Nosocomial infections rates in adult and pediatric intensive care units in the United States

Article Abstract:

Nosocomial infections, acquired in the hospital, are an important cause of illness and death among patients in intensive care units (ICUs). These patients are very susceptible to infections because of the severity of their illness and the use of invasive life-saving medical procedures and devices. The Centers for Disease Control has established a nationwide program known as the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System, for monitoring nosocomial infections. This program collects data regarding nosocomial infections from hospitals throughout the US. Seventy-nine hospitals reported a total of 2,334 hospital-months of data on nosocomial infections to the NNIS program between October 1986 and December 1990. This information was used in a study designed to identify factors that influence the rate of nosocomial infections in ICUs. Factors found to influence the risk of infection included the type and severity of the patient's illness, the length of stay in the ICU, and the number and type of medical devices (eg. catheters, mechanical ventilator for breathing) used. For example, blood infections were more common among patients with intravenous catheters than in those without, and pneumonia was more common among patients requiring mechanical ventilation than in those who did not. Also, infection rates were found to vary depending on the type of ICU. For example, pneumonia in patients requiring mechanical ventilation was more common in surgical and coronary ICUs than in pediatric ICUs. It is concluded that hospitals can compare their individual rates of infection, based on the specific type of ICU and medical device used, with rates reported to the NNIS program to identify specific areas that could benefit from improved methods for controlling infections. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Intensive care units, Pediatric intensive care

---

Prevalence and incidence of human immunodeficiency virus among patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis

Article Abstract:

Hemodialysis is a method of artificially removing the wastes from the blood of patients with impaired kidney function. The patient is connected to a machine consisting of tubes that filter the blood, removing unwanted waste material. Blood-borne diseases, including hepatitis B, can be transmitted during hemodialysis. The transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during hemodialysis has not been reported, but the epidemiology of the two viruses is similar. The proportion of centers performing dialysis for HIV-infected patients has increased from 11 to 25 percent since 1985. Therefore, the prevalence and incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in hemodialysis patients were investigated, and the risk of HIV transmission during hemodialysis was also determined. The study, which involved 1,324 patients at 28 dialysis centers in 12 states was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. Thirteen patients were seropositive for HIV infection, or had evidence of HIV disease based on blood testing. Seroprevalence, or prevalence of positive blood tests for HIV, was higher at dialysis centers in areas with a high incidence of AIDS. All 13 seropositive patients had received transfusions, but the likelihood having received a transfusion was similar for seronegative patients. Sharing of needles was reported more often by seropositive than seronegative patients. At one-year follow-up, none of the seronegative dialysis patients tested positive for HIV infection. No cases of transmission of HIV infection during dialysis occurred. These findings show that the use of infection control guidelines is effective in reducing the risk of transmitting HIV during hemodialysis. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Safety and security measures, Testing, Complications and side effects, HIV infection, HIV infections, HIV (Viruses), HIV, Disease transmission, AIDS (Disease), Hemodialysis, Hemodialysis facilities, Dialysis facilities

---

The National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System: plans for the 1990s and beyond

Article Abstract:

Nosocomial infections (infections acquired in the hospital) are fairly common, and they contribute to patient illness and increase the length of time spent in the hospital. Therefore, effective methods for controlling and preventing nosocomial infections are needed. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has developed the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System to monitor the occurrence of nosocomial infections in US hospitals. The NNIS system has four different parts for monitoring nosocomial infections, including hospital-wide surveillance, intensive care units, nurseries and surgical wards. The goal of this program is to generate a national data base containing information on nosocomial infections that can be used to identify changes in the rate of infection, site of infection, risk factors for developing infection, types of microorganisms that cause infection, development of antibiotic resistance (the ability of infective microorganisms to persist in the presence of antibiotic drugs), and patient outcome. Hospitals that participate in the NNIS program have access to the information in the data base. For example, hospitals can compare their individual data with the national average to identify specific problem areas that need attention. Current limitations of the system include the use of different methods for diagnosing infections by different hospitals, variation in surveillance intensity or effort from one hospital to another, and the lack of participation of small hospitals. At the present time, 115 hospitals participate in the NNIS system. To increase the effectiveness of this system, more participating hospitals are needed. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Management, Information services, United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Cocaine: effects of in utero exposure on the fetus and neonate. Substance abuse by pregnant women: legal and ethical concerns
• Abstracts: Occupational bladder cancer in textile dyeing and printing workers: six cases and their significance for screening programs
• Abstracts: Making a difference: managing hypertension in minority patients. Hypertension and cardiac disease in minorities
• Abstracts: Empiric therapy for severe infections in adults. A decade of progress in cephalosporin use: summary. Pathophysiologic basic for the use of third-generation cephalosporins
• Abstracts: Veterans Administration Cooperative Study Group on hypertensive agents: effects of age on treatment results. Treatment of hypertension in the elderly: effects on blood pressure, heart rate, and physical fitness

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.