Background The spread of carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) outbreaks consists not only of germs producing KPC and OXA-48, endemic already, but also metallo-beta-lactamase such as NDM or VIM. In Tuscany, Italy, a multidisciplinary regional task force has extended, since NDM alert spread out, from 1st Oct 2019 the CRE screening programme, via molecular testing, to newly admitted patients in high risk settings (medical, intensive care, oncology, transplant, infectious diseases, cardiac surgery units) to fight cross-contamination. The aim of the study is to assess levels and types of CRE in an italian teaching hospital (615 beds) after the programme became effective. Methods The surveillance team began recording daily all the CRE positive cases, defined as laboratory confirmed colonizations/infections with CRE. Our retrospective, descriptive study covers the time span between 30th Sep - 16th Dec 2019. Cases were classified by infected apparatus and by resistance phenotype, and we calculated descriptive statistics. Results In total we identified 97 cases (male 60.82%, mean (+/-SD) age 71.58+/-17.34 years, 74.23% in medical wards); 5 patients had two body districts infected and 9 carried two different phenotypes. Out of 102 positive samples, 92.16% were bowel colonization, 1.96% BSI, 3.92% urinary and 1.96% respiratory. Among these, 21 were NDM (19.81%), 29 KPC (27.36%), 4 OXA-48 (3.77%), 52 VIM (49.06%). The most detected germ was Klebsiella pneumoniae (30.19%), followed by Escherichia coli (2.83%), Enterobacter cloacae (2.83%), Citrobacter freundii and braakii (2.83%), Klebsiella oxytoca (1.89%). 61 agents were unspecified (57.55%). Among the 21 NDM, 76.19% were K. pneumoniae, only one was a BSI. Conclusions CREs continue to be present despite constant surveillance. Although high levels of KPC-producing agents persist, the new spread of VIM phenotype is significant, highlighting, however, that the pathogen wasn't detected in over 50% of the samples. Key messages Despite increased surveillance, there is still a consistent portion of patients colonized with unidentified CRE. A surveillance mainly focused on NDM-producing CREs had incidentally highlighted an unexpected spread of VIM phenotype.
Background Proper operating room (OR) ventilation and air filtration are important measures to prevent infection of the surgical site and consequently reduce hospital stay and healthcare costs. In order to identify how changes in the air system can affect air quality, tailor-made researches need to be conducted in ORs. The aim of the study is to verify how a mobile air filtration system can affect the air quality of ORs when placed in different positions. Methods This is a descriptive study conducted during April and May 2018 in the University Hospital of Siena, Italy. We measured air flows through the vents of both the OR air system and a mobile novel air system unit, which includes a patented crystalline ultraviolet C reactor and an HEPA filter. Using a CAD 3D simulation software (SolidWorks 2017) the air flows interactions were simulated in the replicated OR. Results The device influenced the original airflows generated by the integrated OR ventilation system. Simulations have shown that when the device is positioned close to the wall with its intake beside the entrance and its outlet towards the operating table, air from outside can enter the room because the air intake from the device prevails over the internal pressure of the OR, increasing contamination. If the device is placed near the OR centre with its suction towards the operating table and its outlet towards the OR entrance, if the door is opened, airflows towards the outside of the room prevail, improving ability to retain outgoing contaminants. Conclusions The different positioning of mobile devices that generate clean air flows within ORs can have a significant impact on aerodynamics, which can turn can affect critical aspects of the surgical outcome. In order to achieve an effective device placement and orientation, OR-specific environmental measurements should be carried out. Key messages Movable devices may help boosting the performance of air systems in operating rooms. Every operating room needs a specific study in order to obtain the best profit.
Background Nutrition and life styles have a crucial role as health determinants. In particular, an intervention on eating habits and physical activity/inactivity does heavily influence obesity and overweight prevention, alongside associated diseases. Preteen and teenage profile is critical for developing the state of health in adulthood, and it is heavily determined by the sociocultural family background. For this reason, school could become an important actor in health promotion, in the form of coordinated and cross-disciplinary courses about food and behaviors. The aim of the study is to verify the effect of an intervention of food education in several schools. Methods This cross-sectional study, originated from the “sCOOL FOOD” project of Monte dei Paschi Foundation of Siena, involves schools of southeastern Tuscany, Italy. The project currently engages various classes from primary and secondary schools in which year-round awareness campaigns are conducted. The activities consist in theory classes and workshops held by professionals or teachers of the school previously trained for the purpose. A same questionnaire was administered to families before and after each campaign, exploring eating habits, lifestyle and biometrics. The data analyzed so far date from October 2017 to May 2018. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed on the distributions of children BMI classes, defined according to IOTF cutoffs, obtained exclusively from participants who submitted both questionnaires. Results 308 paired records of data were collected as mentioned above. We found that, after the campaign, children BMI classes distribution shift towards reduction was statistically significant (z=-2.053; p < 0.05). Conclusions Since the intervention was able to influence a childhood health determinant, it could be an opportunity to compensate those family dynamics that could lead towards health disadvantages in adulthood. Key messages A coordinated and cross-disciplinary food and lifestyle year-round education campaign at school can impact on health determinants of children. School can correct unfavorable eating and lifestyle behaviors determined by family habits.
Background Childhood obesity is becoming a social health problem in the western world and an important goal is to analyze and correct risk factors. Part of the problem could be determined by a different perception of the weight. We aim to determine the association between children's BMI and the parent's perception of their Health Status. Methods In October 2019 we conduced a cross sectional study in which a questionaire was administrated to the parents of primary and secondary schools children in South-East Tuscany, Italy. Eating habits, lifestyle and biometric data were collected from children and their parents. 4324 persons were included. We used Stata for descriptive and inferential analysis. Cohen's Kappa was used to find the correlation between variables. Results Analysis was carried out on 1421 complete questionnaires. We found that most of parents have a wrong perception of weight's children. 88.3% of parents who have obese children belive that his child is normal weight or only “a little overweight” and only 11.7% have a perception of their child's obesity. 67.6% of parents who have overweight children, belive that their child is normal weight. While among underweight children, 74.3% of parents belive that their child is normal weight. Cohen's kappa show poor agreement between real and perceived BMI (K = 0.26; p = 0.0001). Conclusions Our results show, among the overweight children, there is a misperception in the weight of the child by the parents, uniformly with the data present in the literature. Acquisition of healty behavior during childhood is extremely important for the state of health in adulthood and for avoiding the onset of associated diseases. Therefore, food education becomes a crucial objective for the future of our country: an essential goal is to create prevention programs addressed to children and parents to increase consciousness of the correct weight and the diseases that can result from bad nutrition. Key messages Many parents have a misperception of the weight of their children. It is crucial to educate parents to control their children's weight to avoid the onset of metabolic diseases. Increase consciousness in children and parents of the correct weight should become extremely important to avoid the onset of disease in adulthood.
Issue The New Delhi-Enterobateriaceae producing metallo-beta-lactamase NDM, resistant to carbapenems, are responsible of hospital outbreaks. The European Centre for disease prevention and control has published a report about the NDM outbreaks in Italy. Knowledge and application of all types of precautions is necessary to obtain adequate control. Description Between June and August 2019 an outbreak of Klebsiella pneumoniae producing NDM-1 occurred in an acute cardiac surgery setting from medium to high intensity, in a third level-hospital in Italy. Every patient with at least one positive typing test for NDM in clinical specimens was defined as a case. The infection control team sought patient 0, reviewed patients' daily records and created a timeline to control movements, verifying risk factors and time to positivity. The correct application of isolation and standard precautions was assessed. Auditing and training sessions were carried out. Our aim is to verify if these actions sufficed to control and halt the outbreak. Results Fourteen cases were identified, mean age=66.28 (SD = 13.55), 71.43% of them had a previous negative test. Positivity was found in samples from 13 rectal swabs (prevalence 12.38%), 7 lung aspirates, 3 urine cultures, 2 blood cultures and 2 wound swabs. Eight patients were positive in multiple body districts, 5 have been admitted to the same hospital within the year before, 3 came from other hospitals. The patient 0 has been moved in from a medical ward. After auditing, a training class was given to healthcare staff. The class concerned NDM phenotype, hand hygiene, isolation and personal protective equipment, with further observation in wards. In the following three months no new cases were registered. Lessons A continuous high-level adherence to standard precautions and hand hygiene by healthcare staff should be supported by adequate training. This is confirmed to be a strong action to prevent or stop cross-contamination. Key messages Colonization of multiresistant germs in healthcare due to cross-contamination has to be tackled promptly. Auditing and training actions should be taken into serious account in order to ensure an effective reaction from healthcare staff.
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