Impact of Infection Prevention Programs on Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections Analyzed in Multicenter Study.

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) account for a large proportion of healthcare-associated infections and have a significant impact on morbidity, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Adherence to the recommended infection prevention practices can effectively reduce the incidence of CAUTIs. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of CAUTIs and the efficacy of prevention programs across hospitals of various sizes.

External and internal validation of healthcare-associated infection data collected by the Korean National healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance System (KONIS).

Background: This study analyzed the validity of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) data of the Korean National healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance System.

Methods: The validation process consisted of external (EV) and internal (IV) validation phases. Of the 193 hospitals that participated from July 2016 through June 2017, EV was performed for 10 hospitals that were selected based on the HAI rate percentile.

Stepwise Expansion of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs and Its Impact on Antibiotic Use and Resistance Rates at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Korea.

To optimize antibiotic use, the US CDC has outlined core elements of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP). However, they are difficult to implement in limited-resource settings. We report on the successful implementation of a series of ASP with insufficient number of infectious diseases specialists.

Evaluation of Patients' Adverse Events During Contact Isolation for Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Using a Matched Cohort Study With Propensity Score.

Importance: Although contact isolation has been widely recommended for multidrug-resistant organisms, contact isolation has raised some concerns that it may bring unintended patient harms.

Objective: To compare adverse events between a contact isolation group with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and a matched comparison group using a relatively large data set from full electronic medical records (EMR) and propensity score-matching methods.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective, matched cohort study was conducted at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) in Korea, a tertiary, university-affiliated hospital that has 1337 inpatient beds.

Are the Current Guidelines Sufficient to Establish Infection Control Strategies for COVID-19 Related Issues in Hospitals?

As hospitals cater to elderly and vulnerable patients, a high mortality rate is expected if a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak occurs. Consequently, policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in hospital settings are essential. This study was conducted to investigate how effectively national and international guidelines provide recommendations for infection control issues in hospitals.

Trends in the Epidemiology of Candidemia in Intensive Care Units From 2006 to 2017: Results From the Korean National Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance System.

Candidemia is an important healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in intensive care units (ICUs). However, limited research has been conducted on candidemia in the Republic of Korea. We aimed to analyze the secular trends in the incidence and distribution of candidemia in ICUs over 12-years using data from the Korean National Healthcare-Associated Infections Surveillance System (KONIS).

Ten-year surveillance of central line-associated bloodstream infections in South Korea: Surveillance not enough, action needed.

Background: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are preventable health care-associated infections that can lead to increased mortality. Therefore, we investigated trends in CLABSI rates, and the factors associated with changing trends over a 10-year period using the Korean National Healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance System (KONIS).

Methods: We investigated annual CLABSI rates from 2006 to 2015 in 190 KONIS-participating intensive care units (ICUs) from 107 participating hospitals.

Two-Year Hospital-Wide Surveillance of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections in a Korean Hospital.

Background: Surveillance and interventions of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) had mainly been targeted in intensive care units (ICUs). Central lines are increasingly used outside ICUs. Therefore, we performed a hospital-wide survey of CLABSIs to evaluate the current status and develop strategies to reduce CLBASI rates.

Impact of a hand hygiene campaign in a tertiary hospital in South Korea on the rate of hospital-onset methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and economic evaluation of the campaign.

Background: Hand hygiene (HH) is the most important factor affecting health care-associated infections.

Methods: We introduced a World Health Organization HH campaign in October 2010. The monthly procurement of hand sanitizers per 1,000 patient days was calculated, and the monthly incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (MRSAB), classified into community- and hospital-onset (HO), was measured from a microbiologic laboratory database.

Discrepancy in perceptions regarding patient participation in hand hygiene between patients and health care workers.

Background: Patient participation in hand hygiene programs is regarded as an important component of hand hygiene improvement, but the feasibility of the program is still largely unknown. We examined the perceptions of patients/families and health care workers (HCWs) with regard to patient participation in hand hygiene.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of patients/families as well as physicians and nurses was performed using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire in a 1,000-bed teaching hospital in South Korea.

Successful containment of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae by strict contact precautions without active surveillance.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are a growing problem worldwide. Guidelines focus on carbapenemase-producing organisms, and little is known about whether strict adherence to infection control measures is effective for CRE without carbapenemase. During 2009, CRE increased markedly in a tertiary hospital, and enhanced infection control measures without active surveillance were adopted.

Outcome of cefazolin prophylaxis for total knee arthroplasty at an institution with high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of cefazolin prophylaxis for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in a hospital with a high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection.

Methods: Since July 1, 2006, we have applied a 'care bundle' to TKA to prevent surgical site infection (SSI) without using vancomycin as antimicrobial prophylaxis, in accordance with the 1999 Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee guidelines. All patients undergoing TKA from July 1, 2006 to September 30, 2009 were enrolled.