Resurgent Health & Medical
distributes a free bi-monthly informational and educational newsletter focused on hand hygiene in the healthcare industry, The Newsletter covers the latest information on hygiene compliance, legislation, equipment, and infection prevention.
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Feature Article: APIC Prevalence Study
APIC launches first national C. difficile prevalence study
Data to reveal nationwide extent of life-threatening infection in health care facilities
Washington, DC, March 20, 2008 -- The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) today announced a detailed strategy to combat Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD). The initiative begins with the first national prevalence study to gain a better understanding of the spread of this virulent pathogen.
C. difficile is a life-threatening bacterium that causes diarrhea and more serious intestinal conditions such as colitis and is frequently associated with prolonged antibiotic use. CDAD is most commonly contracted by the elderly and those with recent exposure to hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare institutions. Over the past several years, a more toxic strain of C. difficile has emerged causing outbreaks in healthcare facilities worldwide.
“We are concerned by reports of increasing infection rates and severity of CDAD,” said APIC Chief Executive Officer Kathy L. Warye. “Not only does it lead to longer hospital stays, which result in higher healthcare costs, but deaths from C. difficile infections also are on the rise. Because the true magnitude of this infection is unknown, our objective is to provide the first national estimate of C. difficile infection in inpatients in U.S. healthcare facilities.”
The APIC Research Foundation C. difficile Prevalence Study will be conducted May 1 to May 23, 2008. More than 5,000 healthcare facilities are being invited to participate by providing a one-day snapshot of C. difficile infections within their institution.
Following the survey, APIC will develop a Guide to the Elimination of C. difficile, including strategies for controlling transmission as well as an educational Webinar series. The Association also will hold a conference in late 2008, featuring results of the prevalence study, along with the latest science, epidemiology and best practices for the elimination of C. difficile transmission.
“Following our positive experience in having taken a very comprehensive approach to MRSA in 2007, APIC will launch a similar aggressive fight against C. difficile in 2008,” said Warye. “APIC will lead a national effort to arm infection prevention professionals with the comprehensive tools necessary to eradicate this virulent pathogen and reduce C. difficile infections. Prevention efforts are crucial because our arsenal of effective treatment agents is thin, and the organism is rapidly developing resistance.”
For more information, please visit the APIC Research Foundation at www.apic.org
This is National Nurses Week!
Resurgent wishes to thank the 2.9 million registered nurses working in the United States today.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication to helping and healing!
The CleanTech® IC, the newest in our Cleantech line of automated hand hygiene equipment offers the speed, efficacy and convenience of our original Cleantech line, but in a smaller size and at a smaller price.
Read more about the Cleantech IC
Six Countries Meet on WHO’s “High 5s” Project to Improve Patient Safety in Hospitals
OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. / November 1, 2007/ -- In a unique display of international patient safety collaboration, the top health leaders from Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States will meet today in Washington, D.C. to sign a letter of intent to support efforts to advance the global patient safety agenda through engagement in a special World Health Organization (WHO) Action on Patient Safety Initiative. The collaborative initiative, known familiarly as the High 5s Project, seeks to improve the safety of patients around the world. The Project is being coordinated by the WHO Collaborating Centre, which is led by The Joint Commission and Joint Commission International, in partnership with the WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety and the Commonwealth Fund.
The centerpiece of the High 5s Project involves the development and implementation of standardized operating protocols (SOPs) to address five widespread patient safety problems in the participating countries and elsewhere. The SOPs will seek to:
Promote effective management of concentrated injectable medicines.
Assure medication accuracy at transitions in care.
Improve communications during patient care handovers.
Assure performance of the correct procedure at the correct body site.
Promote improved hand hygiene to prevent healthcare-associated infections.
Four of the five SOPs have been finalized and approved by the participating countries. The fifth will be finalized within the next month. Once in place, the SOPs are expected to have broad impacts in preventing avoidable deaths and serious injuries in hospitals.
The Joint Commission accredits more than 15,000 healthcare facilities in the U.S. The Joint Commission is recognized by hospitals as a symbol of quality. Patient Safety is a key ingredient to quality, and information on the topic is available through the organization’s website.
Link to the website here:
The Joint Commission
The Centers for Infectious Disease Research & Policy at the University of Minnesota.
CIDRAP’s mission is to “To prevent illness and death from infectious diseases through epidemiologic research and the rapid translation of scientific information into real-world practical applications and solutions.”
Link to the website here: CIDRAP, University of Minnesota
The seasonal influenza vaccination is the most important step to prevent the flu. This year’s flu season wasn’t exactly what the experts expected. In fact, the CDC found that 23% of the season’s influenza viruses weren’t included in the vaccine. With this in mind, there are a few non-medical alternatives to preventing the flu.
First, remember to wash your hands! And remember to tell your children, colleagues and patients to wash their hands. Washing hands reduces germs and prevents the spread of the flu. Second, remember to use a tissue. When you sneeze or cough, don’t ever use your bare hands. Be sure to use a tissue to cover your nose and your mouth. Don’t forget to throw the contaminated tissue out right away.
Germ of the Month: C. Diff
1. Clostridium difficile, more commonly known as C. diff, is an anaerobic spore-forming bacterium that causes intestinal conditions such as diarrhea and colitis.
2. C. diff is most prevalent in hospitals, but community acquired strains are on the rise.
3. Symptoms of C. diff include diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal cramps, leukocytosis, and pseudomembranous colitis.
4. Those at highest risk include the elderly, patients on long term antibiotic therapy, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Women have been shown to be at higher risk than men.
5. Clostridium difficile bacteria are found in feces, thus the mode of transmission is fecal-oral. C. diff can be spread by hands and direct or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces.
6. Treatment includes discontinuation of antibiotics that may be causing the infection to worsen, and the use of antibiotics such as Vanomycin for 10 days. Isolation is important throughout the first 7 days of treatment.
7. According to the CDC, reported mortality rates of Clostridium difficile increased from 5.7 per million population in 1999 to 23.7 per million population in 2004.
8. To help in the prevention of C. diff, wash hands with soap and water frequently and clean surfaces in bathrooms, kitchens, etc. with household detergents. Alcohol-based rubs do not kill C. diff spores; therefore, the germs must be washed off and removed from the hands.
The Latest News in Infection Control
Serious microbial threats, including drug-resistant influenza and foodborne pathogens, remain stubbornly persistent even as unpredictable new threats are emerging, researchers said this week at the leading international conference on new and resurgent infectious diseases.
Read the full article here: Researchers Warn of Resistant Flu, Foodborne Microbes Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy, March 19, 2008
Two million Americans every year pick up an infection every year in hospitals. But there are things you can do to cut down on the risk you face should you have a hospital stay. On The Early Show, Dr. Michael Stewart, an ear, nose and throat specialist, talked about the six most common hospital-induced medical problems, and how to minimize the danger to you.
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