Overvåkning av problembakterier i sykehus

Det 26. strategimøtet i regi av Referansegruppen for eksterne kvalitetsvurderinger i bakteriologi, mykologi og parasittologi omhandlet «Overvåkning av problembakterier i sykehus» og ble avholdt 02.11.2012 i Oslo. På møtet deltok 54 representanter fra landets medisinsk-mikrobiologiske laboratorier. Methicillinresistente gule stafylokokker (MRSA), vankomycinresistente enterokokker (VRE) og gram negative bakterier med bredspektret betalaktam-resistens (ESBL) utgjør den største resistenstrusselen i norske sykehus. De medisinsk mikrobiologiske laboratoriene spiller en nøkkelrolle når det gjelder påvisning av denne type mikroorganismer. Det er viktig med gode indikasjoner for undersøkelser og at metodevalg er best mulig. Hensikten med strategimøtet var å komme frem til konkrete anbefalinger for de mikrobiologiske laboratoriene hva gjelder indikasjon for prøvetakning og metode for påvisning av MRSA, VRE og ESBL. Metoder for en løpende overvåkning for å fange opp utbrudd forårsaket av andre bakterier ble også diskutert

SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer Therapy

Nebulizer therapy is commonly used for patients with obstructive pulmonary disease or acute pulmonary infections with signs of obstruction. It is considered a “potential aerosol-generating procedure,” and the risk of disease transmission to health care workers is uncertain. The aim of this pilot study was to assess whether nebulizer therapy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients is associated with increased dispersion of SARS-CoV-2. Air samples collected prior to and during nebulizer therapy were analyzed by RT-PCR and cell culture. Total aerosol particle concentrations were also quantified. Of 13 patients, seven had quantifiable virus in oropharynx samples, and only two had RT-PCR positive air samples. For both these patients, air samples collected during nebulizer therapy had higher SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations compared to control air samples. Also, for particle sizes 0.3–5 µm, particle concentrations were significantly higher during nebulizer therapy than in controls. We were unable to cultivate virus from any of the RT-PCR positive air samples, and it is therefore unknown if the detected virus were replication-competent; however, the significant increase in smaller particles, which can remain airborne for extended periods of time, and increased viral RNA concentrations during treatment may indicate that nebulizer therapy is associated with increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.publishedVersio