| 1. |
- Lymer, Ulla-Britt, et al.
(författare)
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A descriptive study of blood exposure incidents among healthcare workers in a university hospital in Sweden
- 1997
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 35:3, s. 223-235
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In an attempt to document blood exposure incidents and compliance with recommended serological investigations, universal precautions and incident reporting routines, data was collected from occupational injury reports during a two-year period. In addition, a sample of healthcare workers (HCWs) answered a questionnaire about blood tests and work routines. In a third part of the study some HCWs were asked about the type and actual frequency of incidents, together with the number of reported incidents during the two-year study period. Of a total of 473 reported occupational blood exposures, the majority came from nurses and the minority from physicians. Most reported incidents occurred on hospital wards. The most common incidents were needlestick injuries, and 35% occurred when the needle was recapped. Medical laboratory technicians (MLT) reported significantly more mucocutaneous incidents than other professionals (P < 0·01). In 10% of the incidents, the patient had a known blood-borne infection. Serological investigations post-exposure varied among professional groups, and 35% were not tested. No seroconversion was shown in the HCWs tested. In the third part of the study, respondents recalled 1180 incidents, although only 9% of these had been reported. The majority occurred in operating theatres, and in connection with anaesthesia. There was a significant difference (P < 0·001) between the different professional groups with regard to the frequency of incident reporting. Physicians reported only 3% and MLTs 36% of the incidents. Eighty-one percent believed that the accident could have been avoided. Despite knowledge of universal precautions, professionals continue to behave in a risky manner, which can result in blood exposure incidents.
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| 2. |
- Samuelsson, A, et al.
(författare)
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Clustering of enterococcal infections in a general intensive care unit
- 2003
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 54:3, s. 188-195
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This is a retrospective study comparing patients' characteristics, antibiotic consumption and environmental contamination before the impact of a new regimen of intensified infection control measures in a general intensive care unit (ICU) at a university-affiliated tertiary-care teaching hospital. The new regimen consisted of (1) reorganization of patient rooms (2) improved hygienic measures including strict hygiene barrier nursing (3) more isolated patient care and (4) more restrictive use of antibiotics. The regimen was introduced after a cluster of enterococcal infections. All patients admitted to the ICU from 1 March 1995 to 28 february 1997 were included. A study period of 12 months after reorganization of the ward was compared with the 12 months immediately before it. The antibiotic consumption, the individual patient's severity of disease (APACHE score), and the extent of therapeutic interventions (TISS score) were recorded. Enterococci were typed biochemically, antibiograms were established and the relation between the isolates was investigated with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The bacteriological results and the patient data suggested a hospital-acquired spread as the cause of the ICU enterococcal outbreak. After implementation of the new regimen, we observed a reduction in the rate of enterococcal bloodstream infections from 3.1 to 1.8%. The consumption of antibiotics fell from 6.11 to 4.24 defined daily doses per patient.The introduction of strict hygiene and barrier nursing, more restrictive use of antibiotics, isolation of infected patients, thorough cleaning and disinfection of the unit was followed by an absence of enterococcal infection clustering and reduction in incidence of enterococcal bacteraemia. We were not able to determine whether the reduction in antibiotic consumption was due to the intervention programme. ⌐ 2003 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 3. |
- Aganovic, A., et al.
(författare)
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Ventilation design conditions associated with airborne bacteria levels within the wound area during surgical procedures: a systematic review
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - : Elsevier BV. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 113, s. 85-95
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Without confirmation of the ventilation design conditions (typology and airflow rate), the common practice of identifying unidirectional airflow (UDAF) systems as equivalent to ultra-clean air ventilation systems may be misleading, but also any claims about the ineffectiveness of UDAF systems should be doubted. The aim of this review was to assess and compare ventilation system design conditions for which ultra-clean air (mean <10 cfu/m ) within 50 cm from the wound has been reported. Six medical databases were systematically searched to identify and select studies reporting intraoperative airborne levels expressed as cfu/m close to the wound site, and ventilation system design conditions. Available data on confounding factors such as the number of persons present in the operating room, number of door openings, and clothing material were also included. Predictors for achieving mean airborne bacteria levels within <10 cfu/m were identified using a penalized multivariate logistic regression model. Twelve studies met the eligibility criteria and were included for analysis. UDAF systems considered had significantly higher air volume flows compared with turbulent ventilation (TV) systems considered. Ultra-clean environments were reported in all UDAF-ventilated (N = 7) rooms compared with four of 11 operating rooms equipped with TV. On multivariate analysis, the total number of air exchange rates (P=0.019; odds ratio (OR) 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66–0.96) and type of clothing material (P=0.031; OR 95% CI: 0.01–0.71) were significantly associated with achieving mean levels of airborne bacteria <10 cfu/m . High-volume UDAF systems complying with DIN 1946-4:2008 standards for the airflow rate and ceiling diffuser size unconditionally achieve ultra-clean air close to the wound site. In conclusion, the studied articles demonstrate that high-volume UDAF systems perform as ultra-clean air systems and are superior to TV systems in reducing airborne bacteria levels close to the wound site. 3 3 3 3
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| 4. |
- Aguado, J. M., et al.
(författare)
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Highlighting clinical needs in Clostridium difficile infection : the views of European healthcare professionals at the front line
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - : Academic Press. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 90:2, s. 117-125
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of infectious nosocomial diarrhoea in Europe. Despite increased focus, its incidence and severity are increasing in many European countries. Aim: We developed a series of consensus statements to identify unmet clinical needs in the recognition and management of CDI. Methods: A consortium of European experts prepared a series of 29 statements representing their collective views on the diagnosis and management of CDI in Europe. The statements were grouped into the following six broad themes: diagnosis; definitions of severity; treatment failure, recurrence and its consequences; infection prevention and control interventions; education and antimicrobial stewardship; and National CDI clinical guidance and policy. These statements were reviewed using questionnaires by 1047 clinicians involved in managing CDI, who indicated their level of agreement with each statement. Findings: Levels of agreement exceeded the 66% threshold for consensus for 27 out of 29 statements (93.1%), indicating strong support. Variance between countries and specialties was analysed and showed strong alignment with the overall consensus scores. Conclusion: Based on the consensus scores of the respondent group, recommendations are suggested for the further development of CDI services in order to reduce transmission and recurrence and to ensure that appropriate diagnosis and treatment strategies are applied across all healthcare settings.
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| 5. |
- Ahmed, Anisuddin, et al.
(författare)
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Measuring the effectiveness of an integrated intervention package to improve the level of infection prevention and control : a multi-centre study in Bangladesh
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - : Elsevier. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 145, s. 22-33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) is a critical component of delivering safe, effective and high -quality healthcare services, and eliminating avoidable healthcare -associated infections (HAIs) in health facilities, predominantly in populationdense settings such as Bangladesh.Aim: Our study aimed to assess the effect of an integrated intervention package in improving the IPC level of the health facilities in Bangladesh.Methods: We conducted a pre -post intervention study in six district hospitals (DHs) and 13 Upazila Health Complexes (UHCs) in the six districts of Bangladesh. Baseline and endline assessments were conducted between March and December 2021 using the adapted World Health Organization Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (WHO-IPCAF) tool. The IPCAF score, ranging from 0-800, was calculated by adding the scores of eight components, and the IPC promotion and practice level was categorized as Inadequate (0 -200), Basic (201-400), Intermediate (401-600) and Advanced (601-800). The integrated intervention package including IPC committee formation, healthcare provider training, logistics provision, necessary guidelines distribution, triage/flu corners establishment, and infrastructure development was implemented in all facilities.Results: The average IPCAF score across all the facilities showed a significant increase from 16% (95% CI: 11.5-20.65%) to 54% (95% CI: 51.4-57.1%). Overall, the IPCAF score increased by 34 percentage points (P<0.001) in DHs and 40 percentage points (P<0.001) in UHCs. Following the intervention, 12 (three DHs, nine UHCs) of 19 facilities progressed from inadequate to intermediate, and another three DHs upgraded from basic to intermediate in terms of IPC level.Conclusion: The integrated intervention package improved IPCAF score in all facilities.
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| 6. |
- Alsved, M., et al.
(författare)
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Temperature-controlled airflow ventilation in operating rooms compared with laminar airflow and turbulent mixed airflow
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - : W B SAUNDERS CO LTD. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 98:2, s. 181-190
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To evaluate three types of ventilation systems for operating rooms with respect to air cleanliness [in colony-forming units (cfu/m(3))], energy consumption and comfort of working environment (noise and draught) as reported by surgical team members. Methods: Two commonly used ventilation systems, vertical laminar airflow (LAF) and turbulent mixed airflow (TMA), were compared with a newly developed ventilation technique, temperature-controlled airflow (T(c)AF). The cfu concentrations were measured at three locations in an operating room during 45 orthopaedic procedures: close to the wound (<40 cm), at the instrument table and peripherally in the room. The operating team evaluated the comfort of the working environment by answering a questionnaire. Findings: LAF and T(c)AF, but not TMA, resulted in less than 10 cfu/m(3) at all measurement locations in the room during surgery. Median values of cfu/m(3) close to the wound (250 samples) were 0 for LAF, 1 for T(c)AF and 10 for TMA. Peripherally in the room, the cfu concentrations were lowest for T(c)AF. The cfu concentrations did not scale proportionally with airflow rates. Compared with LAF, the power consumption of T(c)AF was 28% lower and there was significantly less disturbance from noise and draught. Conclusion: T(c)AF and LAF remove bacteria more efficiently from the air than TMA, especially close to the wound and at the instrument table. Like LAF, the new T(c)AF ventilation system maintained very low levels of cfu in the air, but T(c)AF used substantially less energy and provided a more comfortable working environment than LAF. This enables energy savings with preserved air quality.
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| 7. |
- Blomgren, Per-Ola, et al.
(författare)
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Healthcare workers' perceptions and acceptance of an electronic reminder system for hand hygiene
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - : Elsevier. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 108, s. 197-204
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background:Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) have a large negative impact onmorbidity, mortality, and quality of life. Approximately 9% of all patients hospitalized inSweden suffer from HCAI. Hand hygiene plays a key role and is considered the single mostimportant measure to reduce HCAI. The hospital organization works actively to reduceHCAI. Implementing electronic systems to remind and/or notify healthcare workers raisesawareness of and adherence to hand hygiene. However, there is a paucity of studiesaddressing individuals’ perceptions of having such a system and how the organizationworks.Aim:To investigate healthcare workers’ perceptions of infection prevention in thehealthcare organization and perceptions and acceptance of an electronic reminder systemthat encourages good hand hygiene.Methods:Qualitative descriptive design with data collected in eight focus group inter-views including assistant nurses, nurses, and physicians (N¼38). Content analysis wasapplied and data were related to the Theory of Planned Behaviour.Findings:Healthcare workers perceive lack of feedback from the hospital organizationand are positive towards an electronic reminder system to increase adherence to handhygiene. The electronic reminder system should not register data at an individual levelsince it could be used as an instrument for control by the management that could bestressful for staff.Conclusion:In general, there is positive acceptance of the electronic reminder system,and the respondents perceived it as having the ability to change behaviour. However, theconcept has to be further developed to protect the individual’s integrity and needs to beused with feedback on a group level
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Cardell, Kristina, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Nosocomial hepatitis C in a thoracic surgery unit; retrospective findings generating a prospective study
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Hospital Infection. - : Elsevier BV. - 0195-6701 .- 1532-2939. ; 68:4, s. 322-328
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We describe the transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) to two patients from a thoracic surgeon who was unaware of his hepatitis C infection. By partial sequencing of the non-structural 5B gene and phylogenetic analysis, the viruses from both patients were found to be closely related to genotype la strain from the surgeon. Two further hepatitis C cases were found in relation to the thoracic clinic. Their HCV sequences were related to each other but were of genotype 2b and the source of infection was never revealed. To elucidate the magnitude of the problem, we conducted a prospective study for a period of 17 months in which patients who were about to undergo thoracic surgery were asked to participate. Blood samples were drawn prior to surgery and at least four months later. The postoperative samples were then screened for anti-HCV and, if positive, the initial sample was also analysed. The only two patients (0.4%) identified were confirmed anti-HCV positive before surgery, and none out of 456 evaluable cases seroconverted to anti-HCV during the observation period. Despite the retrospectively identified cases, nosocomial hepatitis C is rare in our thoracic unit. The study points out the risk of transmission of hepatitis C from infected personnel and reiterates the need for universal precautions.
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| 10. |
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