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Masking of Neutropenic Patients on Transport From Hospital Rooms Is Associated With a Decrease in Nosocomial Aspergillosis During Construction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Issam Raad*
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Hend Hanna
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Cheryl Osting
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Ray Hachem
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Jan Umphrey
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Jeffrey Tarrand
Affiliation:
Division of Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Hagop Kantarjian
Affiliation:
Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Gerald P. Bodey
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
*
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Section of Infection Control, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030

Abstract

To prevent nosocomial pulmonary aspergillosis during hospital construction, neutropenic patients with hematologic malignancy were required to wear high-efficiency masks when leaving their rooms. The rate of nosocomial aspergillosis decreased from 0.73 per 1,000 hospital patient-days during fiscal years 1993 to 1996 to 0.24 per 1,000 hospital patient-days during fiscal years 1996 to 1999 (P < .001). High-efficiency masks reduced nosocomial aspergillosis during hospital construction.

Type
Concise Communications
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2002

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