Physicochemical and biological ageing processes of (micro)plastics in the environment: a multi-tiered study on polyethylene.

Pollution by plastic and microplastic impacts the environment globally. Knowledge on the ageing mechanisms of plastics in natural settings is needed to understand their environmental fate and their reactivity in the ecosystems. Accordingly, the study of ageing processes is gaining focus in the context of the environmental sciences.

Point prevalence study of antibiotic appropriateness and possibility of early discharge from hospital among patients treated with antibiotics in a Swiss University Hospital.

Background: The growing threat of multidrug resistant organisms have led to increasingly promote prudent and rational use of antimicrobials as well as early hospital discharge plan. Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP) have been developed as multifaceted approaches to improve use of current antibiotics and are now widely applied through different strategies. Proactive interventions are still limited in Switzerland and data on antimicrobial appropriateness and early discharge strategies are lacking.

Promotion of the influenza vaccination to hospital staff during pre-employment health check: a prospective, randomised, controlled trial.

Background: Vaccination is the most effective prevention of seasonal influenza. Despite its recommendation and active promotion, vaccination coverage remains low among healthcare staff. The goal of the study was to test if a pre-employment health check is a good opportunity to promote future vaccination against influenza among healthcare workers newly hired by a university hospital.

Decrease in Antibacterial Use and Facility-Level Variability After the Introduction of Guidelines and Implementation of Physician-Pharmacist-Nurse Quality Circles in Swiss Long-term Care Facilities.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to describe antibacterial use in long-term care facilities and to investigate the determinants of use.

Design: This study is a quality improvement study conducted from January 2011 to December 2016.

Setting: Long-term care facilities in the canton of Vaud, Western Switzerland, were investigated.

Influence of Enhanced Recovery Pathway on Surgical Site Infection after Colonic Surgery.

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate a potential effect of ERAS on surgical site infections (SSI).

Methods: Colonic surgical patients operated between May 2011 and September 2015 constituted the cohort for this retrospective analysis. Over 100 items related to demographics, surgical details, compliance, and outcome were retrieved from a prospectively maintained database.

[Antimicrobial stewardship in primary care setting].

Antibiotic overuse in primary care setting is a major contributor to the development of resistant bacteria. Antibiotic consumption is low in Switzerland compared to neighbour countries, but improvement is possible and has to be pursued. Antibiotic stewardship helps physician to better recognize patients who need antibiotic (guidelines implementation, electronic decision support and laboratory testing) and educate patients about the uselessness of antibiotics in a given situation (delayed prescription and shared decision making).

Hepatitis E virus infection as a direct cause of neuralgic amyotrophy.

Introduction: We describe a patient who developed neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) related to hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection.

Methods: The patient underwent neurological and electrodiagnostic examinations, high-resolution analysis of serological changes, and HEV load profile, and was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin.

Results: There was evidence of bilateral, asymmetric acute inflammatory cervical polyradiculopathy and possible brachial plexopathy.

Vaccination Against Seasonal or Pandemic Influenza in Emergency Medical Services.

Introduction: Influenza is a major concern for Emergency Medical Services (EMS); EMS workers' (EMS-Ws) vaccination rates remain low despite promotion. Determinants of vaccination for seasonal influenza (SI) or pandemic influenza (PI) are unknown in this setting.

Hypothesis: The influence of the H1N1 pandemic on EMS-W vaccination rates, differences between SI and PI vaccination rates, and the vaccination determinants were investigated.

The Stealthy Superbug: the Role of Asymptomatic Enteric Carriage in Maintaining a Long-Term Hospital Outbreak of ST228 Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Unlabelled: Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 228 isolates was used to elucidate the origin and dynamics of a long-term outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sequence type 228 (ST228) SCCmec I that involved 1,600 patients in a tertiary care hospital between 2008 and 2012. Combining of the sequence data with detailed metadata on patient admission and movement confirmed that the outbreak was due to the transmission of a single clonal variant of ST228, rather than repeated introductions of this clone into the hospital. We note that this clone is significantly more frequently recovered from groin and rectal swabs than other clones (P < 0.

Universal screening and decolonization for control of MRSA in nursing homes: a cluster randomized controlled study.

Objective: The risk of carrying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is higher among nursing home (NH) residents than in the general population. However, control strategies are not clearly defined in this setting. In this study, we compared the impact of standard precautions either alone (control) or combined with screening of residents and decolonization of carriers (intervention) to control MRSA in NHs.

Improvement of antibiotic prescription in outpatient care: a cluster-randomized intervention study using a sentinel surveillance network of physicians.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of implementing guidelines, coupled with individual feedback, on antibiotic prescribing behaviour of primary care physicians in Switzerland.

Methods: One hundred and forty general practices from a representative Swiss sentinel network of primary care physicians participated in this cluster-randomized prospective intervention study. The intervention consisted of providing guidelines on treatment of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections (UTIs), coupled with sustained, regular feedback on individual antibiotic prescription behaviour during 2 years.

Contact tracing investigation after professional exposure to tuberculosis in a Swiss hospital using both tuberculin skin test and IGRA.

Setting: A 950 bed teaching hospital in Switzerland.

Aim: To describe the result of a contact investigation among health care workers (HCW) and patients after exposure to a physician with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in a hospital setting using standard tuberculin skin tests (TST) and Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA).

Method: HCW with a negative or unknown TST at hiring had a TST two weeks after the last contact with the index case (T0), repeated six weeks later if negative (T6).

Bacteremia caused by Comamonas kerstersii in a patient with diverticulosis.

We report for the first time a case of bacteremia caused by Comamonas kerstersii in a 65-year-old patient with sign of diverticulosis. In addition, we review the isolation of Comamonas sp. and related organisms in our hospital over 25 years.

Adult native septic arthritis: a review of 10 years of experience and lessons for empirical antibiotic therapy.

Objectives: To review the epidemiology of native septic arthritis to establish local guidelines for empirical antibiotic therapy as part of an antibiotic stewardship programme.

Methods: We conducted a 10 year retrospective study based on positive synovial fluid cultures and discharge diagnosis of septic arthritis in adult patients. Microbiology results and medical records were reviewed.

Overall burden of healthcare-associated infections among surgical patients. Results of a national study.

Objective: To assess the overall burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in patients exposed and nonexposed to surgery.

Background: Targeted HAI surveillance is common in healthcare institutions, but may underestimate the overall burden of disease.

Methods: Prevalence study among patients hospitalized in 50 acute care hospitals participating in the Swiss Nosocomial Infection Prevalence surveillance program.

High proportion of wrongly identified methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriers by use of a rapid commercial PCR assay due to presence of staphylococcal cassette chromosome element lacking the mecA gene.

During a 9-month period, 217 patients were newly diagnosed as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers by using a commercial rapid PCR-based test (GeneXpert). However, no MRSA was recovered by culturing the second swab in 61 of these patients. Further analyses showed that 28 (12.

Measures to prevent surgical site infections: what surgeons (should) do.

Background: The present study was designed to evaluate surgeons' strategies and adherence to preventive measures against surgical site infections (SSIs).

Materials And Methods: All surgeons participating in a prospective Swiss multicentric surveillance program for SSIs received a questionnaire developed from the 2008 National (United Kingdom) Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines on prevention and treatment of SSIs. We focused on perioperative management and surgical technique in hernia surgery, cholecystectomy, appendectomy, and colon surgery (COL).

Diversity of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec elements in predominant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones in a small geographic area.

Recent population genetic studies suggest that staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) was acquired much more frequently than previously thought. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the diversity of SCCmec elements in a local methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) population. Each MRSA isolate (one per patient) recovered in the Vaud canton of Switzerland from January 2005 to December 2008 was analyzed by the double-locus sequence typing (DLST) method and SCCmec typing.

[Importance and prevention of nosocomial infections in the outpatient setting].

The concept of nosocomial infections (or healthcare-related infections) applies to the outpatients clinics. However, data are scarce and imprecise in this setting compared with hospitals. The choice of preventive measures is therefore difficult.

Comparative genomics of epidemic versus sporadic Staphylococcus aureus strains does not reveal molecular markers for epidemicity.

Staphylococcus aureus, especially when it is methicillin resistant, has been recognised as a major cause of nosocomial and community-acquired infections. It has also been shown that certain strains were able to cause clonal epidemics whereas others showed a more incidental occurrence. On the basis of this behavioural distinction, a genetic feature underlying this difference in epidemicity can be assumed.

Cefuroxime prophylaxis is effective in noninstrumented spine surgery: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Study Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of 1 preoperative 1.5 g dose of cefuroxime in preventing surgical site infection after surgery for herniated disc.