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Infection Control Procedures (infection + control_procedure)
Selected AbstractsBiological weapons preparedness: the role of physiciansINTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 5-6 2003C. L. Cherry Abstract The real risk posed by biological weapons was demonstrated with the distribution of anthrax spores via the USA postal service in 2001. This review outlines the central roles of physicians in optimizing biopreparedness in Australia, including maintaining awareness of the risk, promptly recognizing an event, notifying appropriate authorities upon suspicion of an event, and instituting appropriate management. Management aspects covered include appropriate diagnostic tests, infection control procedures, and empirical therapy of agents considered possible biological weapons. The critical role of physicians as public health advocates working to prevent the use of biological weapons is also outlined. (Intern Med J 2003; 33: 242,253) [source] Effects of HIV/AIDS on Maternity Care Providers in KenyaJOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC & NEONATAL NURSING, Issue 5 2008Janet M. Turan ABSTRACT Objective: To explore the impact of HIV/AIDS on maternity care providers in labor and delivery in a high HIV-prevalence setting in sub-Saharan Africa. Design: Qualitative one-on-one in-depth interviews with maternity care providers. Setting: Four health facilities providing labor and delivery services (2 public hospitals, a public health center, and a small private maternity hospital) in Kisumu, Nyanza Province, Kenya. Participants: Eighteen maternity care providers, including 14 nurse/midwives, 2 physician assistants, and 2 physicians (ob/gyn specialists). Results: The HIV/AIDS epidemic has had numerous adverse effects and a few positive effects on maternity care providers in this setting. Adverse effects include reductions in the number of health care providers, increased workload, burnout, reduced availability of services in small health facilities when workers are absent due to attending HIV/AIDS training programs, difficulties with confidentiality and unwanted disclosure, and maternity care providers' fears of becoming HIV infected and the resulting stigma and discrimination. Positive effects include improved infection control procedures on maternity wards and enhanced maternity care provider knowledge and skills. Conclusion: A multifaceted package including policy, infrastructure, and training interventions is needed to support maternity care providers in these settings and ensure that they are able to perform their critical roles in maternal healthcare and prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission. [source] Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a veterinary orthopaedic referral hospital: staff nasal colonisation and incidence of clinical casesJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2008C. L. McLean Objectives: To evaluate staff nasal colonisation with meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a veterinary orthopaedic referral hospital, and its effect on the occurrence of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -associated postoperative wound complications in orthopaedic and spinal surgical patients. Methods: Nasal bacterial swabs were collected from veterinary staff and environmental surfaces swabbed at six monthly intervals for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus monitoring over an 18 month period. The incidence of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -associated postoperative wound complications of two veterinary orthopaedic surgeons was reviewed for a period when one was positive for nasal meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Results: Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from a maximum of two out of 10 staff on each occasion. The persistently infected clinician was primary surgeon in 180 cases, of which four developed meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -associated wound complications. None of 141 operations led by the other surgeon developed meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -associated complications. This difference is not statistically significant (P=0·0974). The 95 per cent confidence interval for this odds ratio was 0·83 to 44·0. Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus resistance patterns of the human nasal isolates and three of four wound-associated isolates were similar. Clinical Significance: Veterinary workers are at increased risk for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonisation, so it is likely that many veterinary patients are treated by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -positive staff. Nasal colonisation of veterinary surgeons with meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus appears to present only a small risk to their patients when appropriate infection control procedures are followed. [source] Detection and Management of an Outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 Infection and Associated Neurological Disease in a Veterinary Teaching HospitalJOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 5 2010L.S. Goehring Background: Because of the serious disease sequelae associated with equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) infections, awareness and control measures used to control outbreaks are important issues for all horse populations. Objectives: Describe the occurrence and management of an outbreak of EHV-1 infection at a veterinary hospital. Animals: Horses hospitalized at a referral veterinary hospital. Methods: A horse with myeloencephalopathy associated with EHV-1 infection (EHM) was admitted for diagnostic evaluation and treatment under strict infection control procedures. We describe the occurrence and management of a nosocomial outbreak of EHV-1 infections associated with admission of this patient. Results: Despite institution of rigorous biosecurity precautions at the time of admission of the index case, EHV-1 infections spread to 6 other horses that were hospitalized at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hopsital, including 2 that served as sources of infection for horses on their home premises after discharge. Infection with EHV-1 was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by seroconversion documented by glycoprotein G ELISA. A voluntary quarantine was imposed and admissions were restricted to prevent additional horses from being exposed. Quarantine duration was abbreviated by serial testing of all horses with PCR. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: These findings illustrate the contagious disease risk that can accompany management of horses with EHM. Horses with active nasal EHV-1 shedding should be isolated in an airspace that is separate from other horses by strictly enforced biosecurity and isolation procedures. Serial testing with PCR may be a useful adjunct to determine when the risk of transmission has been minimized. [source] An after-hours clinical liaison blood culture service,is it worth it?CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, Issue 10 2004F. Fitzpatrick Abstract The impact of clinical liaison on therapy for positive after-hours blood cultures was evaluated. Of 223 positive blood cultures, no change in management occurred in 164 (73%) cases: 115 positive cultures were regarded as contaminants, and 49 patients were receiving appropriate therapy already. The results of microscopy or culture altered the antimicrobial management of 59 (27%) patients: therapy was altered on the basis of microscopy for 33 patients, and was altered for 26 patients when culture results were available. In total, 94 doses of inappropriate antibiotics were avoided. The main benefit of after-hours blood cultures was that laboratory results were available a day earlier, facilitating timely initiation of appropriate therapy and infection control procedures. [source] | ||||||||||