Hand hygiene knowledge among nurses and nursing students-a descriptive cross-sectional comparative survey using the WHO's "Hand Hygiene Knowledge Questionnaire".

Aim: To determine the level of knowledge and explore the difference of hand hygiene between nursing students and nurses.

Background: Annually, 3.8 million people in Europe acquire healthcare-associated infections, highlighting the importance of hand hygiene.

Central aspects when implementing an electronic monitoring system for assessing hand hygiene in clinical settings: A grounded theory study.

Background: New technologies, such as electronic monitoring systems, have been developed to promote increased adherence to hand hygiene among healthcare workers. However, challenges when implementing these technologies in clinical settings have been identified.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore healthcare workers' experiences when implementing an electronic monitoring system to assess hand hygiene in a clinical setting.

Hand hygiene in a clinical setting: Evaluation of an electronic monitoring system in relation to direct observations.

Background: This study evaluated the accuracy of an electronic monitoring system for assessing hand hygiene in a clinical setting in relation to direct observations.

Methods: An electronic monitoring system was installed in a surgical ward at a tertiary hospital in Sweden. Hand hygiene events registered by the system were compared with direct observations conducted simultaneously by a trained observer following the World Health Organization's "My five moments for hand hygiene".

Infection control measures to stop the spread of sequence type 15 OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in a Swedish Burn Center.

Objective: To describe the course of the outbreak and infection control measures to stop the spread of sequence type 15 OXA-23-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in the Burn Center of Uppsala University Hospital, between November 2014 and the end of April 2015.

Methods: Compliance with hand hygiene, dress code, and cleaning routines were reviewed, the ward's environment was systematically investigated to identify potential environmental sources. Sampling routines for A.

Learning to interact with new technology: Health care workers' experiences of using a monitoring system for assessing hand hygiene - a grounded theory study.

Background: Recently, innovative technologies for hand hygiene (HH) monitoring have been developed to improve HH adherence in health care. This study explored health care workers' experiences of using an electronic monitoring system to assess HH adherence.

Methods: An electronic monitoring system with digital feedback was installed on a surgical ward and interviews with health care workers using the system (n = 17) were conducted.

Time to review the gold standard for genotyping vancomycin-resistant enterococci in epidemiology: Comparing whole-genome sequencing with PFGE and MLST in three suspected outbreaks in Sweden during 2013-2015.

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are a challenge to the health-care system regarding transmission rate and treatment of infections. VRE outbreaks have to be controlled from the first cases which means that appropriate and sensitive genotyping methods are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the applicability of whole genome sequencing based analysis compared to Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) in epidemiological investigations as well as the development of a user friendly method for daily laboratory use.

A joint, multilateral approach to improve compliance with hand hygiene in 4 countries within the Baltic region using the World Health Organization's SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands model.

Background: The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to explore the usefulness of a modified World Health Organization (WHO) hand hygiene program to increase compliance with hand hygiene among health care workers (HCWs) in Latvia, Lithuania, Saint Petersburg (Russia), and Sweden and to provide a basis for continuing promotion of hand hygiene in these countries. The study was carried out in 2012. Thirteen hospitals participated, including 38 wards.

Outcomes following the implementation of a quality control campaign to decrease sternal wound infections after coronary artery by-pass grafting.

Background: Coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG) remains the optimal strategy in achieving complete revascularization in patients with complex coronary artery disease. However, sternal wound infections (SWI), especially deep SWI are potentially severe complications to the surgery. At the department of cardiothoracic surgery in Uppsala University Hospital a gradual increase in all types of SWI occurred, which peaked in 2009.

Surgical site infections in standard neurosurgery procedures- a study of incidence, impact and potential risk factors.

OBJECTIVES. Surgical site infections (SSIs) may be devastating for the patient and they carry high economic costs. Studies of SSI after neurosurgery report an incidence of 1-11%.

Transfer of an Escherichia coli ST131 multiresistance cassette has created a Klebsiella pneumoniae-specific plasmid associated with a major nosocomial outbreak.

Objectives: To characterize the complete sequence, horizontal spread and stability of the CTX-M-15-encoding multiresistance plasmid of a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain involved in a large nosocomial outbreak.

Methods: The 220 kbp plasmid pUUH239.2 was completely sequenced using 454 technology.

Lack of hygiene routines among patients and family members at patient hotels--a possible route for transmitting puerperal fever.

The use of patient hotels for ambulatory care of women with uncomplicated deliveries has become a routine in Sweden. This report describes a minor outbreak of a group A Streptococcus strain in 2 newly delivered mothers and their newborn babies at a patient hotel.

A case-control study of risk factors for urinary acquisition of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing CTX-M-15 in an outbreak situation in Sweden.

A retrospective case-control study was initiated at Uppsala University Hospital in 2006 during a major outbreak caused by a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain producing CTX-M-15. To identify risk factors associated with acquisition of the outbreak strain in the urinary tract, 52 case patients with a urine culture positive for the outbreak strain between 1 May and 31 December 2005 were enrolled. Case patients were matched 1:2 with concurrently hospitalized control patients with significant growth of susceptible Escherichia coli in a urine sample.

The first major extended-spectrum beta-lactamase outbreak in Scandinavia was caused by clonal spread of a multiresistant Klebsiella pneumoniae producing CTX-M-15.

Between May and December 2005, 64 multidrug-resistant isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae were detected from patients admitted to Uppsala University Hospital. This represented a dramatic increase in ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae compared to previous years.

[Quinolones--a cure which became a threat. Accelerating resistance development demands stricter indications].

Fluoroquinolones are important antibiotics for treatment of serious infections. Increased usage has, in many countries, resulted in rapid development of resistance towards this class of antibiotics. Moreover, it has been shown that use of fluoroquinolones is associated with selection of multi-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant S.