Category Archives: Infection prev & control
Local production of alcohol hand rub for hospital use (WHO guidance)
Here is excellent straightforward WHO guidance required to set up a cost-effective production facility within an LMIC hospital. Commercial product will usually cost 5-10 times the price. Hand hygiene by staff before and after every patient interaction is one of … Continue reading
Infection control guidelines – Pacific Nations
PPHSN Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines – 2010 These are likely to be updated before too long. They are produced by PICNet – Pacific regional Infection Control Network. Updated PNG Infection Control Guidelines are expected soon.
WHO Core Components for Infection Control
Essential guidelines published last year by the WHO. There is an excellent brief (2 minute) video review of the components. This is the single page info graphic: Remember also to complete the 10 free Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare … Continue reading
UPNG May revision M Med sessions – presentations and further references
2nd May 2017 UPNG Infection prevention and control including TB IC Ferguson– presentation The incredible story of Dr Ignaz Semmelweis in Vienna, Austria. Hand Hygiene Australia- education resource page – see the Hand Hygiene Dance from Geneva demonstrate the 5 Moments and ‘Glen’s … Continue reading
Outbreaks unpacked- recent tutorial material
The online Field Epidemiological Manual is an essential resource. Here are the 10 steps, and 10 pitfalls list we went through. This is a great survey of the wider topic from a local leading thinker: Outbreak-insights-looke-2012. EpiInfo is the free CDC software … Continue reading
Standard precautions (infection control)- what is included?
What is included as part of Standard Precautions? SP protect healthcare staff and patients from infection transmission via Direct or Indirect contact modes. The assumption is made that all blood/body fluids are potentially infectious and PPE measures should be taken … Continue reading
Posted in Standard precautions
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Antimicrobial resistance: WHY it matters, HOW did it arise and WHAT can we do about it – PNG focus
Global status of AMR with focus on PNG Medical Symposium Sept 2015 Why does AMR matter? Antimicrobial resistance kills- mortality higher for resistant pathogens AMR hampers the control of infectious diseases – prolonged infectivity – eg. MDR-TB AMR increases the … Continue reading
Posted in A/m resistance, A/m stewardship, Infection prev & control, PNG
Tagged Hand hygiene, Tuberculosis
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Room temperature bubble-through water chambers for patient oxygen supply are an infection hazard and do not provide significant humidification!
These commonly used devices are usually contaminated with environmental Gram negative bacteria that like moist environments – eg. Pseudomonas species, Alcaligenes, coliforms and other. These organisms may be multi-resistant. The physics of humidification show that these room temperature devices do NOT … Continue reading
Tuberculosis infection control – an essential priority
Control of healthcare TB transmission is an essential element of practice – protecting staff and other patients is paramount. Patients receiving drug therapy for drug susceptible TB are at increased risk for acquisition of MDR or XDR TB. WHO policy on … Continue reading
Posted in Bacteria (GPOS), Module- Mycobacteria, Tuberculosis infection control
Tagged Tuberculosis
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Human-to-Human Transmission of Ebola Virus- what’s the real evidence?
This short, excellent review from Centers for Disease Control, USA is worth reading in full! “During the 1995 Ebola outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo, 80 (25%) of the 315 case-patients were healthcare personnel, and all of the healthcare … Continue reading
Posted in Infection prev & control, Journal, Viruses
Tagged Ebola, Ebola outbreak, EVD
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Microbiology and Infectious Diseases postgraduate teaching (PRIDA) 