Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Jan 2008
Comparative StudyDevelopment of an algorithm for surveillance of ventilator-associated pneumonia with electronic data and comparison of algorithm results with clinician diagnoses .
Surveillance for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) using standard Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria is labor intensive and involves many subjective assessments. We sought to improve the efficiency and objectivity of VAP surveillance by adapting the CDC criteria to make them amenable to evaluation with electronic data. ⋯ Surveillance for VAP using electronic data is feasible and has high positive predictive value for cases that meet CDC criteria. Further validation of this method is warranted.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Jan 2008
Case-control study of antibiotic use and subsequent Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in hospitalized patients.
To determine which antibiotics increase or decrease the risk of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). ⋯ Some antibiotics appear to increase the risk of acquiring CDAD, notably clindamycin, third-generation cephalosporins, and carbapenems, whereas metronidazole and doxycycline appear to be protective, compared with other antibiotics.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Jan 2008
Pseudo-outbreak of Mycobacterium abscessus Infection Caused by laboratory contamination .
To investigate the cause(s) of an increased incidence of clinical cultures growing Mycobacterium abscessus at a hospital in Florida. ⋯ Although the source was never confirmed, our investigation suggests that this was a pseudo-outbreak of M. abscessus infection that resulted from contamination of mycobacterial cultures during incubation. Our findings emphasize the need for guidance on the disinfection of specimen incubators.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Jan 2008
Predictive factors for the development of central line-associated bloodstream infection due to gram-negative bacteria in intensive care unit patients after surgery.
To examine the relative proportions of central line-associated bloodstream infection (BSI) due to gram-negative bacteria and due to gram-positive bacteria among patients who had undergone surgery and patients who had not. The study also evaluated clinical predictive factors and unadjusted outcomes associated with central line-associated BSI caused by gram-negative bacteria in the postoperative period. ⋯ Clinicians caring for critically ill patients after surgery should be especially concerned about the possibility of central line-associated BSI caused by gram-negative pathogens. The presence of diabetes and hypotension appear to be significant associated factors.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Dec 2007
Multicenter StudyDoes catheter-associated urinary tract infection increase mortality in critically ill patients?
To produce an accurate estimate of the association between catheter-associated urinary tract infection (UTI) and intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital mortality, controlling for major confounding factors. ⋯ After carefully controlling for confounding factors, catheter-associated UTI was not found to be associated with excess mortality among our population of critically ill patients in either the ICU or the hospital.