scholarly journals An anaesthetic and intensive care perspective on infection control measures for the prevention of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2

2020 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Hazel R O'Mahony ◽  
Daniel S Martin
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Appropriate Use ◽  
Airborne Transmission ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Current Guidance

Guidance regarding appropriate use of personal protective equipment in hospitals is in constant flux as research into SARS-COV-2 transmission continues to develop our understanding of the virus. The risk associated with procedures classed as ‘aerosol generating’ is under constant debate. Current guidance is largely based on pragmatic and cautious logic, as there is little scientific evidence of aerosolization and transmission of respiratory viruses associated with procedures. The physical properties of aerosol particles which may contain viable virus have implications for the safe use of personal protective equipment and infection control protocols. As elective work in the NHS is reinstated, it is important that the implications of the possibility of airborne transmission of the virus in hospitals are more widely understood. This will facilitate appropriate use of personal protective equipment and help direct further research into the true risks of aerosolization during these procedures to allow safe streamlining of services for staff and patients.

scholarly journals Retrospective Study on Personal Protective Equipment During Pandemic Link to Outbreak of Carbpenem-Resistant Enterobacteriace

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. s9-s10
Author(s):  
Kenisha Evans ◽  
Jennifer LeRose ◽  
Angela Beatriz Cruz ◽  
Lavina Jabbo ◽  
Teena Chopra
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Study ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
The Impact

Background: In 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), had cost the lives of >35,000 patients, particularly the most virulent plasmid-mediated New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM). Although healthcare systems normally have strict surveillance and infection control measures for CRE, the rapid emergence of novel SAR-CoV-2 and COVID-19 led to a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies. As a result, routine infection practices, such as contact precautions, were violated. Studies have shown this depletion and shift in resources compromised the control of infections such CRE leading to rising horizontal transmission. Method: A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary healthcare system in Detroit, Michigan, to determine the impact of PPE shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic on NDM infection rates. The following periods were established during 2020 based on PPE availability: (1) pre-PPE shortage (January–June), (2) PPE shortage (July–October), and (3) post-PPE shortage (November–December). Rates of NDM per 10,000 patient days were compared between periods using the Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test. Isolates were confirmed resistant by NDM by molecular typing performed by the Michigan State Health Department. Patient characteristics were gathered by medical chart review and patient interviews by telephone. Results: Overall, the average rate of NDM infections was 1.82 ±1.5 per 10,000 patient days. Rates during the PPE shortage were significantly higher, averaging 3.6 ±1.1 cases per 10,000 patient days (P = .02). During this time, several infections occurred within patients on the same unit and/or patients with same treating team, suggesting possible horizontal transmission. Once PPE stock was replenished and isolation practices were reinstated, NDM infection rates decreased to 0.77 ±1.1 per 10,000 patient days. Conclusion: Control of CRE requires strategic planning with active surveillance, antimicrobial constructs, and infection control measures. The study illustrates that in times of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the burden of effective infection control requires much more multidisciplinary efforts to prevent unintentional lapses in patient safety. A swift response by the state and local health departments at a tertiary-care healthcare center conveyed a positive mitigation of the highest clinical threats and decreased horizontal transmission of disease.Funding: NoDisclosures: None

scholarly journals Awareness and knowledge of undergraduate dental students about the signs and symptoms of Corona viral infection (COVID-19), and the required infection control measures to prevent its spread

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasha F. Sharaf ◽  
Nihal Kabel
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
High Level

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is considered a highly contagious disease with flu-like symptoms and causing relatively high level of death. It can be transmitted from a person to another through droplets and that makes the dentists at high risk of infection. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to assess the awareness and knowledge of dental students about the signs and symptoms of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and to evaluate their awareness about the required infection control measures during the dental treatment to control the spread of the disease. A questionnaire was formed using Google forms and distributed among dental students and interns in different universities in Cairo, Egypt. Questions were about signs and symptoms of COVID-19, attitude of the dentists toward dental treatment of suspected patients and the required personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection control measures at the dental clinic. Results The majority of the participants strongly agreed/agreed that COVID-19 is a highly dangerous disease, Participants reported that the most common symptom is difficulty in breathing (89.4%) followed by fever (84.4%). Face shield was the most recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) during dental treatment (98.6%) followed by disposable gown (96.3%). The majority of participants (84.8%) recommended using 70% ethyl alcohol as the first method to disinfect surfaces in between dental visits, followed by sodium hypochlorite. Conclusions Dental students and interns in Cairo, Egypt, have good knowledge and awareness about COVID-19 and the necessary precautions required to provide adequate dental treatment for the patients during the pandemic COVID-19; however, the importance of infection control should be highlighted for both clinical and preclinical dental students, to provide safe dental treatment to the patients as well as protection of the dentists and healthcare workers.

scholarly journals Prevention of COVID-19 Infection with Personal Protective Equipment

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-69
Author(s):  
Noriko Shimasaki ◽  
Hideaki Morikawa ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Modes Of Transmission ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Urban Disaster ◽  
Asymptomatic Individuals ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

A new infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread rapidly worldwide in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic in Japan can be viewed as an urban disaster because transmission of this respiratory disease tends to occur in densely populated areas. A scientific understanding of the pathogen itself, the cause of the disaster (infectious disease), as well as infection control measures, are important to implement robust and appropriate countermeasures. This review discribes the features, especially the modes of transmission, of COVID-19 and the principles by which infection control is possible using one of the most effective infection control measures – personal protective equipment (PPE). Because COVID-19 is often transmitted to others by asymptomatic individuals through droplets, even those who are unaware of their infection should wear masks to prevent the spread of droplets that may contain the virus and effectively control the spread of disease. However, given the worldwide competition for masks and the urgent requirement of effective controls, it is necessary to conduct further research to establish a system that can supply adequate numbers of masks to regions where many people are infected in the country, with no shortage of masks, in order to make the country more resilient to disasters caused by infectious diseases in the future.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and ophthalmology- Challenges and mitigation of disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 284-288
Author(s):  
Pravin M Bhat ◽  
Sunil S Kewat
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Surface Disinfection ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Contagious Nature ◽  
The World ◽  
Respiratory Hygiene

The SARS-CoV-2 infection has become a global health crisis with an uprising trend of infection and death in the world. Considering the contagious nature and the human to human transmission of the disease, it is utmost important to follow the infection control measures in the ophthalmic practice. The pink eye or conjunctivitis is the associated symptom reported along with the respiratory illness and fever in patients of COVID-19. So the triage policy, using noncontact procedures, understanding the risk factors of the disease, postponement of routine ophthalmic patient’s visit, following respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene, using personal protective equipment (PPE) are some of the measures to keep the infection in control are explained in this article. The surface disinfection, equipment disinfection are also important considering the environmental contamination nature of the disease. So in order to minimize the infection every ophthalmologist should work as per the guidelines and measures and work with the local designated infection control authorities.

scholarly journals Dental Students in Egypt: To What Extent Do They Perceive and Comply with Infection Control Measures?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basma A. Elawady ◽  
Mona S. Mohamed ◽  
Eman H. Elsebaie ◽  
Essraa A. Hegazy ◽  
Lamiaa A. Madkour
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Communicative Strategies ◽  
Control Procedures ◽  
Knowledge And Practice ◽  
Dental Schools

This study was carried out in the dental school of Ahram Canadian University in Egypt to investigate the knowledge and compliance of senior students and interns toward infection control practices. A self‑administered questionnaire was employed with questions pertinent to the participants’ knowledge of risks in the dental settings, the practice of hand hygiene, the use of protective equipment, and the management of sharp injuries, among others. Although the knowledge and practice of the 240 surveyed participants were good; they were not up to the coveted standards. Despite being an integral part of their curriculum, an alarming percentage (19.6%) of the participants denied receiving knowledge about infection control instructions. Meanwhile, only 72.5% were aware of being at risk in the dental settings, and 78.3% confirmed their practice of hand hygiene. On the other hand, 84.6% of the surveyed participants confirmed the availability of protective equipment and 94.2% of them expressed their willingness to apply infection control measures in the future. The defects in the knowledge and practice mandate corrective actions to promote and upgrade the students’ compliance. Meanwhile, other gaps can be rectified via developing state-of-the-art communicative strategies. Efforts are warranted to enhance the attitude and motivate the students to conform to the protective safety measures. With all the infection control procedures already established in dental schools, the challenge lies in improving the students’ compliance with these recommendations.

scholarly journals Compliance with Infection Control Practices among Dental Interns in Alexandria, Egypt

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 66-71
Author(s):  
Hashem Hassouna ◽  
Mervat El Saygh ◽  
Gihan EL Batouti
Keyword(s):  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Surgical Procedures ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Hepatitis B Vaccination ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Educational Training ◽  
Antibody Testing

Background: Dental settings pose a crucial risk for the transmission of infections for both dental healthcare providers and their patients. The risk of occupational exposure includes parenteral and respiratory droplet transmission. In order to minimize the risk of cross infection in dental settings, standard infection control precautions should be followed. This study aimed to assess the compliance with infection control practices among dental interns in Alexandria, Egypt. Methods: The study included 220 dental interns (122 males and 98 females) from different dental settings in Alexandria. A questionnaire was distributed to public and private sectors. Results: Regarding compliance to personal protective equipment, a 100% adherence to wearing gloves was found. Moreover, 54.3% of males and 45.7% of females always wore masks, but only 27.7% of them wore eye protection during dental procedures. The majority performed hand hygiene after doffing gloves, 69.5% but only 19.1% performed both before donning and after doffing gloves. The occurrence of needle stick injuries was 46.4% from surgical procedures and 36.4% from non- surgical procedures. A 90.0% properly disposed of sharps, while only 24.5% used the scoop technique for recapping. Only 43.2 % interns completed their Hepatitis B vaccination schedule, from which 52.6% undergone antibody testing. Conclusion: Our study showed that the overall practice of infection-control measures among dental interns in Alexandria was good. Sharps safety regulations, completing HBV vaccination, and antibody post testing need more emphasis. Continuous educational training programs and follow up assessments should be implemented to maximize the compliance of dental healthcare providers. Key words: Dental interns, Hepatitis B virus Immunization, infection control practices, needles stick injuries, personal protective equipment.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Respiratory Failure During Respiratory Epidemics and Pandemics: A Narrative Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-214
Author(s):  
Joel KB Lim ◽  
Syeda Kashfi Qadri ◽  
Theresa SW Toh ◽  
Cheryl Bin Lin ◽  
Yee Hui Mok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Ventilation ◽  
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation ◽  
Respiratory Distress Syndrome ◽  
Patient Selection ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Respiratory Viruses ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Infection Control Measures

Introduction: Epidemics and pandemics from zoonotic respiratory viruses, such as the 2019 novel coronavirus, can lead to significant global intensive care burden as patients progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A subset of these patients develops refractory hypoxaemia despite maximal conventional mechanical ventilation and require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). This review focuses on considerations for ventilatory strategies, infection control and patient selection related to ECMO for ARDS in a pandemic. We also summarise the experiences with ECMO in previous respiratory pandemics. Materials and Methods: A review of pertinent studies was conducted via a search using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Google Scholar. References of articles were also examined to identify other relevant publications. Results: Since the H1N1 Influenza pandemic in 2009, the use of ECMO for ARDS continues to grow despite limitations in evidence for survival benefit. There is emerging evidence to suggest that lung protective ventilation for ARDS can be further optimised while receiving ECMO so as to minimise ventilator-induced lung injury and subsequent contributions to multi-organ failure. Efforts to improve outcomes should also encompass appropriate infection control measures to reduce co-infections and prevent nosocomial transmission of novel respiratory viruses. Patient selection for ECMO in a pandemic can be challenging. We discuss important ethical considerations and predictive scoring systems that may assist clinical decision-making to optimise resource allocation. Conclusion: The role of ECMO in managing ARDS during respiratory pandemics continues to grow. This is supported by efforts to redefine optimal ventilatory strategies, reinforce infection control measures and enhance patient selection. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2020;49:199–214 Key words: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Coronavirus disease 2019, ECMO, Infection control, Mechanical ventilation

scholarly journals Problems and solutions of personal protective equipment doffing in COVID-19

Open Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 605-612
Author(s):  
Lin Cheng ◽  
Lei Chen ◽  
Li Xiao ◽  
Jianping Zhang ◽  
Yilian Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Physical Exertion ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Existing Problems ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
Medical Teams

AbstractThe progress of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is still severe. While everyone has been striving very hard to combat the pandemic, some healthcare professionals have shown varying degrees of infection symptoms and even died. The Chinese Army Medical Aid Team arrived in Wuhan on January 25, 2020, and quickly entered the battle against the pandemic after a short and rigorous training. As one of the earliest medical teams to enter the pandemic area, researchers have been exploring effective infection control measures that are currently in practice. Through observation and research, it has been noticed that layers of protective equipment have a hidden danger of infection while protecting the safety of the personnel. The members of each medical team have typically focused on the standard use of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, after a long period of intensive diagnosis and treatment in clinics and due to physical exertion and tiredness, problems such as improper operation are prone to occur during the tedious PPE doffing, thereby producing a relatively high risk of infection. This study primarily analyzes PPE doffing procedures, existing problems, and measures for improvement to explore methods to improve PPE donning and doffing and reduce the risk of infection.

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