Other specific DSP article suggested by Editorial Board
Effect of bathing with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate every other day on healthcare-associated infections in the medical intensive care unit
Authors: Shu-Fen Hsu
Abstract
Background-Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) cause morbidity and mortality in patients at medical intensive care units (MICUs). However, current literature reports inconsistent findings on the effect of daily bathing with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) on reducing HAIs and that the solution can cause skin harm. This study aimed to explore the effect of bathing with 2% CHG every 2 days on HAIs in the MICU.
Methods : This study used a quasi-experimental design (experimental group) and a medical record review (control group). Patients in the control group were admitted to the MICU at a medical centre in Taiwan from March 2018 to February 2019 and used general soap for bathing every other day as part of the unit’s routine. The experimental group was recruited from March 2019 to February 2020 and used 2% CHG wet wipes for bathing every other day. The study outcome was to compare the effects on HAIs, catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) between these two groups.
Results: A total of 731 patients in the MICU participated in the study over 12 months. HAIs were significantly different between the experimental (5.9‰) and control (8.9‰) groups, and CAUTIs were also considerably different between the experimental (1.1‰) and control (5.2‰) groups. In contrast, CLABSIs and VAP did not show differences between these two groups.
Conclusions: Bathing with 2% CHG every 2 days for 12 months was associated with reduced HAIs and CAUTIs in the MICU. However, strict aseptic procedures still should be followed during routine care.”
Other specific DSP article suggested by Editorial Board
Neonates at a risk of hospital-acquired ESKAPEE infection despite implementation of infection prevention protocols
Authors: L. Heine
Abstract
Background-Healthcare associated infections are frequently reported to be antimicrobial resistant. This resistance contributes to poorer patient outcomes, increases the spread of infection and an increase the financial burden on healthcare systems.
Aim: In an effort to assess whether ESKAPEE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species and Escherichia coli) and other bacteria posed an infection risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, 420 surface swabs and handwash samples were collected from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a public hospital in Gauteng, South Africa, from July to November 2020.
Methods: Sterile cotton swabs and sterile, sealable sampling bags were used to collect samples, surface swabs and handwash samples. Bacteria isolated (N = 238) from 127 (32.2%) of the total 420 samples via culture-based methods were then identified using the VITEK 2® compact system. Identifications were confirmed by species- or genus-specific polymerase chain reaction.
Findings: bacterial isolates were also subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using the VITEK 2® compact system and then categorized as multi-drug-resistant (MDR) or extensively drug resistant (XDR). Almost all (35/38, 92.1%) of the Gram-positive cocci analysed were categorized as MDR. Two-thirds (22/33, 66.7%) of the Gram-negative bacilli analysed were categorized as MDR, and one was XDR. ESKAPEE pathogens (N = 28), including Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter species, comprised a subset of isolated bacteria. Over 85% (24/28) of the ESKAPEE pathogens were identified as MDR.
Conclusion: The presence of these MDR bacteria in the NICU poses an important infection risk, and as such, existing infection prevention and control measures in this and other South African hospitals should be strengthened and their implementation and staff adherence to these measures should be regularly monitored and/or assessed.”
Other specific DSP article suggested by Editorial Board
Influence of Different Media and Incubation Times for Determining the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations of Gepotidacin, Ciprofloxacin and Ceftriaxone against Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Laura M. Koeth
Abstract
Gepotidacin (GSK2140944) is a novel triazaacenaphthylene antibiotic that inhibits bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV by a distinct binding site, a unique mechanism of action and has been approved for the treatment of urogenital gonorrhea and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. This study assessed the performance of the agar dilution method for gepotidacin, ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone susceptibility testing against Neisseria gonorrhoeae using four different media and four incubation times (18, 20, 24, 48 hours). A total of 30 N. gonorrhoeae isolates including 14 WHO strains were included. The reference agar media was BD Difco GC medium base supplemented with 1% IsoVitaleX and the comparator agar mediums included Sensitest Agar with 5% horse blood (SAHB), Diagnostic Sensitivity Test Agar with 5% horse blood and 1% Vitox (DST), and Mueller Hinton II agar with 5% lysed sheep blood and 20 mg/mL β-NAD (CHOC). The data generated in this study showed that 1.) for gepotidacin, only Sensitest Agar produced results that were in ≥ 90% essential agreement with the reference method, 2.) for ciprofloxacin, ≥ 90% essential agreement with the reference method was observed for Diagnostic Test Agar at 48 hours, Mueller Hinton II agar at 24 hours and Sensitest Agar at 20 and 48 hours and 3.) for ceftriaxone, none of the media tested in this study produced results that were in ≥ 90% essential agreement with the reference method. These study data reinforce the importance of utilizing standardized methodologies for agar dilution susceptibility testing of N. gonorrhoeae.