Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Nov 2001
Hospital management of tuberculosis in a region with a low incidence of tuberculosis and a high prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria.
We prospectively assessed the management of patients with suspected tuberculosis (TB) in an area with a high prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and a low incidence of TB. Clinicians' assessments were sensitive for TB but had poor predictive value. The acid-fast smear was a weak predictor of TB, owing to a high rate of isolation of NTM.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Nov 2001
Colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in ICU patients: morbidity, mortality, and glycopeptide use.
To determine the impact of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization on the occurrence of S. aureus infections (methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible), the use of glycopeptides, and outcome among intensive care unit (CU) patients. ⋯ In our unit, MRSA colonization greatly increased the risk of S. aureus infection and of glycopeptide use in colonized and non-colonized patients, without influencing ICU mortality. MRSA colonization influenced glycopeptide use even if an MRSA infection was not demonstrated; thus, an MRSA control program is warranted to decrease vancomycin use and to limit glycopeptide resistance in gram-positive cocci.