Importance of Multifaceted Approaches in Infection Control: A Practical Experience from an Outbreak Investigation.

Background: This study presents the results of a multidisciplinary, nosocomial MRSA outbreak investigation in an 8-bed medical intensive care unit (ICU). The identification of seven MRSA positive patients in the beginning of 2014 led to the closure of the ward for several weeks. A multidisciplinary, retrospective investigation was initiated in order to identify the reason and the source for the outbreak, describe MRSA transmission in the department and identify limitations in infection control.

Intraventricular and lumbar intrathecal administration of antibiotics in postneurosurgical patients with meningitis and/or ventriculitis in a serious clinical state.

Object: To date, reports on the clinical efficacy of intraventricularly and intrathecally administered antibiotics for the treatment of neurosurgical ventriculitis and meningitis in adults are limited. The authors aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the intraventricular (IVT) and lumbar intrathecal (IT) administration of antibiotics in critically ill neurosurgical patients.

Methods: Thirty-four postneurosurgical patients with meningitis and ventriculitis were studied.

Antibiotic stewardship implementation in the EU: the way forward.

There is an urgent need for an agreement on the principles and key components of antibiotic stewardship to support the EU member states in developing their national or regional programs. A proposal for a conceptual framework was drafted during an international expert workshop on hospital antibiotic stewardship organized under the Czech presidency in Prague on 15 April 2009. This document aims at defining structural and organizational requirements to optimize antibiotic use for hospitalized patients.

Surveillance of microbial resistance in European Intensive Care Units: a first report from the Care-ICU programme for improved infection control.

Purpose: To report initial results from a European ICU surveillance programme focussing on antibiotic consumption, microbial resistance and infection control.

Methods: Thirty-five ICUs participated during 2005. Microbial resistance, antibiotic consumption and infection control stewardship measures were entered locally into a web-application.

Hospital antibiotic management in the Czech Republic--results of the ABS maturity survey of the ABS International group.

Background: Hospital antibiotic stewardship (ABS) programs are essential for ensuring long-lasting quality of antibiotic usage and for controlling antimicrobial resistance in the hospital setting.

Methods: A questionnaire for self-assessment of a hospital's ABS maturity was sent to 80 Czech hospitals in May 2007. The survey was focused on diagnostic issues, control of antibiotic consumption, antibiotic-related organization and tools, antibiotic-related personnel development and antibiotic-related relationships to relevant environments.