The gut microbiota as an early predictor of COVID-19 severity.

Several studies reported alterations of the human gut microbiota (GM) during COVID-19. To evaluate the potential role of the GM as an early predictor of COVID-19 at disease onset, we analyzed gut microbial samples of 315 COVID-19 patients that differed in disease severity. We observed significant variations in microbial diversity and composition associated with increasing disease severity, as the reduction of short-chain fatty acid producers such as and , and the growth of pathobionts as and .

What are the nursing competencies related to antimicrobial stewardship and how they have been assessed? Results from an integrative rapid review.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance issues, and the consequent demand for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs, need to be investigated urgently and clearly. Considering the large amount of time nurses spend at patients' bedside, the aim of the present study was to examine recent literature on nursing competency in AMS.

Methods: Drawing from Tricco and colleagues' seven-stage process, a rapid review was performed.

Organizational citizenship behaviour as a protective factor against the occurrence of adverse nursing-sensitive outcomes: A multilevel investigation.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the association between organizational citizenship behaviour enacted by nurses and the occurrence of adverse nursing-sensitive patient outcomes.

Background: Managing psychosocial factors (i.e.

Long-Term Patient-Centred Follow-up in a Prospective Cohort of Patients with COVID-19.

Introduction: To better define COVID-19 long-term impact we prospectively analysed patient-centred outcomes, including general health and symptom duration.

Methods: Barthel index (BI), St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire adapted to patients with COVID-19 (aSGRQ) and WHO Clinical Progression Scale (CPS) were measured at enrolment and at 6 weeks from the onset of symptoms.

[Nursing sensitive outcomes: the results of a multicentre study].

Unlabelled: . Nursing sensitive outcomes: the results of a multicentre study.

Introduction: The relationship between staffing characteristics and nursing sensitive outcomes has been explored in several studies.

[Nursing sensitive outcomes and staffing: a review on healthcare associated infection].

Unlabelled: . Nursing sensitive outcomes and staffing: a review on healthcare associated infection.

Introduction: Healthcare associated infections (HAI) continue to be an unresolved problem in hospital settings.

Automatic environmental disinfection with hydrogen peroxide and silver ions versus manual environmental disinfection with sodium hypochlorite: a multicentre randomized before-and-after trial.

Background: New technologies for automated disinfection have been developed, including the use of hydrogen peroxide atomized by specific equipment, with associated silver compounds.

Aims: To compare the effectiveness of an automated disinfection system with hydrogen peroxide <8% and silver ion versus a manual method with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite solution when evaluating the reduction of microbial mesophilic contamination and Clostridium difficile presence; and to evaluate the time required for both of these processes.

Sociodemographic, clinical and organisational factors associated with delayed hospital discharges: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Evidence from studies conducted in Western countries indicates that a significant proportion of hospital beds are occupied by patients who experience a delayed hospital discharge (DHD). However, evidence about this topic is lacking in Italy, and little is known on the patients' and organisational characteristics that influence DHDs. Therefore, we carried out a survey in all the hospitals of a Northern Italian region to analyse the prevalence and the determinants of DHD.

Prevalence of infections in long-term care facilities: how to read it?

Purpose: Prevalence surveys are mostly used in European countries for infection surveillance in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). The purpose of this paper is to document the prevalence of infections in LTCFs and to identify and discuss the potential sources of variation in the overall prevalence of infections.

Methods: Six repeated prevalence surveys were carried out over a period of 3 years in 11 LTCFs in the Emilia-Romagna region, involving a mean of 812 residents in each survey.

Healthcare-related infections outside the hospital: a new frontier for infection control.

In all industrialized countries, an increasing number of persons are cared for outside the acute hospitals: thus, infection control programs should be adapted to the new scenario. This paper briefly reviews the epidemiological features of infections acquired outside the acute care hospital, focusing on residential homes for the elderly. An intervention study aimed at reducing the healthcare associated infections in 22 residential facilities in Emilia-Romagna region is described.

Prevalence of long-term care acquired infections in nursing and residential homes in the Emilia-Romagna Region.

Background: Hardly any data on the occurrence of infection in Italian nursing homes have been published; yet Italy has the second oldest population in the world. The objective of the study was to assess the frequency of infections in a sample of Italian nursing homes.

Materials And Methods: A 1-day prevalence survey was conducted in three local health authorities (LHAs) of the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, aimed at describing the prevalence of patients with long-term care facilityassociated infections and their associated factors among residents of nursing and residential facilities.

Rates of surgical-site infection: an international comparison.

Objectives: To quantify the occurrence of surgical-site infections (SSIs) in an Italian region and to estimate the proportion of potentially avoidable infections through benchmarking comparison.

Design: Prospective study during 1 month based on a convenience sample of surgical patients admitted to 31 public hospitals. All of the patients undergoing an intervention included among the 44 operative procedures of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System were enrolled.

[Prevalence and prevention and treatment modalities for pressure sores. Study of the Emilia-Romagna region].

This audit initiative aimed at assessing the prevalence of pressure sores in the public hospitals of Emilia-Romagna, and at monitoring the rate of use of specific modalities of prevention and cure. The design was cross-sectional, with information collected on three index days during 2000 by trained personnel. Overall, the prevalence of pressure sores at the regional level was 7.