Objectives: Studies have revealed that a relatively high incidence of severe infection and mortality in COVID-19 patients is attributed to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). We implemented a study in 2 field hospitals dedicated to COVID-19 treatment in Da Nang, Vietnam (July–August 2020), and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (August–October 2021), to identify pathogens, risk factors, and outcomes associated with HAIs. Methods: We applied a prospective study tool to estimate HAI incidence among 1,454 patients. HAIs are diagnosed and ascertained using surveillance criteria established by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All patients hospitalized for COVID-19 for at least 2 days were enrolled in this assessment of HAI risks, pathogens, and outcomes. Results: Among 1,454 sampled patients, 391 patients had 423 HAIs (27.1%). The highest proportion occurred in ICUs, with 422 HAI patients (34.1%). Pneumonia (n = 331, 78.3%) and bloodstream infections (n = 55, 13.1%) were the most common HAIs. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumonia (27.9%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (25.3%), were the most commonly isolated organisms. Ventilators and central venous catheters were independently associated with HAIs. Regarding the mortality rates, 55% of deaths occurred in intensive care units. Patients with HAIs (70.3%) were twice as likely to die compared to patients without HAIs (38.8%). HAIs leading to septic shock caused almost triple mortality (n = 58, 90.6%) compared with non-HAI patients (n = 412, 38.8%). HAIs prolonged hospital stay: 24.7 days for patients with HAIs and 19.1 days for patients without HAIs (P < .001). Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19–related critical illnesses are at high risk of HAIs from multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. HAIs prolong hospitalization, whereas HAIs with septic shock almost tripled mortality. Guidelines and procedures to prevent and control HAIs caused by MDR bacteria as well as training and monitoring on aseptic-compliant techniques during invasive clinical procedures are needed.

Objectives: In early 2021, when the COVID-19 vaccine was scarce in Vietnam, healthcare workers (HCWs) were prioritized for vaccination due to high risk of occupational exposure. However, there is some COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy within HCW communities. Assessing COVID-19 severity among vaccinated and nonvaccinated HCWs would contribute essential information to assure people of vaccine effectiveness and reduce vaccine hesitancy. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, Vietnam, from May to June 2021. Clinical and epidemiological data from HCWs with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results were collected. The severity of symptoms were classified according to Vietnam Ministry of Health guideline (Decision no. 3416 issued  July 14, 2021) into 5 categories: asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, and critical conditions Results: Overall, 25 HCWs qualified for this study (14 women and 11 men), with a median age of 31 years. Among them, 3 HCWs were infected due to community exposure, and the rest were infected due to occupational exposure. Also, 3 HCWs received the Astra Zeneca vaccine before being infected with SARS-CoV-2 (one fully vaccinated with 2 doses and the other 2 had had the first dose). Categorized by the severity of infection, 28% were asymptomatic, 44% had mild symptoms, 20% had moderate symptoms, and 8% experienced severe symptoms. All 3 vaccinated HCWs showed only mild symptoms. Cough and sore throat were the main symptoms recorded (60%), followed by fever (56%). Blood test results did not show significant differences between the severe and mild COVID-19 groups. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccination reduced the severity of COVID-19 in this small sample of HCWs. Full COVID-19 vaccination is strongly recommended for HCWs to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to limit the number of cases with severe disease.

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 is a novel and highly infectious virus. An effective response requires rapid training of healthcare workers (HCWs). We measured the change in knowledge related to COVID-19 and associated factors before and after training of HCWs in Vietnam. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate HCW knowledge related to prevention and control of SARS-CoV-2 before and after attending a 2-day training-of-trainers course. Between June and September 2020, 963 HCWs from 194 hospitals in 21 provinces received the training. HCW knowledge was assessed using a 20-item questionnaire consisting of multiple-choice questions at the beginning and closing of the training course. A participant received 1 point for each correct answer. He or she was considered to have improved knowledge the posttest score was higher than the pretest score with a score ≥15 on the posttest. We applied the McNemar test and logistic regression model to test the level of association between demographic factors and change in knowledge of COVID-19. Results: Overall, 100% of HCWs completed both the pretest and posttest. At baseline, only 14.7% scored ≥15. Following the training, 78.4% scored ≥15 and 64.3% had improved knowledge according to the predetermined definition. Questions related to the order of PPE donning and doffing and respiratory specimen collection procedures were identified as having the greatest improvement (44.6% and 60.7%, respectively). Being female (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.0), having a postgraduate degree (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4–4.4), working in a nonmanager position (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.1), previous contact with a COVID-19 patient (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.0), and working in northern Vietnam (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.4–2.6), were associated with greater knowledge improvement. Conclusions: Most HCWs demonstrated improved knowledge of COVID-19 prevention and control after attending the training. Particular groups may benefit from additional training: those who are male, leaders and managers, those who hold an undergraduate degree, and those who work in the southern provinces.

Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most prevalent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) globally, contributing to increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. Interventions that support prompt removal of the urinary catheter are evidence-based actions to effectively reduce CAUTI rates.1Objective: At the National Hospital of Tropical Disease (NHTD), catheter removal interventions in the intensive care unit (ICU) were implemented using quality improvement (QI) methodology to reduce CAUTI incidence and urinary catheter device utilization. Methods: Training was performed for ICU clinical staff with knowledge checks before and after the program. A bedside visual reminder of CAUTI risk and checklist to assess catheter need were implemented. Weekly compliance of provided visual reminders and checklists were measured using a simple audit tool. Device utilization ratios (DURs, ratios of device days to patient days), and CAUTI incidence rates (per 1,000 device days) were collected at baseline (July–September 2018) and quarterly thereafter until June 2019. Statistical significance was determined by an independent t test. Results: In the first quarter (October–December 2018), the CAUTI incidence rate decreased from 8.9 to 1.3 per 1,000 device days (P = .036). The ICU staff trained in CAUTI prevention, mean knowledge scores before and after training increased from 68% to 87%. The DUR decreased slightly from 0.59 to 0.55 after the first-quarter training then steadily increased in the following quarter (0.60; January–March 2019) and after the intervention (0.54; April–June 2019). CAUTI incidence rates also increased but were still lower than at baseline: 4.8 and 6.3 per 1,000 days of device use. Compliance of reminders was 51% during the first quarter, increased slightly in the second quarter 62%, then decreased to 40% during the last quarter. The nurses’ adherence to the daily checklist remained stable (>75%). Conclusions: This CAUTI prevention project was the first use of quality improvement methodology to implement change at NHTD. A trend decrease in CAUTI was observed, though a greater decrease occurred at the beginning of the intervention. Limited compliance of daily reminders is likely reflected in no statistically significant decrease in DUR. Possibly, this quality improvement project raised awareness among clinicians to improve general CAUTI prevention practices in the ICU without decreasing DUR. Given limited compliance with reminder and checklists, the intervention will be revised during the next PDSA cycle to improve adherence.

1Meddings J, Rogers MA, Krein SL, Fakih MG, Olmsted RN, Saint S. Reducing unnecessary urinary catheter use and other strategies to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infection: an integrative review. BMJ Qual Saf 2014;23:277–289.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None

Background: Central-line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) increase the length of hospital stay, healthcare costs, and patient mortality. Objective: We conducted a quality improvement (QI) approach with plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle to strengthen adherence to a central-line (CL) maintenance bundle and to reduce CLABSI rate in a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of children’s hospital 1 (CH1). Methods: The baseline CLABSI rate per 1,000 CL days and the ratio of CL days to patient days (device utilization ration; DUR) were captured for 12 months preceding the intervention. Baseline process indicators were captured for 2 months preceding implementation, including hand hygiene adherence, sterile technique for dressing change and CL access, CL hub cleaning, dating of CL components and daily chlorhexidine bathing. A multimodal intervention of clinician training, bedside checklist, and poster reminders of best practices was implemented. Process and outcome measures were monitored over 12 months of implementation. Z-test was used to calculate statistical significance before and after intervention. Results: Among 46 clinical ICU staff trained on a CLABSI maintenance bundle, mean pre- and posttest knowledge scores increased from 63% to 86%. Staff adherence to each CL care bundle element improved significantly (P < .001) and sustainably over the intervention period: hand hygiene adherence increased from 54% to 82%; sterile technique for dressing increased from 60% to 94%; sterile technique for CL access increased from 51% to 97%; hub scrubbing increased from 52% to 93%; dating of CL elements increased from 63% to 85%; daily chlorhexidine bathing increased from 52% to 87%. During the first 9 months, the CLABSI rate and the DUR decreased from 5.8 to 3.7 and from 0.43 to 0.41, respectively. In the following 2 months, the CLABSI rate increased to 12.7 while bundle adherence remained high. A root-cause analysis identified inadequate environmental hygiene and use of multidose saline bottles for multiple patients as potential factors. A PDSA cycle to improve these elements (enhanced cleaning; single-patient saline bottles) led to a decrease in the CLABSI rate from 12.7 to 3.0 after these efforts. Conclusions: This is the first time CH1 has used quality improvement methodology to implement an HAI prevention enhancement, which proved effective at creating and sustaining adherence to a multimodal CL maintenance bundle and an overall decrease in CLABSI rates. A 2-month increase in CLABSI rates highlights the unique challenges faced in low-resource settings and demonstrates the need for IPC elements not captured in a typical CLABSI prevention bundle. The quality improvement methodology provided a structured approach to implementing change. This methodology will be used for additional patient safety improvements at CH1 and other Viet Nam hospitals interested in CLABSI prevention.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) serovars, sequences types and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles have specific associations with animal and human infections in Vietnam. Antimicrobial resistance may have an effect on the manifestation of human NTS infections, with isolates from asymptomatic individuals being more susceptible to antimicrobials than those associated with animals and human diarrhoea.

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is contributing to a serious antimicrobial resistance problem in Asian hospitals. Despite resource constraints in the region, all Asian hospitals should implement antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs to optimize antibiotic treatment, improve patient outcomes, and minimize antimicrobial resistance. This document describes a consensus statement from a panel of regional experts to help multidisciplinary AMS teams design programs that suit the needs and resources of their hospitals. In general, AMS teams must decide on appropriate interventions (eg, prospective audit and/or formulary restriction) for their hospital, focusing on the most misused antibiotics and problematic multidrug-resistant organisms. This focus is likely to include carbapenem use with the goal to reduce carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Rather than initially trying to introduce a comprehensive, hospital-wide AMS program, it would be practical to begin by pilot testing a simple program based on 1 achievable core intervention for the hospital. AMS team members must work together to determine the most suitable AMS interventions to implement in their hospitals and how best to put them into practice. Continuous monitoring and feedback of outcomes to the AMS teams, hospital administration, and prescribers will enhance sustainability of the AMS programs.

During 2008, a point-prevalence survey of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) was conducted in 36 Vietnamese hospitals. Of 7,571 inpatients, 590 (7.8%) had HAIs, including pneumonia (41.9%) and surgical-site infections (27.5%). Device use was a significant risk factor; gram-negative microorganisms predominated. A national reporting system needs to be established for monitoring HAIs and enhancing patient outcomes.