Persistence of viable but nonculturable Legionella pneumophila state in hospital water systems: A hidden enemy?

There is little evidence of the long-term consequences of maintaining sanitary hot water at high temperatures on the persistence of Legionella in the plumbing system. The aims of this study were to describe the persistence and genotypic variability of L. pneumophila in a hospital building with two entirely independent hot water distribution systems, and to estimate the thermotolerance of the genotypic variants by studying the quantity of VBNC L.

Role of hot water temperature and water system use on Legionella control in a tertiary hospital: An 8-year longitudinal study.

Although measures to minimize Legionella colonization in sanitary hot water installations are well established, there is little evidence of their long-term effectiveness in hospital buildings. During an 8-year period, hot water in a large hospital building was sampled monthly in areas with suitable dimensioning and recirculation and in areas with dead legs and low-use taps. In the former areas, the percentage of Legionella-negative samples was 83.

Control of endemic extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii with a cohorting policy and cleaning procedures based on the 1 room, 1 wipe approach.

Background: Our institution experienced an endemic situation with extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii in the intensive care units (ICUs). Here, we describe the long-term results of the implementation of a screening and cohorting policy and new cleaning techniques based on a procedure that we call the 1 room, 1 wipe approach.

Methods: We conducted a 4-year quasi-experimental study in the ICUs of an 800-bed teaching hospital.

Microbiological monitoring of flexible bronchoscopes after high-level disinfection and flushing channels with alcohol: Results and costs.

Background: Routine microbiological surveillance of flexible bronchoscopes is recommended in different guidelines. The study aims to assess whether bronchoscopes reprocessing methods achieved an appropriate decontamination level and whether manual flushing of 70% ethyl alcohol at the end of the cycle reduces the risk of microbiological contamination.

Methods: 18 different bronchoscopes were cultured on a monthly basis during a four-year period to examine growing of bacteria, fungi and mycobacteria.

Environmental contamination by multidrug-resistant microorganisms after daily cleaning.

We analyzed 91 samples of high-touch surfaces obtained within the first hour after daily cleaning in intensive care unit rooms occupied with patients with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). We determined that 22% of high-touch surfaces in rooms with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus patients and 5% of high-touch surfaces in rooms with multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa patients were colonized with the same strain as the patient. We postulated that textile cleaning wipes could be contaminated with MDROs and may contribute to its spreading within the room.

A large sustained endemic outbreak of multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a new epidemiological scenario for nosocomial acquisition.

Background: Studies of recent hospital outbreaks caused by multiresistant P.aeruginosa (MRPA) have often failed to identify a specific environmental reservoir. We describe an outbreak due to a single clone of multiresistant (MR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) and evaluate the effectiveness of the surveillance procedures and control measures applied.

Influence of carbapenem resistance on mortality and the dynamics of mortality in Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infection.

Objective: We aimed to study the influence of carbapenem resistance on attributable mortality in a cohort of patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia.

Methods: Data on 121 episodes of P. aeruginosa bacteremia occurring between January and December 2005 were retrospectively analyzed.

Clinical impact of imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infections.

Objectives: To describe the incidence and clinical characteristics of imipenem-resistant (IR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study including all episodes of IR P. aeruginosa bacteraemia seen from January 2003 to December 2005 in a tertiary teaching hospital.

Timing of hepatitis B vaccination: its effect on vaccine response in health care workers.

We assessed the effect of timing and other biological variables on immune response among health care workers (HCW) vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine. A total of 2.058 HCW received three doses and were tested for anti-HBs within 6 months.

Comparative cost of selective screening to prevent transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), compared with the attributable costs of MRSA infection.

The annual cost of a screening program to detect methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a teaching hospital in Spain was 10,261 Euro. The average cost per MRSA infection was 2,730 Euro; therefore, the cost of the program would be covered if it only prevented 4 infections per year (11% of the total number of MRSA infections at our hospital).

[Gender and ischemic heart disease].

Physiological and pathological processes differ in men and women, depending on factors such as sex and sociological and anthropological characteristics. However, many diseases are still approached from a masculine point of view. In this respect, ischemic heart disease is one of the diseases that most clearly reflects biological differences and social inequalities.