Successful control of emerging vancomycin-resistant enterococci by territory-wide implementation of directly observed hand hygiene in patients in Hong Kong.
With the emergence of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in our public hospitals, territory-wide implementation of directly observed hand hygiene before meals and medications for all conscious hospitalized patients reverted the rising VRE incidence of 16.5% per month (P < .001) to a reduction of -9.8% per month (P < .001). The outbreak rate reverted from an increasing trend of 10.5% per month (P < .001) to a decreasing trend of -13.3% per month (P < .001) between January 2011 and October 2015.
Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, China; Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, China.
Vincent C C
VC
Cheng
Infection Control Team, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, China.
Josepha W M
JW
Tai
School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, China.
P H
PH
Chau
Department of Pathology, Queen Elizabeth hospital, HKSAR, China.
Christopher K C
CK
Lai
Chief Infection Control Office, Hospital Authority, HKSAR, China.
Vivien W M
VW
Chuang
Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, China.
Simon Y C
SY
So
Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, China.
Sally C Y
SC
Wong
Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, China.
Jonathan H K
JH
Chen
Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, China.
P L
PL
Ho
Department of Pathology, Queen Elizabeth hospital, HKSAR, China; Chief Infection Control Office, Hospital Authority, HKSAR, China.
Dominic N C
DN
Tsang
Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, HKSAR, China. Electronic address: kyyuen@hkucc.hku.hk.
K Y
KY
Yuen
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D063373:Hand Hygiene; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017053:Infection Control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance; D065507:Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci / Q000187:drug effects*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin
Vancomycin-resistant enterococci; directly observed hand hygiene