Healthcare infection

BACKGROUND: The Breakthrough Series model uses learning sessions (LS) to promote education, professional development and quality improvement (QI) in healthcare. Staff divergences regarding prior knowledge, previous experience, preferences and motivations make selecting which pedagogic strategies to use in LS a challenge. AIM: We aimed to assess new active-learning strategies: two educational games, a card game and an escape room-type game, for training in healthcare-associated infection prevention...

BACKGROUND: To date, there are no studies investigating the safety and outcomes of facial feminization surgery (FFS) as an outpatient procedure. This is the first study of its kind analyzing the outcomes of ambulatory FFS based on a comparison of complications, post-operative emergency department or urgent care (ED/UC) visits, and readmissions between patients who underwent FFS with admission versus same-day surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on all patients who underwent FFS in a single integrated healthcare system...

BACKGROUND: The global COVID-19 crisis has underscored the critical role of effective decision-making in healthcare systems. Saudi Arabia has shown resilience by implementing comprehensive testing, tracing, and vaccination measures. Given the unique cultural and religious characteristics of Makkah, specific challenges have prompted efforts to uncover local pandemic responses. This qualitative assessment aims to delineate the challenges faced by decision-makers during COVID-19 in Makkah and identify key interventions implemented by the Makkah healthcare cluster to manage and coordinate care...

BACKGROUND: Candidemia is the most common healthcare associated invasive fungal infection. Over the last few decades, candidemia caused by Candida species other than Candida albicans, particularly the Candida parapsilosis complex, has emerged worldwide. The aims of this study were: to analyze the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of C. parapsilosis strains isolated from blood cultures and the environment in a hospital in southern Italy, to study the possible source of infection and to correlate the isolated strains...

Genomic epidemiology enhances the ability to detect and refute methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreaks in healthcare settings, but its routine introduction requires further evidence of benefits for patients and resource utilization. We performed a 12 month prospective study at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the UK to capture its impact on hospital infection prevention and control (IPC) decisions. MRSA-positive samples were identified via the hospital microbiology laboratory between November 2018 and November 2019...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: At the beginning of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare personnel (HCP) faced a dire shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). This shortage has been identified as a major source of distress among HCP during the early COVID-19 pandemic, though the specific consequences of this shortage have not been identified in the qualitative literature. METHODS: We sought to fill this gap by conducting a qualitative analysis of PPE related free-text comments from online surveys completed by 923 HCP during Spring 2020...

In this study, the genetic differences and clinical impact of the carbapenemase-encoding genes among the community and healthcare-acquired infections were assessed. This retrospective, multicenter cohort study was conducted in Colombia and included patients infected with carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative rods between 2017 and 2021. Carbapenem resistance was identified by Vitek, and carbapenemase-encoding genes were identified by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to classify the alleles and sequence types (STs)...

Silver nanoparticle dressings have gained popularity recently as a way to treat challenging wounds. Notwithstanding the properties of Ag-NPS (silver nanoparticles) described by several articles, there is a lack of clinical studies that guide healthcare professionals to specific and conscious use. In this case series, Ag-NPS dressing was tested on a randomized group of 10 patients with complex wounds requiring conservative treatment. Each case was analysed, recording the patient's history, the peculiar characteristics and the progressive changes in the wound...

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections are one of the major clinical problems in surgical departments that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to healthcare systems around the world. AIM: The study aimed to address the pressing issue of surgical site infections, which pose significant clinical and financial burdens on healthcare systems globally. Recognizing the substantial costs incurred due to these infections, the research has focused on understanding the role of lipase and protease production by multi-drug resistant bacteria isolated from surgical wounds in the development of post-surgical wound infections...

BACKGROUND: In South Africa, infants who are HIV-exposed are tested for HIV at birth and 10 weeks of age. The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions resulted in reduced access to healthcare services and uncertain impact on early infant HIV testing. OBJECTIVES: To describe the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions on early infant HIV testing and diagnosis in Cape Town, South Africa. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study compares HIV-exposed infants born during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown (2020) to those born in the same period the year before (2019)...

BACKGROUND: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent condition in older men, causing significant morbidity. Despite recent progress, essential concerns of the disease remain under-researched. This study aims to assess knowledge and estimate self-reported prevalence of BPH in Saudi Arabian men. Understanding BPH prevalence in Saudi Arabia is essential for healthcare planning, resource allocation, public awareness, early detection, intervention, research, and addressing regional variations...

The burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is disproportionately high in low and middle-income countries. Barriers to implementing effective antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention programs include the lack of a structural framework, consensus guidelines, educational opportunities, trained personnel, funding, and access to resources such as manpower, information technology, and diagnostics. Socioeconomic instability with supply chain interruptions, poor skilled staff retention, absence of mandates, and inadequate support to enforce existing policies further aggravates the situation...

BACKGROUND: Globally, viral hepatitis is a leading cause of death and is highly prevalent in Ethiopia. Military personnel are more vulnerable to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, and there are no data on such populations in the study area. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HBV and HCV infections and their associated factors among military personnel in military camps in Central Gondar, Ethiopia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 277 military personnel from April to August 2022 at military camps in Central Gondar, Ethiopia...

OBJECTIVES: In the post-SARS-CoV-2 pandemic era, "breakthrough infections" are still documented, due to variants of concerns (VoCs) emergence and waning humoral immunity. Despite widespread utilization, the definition of the anti-Spike (S) immunoglobulin-G (IgG) threshold to define protection has unveiled several limitations. Here, we explore the advantages of incorporating T-cell response assessment to enhance the definition of immune memory profile. METHODS: SARS-CoV-2 interferon-gamma release assay test (IGRA) was performed on samples collected longitudinally from immunocompetent healthcare workers throughout their immunization by infection and/or vaccination, anti-receptor-binding domain IgG levels were assessed in parallel...

INTRODUCTION: We sought to characterize social and structural drivers of HIV vulnerability for transgender women (TGW) in Zimbabwe, where TGW are not legally recognized, and explore differences in vulnerability by feminine presentation. METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted with a sub-sample of participants recruited from a 2019 respondent-driven sampling survey that comprised men who have sex with men, TGW and genderqueer individuals assigned male sex at birth, from two cities in Zimbabwe...

BACKGROUND: Antiseptics, disinfectants, and hand hygiene products can be contaminated with bacteria and cause healthcare-associated infections, which are underreported from low- and middle-income countries. To better understand the user-related risk factors, we conducted a knowledge, awareness, and practice survey among hospital staff in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaire distributed among healthcare workers in three tertiary care hospitals (Burkina Faso, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo)...

BACKGROUND: Liver disease is within the top five causes of premature death in adults. Deaths caused by complications of cirrhosis continue to rise, whilst deaths related to other non-liver disease areas are declining. Portal hypertension is the primary sequelae of cirrhosis and is associated with the development of variceal haemorrhage, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and infection, collectively termed hepatic decompensation, which leads to hospitalisation and mortality. It remains uncertain whether administering a non-selective beta-blocker (NSBB), specifically carvedilol, at an earlier stage, i...

BACKGROUND: The use of systems engineering tools, including the development and use of care cascades using routinely collected data, process mapping, and continuous quality improvement, is used for frontline healthcare workers to devise systems level change. South Africa experiences high rates of tuberculosis (TB) infection and disease as well as HIV co-infection. The Department of Health has made significant gains in HIV services over the last two decades, reaching their set "90-90-90" targets for HIV...

BACKGROUND: Widespread inappropriate use of antimicrobial substances drives resistance development worldwide. In long-term care facilities (LTCF), antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed medications. More than one third of antimicrobial agents prescribed in LTCFs are for urinary tract infections (UTI). We aimed to increase the number of appropriate antimicrobial treatments for UTIs in LTCFs using a multi-faceted antimicrobial stewardship intervention. METHODS: We performed a non-randomized cluster-controlled intervention study...