No abstract available.
Bacteria, Anaerobic*

BACKGROUND: The propose of this study was to identify the level of medical technologists' perception of and compliance with hospital infection control guidelines. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted for 65 medical technologists working at three university hospitals in Seoul and Kyunggi areas. The questionnaire was composed of 34 questions on the general characteristics (14 items) of individual responders and about infection control guidelines (20 items). Their response was marked on the basis of 5 points for each question. RESULTS: The mean scores of the perception of and compliance with the infection control guidelines were 4.62+/-0.34 and 3.85+/-0.42, respectively. The female technologists scored significantly higher than did the male counterparts in the participation level of the infection control guidelines (P<0.05). The medical technologists who had participated in an infection control educational program were more likely than those who had not to show a higher compliance level on the infection control guidelines (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that the development of infection control educational programs for medical technologists and a supportive policy of the hospital administration should contribute to the prevention of nosocomial infections.
Compliance* ; Cross Infection* ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Hospital Administration ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Male ; Medical Laboratory Personnel ; Seoul ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Leptospirosis*

No abstract available.
Diagnosis* ; Leptospirosis*

No abstract available.
Bilophila*

No abstract available.
Bilophila*

No abstract available.
Humans

No abstract available.
Humans

The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) have recently revised the susceptibility interpretive criteria of oxyimino-beta-lactams and carbapenems for Enterobacteriaceae. According to the new criteria, susceptibility testing results are sufficient to detect extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and carbapenemases; it is not necessary to perform ESBL or carbapenemase detection tests for therapeutic purposes. Thus, it has been recommended that these related tests be performed only for infection control. These changes in the susceptibility guidelines are supported by some clinical cases and the results of pharmacodynamic and animal studies. However, differences still exist between the breakpoints established by the CLSI and EUCAST with regard to some oxyimino-beta-lactam and carbapenem antibiotics, in particular, the breakpoints for ceftazidime and cefepime established by the CLSI are higher than those established by the EUCAST. Also, similar numbers of successful and unsuccessful cases have been reported regarding the use of cephalosporins or carbapenems in treating infections caused by low-minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ESBL-producers or low-MIC carbapenemase-producers. Finally, routine susceptibility test methods are not as accurate as research-purpose test methods, showing differences in MICs ranging approximately from 1 to 8 microg/mL. In conclusion, it is strategically prudent to continue to perform ESBL and carbapenemase detection tests and to avoid the use of the corresponding antimicrobial agents for the treatment of ESBL- or carbapenemase-producing bacterial infections.
Animals ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Bacterial Infections ; Bacterial Proteins ; beta-Lactamases ; beta-Lactams ; Carbapenems ; Ceftazidime ; Cephalosporins ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Infection Control ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests

BACKGROUND: Maternal serum triple marker test during 15-20 weeks is a useful prenatal screening technique for detecting chromosomal abnormalities and neural tube defect (NTD). The aim of this study was to investigate the pregnancy outcomes of the women with positive screens in a retrospective case-controlled study. METHODS: Total 2765 women in second trimester received prenatal triple marker screening at Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital between March, 1998 and February, 2002. The study group included 98 women with screen positive results and known pregnancy outcomes and the 194 age-matched contols with negative screen results. We reviewed the triple marker results and pregnancy outcomes in both groups. RESULTS: The overall positive rate of triple marker test was 4.3%, composed of 2.9% for Down syndrome and 1.4% for neural tube defect. Among 98 screen positive women, only one case of trisomy 21 was detected. The adverse outcomes occurred in 23 of 97 pregnancies (23.7%) in the false-positive group and in 14 of 194 matched control pregnancies (9.8%)(P<0.05). Women with false-positive screens were significantly higher than their matched controls in the incidence of premature rupture of membrane, pregnancy-induced hypertension/preeclmapsia, small for gestational age and fetal/neonatal death (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Women with false-positive screens of triple markers are at increased risk for various adverse pregnancy outcomes. Careful fetal examination and thoughtful strategy for perinatal management are warranted for these patients.
Case-Control Studies ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Down Syndrome ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Heart ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mass Screening* ; Membranes ; Neural Tube Defects ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy* ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture