The Journal of hospital infection
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With epidemic strains of Clostridium difficile posing a substantial healthcare burden internationally, there is a need for longitudinal evaluation of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) events in Australia. ⋯ A low incidence of HA-CDI was reported in Victoria compared with US/European surveillance reports. Seasonality was evident, together with diminishing HA-CDI rates in 2012-2014. Severe infections were more common in CA-CDI, supporting future enhanced surveillance in community settings.
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Point-prevalence studies can identify priorities for infection control. ⋯ In areas with limited personnel and resources, regular investigation of the point prevalence of HCAIs can be performed in lieu of comprehensive monitoring to elucidate risk factors and disease burdens of HCAIs.
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Surveillance of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) in Scotland is limited to the number of infections per 100,000 acute occupied bed-days and susceptibility to meticillin. ⋯ The data indicate that enhanced surveillance of SAB by origin of infection and source of bacteraemia has implications for infection prevention, empirical antibiotic therapy, and health improvement interventions.
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Viruses with pandemic potential including H1N1, H5N1, and H5N7 influenza viruses, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)/Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses (CoV) have emerged in recent years. SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and influenza virus can survive on surfaces for extended periods, sometimes up to months. Factors influencing the survival of these viruses on surfaces include: strain variation, titre, surface type, suspending medium, mode of deposition, temperature and relative humidity, and the method used to determine the viability of the virus. ⋯ Once contaminated from the environment, hands can then initiate self-inoculation of mucous membranes of the nose, eyes or mouth. Mathematical and animal models, and intervention studies suggest that contact transmission is the most important route in some scenarios. Infection prevention and control implications include the need for hand hygiene and personal protective equipment to minimize self-contamination and to protect against inoculation of mucosal surfaces and the respiratory tract, and enhanced surface cleaning and disinfection in healthcare settings.