The Journal of hospital infection
-
Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have examined the influence of oral chlorhexidine (CHX) in preventing nosocomial lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). Most have failed to demonstrate a reduction in the incidence of LRTI. The present meta-analysis summarizes the effect of oral CHX on the development of LRTI. ⋯ Further analyses showed that this result applied only to patients ventilated for up to 48h (RR(random): 0.58, CI95: 0.45-0.74; and RR(fixed): 0.56, 95% CI: 0.44-0.72). Oral CHX should be included among preventive measures performed to reduce nosocomial LRTI. Whether it has an impact on the development of LRTI in patients requiring mechanical ventilation for a longer period of time remains unresolved.
-
Previous studies have shown that Propionibacterium acnes may be responsible for low-grade infection of the intervertebral discs of patients with severe sciatica. The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the presence of bacteria in disc fragment samples obtained during surgery for lumbar disc herniation. P. acnes was cultured from disc fragments in two (3.7%) of 54 patients studied. ⋯ Similar control cultures were positive for P. acnes from a further ten (18.5%) patients. Four air samples taken during surgery all contained P. acnes; the organism was also found from three of 54 laminar flow control cultures. Sample contamination appears the most likely cause for the presence of P. acnes in the lumbar disc fragment cultures.
-
A survey of adult patients 19 years of age and older was conducted in February 2002 in hospitals across Canada to estimate the prevalence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). A total of 5750 adults were surveyed; 601 of these had 667 HAIs, giving a prevalence of 10.5% infected patients and 11.6% HAIs. ⋯ Pneumonia was found in 175 (3.0%) of the patients, surgical site infections (SSI) in 146 (2.5%), bloodstream infections (BSI) in 93 (1.6%) and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD) in 59 (1%). In this first national point prevalence study in Canada, the prevalence of HAI was found to be similar to that reported by other industrialized countries.