Infection control and hospital epidemiology : the official journal of the Society of Hospital Epidemiologists of America
-
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Feb 2015
Evaluation of a pulsed xenon ultraviolet disinfection system for reduction of healthcare-associated pathogens in hospital rooms.
OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of a pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) disinfection device for reduction in recovery of healthcare-associated pathogens. SETTING Two acute-care hospitals. METHODS We examined the effectiveness of PX-UV for killing of Clostridium difficile spores, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) on glass carriers and evaluated the impact of pathogen concentration, distance from the device, organic load, and shading from the direct field of radiation on killing efficacy. ⋯ On frequently touched surfaces, PX-UV significantly reduced the frequency of positive C. difficile, VRE, and MRSA culture results. CONCLUSIONS The PX-UV device reduced recovery of MRSA, C. difficile, and VRE on glass carriers and on frequently touched surfaces in hospital rooms with a 10-minute UV exposure time. PX-UV was not more effective than continuous UV-C in reducing pathogen recovery on glass slides, suggesting that both forms of UV have some effectiveness at relatively short exposure times.
-
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Feb 2015
Review Meta AnalysisTriclosan-coated sutures reduce the risk of surgical site infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE To analyze available evidence on the effectiveness of triclosan-coated sutures (TCSs) in reducing the risk of surgical site infection (SSI). DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS A systematic search of both randomized (RCTs) and nonrandomized (non-RCT) studies was performed on PubMed Medline, OVID, EMBASE, and SCOPUS, without restrictions in language and publication type. ⋯ The pooled RR subgroup meta-analyses for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs were 0.74 (95% CI: 0.61-0.89) and 0.53 (95% CI: 0.42-0.66), respectively, both of which favored the use of TCSs. CONCLUSION The random-effects meta-analysis based on RCTs suggests that TCSs reduced the risk of SSI by 26% among patients undergoing surgery. This effect was particularly evident among those who underwent abdominal surgery.
-
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol · Jan 2015
Comparative StudyCost-effectiveness of strategies to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus transmission and infection in an intensive care unit.
OBJECTIVE To create a national policy model to evaluate the projected cost-effectiveness of multiple hospital-based strategies to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) transmission and infection. DESIGN Cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov microsimulation model that simulates the natural history of MRSA acquisition and infection. PATIENTS AND SETTING Hypothetical cohort of 10,000 adult patients admitted to a US intensive care unit. ⋯ If MRSA colonization prevalence decreases from 12% to 5%, active surveillance cultures plus selective decolonization becomes the least expensive strategy. CONCLUSIONS Universal decolonization is cost-saving, preventing 44% of cases of MRSA colonization and 45% of cases of MRSA infection. Our model provides useful guidance for decision makers choosing between multiple available hospital-based strategies to prevent MRSA transmission.