Active clinical trials for "Communicable Diseases"

The overall objective of this study is to assess the feasibility and potential impact of using a targeted testing approach and 2 interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA) to screen for latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) among military recruits. The current policy of universal application of the Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) to screen for LTBI may result in many TST reactions among recruits who are at low risk for LTBI. The central hypothesis is that targeted testing by use of the questionnaire will reduce unnecessary testing of low-risk recruits without affecting the identification of higher-risk recruits. The secondary hypothesis is that many discordant results between the TST and IGRA may be explained by cross-reactivity to non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) with the TST.

The goal of this 3-year project is to control the spread of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in the Dallas County Jail. CA-MRSA is a bacterium spreading rapidly through healthy populations and becoming an epidemic in many regions of the U.S. Many people in the community are asymptomatically colonized by MRSA. There have been outbreaks of MRSA infections at prisons and jails. We will study the spread of MRSA in the jail to better understand how the bacteria are transmitted from person to person there and how we can prevent their transmission. All detainees asked to participate must give informed consent to do so; their privacy will be carefully protected. Detainees with a history of allergy to CHG will be excluded. Seventeen objects in the jail will be sampled for contamination with MRSA. Bacteria will be collected from all cultures obtained from patients with bacterial skin infections for 18 months in a part of the jail in order to determine how frequently these infections are caused by MRSA relative to other bacteria. A group of about 1500 adult detainees will be tested for colonization with MRSA in order to determine how commonly detainees carry the bacterium. A cluster-randomized 6-month study will be undertaken among these detainees and those who take their places when they leave the jail to determine if chlorhexidine (CHG)-containing disposable wash cloths for skin cleaning can decrease the prevalence of MRSA skin or nose colonization. Detainees receiving CHG cloths (about 500 detainees) will be compared to detainees receiving water-soaked cloths for skin cleaning (about 500 detainees) or no intervention (about 500 detainees). The primary outcome will be a difference in average colonization prevalence in detention tanks, which are discrete detention units housing detainees, comparing the usual care to the CHG-exposed tanks after 6 months of CHG cloth use. A secondary outcome will be a decrease in skin infections from any cause in the tanks receiving CHG compared with usual care. All of the MRSA isolates and a sample of the S. aureus isolates susceptible to methicillin from specimens colonizing or infecting detainees, as well as those contaminating surfaces and objects in the jail will be tested genetically in order to determine which strains of MRSA are present in the jail. This study may identify ways to stop the spread of MRSA among people in jails and prisons, as well as other places.

The purpose of this study is to assess whether simple, school-based handwashing promotion impacts health and hygiene knowledge among students and their families.

The main purpose of this study is to determine if applying mupirocin into soldiers noses who are colonized with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) will reduce infections in them and their cohort of fellow soldiers.

Multidrug resistant organisms (MDRO) are prevalent in hospitals and are associated with hospital-acquired infections (HAI). High-touch surfaces serve as reservoirs and fomites for MDRO transmission. The investigators quantified the impact of hanging single-use cleaning/disinfecting wipes in patients' immediate environment within multi-patient rooms. Pre-specified outcomes were: 1) HAI rate, 2) cleaning frequency, 3) MDRO room contamination, 4) new MDRO acquisitions, and 5) in-hospital mortality.

In this study, investigators seek to determine whether the timing of antibiotics given to mothers during an elective C-section affects the composition of their infant's gut microbiome. To do this, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) was carried out with women undergoing elective C-sections. These women were either given antibiotics before the skin incision (AB+) or after the umbilical cord was clamped (AB-).

Screening for genital infection (GI), sexually transmitted infection (STI) and asymptomatic carriage of group B streptococcus (GBS) in pregnant women is a common reason for medical appointments. Conventional testing is performed by using vaginal and/or cervical classic sampling (VCS). Vaginal self-sampling (VSS) has progressively emerged as an alternative to VCS for STI agent screening. The use of vaginal self-sampling (VSS) could facilitate follow-ups and potentially help in the prevention of gynaecological disorders.

This study involves sampling bone marrow transplant patients, hospital workers and the patient room for microbes using swabs and other techniques. We send these samples to the laboratory, where they will use state-of-the art technology to identify and relate the microbes to each other. This study also involves putting copper, nickel, or titanium into some hospital rooms, and seeing whether these metals influences the growth of microbes. Some equipment in the hospital room, such as faucets and soap dispensers will be replaced by sensor-based (e.g. touchless) controls.

Objective: To investigate if the use of the newly designed Alexis O Retractor leads to improved intra-operative and post-operative surgical outcomes in the setting of planned elective Caesarean Sections. Study Design: This ethically approved study is designed as a prospective, randomized controlled trial in planned, first time Caesarean Sections with 200 patients randomized to either the Alexis-O Retractor group or the conventional group. Patients with wound healing problems, connective tissue disorders, insulin dependent diabetes, bleeding disorders, previous major abdominal surgery and chorioamnionitis are excluded. Outcomes include surgical site infection, intraoperative parameters such as tissue damage, postoperative analgesia requirements and patient satisfaction scores.

The study evaluates the role of supplemental hyper-oxygenation given perioperatively on wound site infection after appendectomy. Half of the patients received ≥50% oxygen and half of them received no oxygen during the surgical procedure.