The Journal of hospital infection
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During a period of seven months four patients on the neurosurgical intensive care unit at a tertiary care hospital in Sweden became infected or colonized by an extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strain. The investigation revealed that the source of the outbreak was a contaminated sink. By replacing the sink and its plumbing and improving routines regarding sink practices, the outbreak was successfully controlled.
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High-level resistance to mupirocin in meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) jeopardizes its role in nasal decolonization protocols. We carried out a study in 2010 to determine the prevalence of high-level mupirocin resistance in our tertiary-care hospital. The prevalence of high-level resistance to mupirocin in MRSA in this hospital was 11%. There was also complete agreement between the genotypic and phenotypic methods of detection of high-level mupirocin resistance in 24 of the screening isolates.
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Community-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has emerged as an important pathogen worldwide in a continent-specific manner. Clinical characteristics of infections caused by CA-MRSA other than USA300, especially in healthcare settings, have not been well established. ⋯ Increasing trends were observed in annual incidence of CO and HO infections by ST72-IV in Korea. Pneumonia was the most frequent among HO infection and was associated with higher mortality. These findings pose important implications for successful antibiotic therapy and infection control in the era of CA-MRSA.
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Litigation costs resulting from clinical negligence claims involving healthcare-associated infections are a significant but underappreciated cost to healthcare organizations. In England these claims are handled on behalf of the National Health Service (NHS) organizations by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA). The total number of claims and the amounts awarded have increased significantly in recent years. ⋯ The number of litigation claims involving MRSA has recently decreased significantly in line with surveillance data. There was no observed effect on claims involving C. difficile. The amounts awarded for successful claims for both infections have also fallen, although the reasons for this are not clear.