Publications

BACKGROUND

Methods of measuring influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel (HCP) vary substantially, as do the groups of HCP that are included in any given set of measurements. Thus, comparison of vaccination rates across healthcare facilities is difficult.

PURPOSE

The goal of the study was to determine the feasibility of implementing a standardized measure for reporting HCP influenza vaccination data in various types of healthcare facilities.

METHODS

A total of 318 facilities recruited in four U.S. jurisdictions agreed to participate in the evaluation, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, dialysis clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and physician practices. HCP in participating facilities were categorized as employees, credentialed non-employees, or other non-employees using standard definitions. Data were gathered using cross-sectional web-based surveys completed at three intervals between October 2010 and May 2011; data were analyzed in February 2012.

RESULTS

234 facilities (74%) completed all three surveys. Most facilities could report on-site employee vaccination; almost one third could not provide complete data on HCP vaccinated outside the facility, contraindications, or declinations, primarily due to missing non-employee data. Inability to determine vaccination status of credentialed and other non-employees was cited as a major barrier to measure implementation by 24% and 27% of respondents, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the measure to report employee vaccination status was feasible for most facilities; tracking non-employee HCP was more challenging. Based on evaluation findings, the measure was revised to limit the types of non-employees included. Although the revised measure is less comprehensive, it is more likely to produce valid vaccination coverage estimates. Use of this standardized measure can inform quality improvement efforts and facilitate comparison of HCP influenza vaccination among facilities.

Cathepsin L (Ctsl) is a proposed therapeutic target to control inflammatory responses in a number of disease states. However, Ctsl is thought to support host defense via its involvement in antigen presentation pathways. Hypothesizing that Ctsl helps combat bacterial infection, we investigated its role in Mycoplasma pulmonis-infected mice as a model of acute and chronic infectious airway inflammation. Responses to the airway inoculation of mycoplasma were compared in Ctsl(-/-) and Ctsl(+/+) mice. After infection, Ctsl(-/-) mice demonstrated more body weight loss, greater mortality (22% versus 0%, respectively), and heavier lungs than Ctsl(+/+) mice, but had smaller bronchial lymph nodes. The burden of live mycoplasma in lungs was 247-fold greater in Ctsl(-/-) mice than in Ctsl(+/+) mice after infection for 3 days. Ctsl(-/-) mice exhibited more severe pneumonia and neutrophil-rich, airway-occlusive exudates, which developed more rapidly than in Ctsl(+/+) mice. Compared with the conspicuous remodeling of lymphatics after infection in Ctsl(+/+) mice, little lymphangiogenesis occurred in Ctsl(-/-) mice, but blood vessel remodeling and tissue inflammation were similarly severe. Titers of mycoplasma-reactive IgM, IgA, and IgG in blood in response to live and heat-killed organisms were similar to those in Ctsl(+/+) mice. However, enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assays revealed profound reductions in the cellular IFN-γ response to mycoplasma antigen. These findings suggest that Ctsl helps contain mycoplasma infection by supporting lymphangiogenesis and cellular immune responses to infection, and our findings predict that the therapeutic inhibition of Ctsl could increase the severity of mycoplasmal infections.

OBJECTIVES

Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke (SHS) has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease. The current study evaluated brief self-report screening measures for accurately identifying adult cardiology patients with clinically significant levels of SHS exposure in need of intervention.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A cross-sectional study conducted in a university-affiliated cardiology clinic and cardiology inpatient service.

PATIENTS

Participants were 118 non-smoking patients (59% male, mean age=63.6 years, SD=16.8) seeking cardiology services.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Serum cotinine levels and self-reported SHS exposure in the past 24 h and 7 days on 13 adult secondhand exposure to smoke (ASHES) items.

RESULTS

A single item assessment of SHS exposure in one's own home in the past 7 days was significantly correlated with serum cotinine levels (r=0.41, p<0.001) with sensitivity ≥75%, specificity >85% and correct classification rates >85% at cotinine cut-off points of >0.215 and >0.80 ng/mL. The item outperformed multi-item scales, an assessment of home smoking rules, and SHS exposure assessed in other residential areas, automobiles and public settings. The sample was less accurate at self-reporting lower levels of SHS exposure (cotinine 0.05-0.215 ng/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

The single item ASHES-7d Home screener is brief, assesses recent SHS exposure over a week's time, and yielded the optimal balance of sensitivity and specificity. The current findings support use of the ASHES-7d Home screener to detect SHS exposure and can be easily incorporated into assessment of other major vital signs in cardiology.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence and correlates of syphilis among pregnant women in rural areas of South China.

METHODS

Point-of-care syphilis testing was provided at 71 health facilities in less developed, rural areas of Guangdong Province. Positive samples were confirmed at a local referral center by toluidine red unheated serum tests (TRUST) and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) tests.

RESULTS

Altogether 27,150 pregnant women in rural Guangdong were screened for syphilis. 106 (0.39%) syphilis cases were diagnosed, of which 78 (73.6%) received treatment for syphilis. Multivariate analysis revealed that older pregnant women (31-35 years old, aOR 2.7, 95% CI 0.99-7.32; older than 35 years old, aOR 5.9, 95% CI 2.13-16.34) and those with a history of adverse pregnant outcomes (aOR 3.64, 95% CI 2.30-5.76) were more likely to be infected with syphilis.

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of syphilis exists among pregnant women living in rural areas of South China. Enhanced integration of syphilis screening with other routine women's health services (OB GYN, family planning) may be useful for controlling China's syphilis epidemic.