bed rails, shared pulse oximeters, bedside lockers, nurses' hands, floor, and carts. Our results showed that the microbial composition significantly changed within months. Significant differences in alpha and beta diversities were also observed among the 12 sampling months in each ICU. Additionally, we found the persistence of several HAI-related bacteria, including Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Escherichia, and Enterococcus. Source tracking analysis showed that most bacteria in both ICUs came from buildings or human skin. With deep investigations of hospital microbial surveillance on a long-term time-scale, we hope that these results will provide constructive guidelines to prevent the spread of HAIs in ICUs.

Increased Involvement of Klebsiellapneumoniae and Enterococcusfaecium in Healthcare-Associated Infections of Intensive Care Units in Taiwan

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) cause increases in length of stay, mortality, and healthcare costs. A previous study conducted in Taiwan obtained similar results to those reported in Korea and Japan in 2015. Changes in microorganisms have been noted in recent years. Understanding the recent condition of HAIs in intensive care units (ICUs) can enable healthcare providers to develop effective infection control protocols to reduce HAIs. Methods: We used the Taiwan Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System to evaluate the incidence densities of HAIs, the proportions of causative pathogens, and the proportions of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The Poisson regression model was constructed to incidence density, and the chi-square test was used to assess proportion. Results: The incidence density of HAIs decreased 5.7 to 5.4 per 1000 person-days. However, the proportions of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecium significantly increased. In addition, the proportions of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium significantly increased over time. Conclusion: Analysis of the microorganisms involved in HAIs in ICUs showed elevated proportions of K. pneumoniae and E. faecium with AMR. Infection control protocols have been implemented for several years and require improvements regarding environmental cleanliness and medical staff prevention.

Identifying the priority infection prevention and control gaps contributing to neonatal healthcare-associated infections in low-and middle-income countries: results from a modified Delphi process.

In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), neonatal healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, hospital stay, and costs. When resources are limited, addressing HAI through infection prevention and control (IPC) requires prioritizing interventions to maximize impact. However, little is known about the gaps in LMIC that contribute most to HAI. A literature review was conducted to identify the leading IPC gaps contributing to neonatal HAIs in intensive care units and specialty care wards in LMIC. Additionally, a panel of 21 global experts in neonatology and IPC participated in an in-person modified Delphi process to achieve consensus on the relative importance of these gaps as contributors to HAI. Thirteen IPC gaps were identified and summarized into four main categories: facility policies such as prioritizing a patient safety culture and maintaining facility capacity, general healthcare worker behaviors such as hand hygiene and proper device insertion and maintenance, specialty healthcare worker behaviors such as cleaning and reprocessing of medical equipment, and infrastructural considerations such as adequate medical equipment and hand hygiene supplies. Through a modified Delphi process, we identified the leading IPC gaps contributing to neonatal HAIs; this information can assist policymakers, public health officials, researchers, and clinicians to prioritize areas for further study or intervention.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Acinetobacter Baumannii isolates from intensive care units in Zagazig University Hospitals

Background:Multidrug resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) has been recognized as a serious causative agent of health care associated infections (HAIs) in different countries of the world with increasing morbidity and mortality, therefore continuous monitoring and evaluation in health care settings are mandatory.We aimed to assess A. baumannii as a cause of HAIs in intensive care units (ICUs) of Zagazig University Hospitals and to demonstrate its antimicrobial resistance pattern. Methods: Different bacteriological specimens were collected from 71 patients with HAIs for isolation of A. baumannii, followed by invitro antibiotic susceptibility test. Results: Ten A. baumannii isolates were recovered (13.5%), of which eight isolates showed multidrug resistance pattern (80%). Prior use of antibiotics was a significant risk factor of development of multidrug resistance (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Predominance of MDR A. baumannii as an important agent of HAIs in ICUs of Zagazig University Hospitals. Inappropriate administration of antimicrobial agents appears to be the most important risk factor.

Trend of healthcare-associated infections in a teaching hospital in Tunisia, 2014-2019

Abstract Background National surveys on the prevalence of HAIs on a given day have regularly taken place in health facilities. During this period, actions to improve HAI prevention were implemented, including strengthened isolation measures; hand hygiene promotion using the World Health Organization multimodal strategy; and promotion of appropriate antimicrobial use. We aimed to examine trends in HAI in Sahloul Hospital over six years. Methods Annual prevalence surveys of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) between 2014 and 2019 were conducted in the university hospital in Tunisia. It is a cross-sectional study of one-day prevalence with a single pathway. All departments were included in the survey, except emergency and hemodialysis services due to their very short length of stay. Data collection was carried out using NosoTun plug (national HAI prevalence survey). Results Over six years, prevalence of HAI ranged from 11.4% in 2014 to 9.5% in 2019. The prevalence of HAIs did not show a significant change across the six surveys. However, there were significant (P = 0.008) reductions in the prevalence of total HAIs in intensive care units, which had the highest frequencies of HAIs over those six years. In 2014, bacteriological analysis was performed in 55.8% of HAI cases. In 66.6% of cases (n = 16), isolated bacteria were gram negative bacilli, the most frequent were Pseudomonas aeroginosa. In 2019, 27 germs were identified, the most frequent were Gram Negative Bacilli (74%), mostly Escherichia coli. Conclusions This HAI prevention strategy was influential in decreasing infections among hospitalized patients in intensive care units. Challenges for the future are to minimize infection with gram-negative bacilli while limiting the emergence of antibiotic resistant organisms. Key messages Using prevalence surveys, we were able to have an insight into the most common isolates identified throughout the last six years. Repeated prevalence surveys are an effective tool for monitoring HAI frequency and contributing to the establishment of effective infection control.

Risk factors for healthcare associated infections and in-hospital mortality in neurological intensive care unit in tertiary hospital in Belgrade, Serbia: A prospective cohort study

Background/Aim. Patients in a neurologic intensive care unit (ICU) are especially susceptible to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). HAIs are cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Aim of this study was to assess the incidence of HAIs, to identify significant risk factors (RFs) and causative microorganisms for HAIs and to identify RFs for inhospital mortality in a neurological ICU. Methods. A prospective cohort study was conducted in the six-bed ICU of the Clinic for Neurology, Military Medical Academy in Belgrade from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016. Active surveillance on HAIs was performed by the hospital infection control team, using methodologies of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the National Healthcare Safety Network/Centres for Disease Prevention and Control. Results. One hundred forty eight patients with a total of 2,708 patient-days were enrolled. There were 49 HAIs in 39 patients during the study period. The incidence and incidence density of HAIs were 26.3% and 18.1 per 1000 patient-days, respectively. The most frequent HAIs were urinary tract infections (15.5%), pneumonia (10.1%) and bloodstream infections (4%). RFs independently associated with HAIs in the neurological ICU were: urinary catheter [risk ratio (RR): 5.6; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.153?27.632], urinary catheter-days (RR: 1.1; 95% CI: 1.057?1.188), central-line days (RR: 1.1; 95% CI: 1.010? 1.150), and mechanical ventilation (RR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.079? 0.859). The most common microorganism was Klebsiella spp. RFs independently associated with in-hospital mortality in the neurological ICU were: mechanical ventilation (RR: 6.5; 95% CI: 2.868?14.116), Glasgow Coma Score (RR: 2.7; 95% CI: 1.135?6,396), and age (RR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.005? 1.055). Conclusion. Usage of invasive procedures during ICU hospitalization carries significant risk for development of HAIs. HAIs in ICU setting are most often caused by Gram-negative bacteria with substantial antimicrobial resistance. These results stress the importance of infection prevention.

Infections and antimicrobial resistance in an adult intensive care unit in a Brazilian hospital and the influence of drug resistance on the thirty-day mortality among patients with bloodstream infections.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to determine the incidence of health care-associated infections (HCAIs) and identify the main resistant microorganisms in intensive care unit (ICU) patients in a Brazilian university hospital. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a Brazilian teaching hospital between 2012 and 2014. RESULTS: Overall, 81.2% of the infections were acquired in the ICU. The most common resistant pathogenic phenotypes in all-site and bloodstream infections were oxacillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. (89.9% and 87.4%; 80.6% and 70.0%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is an urgent need to focus on HCAIs in ICUs in Brazil.

Predictive Modeling of ICU Healthcare-Associated Infections from Imbalanced Data. Using Ensembles and a Clustering-Based Undersampling Approach

Early detection of patients vulnerable to infections acquired in the hospital environment is a challenge in current health systems given the impact that such infections have on patient mortality and healthcare costs. This work is focused on both the identification of risk factors and the prediction of healthcare-associated infections in intensive-care units by means of machine-learning methods. The aim is to support decision making addressed at reducing the incidence rate of infections. In this field, it is necessary to deal with the problem of building reliable classifiers from imbalanced datasets. We propose a clustering-based undersampling strategy to be used in combination with ensemble classifiers. A comparative study with data from 4616 patients was conducted in order to validate our proposal. We applied several single and ensemble classifiers both to the original dataset and to data preprocessed by means of different resampling methods. The results were analyzed by means of classic and recent metrics specifically designed for imbalanced data classification. They revealed that the proposal is more efficient in comparison with other approaches.

Prevalence of And Factors Associated with Healthcare-associated Infections in Slovenian Acute Care Hospitals: Results of the Third National Survey.

IntroductionIn the third Slovenian national healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) prevalence survey, conducted within the European point prevalence survey of HAIs and antimicrobial use in acute care hospitals, we estimated the prevalence of all types of HAIs and identified factors associated with them.MethodsPatients were enrolled into a one-day cross-sectional study in November 2017. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe the characteristics of patients, their exposure to invasive procedures and the prevalence of different types of HAIs. Univariate and multivariate analyses of association of having at least one HAI with possible risk factors were performed to identify risk factors.ResultsAmong 5,743 patients, 4.4% had at least one HAI and an additional 2.2% were still treated for HAIs on the day of the survey, with a prevalence of HAIs of 6.6%. The prevalence of pneumoniae was the highest (1.8%), followed by surgical site infections (1.5%) and urinary tract infections (1.2%). Prevalence of blood stream infections was 0.3%. In intensive care units (ICUs), the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 30.6%. Factors associated with HAIs included central vascular catheter (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.1; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 3.1–5.4), peripheral vascular catheter (aOR 3.0; 95% CI: 2.3–3.9), urinary catheter (aOR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.4–2.3).ConclusionsThe prevalence of HAIs in Slovenian acute care hospitals in 2017 was substantial, especially in ICUs. HAIs prevention and control is an important public health priority. National surveillance of HAIs in ICUs should be developed to support evidence-based prevention and control.

Antibiotic consumption and healthcare-associated infections in a tertiary hospital in Belgrade, Serbia from 2011 to 2016.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and irrational use of antibiotics in healthcare settings are major global public health concerns. Surveillance of HAIs in intensive care units (ICU), surgical-site infections (SSIs), and Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs), together with implementation of antibiotic stewardship, are cornerstones of hospital infection prevention programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate antibiotic consumption, especially of broad spectrum antibiotics, in relation to HAI incidence density (ID). The study was conducted from 2011 to 2016 in a tertiary hospital, the Military Medical Academy (MMA), in Belgrade, Serbia. Through regular hospital surveillance we identified all patients with a new HAI. Data on consumption of antibacterials for systemic use were expressed as defined daily dose per 100 bed days (DDD/100 BD). The highest incidence density (ID) of HAI was observed among patients in surgical ICUs (47.2 per 1000 patient-days), while the highest incidence rate among SSI was 3.7%. Moreover, the highest ID of CDI in medical patients was 6.2 per 10,000 patient-days, while in surgical patients it was 4.3 per 10,000 patient-days. The most frequently used antibiotics were cephalosporins, aminoglycosides and carbapenems (16.0 ± 2.3, 4.8 ± 0.7, 4.3 ± 0.7 DDD/100 BD, respectively). There was no significant correlation between consumption of any groups of antibiotics and ID of CDI in medical and surgical patients. The multidisciplinary healthcare team would have crucial importance in the implementation of the antibiotic stewardship program in order to decrease unnecessary exposures of patients treated in healthcare settings.

Effectiveness of a hospital-wide infection control programme on the incidence of healthcare-associated infections and associated severe sepsis and septic shock: a prospective interventional study

ObjectivesTo evaluate whether a hospital-wide infection control programme (ICP) is effective at reducing the burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and associated severe sepsis/septic shock or death (severe HAIs). MethodsProspective, quasi-experimental study with two surveillance periods (September 2011 to August 2012; May 2013 to August 2014). Starting October 2012, the ICP included hand hygiene promotion and bundle implementation for common HAIs. We applied segmented mixed-effects Poisson regression and multi-state models. We reported adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) and adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). ResultsOverall, 62 154 patients were under surveillance, with 1568 HAIs identified in 1170 patients (4.3 per 100 admissions) in the first and 2336 HAIs identified in 1711 patients (4.9 per 100 admissions) in the second surveillance period. No differences were found in the overall HAI incidence rates between the periods in the general wards (aIRR 1.29, 95% CI 0.78–2.15) and intensive care units (ICUs) (aIRR 0.59, 95% CI 0.27–1.31). However, the HAI incidence rate was declining in the ICUs after starting the ICP (aIRR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97–1.00 per 1-week increment), in contrast to general wards (aIRR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02). A reduction in severe HAIs (aIRR 0.13, 95% CI 0.05–0.32) and a lower probability of HAI-associated in-hospital deaths (aHR 0.56, 95% CI 0.31–0.99) were observed in the second period in the ICUs. ConclusionsThere was no overall reduction in HAIs after implementation of the ICP. However, there was a significant reduction in severe HAIs in ICUs. Whether this difference was a consequence of the ICP or improvement in HAI case management is not clear.

Epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections in Polish intensive care. A multicenter study based on active surveillance.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of health care-associated infections (HAIs) in patients treated in Polish intensive care units (ICUs). This retrospective analysis was based on the results of active targeted surveillance, according to the recommendation of the ECDC (European Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, HAI-Net light protocol), conducted in 2013-2015 in seven ICUs for adults located in southern Poland (observational study). The incidence of HAI was 22.6% and 28.7/1000 person-days (pds). The incidence of pneumonia (PN) was 8.0%, bloodstream infections (BSIs) 7.2% and urinary tract infections (UTIs) 3.7%. The incidence per 1000 pds was as follows: PN 10.2, BSIs 9.2 and UTIs 4.7. PN was the most common source of secondary bloodstream infection (45%); the second was UTIs (22%). Mortality (directly and indirectly) associated with HAI was 10.8% and was related to the presence of PN or primary BSIs. HAIs were usually (69.2%) caused by Gram-negative bacteria; Klebsiella spp. and nonfermenting Gram-negative rods demonstrated very high antibiotic resistance. Despite the lack of widely implemented active targeted surveillance programmes and top-down incentives, it is possible to carry out effective surveillance of HAIs in ICUs in Poland. The results of this study are comparable with the ECDC data, but the results are alarmingly high in two fields: epidemiology of PN and BSIs and very high antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative rods, which indicate the need for intense control in this area and for further studies to clarify the source of the observed discrepancy.

Challenges with Surveillance of Healthcare-Associated Infections in Intensive Care Units in South Africa.

Background The incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in the public health sector in South Africa is not known due to the lack of a surveillance system. We report on the challenges experienced in the implementation of a surveillance system for HAIs in intensive care units (ICUs). Methods A passive, paper-based surveillance system was piloted in eight ICUs to measure the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, and central line-associated bloodstream infection. Extensive consultation with the ICU clinical and nursing managers informed the development of the surveillance system. The Plan-Do-Study-Act method was utilized to guide the implementation of the surveillance. Results The intended outputs of the surveillance system were not fully realized due to incomplete data. The organizational culture did not promote the collection of surveillance data. Nurses felt that the surveillance form added to their workload, and the infection control practitioners were unable to adequately supervise the process due to competing work demands. Conclusions A manual system that adds to the administrative workload of nurses is not an effective method of measuring the burden of HAIs. Change management is required to promote an organizational culture that supports accurate data collection for HAIs.