To assess the relative importance of risk factors for surgical-site infections (SSIs) in orthopedic patients and thereby determine which risk factors to monitor in the national surveillance of SSI in The Netherlands.

Reanalysis of data on SSI and associated risk factors from two surveillance projects on nosocomial infections, carried out in 1992 and 1993 in The Netherlands: Project Surveillance Nosocomial Infections in the region of Utrecht (PSZU) and the first Project Surveillance Surgical Wound Infections (SWIFT-1). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for age, gender, preoperative stay, and the number of operations. In addition, in PSZU, other nosocomial infections, and, in SWIFT-1, prophylactic antibiotics, acute surgery, and wound contamination were studied.

The study was confined to hospitalized orthopedic patients (PSZU, 4,872; SWIFT-1, 6,437).

In PSZU, the following ORs were significant in a multivariate model: age 0-44 years, 1.0; 45-64 years, 1.6; 65-74 years, 4.7; and 75-99 years, 6.0. For a preoperative stay over 4 days, the OR was 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI95], 2.5-4.0), and for multiple surgery, 2.5 (CI95, 1.9-3.0). For females, the OR was 0.8 (not significant). The same model applied to SWIFT-1 gave similar ORs. Adjustment for additional nosocomial infections (PSZU) decreased the ORs for ages over 65 years remarkably. The OR for additional nosocomial infections in patients under 65 years of age was 15.6 (CI95, 4.3-57.4). Adjustment for prophylactic antibiotics, acute surgery, and wound-contamination class (SWIFT-1) did not influence the ORs of the original model, but showed that wound-contamination class was an important risk factor.

Age, additional nosocomial infections, wound-contamination class, preoperative stay, and the number of operations were identified as important risk factors for SSI in Dutch orthopedic patients.

To assess the prevalence of gram-positive coccal (GPC), gram-negative bacillary (GNB), and fungal bloodstream infections (BSIs) during a 12-year period in which a consistent antibiotic treatment protocol was in place; to evaluate the efficacy of these antibiotic policies in relation to treatment, to the emergence of bacterial or fungal resistance, and to the occurrence of infection outbreaks or epidemics.

Case series.

Demographic, clinical, and bacteriological information from 363 infants born during 1986 through 1991 and 1992 through 1997 who developed 433 blood-culture-proven BSIs was analyzed. Early-onset BSIs were defined as those infections discovered within 48 hours of birth, and late-onset BSIs as those that occurred thereafter. Suspected early-onset BSIs were treated with ampicillin and gentamicin, and suspected late-onset BSIs with vancomycin and gentamicin. Antibiotics were changed on the basis of organism antimicrobial susceptibility.

Early-onset BSIs were noted in 52 of 21,336 live births and 40 of 20,402 live births during 1986 through 1991 and 1992 through 1997, respectively. GPC (83% due to group B streptococcus [GBS]) accounted for approximately one half of early-onset BSI cases and GNB (68% Enterobacteriaceae) for the remainder. Early-onset GBS declined from 24 to 11 cases (P =.04) and late-onset BSI increased from 111 to 230 cases (P<.01) from the first to the last study period. Sixty-eight percent of late-onset BSIs were due to GPC (primarily coagulase-negative Staphylococcus), 18% to GNB, and 14% to fungus. Over the study period, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from the newborn intensive-care unit (unlike those strains from other hospital units) remained fully susceptible to ceftazidime and gentamicin. Although the hospitalwide prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus increased, all 17 newborn BSI cases were due to methicillin-sensitive strains. Prevalence of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus increased, although all strains remained vancomycin-susceptible, as did the 16 Enterococcus faecalis isolates. All fungi recovered (from 48 patients) were susceptible to amphotericin.

We observed a decrease in the prevalence of early-onset BSIs due to GBS and an increase in late-onset BSIs due to GPC, GNB, and fungi. The combination of ampicillin and gentamicin for suspected early-onset BSIs and vancomycin and gentamicin for late-onset BSIs has been successful for treatment of individual patients without the occurrence of infection outbreaks or the emergence of resistance. Controlled antibiotic programs and periodic evaluations based on individual unit and not on hospitalwide antibiograms are advisable.

To determine the risk factors for colonization or infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients.

Retrospective matched-pair case-control study.

Continuity clinic and inpatient HIV service of a university medical center.

Patients with HIV infection from the general population of eastern and coastal Texas and from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Patient charts and the AIDS Care and Clinical Research Program Database were reviewed for the following: age, race, number of admissions, total hospital days, presence of a central venous catheter, serum albumin, total white blood cell count and absolute neutrophil count, invasive or surgical procedures, any cultures positive for S aureus, and a history of opportunistic illnesses, diabetes, or dermatologie diagnoses. Data also were collected on the administration of antibiotics, antiretroviral therapy, steroids, cancer chemotherapy, and subcutaneous medications.

In the univariate analysis, the presence of a central venous catheter, an underlying dermatologie disease, lower serum albumin, prior steroid therapy, and prior antibiotic therapy, particularly antistaphylococcal therapy or multiple courses of antibiotics, were associated with increased risk for colonization or infection with methicillin-resistant S aureus. Multivariate analysis yielded a model that included presence of a central venous catheter, underlying dermatologie disease, broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure, and number of hospital days as independent risk factors for colonization or infection with methicillin-resistant S aureus.

In our HIV-infected patient population, prior hospitalization, exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics, presence of a central venous catheter, and dermatologie disease were risk factors for acquisition of methicillin-resistant S aureus

To assess state-based surveillance for isolation from a sterile site of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in Connecticut.

Clinical laboratory reporting (passive surveillance) of VRE isolates to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CDPH) was followed by state-initiated validation, laboratory proficiency testing, and review of hospital demographic characteristics.

All 45 clinical laboratories and all 37 (36 for 1995 and 1996) acute-care hospitals in Connecticut were included in the study.

The outcome measures included determination of the statewide incidence of VRE and the accuracy of passive reporting, determination of clinical laboratory proficiency in detecting VRE, and analysis of hospital characteristics that might be associated with an increased incidence of VRE.

During 1994 through 1996, 29 (78%) of 37 hospital-affiliated clinical laboratories and 1 (11%) of 9 commercial or other laboratories in Connecticut reported to the CDPH the isolation of VRE from sterile sites; 158 isolates were reported for these 3 years. Based on verification, we discovered that these laboratories actually detected 58 VRE isolates in 1994, 104 in 1995, and 104 in 1996 (total, 266). The age-standardized incidence rate of VRE was 14.1 cases per million population in 1994 and 26.8 cases per million population for both 1995 and 1996. Laboratory proficiency testing revealed that high-level vancomycin resistance was identified accurately and that low- and moderate-level resistance was not detected. The incidence of VRE isolates was three times greater in hospitals with over 300 beds compared with categories of hospitals with fewer beds. Increases in the number of VRE isolates were at least twice as likely in hospitals located in areas with a higher population density, or with a residency program or trauma center in the hospital.

Passive reporting of VRE isolates from sterile sites markedly underestimated the actual number of isolates, as determined in a statewide reporting system. Statewide passive surveillance systems for routine or emerging pathogens must be validated and laboratory proficiency ensured if results are to be accurate and substantial underreporting is to be corrected.

To determine the microbial load found on used critical medical devices (5 spinal anesthesia needles, 21 catheters, and 28 sheaths) prior to sterilization and to evaluate the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide gas plasma against inoculated Bacillus subtilis var giobigii (American Type Culture Collection 9372) spores.

Membrane filter and pour-plate methods were applied to estimate total microbial loads (aerobic and anaerobic, mesophilic and thermophilic, vegetative and spore forms). Spinal anesthesia needles (102 units) and sheath components (61 units) were inoculated with a suspension of B subtilis spores. After drying, the devices were sterilized with hydrogen peroxide gas plasma.

Higher counts of aerobic, mesophilic, and fungal organisms were recovered when the drying period was insufficient. Anaerobic spores were not found in any analyzed presterilization items. The hydrogen peroxide gas plasma effected a 5 to 7 log10-fold reduction in B subtilis spore counts in well-dried needles and sheath components.

The success of hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization depends mostly on educating the staff to assure well-cleaned and dried reusable medical devices, allowing penetration of the hydrogen peroxide gas plasma into the critical points of the items and providing a reduction in organisms.

To determine the overall and per-day risk of complications of short peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheters placed for indefinite periods.

During 5 months, general pediatric patients receiving intravenous therapy through short PIV catheters were monitored. Patient and catheter characteristics were recorded, complications were noted, and rolled semiquantitative cultures of removed catheters were performed. Major endpoints were infection and phlebitis. Per-day risk of complications and catheter colonization (>15 colony-forming units) were calculated.

University children's hospital.

General pediatric ward inpatients with PIV.

We studied 642 Teflon catheters in place >24 hours (mean, 3.7 days) in 525 patients. There were no cases of catheter sepsis (0%; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 0%-0.6%), one possible insertion-site infection (0.2%; CI95, 0.004%-0.9%), and seven cases of phlebitis (1.1%; CI95, 0.4%-2.3%). Catheter colonization occurred in 92 (26%) of 348 catheters cultured. Neither the per-day risk of phlebitis nor of catheter colonization increased significantly with placement >3 days.

Current guidelines recommend replacement of PIV catheters in adults within 2 to 3 days; no recommendations are made for children. Our findings and those of others indicate that the overall risk of PIV catheter complications in children is extremely low and would not be reduced substantially by routine catheter replacement.