Septic arthritis due to oral streptococci following intra-articular injection: A case series.

Oral streptococcal species are a rare cause of septic arthritis. We describe 4 cases of septic arthritis due to oral streptococcal species following joint injection. The routine use of face masks during joint injection may prevent this rare but serious complication.

Hidden Reservoir: An Outbreak of Tuberculosis in Hospital Employees with No Patient Contact.

We describe an outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) in the food preparation area of a hospital, which demonstrates that employees in healthcare settings may serve as potential risks for spread of TB even if they have no direct patient contact. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:1111-1113.

The limits of serial surveillance cultures in predicting clearance of colonization with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

An accepted practice for patients colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms is to discontinue contact precautions following 3 consecutive negative surveillance cultures. Our experience with surveillance cultures to detect persistent carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) colonization suggests that extrapolation of this practice to CPE-colonized patients may not be appropriate.

Health care-associated bloodstream infections associated with negative- or positive-pressure or displacement mechanical valve needleless connectors.

Background: Health care-associated, central venous catheter-related bloodstream infections (HA-BSIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Needleless connectors (NCs) are an important component of the intravenous system. NCs initially were introduced to reduce health care worker needlestick injuries, yet some of these NCs may increase HA-BSI risk.

Preventing nosocomial influenza by improving the vaccine acceptance rate of clinicians.

Objectives: To assess the effects of interventions to prevent transmission of influenza and to increase employee compliance with influenza vaccination.

Design: The change in the proportion of hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed nosocomial influenza was observed over time and assessed using chi-square for trend analysis. The association between nosocomial influenza in patients and healthcare worker (HCW) compliance with vaccine was assessed by logistic regression.

Failure to develop vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus with oral vancomycin treatment of Clostridium difficile.

Objective: Oral vancomycin therapy has been a risk factor for turning culture positive for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE). VRE colonization status was reviewed for all patients who received oral vancomycin and underwent prospective cultures.

Methods: Data were extracted from the medical records of all patients receiving oral vancomycin between August 1995 and February 2001 regarding history, hospital course, and perirectal VRE cultures.

Ultraviolet light disinfection of hospital water for preventing nosocomial Legionella infection: a 13-year follow-up.

Background And Objective: CDC has estimated that 23% of Legionella infections are nosocomial. When a new hospital was being constructed and a substantial increase in transplantation was anticipated, an ultraviolet light apparatus was installed in the water main of the new building because 27% of water samples from taps in the old hospital contained Legionella. This study reports the rate of nosocomial Legionella infection and water contamination since opening the new hospital.

Control of endemic vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus among inpatients at a university hospital.

We sought to determine the ability of surveillance cultures and isolation of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE)-colonized patients to control nosocomial VRE infection and colonization during a 5-year period (November 1994 through October 1999). During this period, VRE colonization was limited to 0.82% of admissions.

Isoniazid-resistant cavitary tuberculosis in a physician following isoniazid prophylaxis.

Single-drug prophylaxis is recommended after tuberculin skin test conversion, but not when there is active disease on chest radiograph because resistance develops frequently. Isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis developed in a physician receiving prophylaxis despite "faint left upper lobe soft tissue density" on chest radiograph. Ignoring active disease on chest x-ray renders this strategy counterproductive and cost ineffective.

Cost-effectiveness of perirectal surveillance cultures for controlling vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus.

Background: Several hospitals opting not to use active surveillance cultures to identify carriers of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) have reported that adoption of other parts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline for controlling VRE has had little to no impact. Because use of surveillance cultures and contact isolation controlled a large outbreak at this hospital, their costs were estimated for comparison with the excess costs of VRE bacteremias occurring at a higher rate at a hospital not employing these measures.

Setting: Two university hospitals.