Postoperative wound care protocol prevents surgical site infection after craniotomy.

Background: Postoperative wound care after craniotomy is not standardized.

Objective: Evaluate the impact of a standardized post-craniotomy wound care protocol on surgical site infection (SSI).

Design And Setting: Prospective quasi-experimental single-center intervention cohort study involving adult patients undergoing craniotomy at a 461-bed academic medical center in Orange County, California from January 2019-March 2023 (intervention) compared to January 2017-December 2018 (baseline).

The Significance of FilmArray Blood Culture Identification Panel (FA-BCID) for Managing Patients with Positive Blood Cultures.

We analyzed the accuracy and time efficiency of the FilmArray blood culture identification (FA-BCID) panel in identifying the pathogens in positive blood cultures. Two-hundred and seventy-two individuals were randomly assigned as the control ( = 212) and FA-BCID ( = 60) groups participating in this study. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used to assess the control group.

Real World Experience with Regdanvimab Treatment of Mild-to-Moderate Coronavirus Disease-19 in a COVID-19 Designated Hospital of Korea.

Background: Real-world clinical data concerning regdanvimab, a monoclonal antibody treatment for patients with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are urgently needed. Here, we describe our experience with regdanvimab.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled high-risk adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who were admitted to a dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Korea from March to September 2021.

Clinical Features of Adult COVID-19 Patients without Risk Factors before and after the Nationwide SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta)-variant Outbreak in Korea: Experience from Gyeongsangnam-do.

Background: Data on severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) delta variant virulence are insufficient. We retrospectively compared the clinical features of adult coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients without risk factors for severe COVID-19 who entered residential treatment centers (RTCs) before and after the delta variant outbreak.

Methods: We collected medical information from two RTCs in South Korea.

Etiology, Characteristics, and Outcomes of Community-Onset Pyomyositis in Korea: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Pyomyositis (PM) is a serious soft tissue infection and despite its clinical importance, previous studies have not been able to fully determine the clinical characteristics and microbial epidemiology of PM in Korea, which we therefore aimed to investigate.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively identified 140 adult patients diagnosed with PM from 13 general hospitals between January 2012 and December 2015. We analyzed the clinical and microbial characteristics of community-onset PM and compared them with community-acquired (CA) and healthcare-associated (HCA) PM.

Veno-Arterial-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Critically Ill Patient with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Patients with cardiopulmonary failure may not be fully supported with typical configurations of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), either veno-arterial (VA) or veno-venous (VV). Veno-arterial-venous (VAV)-ECMO is a technique used to support the cardiopulmonary systems during periods of inadequate gas exchange and perfusion. In the severe case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which simultaneously affects the heart and lung, VAV-ECMO may improve a patient's recovery potential.

Clinical impact of early reinsertion of a central venous catheter after catheter removal in patients with catheter-related bloodstream infections.

Objective: Early replacement of a new central venous catheter (CVC) may pose a risk of persistent or recurrent infection in patients with a catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI). We evaluated the clinical impact of early CVC reinsertion after catheter removal in patients with CRBSIs.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of adult patients with confirmed CRBSIs in 2 tertiary-care hospitals over a 7-year period.

Preterm Twins Born to a Mother with Miliary Tuberculosis: Importance of Early Recognition and Prompt Response in Infection Control to Manage Congenital Tuberculosis Exposure in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Delayed diagnosis of congenital tuberculosis (TB) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a serious problem in terms of infection control. Here, we report our preemptive infection control activities implemented after the diagnosis of miliary TB in a mother of preterm twins (index twins, NB1 and NB2) in the NICU. In addition, we reviewed previous case reports of congenital TB exposure in the NICU setting.

Response System for and Epidemiological Features of COVID-19 in Gyeongsangnam-do Province in South Korea.

Background: The South Korean government has been combating the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak using public information and extensive viral screening. We describe the application of the Korean response system in Gyeongsangnam-do province and outline the epidemiological features of COVID-19 in the cohort.

Methods: A Rapid Response Team tracked the patients' activities and identified close contacts.

Environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea.

Objectives: Although contact precaution is generally recommended in situations where coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is suspected, there is limited evidence on environmental contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Therefore, we conducted environmental surveillance on SARS-CoV-2 contamination in 2 different healthcare settings.

Methods: Viral contamination was investigated on the environment of 2 hospitals that had admitted 13 COVID-19 patients.

Successful control of an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST307 outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Background: In this study, we evaluated the genetic relatedness of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-KPN) isolates from an outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in August 2017, We implemented an active countermeasure to control this outbreak successfully.

Methods: The incidence of healthcare-associated ESBL-KPN bacteremia was evaluated before and after initiating enhanced infection control (IC) practices in January 2018. Surveillance cultures were set up and monitored for neonates, medical personnel, and NICU environments.

The difference in hand hygiene compliance rate between unit-based observers and trained observers for World Health Organization checklist and optimal hand hygiene.

Background: Hand hygiene (HH) is crucial to prevent healthcare-associated infections and the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms. The monitoring of HH compliance may be affected by observer expertise. A sufficient duration of HH is necessary to remove microorganisms.

Etiology, characteristics, and outcomes of community-onset necrotizing fasciitis in Korea: A multicenter study.

Background: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a serious skin and soft tissue infection causing high mortality. Investigating region specific epidemiologic factors associated with NF is important for establishing appropriate treatment strategies. This multicenter study was done to provide an update of the microbial etiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of NF in Korea.

Selection of an appropriate empiric antibiotic regimen in hematogenous vertebral osteomyelitis.

Background: Empiric antibiotic therapy for suspected hematogenous vertebral osteomyelitis (HVO) should be initiated immediately in seriously ill patients and may be required in those with negative microbiological results. The aim of this study was to inform the appropriate selection of empiric antibiotic regimens for the treatment of suspected HVO by analyzing antimicrobial susceptibility of isolated bacteria from microbiologically proven HVO.

Method: We conducted a retrospective chart review of adult patients with microbiologically proven HVO in five tertiary-care hospitals over a 7-year period.

Clinical and Molecular Characteristics of - and -Positive Methicillin-Resistant Causing Bloodstream Infections.

The increasing use of chlorhexidine for methicillin-resistant (MRSA) decolonization has raised concerns about the emergence of resistance to these agents. However, the clinical significance of MRSA positive for the and chlorhexidine tolerance genes has not been established. We investigated the clinical features and predictive factors of MRSA bloodstream infection (BSI) isolates, caused by - and -positive MRSA, from 2010 to 2016 at a tertiary hospital in South Korea.

Impact of health care-associated community-onset cellulitis in Korea: a multicenter study.

We conducted a multicenter study to determine the clinical and microbiological characteristics of health care-associated (HCA) cellulitis in Korea. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had been diagnosed with community-onset cellulitis. Of the 2208 cellulitis patients, 232 (10.

Comparison of Clinical Performance Between BacT/Alert Virtuo and BacT/Alert 3D Blood Culture Systems.

Background: BacT/Alert Virtuo (BioMérieux, Durham, NC, USA) is a recently developed blood culture system that includes functions of automatic registration, loading, and unloading of the blood culture bottles, as well as measurement of blood volume. We compared the performances between the BacT/Alert Virtuo and 3D (BioMérieux) blood culture systems.

Methods: A total of 952 patients (1,904 sets) visiting an university-affiliated hospital in Korea for blood cultures were enrolled.

Successful Treatment of Catheter Related Blood Stream Infection By with Micafungin: A Case Report.

(formerly ) is halotolerant yeast mainly found in food and ubiquitous in the environment. It was a rare yeast pathogen, but it has recently emerged as a cause of fungemia in immunocompromised patients. Optimal therapy for invasive fungal infection by this pathogen remains unclear.

Therapeutic outcome of spinal implant infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus: A retrospective observational study.

Spinal implant infection is a rare but significant complication of spinal fusion surgery, and the most common pathogen is Staphylococcus aureus. It is difficult to treat due to this pathogen's biofilm-forming ability and antibiotic resistance. We evaluated the therapeutic outcome of treatments for S aureus spinal implant infections.