Staff training: a key factor in reducing intravascular catheter sepsis.
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A children's hospital nutritional care team prospectively monitored the frequency of sepsis in central venous catheters used for administering parenteral nutrition. During an initial study period of 12 months, 26/58 (45%) of catheters were removed because of proved sepsis. The possible causes of this alarmingly high rate were examined, with catheter care techniques on the wards coming under particular scrutiny. As a result protocols were modified and an intensive staff training programme implemented throughout the hospital, led by the nutritional care sister. Subsequently, the catheter sepsis rate was significantly reduced with only 9/107 (8%) of consecutive catheters becoming infected. These findings emphasise the key role that education of staff plays in controlling central venous catheter sepsis and the importance and cost effectiveness of special nursing staff in implementing such measures. (+info)
Formalin (0.25%) as topical anti-microbial agent in burns.
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In a prospective controlled trial, 0.25% formalin spray was compared with 2% silver sulfadiazine cream as the local treatment of burns. Formation and separation of eschar, infection and death rates were recorded. In the group receiving formalin, rates of formation and separation of eschar were significantly more (P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.05 resp.) compared to other group. Infection rate and fatality due to infection were also reduced. Other advantages of formalin are ease of application and the low east. (+info)
Wireless, remote-query, and high sensitivity Escherichia coli O157:H7 biosensor based on the recognition action of concanavalin A.
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A systematic review and meta-analysis of the risk of microbial contamination of aseptically prepared doses in different environments.
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PURPOSE: To review microbial contamination rates about preparation of individual and batch doses using aseptic techniques within pharmaceutical (controlled) and clinical (ward and theatre) environments. METHODS: Systematic review, involving amalgamation of data using a random effect model and metaanalysis. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies from 17 reports (7277 doses), mostly single arm studies, were identified for analysis. The overall contamination rates for doses prepared in clinical environments were found to be 5.0% (95% CI; 1.8%, 13.1%, n = 8 studies) for individual doses and 2.0% (95% CI; 0.3%, 13.1%; n = 5) for doses prepared as part of a batch. Rates for doses prepared in pharmaceutical environments were found to be 1.9% (95% CI; 0.8%, 4.2%; n = 5) for individual doses and 0.0% (95% CI; 0.0%, 0.8%; n= 1) for doses prepared as part of a batch. The results indicate greater overall contamination rates of doses prepared in clinical than pharmaceutical environments, in those prepared individually than in batch preparation, and in those in which additions rather than no additions were made. Significant differences were only found between pharmaceutical and clinical environments for batch doses, and between batch and individual doses prepared in a pharmaceutical environment. The studies differed substantially in sample size, interventions and comparison conditions, especially in the clinical setting. The quality of the data was judged to be low. CONCLUSION: Contamination rates in clinical and pharmaceutical environments were commonly found to be unacceptably high. Intuitive recommendations for reducing contamination rates by carrying out the procedures in a pharmaceutical environment using batch doses are supported by an evidence base that needs to be strengthened further. (+info)
Sterile trauma to normal human dermis invariably induces IL1beta, IL6 and IL8 in an innate response to "danger".
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Efficacy of soaking in 70% isopropyl alcohol on aerobic bacterial decontamination of surgical instruments and gloves for serial mouse laparotomies.
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Rodent surgeries in biomedical research facilities are often performed in series. This practice presents many challenges to maintaining aseptic technique between animals. Here, we examined using soaking in 70% isopropyl alcohol for aerobic bacterial decontamination of surgical instruments and gloves used in a series of as many as 10 mouse laparotomy surgeries. These surgeries were performed on mice that were euthanized immediately prior to the procedure. Instruments and gloves were cultured before and after each procedure to determine the presence of aerobic bacterial contamination. To assess the efficacy of the decontamination protocol, culture results were grouped by procedure and then paired (before soak and after soak) for analysis using McNemar test at an alpha level of 0.05. In addition, by using the Fisher exact test, this modified aseptic method was compared with strict aseptic technique, for which autoclaved instruments and sterile surgical gloves were used for each procedure. In this study, we observed that the modified aseptic technique using 70% isopropyl alcohol soaks pre- vented aerobic bacterial contamination of instruments and gloves for as many as 5 mice. (+info)
Aseptic laboratory techniques: volume transfers with serological pipettes and micropipettors.
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