Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · May 2006
Use of multistate models to assess prolongation of intensive care unit stay due to nosocomial infection.
Reliable data on the costs attributable to nosocomial infection (NI) are crucial to demonstrating the real cost-effectiveness of infection control measures. Several studies investigating this issue with regard to intensive care unit (ICU) patients have probably overestimated, as a result of inappropriate study methods, the part played by NIs in prolonging the length of stay. ⋯ Further studies are required to enable comparison of data on prolongation of ICU length of stay with the results of various study methods.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · May 2006
Cluster of cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome among Toronto healthcare workers after implementation of infection control precautions: a case series.
To review the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) infection control practices, the types of exposure to patients with SARS, and the activities associated with treatment of such patients among healthcare workers (HCWs) who developed SARS in Toronto, Canada, after SARS-specific infection control precautions had been implemented. ⋯ Multiple factors were likely responsible for SARS in these HCWs, including the performance of high-risk patient care procedures, inconsistent use of personal protective equipment, fatigue, and lack of adequate infection control training.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Apr 2006
Device-associated nosocomial infection rates in Turkish medical-surgical intensive care units.
To describe the incidence of device-associated nosocomial infections in medical-surgical intensive care units (MS ICUs) in a university hospital in Turkey and compare it with National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) system rates. ⋯ We found both higher device-associated infection rates and higher device utilization ratios in our MS ICUs than those reported by the NNIS system. To reduce the rate of infection, implementation of infection control practices and comprehensive education are required, and an appropriate nationwide nosocomial infection and control system is needed in Turkey.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Apr 2006
Device-associated infection rate and mortality in intensive care units of 9 Colombian hospitals: findings of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium.
To perform active targeted prospective surveillance to measure device-associated infection (DAI) rates, attributable mortality due to DAI, and the microbiological and antibiotic resistance profiles of infecting pathogens at 10 intensive care units (ICUs) in 9 hospitals in Colombia, all of which are members of the International Infection Control Consortium. ⋯ The rates of DAI in the Colombian ICUs were lower than those published in some reports from other Latin American countries and were higher than those reported in US ICUs by the NNIS. These data show the need for more-effective infection control interventions in Colombia.
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Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Apr 2006
Inappropriate antibiotic use in a tertiary care center in Thailand: an incidence study and review of experience in Thailand.
The incidence and patterns of and factors associated with inappropriate antibiotic use were studied in a tertiary care center in Thailand. The incidence of inappropriate antibiotic use was 25%. Admission to the surgical department (adjusted odds ratio, 2.0; P=.02) and to the obstetrics and gynecology department (adjusted odds ratio, 2.0; P=.03) were associated with inappropriate antibiotic use, whereas consultation with an infectious diseases specialist was protective against inappropriate antibiotic use (adjusted odds ratio, 0.15; P=.01).