To examine the cost-effectiveness of pre- and postexposure approaches for ensuring hepatitis B protection among previously vaccinated healthcare personnel (HCP).

A decision-analytic model was developed for alternative strategies of ensuring hepatitis B protection under assumptions of 68% and 95% long-term protection after a primary vaccination series. Costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost from infections were estimated, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated relative to a no intervention alternative over 10 years of intervention. Separate analyses were performed for trainees and nontrainees, using the healthcare system perspective. Trainees face higher risk of exposure and likely received primary vaccination as infants.

General healthcare settings.

Trainee and nontrainee HCP.

Preexposure testing for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen followed by additional vaccination for HCP without protective antibody levels; postexposure evaluation and management for HCP reporting blood or body fluid exposures

The preexposure strategy prevents more infections and has higher costs than the postexposure strategy or no intervention. For trainees, 10-year preexposure evaluation ICERs are $832,875 and $144,457 per QALY for 95% and 68% long-term vaccine protection, respectively. Trainee 10-year postexposure evaluation ICERs are $1,146,660 and $191,579 per QALY under the 95% and 68% long-term protection assumptions, respectively. For nontrainees, 10-year ICERs are $745,739 and $1,129,286 per QALY for the preexposure and postexposure evaluation strategies, respectively.

ICERs may inform decision makers as they decide whether the added cost of the preexposure strategy provides sufficient value in preventing infections.

To identify risk factors for polymicrobial bloodstream infections (BSIs) in pediatric bone marrow transplant (BMT) outpatients attending a newly constructed clinic affiliated with a children's hospital.

All 30 outpatients treated at a new BMT clinic during September 10-21, 2007, were enrolled in a cohort study. The investigation included interviews, medical records review, observations, and bacterial culture and molecular typing of patient and environmental isolates. Data were analyzed using exact conditional logistic regression.

Thirteen patients experienced BSIs caused by 16 different, predominantly gram-negative organisms. Presence of a tunneled catheter (odds ratio [OR], 19.9 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.4-∞), catheter access (OR, 13.7 [95% CI, 1.8-∞]), and flushing of a catheter with predrawn saline (OR, 12.9 [95% CI, 1.0-766.0]) were independently associated with BSI. The odds of experiencing a BSI increased by a factor of 16.8 with each additional injection of predrawn saline (95% CI, 1.8-827.0). Although no environmental source of pathogens was identified, interviews revealed breaches in recommended infection prevention practice and medication handling. Saline flush solutions were predrawn, and multiple doses were obtained from single-dose preservative-free vials to avoid delays in patient care.

We speculate that infection prevention challenges in the new clinic, combined with successive needle punctures of vials, facilitated extrinsic contamination and transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. We recommend that preservative-free single-use vials not be punctured more than once. Use of single-use prefilled saline syringes might prevent multiuse of single-use saline vials. Storage of saline outside a medication supply system might be advisable. Before opening new clinic facilities, hospitals should consider conducting a mock patient flow exercise to identify infection control challenges.