RRH Library Newsletter, May 2011

Newsletter sections include: Hand Hygiene in the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infection

RRH Library Newsletter, May 2011

Newsletter sections include: Hand Hygiene in the Prevention of Healthcare Associated Infection

Cronobacter spp. as emerging causes of healthcare-associated infection

Background: Until recently, members of the Cronobacter genus (formerly known as Enterobacter sakazakii) were a relatively unknown cause of nosocomial infections. However, their association with infant infections, particularly through the consumption of contaminated reconstituted infant formula in neonatal intensive care units, has resulted in international efforts to improve neonatal health care. Aim: To investigate current understanding of this emergent group of bacterial pathogens and the steps taken to reduce neonatal infection. Methods: A literature review was undertaken to determine current knowledge of the Cronobacter genus with respect to recent taxonomic revisions, sources and clinical relevance. Findings: The majority of severe neonatal meningitis infections are associated with one of the 10 Cronobacter spp., the clonal complex known as C. sakazakii sequence type 4. International efforts by the Food and Agriculture Organization–World Health Organization (WHO) to reduce the risk of neonatal infection by this organism have resulted in improved microbiological safety of powdered infant formula (PIF), but revised guidelines for feeding practices have been problematic. In addition, the majority of infections occur in the adult population and the sources are unknown. Conclusion: International improvements in the microbiological safety of PIF and advice on feeding practices have focused on improving neonatal health care following the heightened awareness of Cronobacter infections in this particular age group. These measures are also likely to reduce neonatal exposure to other opportunistic bacterial pathogens, but a number of unresolved issues remain with respect to the practicalities of feeding premature neonates safely while following WHO advice

Patient as a partner in healthcare-associated infection prevention

Objectives: The objective of the study was getting to know the knowledge and attitudes towards hand hygiene (HH) among Polish patients and healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods: 459 respondents replied to the survey: 173 (37.6%) patients and 286 (62.3%) HCWs; 57 HCWs were additionally interviewed. Results: Few HCWs knew and used the “5 moments for HH” in the required situations. Both patients and HCWs rated HH of other HCWs poorly: only 75% of patients and 54% of HCWs noticed the application of HH before blood sample collection, but 1/2 of interviewed HCWs did not encounter a request for HH from a patient. According to interviews, 23 (40%) HCWs did not admonish others when they did not use HH. Seventy-five percent of patients and HCWs claimed that, in the past, in schools the toilets were poorly stocked, but the situation improved with the passage of time. Conclusions: There are barriers with resspect to treating patients as partners in HH in Polish hospitals and HCWs’ lack of compliance with the “5 moments for HH” significantly reduces patients’ safety. Practice implications: Education regarding HH should be conducted for the whole society from an early age: lack of proper supplies in school bathrooms impedes the development of positive HH habits

Exposure Risks and the Chain of Healthcare-Associated Infection

Amber Hogan Mitchell, DrPH(c), MPH, CPH is the Worldwide Director of Professional Education and Learning Solutions for Advanced Sterilization Products (ASP), a Johnson & Johnson Company located in Irvine, CA. Amber is responsible for educational initiatives for ASP and its customers related to infection prevention, healthcare associated infections, sterilization, disinfection, environmental hygiene, and quality initiatives in healthcare related to safe care and quality patient outcomes. Amber is a Doctor of Public Health Candidate (all but dissertation) in occupational and environmental health sciences at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston, TX. She was a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) doctoral scholar. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, she was Manager of Health Affairs for Becton, Dickinson, and Company (BD), a medical device and diagnostics manufacturer in Baltimore, MD. Before going to BD, Amber was a Senior Industrial Hygienist at the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in Washington, DC. She specialized in regulatory and enforcement issues on the national level, specifically those relating to healthcare. She was the OSHA National Bloodborne Pathogens Coordinator. Amber was an environmental health fellow with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and holds her Master’s in Public Health from George Washington University and her Bachelors in Psychology from Binghamton University in NY. Amber will be presenting on behalf of ASP today, presenting her doctoral research publicly for the first time and would like to give all the credit to her doctoral committee at University of Texas School of Public Health, with special and warm thanks to Dr. Janine Jagger from the International Healthcare Worker Safety Center

Healthcare-associated infection (HAI) outbreak investigation abstraction form

Publication date from document properties.Response_Toolkit_Abstraction_Form-508.pdf20121170

Effective hand hygiene—wash your hands and reduce the risk

Neesha Ridley, Senior Lecturer, University of Central Lancashire, discusses the importance of hand hygiene in preventing healthcare-associated infection

Top research priorities in healthcare-associated infection in the UK

Background: There is a mismatch between research questions which are considered to be important by patients, carers and healthcare professionals and the research performed in many fields of medicine. No relevant studies which have assessed research priorities in healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) that have involved patients' and carers' opinions were identified in the literature. / Aim: The Healthcare-Associated Infections Priority Setting Partnership was established to identify the top research priorities in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HCAI in the UK, considering the opinions of all these groups. / Methods: The methods broadly followed the principles of the James Lind Alliance (JLA) priority setting activity. / Findings: In total, 259 unique valid research questions were identified from 221 valid responses to a consultation of patients, carers and healthcare professionals after seeking their opinions for research priorities. The steering committee of the priority setting partnership rationalized these to 50 unique questions. A literature review established that for these questions there were no recent high-quality systematic reviews, high-quality systematic reviews which concluded that further studies were necessary, or the steering committee considered that further research was required despite the conclusions of recent systematic reviews. An interim survey ranked the 50 questions, and the 10 main research priorities were identified from the top 32 questions by consensus at a final priority setting workshop of patients, carers and healthcare professionals using group discussions. / Conclusions: A priority setting process using JLA methods and principles involving patients, carers and healthcare professionals was used to identify the top 10 priority areas for research related to HCAI. Basic, translational, clinical and public health research would be required to address these uncertainties