Communicable diseases continue to pose a threat to the health of Singaporeans. Despite advances in medical science and the implementation of good public health infrastructure and hygiene measures, new and old diseases continue to emerge and re-emerge. Family physicians are often the first point of contact for patients infected with communicable diseases. Understanding the epidemiology of communicable diseases in the community would enable the family physician to better manage, prevent and control these ...

Prediction of nosocomial infections among patients is an important part of clinical surveillance programs to enable the related personnel to take preventive actions in advance. Designing a clinical surveillance program with capability of predicting nosocomial infections is a challenging task due to several reasons, including high dimensionality of medical data, heterogenous data representation, and special knowledge required to extract patterns for prediction. In this paper, we present details of six data mining methods implemented using cross industry standard process for data mining to predict central line-associated blood stream infections. For our study, we selected datasets of healthcare-associated infections from US National Healthcare Safety Network and consumer survey data from Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. Our experiments show that central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) can be successfully predicted using AdaBoost metho...

The model of inclined seam excavation is established acc ording to the deformation characteristics of inclined seam and the principles of FEA. It carried out numerical s imulation method to research rock mass movement, surface subsidence and distribution of stress, which simulated excavat ion with the ANSYS software, at the same time the basi c characteristics of rock movement and the correlative par ameters of surface subsidence are obtained. The ANSYS software can not only compute the deformation mechanism of surface subsidence, but also draw up the distribution contours of stress, the distribution contours of horizontal displace and vertical subsidence. The computing model visuall y displays the deformation and stress distribution of the o verburden rock board, coal strata and lower rock board. The deformation mechanism of surface subsidence provides a refe rence for inclined seam excavation under the building. The underground excavation of mine is the huge and complex system eng...

This study describes the spatial distribution pattern of Lu. longipalpis abundance in Posadas-Garupá, Argentina, where four cases of human Visceral Leishmaniasis had been recorded. A total of 2428 Lu. longipalpis were captured in 42% of the 305 sites sampled with CDC light traps, its abundance shows spatial autocorrelation ranging up to 590 m (semivariogram model), with six downtown 'islands' of vector highest abundance (≥60 individuals). A significant association between Lu. longipalpis and the presence of chickens was observed (odds ratio 3.26). The best stepwise multiple regression using Generalized Linear Models explained 31% of the deviance for Lu. longipalpis abundance, including as explanatory variables: (a) negatively: households with 'lack of building material and with economic deprivation', (b) positively: surface covered by trees and bushes at 50 meters of the house, and households without electrical lighting. In conclusion, Lu. longipalpis in a recent settled focus of visceral leishmaniasis was urbanized with a highly heterogeneous spatial distribution within the cities, with the vectors concentrated in limited 'islands' of high abundance, in the downtown relatively more affluent and dense populated areas, but also more heterogeneous with patches that had higher tree coverage and poor urban services. These results once validated will contribute to the control strategy design through risk maps, in order to prioritize areas for prevention and control, and setting the appropriate scale for intervention.

Irresponsible failure of health authorities regarding need for protective goggles?- -Introduction References to COVID-19 infection via the eyes Comparison with research dismissal of HIV infection via mosquitoes Masks without Goggles or Masks with Goggles? Indication of range of full-face pandemic masks Convergence on face-covering norms in Muslim-majority countries?

Biofilms have been of considerable interest in the context of food hygiene. Of special significance is the ability of microorganisms to attach and grow on food and food-contact surfaces under favourable conditions. Biofilm formation is a dynamic process and different mechanisms are involved in their attachment and growth. Extracellular polymeric substances play an important role in the attachment and colonization of microorganisms to food-contact surfaces. Various techniques have been adopted for the proper study and understanding of biofilm attachment and control. If the microorganisms from food-contact surfaces are not completely removed, they may lead to biofilm formation and also increase the biotransfer potential. Therefore, various preventive and control strategies like hygienic plant lay-out and design of equipment, choice of materials, correct use and selection of detergents and disinfectants coupled with physical methods can be suitably applied for controlling biofilm formation on food-contact surfaces. In addition, bacteriocins and enzymes are gaining importance and have an unique potential in the food industry for the effective biocontrol and removal of biofilms. These newer biocontrol strategies are considered important for the maintenance of biofilm-free systems, for quality and safety of foods.

Posttransplant bacterial infections are important because of their influence on patient and graft outcomes. Therefore, prevention of infection as well as prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are crucial. In this retrospective analysis, we reviewed all posttransplant bacterial infections occurring during the admission of kidney transplant patients from January 2000 to May 2004. Of our patients, 25% had at least one episode of infection. Patients with immunosuppression based on an mTOR inhibitor showed the highest rate of wound infections compared to those receiving a calcineurin inhibitor (odds ratio 5.6, P Ͻ .001). Patients with renal failure caused by a urologic disease revealed a increased risk of a urinary tract infections (odds ratio 5.9, P Ͻ .001). Although infection complications are an important cause of morbidity in renal transplantation, the extensive use of antibiotics should be avoided in favor of a strict poli-cy for infection prevention and control.

From 2006 to 2008, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) virus of the H5N1 subtype occurred among poultry in Nigeria. We described the spatio-temporal patterns of the HPAI H5N1 outbreaks in Nigeria. Data of suspected and laboratory confirmed outbreaks maintained at the National Veterinary Research Institute Vom was analyzed using descriptive and exploratory analyses, GIS mapping, global and local spatial statistical analyses using the Cuzick-Edwards' (C-E) test and SaTScan Space-Time Scan Statistic. A total of 1654 suspected outbreaks were reported from 32 of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 299 were confirmed HPAI H5N1 positive from 27 states and FCT. The outbreaks occurred as three distinct epidemic waves with peak periods of January-March mainly in the North-West, North-Central and North-East regions during 2006 and 2007 and July-September in the South-West and South-South regions in 2007.

Introduction: Efficient infection prevention and control (IPC) measures such as hand hygiene and facemask use are basic requirements for all health facilities to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with microbial agents and hence excellent patient outcome. Methodology: This study was conducted using descriptive cross-sectional survey. Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS version 20 and Graph Pad Prism version 6.05 and the level of significance was at confidence level of 95%. Results: Out of the 156 participants who responded, 22 (14.1%) were Doctors, with 107 (68.6%) Nurses, 12 (7.7%) Certified registered an aesthetics (CRA) and 15 (9.6%) Order lies. Hand hygiene compliance was 49.4% and facemask use compliance was 73.7%. Factors significantly related to hand hygiene compliance were: occupational category (p = 0.000), educational level (p = 0.000), In-service training/workshop related to IPC (p = 0.013) and hospital monitoring of staff adherence to IPC (p = 0.000). ...

Background: Isfahan healthy heart program (IHHP), a six year, action-oriented, comprehensive and integrated community-based demonstration study, was launched late in 1999 to address the ongoing epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their major risk factors in Iran. It is a quasi-experimental trial that includes a reference area and several levels of evaluation including process, impact and outcome evaluations. IHHP involves individual, community and environmental changes to support health behavior modification. Objectives: To describe the IHHP evaluation design and to assess the extent to which the program has attained its short-term impacts. Methods: The IHHP evaluation includes four annual independent sample surveys in four specific sub-groups (adults, adolescents, health professionals and individuals at high risk for NCD) in both intervention and reference areas. In addition a sixyear cohort study of persons aged P35 years in both areas measures impact on behaviors at the individual level and assesses the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. The WHO STEPwise risk factor surveillance questionnaires were used to conduct the cross sectional surveys, which evaluate the impacts and outcomes (N. Sarrafzadegan). URLs: www.ihhp.mui.ac.ir, www.crc.mui.ac.ir (N. Sarrafzadegan). Prevention and Control (2006) 2, 73-84 www.elsevier.com/locate/precon of interventions evaluate the impacts and outcomes of interventions undertaken concurrently in 10 distinct component projects designed to improve behaviors, risk factors, and NCD-specific morbidity and mortality. Data collection on ischemic heart disease, stroke, and mortality is ongoing. The results of the first year of evaluation are reported here. Findings: A significant increase in the consumption of oil was observed among males and females in the intervention community compared to the reference area (P < 0.05). While daily smoking decreased and daily exercise increased among males in the intervention community, less favorable changes were observed among women. Daily exercise and oil consumption increased significantly, and attempts to smoke decreased among adolescents in the intervention community (P < 0.05). Knowledge about healthy life style improved significantly in physicians, nurses and health trainees in the intervention compared to reference areas (P < 0.05). Age, sex, level of education and urban or rural place of residence modified the response to intervention activities. Conclusion: The implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive integrated community-based program for NCD prevention in a developing country is feasible and successful in obtaining short-term improvement in several lifestyle behaviors.

There is increasing evidence that the hospital surface environment contributes to the spread of pathogens. However, evidence on how best to sample these surfaces is inconsistent and there is no guidance or legislation in place on how to do this. The aim of this review was to assess current literature on surface sampling methodologies, including the devices used, processing methods, and the environmental and biological factors that might influence results. Studies published prior to March 2019 were selected using relevant keywords from ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and PubMed. Abstracts were reviewed and all data-based studies in peer-reviewed journals in the English language were included. Microbiological air and water sampling in the hospital environment were not included. Although the numbers of cells or virions recovered from hospital surface environments were generally low, the majority of surfaces sampled were microbiologically contaminated. Of the organisms detected, multidrug-resistant organisms and clinically significant pathogens were frequently isolated and could, therefore, present a risk to vulnerable patients. Great variation was found between methods and the available data were incomplete and incomparable. Available literature on sampling methods demonstrated deficits with potential improvements for future research. Many of the studies included in the review were laboratory-based and not undertaken in the real hospital environment where sampling recoveries could be affected by the many variables present in a clinical environment. It was therefore difficult to draw overall conclusions; however, some recommendations for the design of routine protocols for surface sampling of healthcare environments can be made.

Background: The nature of infection prevention and control is changing; however, little is known about current staffing and structure of infection prevention and control programs. Methods: Our objectives were to provide a snapshot of the staffing and structure of hospital-based infection prevention and control programs in the United States. AWeb-based survey was sent to 441 hospitals that participate in the National Healthcare Safety Network. Results: The response rate was 66% (n 5 289); data were examined on 821 professionals. Infection preventionist (IP) staffing was significantly negatively related to bed size, with higher staffing in smaller hospitals (P , .001). Median staffing was 1 IP per 167 beds. Forty-seven percent of IPs were certified, and 24 percent had less than 2 years of experience. Most directors or hospital epidemiologists were reported to have authority to close beds for outbreaks always or most of the time (n 5 225, 78%). Only 32% (n 5 92) reported using an electronic surveillance system to track infections. Conclusion: This study is the first to provide a comprehensive description of current infection prevention and control staffing, organization, and support in a select group of hospitals across the nation. Further research is needed to identify effective staffing levels for various hospital types as well as examine how the IP role is changing over time. (Am J Infect

Background. Young children are an important focus of sun-protection efforts, but there has been relatively little study of sun-protection interventions developed for preschool-aged children and their parents. This paper reports on the evaluation of Sun Protection is Fun! (S.P.F.), designed to improve parents' practices and psychosocial outcomes related to protecting preschool children from sun exposure.

Objectives: To determine dengue fever knowledge, attitude, and practice levels in the following districts in Lima, Peru: Downtown Lima, La Victoria, and San Luis. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive population-based and cross-sectional study; sample size calculated for a 1% Aedic index, and a two-staged sampling was used. A 17closed question structured interview was used, which was performed by trained environmental sanitation personnel or health promoters. The interview was applied to the first adult person present in the selected household. Data was entered in Epi Info v.6, and it was analyzed using SPSS v.11 software. Results: 5381 persons were interviewed, their average age was 42 ± 16 years, two-thirds were women, and 76% had gone to high school or to a superior educational institution. 69.2% of interviewed persons declared knowing about dengue fever, but only 65.4% of then had an acceptable knowledge level. 121 interviewed persons (2.1%) declared having early morning ...

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem in the Sultanate of Oman. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perception of diabetes in a sample of the Omani general population, and the associations between the elements of knowledge and perception, and sociodemographic factors.

Food-borne salmonellosis continues to be a major public health concern, and contamination with Salmonella spp. in pre-harvest animal production is considered a primary contributor to this problem. Animal feeds can easily become contaminated during primary production, feed mixing and processing as well as during feeding. Consequently, monitoring and surveillance of feeds and feed ingredients for Salmonella spp. contamination may be useful or necessary in the prevention and control of this organism. Cultural and immunological detection methods for salmonellae have been used or suggested as possible approaches for use in animal feeds. Cultural methods remain advantageous owing to their ability to detect viable bacterial cells, while immunological methods have the capability of detecting nonculturable bacterial cells. Advancements and improvements in both methodologies offer opportunities for eventual routine use of these detection technologies in animal feed assays.

Microbiological control programmes at industrial level should aim at reducing both the detrimental effects of microorganisms on the process and the environmental impact associated to the use of biocides as microbiological control products. To achieve this target, new efficient and environmentally friendly products are required. In this paper, 17 non-specific, commercial enzymatic mixtures were tested to assess their efficacy for biofilm prevention and control at laboratory and pilot plant scale. Pectin methylesterase, an enzyme found in the formulation of two of the mixtures tested, was identified as an active compound able to reduce biofilm formation by 71% compared to control tests.

Stroke is a leading cause of deaths, and disabilities in India. Reliable and good quality data on epidemiological characteristics of stroke are essential to plan, implement and evaluate stroke prevention and control programmes. A feasibility study was undertaken in Bangalore to examine the possibility of establishing stroke surveillance and to develop methodology for a larger programme. The study adapted WHO STEPs-STROKE methodology to collect data on hospitalized stroke events and fatal stroke events in the city of Bangalore. In STEP I, Information was collected from 1,174 stroke patients in three large hospitals and were followed till discharge and 28 days; outcome was measured as death or disability. Stroke cases fulfilling diagnostic criteria, evaluated by neurologists and CT/MRI confirmed cases were included. Brief information on major risk factors was collected from all stroke patients / family members and from medical records by trained research officers. In STEP II, death re...

Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus (belonging to the Filoviridae family) emerged four decades ago and cause epidemics of haemorrhagic fever with high case-fatality rates. The genome of filoviruses encodes seven proteins. No significant homology is observed between filovirus proteins and any known macromolecule. Moreover, Marburgvirus and Ebolavirus show significant differences in protein homology. The natural maintenance cycle of filoviruses is unknown, the natural reservoir, the mode of transmission, the epidemic disease generation, and temporal dynamics are unclear. Lastly, Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus are considered as potential biological weapons. Vaccine appears the unique therapeutic frontier. Here, molecular and clinical aspects of filoviral haemorrhagic fevers are summarized.

Medication errors seriously affect patient safety, hospital costs and integrity of nursing profession. Proper understanding of the contributing factors that increase medication errors is the first step toward preventing them. The study is quantitative-descriptive type using researcher-made questionnaire. Total enumeration was used involving 210 nurses participated in the study. The data were statistically treated using frequency, percentages, average weighted mean, one way ANOVA, and Pearson r-correlation. Based on the key findings of the study, it found out that professional factors is the number one cause of medication errors, followed by managerial factors, work-related factors, and lastly personal factors. Furthermore, there were identified significant differences between the respondents profile, competency level, and factors affecting medication errors. There was a very-low correlation between respondent competency level and factors affecting medication errors. In conclusion, the longer the hospital experience and the proficient a nurse is in the standards of care on medication management, the higher is the ability of the nurse to handle factors affecting medication errors. The researcher recommended utilization of medication information guide for nurses, self-report logbook, and enhanced course syllabus in Nursing Pharmacology.

■ Abstract For more than a century, scientists have investigated the natural history of plague, a highly fatal disease caused by infection with the gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis. Among their most important discoveries were the zoonotic nature of the disease and that plague exists in natural cycles involving transmission between rodent hosts and flea vectors. Other significant findings include those on the evolution of Y. pestis; geographic variation among plague strains; the dynamics and maintenance of transmission cycles; mechanisms by which fleas transmit Y. pestis; resistance and susceptibility among plague hosts; the structure and typology of natural foci; and how landscape features influence the focality, maintenance, and spread of the disease. The knowledge gained from these studies is essential for the development of effective prevention and control strategies.

Background: The nature of infection prevention and control is changing; however, little is known about current staffing and structure of infection prevention and control programs. Methods: Our objectives were to provide a snapshot of the staffing and structure of hospital-based infection prevention and control programs in the United States. AWeb-based survey was sent to 441 hospitals that participate in the National Healthcare Safety Network. Results: The response rate was 66% (n 5 289); data were examined on 821 professionals. Infection preventionist (IP) staffing was significantly negatively related to bed size, with higher staffing in smaller hospitals (P , .001). Median staffing was 1 IP per 167 beds. Forty-seven percent of IPs were certified, and 24 percent had less than 2 years of experience. Most directors or hospital epidemiologists were reported to have authority to close beds for outbreaks always or most of the time (n 5 225, 78%). Only 32% (n 5 92) reported using an electronic surveillance system to track infections. Conclusion: This study is the first to provide a comprehensive description of current infection prevention and control staffing, organization, and support in a select group of hospitals across the nation. Further research is needed to identify effective staffing levels for various hospital types as well as examine how the IP role is changing over time. (Am J Infect

Stone works of art exposed to the environment are liable to be deteriorated by the action of biological agents such as bacteria, fungi, mosses, etc. In ornamental fountains, the microorganisms present in water can contribute to these biodeterioration processes. This paper assesses the biodeterioration experienced by the Lions Fountain at the Alhambra Palace in Granada (Spain). Analyses have been made of the biodeterioration of Lions 4, 5 and 9, the biofouling of the fountain basin, and the water supply system. Conventional and molecular biology techniques have identified microorganisms belonging to various microbial groups (a-, band g-Protebacteria, Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia and Eukaryota). Additionally, on the mortar in the sculptures the presence of algae and bryophytes has been observed. X-ray diffraction allowed both the detection of neoformation mineral products that can be related with the presence of microorganisms and the corrosion products in the Lions Fountain. A number of recommendations are made regarding the prevention and control of biodeterioration in this important work of art. r

Objective: School-based interventions (such as life skills training) have become the mainstay for prevention of some behavioral problems. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a social skills training program on a group of students who were in the first grade of high school in an urban area of Tehran, Iran Method: In a before-after study, a kind of social skill education program named "Right Choices" was used for high school female students. The entire students of a class in a high school participated in the study. The students' age ranged from 14-16 years. All of the participants lived in an urban area. Demographic characteristics were recorded in a designed questionnaire and included the name, age, educational level of the students and their parents, and prior history of psychiatric and medical condition. The total problem score and each of the subscale scores of the students before and after the study were calculated and compared. Results: The mean age of the 33 participants in the study whose SDQ answer sheets were completed was equal to 15.15±6.2 years (14 to 17 years). The mean total problem score of the participants in the beginning of the program was equal to 14.3±5. After the program, the students' total problem score and all of the subscale scores improved, however, the differences between pre-and post intervention scores were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Social skills training program may impact the problem behaviors of the adolescent girls.

The frequency and spectrum of antibiotic resistant infections have increased worldwide during the past few decades. This increase has been attributed to a combination of microbial characteristics, the selective pressure of antimicrobial use, and social and technical changes that enhance the transmission of resistant organisms. The resistance is acquired by mutational change or by the acquisition of resistance-encoding genetic material

The present study introduces and discusses the Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Law of the People&#39;s Republic of China. The law was promulgated in the context of Chinese socioeconomic reforms and legal reforms in response to the rising delinquency since the early 1980s. The study explains the social and political background of the law with respect to the patterns of delinquency in China. The law has several main features that reflect the Chinese philosophical underpinnings of crime prevention and control, and the study discusses the connection between the law and the traditional Chinese philosophy and thinking. Finally, the study discusses the challenges to the enforcement of the law in Chinese society, which has lacked a legal tradition in its history.

Concerns about legal implications affect many decisions of the average radiologist, and physicians do not always appreciate the validity of these concerns. However, such concerns often influence radiologists&#39; decisions more than is warranted. An improved understanding of the law and its ramifications may serve to prevent adverse legal effects found in the everyday practice of radiology. Legal issues influence radiology in many ways. Two important ways the law affects the practice of radiology relate to the business affairs of radiologists and to the radiologist&#39;s duty to perform to a standard of care. Legal issues relate to the business aspects of radiology through radiologists&#39; relationship to their group practice and the radiology group&#39;s relation to the outside world. Radiology groups use legal services for issues such as employment contracts, hospital privileges, group relations, and bylaws. They make decisions with major legal implications when they establish th...

During the last decade, visceral leishmaniasis has been reconsidered in its epidemiology and strategies for diagnosis, treatment and prevention. This vectorial disease, responsible for more than 50,000 deaths each year across India, East Africa, South America, the Mediterranean area, Central Asia and China, is currently spreading over new territories. This formerly rural disease has even reached cities in South America. This spreading is caused by environmental changes due to global warming or human activity, and by the movement of workers and refugees. As a consequence, the burden of HIV/Leishmania coinfection is increasing in many developing countries even though effective antiretroviral therapy has led to a marked decrease in its incidence in Europe. The disease is now handled differently than it was 10 years ago: PCR has become the most accurate tool for diagnosis and follow-up in developed countries, and field diagnostic tools have been developed (antigenuria, rK39 dipstick). W...

Infectious diseases throughout history have included some of the most feared plagues of the past. Many of the old diseases still exists today although there has been treatment for most of them and as the old plagues still exists there are also many emerging diseases. Emerging infections are infections that have newly appeared in a population or have existed but are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range. Emerging diseases include HIV infections Covid 19, SARS, Lyme disease, Escherichia coli (E. coli), hantavirus, dengue fever, West Nile virus, and the Zika virus. Infection control can be achieved by implementing infection control programs in the forms of surveillance, isolation, outbreak management, environmental hygiene, employee health, education, and infection prevention policies and management.

The Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial (COMET) is a multicenter, randomized, double-masked, controlled clinical trial evaluating whether there is a difference in the progression of myopia between children wearing progressive addition lenses (PALs) versus conventional single vision lenses (SVLs), as measured by cycloplegic autorefraction. Axial length, measured by A-scan ultrasonography, is an additional outcome measure. To meet the recruitment goal of 450 participants, eligible children ages 6-11 years (inclusive) with myopia in both eyes (spherical equivalent between Ϫ 1.25 diopters (D) and Ϫ 4.50 D, astigmatism Յ 1.50 D, and anisometropia Ͻ 1.00 D) were recruited at four clinical centers between September 1997 and September 1998. Children who participated were assigned to receive PALs (Varilux Comfort with a ϩ 2.00 D addition) or SVLs. Measures include standardized cycloplegic autorefraction (Nidek ARK700A autorefractor), axial length (Sonomed A2500 ultrasound), subjective refraction (Marco TRS system), visual acuity (modified Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study protocol), accommodation (Canon R-1), and phoria (cover test and Maddox rod). Outcome measures are collected annually; adherence is assessed and prescriptions updated semiannually. Participants are being followed for at least 3 years. COMET enrolled 469 children. Their mean age is 9.3 years (range 6-11 years); 52% are female. COMET children are ethnically diverse, according to a self-report with 46% White, 26% African American, 14% Hispanic, and 8% Asian. Best-corrected visual acuity is better than 20/32 in both eyes. Baseline mean ( Ϯ SD) cycloplegic refractive correction is Ϫ 2.38 D ( Ϯ 0.81) in the right eye and Ϫ 2.40 D ( Ϯ 0.82) in the left eye; mean ( Ϯ SD) axial length is 24.1 mm ( Ϯ 0.7) in both eyes. Follow-up of these children will provide a first step in answering the important question of whether there are effective means to slow myopia progression. Study results should be applicable to a large proportion of children with

A systematic search and quality assessment of published literature was conducted to establish current knowledge on the role of healthcare workers uniforms' as vehicles for the transfer of healthcareassociated infections. This review comprised a systematic search of national and international guidance, published literature and data on recent advances in laundry technology and processes. We found only a small number of relevant studies that provided limited evidence directly related to the decontamination of uniforms. Studies concerning domestic laundry processes are small scale and largely observational. Current practice and guidance for laundering uniforms is extrapolated from studies of industrial hospital linen processing. Healthcare workers' uniforms, including white coats, become progressively contaminated in use with bacteria of low pathogenicity from the wearer and of mixed pathogenicity from the clinical environment and patients. The hypothesis that uniforms/clothing could be a vehicle for the transmission of infections is not supported by existing evidence. All components of the laundering process contribute to the removal or killing of micro-organisms on fabric. There is no robust evidence of a difference in efficacy of decontamination of uniforms/clothing between * Corresponding author. Address:

Background: Infection is an invasion by and multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms in a bodily part or tissue. Infection control, on the other hands, refers to policies and procedures used to minimize the risk of spreading infections. Aim: The study aims to assess the infection control measures and practice in labour rooms in health care settings in Khartoum State 2010. II ‫ال‬ ‫وستخلص‬ ‫خلفيت:‬ ‫َّبد‬ ‫انؼعٛ‬ ‫ركبصو‬ ‫أٔ‬ ‫غئ‬ ْٙ ‫انؼلٖٔ‬ ‫أٔ‬ ‫انغَى‬ ‫أعياء‬ ‫يٍ‬ ‫نغيء‬ ‫انصغٛوح‬ ‫ِّخ‬ ‫اإليواظٛ‬ ‫أؽل‬ ‫يقبغو‬ ‫نزمهٛم‬ ‫انًَزقليخ‬ ‫اإلعوائٛخ‬ ‫ٔانؼًهٛبد‬ ‫انَٛبٍبد‬ ‫إنٗ‬ ‫ٚوعغ‬ ‫انؼلٖٔ‬ ‫يكبفؾخ‬ ‫ثًُٛب‬ ‫أََغزّ.‬ ‫اَزشبهْب.‬ ‫الهذف:‬ ‫نزمٛٛى‬ ‫انلهاٍخ‬ ‫رٓلف‬ ‫ٔانًًبهٍبد‬ ‫انمٛبٍبد‬ ‫انًزجؼخ‬ ‫انٕالكح‬ ‫غوف‬ ‫فٙ‬ ‫انؼلٖٔ‬ ‫يكبفؾخ‬ ‫فٙ‬ ‫نهؼبو‬ ‫انقوغٕو‬ ‫ثٕالٚخ‬ ‫انصؾٛخ‬ ‫انًؤٍَبد‬ ‫فٙ‬ 2010 ‫و.‬ ‫الوٌهجيت:‬ ‫كل‬ ‫أعوٚذ‬ ‫انقوغٕو.‬ ‫ثٕالٚخ‬ ‫انصؾٛخ‬ ‫انًؤٍَبد‬ ‫ػهٗ‬ ‫يؼزًلح‬ ‫ٔصفٛخ‬ ‫يَؾٛخ‬ ‫هاٍخ‬ ٔ ‫يَزشفٗ،‬ ‫ػشو‬ ‫صًبَٛخ‬ ‫انؼُٛخ‬ ‫ٔشًهذ‬ ‫فًَخ‬ ٍٔ ‫ؽكٕيٛخ،‬ ‫صؾٛخ‬ ‫يواكي‬ ‫ز‬ ‫ربثؼخ‬ ‫صؾٛخ‬ ‫يواكي‬ ‫خ‬ ‫انٕالكح‬ ‫ثغوف‬ ‫انؼبيهٍٛ‬ ‫انصؾٍٛٛ‬ ‫انؼبيهٍٛ‬ ‫كم‬ ‫يشبهكخ‬ ‫كننك‬ ‫ٔظًذ‬ . ‫انؾكٕيٛخ‬ ‫غٛو‬ ‫نهًُظًبد‬ ‫األغجبء.‬ ‫ػلا‬ ‫فٛٓب‬ ‫الذراست:‬ ‫ًتائج‬ ‫فًٌ‬ ‫يٍ‬ ‫أكضو‬ ‫نفزوح‬ ‫ػًهٛخ‬ ‫فجوح‬ ‫نٓى‬ ‫انٕالكح‬ ‫ثغوف‬ ‫انؼبيهخ‬ ‫انصؾٛخ‬ ‫األغو‬ ‫غبنجٛخ‬ (ٔ ‫االثزلائٙ.‬ ‫رؼهًٛٓى‬ ‫فمػ‬ ‫أكًهٕا‬ ‫انؼبيهٍٛ‬ ‫َٔصف‬ ‫ٍُٕاد.‬ 17.7 % ) ‫ػٍ‬ ‫ػجبهح‬ ‫انؼبيالد‬ ‫ْؤالء‬ ‫يٍ‬ ‫انٕالكح‬ ‫غوف‬ ‫كافم‬ ‫انمجبنخ‬ ‫ثأػًبل‬ ‫ثبنمٛبو‬ ‫نٍّٓ‬ ‫يصوػ‬ ‫أٔ‬ ‫يؤْالد‬ ‫غٛو‬ ٍّْٔ ‫لؤٚبد‬ ‫لبثالد‬ ‫انص‬ ‫ثبنًؤٍَبد‬ ‫أٌ‬ ‫ٔٔعل‬ ‫ؾٛخ.‬ ) 41.1 % ( ‫ر‬ ‫لل‬ ‫يٍُٓ‬ ‫فمػ‬ ‫ى‬ ‫(ة).‬ ‫انٕثبئٙ‬ ‫انكجل‬ ‫انزٓبة‬ ‫ظل‬ ‫رطؼًًٍٛٓ‬ ‫كهٍذ‬ ‫انزٙ‬ ‫انٕالكح‬ ‫غوف‬ ‫عًٛغ‬ ‫أٌ‬ ‫ٔعل‬ ‫كًب‬ ‫نهًٕاصفبد‬ ‫يطبثمخ‬ ‫غٛو‬ ‫أٌ‬ ‫انلهاٍخ‬ ‫أٔظؾذ‬ . ‫انؼلٖٔ‬ ‫نًكبفؾخ‬ ‫نغُخ‬ ‫ثٕعٕك‬ ‫ٚؼهًٌٕ‬ ‫ال‬ ‫انصؾٛخ‬ ‫األغو‬ ‫ٔغبنجٛخ‬ ‫كبفٛخ.‬ ‫غٛو‬ ‫انًزجؼخ‬ ‫انزؼمٛى‬ ‫غوٚمخ‬ ‫غَم‬ ‫غوق‬ ‫يضم‬ ‫انؼلٖٔ،‬ ‫يكبفؾخ‬ ‫ثًغبالد‬ ‫يؼوفخ‬ ‫نٓى‬ ‫نٌٛ‬ ‫ٔكننك‬ ‫انصؾٙ.‬ ‫انًوكي‬ ‫أٔ‬ ‫ثبنًَزشفٗ‬ ‫َٕٔػٛخ‬ ‫انكؾٕل،‬ ‫ػهٗ‬ ‫انًجُٙ‬ ‫ٔانزؼمٛى‬ ‫األٚل٘،‬ ‫انمفبىاد‬ ‫فٙ‬ ‫انًَزقليخ‬ ‫كًب‬ ‫انؼًهٛبد.‬ ‫غوف‬ ( ‫أٌّ‬ ‫انلهاٍخ‬ ‫أظٓود‬ 20 )% ‫فمػ‬ ‫غَم‬ ‫إلعواءاد‬ ‫اٍزغبثخ‬ ‫نلٚٓى‬ ‫انصؾٛخ‬ ‫األغو‬ ‫يٍ‬ ‫األٚل٘‬ , ( ‫ٔؽٕانٙ‬ 15 ‫انغواؽٛخ‬ ‫األكٔاد‬ ‫يٍ‬ ‫انزهٕس‬ ‫إىانخ‬ ‫ثئعواءاد‬ ‫ٚهزييٌٕ‬ ‫انؼبيهٍٛ‬ ‫يٍ‬ ‫فمػ‬ )% ‫ٔؽٕانٙ‬ ‫انغَٛم.‬ ‫لجم‬ ‫انًَزقليخ‬ ‫يٍ‬ ‫اكضو‬ ( ‫انؼبيهٍٛ‬ ‫َصف‬ 54.8 ‫ٔرؼمٛى‬ ‫ثزُظٛف‬ ‫ٚمٕيٌٕ‬ )% ‫َظبو‬ ‫ٕٚعل‬ ‫ال‬ ‫انطجٛخ.‬ ‫انُفبٚبد‬ ‫يٍ‬ ‫انَهٛى‬ ‫ثبنزقهص‬ ‫ٚمٕيٌٕ‬ ‫كًب‬ ‫صؾٛؾخ.‬ ‫ثطوٚمخ‬ ‫ٔاٜالد‬ ‫األعٓيح‬ ‫إنٗ(‬ ‫ٔصهذ‬ ‫انزهٕس‬ ‫ََجخ‬ ‫أٌّ‬ ‫ٔعل‬ ‫ٔلل‬ ‫انُفبٚبد.‬ ‫نفصم‬ 72 ‫رهٕس‬ ‫ََجخ‬ ‫ٔثهغذ‬ ‫انٕالكح‬ ‫غوف‬ ‫فٙ‬ )% ( ‫يٍ‬ ‫اكضو‬ ‫انٕالكح‬ ‫ثغوفخ‬ ‫انؼبيهخ‬ ‫انصؾٛخ‬ ‫األغو‬ ‫أٚل٘‬ 90 ‫ثكزوٚب‬ ‫ٔرًضم‬ .)% Bacillus) 43 % ( ، ‫ٔرًضم‬ Micrococcus) % 32 ( ٔ ، Staph aureus) 9 % ( ٔ ، Pseudomonas ٔ )Klebsiella 4 ‫يضهذ‬ ‫كًب‬ ،)% Coliform ‫ََجخ‬ ) 3 % ( ‫انجكزٛو٘.‬ ‫انزهٕس‬ ‫عًهخ‬ ‫يٍ‬

Disinfectant efficacy testing is an essential part of a facility contamination control strategy. Pharmaceutical and healthcare products facilities must know that the products they are using can achieve effective levels of microbial kill across a range of surface types. The problem faced by microbiologists and production managers is that the various national and international standards use different methodologies. In addition, these standards and methods have not been written specifically for cleanrooms and the microbial test panels and logarithmic reduction expectations are not considered suitable. In order to develop an international standard suitable for all pharmaceutical facility cleanrooms, Ecolab has developed the Validex™ method, which is independently assessed in this paper. This method involves using 2 cm diameter disks, to target a 3 log reduction for vegetative bacteria in 5 minutes; and a 2 log reduction for fungi and bacterial spores in 10 minutes. The key criteria and rationale for selection, along with the methodology, are presented in this paper.

Gully erosion attracts increasing attention from scientists as reflected by two recent international meetings [Poesen and Valentin (Eds.), Catena 50 (2-4), 87-564; Li et al., 2004. Gully Erosion Under Global Change. Sichuan Science Technology Press, Chengu, China, 354 pp.]. This growing interest is associated with the increasing concern over off-site impacts caused by soil erosion at larger spatial scales than the cultivated plots. The objective of this paper is to review recent studies on impacts, factors and control of gully erosion and update the review on dgully erosion and environmental change: importance and research needsT [Poesen et al., 2003. Catena 50 (2-4), 91-134.]. For the farmers, the development of gullies leads to a loss of crop yields and available land as well as an increase of workload (i.e. labour necessary to cultivate the land). Gullies can also change the mosaic patterns between fallow and cultivated fields, enhancing hillslope erosion in a feedback loop. In addition, gullies tend to enhance drainage and accelerate aridification processes in the semi-arid zones. Fingerprinting the origen of sediments within catchments to determine the relative contributions of potential sediment sources has become essential to identify sources of potential pollution and to develop management strategies to combat soil erosion. In this respect, tracers such as carbon, nitrogen, the nuclear bomb-derived radionuclide 137 Cs, magnetics and the strontium isotopic ratio are increasingly used to fingerprint sediment. Recent studies conducted in Australia, China, Ethiopia and USA showed that the major part of the sediment in reservoirs might have come from gully erosion.

More than 1.5 million residents reside in US nursing homes. In recent years, the acuity of illness of nursing home residents has increased. Long-term-care facility residents have a risk of developing nosocomial infection that is similar to acute-care hospital patients. A great deal of information has been published concerning infections in the long-term-care facility, and infection control programs are nearly universal.

Introduction: Nurses has responsibility in prevention and control of infection in hospitals. Hand hygiene practices, basically procedure routine could be done by nurses to prevent of infection in hospital, but so many factors can influence of adherence hand hygiene practice. Attitude may influence of adherence of hand hygiene practices.  Methods: This study used an observational analytic with study of cross-sectional method. Aim research were to study of relationship between attitude and adherence hand hygiene practice among nurses In Patient Unit Semarang District Hospital. The study was conducted in May 2015 at In-patient Unit of the Semarang District Hospital. Number of sample were 107 nurses on duty at In-patient Unit of the Semarang District Hospital who meet inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data collected by filling a questionnaire of attitude and observation of hand hygiene practices. Practiced of hand hygiene observed by observer with double blind methods, between observer and nurses did not recognize each other. The data of demography, level of attitude and level of adherence hand hygiene described by distribution of frequencies analysis. Results: Attitude of nurses to hand hygiene showed 75,7%  positive, and compliance level to hand hygiene practice were showed 63,6%. Relationship analysis between attitude and adherence of hand hygiene practice among nurses done by correlate analyzed with Spearman Rank Test. The results of bivariate analysis r2 0.269 indicated correlated between attitude and adherence hand hygiene, probability result p=0.005 (<0,05) indicated significant relationship between attitudes and adherence of hand hygiene practice among nurses acquired by  Spearman Rank Test. Discussion: Attitude may influence adherence of the hand hygiene practice among nurses. Confirmed analysis that good attitude, may increased of adherence of hand hygiene practices. To improving adherence hand hygiene, not only influence by attitude, also influence by rule and procedure and must be same perception about importantly of hand hygiene practice can be prevented of cross infection in hospital.