Reduction of blood culture contamination rates
Abstract:
Recent reports have indicated an increased blood culture contamination during the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, likely due to the strain on healthcare resources and subsequent neglect of infection control measures [ [1] , [2] ]. While personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucial for healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients [ [3] ], it may impede adherence to aseptic procedures. Our previous study conducted in Korea, a nation that maintained a low level of COVID-19 cases due to strict quarantine until the end of 2021, resulting in no shortage of medical resources, revealed that blood culture contamination rates in COVID-19 wards were higher compared to other wards. This suggests that complex PPE itself may hinder compliance with infection control and prevention measures [4]. In response to the surge of the Omicron variant, we adjusted our PPE protocol from January 2022. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the simplified PPE policy on blood culture contamination rates.
Reference:
Park JH, Kim TS, Jo HJ, Lee CM, Lee M, Kang CK, Choe PG, Park WB, Kim NJ. Reduction of blood culture contamination rates through simplified personal protective equipment in COVID-19 patient care setting. J Hosp Infect. 2024 Feb 1:S0195-6701(24)00033-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2024.01.011. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38309667.