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Background: With the emergence of new infectious diseases, infection control nursing (ICN) in hospitals has become increasingly significant. Consequently, research on ICN has been actively performed. We examined the knowledge structure and trends addressed in Korean ICN research. Methods: From 5 web-based Korean academic databases (DBpia, KISS, KMbase, KoreaMed, and RISS), 2,244 studies published between 2013 and 2022 were retrieved using ICN-related search terms (eg, “nurse” or “nursing” along with “infection control,” “infection prevention,” “healthcare-associated infection,” or “standard precautions”). After deleting duplicates, the authors assessed titles and abstracts and included 250 research abstracts in this study. Using NetMiner 4.4 software (Cyram, Seoul, Korea), words from abstracts of published articles were extracted and refined, then text network analysis and topic modeling were performed. A text network was structured based on the co-occurrence matrix of key words (semantic morphemes) and was analyzed to identify the main key words. Through topic modeling using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation algorithm, latent topics in the research abstracts were extracted. The authors verified the key words comprising the topic and the result of classifying the documents by topic and named topics. Results: The number of studies, which increased following the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome in 2015, has declined over time but peaked in 2021 with the COVID-19 pandemic. The text network composed of the key words of the research abstracts was generated and visualized (Fig. 1). As a result of text network analysis, the 5 most common key words were ‘nurse,’ ‘infection control,’ ‘nursing care,’ ‘practice,’ and ‘perception’ in terms of degree and betweenness centrality. Other prominent main keywords were also identified: ‘knowledge,’ ‘compliance,’ ‘education,’ ‘intervention,’ ‘intention,’ and ‘safety.’ With the application of topic modeling to the research abstracts, 5 topics were derived and named as follows (Fig. 2): “infection control in nursing care for patient safety,” “infection control measures for healthcare personnel safety,” “burdens and obstacles for infection control among nurses,” “infection control for multidrug-resistant organisms,” and “knowledge, attitude, practice for infection control among nurses.” Conclusions: By applying text-network analysis and topic modeling, we obtained insights into Korean ICN research trends. To explore global ICN research trends, further study is necessary to analyze internationally published studies reflecting each country’s nursing work conditions.
Disclosure: None
Background: LivaNova 3T heating and cooling devices (HCDs) have been associated with Mycobacterium chimaera, a Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAIC) species, infections after cardiothoracic surgery. We describe our outbreak, which persisted despite escalating infection control measures. Methods: We identified patients with a positive MAIC culture following cardiothoracic surgery from January 2015 to the present at our institution. We classified these as “definite,” “possible,” or “operating room contamination” cases based on positive cultures from sterile sites, airway, or surgical specimens without evidence of infection. To identify patient or surgery characteristics associated with risk for MAIC infection, we conducted a case–control study comparing definite cases to randomly selected unmatched controls of patients over the same period without a positive MAIC culture after cardiothoracic surgery. Results: We identified 26 patients with a positive MAIC culture after cardiothoracic surgery: 13 definite, 9 possible, and 4 contamination cases. Among definite cases, the most common surgeries were valve replacements and left ventricular assist devices (5 cases each). The mean time from cardiothoracic surgery to diagnosis was 525 days. Overall, 10 (77%) cases occurred after exposure to our oldest HCDs (manufactured in 2013 or earlier). To date, 16 (62%) have undergone or are undergoing treatment for MAIC infection, and 4 (15%) have died due to NTM infection or complications. Compared to 47 controls, definite cases were associated with chronic kidney disease, implants, procedure type, use of cardiopulmonary bypass, and HCD age. Cases were not associated with time on bypass, time in the operating room, or other comorbid conditions (Table). All cases occurred despite enhanced disinfection and reorienting the HCD within the operating room, according to manufacturer recommendations. Moreover, 18 cases, including 7 definite cases, occurred after most HCDs were either deep cleaned or upgraded by the manufacturer. Also, 5 cases, including 3 possible cases and 2 contamination cases, occurred after physical separation of the HCD from the operating room. In August 2022, we purchased a fleet of glycol-cooled HCDs, and we have not identified additional MAIC cases since their deployment (Fig.). Conclusions: MAIC infections after cardiothoracic surgery were associated with procedure type, especially implants, use of cardiopulmonary bypass, and HCD age. Contrary to prior reports, neither operative nor CPB time was associated with MAIC infection after cardiothoracic surgery. The outbreak persisted despite disinfection and/or deep cleaning and reorienting HCDs within the operating room; some possible and contamination cases occurred even after moving HCDs outside the operating room. Thus, HCD water contamination events in the operating room (eg, spills from HCD tubing) may be a route of exposure, and different infection prevention measures are needed.
Disclosure: None
Background: Environmental contamination is a major risk factor for multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) exposure and transmission in the healthcare setting. Sponge-stick sampling methods have been developed and validated for MDRO epidemiological investigations, leading to their recommendation by public health agencies. However, similar bacteriological yields with more readily available methods that require less processing time or specialized equipment have also been reported. We compared the ability of 4 sampling methods to recover a variety of MDRO taxa from a simulated contaminated surface. Methods: We assessed the ability of (1) cotton swabs moistened with phosphate buffer solution (PBS), (2) e-swabs moistened with e-swab solution, (3) cellulose-containing sponge sticks (CSS), and (4) non–cellulose-containing sponge sticks (NCS) to recover extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Escherichia coli, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), and a mixture that contained VRE, MRSA, and ESBL organisms. A solution of known bacterial inoculum (~105 CFU/mL) was made for each MDRO. Then, 1 mL solution was pipetted on a stainless-steel surface (8 × 12 inch) in 5 µL dots and allowed to dry for 1 hour. All samples were collected by 1 individual to minimize variation in technique. Sponge sticks were expressed in PBS containing 0.02% Tween 80 using a stomacher, were centrifuged, and were then resuspended in PBS. Cotton and e-swabs were spun in a vortexer. Then, 1 mL of fluid from each method was plated to selective and nonselective media in duplicate and incubated at 35°C for 24 hours (MRSA plates, 48 hours) (Fig. 1). CFU per square inch and percentage recovery were calculated. Results: Table 1 shows the CFU per square inch and percentage recovery for each sampling method–MDRO taxa combination. The percentage recovery varied across MDRO taxa. Across all methods, the lowest rate of recovery was for CRPA and the highest was for VRE. Regardless of MDRO taxa, the percentage recovery was highest for the sponge stick (CSS and NCS) compared to swab (cotton and E-swab) methods across all taxa (Table 1 and Fig. 2).
Conclusions: These findings support the preferential use of sponge sticks for the recovery of MDROs from the healthcare environment, despite the additional processing and equipment time needed for sponge sticks. Further studies are needed to assess the robustness of these findings in noncontrived specimens as well as the comparative effectiveness of different sampling methods for non–culture-based MDRO detection.
Disclosure: None
Background: Evaluation of the adequacy of prophylactic antibiotics in surgery has been implemented as a national policy in Korea since August 2007, and the appropriate use of prophylactic antibiotics has improved. However, antibiotic prescriptions that are not recommended or discontinuation of prophylactic antibiotic administration within 24 hours after surgery are still not well done. This study introduced a program to improve the adequacy of prophylactic antibiotics for surgery and analyzed its effects. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the effectiveness of the appropriate prophylactic antibiotic use program for surgery conducted at a university hospital in Seoul. The participants were patients aged ≥18 years who underwent any of 18 types of surgery. The program started was implemented in June 2020. First, a computer system was used to confirm the antibiotic prescription recommended for each surgery. It also assessed whether the number of days of administration was exceeded, whether antibiotics were prescribed in combination, and whether antibiotics prescribed for discharge medicine were checked in 4 steps. A pop-up window appeared in each patient record to enter the reason for the prescription. If the reason was appropriate, the prescription was allowed, but if not, the prescription was restricted. In addition, infectious diseases physicians and an insurance review team visited each department to conduct an education session. To analyze the effect 3 months before activity (January–March 2020) and 3 months after activity (October–December 2020), we compared the first antibiotic administration rate within 1 hour prior to skin incision, the recommended prophylactic antibiotic administration rate, and surgery type. The rate of discontinuation of prophylactic antibiotics within 24 hours after administration and the rate of prescription of prophylactic antibiotics at discharge were compared. Results: In total, 1,339 surgeries during the study period were included in the analysis. There were 695 cases before the introduction of the program and 644 cases after the introduction. The rate of first antibiotic use within 1 hour prior to skin incision was 93.1%–99.5% (P < .001), the rate of recommended prophylactic antibiotic administration was 85.0%–99.2% (P < .001), and the rate of discontinuation of antibiotic administration within 24 hours after surgery improved from 51.8% to 98.3% (P < .001), respectively. The prescription rate of antibiotics at discharge improved from 20.7% to 0.8% (P <.001) (Table 1). Conclusions: A computerized program to improve the adequacy of prophylactic antibiotic use in surgery combined with education of medical staff was very effective.
Disclosure: None
Background: Antiviral chemoprophylaxis for influenza is recommended in nursing homes to prevent transmission and severe disease among residents with higher risk of severe influenza complications. Interim CDC guidance recommends that long-term care facilities initiate antiviral chemoprophylaxis with oral oseltamivir for all non-ill residents living in the same unit following the start of an outbreak in a facility (ie, ≥2 patients ill within 72 hours and of whom at least 1 resident has laboratory-confirmed influenza). Prophylaxis continues for a minimum of 2 weeks and for at least 7 days after the last laboratory-confirmed case. However, facilities may not strictly adhere to this guidance, with 1 study showing up to 68% of facilities were nonadherent to national guidance (Silva et al 2020). Here, we model the potential impacts of different antiviral prophylaxis strategies. Methods: We developed a susceptible–exposed–asymptomatic–infected–recovered (SEAIR) compartmental model of an average-sized nursing home comprising short-stay residents, long-stay residents, and healthcare personnel (HCP). Persons treated with antiviral chemoprophylaxis were less susceptible to infection, had a lower probability of symptoms if infected, a reduced viral load, and a shortened duration of infectiousness. We included influenza vaccination for residents and HCP through reduced probability of symptomatic infection. Coverage rates were estimated from CDC FluVaxView and CMS COVID-19 nursing home data. As a base case, we modeled a scenario with prophylaxis implemented according to guidance. We varied uptake by residents and HCP (from 10% to 90%), case thresholds for prophylaxis initiation (1–5 cases identified), and timing of prophylaxis cessation: either time dependent (ie, 10–14 days of prophylaxis) or case-dependent (ie, continuing prophylaxis for 1–7 days with no cases). Results: In the scenario based on current guidance, prophylaxis reduced resident cases by 16% and resident hospitalizations by 45%, compared to no prophylaxis (Fig. 1A). Scenarios that differed from the guidance altered case burden and timing: Time-dependent prophylaxis cessation increased resident cases and hospitalizations (Fig. 1A). Timing of prophylaxis initiation had slight effects on the timing of the epidemic and minimal effects on resident cases and hospitalizations (Fig. 1B). High resident uptake was important for reducing resident cases and hospitalizations (Fig. 1C), but increasing HCP uptake had minimal effect (Fig. 1D). Conclusions: Our findings support the current prophylaxis guidance. Promptly implementing prophylaxis reduces resident cases and hospitalizations. Continuing prophylaxis until cases are no longer identified reduces cases and hospitalizations.
Disclosure: None