International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium report, data summary of 50 countries for 2010-2015: Device-associated module

SummaryThis prospective study analyses infections with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge during 1987–92 and examines the spread of infection. In total, 93 patients and staff experienced VZV infection. Twenty-one patients had varicella and 49 experienced zoster. None of 101 patients and 1 of 625 staff members in contact with varicella cases acquired infection. By contrast, 2 of 227 patients, and 5 of 1039 staff in contact with zoster cases acquired varicella. One out of 28 (3·6%) VZV antibody-negative patients and staff in contact with varicella acquired infection, compared with 5 out of 29 (17·2%) VZV antibody-negative patients and staff in contact with zoster. Thus, zoster was found to be a more frequent cause of nosocomial infection than varicella. Fourteen members of staff had VZV infection during the study period. One of 99 patients and none of 389 staff members in contact with these cases developed varicella. The cost of dealing with infection control for VZV infections in our hospital is estimated to be £714 per patient case and a total of £13204 per year.

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Nosocomial Infection and Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Surveillance in Intensive Care Units: A Survey in France

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1086/502482 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 13-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

François L'Hériteau ◽

Corinne Alberti ◽

Yves Cohen ◽

Gilles Troché ◽

Pierre Moine ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nosocomial Infection ◽

Infection Control ◽

Multiple Correspondence Analysis ◽

Venous Catheter ◽

Multidrug Resistant ◽

Resistant Bacteria ◽

Central Venous ◽

Venous Catheterization ◽

Structural Variables ◽

Tract Infections

AbstractObjectives:To evaluate nosocomial infection (NI) surveillance strategies in French ICUs and to identify similar patterns defining subsets within which comparisons can be made.Design:A questionnaire was sent to all French ICUs, and a random sample of nonresponders was interviewed.Participants:Three hundred ninety-five responder ICUs (69%) in France.Results:In 282 ICUs (71%), a dedicated ICU staff member was responsible for infection control activities. The microbiology laboratory was usually in the hospital (90%) and computerized (94%) but issued regular hospital microbiology records in only 48% of cases. Patients receiving mechanical ventilation, central venous catheterization, and urinary catheterization were 90%, 79%, and 60%, respectively. Patients were screened for carriage of mul-tidrug-resistant bacteria on admission and during the stay in 70% and 60% of ICUs, respectively, most often targeting MRSA. Quantitative cultures were used to diagnose ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in 90% of ICUs, including distal specimens in 80% and bronchoscopy specimens in 60%. Quantitative central venous catheter (CVC)-segment cultures were used in 70% of ICUs. All CVCs were cultured routinely in 53% of the ICUs. Despite wide variations in infection control and surveillance strategies, multiple correspondence analysis identified 13 key points (4 structural variables and 9 variables concerning the diagnosis of VAP, the surveillance and diagnosis of catheter-related and urinary tract infections, and the mode of screening of MRSA carriers) that categorize the variability of French ICUs' approaches to NIs.Conclusion:This study revealed profound differences in N1 surveillance strategies across ICUs, indicating a need for caution when using N1 surveillance data for comparisons and benchmarking.

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