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PubMed · 9120245

Outbreak investigations.

C Beck-Sague·W R Jarvis·W J Martone
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Abstract

Epidemic nosocomial infections are defined as hospital-acquired infections that represent an increase in incidence over expected rates. Epidemic-associated infections usually are clustered temporally or geographically, suggesting that the infections are from a common source or are secondary to increased person-to-person transmission. Epidemics are important, because they account for a substantial percentage of nosocomial infections. Furthermore, if infection control personnel thoroughly investigate outbreaks of nosocomial infections, they may identify new agents, reservoirs, or modes of transmission.

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Cross InfectionDisease OutbreaksEpidemiologic MethodsHospitalsHumansInfection ControlJournal Article

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C Beck-Sague, W R Jarvis, W J Martone. 1997. Outbreak investigations.. https://doi.org/10.1086/647571

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[Prevention and control of the spread of vancomycin-resistant enterococci: results of a workshop held by the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology].

The incidence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), especially E. faecium, is increasing in several German hospitals and some facilities have experienced VRE outbreaks. The German National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System has also noticed a sharp increase in the incidence of nosocomial VRE infections per 10,000 patients from 0.5 in 2003 to 11.0 in 2005 accompanied by a rise in VRE-associated mortality. However, the reasons of this increase remain unknown. As VRE may cause severe nosocomial infections, transmission must be restricted. This article provides the guidelines as defined by the workshop of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology for the prevention of VRE transmission in both, endemic and epidemic, settings. The following topics are discussed: indication for VRE screening, microbiological diagnostics, general infection control measures (isolation precautions and use of protective clothing) and additional hygiene measures in the nosocomial VRE outbreak setting.

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