MRSA, Staph, Staff, Mersa, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Symptoms & Treatment

Do the detergents keep working

Link: Longitudinal analysis of chlorhexidine susceptibilities of nosocomial methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates at a teaching hospital in Taiwan -- Wang et al., 10.1093/jac/dkn208 -- Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Background: Chlorhexidine has been widely used for hand hygiene to prevent transmission of nosocomial pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, data on longitudinal surveillance of the susceptibility of MRSA isolates to chlorhexidine are limited. Methods: A total of 240 nosocomial MRSA isolates obtained in 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005 at National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH), a hospital where chlorhexidine gluconate was used for hand hygiene for more than 20 years, were included in the study. Chlorhexidine susceptibility, molecular typing using multilocus sequence typing and distribution of the qacA/B gene of these MRSA isolates were studied. Results: The proportion of tested MRSA with a high MIC of chlorhexidine (≥4 mg/L) was 1.7% in 1990, 50% in 1995, 40% in 2000 and 46.7% in 2005. Among these 83 isolates with high chlorhexidine MICs, 55.4% carried the qacA/B gene. MRSA isolates carrying the qacA/B gene were first detected in 1995 and belonged to a single clone at that time. However, the qacA/B gene was detected in MRSA isolates belonging to seven different clones in 2005. Conclusions: The proportion of tested MRSA isolates with high chlorhexidine MICs at NTUH increased from 1990 to 1995 and remained steady thereafter. The presence of the qacA/B gene may contribute to the spread of specific MRSA clones.

Hand Wash & Antibiotic Care slowdown MRSA but not C diff

Link: Temporal effects of antibiotic use and hand rub consumption on the incidence of MRSA and Clostridium difficile -- Vernaz et al., 10.1093/jac/dkn199 -- Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the temporal relation between the use of antibiotics and alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs) and the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile. Methods: An interventional time-series analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of two promotion campaigns on the consumption of ABHRs and to assess their effect on the incidence of non-duplicate clinical isolates of MRSA and C. difficile from February 2000 through September 2006. This analysis was combined with a transfer function model of aggregated data on antibiotic use. Results: Consumption of ABHRs correlated with MRSA, but not with C. difficile. The final model demonstrated the immediate effect of the second hand hygiene promotion campaign and an additional temporal effect of fluoroquinolone (time lag, 1 month; i.e. antibiotic effect delayed for 1 month), macrolide (lag 1 and 4 months), broad-spectrum cephalosporins (lag 3, 4 and 5 months) and piperacillin/tazobactam (lag 3 months) use. The final model explained 57% of the MRSA variance over time. In contrast, the model for C. difficile showed only an effect for broad-spectrum cephalosporins (lag 1 month). Conclusions: We observed an aggregate-level relation between the monthly MRSA incidence and the use of different antibiotic classes and increased consumption of ABHR after a successful hand hygiene campaign, while no association with ABHR use was detected for C. difficile.

Bare below the elbow rule being enforced

Link: barrow in furness, barrow news sport, ulverston news sport, lake district news.

MEDICS at Furness General Hospital have been told to roll up their sleeves to stop infections spreading. The “bare below the elbow” policy aims to cut cases of hospital superbugs such as MRSA and C Diff. Staff are also being asked to remove watches, bracelets and rings to cut infection risk. The only jewellery allowed is a plain wedding band. The new dress code has been introduced as part of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust’s strict hand hygiene guidelines. Nurse consultant infection control at the trust, Paul Weaving said: “The most effective way to reduce cross infection is good hand hygiene. As a minimum, hands should be cleaned before and after any clinical contact with patients.

Healthcare Workers Low Compliance With Hand Hygiene

Link: Healthcare Workers Low Compliance With Hand Hygiene Is Responsible For Bacterial Contamination Not Only In Hospital Settings.

A study conducted by D. van der Vegt and A. Voss (Nijmegen, NL) presented at the 18th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona, has found that compliance with hand hygiene in the healthcare setting is generally low (on average 40%), despite the fact that good hand hygiene still is one of the most important measures to prevent nosocomial infections. Since the main indications for hand hygiene differ between healthcare and non-healthcare settings, but no comparison has been done previously, the aim of the study was to investigate the degree of compliance with hand hygiene after toilet visits in and outside the healthcare setting. Authors evaluated different groups of healthcare workers (hospital/laboratory personnel and participants of ECCMID 2007) and users of public lavatories along motorways with regard to their compliance with hand washing after toilet visits. Compliance with hand hygiene after toilet visits was 46% for hospital/laboratory personnel, 84% for participants of ECCMID 2007 and 75% for users of public lavatories along motorways, with healthcare workers showing the lowest compliance rates. Fortunately, healthcare workers showed different compliance with hand hygiene in and outside the healthcare setting: in fact the group of healthcare-workers participating to the ECCMID 2007 had the highest compliance. While the comparison of these different groups most certainly is not a perfect study, it is interesting to see that hand hygiene compliance after toilet visits is the lowest in the healthcare setting. Possibly, the feeling of a 'miasmic' environment (presumed 'dirty' public toilets) triggers hand hygiene compliance, whereas the "clean" hospital environment may jam the trigger to do so.

Family wants hand sanitizers in schools

Link: Bradenton.com | 04/22/2008 | Family wants hand sanitizers in schools.

Family wants Manatee County Schools to add hand sanitizers to protect against MRSA After their daughter, Hannah, nearly died of severe pneumonia complicated by antibiotic resistant staph infection, Kim and Scott Ryan are on a mission. They want to see hand santizers in all Manatee County schools to help protect children and staff from Methicillin-resistant staph aureus or MRSA. A form of staph bacteria that has been around for centuries, MRSA is everywhere, according to Dr. David Berman, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg who helped save Hannah's life. While MRSA pneumonia is a relatively new and rare infection, All Children's has been seeing an increase number of skin infections caused by the community acquired strain of the antibiotic resistant bacterium, Berman said. Berman supports the Ryans' call for increased emphasis on prevention. And the best prevention, Berman said, is simple soap and water. He advocates teaching good hand-washing skills (rubbing your hands with soapy suds for one complete singing of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star") and the availability of hand santizers and alcohol-based hand rubs in high traffic places where soap and water are not available.

Visitors who ignore 'wash your hands' signs at city hospitals are thwarting efforts against deadly superbugs.

Link: Visitors who ignore 'wash your hands' signs at city hospitals are thwarting efforts against deadly superbugs..

Visitors who ignore 'wash your hands' signs at city hospitals are thwarting efforts against deadly superbugs. Hospital bosses are now pleading with patients' friends and loved ones to remember to wash their hands when visiting - or risk spreading deadly infections to vulnerable patients. The warning comes as new figures published today show hospital bosses in Nottingham are slowly winning their war on bugs like MRSA and clostridium difficle. But their hard work is being sabotaged by visitors to the Queen's Medical Centre and City Hospital who ignore posters. Hand washing with alcohol gel kills bugs like MRSA. However, the hardy spores of the diarrhoea-causing C Diff bug are not affected - and those around patients with this infection should use soap and water. A new audit system has been brought in by bosses at Nottingham University Hospitals - which runs the two sites - to gauge how many people are washing their hands. The results are displayed on boards in each ward, with the percentage of nurses, doctors and visitors who follow the hand-washing advice displayed.

Next Generation Skin Sanitizer Technology To Provide Long-Lasting Protection From MRSA

Link: Quick-Med Technologies Is Developing A Next Generation Skin Sanitizer Technology To Provide Long-Lasting Protection From MRSA.

"Quick-Med's NimbuDerm technology has the potential to dramatically change the hand-hygiene paradigm by combining the immediate disinfection power of an instant sanitizer with the long-lasting antimicrobial persistence of an advanced bio-active polymer," declared Dr. Gerald M. Olderman, Vice President of R&D and leader of the company's scientific team. "With many infections being transferred via hand contact, we believe NimbuDerm's third-generation technology could bring a new level of hand-hygiene assurance to consumers and healthcare professionals alike" he observed. Laboratory tests demonstrate that NimbuDerm's unique antimicrobial polymer properties will kill more than 99.99% of disease causing germs, including the lethal strain of MRSA. Human use tests show that NimbuDerm also provides the same high level of continuing antimicrobial protection for 6 hours after each application without wearing off or losing its effectiveness. Poor hand hygiene is considered to be a major contributor to the increase in MRSA infections.

1 in 4 could spread MRSA 0n hands

Link: News Wales > Health > Clean hands could save a million pounds.

Twenty two percent of peope in Wales fail to wash their hands afer going to the loo, a report says today. Men are worse than women and England is worse than Wales. The report was released as Caerphilly company PHS Washrooms launched a world first in low energy hand-dryers - Airforcetm. The firm said handwashing could save more than a million pounds a year. According to the survey, 24 percent of us have witnessed people leaving the toilet daily without a visit to the sink – almost a third (29 percent) in the gents and just under 20 pecrent in the ladies. In England, just under a quarter (24 percent) have witnessed daily ‘leavers’, whereas in Wales the figure is just over a fifth (22 percent). And yet, says the report, only just over a third of us are reluctant to shake hands (35 percent) just in case someone hasn’t washed their hands.

Frequent Handwashing Increases Risk for Irritant Contact Dermatitis

Link: Frequent Handwashing Increases Risk for Irritant Contact Dermatitis.

For the millions of healthcare workers in the United States, repeated handwashing may not seem like an occupational hazard at first glance. In fact, good hand hygiene is essential to stop the spread of infections such as staphylococcus and clostridium. However, new research examining the risk factors for irritant contact dermatitis – a common skin condition marked by scaling, redness, itching and burning due to a chemical substance on the skin – among healthcare workers finds that those who washed their hands more than 10 times per day were more likely to develop the condition than those who washed their hands less frequently. Speaking at the 66th annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, held Feb. 1-5 in San Antonio, dermatologist Susan T. Nedorost, MD, FAAD, associate professor of dermatology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, presented findings that demonstrated a positive link between frequent handwashing and irritant contact dermatitis, or hand dermatitis, among healthcare workers. "We demonstrated that some people are predisposed to skin reactions to irritant detergents, and those who do ‘wet’ work in low humidity conditions where frequent handwashing is an essential part of the job are very susceptible to hand dermatitis," said Nedorost. "Our findings confirm that healthcare workers who wash their hands repeatedly are at an increased risk of developing hand dermatitis, which can take months to heal. This knowledge can help workers at risk for the condition to practice good hand care and follow preventative tips to decrease their risk factors on the job."

DeKalb Memorial launches hand hygiene awareness campaign

Link: DeKalb Memorial launches hand hygiene awareness campaign.

This spring, DeKalb Memorial Hospital is launching an awareness campaign to remind its staff and educate the community about the benefits of proper hand hygiene for prevention of infectious disease. With the recent rise in community acquired MRSA incidents, DeKalb Memorial believes now more than ever is the time to take on this important outreach and awareness effort. “Last fall, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured an article that said MRSA deaths have increased over HIV deaths in the past years,” said Kelly Dunham, vice president of DeKalb Memorial Hospital. “The public becomes aware, and they want to know what their hospitals are doing to avoid the harmful infection.” Although hospital acquired MRSA infection rates across the nation have remained relatively stable, it is the community acquired infection rates that are on the rise and in some cases have doubled in a few short years.