We examine factors associated with hand hygiene practices of hospital patients. Hygiene in the hospital decreased compared to that at home, and home practices were strongly associated with hospital practices. Understanding and leveraging the intrinsic value some patients associate with hand hygiene may be important for improving overall hospital hygiene and decreasing healthcare-associated infections.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections are increasing and are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Members of the Emerging Infections Network treating CRE encountered difficulties in obtaining laboratory results and struggled with limited treatment options. In addition, many treated patients experienced an alarming degree of drug toxicity from CRE therapies.

We evaluated the effectiveness of daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing in decreasing skin carriage of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase–producing Enterobacteriaceae (KPC) among long-term acute care hospital patients. CHG bathing reduced KPC skin colonization, particularly when CHG skin concentrations greater than or equal to 128 μg/mL were achieved.

In 31 patients, Phaeoacremonium parasiticum was recovered from bronchoscopy specimens (biopsies and aspirates). The pseudo-outbreak was caused by contaminated ice used to control hemorrhage during bronchoscopy and was associated with deficiencies in equipment cleaning. The bronchoscopy technique was modified, the ice dispenser was disinfected, bronchoscope reprocessing was improved, and there were no recurrences.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(8):1063–1065

We surveyed hospital epidemiologists and infection preventionists on their usage of and satisfaction with infection prevention–specific software supplementing their institution’s electronic medical record. Respondents with supplemental software were more satisfied with their software’s infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship capabilities than those without. Infection preventionists were more satisfied than hospital epidemiologists.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2014;35(7):891–893