Interactions with health care workers are often thought to be associated with the spread of microbes in the hospital setting. We have examined the genomic diversity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the gloves and gowns of health care workers from four hospitals in three states.
Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKp) is a significant public health concern that has contributed to the spread of carbapenem resistance and has been linked to high morbidity and mortality. Transmission of K. pneumoniae among patients through interactions with shared health care personnel (HCP) has been described as a source of infection in health care settings; however, it remains unknown whether particular bacterial characteristics are associated with increased CRKp transmission.
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Abstract Background The Benefits of Universal Glove and Gown (BUGG) cluster randomized trial found varying effects on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus and no increase in adverse events. The aim of this study was to assess whether the intervention decreases the acquisition of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Methods This was a secondary analysis of a randomized trial in 20 hospital intensive care units. The intervention consisted of healthcare workers wearing gloves and gowns when entering any patient room compared to standard care. The primary composite outcome was acquisition of any antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria based on surveillance cultures. Results A total of 40 492 admission and discharge perianal swabs from 20 246 individual patient admissions were included in the primary outcome. For the primary outcome of acquisition of any antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria, the intervention had a rate ratio (RR) of 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI], .71–1.12; P = .34). Effects on the secondary outcomes of individual bacteria acquisition were as follows: carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (RR, 0.86 [95% CI, .60–1.24; P = .43), carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter (RR, 0.81 [95% CI, .52–1.27; P = .36), carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas (RR, 0.88 [95% CI, .55–1.42]; P = .62), and extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing bacteria (RR, 0.94 [95% CI, .71–1.24]; P = .67). Conclusions Universal glove and gown use in the intensive care unit was associated with a non–statistically significant decrease in acquisition of antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Individual hospitals should consider the intervention based on the importance of these organisms at their hospital, effect sizes, CIs, and cost of instituting the intervention. Clinical Trials Registration NCT01318213.
We have examined the draft genomes of 388 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates obtained from intensive care unit patients at three geographically distributed hospitals to determine genomic diversity associated with potential health care worker-associated transmission.
Objective To quantify which publicly reported hospital quality metrics have the greatest impact on a patient’s simulated hospital selection for hip or knee arthroplasty. Design Discrete choice experiment. Setting Two university-affiliated orthopaedic clinics in the greater Baltimore area, Maryland, USA. Participants One hundred and twenty-eight patients who were candidates for total hip or knee arthroplasty. Primary and secondary outcome measures The effect and magnitude of acceptable trade-offs between publicly reported hospital quality parameters on patients’ decision-making strategies using a Hierarchical Bayes model. Results Publicly reported information on patient perceptions of attention to alleviation of postoperative pain had the most influence on simulated hospital choice (20.7%), followed by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rates (18.8%). The understandability of the discharge instructions was deemed the least important attribute with a relative importance of 6.9%. Stratification of these results by insurance status and duration of pain prior to surgery revealed that patient demographics and clinical presentation affect the decision-making paradigm. Conclusions Publicly available information regarding hospital performance is of interest to hip and knee arthroplasty patients. Patients are willing to accept suboptimal understanding of discharge instructions, lower hospital ratings and suboptimal cleanliness in exchange for better postoperative pain management, lower MRSA rates, and lower complication rates.
