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Multiple prevention and control programs may reduce MDRO infections in hospitals

Backman C. Am J Infect Control. 2011;39:368-378.

Issue: July 2011

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Implementation of multiple prevention interventions could potentially reduce multidrug-resistant organism infections in acute care hospitals, according to new findings published in the American Journal of Infection Control.

“Although major methodologic weaknesses exist in the published literature making it not possible to exclude other plausible explanations for the reduction of the acquisition of MDRO, the overall evidence does support the use of multiple interventions to reduce the rates of MDRO in acute care hospitals,” the researchers wrote.

Chantal Backman, PhD

Chantal Backman, PhD, of the faculty of nursing at the University of Alberta in Canada, and colleagues pooled data from 32 studies published between Jan. 1, 1998, and May 14, 2009, to examine the effectiveness of MDRO infection control programs in the acute care hospital setting.

Overall, the following types of interventions were used:

• 75% of studies used infection control precautions to prevent transmission.
• 62.5% of studies used education and training of health care personnel.
• 56.25% of studies used an administrative measure.
• 53.1% of studies used surveillance.
• 28.1% studies used patient decolonization.
• 25% of studies included judicious use of antimicrobial agents.
• 21.9% of studies used environmental measures.

All interventions were associated with decreases in MDRO infections, according to the researchers. However, they cited limitations with nondescriptive study designs and methods.

"Further outbreak and intervention studies should be written in a standardized manner — following the ORION guideline recommendations," Backman told Infectious Disease News. "Studies to better understand the relationships between each of the components of an infection prevention and control program are needed." – by Ashley DeNyse

Disclosure:The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.

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