Short-term peripheral venous catheter–related bloodstream infection (PVCR-BSI) rates have not been systematically studied in resource-limited countries, and data on their incidence by number of device days are not available.

Prospective, surveillance study on PVCR-BSI conducted from September 1, 2013, to May 31, 2019, in 727 intensive care units (ICUs), by members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC), from 268 hospitals in 141 cities of 42 countries of Africa, the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South East Asia, and Western Pacific regions. For this research, we applied definition and criteria of the CDC NHSN, methodology of the INICC, and software named INICC Surveillance Online System.

We followed 149,609 ICU patients for 731,135 bed days and 743,508 short-term peripheral venous catheter (PVC) days. We identified 1,789 PVCR-BSIs for an overall rate of 2.41 per 1,000 PVC days. Mortality in patients with PVC but without PVCR-BSI was 6.67%, and mortality was 18% in patients with PVC and PVCR-BSI. The length of stay of patients with PVC but without PVCR-BSI was 4.83 days, and the length of stay was 9.85 days in patients with PVC and PVCR-BSI. Among these infections, the microorganism profile showed 58% gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli (16%), Klebsiella spp (11%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6%), Enterobacter spp (4%), and others (20%) including Serratia marcescens. Staphylococcus aureus were the predominant gram-positive bacteria (12%).

PVCR-BSI rates in INICC ICUs were much higher than rates published from industrialized countries. Infection prevention programs must be implemented to reduce the incidence of PVCR-BSIs in resource-limited countries.

To report the results of a surveillance study on surgical site infections (SSIs) conducted by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC).

Cohort prospective multinational multicenter surveillance study.

Eighty-two hospitals of 66 cities in 30 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Greece, India, Kosovo, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Sudan, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, and Vietnam) from 4 continents (America, Asia, Africa, and Europe).

Patients undergoing surgical procedures (SPs) from January 2005 to December 2010.

Data were gathered and recorded from patients hospitalized in INICC member hospitals by using the methods and definitions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) for SSI. SPs were classified into 31 types according to International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, criteria.

We gathered data from 7,523 SSIs associated with 260,973 SPs. SSI rates were significantly higher for most SPs in INICC hospitals compared with CDC-NHSN data, including the rates of SSI after hip prosthesis (2.6% vs 1.3%; relative risk [RR], 2.06 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8–2.4]; P<.001), coronary bypass with chest and donor incision (4.5% vs 2.9%; RR, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.4–1.6]; P<.001); abdominal hysterectomy (2.7% vs 1.6%; RR, 1.66 [95% CI, 1.4–2.0]; P<.001); exploratory abdominal surgery (4.1 % vs 2.0%; RR, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.6–2.6]; P<.001); ventricular shunt, 12.9% vs 5.6% (RR, 2.3 [95% CI, 1.9–2.6]; P<.001), and others.

SSI rates were higher for most SPs in INICC hospitals compared with CDC-NHSN data.

To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multi-dimensional hand hygiene approach in 19 limited-resource countries and to analyze predictors of poor hand hygiene compliance.

An observational, prospective, cohort, interventional, before-and-after study from April 1999 through December 2011. The study was divided into 2 periods: a 3-month baseline period and a 7-year follow-up period.

Ninety-nine intensive care unit (ICU) members of the INICC in Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Greece, India, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, and Turkey.

Healthcare workers at 99 ICU members of the INICC.

A multidimensional hand hygiene approach was used, including (1) administrative support, (2) supplies availability, (3) education and training, (4) reminders in the workplace, (5) process surveillance, and (6) performance feedback. Observations were made for hand hygiene compliance in each ICU, during randomly selected 30-minute periods.

A total of 149,727 opportunities for hand hygiene were observed. Overall hand hygiene compliance increased from 48.3% to 71.4% (P < .01). Univariate analysis indicated that several variables were significantly associated with poor hand hygiene compliance, including males versus females (63% vs 70%; P<.001), physicians versus nurses (62% vs 72%; P<.001), and adult versus neonatal ICUs (67% vs 81%; P<.001), among others.

Adherence to hand hygiene increased by 48% with the INICC approach. Specific programs directed to improve hand hygiene for variables found to be predictors of poor hand hygiene compliance should be implemented.

To analyze the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional infection control approach to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates.

Four neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of INICC member hospitals from El Salvador, Mexico, Philippines, and Tunisia.

A total of 2,241 patients hospitalized in 4 NICUs for 40,045 bed-days.

We conducted a before-after prospective surveillance study. During Phase 1 we performed active surveillance, and during phase 2 the INICC multidimensional infection control approach was implemented, including the following practices: (1) central line care bundle, (2) education, (3) outcome surveillance, (4) process surveillance, (5) feedback of CLABSI rates, and (6) performance feedback of infection control practices. We compared CLABSI rates obtained during the 2 phases. We calculated crude stratified rates, and, using random-effects Poisson regression to allow for clustering by ICU, we calculated the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for each follow-up time period compared with the 3-month baseline.

During phase 1 we recorded 2,105 CL-days, and during phase 2 we recorded 17,117 CL-days. After implementation of the multidimensional approach, the CLABSI rate decreased by 55%, from 21.4 per 1,000 CL-days during phase 1 to 9.7 per 1,000 CL-days during phase 2 (rate ratio, 0.45 [95% confidence interval, 0.33–0.63]). The IRR was 0.53 during the 4–12-month period and 0.07 during the final period of the study (more than 45 months).

Implementation of a multidimensional infection control approach was associated with a significant reduction in CLABSI rates in NICUs.

Before-after prospective surveillance study to assess the efficacy of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) multidimensional infection control program to reduce the rate of occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of INICC member hospitals from 15 cities in the following 10 developing countries: Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, India, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Tunisia, and Turkey.

NICU inpatients.

VAP rates were determined during a first period of active surveillance without the implementation of the multidimensional approach (phase 1) to be then compared with VAP rates after implementation of the INICC multidimensional infection control program (phase 2), which included the following practices: a bundle of infection control interventions, education, outcome surveillance, process surveillance, feedback on VAP rates, and performance feedback on infection control practices. This study was conducted by infection control professionals who applied National Health Safety Network (NHSN) definitions for healthcare-associated infections and INICC surveillance methodology.

During phase 1, we recorded 3,153 mechanical ventilation (MV)–days, and during phase 2, after the implementation of the bundle of interventions, we recorded 15,981 MV-days. The VAP rate was 17.8 cases per 1,000 MV-days during phase 1 and 12.0 cases per 1,000 MV-days during phase 2 (relative risk, 0.67 [95% confidence interval, 0.50–0.91]; P = .001 ), indicating a 33% reduction in VAP rate.

Our results demonstrate that an implementation of the INICC multidimensional infection control program was associated with a significant reduction in VAP rate in NICUs in developing countries.

A before-after prospective surveillance study to assess the impact of a multidimensional infection control approach for the reduction of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) rates.

Pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) of hospital members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) from 10 cities of the following 6 developing countries: Colombia, El Salvador, India, Mexico, Philippines, and Turkey.

PICU inpatients.

We performed a prospective active surveillance to determine rates of CAUTI among 3,877 patients hospitalized in 10 PICUs for a total of 27,345 bed-days. The study was divided into a baseline period (phase 1) and an intervention period (phase 2). In phase 1, surveillance was performed without the implementation of the multidimensional approach. In phase 2, we implemented a multidimensional infection control approach that included outcome surveillance, process surveillance, feedback on CAUTI rates, feedback on performance, education, and a bundle of preventive measures. The rates of CAUTI obtained in phase 1 were compared with the rates obtained in phase 2, after interventions were implemented.

During the study period, we recorded 8,513 urinary catheter (UC) days, including 1,513 UC-days in phase 1 and 7,000 UC-days in phase 2. In phase 1, the CAUTI rate was 5.9 cases per 1,000 UC-days, and in phase 2, after implementing the multidimensional infection control approach for CAUTI prevention, the rate of CAUTI decreased to 2.6 cases per 1,000 UC-days (relative risk, 0.43 [95% confidence interval, 0.21–1.0]), indicating a rate reduction of 57%.

Our findings demonstrated that implementing a multidimensional infection control approach is associated with a significant reduction in the CAUTI rate of PICUs in developing countries.

We report a meta-analysis of 4 identical time-series cohort studies of the impact of switching from use of open infusion containers (glass bottle, burette, or semirigid plastic bottle) to closed infusion containers (fully collapsible plastic containers) on central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates and all-cause intensive care unit (ICU) mortality in 15 adult ICUs in Argentina, Brazil, Italy, and Mexico.

All ICUs used open infusion containers for 6–12 months, followed by switching to closed containers. Patient characteristics, adherence to infection control practices, CLABSI rates, and ICU mortality during the 2 periods were compared by χ2 test for each country, and the results were combined using meta-analysis.

Similar numbers of patients participated in 2 periods (2,237 and 2,136). Patients in each period had comparable Average Severity of Illness Scores, risk factors for CLABSI, hand hygiene adherence, central line care, and mean duration of central line placement. CLABSI incidence dropped markedly in all 4 countries after switching from an open to a closed infusion container (pooled results, from 10.1 to 3.3 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line-days; relative risk [RR], 0.33 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.24-0.46]; P<.001). All-cause ICU mortality also decreased significantiy, from 22.0 to 16.9 deaths per 100 patients (RR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.68-0.87]; P<.001).

Switching from an open to a closed infusion container resulted in a striking reduction in the overall CLABSI incidence and all-cause ICU mortality. Data suggest that open infusion containers are associated with a greatiy increased risk of infusion-related bloodstream infection and increased ICU mortality that have been unrecognized. Furthermore, data suggest CLABSIs are associated with significant attributable mortality.

The International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) was established in 15 developing countries to reduce infection rates in resource-limited hospitals by focusing on education and feedback of outcome surveillance (infection rates) and process surveillance (adherence to infection control measures). We report a time-sequence analysis of the effectiveness of this approach in reducing rates of central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and associated deaths in 86 intensive care units with a minimum of 6-month INICC membership.

Pooled CLABSI rates during the first 3 months (baseline) were compared with rates at 6-month intervals during the first 24 months in 53,719 patients (190,905 central line–days). Process surveillance results at baseline were compared with intervention period data.

During the first 6 months, CLABSI incidence decreased by 33% (from 14.5 to 9.7 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line–days). Over the first 24 months there was a cumulative reduction from baseline of 54% (from 16.0 to 7.4 CLABSIs per 1,000 central line–days; relative risk, 0.46 [95% confidence interval, 0.33–0.63]; P <.001). The number of deaths in patients with CLABSI decreased by 58%. During the intervention period, hand hygiene adherence improved from 50% to 60% (P<.001); the percentage of intensive care units that used maximal sterile barriers at insertion increased from 45% to 85% (P < .001), that adopted Chlorhexidine for antisepsis increased from 7% to 27% (P = .018), and that sought to remove unneeded catheters increased from 37% to 83% (P = .004); and the duration of central line placement decreased from 4.1 to 3.5 days (P < .001).

Education, performance feedback, and outcome and process surveillance of CLABSI rates significantly improved infection control adherence, reducing the CLABSI incidence by 54% and the number of CLABSI-associated deaths by 58% in INICC hospitals during the first 2 years.

To estimate the excess length of stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) due to a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), using a multistate model that accounts for the timing of infection.

A cohort of 3,560 patients followed up for 36,806 days in ICUs.

Eleven ICUs in 3 Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

All patients admitted to the ICU during a defined time period with a central line in place for more than 24 hours.

The average excess length of stay due to a CLABSI increased in 10 of 11 ICUs and varied from -1.23 days to 4.69 days. A reduction in length of stay in Mexico was probably caused by an increased risk of death due to CLABSI, leading to shorter times to death. Adjusting for patient age and Average Severity of Illness Score tended to increase the estimated excess length of stays due to CLABSI.

CLABSIs are associated with an excess length of ICU stay. The average excess length of stay varies between ICUs, most likely because of the case-mix of admissions and differences in the ways that hospitals deal with infections.

To perform active targeted prospective surveillance to measure device-associated infection (DAI) rates, attributable mortality due to DAI, and the microbiological and antibiotic resistance profiles of infecting pathogens at 10 intensive care units (ICUs) in 9 hospitals in Colombia, all of which are members of the International Infection Control Consortium.

We conducted prospective surveillance of healthcare-associated infection in 9 hospitals by using the definitions of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Nosocomial Surveillance System (NNIS). DAI rates were calculated as the number of infections per 100 ICU patients and per 1,000 device-days.

During the 3-year study, 2,172 patients hospitalized in an ICU for an aggregate duration of 14,603 days acquired 266 DAIs, for an overall DAI rate of 12.2%, or 18.2 DAIs per 1,000 patient-days. Central venous catheter (CVC)–related bloodstream infection (BSI) (47.4% of DAIs; 11.3 cases per 1,000 catheter-days) was the most common DAI, followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (32.3% of DAIs; 10.0 cases per 1,000 ventilator-days) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) (20.3% of DAIs; 4.3 cases per 1,000 catheter-days). Overall, 65.4% of all Staphylococcus aureus infections were caused by methicillin-resistant strains; 40.0% of Enterobacteriaceae isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone and 28.3% were resistant to ceftazidime; and 40.0% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones, 50.0% were resistant to ceftazidime, 33.3% were resistant to piperacillin-tazobactam, and 19.0% were resistant to imipenem. The crude unadjusted attributable mortality was 16.9% among patients with VAP (relative risk [RR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-3.00; P = .002); 18.5 among those with CVC-associated BSI (RR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.42-2.87; P<.001); and 10.5% among those with CAUTI (RR, 1.58; 95% CI, 0.78-3.18; P = .19).

The rates of DAI in the Colombian ICUs were lower than those published in some reports from other Latin American countries and were higher than those reported in US ICUs by the NNIS. These data show the need for more-effective infection control interventions in Colombia.