International nosocomial infection control consortium (INICC) report, data summary of 36 countries, for 2004-2009

The results of a surveillance study conducted by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) from January 2004 through December 2009 in 422 intensive care units (ICUs) of 36 countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe are reported. During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN; formerly the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system [NNIS]) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infections, we gathered prospective data from 313,008 patients hospitalized in the consortium's ICUs for an aggregate of 2,194,897 ICU bed-days. Despite the fact that the use of devices in the developing countries' ICUs was remarkably similar to that reported in US ICUs in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were significantly higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals; the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection in the INICC ICUs of 6.8 per 1,000 central line-days was more than 3-fold higher than the 2.0 per 1,000 central line-days reported in comparable US ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia also was far higher (15.8 vs 3.3 per 1,000 ventilator-days), as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (6.3 vs. 3.3 per 1,000 catheter-days). Notably, the frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates to imipenem (47.2% vs 23.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (76.3% vs 27.1%), Escherichia coli isolates to ceftazidime (66.7% vs 8.1%), Staphylococcus aureus isolates to methicillin (84.4% vs 56.8%), were also higher in the consortium's ICUs, and the crude unadjusted excess mortalities of device-related infections ranged from 7.3% (for catheter-associated urinary tract infection) to 15.2% (for ventilator-associated pneumonia). Copyright © 2012 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Caracterización físico-productiva y tipologías de sistemas lecheros diversificados en la sierra de Ecuador

The objective of this work was to characterize and establish a typology of Cotopaxi cattle systems in the northern Sierra region of Ecuador. The data were collected through direct surveys of 212 farmers and reflect the main technical, economic and productive aspects of the farms. The typology was established using multivariate analytical techniques. Cluster analysis revealed four groupings. Group I, defined as Small Family Farms (GPF), Group II, as Family Farms Farms (GMF), Group III, as Technified Family Farms Farms (GMFT) and Group IV, as Very Small Family Farms (GMPF). An ANAVA was applied. The evaluation indicated important differences in the group farms, despite the fact that they are developed in the same agroclimatic environment, operate in the same markets and also have similar information. The result is a varied universe of situations with significant variations between medium and small systems. By scale and by reason of their areas dedicated to livestock and crops and their productive and efficiency results measured as income for each activity and level of expenditureEl objetivo de este trabajo fue caracterizar y establecer una tipología de sistemas ganaderos de Cotopaxi en el norte de la región Sierra en Ecuador. Los datos fueron recogidos mediante encuestas directas a 212 ganaderos y reflejan los principales aspectos técnicos, económicos y productivos de las explotaciones. La tipología fue establecida utilizando técnicas analíticas multivariantes. El análisis de Clusters reveló cuatro agrupamientos. Grupo I, definido como Granjas Pequeñas Familiares (GPF), Grupo II, como Granjas Medianas Familiares (GMF), Grupo III, como Granjas Medianas Familiares Tecnificadas (GMFT) y Grupo IV, como Granjas Muy Pequeñas Familiares (GMPF). Se aplicó un ANAVA. La evaluación indicó diferencias importantes en las explotaciones agrupadas a pesar de que se desarrollan en el mismo entorno agroclimático, operan en los mismos mercados y además, cuentan con información similar, el resultado es un variado universo de situaciones con variaciones relevantes entre sistemas medianos y pequeños por escala y en razón de sus superficies dedicadas a ganadería y a cultivos y sus resultados productivos y de eficiencia medida como ingresos por cada actividad y nivel de gasto