scholarly journals Longitudinal Study of Viral and Bacterial Contamination of Hospital Pediatricians’ Mobile Phones

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 2011
Author(s):  
Aymeric Cantais ◽  
Florence Grattard ◽  
Julie Gagnaire ◽  
Olivier Mory ◽  
Aurélie Plat ◽  
...  

Mobile phones (MPs) of healthcare workers (HCWs) may represent an important source of transmission of infectious agents. This longitudinal study documents the contamination of these tools. Ten MPs handled by senior pediatricians were sampled once a week during 23 weeks in three pediatric wards of the University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, France. Cultures were performed for bacteria and multiplex PCR assays for a panel of respiratory and enteric viruses. A questionnaire on hygiene habits regarding phoning and care was filled-in by pediatricians before and after the study. From a total of 230 samples, 145 (63%) were contaminated by at least one pathogen. The MPs from emergency departments were the most impacted. Viruses were detected in 179 samples; bacteria were isolated in 59 samples. Contamination increased during the winter epidemic peak. A cross-contamination by Paracoccus yeei between hands and MPs of different HCWs was demonstrated. The communication of the study results influenced the hygiene behaviors. This study highlights the contamination of MPs by pathogens that are resistant in the environment, and its sustainability along the winter season. The role of MPs as vectors of nosocomial infection needs to be better investigated.

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 29-36
Author(s):  
Rana E. Elgabeery ◽  
Radwa A. Eissa ◽  
Sohair M. Soliman ◽  
Naglaa F. Ghoname

Background: As Mobile Phones (MPs) aren’t cleaned routinely and have been touched during patient’s examination, they may become contaminated with hospital pathogens. Objectives: Screen MPs of Health care workers (HCWs) for pathogens and verify the effect of disinfectants in their decontamination. Methods: A questionnaire was submitted by 160 HCWs in Tanta University Hospitals. Samples were taken from their MPs and subjected to pour plate counting before and after disinfection. Standard identification and antibiotic susceptibility of isolates were done. Results: Colony count was greater in MPs used while caring for patients or inside restroom, and was less in regularly cleaned MPs. All tested disinfectants reduced the colony count significantly. Pathogens were isolated from 84.38% of samples and 36.25% of them were Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs). Conclusion: Using MPs at critical care areas and restroom may contribute to their contamination with pathogens. Regular disinfection of MPs can reduce this contamination.


Author(s):  
Fulwah Alqahtani ◽  
Marzouqah Alanazi ◽  
Wajdan Alassaf ◽  
Fadilah Sfouq Aleanizy ◽  
Muna Aljahany ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to describe the development and implementation of a separated pathway to check and treat patients with a suspected/confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the emergency department (ED) at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital in Riyadh. Methods We conducted a retrospective, descriptive longitudinal study from March to July 2020 by analyzing data of all confirmed cases of COVID-19 among ED visitors and healthcare workers in King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital. Results During the study period, a total of 1,182 swab samples were collected for testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), of which 285 (24.1%) tested positive. Of the 285 cases of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, 18 were healthcare workers and 267 were patients. As a result of using the respiratory pathway for COVID-19 patients, the hospital managed to limit transmission of SARS-CoV-2 not only between patients but also between patients and healthcare workers, while also containing the pandemic. There were no cases of nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection recorded among the patients who visited the ED or the flu clinic. All confirmed cases were community acquired and patients were cared for under constrained measures. Conclusions Implementing infection control measures and restricting those with respiratory symptoms to the ED pathway prevented nosocomial spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the ED.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 523-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heike M. Buhl ◽  
Peter Noack ◽  
Baerbel Kracke

This longitudinal study addresses the role of support given by parents and peers during the transition from university to work life. A sample of 64 German university students in their last year at the university completed scales from the Network of Relationships Inventory regarding general support, namely, instrumental aid and intimacy with mothers, fathers, romantic partners, and friends. Four years later, they assessed domain-specific support when looking for work, namely, joint exploration and instrumental support. Participants perceived receiving both types of support from all significant others. However, joint exploration was more important than instrumental support. They felt especially supported by romantic partners. Women received more support than did men. Both types of domain-specific support were explained by general modes of support assessed 4 years earlier. Whether parents, friends, and partners were perceived as helpful during the transition was explained mainly by joint exploration. Again, support from a partner was seen as especially helpful in contrast to help from parents and friends. The special significance of joint exploration underlines the benefit of counseling at the transition from university to work life.


Author(s):  
Stefano Sartini ◽  
Laura Massobrio ◽  
Ombretta Cutuli ◽  
Paola Campodonico ◽  
Cristina Bernini ◽  
...  

COVID-19 respiratory failure is a life-threatening condition. Oxygenation targets were evaluated in a non-ICU setting. In this retrospective, observational study, we enrolled all patients admitted to the University Hospital of Genoa, Italy, between 1 February and 31 May 2020 with an RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2. PaO2, PaO2/FiO2 and SatO2% were collected and analyzed at time 0 and in case of admission, patients who required or not C-PAP (groups A and B) were categorized. Each measurement was correlated to adverse outcome. A total of 483 patients were enrolled, and 369 were admitted to hospital. Of these, 153 required C-PAP and 266 had an adverse outcome. Patients with PaO2 <60 and >100 had a higher rate of adverse outcome at time 0, in groups A and B (OR 2.52, 3.45, 2.01, respectively). About the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, the OR for < 300 was 3.10 at time 0, 4.01 in group A and 4.79 in group B. Similar odds were found for < 200 in any groups and < 100 except for group B (OR 11.57). SatO2 < 94% showed OR 1.34, 3.52 and 19.12 at time 0, in groups A and B, respectively. PaO2 < 60 and >100, SatO2 < 94% and PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 300 showed at least two- to three-fold correlation to adverse outcome. This may provide simple but clear targets for clinicians facing COVID-19 respiratory failure in a non ICU-setting.


Author(s):  
Arthur Velloso Antunes ◽  
Aline Morlin Lourenço ◽  
Carlos Eduardo França ◽  
Clesnan Mendes-Rodrigues

Objective: To verify if the nursing notes improved before and after a training of short duration and the factors those determine this change. Method: We analyzed 1551 reports/nursing notes in two inpatient units and two intensive care units. There was used a form in which there were recorded the adequacies or otherwise of the annotations in function of: the course, shift, professional category, and days of hospitalization of the patient. Results: We observed that there was improvement in the records made after the training course, with an increase of the adequacies. The intensive therapy units showed higher scores for appropriateness to the wards. The time of hospitalization of the patient eventually influences the scores of adequacies. The score of appropriateness of annotations was not different between the professional categories. Conclusion: The action of training of short duration was effective in improving the nursing notes, strengthening the role of continuous education in health services.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 1884
Author(s):  
Costas C. Papagiannitsis ◽  
Aggeliki Verra ◽  
Vasiliki Galani ◽  
Stelios Xitsas ◽  
Ibrahim Bitar ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics that contribute to the successful dissemination of VIM-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), belonging to ST111 and ST235, in a Greek hospital. A total of 120 non-repetitive P. aeruginosa, which had meropenem minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) greater than 2 mg/L, were studied. VIM-encoding genes were amplified and sequenced within their integrons. Isolates were typed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Six VIM-producers, representative of different integron structures and sequence types (STs), were completely sequenced using Illumina platform. Sixty-one P. aeruginosa were confirmed to produce VIM-type carbapenemases. ST111 dominated (n = 34) among VIM-producers, while 15 VIM-producers belonged to ST235. The blaVIM-like genes were located in three integron types, including In59, In595 and In1760, which were integrated into P. aeruginosa chromosomes. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) data demonstrated that ST111 and ST235 MBL producers carried several resistance and virulence genes. Additionally, the presence of type I-C and type I-E clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas locus was observed in ST235 and ST395 isolates, respectively. In conclusion, our findings confirmed the clonal spread of ST111 P. aeruginosa, carrying the VIM-2-encoding integron In59, in the University Hospital of Larissa (UHL). In addition, they highlighted the important role of high-risk clones, ST111 and ST235, in the successful dissemination and establishment into hospital settings of clinically important pathogens carrying resistance determinants.


Author(s):  
Kh. S. Turdaliyeva ◽  
S. A. Huzhzhiev ◽  
K. S. Safarov

A comparative study of the role of some aquatic plants in the biological treatment of wastewater from the “Koch-Bulak” mine of the Angren mining department were carried out. The experiments were taken in laboratory conditions in aquariums. Hydrochemical and elemental analyses of wastewater from the Koch-Bulak mine of the Angren mining department were carried out  before and after the cultivation of Carolina azolla, Pistis teloreous and Eichhornia crassipes. Features of the growth and development of the studied plants in the mine wastewater are identified. The smallest increase in biomass in the laboratory showed Carolina azolla, the largest - Pistis teloreous. Elemental composition of the studied plants was carried out by the neutron activation analysis. Specific and organ-specific differences in the accumulation of chemical elements in the biomass of aquatic macrophytes are revealed as well. The study results revealed possibilities of use of the aquatic plants: Carolina azolla, Pistis teloreous and Eichhornia crassipes for the purpose of mine waters’ purification with high effectiveness.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 29-39
Author(s):  
Umar Abdullahi Ahmed ◽  
Most Asikha Aktar ◽  
Abu Sufian Abu Bakar

In today's dynamic world, entrepreneurship is gaining greater attention both by the policymakers and scholars because of growing unemployment problems across the globe. Entrepreneurs remain vital as they contribute to crack-down on the rising societal challenges through the generation of new employment opportunities. Despite the growing acceptance of entrepreneurship in today's dynamic & competitive environment, some graduates are not comfortable pursuing their career as entrepreneurs. What perceptions they carry regarding entrepreneurship as their career choice and who can nurture their positive entrepreneurial perceptions are crucial matters, thus encouraging researchers to conduct in-depth study along this line. By considering this issue, the present study sought to know the perceptions of university graduates regarding entrepreneurship career and who influences their perceptions. Based on the above reasons, this study was conducted in two universities in Malaysia: Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) and Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) and taken entrepreneurial perceptions as a function of the role of university and family. The study results reveal that 57 percent of the students want to start their career as entrepreneurs after graduation. Still, several factors can make barriers for them to enter into the business environment. In this context, the majority of students mentioned insufficiency of funds as the most significant obstacle, while the desire to get rich forces them to take such a hindrance as a challenge and the key to success in an entrepreneurial career. Though the study also identifies that both university and the family play positive roles in influencing student's entrepreneurial perceptions, the family contributes more than the university. Hence, this study hopes to contribute to the entrepreneurship literature by enhancing the understanding of the entrepreneurial perception of university graduates and also provides some basis for future research in this area. As the majority of students' perception is directly inclined towards selecting entrepreneurship opportunities as a career, the findings from the current study would also assist governmental institutions, affected agencies, academic institutions, entrepreneurial mentors, dedicated consultants, as well as counselors to enhance students' perceived feasibility of self-employment by providing them relevant start-up opportunities.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document