Pilot validation of central line-associated bloodstream infection data in a voluntary surveillance system in Taiwan between October and December 2021.

Background: Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) surveillance data are voluntarily submitted to the Taiwan Healthcare-associated Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (THAS) System. Validation of the CLABSI data is important to ensure the quality of surveillance data. We aimed to validate the CLABSI surveillance data reported to the THAS system.

Excess mortality and long-term disability from healthcare-associated carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections: A nationwide population-based matched cohort study.

Background: Carbapenem resistance is perceived as a clinical challenge in the management of debilitated and immunocompromised patients who eventually will die from underlying diseases. We aimed to examine whether carbapenem resistance per se, rather than the underlying diseases, negatively affect outcomes, by comparing the excess mortality and morbidity from healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) and carbapenem-susceptible A. baumannii (CSAB).

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) universal admission screening in patients and companions in Taiwan from May 2021 to June 2022: A nationwide multicenter study.

Objective: Universal admission screening and follow-up symptom-based testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may play critical roles in controlling nosocomial transmission. We describe the performance of test strategies for inpatients and their companions during various disease incidences in Taiwan.

Design: Retrospective population-based cohort study.

COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities-a nationwide population-based cohort study in Taiwan, May-July 2021.

Background/purpose: Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are high-risk settings for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The aim of the study was to describe the extent and the impacts of 2021 COVID-19 outbreaks on LTCFs in Taiwan.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of each COVID-19 outbreak in LTCFs from May 15 to July 31, 2021 in Taiwan.

Chlorhexidine Bathing to Prevent Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in Hematology Units: A Prospective, Controlled Cohort Study.

Background: Chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing decreases the incidence of bloodstream infections in intensive care units, but its effect has been understudied in patients with hematological malignancies in noncritical care units.

Methods: Adults with hematological malignancies hospitalized for cytotoxic chemotherapy in noncritical care units were offered daily 2% CHG bathing. We compared outcomes of patients who chose CHG bathing (CHG group) with outcomes of those who did not choose CHG bathing (usual-care group).

A No-Notice Drill of Hospital Preparedness in Responding to Ebola Virus Disease in Taiwan.

The Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976, but the outbreak of Ebola virus disease that began in Guinea, West Africa, in December 2013 shocked the world. It is the largest and most severe epidemic of Ebola virus disease to date. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that inadequate implementation of the policy of acquiring travel history led to a delay in identifying the first imported Ebola virus disease case.

Excess mortality and long-term disability from healthcare-associated staphylococcus aureus infections: a population-based matched cohort study.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), but the impact of S. aureus HAIs on the long-term survival and functional status of hospitalized patients remain unknown. This study aimed to examine whether S.

Increase of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infection in acute care hospitals in Taiwan: association with hospital antimicrobial usage.

Objective: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) has emerged as an important pathogen causing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in Taiwan. The present study is aimed to investigate the epidemiology of HAIs caused by CRAB and the association of CRAB infection and hospital usage of different antimicrobials.

Methods: Two nationwide databases in the period 2003 to 2008, the Taiwan Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System and National Health Insurance claim data, were used for analysis.

Retrospective serological study on sequential dengue virus serotypes 1 to 4 epidemics in Tainan City, Taiwan, 1994 to 2000.

Background And Purpose: We previously reported the development of a non-structural protein NS1 serotype-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for dengue serodiagnosis and seroepidemiological study. This assay can be used to differentiate the immunologic status of individuals into naive, primary, or secondary dengue virus (DENV) infection and identify the DENV serotypes of primary infection. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate the serological responses of confirmed dengue cases infected during each of the sequential DENV-1 (August 1994 to February 1995), DENV-2 (August to December 1997), DENV-3 (August 1998 to January 1999), and DENV-4 (June to December 2000) epidemics in Tainan City, Taiwan.

Comparative analysis of full genomic sequences among different genotypes of dengue virus type 3.

Background: Although the previous study demonstrated the envelope protein of dengue viruses is under purifying selection pressure, little is known about the genetic differences of full-length viral genomes of DENV-3. In our study, complete genomic sequencing of DENV-3 strains collected from different geographical locations and isolation years were determined and the sequence diversity as well as selection pressure sites in the DENV genome other than within the E gene were also analyzed.

Results: Using maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches, our phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Taiwan's indigenous DENV-3 isolated from 1994 and 1998 dengue/DHF epidemics and one 1999 sporadic case were of the three different genotypes - I, II, and III, each associated with DENV-3 circulating in Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka, respectively.

Laboratory-based dengue surveillance in Taiwan, 2005: a molecular epidemiologic study.

We present the results of laboratory-based dengue surveillance in Taiwan for 2005. A phylogenetic study showed that multiple dengue epidemics were caused by three different imported dengue virus (DENV) strains. A strain of DENV-3 (genotype I) imported from the Philippines first appeared in the southern part of Kaohsiung City and later spread to Kaohsiung County from August to December, which resulted in 77 cases of dengue.

Development of real-time reverse transcriptase PCR assays to detect and serotype dengue viruses.

Serotyping dengue virus (DENV) from suspect human specimens is crucial for developing sound epidemiological control measurements early in the transmission season and for effective patient management. We modified DENV consensus D1 (mD1) and serotype-specific TS2 (mTS2) and redesigned serotype-specific TS1 (rTS1) and TS4 (rTS4) as described previously in the conventional capsid and premembrane gene (C-prM) protocol (R. S.

Fever screening at airports and imported dengue.

Airport fever screening in Taiwan, July 2003-June 2004, identified 40 confirmed dengue cases. Results obtained by capture immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG enzyme-linked immunoassay, real time 1-step polymerase chain reaction, and virus isolation showed that 33 (82.5%) of 40 patients were viremic.

Dengue virus serotyping based on envelope and membrane and nonstructural protein NS1 serotype-specific capture immunoglobulin M enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Envelope and membrane (E/M) and nonstructural protein NS1 serotype-specific capture Immunoglobulin M (IgM) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed to differentiate four dengue virus serotypes. A total of 93 anti-dengue virus IgM-positive serum samples collected between days 5 and 45 of illness from 59 confirmed dengue patients were analyzed. The results showed that positive serotype specificity could be identified for 86.

Comparison of capture immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and nonstructural protein NS1 serotype-specific IgG ELISA for differentiation of primary and secondary dengue virus infections.

We have found that NS1 serotype-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) can be used to differentiate primary and secondary dengue virus infections. This is due to the fact that the NS1-specific IgG antibody cannot be detected before day 9 of illness for primary infection, so the NS1-specific IgG antibodies measured in acute-phase sera must come from previous infection. Comparison of NS1 serotype-specific IgG ELISA with envelope- and membrane-specific capture IgM and IgG ELISA in the differentiation of primary and secondary dengue virus infections showed good correlation (95.

Development of group- and serotype-specific one-step SYBR green I-based real-time reverse transcription-PCR assay for dengue virus.

A quantitative one-step SYBR Green I-based reverse transcription (RT)-PCR system was developed for the detection and differentiation of four different dengue virus serotypes in acute-phase serum samples. A set of group- and serotype-specific primer pairs was designed against conserved sequences in the core region and evaluated for clinical diagnosis. A linear relationship was obtained between the amount of input RNA and cycle threshold (Ct) value over a range of 10 to 10(7) PFU per ml of cell culture-derived dengue viruses.

Potential application of nonstructural protein NS1 serotype-specific immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the seroepidemiologic study of dengue virus infection: correlation of results with those of the plaque reduction neutralization test.

An NS1 serotype-specific indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to differentiate primary and secondary dengue virus infections and serotypes of primary dengue virus infection. For this report, we carried out retrospective seroepidemiologic studies on serum samples collected from residents of Liuchiu Hsiang, Pingtung County, an isolated island in southern Taiwan during 1997-1998. The results demonstrated that good correlation existed between dengue virus NS1 serotype-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) ELISA and dengue virus plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT).