Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America
-
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Nov 2013
Clinical TrialA successful strategy for increasing the influenza vaccination rate of healthcare workers without a mandatory policy outside of the United States: a multifaceted intervention in a Japanese tertiary care center.
Although mandatory vaccination programs have been effective in improving the vaccination rate among healthcare workers, implementing this type of program can be challenging because of varied reasons for vaccine refusal. The purpose of our study is to measure improvement in the influenza vaccination rate from a multifaceted intervention at a Japanese tertiary care center where implementing a mandatory vaccination program is difficult. ⋯ Implementation of comprehensive strategies with strong leadership can lead to substantial improvements in vaccine uptake among healthcare workers even without a mandatory vaccination policy. The concept is especially important for institutions where implementing mandatory vaccination programs is challenging.
-
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Nov 2013
Bacteremia and mortality with urinary catheter-associated bacteriuria.
Although catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) and catheter-associated asymptomatic bacteriuria (CAABU) are clinically distinct conditions, most literature describing the risks of bacteriuria does not distinguish between them. We studied the relationship between catheter-associated bacteriuria and bacteremia from a urinary source in CAUTI relative to that in CAABU. Second, we investigated whether the presence or absence of urinary symptoms in catheterized patients with bacteriuria was associated with bacteremia from any source or mortality. Finally, we explored the effect of antimicrobial treatment of bacteriuria on subsequent bacteremia from any source and mortality. ⋯ Bacteremia from a urinary source was infrequent, and there was no evidence of an association of mortality with symptomatic versus asymptomatic bacteriuria in this population. Antibiotic treatment of bacteriuria did not affect outcomes.