title: Healthcare-associated infections in rheumatology in Japan.
abstract: Prospective observational study was performed to elucidate the incidence and characteristics of healthcare-associated infections in a university hospital for rheumatology care. In this study, a total of 1,226 patients were prospectively enrolled between March 2004 and February 2006 and between April 2008 and December 2008. Healthcare-associated infection was defined as an infection developing after the third day of admission to the rheumatology ward. We detected the following 54 healthcare-associated infections in 49 patients: respiratory tract infection, 14 cases; Clostridium difficile infection, 2 cases; urinary tract infection, 4 cases; bloodstream infection, 9 cases; skin infection, 2 cases; reactivation of latent cytomegalovirus infection, 6 cases; herpes zoster infection, 5 cases; Candida infection, 7 cases; others, 4 cases. The incidence rate of respiratory tract infection was the highest. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the causative bacterium in 21% of respiratory tract infections cases. Bloodstream infection due to the insertion of a catheter and opportunistic infection by a latent virus were also occurred commonly. Respiratory tract infection, bloodstream infection and opportunistic infection by a latent virus were the most common causes of healthcare-associated infection in rheumatology. It is important to pay more attention to healthcare-associated infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan. hiro-iwa@jichi.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kamimura
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamata
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minota
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D017735:Virus Latency
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents