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Introduction: This article analyzes experiences of antibiotic use and bacterial infections among Primary Health Care users of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) and the possible implications for antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The aim is to map aspects that shape users' lay knowledge regarding antibiotics use and AMR. Methods: This is an exploratory study, which consists primarily of individual in‐depth interviews with 19 respondents. Recurrent interview topics were coded and analysed according to thematic content analysis. Results: Our findings show users' lived experiences constitute three dimensions related to users' previous antibiotic use: (1) lay knowledge about medicines; (2) previous bacterial infections and (3) communication during the consultation. Lay knowledge encompasses the users' understanding of how antibiotics work in comparison to other drugs and experimentations they make with medication. Users' narratives about bacterial infections are divided into situations of urinary tract infections and antibiotic treatments for other conditions. Communication during the consultation is mainly characterized by a lack of shared knowledge and trust in the doctor–patient relationship. Discussion: Users bring together knowledge learned from their own experiences to create the rationale, which shapes how they understand antibiotic use, bacterial infections and medical advice. These experiences are interwoven with information received from healthcare professionals (HPs) on these topics, creating a scenario that goes beyond professional information about antibiotic use. Users have knowledge about medication, antibiotics use and bacterial infection but do not have room to share it with HP, allowing lived experiences to take precedence over professional information. Conclusion: Users ascribe symbolic meanings to antibiotics creating a lay knowledge frame, even if this knowledge is not scientifically correct. The personal experiences of bacterial infections and their treatment are also an important source of knowledge about antibiotic use and AMR among users. Users demand from their HPs both trust and willingness to listen to their health narratives and experiences. By considering lay knowledge as part of the assessment of a user's health condition, rather than dismissing it as erroneous and therefore unworthy of attention, HPs may enhance the compliance of users. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients or community members did not participate in the design stage of the study. Primary Care patients were invited to participate as respondents of in‐depth interviews, which were carried out by the first author at a Primary Care Unit (PCU) in the suburb of Campo Limpo, Southern region of São Paulo, Brazil. Patients were interviewed after reading and signing a Free and Informed Consent Form, holding with them a copy of the Form. Among the final activities of the project, a feedback session at the same PCU is planned to report on the results of the study. All respondents will have the opportunity to contribute further information regarding their antibiotic use and exchange knowledge and experiences on antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing threat to global health. The risks and sanitary consequences of AMR are disproportionately experienced by those living in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). While addressing antibiotic use has largely been documented in hospital settings, the understanding of social drivers affecting antibiotic prescribing and dispensing practices in the context of human and animal health in primary care (PC) in LMICs remains extremely limited. We seek to explore how in-locus and multi-level social factors influence antibiotic prescriptions and dispensing practices in the context of human and animal health in primary care in Brazil. This is a baseline qualitative One Health study; semi-structured interviews and field observations were undertaken in primary care sites located in a socioeconomically vulnerable area in the city of São Paulo, the most populated city of Brazil. Twenty-five human and animal healthcare professionals (HP) were purposely sampled. Interview data were subject to thematic analysis. Three overlapping social drivers were identified across HPs' discourses: individual and behavioral challenges; relational and contextual factors influencing the overprescription of antibiotics (AB); and structural barriers and systemic contradictions in the health system. As a result of the interaction between multilevel in-locus and structural and contextual factors, HPs experience contextual and territorial challenges that directly influence their risk perception, diagnosis, use of laboratorial and image exams, time and decision to undergo treatment, choice of AB and strategies in coping with AB prescriptions. Additionally, in-locus factors influencing antibiotic prescriptions and dispensing practices are intertwined with individual accounts of risk management, systemic contradictions and ambivalences in the national health system. Our findings suggest interventions tackling AB use and AMR in Brazil should consider the social context, the complex health system structure and current integrated programs and services in PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores stakeholders' perceptions of the challenges for developing a One Health agenda to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Brazil, including the development and implementation of the Brazilian National Action Plan (BR-NAP). The data originate from 27 interviews conducted with human, environmental, and animal health stakeholders, including academics, managers, and policymakers involved in developing the BR-NAP. Through thematic analysis, we identified three interconnected themes: governance, the health system, and technical and scientific challenges. The findings draw particular attention to failures in the agenda-setting process, revealed by interviewees strongly emphasising that AMR is not considered a policy priority in Brazil. The lack of political will and awareness of the clinical, social, and economic impacts of AMR are considered the main impediments to the agenda's progress. The joint work across disciplines and ministries must be reinforced through policymaker engagement and better environmental sector integration. The agenda must include sustainable governance structures less affected by political winds. Policies should be designed jointly with state and local governments to create strategies to engage communities and improve their translation into effective implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Enfermagem em Foco is the property of Conselho Federal de Enfermagem and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Oftalmologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Health care associated infections (HAIs) are a source of concern worldwide. No health service in any country can be considered HAI risk-free. However, there is scarcity of data on the risks to which both patients and health workers are subject in non-hospital settings. The aim of this study was to identify issues that determine the adherence of professionals to precautions for preventing transmission of microorganisms in primary health care. Method: This was a qualitative study, using focus groups of primary health care staff, in two Brazilian municipalities. The data were analysed using content analysis. Results: Four focus groups were conducted with 20 professionals (11 community health workers, 5 nursing assistants and 4 nurses), and the analysed content was organized into four thematic categories. These categories are: low risk perception, weaknesses in knowledge, insufficient in-service training and infrastructure limitations. Participants expressed their weaknesses in knowledge of standard and transmission based precautions, mainly for hand hygiene and tuberculosis. A lack of appropriate resources and standardization in sharps disposal management was also highlighted by the participants. Conclusion: The study points out the need to provide in-service training for professionals on the transmission of microorganisms in primary health care to ensure adequate level of risk perception and knowledge. Further recommendations include investment to improve infrastructure to facilitate adherence to precautions and to minimize the risk of disease transmission for both patients and health care workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rev Rene is the property of Rev Rene and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. To describe the analysis of geographical and temporal distribution of DNA profiles determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from hospitalized patients in a tertiary care university hospital in Brazil. Methods. Ninety-nine samples of MRSA obtained from 89 patients in the period 1999-2004 were studied. MRSA strains were isolated from central venous catheters (33 isolates) and bloodstream infections (66 strains). PFGE with 20 units of SmaI restriction endonuclease was used for genomic typing. Results. Analysis of DNA PFGE of 99 strains of MRSA revealed 26 profiles and their respective related profiles. The mean time interval for detecting MRSA infection was 26 days from hospital admission. Forty-nine patients (57.6%) had a recent hospitalization. The DNA PFGE MRSA profiles were distributed in three clonal groups--I, II, and III--according to the period of time when the MRSA strains were isolated. DNA PFGE MRSA profiles were spread homogeneously through all hospital wards. Conclusions. Changes in the distribution of DNA PFGE MRSA profiles were largely temporal, with clonal groups being replaced over time, without predominance in any hospital ward or any specific area of the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: to adapt and validate, by expert consensus, a set of indicators used to assess the sterilization process of dental, medical and hospital supplies to be used in PHC services. Method: qualitative methodological study performed in two stages. The first stage included a focal group composed of experts to adapt the indicators to be used in PHC. In the second stage, the indicators were validated using a 4-point Likert scale, which was completed by judges. A Content Validity Index of ≥ 0.75 was considered to show approval of the indicators. Results: the adaptations implemented by the focal group mainly referred to the physical structure, inclusion of dental care professionals, inclusion of chemical disinfection, and replacement of the hot air and moist heat sterilization methods. The validation stage resulted in an index of 0.96, which ranged from 0.90 to 1.00, for the components of the indicators. Conclusion: the judges considered the indicators after adaptation to be validated. Even though there may be differences among items processed around the world, there certainly are common characteristics, especially in countries with economic and cultural environments similar to Brazil. The inclusion of these indicators to assess the safety of healthcare supplies used in PHC services should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To report on the adaptations made to the original Nominal Group Technique (NGT), allowing it to be applied to the virtual format, preserving all its key elements., Method: An experience report on the adaptations and adjustments made to the original NGT to the virtual format using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), using digital tools that are available free of charge or are low cost and easy to use., Results: The NGT was carried out entirely virtually and underwent adaptations in each of its four stages through the incorporation of specific digital resources. It was possible to present the most voted ideas and obtain final approval from the participants. The participants had no difficulty in using the virtual resources provided and, based on the reaction evaluation, they were satisfied with the tools provided., Conclusion: The adapted NGT proved to be an effective method when used in a virtual setting, capable of producing a significant number of ideas and developing consensus. The adapted tool can be used by other researchers in countries with similar resources or dimensions to Brazil.

Objectives: to adapt, validate the content and assess the reliability of the instrument National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Task Load Index, translated into Brazilian Portuguese., Methods: a methodological study, divided into five steps: translation; synthesis; back-translation; assessment of the Portuguese version by an expert committee; pre-test and content validity of the final version by health professionals working in inpatient units. The Content Validity Index (CVI) (minimum 0.80) and Cronbach's alpha (minimum 0.70) were calculated., Results: in the first round, in the agreement analysis of the translated version, three items did not reach the minimum CVI value. It was decided to remove the statement. The instrument title and items "performance" and "effort" were changed. There was consensus and approval of the final version in the pre-test step., Conclusions: the NASA Task Load Index instrument, adapted to Brazilian Portuguese, presents reliability and content validity evidence.

Objectives: to describe the experience of reopening a Brazilian higher education institution during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: experience report of a step-by-set approach to reopening a nursing higher education institution in São Paulo, Brazil, from May 2020 to May 2021., Results: the plan was created and operated by a group including students, professors, and technical-administrative workers. Weekly or by-weekly meetings occurred according to changes in the epidemiological situation and the needs to review the local technical and political agreements., Conclusions: we suggest that reopening plans during the COVID-19 pandemic should be politically and technically legitimated by all members of the community of a higher education institution so that they can take place quickly and sustainably. The early identification of COVID-19 cases and the adoption of local administrative measures are necessary to reduce the risk of outbreaks.

Objective: To evaluate the structure compliance and prevention and control processes of Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs)., Method: A prospective and cross-sectional study conducted from 2015 to 2016 in small hospitals with up to 70 beds in a region of São Paulo state. Four previously validated indicators were evaluated and expressed as a compliance index (percentage in relation to the evaluated items)., Results: Fourteen (14) among the 27 recruited hospitals consented to participate in the study. The average compliance values for each indicator were: Program structure (61.0%); Operational guidelines (84.5%); Epidemiological surveillance (57.9%); and Prevention activities (74.5%). Greater compliance was observed in private hospitals (73.9%) and with the presence of an intensive care unit (90.3%). The hospitals had nurses assigned to the program (92.9%), but only 23.1% of the private institutions worked exclusively for six hours., Conclusion: Only the indicator referring to the Operational Guidelines of the evaluated programs was above 90% compliance for the median of hospitals. The greatest dispersion of compliance results among the studied hospitals was related to the Epidemiological Surveillance indicator.

Objective: Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a serious patient safety problem. There are effective preventive practices, but little information on adherence in Brazilian hospitals. This study aims at assessing adherence to good HAI prevention practices., Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at 3 different types of hospitals (public-federal, public-state and private) in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. A total of 19 structure and process indicators were measured based on 7 National Quality Forum Patient Safety Practices., Results: Overall adherence was low, but higher in the private hospital, followed by the public-federal and public-state institutions. There was adequate maintenance of central venous catheters and high vaccine coverage against the influenza virus among health professionals. However, hand hygiene adherence was low, and surgical antibiotic prophylaxis and prevention of multidrug-resistant bacteria transmission, urinary tract infection by urinary catheter and associated with mechanical ventilation were inadequate., Conclusions: Despite the availability of evidence-based recommendations, there is ample room for improvement in adherence to safe practices in the hospitals under study, contributing to the heightened risk of unnecessary harm to patients., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To discuss the potentialities of using the concept of vulnerability to support measures for preventing and controlling healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)., Methods: This theoretical study was conducted in steps: 1) presentation of markers that frame the concept of vulnerability; 2) presentation of the characteristics of the health events to which the concept of vulnerability is intended to be applied; 3) identification of research gaps that could be potentially filled by using the concept of vulnerability; 4) identification of the potentialities of using the concept of vulnerability to deal with HAIs., Results: Proposal of a framework for analyzing HAIs from a vulnerability perspective, including the individual and collective dimensions., Conclusion: Using the concept of vulnerability to study and deal with HAIs favors a new approach to an old problem, unlike the dominant studies that highlight the individual aspects of the practices in healthcare services.

Objective: To conduct a situational diagnosis of the Nursing Care Systematization (NCS) in a Basic Health Unit from the perception of the nursing team., Method: This was a quantitative, descriptive-exploratory study, conducted in a Basic Health Unit in the interior of São Paulo state, Brazil. A structured questionnaire containing Likert scale was used for data collection, previously validated by specialists., Results: The questionnaire was applied to 21 nursing professionals. It was verified that implementation of NCS and the nursing process is still incipient in the Basic Health Units. Regarding its use in all nursing actions: 19% of respondents believe that it is never used, 38% thought that it is rarely implemented, and 29% responded sometimes. The main difficulties identified were related to the lack of institutional structure, highlighting a lack of capacity by the institution (81%). The team has a reasonable understanding about the subject, but pointed out that professional education does not prepare them for performing NCS in primary care., Conclusion: Institutional interest in NCS is necessary to enable implementation. The study can contribute to the effective implementation in this unit and point out guidelines for its implementation in other similar contexts.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a global concern due to the impact on healthcare safety. Consequently, they demand the implementation of effective public policies for their prevention and control. The objective of this study was to analyze and compare the implementation of national programs for the prevention and control of HAIs in Brazil, Chile, and Israel. The triangle of health policy analysis was used to compare the context, process, and content of national HAI prevention and control programs. Common elements identified among the three countries led to the proposal of an explanatory theoretical model constituted of two nuclei: formation, and development & sustainability.This model may favor to understand the factors that can influence the progress of a national HAI program, providing insights into the elements for establishing programsin countries where they are still inceptive., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe the profile of women in relation to their living conditions, health status and socio-demographic profile, correlating it with the presence of signs and symptoms suggestive of post-cesarean surgical site infection, identifying information to be considered in the puerperium consultation performed by nurses and proposing a roadmap for the systematization of care., Method: Quantitative, exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective review of medical records of women who had cesarean deliveries in 2014, in the city of São Paulo., Results: 89 medical records were analyzed, 62 of them with incomplete information. In 11, there was at least one of the signs and symptoms suggestive of infection., Conclusion: Given the results of the study, the systematization of puerperal consultation is essential. The roadmap is an instrument that can potentially improve the quality of service and the recording of information.

Background: Minimal structure is required for effective prevention of health care-associated infection (HAI). The objective of this study was to evaluate the structure for prevention of HAI in a sample of Brazilian hospitals., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study from hospitals in 5 Brazilian regions (n = 153; total beds: 13,983) classified according to the number of beds; 11 university hospitals were used as reference for comparison. Trained nurses carried out the evaluation by using structured forms previously validated. The evaluation of conformity index (CI) included elements of structure of the Health Care-Associated Prevention and Control Committee (HAIPCC), hand hygiene, sterilization, and laboratory of microbiology., Results: The median CI for the HAIPCC varied from 0.55-0.94 among hospital categories. Hospitals with >200 beds had the worst ratio of beds to sinks (3.9; P < .001). Regarding alcoholic product for handrubbing, the worst ratio of beds to dispensers was found in hospitals with <50 beds (6.4) compared with reference hospitals (3.3; P < .001). The CI for sterilization services showed huge variation ranging from 0.0-1.00. Reference hospitals were more likely to have their own laboratory of microbiology than other hospitals., Conclusion: This study highlights the need for public health strategies aiming to improve the structure for HAI prevention in Brazilian hospitals., (Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to determine the rate of compliance on prenatal cards and the women's knowledge and feelings regarding Group B Streptococcus (GBS) screening in a maternity ward in São Paulo City, Brazil. Structured interviews and a review of prenatal card records of 391 women were performed. The GBS screening was not recorded in more than half of prenatal cards (51.4%, n = 201); 169 women reported no knowledge or not remembering the GBS screening., (Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study presents a critical evaluation of the scientific literature related to this subject, aiming to assess the policies and administrative issues regarding the prevention and magnitude of healthcare-associated infections and discuss the challenges for their prevention in Brazil. The topics discussed included historical and administrative issues, challenges imposed by the characteristics of the healthcare system and the territorial dimension, laboratorial support limitations, costs, institutional culture, professional qualification, and patient engagement. It is urgent to hold a nationwide discussion among government representatives, institutions, and healthcare workers and users to overcome these challenges.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the structure of governmental surveillance systems for Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) in the Brazilian Southeastern and Southern States., Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive and exploratory study, with data collection by means of two-phases: characterization of the healthcare structure and of the HAI surveillance system., Results: The governmental teams for prevention and control of HAI in each State ranged from one to six members, having at least one nurse. All States implemented their own surveillance system. The information systems were classified into chain (n=2), circle (n=4) or wheel (n=1)., Conclusion: Were identified differences in the structure and information flow from governmental surveillance systems, possibly limiting a nationwide standardization. The present study points to the need for establishing minimum requirements in public policies, in order to guide the development of HAI surveillance systems.

Background: The standard of outbreak reports must be improved to a level where they are robust enough to properly influence preventive strategies. We aimed to verify compliance with mandatory outbreak notification, describing epidemiologic characteristics and management, and evaluating the quality of outbreak reports on health care-associated infections in São Paulo State, Brazil., Methods: A systematic search was carried out on PubMed, the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature database, Embase, Outbreak Database, the Annals of Brazilian Conferences on Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention and Infectious Diseases, and reports from the São Paulo State Hospital Infection Division. The quality of reports was evaluated according to the Outbreak Reports and Intervention studies of Nosocomial Infection (ORION) statement guidelines., Results: A total of 87 outbreak reports were identified; however, only 15 outbreaks (17.2%) were reported to the São Paulo State Hospital Infection Division. Bloodstream infection and neonatal intensive care units were mostly implicated (23% and 19.5%, respectively). Quality, evaluated according to ORION statement recommendations, was generally poor. The ORION categories of Background, Objectives, Participants, Setting, Infection-Related Outcomes, and Generality were properly described in 32.2%, 74.7%, 2.3%, 46%, 2.3%, and 12.6% of reports, respectively. Interventions and Culture-Typing were described with details in 51.9% and 55.2% of outbreak reports, respectively., Conclusions: Our findings pointed out the need for strategies to improve competence in outbreak reports, and the ORION statement guidelines may help in this matter. Efforts to promote confidence and consequent compliance with mandatory notification of outbreak reports are essential., (Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Surveillance systems for healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are essential for planning actions in prevention and control. Important models have been deployed in recent decades in different countries. This study aims to present the historical and operational characteristics of these systems and discuss the challenges for Brazil. Various models around the world have drawn on the experience of the United States, which pioneered this process. In Brazil, several initiatives have been launched, but the country still lacks a full national information system on HAI, thus indicating the need to promote action strategies, strengthen the role of States in communication between the Federal and local levels, pursue a national plan to organize surveillance teams with the necessary technological infrastructure, besides updating the relevant legislation for dealing with these challenges. Such measures are essential in the Brazilian context for the unified surveillance of HAI, aimed at healthcare safety and quality.

Background: Compliance with the best surgical antibiotic prophylaxis practice is usually low despite many published guidelines., Objective: This study investigated compliance with the Hospital Infection Control Committee guideline for antibiotic prophylaxis in a Brazilian hospital using quality indicators., Methods: A retrospective study was carried out from November 2009 to March 2010. Medical records from adult inpatients undergoing cardiac, neurologic, and orthopedic clean surgeries were included. The full compliance index was considered 100% when the antibiotic prophylaxis showed adequacy in all evaluated attributes. Analyses were conducted with 5% significance., Results: Medical records from 101 cardiac, 128 neurologic, and 519 orthopedic surgical patients were evaluated. The compliance index was 4.9%, and the compliance index according to specialty was 5.8%, 3.1%, and 3.0%, respectively, for orthopedic, neurologic, and cardiac surgeries. The attribute route of administration produced the best outcomes, whereas the attribute duration of antibiotic prophylaxis produced the worst. No association was identified between compliance to the attributes and patient characteristics., Conclusion: This study showed a low level of adherence to Hospital Infection Control Committee guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis. This suggests that different strategies should be implemented to promote the best possible practice in the field of antibiotic prophylaxis with greater surgeon engagement., (Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This article describes a postoperative endophthalmitis (POE) surveillance system in place in a specialized ophthalmologic center in São Paulo, Brazil. The study involved a review of medical records from 2004-2009, during which a total of 31,999 intraocular surgeries were performed. Nineteen of these cases fulfilled the criteria for POE, for an infection rate of 0.06%. The main etiologic agent causing POE was Pseudomonas aeruginosa, identified in 42.1% of the cases (8/19)., (Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe the analysis of geographical and temporal distribution of DNA profiles determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains isolated from hospitalized patients in a tertiary care university hospital in Brazil., Methods: Ninetynine samples of MRSA obtained from 89 patients in the period 1999-2004 were studied. MRSA strains were isolated from central venous catheters (33 isolates) and bloodstream infections (66 strains). PFGE with 20 units of SmaI restriction endonuclease was used for genomic typing., Results: Analysis of DNA PFGE of 99 strains of MRSA revealed 26 profiles and their respective related profiles. The mean time interval for detecting MRSA infection was 26 days from hospital admission. Forty-nine patients (57.6%) had a recent hospitalization. The DNA PFGE MRSA profiles were distributed in three clonal groups-I, II, and III-according to the period of time when the MRSA strains were isolated. DNA PFGE MRSA profiles were spread homogeneously through all hospital wards., Conclusions: Changes in the distribution of DNA PFGE MRSA profiles were largely temporal, with clonal groups being replaced over time, without predominance in any hospital ward or any specific area of the hospital.

Medical device reprocessing is extremely important and complex, thus requiring both the operational skills for its implementation and the technical qualification of the professionals involved in the activity. The typical issues of medical device reprocessing involve technical, economical and regulatory aspects when involving either the so-called reusable articles or those considered as for a single use. The objective of the present study is to propose a new regulatory model for medical device reprocessing in Brazil that would, on the one hand, satisfy the requirements for quality and safety, as recommended in the literature and, on the other hand, prove to be operational under the conditions prevailing in Brazilian hospitals. The elaboration of the present normative proposal was based on the Consensus Conference technique among specialists in the area. Guided by the contribution of these specialists, a proposal is put forth of a regulatory model for reprocessing medical products, so as to address some previously identified gaps in the normative body currently used in Brazil.

An outbreak of cephalosporin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae occurred in a neonatal intensive care unit in São Paulo, Brazil. Of the 10 pulsotypes identified during the outbreak and follow-up periods, nine produced CTX-M-2 or its new variant CTX-M-59 and one produced SHV-5. bla(CTX-M-2/59) genes were located on closely related plasmids that were transferable.

Background: Some researchers observed that HIV-infected patients have a higher risk of acquiring nosocomial infections (NI). This study compared the incidence of NI among HIV-positive and HIV-negative inpatients., Methods: Patients from an infectious diseases ward who were classified as positive and negative regarding their HIV status were followed-up for 21 months in a prospective cohort study. Daily surveillance was made with use of Centers for Disease Prevention and Control criteria for NI., Results: NI per 1000 patients-day were 8.16 for HIV-positive patients and 3.94 for HIV-negative patients (P =.01). Central venous catheter (CVC) and urinary catheter utilization was significantly higher among HIV-positive patients than among HIV-negative patients (P <.001). Bloodstream infections (BSI) caused most of the NI, followed by urinary tract infections, vascular infections, and pneumonia. Overall, HIV-positive patients were more likely to have a BSI than were HIV-negative patients (P =.005). When only BSI was analyzed in patients with a CVC, there was no difference in the incidence of BSI between the 2 groups of patients (P =.24). HIV-positive patients were more likely to have an NI caused by Staphylococcus aureus than were HIV-negative patients (P =.04). Other important NI agents in both groups were Acinetobacter baumanii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus., Conclusions: In this study the HIV-positive patients were more likely to have NI than were the HIV-negative patients. Overall, HIV-positive patients are at increased risk for an NI caused either by S aureus or a BSI. Although HIV-positive patients had more CVC-days, there was no difference in the number of BSI among both groups, suggesting that the BSI incidence in the HIV-positive group is not exclusively related to the CVC.