NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - At the Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center in England, segregating CF patients who are colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa effectively controlled the spread of transmissible strains between patients, clinicians from the center report.
Previous studies indicate that CF patients are susceptible to pseudomonas cross-infection. An initial cross-sectional study conducted at the Manchester CF Center revealed convincing evidence of this, despite efforts to reduce the risk. (See Reuters Health report Aug 16, 2001).
“A disturbing feature of our initial study was several cases of new P. aeruginosa infection with transmissible strains in patients previously free of P. aeruginosa infection,” Dr. Andrew M. Jones and colleagues note in the February 1st American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
“Despite purpose-built facilities in a new building with single rooms and adherence with general hygienic principles, there was continued cross-infection with transmissible strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa,” Dr. Jones told Reuters Health.
So the Center instituted a policy of segregating CF patients with and without chronic P. aeruginosa colonization. Patients without P. aeruginosa infection attend outpatient appointments on different days than patients with P. aeruginosa infection. As inpatients, they are housed on the same CF ward, but in specially designed rooms with in-suite facilities, and are advised not to interact with other patients.
Results of a 4-year prospective microbiological surveillance study of cross-infection involving multiresistant strains of P. aeruginosa indicate that, since these measures have been instituted, no P. aeruginosa-negative patient has acquired infection with a transmissible P. aeruginosa strain.
“Patients with CF who share the same facilities but who were segregated from the main cohort of patients were protected from Pseudomonas aeruginosa cross-infection,” Dr. Jones said.
He and his colleagues acknowledge that implementing “cross-infection control measures to include strict inpatient and outpatient segregation for all patients who harbor transmissible P. aeruginosa will challenge the presently available resources of most large CF centers.”
Nonetheless, they say, it “seems necessary to control spread of these strains.”
Source: Am J Resp Crit Care Med 2005;171:257-260. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Ambulatory Care Facilities: Communicable Disease Control: Environment and Public Health: Health Care Facilities, Manpower, and Services: Health: Health Facilities: Health Occupations: Medicine: Patient Isolation: Population Characteristics: Preventive Medicine: Public Health: Specialties, Medical: Therapeutics: Public Health Practice: Infection Control: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: Biological Sciences: Health CareCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
