A positive linear trend (P<.001) between the National Noscomial Infection Surveillance system (NNIS) risk index and mortality was observed in 2,848 general surgery patients followed up 6 years after discharge. In stratified analyses, the NNIS risk index predicted mortality in patients with chronic disease (P = .007, by test for trend) but not in the remaining patients.

To determine the effectiveness of infection control strategies to reduce transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), a cohort study was performed in a university hospital. Contact precautions alone were not effective in reducing transmission of VRE. Strict isolation of affected patients in private rooms, in addition to use of contact precautions, showed a significantly improved reduction in the transmission of VRE.

A validation study was performed for the intensive care unit component of the German nosocomial infections surveillance system (Krankenhaus Infektions Surveillance System [KISS]). A total of 286 reported infections and 1,195 medical records with no reported infection from 20 randomly selected KISS intensive care units were reviewed by trained physicians. The mean sensitivity was 66% (median, 81%), and the mean specificity was 99.4% (median, 99.6%).

Hands and instruments used by healthcare workers may serve as vectors for the nosocomial transmission of microorganisms. The use of cellular telephones by medical personnel and the associated nosocomial transmission of pathogens have not been thoroughly examined. Findings from our study show that cellular telephones are commonly used by hospital personnel, even during patient contact. One-fifth of the cellular telephones examined in this study were found to harbor pathogenic microorganisms, showing that these devices may serve as vectors for transmission to patients.

Neither a consensus statement nor a formal set of step-by-step guidelines for reprocessing rigid laryngoscopes have been published or endorsed by professional organizations. Several published guidelines, standards, and clinical reports were reviewed to evaluate the risk of nosocomial infection associated with the use of rigid laryngoscopes, to determine their minimum reprocessing requirements. This review found that the recommendations of some guidelines and standards for reprocessing rigid laryngoscopes are incomplete, inadequate, and inconsistent with one another, and that current practices for reprocessing rigid laryngoscopes are reported to be inadequate and lack standardization. It is recommended that a consensus statement be developed that standardizes the reprocessing of rigid laryngoscopes and requires cleaning followed by high-level disinfection (or sterilization) and drying of the rigid laryngoscope's blade and handle to prevent nosocomial infection, regardless of whether a protective barrier or sheath is used during the procedure.