Effect of camera monitoring and feedback along with training on hospital infection rate in a neonatal intensive care unit

Background In terms of pediatric healthcare-associated infections (HAI), neonatal intensive care units (NICU) constitute the greatest risk. Contacting a health care personnel, either directly or indirectly, elevates NICU occurrence rate and risks other infants in the same unit. In this study, it is aimed to retrospectively analyze the effect of the training along with camera monitoring and feedback (CMAF) to control the infection following a small outbreak. Methods ESBL producing Klebsiella pneumoniae was detected on three infants in May 2014 at the isolation room of Sakarya University Hospital NICU. Precautions were taken to prevent further spread of the infection. The infected infants were isolated and the decolonization process was initiated. For this aspect, health care workers (HCWs) in NICU were trained for infection control measures. An infection control committee has monitored the HCWs. Before monitoring, an approval was obtained from the hospital management and HCWs were informed about the CMAF, who were then periodically updated. On a weekly basis, NICU workers were provided with the feedbacks. Epidemic period and post-epidemic control period (June-July-August 2014) were evaluated and p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) density was 9.59% before the onset of the CMAF, whereas it was detected as 2.24% during the CMAF period (p < 0.05). Following the precautions, HAI and HAI density rates have reduced to 76.6% and 74.85%, respectively. Moreover, hand hygiene compliance of health care workers was found 49.0% before the outbreak, whereas this rate has elevated to 62.7% after CMAF. Conclusions Healthcare workers should be monitored in order to increase their compliance for infection control measures. Here, we emphasized that that CMAF of health workers may contribute reducing the HAI rate in the NICU

The Effects of Long-Term Cocoa Flavanols Intake on Cognitive Functions and Mood, and the Physiological Mechanisms Underlying These Effects:A Literature Review

Flavanols are a subclass of flavonoids, a group of natural compounds found in plant-based foods. They are abundant in nutrients, including cocoa, grapes, apples, black and green teas (Gu et al., 2004). Cocoa has a special place as it contains the greatest amount of flavanols among other flavanol-containing nutrients (Lee et al., 2003). Over the last two decades, researchers from various disciplines investigated the health benefits of cocoa-derived products containing flavanols. For instance, cocoa flavanols (CF) intake was proven to reduce platelet aggregation, blood pressure, and insulin resistance (Corti et al., 2009). In this paper, studies examining the effects of long-term CF intake on cognitive functions and mood and the physiological mechanism underlyingthese effects are reviewed

The Prevalence of Cardiac and Ocular Findings in Patients with Invasive Candida Infection in Intensive Care Unit

Conclusion: In our study, we did not detect cardiac and ocular involvement in patients with IC. We believe that larger-scale prospective studies are needed to determine the prevalence of these complications in the ICU

Positive effect of restrictions on antibiotic consumption

Conclusion: Hospital-acquired Acinetobacter infections, antibiotic consumption, and infection-related mortality were decreased significantly with the restriction of G2C. Positive behaviors that were obtained during the restricted period were continued with release of restriction

Immunosuppressive therapy and the risk of hepatitis B reactivation: Consensus report

This consensus report includes expert opinions and recommendations regarding the screening, and if necessary, the follow-up, prophylaxis, and treatment of hepatitis B before the treatment in patients who will undergo immunosuppressive therapy due to the risk of hepatitis B reactivation emergency. To increase awareness regarding the risk of hepatitis B reactivation in immunosuppressive patients, academicians from several university health research and training centers across Turkey came together and discussed the importance of the subject, current status, and issues in accordance with the current literature data and presented solutions

In a real-life setting, direct-acting antivirals to people who inject drugs with chronic hepatitis c in Turkey

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) should be treated in order to eliminate hepatitis C virus in the world. The aim of this study was to compare direct-acting antivirals treatment of hepatitis C virus for PWID and non-PWID in a real-life setting. Methods: We performed a prospective, non-randomized, observational multicenter cohort study in 37 centers. All patients treated with direct-acting antivirals between April 1, 2017, and February 28, 2019, were included. In total, 2713 patients were included in the study among which 250 were PWID and 2463 were non-PWID. Besides patient characteristics, treatment response, follow-up, and side effects of treatment were also analyzed. Results: Genotype 1a and 3 were more prevalent in PWID-infected patients (20.4% vs 9.9% and 46.8% vs 5.3%). The number of naïve patients was higher in PWID (90.7% vs 60.0%), while the number of patients with cirrhosis was higher in non-PWID (14.1% vs 3.7%). The loss of follow-up was higher in PWID (29.6% vs 13.6%). There was no difference in the sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after treatment (98.3% vs 98.4%), but the end of treatment response was lower in PWID (96.2% vs 99.0%). In addition, the rate of treatment completion was lower in PWID (74% vs 94.4%). Conclusion: Direct-acting antivirals were safe and effective in PWID. Primary measures should be taken to prevent the loss of follow-up and poor adherence in PWID patients in order to achieve World Health Organization’s objective of eliminating viral hepatitis

Use of Prophylactic Antibiotics in Aspiration Pneumonia

PMID = 3032130