Control of cross-infection in an intensive care unit

Harris, D. M.; Orwin, J. M.; Colquhoun, John; Schroeder, H.-G.

doi:10.1017/s0022172400041954

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…There is a five-bedded intensive care unit (I.C.U. ), previously described in detail (Harris et al 1969), and a four-bedded renal transplant unit (R.T.U.). Frequent (often daily) bacteriological monitoring is carried out on relevant clinical material from patients in these two units.…”

Section: M Harris and P B Gray Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pseudomonas aeruginosaand the general hospital: a six-year survey

Harris

Gray

1974

J. Hyg.

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SUMMARYThe incidence of infections caused byPseudomonas aeruginosadid not increase significantly among general surgical and medical patients between 1967 and 1972, and the majority of such infections were trivial. Serious infections were virtually confined to the intensive care unit and the renal transplant unit, and were usually associated with major trauma, surgical mishap or immunosuppression. The majority of these patients had received prior antibiotic therapy. Persistent isolation ofPs. aeruginosafrom surgical wounds was often associated with severe intra-abdominal sepsis, and antibacterial therapy was commonly ineffective in these cases. Apparently susceptible patients did not necessarily acquire infection, though the organism was present in their environment. It is suggested that this may reflect a variation of virulence among environmental strains ofPs. aeruginosa, and that further study of this aspect may contribute to improved control of infection.

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Section: M Harris and P B Gray Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pseudomonas aeruginosaand the general hospital: a six-year survey

Harris

Gray

1974

J. Hyg.

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“…The five-bedded intensive-care unit in question has already been described in detail, together with particulars of the methods routinely employed to limit crossinfection (Harris, Orwin, Colquhoun & Schroeder, 1969). It caters primarily for the treatment of respiratory insufficiency, but also undertakes the monitoring of cardiac arrhythmias following myocardial infarction.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Staphylococcal infection in an intensive-care unit, and its relation to infection in the remainder of the hospital

Harris

1973

J. Hyg.

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SUMMARYA survey of the staphylococcal infections occurring in a general hospital over a period of four and a half years showed that multiple-resistant strains of phage type 77 were endemic in the medical and surgical wards. Strains of this phage type were uncommon among patients attending the casualty department, and those found were usually either fully sensitive to antibiotics or resistant to benzyl-penicillin only. Regular monitoring of patients admitted to the intensive-care unit showed that 58 % of staphylococcal infections in such patients were present at the time of admission to the unit. Although the wards thus constituted a significant reservoir of infection for the intensive-care unit, there was no evidence to suggest that the return of patients from the unit to the wards was responsible for the transfer of infection in the opposite direction. The possibility of reducing the numbers of multiple-resistant staphylococci in the general wards, by the screening of all new admissions for the presence of tetracycline-resistant strains, appears to be impracticable in this area.

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“…We have described elsewhere (Harris et al 1969) our methods for routine disinfection of the Unit. Perhaps we should add that we have had little success in reducing bacterial colonization of sinks and washbasins, but these are probably not important as sources of clinical infection.…”

Section: General Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%