The purpose of this research was to determine the relationship of the slime layer antigen(s) to the "101" or LPS antigens and to attempt to evaluate the role of antibodies against the latter in protection against experimental infections in mice with the homologous strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results from agglutination tests, chromatographic separations, passive protection tests, and characterizations of the antigens by gel double diffusion do not support the concept that LPS is a necessary portion of the immunogenic material. The immunogenicity of LPS can be attributed to co-purification of residual amounts of slime layer antigens on the washed cells from which LPS was extracted.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-12-09Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:31:20Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 franchi_eplp_me_botfm.pdf: 4815496 bytes, checksum: 1dc26a3719261d8f1f4551fbb04a10f4 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O gênero Staphylococcus está envolvido em infecções adquiridas tanto na comunidade como em hospitais, sobressaindo-se atualmente como um dos maiores problemas clínicos e epidemiológicos em infecções nosocomiais. Diante da importância do S.aureus como um dos microrganismos mais freqüentemente isolados de infecções de pele e tecidos moles e a crescente disseminação dos S. aureus resistentes a oxacilina (MRSA), este estudo objetiva identificar a presença de MRSA em feridas de pacientes atendidos em unidades básicas de saúde da cidade de Botucatu, caracterizar o cassete cromossômico mec e identificar fatores de risco para aquisição de S aureus e MRSA. Foram incluídas no estudo 126 amostras isoladas de 107 pacientes atendidos no período de março de 2010 à fevereiro de 2011. As amostras foram submetidas à identificação e detecção de resistência a oxacilina pelo método de difusão com disco de oxacilina e cefoxitina, penicilina, levofloxacina, clindamicina, eritromicina, gentamicina, sulfametazol/Trimetropim, tigeciclina, ácido fusídico, quinupristina/dalfopristina, linezolida e vancomicina. Foi realizada a caracterização do SCCmec por PCR multiplex nas amostras de S. aureus com gene mecA. Foi investigada a presença dos genes codificadores da Leucocidina Panton-Valentine (PVL). As amostras de Staphylococcus spp. também foram submetidas detecção de produção de -lactamase. Das 126 amostras estudadas, 73(58%) foram identificadas como genero Staphylococcus spp., sendo 49/73(67,1%) isolados S. aureus e 24/73(32,9%) estafilococos coagulase-negativa (ECN). A produção de -lactamase foi positiva em 65/73(89%) das amostras de Staphylococcus spp. Foi encontrado 7/49(14,2%) isolados de S. aureus e 13/24(54,1%) isolados de ECN com presença do gene mec A... / The genus Staphylococcus is involved in both community and hospital-acquired infections, currently standing out as major clinical and epidemiological problems in nosocomial infections. Given the importance of S. aureus as one of the most frequently microorganism isolated from skin and soft tissue infections and the increasing spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the aims of this study were to identify the presence of MRSA in wounds of patients treated at basic health units in Botucatu, characterize the cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) and identify risk factors for acquisition of S aureus and MRSA. The study included 126 isolates from 107 patients treated from March 2010 to February 2011. The samples were identified and the disk diffusion method with cefoxitin and oxacillin disks was carried out in order to detect the resistance to oxacillin. The disk diffusion method was also carried out to set the susceptibility profile for the following antibiotics: penicillin, levofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin, gentamicin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, tigecycline, fusidic acid, quinupristin/dalfopristin, linezolid and vancomycin. mecA positive samples were submitted to SCCmec characterization using multiplex PCR. We also investigated the presence of genes encoding Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) as far as the - lactamase production. From the 126 samples studied, 73 (58%) were identified as genus Staphylococcus spp., and 49/73 (67.1%) isolates were identified as S.aureus and 24/73 (32.9%) as coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS). The -lactamase production was positive in 65/73 (89%) samples of Staphylococcus spp. The mecA gene was detected in 7/49 (14.2%) isolates of S. aureus and 13/24 (54.1%) isolates of CoNS. Among MRSA, 4/7 (57.2%) isolates were SCCmec type... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Problem detection is a critical component in nursing, such that superior detection could lead to quicker intervention, even if the nature of the problem is not yet clear. A critical problem intensive care nurses typically engage in is detecting the threat of an impending hospital-acquired infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the presence of risk factors, expertise, and time pressure on problem detection. The results suggested that time pressure seemed to have a detrimental effect on problem detection, and nurses benefitted from the presence of more risk factors. When not under time pressure, nurses were more sensitive in their problem detection judgments, and only needed one risk factor to trigger problem detection. Experienced nurses were more sensitive to the type of infection at detection, and were more likely to identify the problem correctly after information had been accumulated. These results suggest that problem detection was differentially affected by risk factors based on the presence or absence of time pressure. In addition, experienced nurses took a different approach to problem detection when compared to novices. Finally, problem detection and problem identification can in some situations occur simultaneously, but are distinct processes.

Orientador: Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro de Souza da Cunha / Banca: Carlos Magno Castelo Branco Fortaleza / Banca: Maria Clara Padoveze / Resumo: O gênero Staphylococcus está envolvido em infecções adquiridas tanto na comunidade como em hospitais, sobressaindo-se atualmente como um dos maiores problemas clínicos e epidemiológicos em infecções nosocomiais. Diante da importância do S.aureus como um dos microrganismos mais freqüentemente isolados de infecções de pele e tecidos moles e a crescente disseminação dos S. aureus resistentes a oxacilina (MRSA), este estudo objetiva identificar a presença de MRSA em feridas de pacientes atendidos em unidades básicas de saúde da cidade de Botucatu, caracterizar o cassete cromossômico mec e identificar fatores de risco para aquisição de S aureus e MRSA. Foram incluídas no estudo 126 amostras isoladas de 107 pacientes atendidos no período de março de 2010 à fevereiro de 2011. As amostras foram submetidas à identificação e detecção de resistência a oxacilina pelo método de difusão com disco de oxacilina e cefoxitina, penicilina, levofloxacina, clindamicina, eritromicina, gentamicina, sulfametazol/Trimetropim, tigeciclina, ácido fusídico, quinupristina/dalfopristina, linezolida e vancomicina. Foi realizada a caracterização do SCCmec por PCR multiplex nas amostras de S. aureus com gene mecA. Foi investigada a presença dos genes codificadores da Leucocidina Panton-Valentine (PVL). As amostras de Staphylococcus spp. também foram submetidas detecção de produção de -lactamase. Das 126 amostras estudadas, 73(58%) foram identificadas como genero Staphylococcus spp., sendo 49/73(67,1%) isolados S. aureus e 24/73(32,9%) estafilococos coagulase-negativa (ECN). A produção de -lactamase foi positiva em 65/73(89%) das amostras de Staphylococcus spp. Foi encontrado 7/49(14,2%) isolados de S. aureus e 13/24(54,1%) isolados de ECN com presença do gene mec A... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The genus Staphylococcus is involved in both community and hospital-acquired infections, currently standing out as major clinical and epidemiological problems in nosocomial infections. Given the importance of S. aureus as one of the most frequently microorganism isolated from skin and soft tissue infections and the increasing spread of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the aims of this study were to identify the presence of MRSA in wounds of patients treated at basic health units in Botucatu, characterize the cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) and identify risk factors for acquisition of S aureus and MRSA. The study included 126 isolates from 107 patients treated from March 2010 to February 2011. The samples were identified and the disk diffusion method with cefoxitin and oxacillin disks was carried out in order to detect the resistance to oxacillin. The disk diffusion method was also carried out to set the susceptibility profile for the following antibiotics: penicillin, levofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin, gentamicin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, tigecycline, fusidic acid, quinupristin/dalfopristin, linezolid and vancomycin. mecA positive samples were submitted to SCCmec characterization using multiplex PCR. We also investigated the presence of genes encoding Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) as far as the - lactamase production. From the 126 samples studied, 73 (58%) were identified as genus Staphylococcus spp., and 49/73 (67.1%) isolates were identified as S.aureus and 24/73 (32.9%) as coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS). The -lactamase production was positive in 65/73 (89%) samples of Staphylococcus spp. The mecA gene was detected in 7/49 (14.2%) isolates of S. aureus and 13/24 (54.1%) isolates of CoNS. Among MRSA, 4/7 (57.2%) isolates were SCCmec type... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Title: Vietnamese nursing students’ knowledge and attitudes to hospital-acquired infections and hygiene guidelines. Background: Increased hospital-acquired infections are a global concern. Compliance to hygiene guidelines is essential to prevent infections in health care. Knowledge and attitudes are important factors that affect implementations of precautions in health care. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the knowledge and attitudes of Vietnamese nursing students’ in year 2, 3 and 4 regarding hospital-acquired infections and hygiene guidelines. Method: An empirical cross-sectional study were 2 questionnaires with set responses was answered by 235 nursing students at a Vietnamese university. Result: The result showed that the students’ knowledge was overall at a moderate level. The 3rd year students reported best amount of knowledge, 2nd year the next best and 4th year students reported the lowest. Students’ attitudes regarding hand hygiene were mostly positive. Questions students reported negative attitudes into were regarded priorities due to lack of time and resources, the effort of remember hand hygiene actions and comfort in reminding other health care workers. Students in 4th year were the ones with the least positive attitudes while year 2 and 3 were more equal. Conclusion: The scores on the hand hygiene (HH) knowledge test improved from year 2 to year 3 but decreased in year 4. The amount of positive attitudes in the subject was equal in year 2 and 3 but less positive in year 4. This indicates that infection control training needs to be ongoing during all the education. We also think it should be highlighted to clinical supervisors and other HCWs that they have a responsibility to emphasize the importance of hand hygiene when teaching future nurses.

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Hospital-acquired infections are to date a major challenge in the patient safety. The proliferation of pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae is often reported in connection with textiles, which represent a significant source of transmission. This leads most often to the contamination and cross-contamination of the hospitalized patient and the hospital staff. A promising approach and the immediate objective of this research is the application of probiotics to a textile fabric. They provide preliminary evidence in being able to inhibit pathogenic bacteria growth through their competitive mechanism. During this study, screen-printing was used as a method to apply probiotics on a polyester fabric. The viability of probiotics on the fabric was evaluated in the agar plate test method. Samples that exhibited a growth of grown out colonies were further tested regarding their efficacy towards the abovementioned pathogens. This was determined in a competition test, that included the individually inoculation of the samples with the different bacteria strains. Contact-angle measurements and abrasion resistance as well as the durability were tested in order to investigate the applicability of the fabric and scanning electron microscope images were taken to detect probiotics and to evaluate the quality of the print on the fabric. Major findings included that probiotics were able to survive on the polyester fabric and that these viable probiotics are further successful in the growth inhibition of pathogenic bacteria. Thereby their efficacy against pathogens is related to the viability the probiotics. As neither the probiotics used in this study, nor the other ingredients are considered as hazardous, this process is environment-friendly. This work increases the understanding of probiotics mechanism and their survival and competition behaviour on a textile material. It opens a way in the reduction of hospital-acquired infections through the beneficial effects of probiotics.

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a gram positive, anaerobic, spore forming bacterium. C. difficile infections are triggered by dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiome linked to age, immune status, and medication; particularly use of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors (PPI). The spore forming nature of the bacteria gives it the ability to persist in the environment for long periods of time and makes it impervious to many commonly-used hospital cleaning and disinfection products. C. difficile, along with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) are some of the leading multi-drug resistant hospital acquired infections in the United States. Environmental contamination and patient susceptibility are hypothesized as major contributors to infection transmission in a healthcare setting. We conducted a cross-sectional pilot study aimed at determining the bioaerosol concentration of C. difficile present in the toilet plume of C. difficile infected patients’ rooms. Patient rooms within the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics (UIHC) were sampled using a customized bioaerosol air impactor device. Environmental samples were collected before and after flushing the toilet to determine the pre-flush and post-flush levels of aerosolized bacteria. Particle density was collected during both pre and post-flush sampling. Activity levels in the rooms were recorded as a potential confounding variable. A total of 144 environmental samples were collected in 24 rooms. Clostridium difficile was detected in two of the twenty-four rooms (8%). There was a 12% (9/72) positive culture rate pre-flush compared to 23% (19/72) post-flush. Wilcoxon rank sum tests revealed a significant increase in particle concentration at the 5.0µm and 10.0µm size between rooms that produced a bacterial culture compared to rooms that did not (p-values 0.0095 and 0.0082 respectively). There was no significant association between the amount of activity in the room and detectable bioaerosol production (p-value=0.605). Next, we performed a randomized control trial of hospital privacy curtains with antimicrobial properties to determine their ability to resist pathogenic bacterial contamination in an intensive care unit setting. Rooms within the surgical and neurological intensive care unit at UIHC were randomized to receive impregnated curtains, impregnated curtains plus Fuzion hypochlorite spray, or standard control curtains. MRSA, VRE, Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. were the four most frequently cultured pathogenic species. Time to event (contamination) analysis identified a significant difference in time to pathogenic contamination between the control curtains and the impregnated curtains post spray (p-value<0.001). The impregnated curtains post Fuzion spray also grew significantly less colonies of bacteria compared to the control curtains (p-value<0.001). After evaluating environmental risk factors that contribute to Clostridium difficile infection, patient related risk factors for infection were evaluated. Proton pump inhibitors are a class of gastric acid reducers that work by reducing the amount of hydrogen ions produced in the stomach. Recent evidence suggests that prolonged use could negatively affect the intestinal microbiome making it more susceptible to enteric pathogens. A nested case control study was done to determine the association between PPI medication duration and C. difficile infection. Fecal microbiome diversity was analyzed via logistic regression in relation to the development of Clostridium difficile infection. A co-morbidity score was created to adjust for other microbiome altering conditions. PPI duration remained a significant predictor of infection after adjusting for the microbiome influence (p-value=0.0123). Environmental contamination remains a significant risk factor for the transmission of hospital acquired infections including C. difficile. Toilets flushing has been shown to produce pathogenic bioaerosols in the healthcare setting. Hospital privacy curtains have been shown to routinely be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria including other gastrointestinal bacteria that could increase susceptibility to C. difficile infection. PPI medication, which is frequently prescribed in the hospital, has been shown to increase the risk of C. difficile infection, although specific microbiome changes could not be identified.

Nosocomial infections are acquired in health care settings and they can lead to catastrophic health care consequences for patients. These infections can also pose significant financial burdens on society and health care systems. Educating nurses on hand hygiene is essential to reducing infection rates. The research question for the study examined the effectiveness of hand hygiene among nurses in reduction of nosocomial infections and how can health care organizations develop educational strategies to reduce nosocomial infections to improve public confidence in health care systems. The purpose of this study was to educate nurses on how to reduce the incidence of nosocomial infections. The evidence-based practice model for this project was Florence Nightingale's environmental theory. The health belief model was used to identify the reasons for health care culture and how they inspire change. In this study, 2 licensed practical nurses and 2 registered nurses were educated on how to reduce nosocomial infections in acute care settings. Participants then completed a questionnaire to assess their knowledge of hand hygiene as a means of reducing nosocomial infections when caring for patients. All participants agreed that hand hygiene; reduces the risk of contracting a nosocomial infection, suggesting that the incidence of nosocomial infections within acute care settings maybe reduced through this education. This project has potential positive social change by educating first and second year nursing students on the importance of hand hygiene in reduction of nosocomial infections and preventing patients from sustaining further injuries while admitted in acute care settings.

Background Hospital-acquired infections are significant cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients worldwide. Healthcare workers during job are exposed to blood borne pathogens through contact with infected body parts, blood and body fluids. World health organization (WHO) estimated that globally about 2.5% of HIV and 40% of hepatitis viral infected cases are among health workers due to exposures. The most important mechanism of spread of these pathogens is through contaminated hands of the healthcare workers. Standard precautions measures are essential to prevent and control healthcare associated infection among healthcare workers and patients. In developing countries despite the development of detailed guideline for infection control the knowledge of standard precautions is low and not properly applied. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and practice of health care workers regarding standard precautions and hand hygiene to infectious disease control.  Aim The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of health care workers regarding hand wash and standard precautions to control infectious diseases in BMCH. In addition create awareness among participants and encourage them to practice regularly hand hygiene and standard precautions to control or reduce nosocomial infections in health care facilities Methods The study design is cross-sectional evaluation of healthcare worker knowledge and practices about standard precautions and hand hygiene for infectious disease control. A questionnaire administered to health care workers (doctors and nurses). The questionnaire was divided in two parts and the first part concerns demographic information, asking knowledge and practice. The second part asked opinions about risk and prevention of HAIs. The questionnaire was developed with consultation of other studies of the same kind. It has been pre tested and is finalized for survey. The ethical approval was given by hospital superintendent and informs consent from all study participants. Statistic analysis was done on Excel and statistical software SPSS version 20. Data was described in numbers, percentages and Chi Square test done for association among categorical variables, significant level was considered P= &lt;0.05. Results Two hundred questionnaires were distributed to HCWs in BMCH and 169 completely fill questionnaire were returned. The male gender respondents were 42% and female respondents were 58%. The basic questions about knowledge of hand hygiene and standard precautions were answered well in both categories; about 73% were with sufficient knowledge. The practice of hand hygiene and standard precautions was not satisfactory among both categories; about 47% found with good practice. Differences found in sub groups, young age none trained doctors and nurses answered wrong and shown lack of knowledge. This study found an association of age, profession and job experience with knowledge and practice regarding hand hygiene and standard precautions. Open handed questions described well the major issue regarding HAIs and participants emphasized on risk and prevention methods.  Conclusions The respondents were HCWs (doctors and nurses) of both sex and this study found that majority of HCWs have good knowledge and practice about control of HAIs but difference were found in age groups, sex and profession. Above half of the HCWs were not trained for infection control in health facilities, thus getting training of infection control is important but more important is implementation of it during practice.