ObjectiveTo investigate the status of exit-site care in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis, and analyze the relationship between exit-site care practice and exit-site infection.MethodsThe patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis in Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University between January and October 2019 were recruited by convenience sampling method. The Exit-site Schaefer Scale was used to diagnose the occurrence of exit-site infection. According to the guidelines of the International Society of Peritoneal Dialysis and relevant research, a questionnaire was developed to investigate the status of exit-site care in all peritoneal dialysis patients. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influence of care practice on exit-site infection.ResultsA total of 208 peritoneal dialysis patients were recruited. There were 39 patients with (totally 43 times of) exit-site infections, with an exit-site infection incidence of 0.06 episodes per patient-year. The main bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (30.2%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.3%). Of the 39 infected patients, 8 (20.5%) had peritonitis and 3 (7.7%) had been infected more than once. The exit-site Schaefer score of the 208 patients was 3.14±2.75. Of the 208 patients, 204 (98.1%) had received training of exit-site care from nurses, 166 (79.8%) could wash their hands and wear masks as required, 196 (94.2%) covered dressings on the exit site, and 184 (88.5%) fixed catheters, but the application of antibiotic ointment did not follow the latest guidelines. The logistic regression analysis revealed that the history of redness and swelling at the exit site [odds ratio (OR)=7.926, 95% confidence interval (CI) (2.367, 26.535), P=0.001] and the history of traction-associated bleeding [OR=5.750, 95%CI (1.878, 17.610), P=0.002] were risk factors of exit-site infection.ConclusionsExit-site infection is common in peritonealdialysis patients. Most patients can perform the exit-site care as required, but the care content is yet to be updated. Nursing staff should improve the training content according to the latest guidelines, strengthen the exit-site assessment, follow-up, and retraining, treat the redness and swelling at the exit site timely, and tell the patients to pay attention to catheter fixation and avoiding excessive traction, to prevent the exit-site infection and the further development of peritonitis.
Objective To investigate the effect of anti-infective reconstitutedbone xenograft (ARBX) as primary grafting on repair of a segmental contaminateddefect in canine radius. Methods The contaminated segmentaldefects of 1.5 cm were made in both radius of 8 canine and 1 ml of staphylococal suspension was injected into the defect region at a concentration of 5×106 CFU/ml. ARBX(experimental side) or RBX(control side) was implanted into the two sides of the defects respectively as primary grafting followed by internal fixation. The results were compared between the two grafting materials in repairing the contaminated segmental defect. Results In ARBX side, the defects were repaired completely in 5 cases and partially in 1 case, and there existed no osteomyelitis in all cases; while in RBX side, the defects were repaired partially in 1 case and were not repaired in 5 cases after 6 months of operation, and there existed osteomyelitis in all cases. Conclusion Besides its b osteoinductive and osteoconductive activity, ARBX is highly antibacterial and can be used as primary grafting in repairing contaminated segmental defects.
Objective To compare the epidemic status of nosocomial infections (NIs) among medical institutions at different levels. Methods The cross-sectional surveys on prevalence rates of NIs, distribution of NIs, and antimicrobial use were conducted through combination of bedside investigation and medical record reviewing among all in-patients of 20 medical institutions in Baoshan District, Shanghai from 00:01 to 24:00 on November 12th 2014, December 9th 2015, and November 30th 2016, respectively. Results A total of 18 762 patients were investigated, the prevalence rate of NIs in the first, second, and third class hospitals were 5.36%, 2.37%, 1.68%, respectively (χ2=88.497, P<0.05). The main NIs sites were lower respiratory tract, urinary tract, and upper respiratory tract in the first and second grade hospitals; while were other unclassified sites, respiratory tract, and upper respiratory tract in the third grade hospitals. The utilization rates for antimicrobial in the first, second, and third grade hospitals were 5.88%, 31.64%, and 42.11%, respectively (χ2=928.148, P<0.05); submission rates for specimen were 9.82%, 48.89%, and 82.39%, respectively (χ2=601.347, P<0.05). Four cases of pathogen were reported in the first grade hospitals, 94 in the second grade hospitals, and 96 in the third grade hospitals. The in-patients in different hospitals with different genders, ages, and departments had a statistical difference in prevalence rate of NIs (P<0.05) . Conclusion The first grade hospitals need to enhance the etiological examination; the third grade hospitals should severely restrict the antimicrobial utilization, and refine the prevention and control work for NIs.
Objective To investigate a suspected outbreak of hospital-acquired infections caused by Mycobacterium chelonae related to flexible bronchoscope (hereinafter referred to as “bronchofibroscope”) and apply targeted high-throughput sequencing (tNGS) technology for etiological analysis, providing references for controlling hospital infection outbreaks. Methods A retrospective survey of patients who were detected with Mycobacterium chelonae through tNGS testing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after bronchofibroscopy at the Zhengdong District, People’s Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou between May 1, 2018 and March 18, 2024. The causes were investigated through comprehensive measures including on-site epidemiological surveys and environmental health assessments, and intervention measures were developed and evaluated for effectiveness. Results A total of 52 patients were included. Mycobacterium chelonae was detected in 30 patients, nosocomial infection was excluded in all cases. The suspicious contaminated bronchofibroscope lavage fluid and its cleaning and disinfection equipment, environment and other samples were collected. The traditional microbial culture results were negative. The tNGS results showed that Mycobacterium chelonae was detected in bronchofibroscope lavage fluid (sequence number 156), and all the patients with Mycobacterium chelonae detected in BALF used the bronchofibroscope. It was judged that this event was a pseudo-outbreak of nosocomial infection caused by the contamination of bronchofibroscope with the patient’s BALF. After three months of continuous follow-up after the comprehensive control measures were taken, Mycobacterium chelonae was not detected by tNGS in bronchofibroscope lavage fluid or patients’ BALF. All patients in the hospital improved and discharged without any new cases. The pseudo-outbreak of nosocomial infection was effectively controlled. Conclusions There are many links in the reprocessing of bronchofibroscope, which is easy to cause pollution, and the management needs to be strengthened. tNGS detection has the characteristics of high efficiency, few background bacteria and clear pathogen spectrum, which can be used as a supplementary means for the investigation of nosocomial infection outbreaks, and is of great significance for identifying the source of infection and determining the transmission route.
Healthcare-associated infection management has advanced rapidly in recent years. With the development of more standards and guidelines, infection control measures become more standardized and evidence-based. Evidence-based measures are increasingly applied in infection control, which promote more studies on the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections. Furthermore, more new ideas of infection control have emerged, with old ones being challenged. The hand hygiene reform, multidrug-resistant organisms, and surgical site infections become the hot topics in recent years. In addition, whole-genome sequencing also provides more bases for understanding pathogen transmission in hospitals. Based on the high-quality studies published in recent years, this opinion review discusses these hot topics in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections.
ObejectiveTo summarize the research progress of risk factors contributing to postoperative pulmonary infection in gastric cancer, so as to provide reference for medical decision-makers and clinical practitioners to effectively control the incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection in gastric cancer, ensure medical safety and improve the quality of life of patients. MethodThe researches at home and abroad on the factors contributing to pulmonary infection after gastric cancer surgery in recent years were reviewed and analyzed. ResultsThere was currently no uniform diagnostic standard for pulmonary infection. The incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection for gastric cancer varied in the different countries and regions. The pathogenic bacteria that caused postoperative pulmonary infection of gastric cancer was mainly gram-negative bacteria, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter boulardii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The patient’s age, history of smoking, preoperative pulmonary function, preoperative laboratory indicators, preoperative comorbidities, preoperative nutritional status, preoperative weakness, anesthesia, tumor location, surgical modality, duration of surgery, blood transfusion, indwelling gastrointestinal decompression tube, wound pain, and so on were possible factors associated with postoperative pulmonary infection of gastric cancer. ConclusionsThe incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection for gastric cancer is not promising. Based on the recognition of related factors, it is proposed that it is necessary to develop a risk prediction model for postoperative pulmonary infection of gastric cancer to identify high-risk patients. In addition to the conventional intervention strategy, taking the pathogenesis as the breakthrough, finding the key factors that lead to the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary infection of gastric cancer is the fundamental way to reduce its occurrence.
Objective To compare germicidal effect of three disinfectants acting on frequently-touched surfaces in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at different time points after disinfection so as to put forward the reasonable disinfection method and interval before the next disinfection. Methods We wiped the four frequently-touched surfaces in ICU with disinfectant containing acidic electrolyzed oxidizing water (EOW) from the building system of hospital, disinfectant wipes, and 500 mg/L chlorine respectively. The culture samples were collected from the surfaces before wiping, and 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours and 4 hours after wiping respectively. The bacterial clearance rate and the qualified rate of bacterial colony counts on the surfaces were compared among the three different disinfectants at different time points after disinfection. Results The bacterial killing rate of three methods for disinfection of object surfaces decreased with the passing of time. The bacterial killing rate of EOW from the building system of hospital was lower than that of the other two methods at all five time points after disinfection (P< 0.05). The bacterial killing rate at hour four after disinfection using chlorine-containing disinfectant and disinfectant wipes was higher than 90.0%. The qualified rate of bacterial colony counts on the surfaces at 10 and 30 minutes after disinfection among the three groups was not significantly different (P>0.05). The qualified rate of bacterial colony counts on the surfaces disinfected by EOW from the building system of hospital was lower than that in the other two groups at the other three time points (P<0.05), and it was totally unqualified at hour four after disinfection. Conclusions The germicidal effect of EOW from the building system of hospital is inferior to chlorine disinfectant and disinfectant wipes. Moreover, the surface can be easily recontaminated after disinfection. It is suggested that EOW should be used in ICU every other hour. and the other two disinfection methods should be used every two hours.
Bacterial biofilms are associated with at least 80% of human bacterial infections. The clinical treatment of biofilm infection is still arduous, and therefore many new treatment options are under study, such as probiotics and their derivatives, quorum sensing inhibitors, antimicrobial peptides, phage therapy, organic acids, light therapy, and plant extracts. However, most of these schemes are not mature, and it is important to develop new research directions of anti-biofilms.
Surgical site infections are the common healthcare-associated infections. This article introduced the guidelines on the prevention and control of surgical site infection in using from background, making progress, and recommendations, to give directions for clinicians and infection prevention and control professionals choosing appropriately for decreasing surgical site infection risks.
ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of disposable tissue on blood pressure measurement, in order to prevent the sphygmomanometer cuff to be polluted. MethodsA total of 120 subjects including 60 patients with hypertension and 60 normal blood pressure subjects, treated between July 1 and July 31, 2012, were divided equally into two groups. Each group had 30 normal pressure and 30 high pressure subjects. Subjects in group A took blood pressure measurement without disposable tissue first, 1 to 2 minutes before another measurement with disposable tissue. Group B subjects took the measurement with disposable tissue at first, and then without it. We analyzed the influence of the use of disposable tissue and the sequence of tissue usage on the measurement result. ResultsNo significant difference was found in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure between measuring with and without tissue (P> 0.05). Diastolic blood pressure was not significantly influenced by the order of tissue usage (P>0.05), while systolic pressure was significantly influenced (P<0.05). Between the subjects with and without hypertension, the differences of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure measured with bare arms and disposable tissues were not statistically significant (P>0.05). ConclusionUsing disposable tissue or not does not affect blood pressure measurements whether the patient suffers from hypertension, but the order of disposable tissue usage may affect systolic blood pressure in non-hypertensive patients.