CURRICULUM VITAE

CURRICULUM VITAE
1. PERSONAL DATA
Zingg, Walter
Birth date and place: 19.05.1967, Bauma
Country of origin:
Switzerland
Etat civil :
Célibataire
Private addresses: Wyssgasse 9
8004 Zürich
+41 22 348 31 33 (phone)
+41 79 643 09 14 (portable)
Chemin du Jonc 31
1218 Le Grand-Saconnex
Work addres:
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève
Service de prévention et contrôle de l’infection
4, Rue Gabrielle Perret-Gentil
1211 Genève
+41 22 372 33 64 (téléphone)
+41 22 372 39 87 (Fax)
walter.zingg@hcuge.ch
2. PRESENT POSITION
- Senior physician in the infection control programme at the University of Geneva
hospitals since 4/2012
- Head of the hospital hygiene laboratory since 1/2012
- Consultant in paediatric infectious diseases since 1/2010
3. DIPLOMA
1987 College degree, Kanontsschule Im Lee, Winterthur, Winterthur
1994 Medical school, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
1996 Postgraduate course in experimental biology and medicine, University of Zurich,
Zurich, Switzerland
2004 Medical doctor degree: « Impact of an outbreak of norovirus infection on hospital
resources »
2004 Specialist in Children and adolescent medicine
2004 Specialist in Infectious diseases
4. PROFESSIONAL TRAINING (PREGRADUATE)
10/1987 – 09/1988 Professional music school, Conservatory of Winterthur, Winterthur,
Switzerland
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5. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES (POSTGRADUATE)
01/1995 – 03/1995 Officer School, Swiss Army
04/1995 – 03/1996 Postgraduate course in experimental biology and medicine, University
of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
04/1996 – 09/1997 Research fellow in molecular biology, University children’s hospital,
Zurich, Switzerland
10/1997 – 03/1998 Resident, Neonatology, Schweizerische Pflegerinnenschule, Zurich,
Switzerland
04/1998 – 06/1998 Resident, Paediatrics, University children’s hospital, Zurich,
Switzerland
07/1998 – 09/1999 Resident, Paediatrics, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Switzerland
10/1999 – 09/2000 Resident, Paediatric intensive care, University children’s hospital,
Zurich, Switzerland
10/2000 – 06/2001 Resident, Paediatric infectious diseases, University children’s hospital,
Zurich, Switzerland
07/2001 – 09/2001 Resident, Paediatric intensive care, University children’s hospital,
Zurich, Switzerland
10/2001 – 12/2002 Resident, Adult infectious diseases, University hospital of Zurich,
Zurich, Switzerland
01/2003 – 12/2003 Resident, Infection control programme, University hospital of Zurich,
Zurich, Switzerland
01/2004 – 12/2004 Senior physician, Infection control programme, University hospital of
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
01/2005 – 12/2006 Senior physician, Paediatrics, University children’s hospital, Zurich,
Switzerland
01/2007 – 12/2011 Senior research physician, Infection control programme, University of
Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
Depuis 01/2012 Senior physician, Infection control programme, University of Geneva
Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
6. TEACHING ACTIVITIES
Teaching pregraduate:
- 3 rd year student courses in microbiology
Teaching postgraduate:
- Infection control and microbiology, infection control training school
- Paediatric infectious diseases
Teaching supports:
- Web-based E-learning: www.carepractice.net
- Book chapters:
o Acute Bloodstream Infections. In: Textbook of Critical Care. 6 th Edition.
Elsevier Saunders. Philadelphia, PN. Chapter 155.
o “Endovascular Infections and Endocarditis” in “Principles and Practice of
Transplant Infectious Diseases”
o “Device-related infection diagnosis, prevention and treatment” in “Oxford
Textbook of Critical Care, 2 nd edition”
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7. RESEARCH
- Healthcare associated infection surveillance, neonatal intensive care unit. Principal
investigator. Quality project. Since 01/2007.
- Yearly prevalence studies, University of Geneva Hospitals. Coordinator. Quality
project. Since 01/2007.
- National surveillance of ESBL-producing Gram-negative pathogens in children’s
hospitals in Switzerland. Project in collaboration with the “Swiss Pediatric Surveillance
Unit” (SPSU) and the National healthcare authorities. Principal investigator –
Unrestricted Grant MSD: 10’000 CHF; 07/2008 – 06/2012.
- REDCO-CVC – CLABSI-prevention programme. Quality project of the University of
Geneva Hospital. Coordinator – 200’000 CHF; Since 01/2008.
- PROMETHEUS: Project on stem cell derived treatment for Parkinson’s disease. A
“Synergia” project from the Swiss National Foundation. Co-investigator – 160’000
CHF; 04/2009 – 03/2013.
- Randomized controlled hand hygiene improvement project of the University of
Geneva Hospitals, financed by the Swiss National Foundation. Co-investigator –
300’000 CHF; 04/2009 – 03/2013.
- PROHIBIT – “Prevention of hospital infections by intervention and training”. European
multicentre study within the FP7 framework”. Financed by the European Commission.
Co-Coordinator of the project/consortium & Co-Investigator of one of the six work
packages - 2’999’997 EUR; 01/2010 – 12/2013.
- SIGHT – “Systematic review and evidence-based guidance on the organisation of
hospital infection control programmes “. A systematic review and definition of key
components of infection control practices. A project issued by the European Centre
for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Project Manager – 180’000 EUR;
01/2011 – 10/2012.
8. CLINICAL ACTIVITY
- Senior consultant in infection control, Infection control programme, University of
Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Consultant in paediatric infectious diseases, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva,
Switzerland
9. DISTINCTIONS
2007 Selection to attend the ICAAC ID Fellows Grant Programme; 47 th Interscience
Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), Chicago
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2008 National congress of the Swiss Paediatric Society 2008, Lugano: Price for the best
poster – “Use, Outcome and Risk of Central Venous or Arterial Lines in Neonatology”
10. SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS
- Swiss Medical Society
- Swiss Paediatric Society
- Swiss Infectious Diseases Society
- Swiss Society of Infection Control
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Group of Switzerland
11. OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS
- President of the foundation “AIDS & Kind/SIDA et enfants”
- Reviewer activites for the following journals:
o British Medical Journal
o Clinical Infectious Diseases
o Critical Care Medicine
o Critical Care
o Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal
o Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
o Infection
o BMC Infectious Diseases
o European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases
o European Journal of Pediatrics
o International Journal of Surgery
o Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine
o Clinical Anatomy
o Polymer
o European Journal of Anaesthesiology
o Surgical Oncology
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PUBLICATIONS
A. Original articles published or accepted in peer-reviewed journals
- Zingg W, Bossart W, Berli E, Nadal D. Detection and quantification of cell-free
Epstein-Barr virus by polymerase chain reaction and subsequent DNA enzyme
immunoassay. J Virol Methods. 1999;79:141-148.
Impact factor: 2.2; Citations: 18
- Berger C, Day P, Meier G, Zingg W, Bossart W, Nadal D. Dynamics of Epstein-Barr
virus DNA levels in serum during EBV-associated disease. J Med Virol. 2001;64:505-
512.
Impact factor: 2.6; Citations: 41
- Zingg W, Kellenberger C, Frey B, Grimm F, Berger C. A 7-year-old girl with dyspnea
and rash. Clin Infect Dis. 2003;37:73-74;129-130.
Impact factor: 7.6; Citations: 1
- Zingg W, Renner-Schneiter EC, Pauli-Magnus C et al. Alveolar echinococcosis of the
liver in an adult with human immunodeficiency virus type-1 infection. Infection.
2004;32:299-302.
Impact factor: 2.0; Citations: 19
- Zinkernagel AS, Speck RF, Ruef C, Zingg W, Berger-Bachi B, Springer B. Rapidly
destructive Staphylococcus epidermidis endocarditis. Infection. 2005;33:148-150.
Impact factor: 2.0; Citations: 6
Zingg W, Colombo C, Jucker T, Bossart W, Ruef C. Impact of an outbreak of
norovirus infection on hospital resources. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol.
2005;26:263-267.
Impact factor: 3.0; Citations: 20
- Rudin C, Burri M, Shen Y, Rode R, Nadal D; Pediatric Infectious Diseases Group
of Switzerland; Swiss Mother and Child HIV Cohort Study (MoCHiV). Long-term
safety and effectiveness of ritonavir, nelfinavir, and lopinavir/ritonavir in antiretroviralexperienced
HIV-infected children. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2008;27:431-437.
Impact factor: 3.3; Citations: 9
Zingg W, Imhof A, Maggiorini M, Stocker R, Keller E, Ruef C. Impact of a Prevention
Strategy Targeting Hand Hygiene and Catheter Care on the Incidence of Catheter-
Related Bloodstream Infection. Crit Care Med. 2009;37:2167-2173.
Impact factor: 6.7; Citations: 24
- Corti N, Heck A, Rentsch K, Zingg W, Jetter A, Stieger B, Pauli-Magnus C. Effect of
ritonavir on pharmacokinetics of mebendazole and albendazole: An interaction study
in healthy volunteers. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2009;65:999-1006.
Impact factor: 2.6; Citations: 2
Zingg W, Sax H, Inan C, Cartier V, Diby M, Clergue F, Pittet D, Walder B. Hospitalwide
surveillance of catheter-related bloodstream infection: from the expected to the
unexpected. J Hosp Infect. 2009;73:41-46.
Impact factor: 3.0; Citations: 9
Zingg W, Imhof A, Senn G, Demartines N, Ruef C. Rapid colonization with
methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci after surgery. World J Surg.
2009.33:2058-2062.
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Impact factor: 2.7
Citations: 4
- Fankhauser C, Zingg W, Francois P, Dharan S, Schrenzel J, Pittet D, Harbarth S.
Surveillance of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase Producing Enterobacteriaceae in a
Tertiary Care Hospital. Swiss Med Weekly. 2009;139:747-51.
Impact factor: 1.7
Citations: 3
- Knirsch W, Zingg W, Bernet V, Balmer C, Dimitropoulos A, Pretre R, Bauersfeld U,
Latal B. Determinants of body weight gain and association with neurodevelopmental
outcome in infants operated for congenital heart disease. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac
Surg. 2009;10:377-382.
Impact factor: nd
Citations: 1
- Myers C, Posfay-Barbe KM, Aebi C, Cheseaux JJ, Kind C, Rudin C, Nadal D, Siegrist
CA; Pediatric Infectious Disease Group of Switzerland (PIGS); Swiss Mother and
Child HIV Cohort Study (MoCHIV). Determinants of vaccine immunity in the cohort of
human immunodeficiency virus-infected children living in Switzerland. Pediatr Infect
Dis J. 2009;28:996-1001.
Impact factor: 3.3
Citations: 3
- Rudin C, Wolbers M, Nadal D, Rickenbach M, Bucher HC; Pediatric Infectious
Disease Group of Switzerland (PIGS); Swiss Mother and Child HIV Cohort Study
(MoCHiV). Long-term safety and effectiveness of lopinavir/ritonavir in antiretroviralexperienced
HIV-1-infected children. Arch Dis Child. 2010;95:478-481.
Impact factor: 2.6
Citations: 2
Zingg W, Pfister R, Posfay-Barbe K, Touveneau S, Pittet D. Secular Trends in
Antibiotic Use among Neonates: 2001-2008. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2011;30:365-370.
Impact factor: 3.3
Citations: 2
Zingg W, Posfay-Barbe K, Pfister R, Touveneau S, Pittet D. Individualized Catheter
Surveillance among Neonates: A Prospective 8-Year Single Center Experience.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2011;32:42-49.
Impact factor: 3.0
Citations: 1
Zingg W, Sandoz L, Inan C, Cartier V, Clergue F, Pittet D, Walder B. Hospital-wide
survey of the use of central venous catheters. J Hosp Infect. 2011;77:304-308.
Impact factor: 3.0
Citations: 2
- Taguebue J, Monebenimp F, Zingg W, Mve Koh V, Atchoumi A, Gervaix A, Tetanye
E. Risk Factors for Prematurity among Neonates from HIV Positive Mothers in
Cameroon. World J AIDS. 2011;1:1-7.
Impact factor: nd; Citations: nd
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Barrera L, Zingg W, Mendez F, Pittet D. Effectiveness of alcohol-based handrub for
healthcare-associated infection prevention in 6 intensive care units in Colombia. Am J
Infect Control. 2011;39:633-639.
Impact factor: 3.1; Citations: 1
- L'Huillier AG, Ferry T, Courvoisier DS, Aebi C, Cheseaux JJ, Kind C, Rudin C, Nadal
D, Hirschel B, Sottas C, Siegrist CA, Posfay-Barbe KM; Pediatric Infectious
Diseases Group of Switzerland; Group of Switzerland (PIGS); Swiss HIV Cohort
Study (SHCS); Swiss Mother & Child HIV Cohort Study (MoCHiV). Impaired antibody
memory to varicella zoster virus in HIV-infected children: low antibody levels and
avidity. HIV Med. 2012;13:54-61.
Impact factor: 3.6; Citations: 0
- Heidegger CP, Berger MM, Graf S, Zingg W, Darmon P, Thibault R, Pichard C.
Optimization of energy provision with supplemental parenteral nutrition improves the
clinical outcome of critical ill patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Lancet.
2012. In press.
Impact factor: 38; Citations: 0
B. Review articles published or accepted in peer-reviewed journals
- Zingg W, Cartier-Fässler V, Walder B. Central venous catheter-associated infections.
Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology. 2008;22:407-421.
Impact factor: nd; Citations: 7
Zingg W, Posfay-Barbe K, Pittet D. Healthcare-associated infections in neonates.
Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2008;21:228-234.
Impact factor: 4.5; Citations: 9
- Preynaut-Seauve O, Burkhard PR, Villard J, Zingg W, Ginovart N, Feki A, Dubois-
Dauphin M, Hurst S, Mauron A, Jaconi M, Krause KH. Pluripotent stem cells as new
drugs? The example of Parkinson's disease. International Journal of Pharmaceutics.
2009.381:113-121.
Impact factor: 3.3; Citations: 6
- Zingg W, Pittet D. Peripheral venous catheters: an under-evaluated problem. Int J
Antimicrob Agents. 2009;34:S38-S42.
Impact factor: 3.8; Citations: 3
Zingg W, Walder B, Pittet D. Prevention of catheter-related infection: towards zero
risk?. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2011;24:377-384.
Impact factor: 4.5; Citations: 1
- Zingg W, Posfay-Barbe KM. Antibiotic use in children – Off-label use. Curr Drug
Targets. 2012;13:885-892.
Impact factor: 3.1; Citations: 0
- Zingg W, Tomaske M, Martin M. Parenteral nutrition in neonates – risks and
prevention. Nutrients. 2012. In press.
Impact factor: nd. Citations: 0
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C. Editorials published or accepted in peer-reviewed journals
- Pittet D, Zingg W. Reducing ventilator-associated-pneumonia: where process control
allows outcome improvement and even benchmarking. Crit Care Med. 2010;38:983-
984.
Impact factor: 6.7; Citations: 3
- Zingg W, Walder B. Reduction of central line complications: Think “procedure” before
“gadget”. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2011;28:316-317.
Impact factor:; Citations: 0
- Zingg W, Pittet D. Electroinc-eye faucets – Curse or blessing? Infect Control Hosp
Epidemiol. 2012;33:241-242.
Impact factor: 3.0; Citations: 0
- Zingg W, Pittet D. Stopcock contamination – The source does not explain it all.
Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012;114:1151-1152.
Impact factor: 3.3; Citations: 0
D. Letters published or accepted in peer-reviewed journals
- Zingg W, Imhof A, Maggiorini M, Stocker R, Keller E, Ruef C. Impact of a Prevention
Strategy Targeting Hand Hygiene and Catheter Care on the Incidence of Catheter-
Related Bloodstream Infection. Crit Care Med. 2009;37:2999.
Impact factor: 6.7; Citations: 0
E. Original articles submitted to peer-reviewed journals
- Martin M, Zingg W, Hansen S, Gastmeier P, Wu A, Pittet D, Dettenkofer M, on behalf
of the PROHIBIT study group. Public reporting of healthcare-associated infection data
in Europe – What are the views of infection prevention opinion leaders?
- Sax H, Clack L, Touveneau S, Da Liberdade F, Pittet D, Zingg W, on behalf of the
PROHIBIT study group. Implementation of infection control best practice in intensive
care units throughout Europe: a mixed-method evaluation study.
F. Original articles, reviews or letters published or accepted in non-peer-reviewed
journals
- Zingg W. Does vaccination cause disease? Ther Umsch. 2005; 62:665-674.
Impact factor: nd; Citations: 2
- Zingg W. Viral Gastroenteritis. Der Gastroenterologe. 2007;2:179-185.
Impact factor: nd; Citations: nd
G. Book chapters
- Zingg W, Eggimann P, Pittet D. Acute Bloodstream Infections. In: Textbook of Critical
Care. 6 th Edition. Elsevier Saunders. Philadelphia, PN. Chapter 155.
- Zingg W, Pittet D. « Endovascular Infections and Endocarditis » dans « Principles
and Practice of Transplant Infectious Diseases » ; en préparation
- Zingg W, Harbarth S. « Device-related infection diagnosis, prevention and
treatment » dans « Oxford Textbook of Critical Care, 2 nd edition » ; en préparation
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H. Doctoral thesis
- « Impact of an outbreak of Norovirus Infection on hospital resources », Faculté de
médecine, Université de Zürich, Zürich, Suisse
I. Guidelines and recensions
- WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care – 2009
(Critical contribution to the guidelines)
- The Joint Commission. Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections; A Global
Challenge, A Global Perspective – 2012. Member of the Expert Committee.
- Zingg W, Harbarth S. Infectious diseases in the paediatric intensive care unit. Crit
Care. 2008;12:306.
Impact factor: 4.9; Citations: nd
- Zingg W, Harbarth S. Infectious Disease: Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Case
Studies. Critical Care. 2009;13: 307.
Impact factor: 4.9; Citations: nd
H-INDEX: 8
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RESEARCH PROJECTS
A. PROHIBIT
Title: Prevention of Hospital Infections by Intervention and Training
Acronym: PROHIBIT
EC contributions: 2,999,934 EUR
Duration: 48 months
Starting date: 01/01/2010
Funding scheme: FP7 Collaborative project
Coordination: University of Geneva; Dr. Walter Zingg & Prof. Didier Pittet
Collaborating centres: University of Geneva, Switzerland; Charité University Centre, Berlin,
Germany; Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; RIVM, Bilthoven,
The Netherlands; Imperial College, London, UK; World Health Organization, Geneva,
Switzerland; Jagiellonian College, Krakow, Poland; National Institute of Epidemiology,
Budapest, Hungary; APHM Marseille, France.
Background:
The impact of healthcare associated infections (HAI) is important due to its high incidence,
associated with significant mortality and generating substantial costs. In the European Union
the yearly number of HAIs is estimated at 4,544,100 EUR, with approximately 37,000
attributable deaths and 16 million extra hospital days. HAI-rates differ dramatically among
European countries. Although some difference may be explained by diversity in patient mix,
others suggest variability of policies and practices in HAI-prevention such as differences in
adoption and application of guidelines and protocols, beliefs and attitudes among health care
workers (HCW), staffing patterns, available resources, or barriers to implementing best
practices. A remarkable expansion and proliferation of infection control publications and
guidelines occurred over the past years. Some but presumably not all European countries
provide comprehensive national guidelines or recommendations based on the literature.
Aim:
Using a true mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative research,
PROHIBIT aims at improving the understanding of European guidelines and hospital policies
and practices for HAI prevention and by testing the effectiveness of 2 interventions to prevent
catheter-related bloodstream infection as a prototype of HAI. Furthermore, PROHIBIT aims
at understanding barriers and facilitators in implementing infection control practices.
Intermediate results:
In total 101 National guidelines were retrieved in Europe. The scope, the time of issue and
updating varied significantly among the countries. Of note, the documents were of variable
quality and some use an own definition of “strength of recommendation”, which altogether
limit the usefulness of such recommendations. A total of 450 hospitals completed a
questionnaire about local infection control practices. Most shortcomings were detected in the
field of surgical site infections. Hand hygiene has become the cornerstone of infection control
activities. The preliminary results of the randomized controlled trial among 15 European
hospitals revealed a significant reduction of catheter-associated bloodstream infections (2.7
infections/1,000 catheter-days, and 0.8 infections/1,000 catheter-days, respectively) using a
teaching approach that was developed at the University of Geneva hospitals (REDCO-
CVC/www.carepractice.net). The qualitative study that is based on a grounded theory
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approach revealed considerable differences across the institutions but leadership,
championing, national healthcare interventions, and budget restraints seem to be the most
important factors in successful or unsuccessful implementation of evidence-based infection
control practices.
Potential applications:
Upon completion, PROHIBIT is expected to produce a multi-dimensional image about the
perception and implementation of defined evidence-based infection control measures and
their effect on disease-control outcomes among European hospitals. This comprehensive
view about implementation processes will serve to support and advise clinicians, managers,
policy makers, researchers and professional societies about key elements in the adoption
and implementation of evidence-based prevention measures and guidelines.
Project web-site: www.prohibit.unige.ch
B. SIGHT
Title: Systematic review and evidence-based guidance on the organisation of hospital
infection control programmes
Acronym: SIGHT
ECDC contributions: 180,000 EUR
Duration: 22 months
Starting date: 01/01/2011
Funding scheme: ECDC call for tender
Coordination: University of Geneva; Dr. Walter Zingg & Prof. Didier Pittet
Collaborating centres: University of Geneva Hospitals, Switzerland; Universitätsklinikum
Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; Imperial College, London, UK.
Background:
Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) have a major public health impact due to their high
incidence, costs, and associated attributable mortality. In the European Union, the annual
number of HAIs can be estimated at 4,544,100 EUR, with approximately 37,000 deaths as a
direct consequence, and 16 million extra-days of hospital stay per year. These figures
encouraged the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to identify the
most effective and generally applicable elements of acute-care hospital infection control and
prevention programmes, and to support their broadest possible implementation for HAI
prevention.
Methods:
In two work packages including a systematic review and three rounds of expert meetings,
key components of effective infection prevention strategies on the hospital level are defined.
The systematic review used established methodologies for literature search and a tool for
quality assessment that was developed by the Imperial College of London. The quintessence
of the tool is to put the different study types at the same level but to define components that
make a “good” study. This tool allows to include “before/after studies”, which account for the
majority of the studies in infection control. Furthermore, qualitative studies can be included in
the overall assessment. This is of particular interest in the topic of “behavioural change”.
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Intermediate results:
An extensive systematic review has been performed on the most effective and generally
applicable elements of infection control and prevention programmes in hospitals and to
address particularly the following dimensions:
1. Organisation and structural arrangements for implementing an infection control
programme;
2. Surveillance: targets, methods, feedback, outbreak detection and management.
3. Programmes for education and training of HCWs;
4. Behavioural change and quality of care interventions, including “care bundles”;
5. Local policy and resources for standard and transmission-based isolation
precautions.
The systematic review identified 28,904 studies, which were reduced to 469 studies by
rigorous inclusion criteria and quality assessment. Of these, 139 were considered to be
included in the systematic review. Most studies included in the review come from highincome
countries followed by a substantial number of studies from upper-middle income
countries. Both, high-income countries and upper middle-income countries contributed to the
vast majority of studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The proportion is even higher when
only looking at high quality studies meeting the quality criteria and that were included in the
final analysis.
A total of 20 key components have been identified in organisation, management, teaching,
behaviour change, and surveillance in the field of infection control. Upon the next expert
meeting, using the Delphi method, the number of key components will be somewhat reduced
based on European-wide applicability and feasibility. Furthermore, indicators will be defined.
Potential applications:
The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and issued by the ECDC. The key
components will guide hospitals what efforts to prioritize in the prevention of healthcareassociated
infections.
C. REDCO-CVC
Title: Réduction des compilations liées à l’utilisation des cathéters veineux centraux
Acronym: REDCO-CVC
Contribution HUG: 200,000 CHF
Duration: 48 months (ongoing)
Starting date: 01/01/2008
Funding scheme: Quality improvement project of the University of Geneva Hospitals
Coordination: Dr. Walter Zingg, Prof. Bernhard Walder, Michel Thériault
Collaboration: Service de prévention et contrôle de l’infection, Département
d’anesthésiologie, Direction des soins.
Background:
Catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) are among the most important
healthcare-associated infections and are preventable. No prevention programme has been
established at the University of Geneva hospitals after a successful programme in the
intensive care unit (ICU) in the nineties; no systematic training for anaesthetists in catheter
insertion and for nurses in catheter care has been established either. Baseline surveillance in
2006 revealed high CLABSI-rates, in particular outside the ICU.
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Methods:
In an interdisciplinary approach between infection control, anaesthesiology and nursing, a
multimodal programme was established. The programme included: change of the CVCinsertion
set, standardized catheter-insertion trolleys, and introduction of maximal sterile
barrier precautions (outside the ICU). Physicians were mandated to be trained in a simulator
laboratory and to fill out a quality questionnaire upon catheter insertion; nurses were trained
hospital-wide using an E-learning programme, which was developed for this project and later
refined for PROHIBIT (www.carepractice.net).
Results:
As compared to the intensivists, simulator training resulted in significant reduction of
CLABSI-rates among catheters that were placed by anaesthesiologists. Hospitalwide nurse
training (in conjunction with physician training) resulted in a significant reduction of hospitalwide
CLABSI-rates in the past two years.
Potential applications:
The REDCO-CVC toolkit (simulator training/webbased E-learning) is disseminated within
national courses, organized by the Aesculap Academy and they are also tested EU-wide in
PROHIBIT (see above). This multimodal intervention strategy, which goes beyond the widely
accepted 5-item bundle approach, may become a standard in catheter-insertion and
catheter-care in the future.
Related publications:
- Zingg W, Sax H, Inan C, Cartier V, Diby M, Clergue F, Pittet D, Walder B. Hospital-wide
surveillance of catheter-related bloodstream infection: from the expected to the
unexpected. J Hosp Infect. 2009;73:41-46.
- Zingg W, Cartier-Fässler V, Walder B. Central venous catheter-associated infections.
Best Practice & Research Clinical Anaesthesiology. 2008;22:407-421.
- Zingg W, Sandoz L, Inan C, Cartier V, Clergue F, Pittet D, Walder B. Hospital-wide
survey of the use of central venous catheters. J Hosp Infect. 2011;77:304-308.
- Zingg W, Walder B. Reduction of central line complications: Think “procedure” before
“gadget”. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2011;28:316-317.
- Zingg W, Walder B, Cartier V, Touveneau S, Theriault M, Pittet D. First Evidence of a
Hospital-wide Multidisciplinary and Multimodal Intervention Program to Reduce Central.
52 nd ICAAC, 2012, San Francisco – Late breaker abstract.
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