To assess challenges to implementation of a new National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) surveillance definition, mucosal barrier injury laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection (MBI-LCBI).

Multicenter field test.

Selected locations of acute care hospitals participating in NHSN central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) surveillance.

Hospital staff augmented their CLABSI surveillance for 2 months to incorporate MBI-LCBI: a primary bloodstream infection due to a selected group of organisms in patients with either neutropenia or an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant with gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease or diarrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) staff reviewed submitted data to verify whether CLABSIs met MBI-LCBI criteria and summarized the descriptive epidemiology of cases reported.

Eight cancer, 2 pediatric, and 28 general acute care hospitals including 193 inpatient units (49% oncology/bone marrow transplant [BMT], 21% adult ward, 20% adult critical care, 6% pediatric, 4% step-down) conducted field testing. Among 906 positive blood cultures reviewed, 282 CLABSIs were identified. Of the 103 CLABSIs that also met MBI-LCBI criteria, 100 (97%) were reported from oncology/BMT locations. Agreement between hospital staff and CDC classification of reported CLABSIs as meeting the MBI-LCBI definition was high (90%; k= 0.82). Most MBI-LCBIs (91%) occurred in patients meeting neutropenia criteria. Some hospitals indicated that their laboratories' methods of reporting cell counts prevented application of neutropenia criteria; revised neutropenia criteria were created using data from field testing.

Hospital staff applied the MBI-LCBI definition accurately. Field testing informed modifications for the January 2013 implementation of MBI-LCBI in the NHSN.

To evaluate the impact of state laws on reporting of healthcare-associated infections on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates.

Retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Hospital-level administrative and Hospital Compare data were collected on University HealthSystem Consortium hospitals. An ordered probit regression model assessed the association between state legislation and CLABSI standardized infection ratio (SIR). The main independent variable was a state legislation variable concerning 3 legal requirements (data submission, reporting of data to the public, inclusion of facility identifiers in public reports) and was coded for hospitals accordingly located in a state that did not have CLABSI reporting, located in a state that had CLABSI reporting legislation and met 3 legal requirements, or located in a state that had CLABSI reporting but did not meet the 3 legal requirements. A secondary analysis ascertained whether the mean state SIR values differed among the 3 legislation groups.

There were 159 hospitals included; 92 were located in states that had CLABSI reporting and met 3 requirements, 33 were located in states that had reporting but did not meet the 3 requirements, and 34 were in states that had no legislation. There was no effect of state legislation group on CLABSI SIR. There were no significant differences in the mean state CLABSI SIRs among the legislation groups.

In this sample of academic medical centers, there was no evidence of an effect of state HAI laws on CLABSI occurrence. The impact of state legislation may be lessened by other CLABSI prevention initiatives.

Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) tip malposition is potentially associated with complications, and postplacement adjustment of PICCs is widely performed. We sought to characterize the association between central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) or venous thrombus (VT) and PICC adjustment.

Retrospective cohort study.

University of Michigan Health System, a large referral hospital.

Patients who had PICCs placed between February 2007 and August 2007.

The primary outcomes were development of CLABSI within 14 days or VT within 60 days of postplacement PICC adjustment, identified by review of patient electronic medical records.

There were 57 CLABSIs (2.69/1,000 PICC-days) and 47 VTs (1.23/1,000 PICC-days); 609 individuals had 1, 134 had 2, and 33 had 3 or more adjustments. One adjustment was protective against CLABSI (P = .04), whereas 2 or 3 or more adjustments had no association with CLABSI (P = .58 and .47, respectively). One, 2, and 3 or more adjustments had no association with VT formation (P = .59, .85, and .78, respectively). Immunosuppression (P< .01), power-injectable PICCs (P = .05), and 3 PICC lumens compared with 1 lumen (P = .02) were associated with CLABSI. Power-injectable PICCs were also associated with increased VT formation (P = .03).

Immunosuppression and 3 PICC lumens were associated with increased risk of CLABSI. Power-injectable PICCs were associated with increased risk of CLABSI and VT formation. Postplacement adjustment of PICCs was not associated with increased risk of CLABSI or VT. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2013;34(8):785-792

To describe the frequency of use of all types of urinary catheters, including but not limited to indwelling catheters, as well as positive cultures associated with the various types. We also determined the accuracy of catheter-days reporting at our institution.

Prospective, observational trial based on patient-level review of the electronic medical record. Chart review was compared with standard methods of catheter surveillance and reporting by infection control personnel.

Ten internal medicine and 5 long-term care wards in 2 tertiary care Veterans Affairs hospitals in Texas from July 2010 through June 2011.

The study included 7,866 inpatients.

Measurements included patient bed-days; days of use of indwelling, external, suprapubic, and intermittent urinary catheters; number of urine cultures obtained and culture results; and infection control reports of indwelling catheter-days.

We observed 7,866 inpatients with 128,267 bed-days on acute medicine and extended care wards during the study. A urinary catheter was used on 36.9% of the total bed-days observed. Acute medicine wards collected more urine cultures per 1,000 bed-days than did the extended care wards (75.9 and 10.4 cultures per 1,000 bed-days, respectively; P < .0001 ). Catheter-days were divided among indwelling-catheter-days (47.8%), external-catheter-days (48.4%), and other (intermittent- and suprapubic-catheter-days, 3.8%). External catheters contributed to 376 (37.3%) of the 1,009 catheter-associated positive urine cultures. Urinary-catheter-days reported to the infection control department missed 20.1% of the actual days of indwelling catheter use, whereas 12.0% of their reported catheter-days were false.

Urinary catheter use was extremely common. External catheters accounted for a large portion of catheter-associated bacteriuria, and standard practices for tracking urinary-catheter-days were unreliable.

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01052545.

To investigate prospectively the clinical course and risk factors for ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis (VAT) and the impact of VAT on intensive care unit (ICU) morbidity and mortality.

Prospective cohort study.

University Hospital Larissa, Larissa, Greece

Critical care patients who received mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours were prospectively studied between 2009 and 2011.

The modified Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score, white blood cell count, and C-reactive protein level were systematically assessed every 2 days for the first 2 weeks of ICU stay. Bronchial secretions were assessed daily. Quantitative cultures of endotracheal secretions were performed on the first ICU day for every patient and every 2 days thereafter for the first 2 weeks or more at the discretion of the attending physicians. Definition of VAT was based on previously published criteria.

A total of 236 patients were observed; 42 patients (18%) presented with VAT. Gram-negative pathogens, which were usually multidrug resistant, were responsible for 92.9% of cases. Patients with a neurosurgical admission presented with VAT significantly more often than did other ICU patients (28.5% vs 14.1%; P = .02). The occurrence of VAT was a significant risk factor for increased duration of ICU stay (OR [95% CI], 3.04 [1.35-6.85]; P = .01). Age (OR [95% CI], 1.04 [1.015-1.06]; P = .02), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (OR [95% CI], 1.08 [1.015-1.16]; P = .02), and C-reactive protein level at admission (OR [95% CI], 1.05 [1.011.1]; P = .02) were independent factors for ICU mortality.

VAT is a nosocomial infection that might be associated with prolonged stay in the ICU, especially in neurocritical patients. VAT was not associated with increased mortality in our study.

To describe the epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) carriage and acquisition among hospitalized patients in an area of CRE endemicity.

Cohort study with a nested case-control study.

Two acute care, academic hospitals in New York City.

All patients admitted to 7 study units, including intensive care, medical-surgical, and acute rehabilitation units.

Perianal samples were collected from patients at admission and weekly thereafter to detect asymptomatic gastrointestinal carriage of CRE. A nested case-control study was performed to identify factors associated with CRE acquisition. Case patients were those who acquired CRE during a single hospitalization. Control subjects had no microbiologic evidence of CRE and at least 1 negative surveillance sample. Clinical data were abstracted from the medical record.

The prevalence of CRE in the study population was 5.4% (306 of 5,676 patients), and 104 patients met the case definition of acquisition during a single hospital stay. Mechanical ventilation (odds ratio [OR], 11.5), pulmonary disease (OR, 5.2), days of antibiotic therapy (OR, 1.04), and CRE colonization pressure (OR, 1.15) were independently associated with CRE acquisition. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis identified 87% of tested Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates as sharing related patterns (greater than 78% similarity), which suggests clonal transmission within and between the study hospitals.

Critical illness and underlying medical conditions, CRE colonization pressure, and antimicrobial exposure are important risk factors for CRE acquisition. Adherence to infection control practices and antimicrobial stewardship appear to be critical components of a CRE control program.

To determine the relationship between methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization density, colonization site, and probability of infection in a frequently screened cohort of intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Patients had swab samples tested for MRSA at admission to the ICU, discharge from the ICU, and twice weekly during their ICU stay, and they were followed up for development of MRSA infection. Swab test results were analyzed to determine the proportion of patients colonized and the proportion colonized at each screening site. Hazard of MRSA infection (rate of infection per day at risk) was calculated using a Cox proportional hazards analysis, and risk factors for MRSA infection, including presence of MRSA, degree of colonization, and pattern of colonization were determined.

Among the 4,194 patient episodes, 238 (5.7%) had screening results that were positive for MRSA, and there were 34 cases of MRSA infection. The hazard ratio (HR) for developing an infection increased as more sites were colonized (HR, 3.4 for being colonized at more than 1 site compared with colonization at 1 site [95% confidence interval, 1.2-9.9]). Colonization site was predictive of developing infection (HR for nose or throat colonization compared with no colonization, 168 [95% confidence interval, 69-407]).

This study demonstrated that the hazard of developing an infection was higher when more sites were colonized and that certain sites were more predictive of infection than others. These results may be useful for predicting infection in ICU patients and may influence treatment.

Assessing the impact of 2009 influenza A (H1N1) on healthcare workers (HCWs) is important for pandemic planning.

We retrospectively analyzed employee health records of HCWs at a tertiary care center in New York City with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and confirmed influenza from March 31, 2009, to February 28, 2010. We evaluated HCWs' clinical presentations during the first and second wave of the pandemic, staff absenteeism, exposures among HCWs, and association between high-risk occupational exposures to respiratory secretions and infection.

During the pandemic, 40% (141/352) of HCWs with ILI tested positive for influenza, representing a 1% attack rate among our 13,066 employees. HCWs with influenza were more likely to have fever, cough, and tachycardia. When compared with the second wave, cases in the first wave were sicker and at higher risk of exposure to patients' respiratory secretions (P = .049). HCWs with ILI- with and without confirmed influenza-missed on average 4.7 and 2.7 work days, respectively (P = .001). Among HCWs asked about working while ill, 65% (153/235) reported they did so (mean, 2 days).

HCWs in the first wave had more severe ILI than those in the second wave and were more likely to be exposed to patients' respiratory secretions. HCWs with ILI often worked while ill. Timely strategies to educate and support HCWs were critical to managing this population during the pandemic.