Become a member
Quick Registration
Full Registration Benefits -
Free Homepages for Doctors
Free Homepages for Hospitals
Free Homepages for Medical Conference
Free Homepages for NGO's
Personal Health Record Creation
Access to all Medical Slides
Access to all Jobs & Products Sale
Leading Cause of Infection Outbreaks in US Hospitals - Norovirus | |
|
| |
Norovirus, a pathogen that often causes food poisoning and gastroenteritis, was the reason for 18.2 percent of all infection outbreaks and 65 percent of ward closures in U.S. hospitals during a two-year period, says a new study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC), the official publication of APIC - the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
A team of researchers from Chartis, Main Line Health System, Lexington Insurance Company, and APIC Consulting Services collected survey responses from 822 APIC members who work in U.S. hospitals regarding outbreak investigations at their institutions during 2008 and 2009. The study was conducted to determine how often outbreak investigations are initiated in U.S. hospitals, as well as the triggers for investigations, types of organisms, and control measures including unit closures.
Thirty-five percent of the 822 hospitals responding had investigated at least one outbreak in the previous two years. Four organisms caused nearly 60 percent of the outbreaks: norovirus (18.2 percent), Staphylococcus aureus (17.5 percent), Acinetobacter spp (13.7 percent), and Clostridium difficile (10.3 percent). These results reflect 386 outbreak investigations reported by 289 hospitals over a 24-month period.
Medical/surgical units were the most common location of outbreak investigations (25.7 percent), followed by surgical units (13.9 percent). Nearly one-third (29.2 percent) of outbreaks were reported in a category that included emergency departments, rehabilitation units, long-term acute care hospitals, psychiatric/behavioral health units, and skilled nursing facilities. According to the results, the average number of confirmed cases per outbreak was 10.1 and the average duration was 58.4 days. Unit closures were reported in 22.6 percent of the cases, causing an average 16.7 bed closures for 8.3 days.
Of reported outbreaks, only 132 (52.2 percent) of investigations were reported to an external agency, with just 71 (28.4 percent) involving assistance in the investigation by an external resource. In most states, reporting to the state health department is required and can provide hospitals with expertise to expedite and expand their outbreak investigations.
"It is clear that outbreaks of healthcare-associated infections occur with some frequency in hospitals as well as nonacute settings," state the authors. "An infection prevention and control program and its staff should be prepared for all aspects of an outbreak investigation through written policies and procedures as well as communication with internal and external partners."
Source-Eurekalert
| |
|
|
 Comment & Contribute
|
Related Links
Fact Sheet on Food Poisoning
Consuming foods that have been contaminated with pathogens such as E.coli, Salmonella or Campylobacter, can cause food ...
Norovirus-Type Symptoms Forces Closure of Over 1,500 Hospital Beds
New figures released by the Department of Health in England show that the average number of closed beds per day due to norovirus-type symptoms have ...
LigoCyte's Norovirus Vaccine Demonstrates Protection Against Illness: NEJM Study
An experimental vaccine manufactured by LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc. provided significant protection against norovirus infection and related ...
Drug Derived from Tobacco Plant Could Offer Cure for Norovirus
A tobacco plant has yielded a unique vaccine for norovirus, a dreaded cause of diarrhoea and vomiting. Also known as the "cruise ship ...
Hospital Related News
Jharkhand Approves Act to Protect Doctors, Nursing Homes and Hospitals
The Medical Protection Act 2013 has been approved by the Jharkhand government to protect doctors, nursing homes and hospitals in the state from ...
Nearly 50 Percent Increase in ICU Admissions in US
A study released by George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) offers a detailed look at hospitals nationwide ...
Hospital Readmissions For Children With Common Conditions Affected by Nurse Staffing Ratios
Pediatric nurse staffing ratios are significantly associated with hospital readmission for children with common medical and surgical conditions. ...
Water Dispensers in Hospital Found to Have Traces of Pseudomonas Bacteria
The presence of highly dangerous bacteria responsible for the deaths of four babies has been traced at one of Northern Ireland's main ...
US Research Identifies Gun Violence as 'Important' Cause of Youth Injury
Youths injured in gun violence are more likely to need intensive care and are much more likely to die from their gunshot wounds than children injured ...
Watch a Favourite Movie During Surgery and Enjoy
Methods to deal with the anxiety of a surgery may have just got evolved, giving a break to dreary anaesthetic face masks and backless hospital ...
- Health News Index
|
|
- News Quick Links
 |
Norovirus
Complete Medindia Resources
|
| News Categories: |
| » | Health Campaigners Hail Brave Angelina Jolie's Mastectomy Revelation |
| » | Angelina Jolie's Breast Removal Surgery Boosts Cancer Awareness, Experts Advise Caution |
| » | Shakira Having Sleepless Nights During Pregnancy |
| » | Belgian Nobel Laureate Christian De Duve Dies |
| » | Sherri Shepherd Owes Her Life to Diabetes |
| More Celebrity News | |
|
Ask an Expert
