Everybody hands-on to avoid ESKAPE: effect of sustained hand hygiene compliance on healthcare-associated infections and multidrug resistance in a paediatric hospital.

PURPOSE: Hand hygiene is the most important strategy for preventing healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs); however, the impact of hand hygiene in middle-income countries has been poorly described. In this work, we describe the impact of the programme 'Let's Go for 100' on hand hygiene adherence, HCAIs rates and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, including the molecular typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains.

METHODOLOGY: A multimodal, hospital-wide hand hygiene programme was implemented from 2013. 'Let's Go for 100' involved all healthcare workers and encompassed education, awareness, visual reminders, feedback and innovative strategies. Monthly hand hygiene monitoring and active HCAI surveillance were performed in every ward. Molecular typing of MRSA was analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).Results/Key findings. Hand hygiene adherence increased from 34.9 % during the baseline period to 80.6 % in the last 3 months of this study. The HCAI rate decreased from 7.54 to 6.46/1000 patient-days (P=0.004). The central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSIs) rate fell from 4.84 to 3.66/1000 central line-days (P=0.05). Negative correlations between hand hygiene and HCAIs rates were identified. The attack rate of MDR-ESKAPE group bloodstream infections decreased from 0.54 to 0.20/100 discharges (P=0.024). MRSA pulsotypes that were prevalent during the baseline period were no longer detected after the 5th quarter, although new strains were identified.

CONCLUSIONS: A multimodal hand hygiene programme in a paediatric hospital in a middle-income country was effective in improving adherence and reducing HCAIs, CLABSIs and MDR-ESKAPE bloodstream infections. Sustaining hand hygiene adherence at a level of >60 % for one year limited MRSA clonal transmission.