To evaluate whether hospital-acquired catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CA-UTIs) are accurately documented in discharge records with the use of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes so that nonpayment is triggered, as mandated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital-Acquired Conditions Initiative.

We conducted a retrospective medical record review of 80 randomly selected adult discharges from May 2006 through September 2007 from the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) with secondary-diagnosis urinary tract infections (UTIs). One physician-abstractor reviewed each record to categorize UTIs as catheter associated and/or hospital acquired; these results (considered “gold standard”) were compared with diagnosis codes assigned by hospital coders. Annual use of the catheter association code (996.64) by UMHS coders was compared with state and US rates by using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data.

Patient mean age was 58 years; 56 (70%) were women; median length of hospital stay was 6 days; 50 patients (62%) used urinary catheters during hospitalization. Hospital coders had listed 20 secondary-diagnosis UTIs (25%) as hospital acquired, whereas physician-abstractors indicated that 37 (46%) were hospital acquired. Hospital coders had identified no CA-UTIs (code 996.64 was never used), whereas physician-abstractors identified 36 CA-UTIs (45%; 28 hospital acquired and 8 present on admission). Catheter use often was evident only from nursing notes, which, unlike physician notes, cannot be used by coders to assign discharge codes. State and US annual rates of 996.64 coding (~1% of secondary-diagnosis UTIs) were similar to those at UMHS.

Hospital coders rarely use the catheter association code needed to identify CA-UTI among secondary-diagnosis UTIs. Coders often listed a UTI as present on admission, although the medical record indicated that it was hospital acquired. Because coding of hospital-acquired CA-UTI seems to be fraught with error, nonpayment according to CMS policy may not reliably occur.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of QuantiFERON TB Gold test (QFTG; Cellestis) in all situations where the tuberculin skin test (TST) is used. In November 2007, our institution replaced its screening-tool TST with the QFTG in-tube assay (QFT-GIT) for annual screening of latent tuberculosis infection among healthcare workers (HCWs). This study evaluated the effectiveness of QFT-GIT test as screening tool in HCWs at our institution.

This retrospective study reviewed medical records of all HCWs who underwent screening with QFT-GIT from January 2008 through December 2008.

Among the 6,530 HCWs screened with QFT-GIT from January through December 2008, 287 had a positive test result. Of the 287, 123 had positive TST results in the past, meaning that 164 HCWs had newly diagnosed latent tuberculosis infection by QFT-GIT. Of the 164 HCWs, 135 were retested by QFT-GIT and were simultaneously tested with TST within 4 weeks after the initial QFT-GIT. Of these 135 HCWs, 66 reverted to negative results and results remained positive for 69 with QFT-GIT. Only 2 HCWs had a positive TST result.

The disagreement between QFT-GIT and TST results and the high reversion rate with QFT-GIT raise concerns about the effectiveness of QFT-GIT as a sole screening test in HCWs.

Use of oral antiseptics decreases the bacterial load in the oral cavity.

To compare the antimicrobial activity of 3 novel oral antiseptics with that of Chlorhexidine, which is considered the “gold standard” of oral hygiene.

Comparative in vitro study.

Four common oral microorganisms (Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and Fusobacterium nucleatum) were tested under standard conditions and at different concentrations, by use of a broth dilution assay and an agar diffusion assay and by calculating the log10 reduction factor (RF). The antimicrobial activity of each antiseptic was assessed by counting the difference in bacterial densities (ie, the log10 number of colony-forming units of bacteria) before and after the disinfection process.

The oral antiseptics containing octenidine (with an RF in the range of 7.1–8.24 CFU/mL) and polyhexamethylene biguanide (with an RF in the range of 7.1–8.24 CFU/mL) demonstrated antimicrobial activity comparable to that of Chlorhexidine (with an RF in the range of 1.03–8.24 CFU/mL), whereas the mouth rinse containing Citroxx (Citroxx Biosciences; with an RF in the range of 0.22–1.36 CFU/mL) showed significantly weaker antimicrobial efficacy. Overall, octenidine and polyhexamethylene biguanide were more active at lower concentrations.

Oral antiseptics containing the antimicrobial agent octenidine or polyhexamethylene biguanide may be considered as potent alternatives to chlorhexidine-based preparations.

Because extensive antibiotic use by inpatients has been associated with the development of multidrug-resistant organisms, we aimed to determine which variables were associated with the use of antibiotics after viral respiratory tract infection diagnosis among adult patients admitted to the hospital with respiratory symptoms.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted at 2 affiliated urban hospitals in Pennsylvania. We identified all adult patients admitted to the hospital during the period from November 1, 2005, through August 1, 2007, with a viral assay positive for influenza A or B, parainfluenza, adenovirus, or respiratory syncytial virus. Among these patients, we identified those who received antibiotics after the diagnosis of viral RTL Data on demographics; comorbidities; and physical examination, laboratory, and radiographic findings were ascertained to identify risk factors for antimicrobial use among these patients.

A total of 196 hospitalized patients with positive viral assay results were included; 125 of 131 patients administered antibiotics continued to receive them after viral RTI diagnosis. Among 52 patients with an abnormal chest radiograph, 46 continued antibiotic therapy. An abnormal chest radiograph was independently associated with continued antibiotic use (adjusted odds ratio, 4.28 [95% confidence interval, 1.71-10.77]; P = .002). However, the majority of patients (79 of 125 [63%]) who continued antibiotic therapy had normal chest imaging findings. Eight patients (6%) who continued antibiotic therapy and no patients who stopped developed C. difficile infection (95% CI, 1.5-00; p = .05), but there was no significant difference in length of stay or mortality.

Antibiotics are commonly used to treat hospitalized patients with known acute viral RTIs. Continued use is strongly associated with abnormal radiograph findings at admission. However, the reasons for continuation of antibiotics in the treatment of the majority of patients with normal radiographs are unclear and may represent inappropriate use.

To evaluate the feasibility of using an electronic hand hygiene surveillance and feedback monitoring device.

A 2-phase pilot study included initial direct observation of hand hygiene practices as part of routine hospital quality assurance (phase I) and subsequent monitoring using an electronic hand hygiene surveillance device (phase II).

A 700-bed tertiary care teaching hospital.

Phase I included a convenience sample of healthcare workers. Phase II included 7 medical interns and 7 registered nurses recruited through email and at work-related meetings.

During phase I, healthcare workers were directly observed at patient room entry and exit during the period April through November 2008. During phase II, hand hygiene data were gathered through indirect observation using the electronic device during a 4-week period in August 2009. Twenty patient rooms were fitted with electronic trigger devices that signaled a reader unit worn by participants when they entered the room, and 70 dispensers for liquid soap or hand sanitizer were fitted with triggers that signaled the reader unit when the dispenser was used. The accuracy of the devices was checked by the principal investigator, who manually recorded his room entries and exits and dispenser use while wearing a reader unit.

During phase I, hand hygiene occurred before room entry for 95 (25.1%) and after room exit for 149 (39.4%) of 378 directly observed patient room visits, for a cumulative composite compliance rate of 32.3%. Among the 378 room visits, 347 (91.8%) involved contact with the patient and/or environment. During phase II, electronic monitoring revealed a cumulative composite compliance rate of 25.5%. The electronic device captured 61 (98%) of 62 manually recorded room entries and 133 (95%) of 140 manually recorded dispensing events.

The electronic hand hygiene surveillance device seems to be a practical method for routinely monitoring hand hygiene compliance in healthcare workers.

The rising incidence and mortality of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization or infection in children has become a great concern. This study aimed to determine the clinical and economic impact of MRSA colonization or infection on infants and to measure excess mortality, length of stay, and hospital charges attributable to MRSA.

This is a retrospective cohort study.

The study included infants admitted to a level III-IV neonatal intensive care unit from September 1, 2004, through March 31, 2008.

A time-dependent proportional hazard model was used to analyze the association between MRSA colonization or infection and mortality. The relationships between MRSA colonization or infection and length of stay and between MRSA colonization or infection and hospital charges were assessed using a matched cohort study design.

Of 2,280 infants, 191 (8.4%) had MRSA colonization or infection. Of 132 MRSA isolates with antibiotic susceptibility results, 106 were resistant to clindamycin and/or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, thus representing a noncommunity phenotype. The mortality rate was 17.8% for patients with MRSA colonization or infection and 11.5% for control subjects. Neither MRSA colonization (hazard ratio [HR], 0.9 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.5-1.5]; P > .05) nor infection (HR, 1.2 [95% CI, 0.7-1.9]; P > .05) was associated with increased mortality risk. Infection caused by MRSA strains that were resistant to clindamycin and/or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole increased the mortality risk by 40% (HR, 1.4 [95% CI, 0.9-2.2]; P > .05), compared with the mortality risk of control subjects, but the increase was not statistically significant. MRSA infection independently increased length of stay by 40 days (95% CI, 34.2—45.6; P < .001) and was associated with an extra charge of $164,301 (95% CI, $158,712-$169,889; P < .001).

MRSA colonization or infection in infants is associated with significant morbidity and financial burden but is not independently associated with increased mortality.

To describe the relationship between the use of central and peripheral venous catheters and the risk of nosocomial, primary, laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infection (BSI) for neonates with a birth weight less than 1,500 g (very-low-birth-weight [VLBW] infants).

Cox proportional hazard regression analysis with time-dependent variable was used to determine the risk factors for the occurrence of BSI in a cohort of VLBW infants. We analyzed previously collected surveillance data from the German national nosocomial surveillance system for VLBW infants. All VLBW infants in 22 participating neonatal departments who had a complete daily record of patient information were included.

Of 2,126 VLBW infants, 261 (12.3%) developed a BSI. The incidence density for BSI was 3.3 per 1,000 patient-days. The multivariate analysis identified the following significant independent risk factors for BSI: lower birth weight (hazard ratio [HR], 1.1–2.2), vaginal delivery (HR, 1.5), central venous catheter use (HR, 6.2) or peripheral venous catheter use (HR, 6.0) within 2 days before developing BSI, and the individual departments (HR, 0.0–4.6).

After adjusting for other risk factors, use of peripheral venous catheter and use of central venous catheter were significantly related to occurrence of BSI in VLBW infants.

Electronic surveillance systems (ESSs) that utilize existing information in databases are more efficient than conventional infection surveillance methods.

To develop an ESS for monitoring bloodstream infections (BSIs) and assess whether data obtained from the ESS were in agreement with data obtained by traditional manual medical-record review.

An ESS was developed by linking data from regional laboratory and hospital administrative databases. Definitions for excluding BSI episodes representing contamination and duplicate episodes were developed and applied. Infections were classified as nosocomial infections, healthcare-associated community-onset infections, or community-acquired infections. For a random sample of episodes, data in the ESS were compared with data obtained by independent medical chart review.

From the records of the 306 patients whose infections were selected for comparative review, the ESS identified 323 episodes of BSI, of which 107 (33%) were classified as healthcare-associated community-onset infections, 108 (33%) were classified as community-acquired infections, 107 (33%) were classified as nosocomial infections, and 1 (0.3%) could not be classified. In comparison, 310 episodes were identified by use of medical chart review, of which 116 (37%) were classified as healthcare-associated community-onset infections, 95 (31%) as community-acquired infections, and 99 (32%) as nosocomial infections. For 302 episodes of BSI, there was concordance between the findings of the ESS and those of traditional manual chart review. Of the additional 21 discordant episodes that were identified by use of the ESS, 17 (81%) were classified as representing isolation of skin contaminants, by use of chart review. Of the additional 8 discordant episodes further identified by use of chart review, most were classified as repeat or polymicrobial episodes of disease. There was an overall 85% agreement between the findings of the ESS and those of chart review (K = 0.78; standard error, K = 0.04) for classification according to location of acquisition.

Our novel ESS allows episodes of BSI to be identified and classified with a high degree of accuracy. This system requires validation in other cohorts and settings.

To determine independent risk factors for endometritis after low transverse cesarean delivery.

We performed a retrospective case-control study during the period from July 1999 through June 2001 in a large tertiary care academic hospital. Endometritis was defined as fever beginning more than 24 hours or continuing for at least 24 hours after delivery plus fundal tenderness in the absence of other causes for fever. Independent risk factors for endometritis were determined by means of multivariable logistic regression. A fractional polynomial method was used to examine risk of endometritis associated with the continuous variable, duration of rupture of membranes.

Endometritis was identified in 124 (7.7%) of 1,605 women within 30 days after low transverse cesarean delivery. Independent risk factors for endometritis included younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.93 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.90-0.97]) and anemia or perioperative blood transfusion (OR, 2.18 [CI, 1.30-3.68] ). Risk of endometritis was marginally associated with a proxy for low socioeconomic status, lack of private health insurance (OR, 1.72 [CI, 0.99-3.00]); with amniotomy (OR, 1.69 [CI, 0.97-2.95]); and with longer duration of rupture of membranes.

Risk of endometritis was independently associated with younger age and anemia and was marginally associated with lack of private health insurance and amniotomy. The odds of endometritis increased approximately 1.7-fold within 1 hour after rupture of membranes, but increased duration of rupture was only marginally associated with increased risk. Knowledge of these risk factors can guide selective use of prophylactic antibiotics during labor and heighten awareness of the risk in subgroups at highest risk of infection.

To identify risk factors for polymicrobial bloodstream infections (BSIs) in pediatric bone marrow transplant (BMT) outpatients attending a newly constructed clinic affiliated with a children's hospital.

All 30 outpatients treated at a new BMT clinic during September 10-21, 2007, were enrolled in a cohort study. The investigation included interviews, medical records review, observations, and bacterial culture and molecular typing of patient and environmental isolates. Data were analyzed using exact conditional logistic regression.

Thirteen patients experienced BSIs caused by 16 different, predominantly gram-negative organisms. Presence of a tunneled catheter (odds ratio [OR], 19.9 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.4-∞), catheter access (OR, 13.7 [95% CI, 1.8-∞]), and flushing of a catheter with predrawn saline (OR, 12.9 [95% CI, 1.0-766.0]) were independently associated with BSI. The odds of experiencing a BSI increased by a factor of 16.8 with each additional injection of predrawn saline (95% CI, 1.8-827.0). Although no environmental source of pathogens was identified, interviews revealed breaches in recommended infection prevention practice and medication handling. Saline flush solutions were predrawn, and multiple doses were obtained from single-dose preservative-free vials to avoid delays in patient care.

We speculate that infection prevention challenges in the new clinic, combined with successive needle punctures of vials, facilitated extrinsic contamination and transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. We recommend that preservative-free single-use vials not be punctured more than once. Use of single-use prefilled saline syringes might prevent multiuse of single-use saline vials. Storage of saline outside a medication supply system might be advisable. Before opening new clinic facilities, hospitals should consider conducting a mock patient flow exercise to identify infection control challenges.

To document the introduction of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA300 clone into a children's hospital. Current molecular epidemiology of infections due to the USA300 strain of MRSA in the pediatric healthcare setting remains obscure.

Retrospective study of patients with hospital-acquired S. aureus infection during the period from August 1, 2001, through July 31, 2007, at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.

Patients with hospital-acquired S. aureus infection from whom an isolate was available for molecular analysis were included. Clinical information was obtained from patient medical records and the electronic hospital information system. S. aureus isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and polymerase chain reaction testing for staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec, agr, the diamine N-acetyltransferase gene, and the Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes (pvl).

Of 242 patients with hospital-acquired S. aureus infection, 147 (61%) had methicillin-susceptible S. aureus infection. Of the 95 MRSA isolates causing hospital-acquired infection, 69 (73%) were USA300 isolates, and that rate did not increase over time. Skin and soft tissue infection (P < .001), onset of infection less than 10 days after admission (P = .007), and lack of comorbidities (P < .001) were associated with hospital-acquired MRSA infection caused by the USA300 strain, compared with other isolates (hereafter referred to as non-USA300 isolates). Nine of 10 patients with a S. aureus infection at the time of death were infected with a non-USA300 strain. USA300 carried SCCmec IV, agr I, the diamine N-acetyl transferase gene, and pvl. USA300 isolates were more susceptible to clindamycin, gentamicin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole than were other non-USA300 isolates (P < .01).

In our patient population, the annual numbers of observed cases of hospital-acquired S. aureus infection have remained constant. USA300 was the most common clone and, compared with other non-USA300 MRSA isolates, was associated with skin and soft tissue infection, early onset of infection after admission, and greater susceptibility to antimicrobial agents.