Infection control in cystic fibrosis: barriers to implementation and ideas for improvement

Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2009 Jul 30. [Epub ahead of print]

Infection control in cystic fibrosis: barriers to implementation and ideas for improvement.

Saiman L, Garber E.

aDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University and Department of Epidemiology, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, USA bDivision of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review will focus on recent research documenting baseline adherence to infection control recommendations and barriers to their implementation as experienced by multidisciplinary cystic fibrosis (CF) care providers. In addition, controversies regarding optimal infection control will be discussed. Finally, suggestions to improve infection control in CF will be proposed.

RECENT FINDINGS: Compliance with recent guidelines was assessed for clinical microbiology laboratories and for infection control policies at CF care centers in the United States. Unlike earlier reports, the vast majority of laboratories used selective media for Burkholderia cepacia complex and identified all species of nonlactose fermenting Gram-negative bacilli. Fewer used selective media for Staphylococcus aureus or used agar-based susceptibility testing assays for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Only 103 (65%) of 158 CF care centers provided written infection control policies for review and these were more likely to address inpatient than outpatient settings. Surveys of healthcare professionals showed that access to a copy of the CF infection control guidelines reduced barriers to adherence to selected infection control practices.

SUMMARY: These data suggest that access to national infection control guidelines and written local policies are critically important to improving infection control for CF.

PMID: 19644375 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]