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In a national prevalence survey setting, we studied whether the day of week selected for data collection, and the number of days needed to complete the survey, were associated with the prevalence of hospital-acquired infection (HAI). The EPINE (Estudio de Prevalencia de las Infecciones Nosocomiales en España) database (1990-2002) was analysed for the purposes of the study. Adjusting for the admission day in the week, the number of intrinsic risk factors, the number of extrinsic risk factors and the prevalence length of stay, a 'weekend effect' was confirmed in this study. The day of the week selected for data collection was related to the presence of infection in the surveyed patients, showing for the period of Saturday-Monday a higher prevalence of patients with HAI (adjusted OR 1.08, 95%CI 1.05-1.10). There was a crude positive trend between number of weeks and prevalence, but the number of days involved in data collection was finally not associated with the prevalence of HAI, once adjustment for hospital size was made. The percentage of repeated records increased linearly with hospital size, and the frequency of infections was higher within this group (OR 2.8, 95%CI 2.6-3.0). The results of this study highlight the need for encouraging hospitals to shorten the time spent in obtaining a prevalence survey. If it is impossible to carry out the survey within the limits of one day, data collection should then be limited to that period of the week, Tuesday to Friday.

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BACKGROUND: In Spain, as in other countries, numerous studies on tobaccoism have been carried out. The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the prevalence of tobaccoism in a representative sample of hospital employees and its association with age, sex, profession level and attitudes. METHODS: Following a pilot study, a survey was carried out amongst a representative and random sample (n = 360) of hospital personnel, who were asked about their attitudes towards smoking, classified according to age, sex and professional level. RESULTS: The total percentage of smokers was 36.4%, but no significant statistical differences were found between sex or age group. The professional levels with the highest percentage of smokers are ATS/DUE and clerks. 42.8% of non-smokers declared having smoked in the past. ATS/DUE, clerks and doctors showed the highest percentage. 40.5% of smokers declare that they were willing to give up smoking, whereas people over 50 were the most reluctant. The majority of cigarette smokers admitted that they smoke in the hospital. Most of them are intermediate smokers (10-20 cigarettes per day) and have been so for many years. The majority of former smokers gave up smoking in recent years. CONCLUSIONS: These results prove that a large number of hospital employees are smokers. However, many are willing to give up the habit. We should therefore encourage these people to give up smoking and help them by different means such as: anti-smoking advice, medical advice and health education. We propose to declare hospitals as "Non-Smoking Area" as of the year 2000 which includes employees, patients and visitors, according to the WHO "Health for All." program.

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OBJECTIVE: A case-control study was carried out with the aim of assessing the association between the levels of blood alcohol in drivers and traffic accident rate. METHODS: 150 cases of drivers injured in traffic accident were obtained, treated at the Emergency Medical Services of the Hospital Comarcal of Tudela (Navarre) and whose alcohol level in blood was determined with the ADX technique and compared to the 648 controls from a representative sample among the drivers from the area, whose alcohol level in exhaled air was assessed with a digital alcoholometer. The research was carried out in the period between 1 May, 1990 and 30 April, 1991. RESULTS: In the injured drivers. (cases) the prevalence of blood alcohol levels equal or over 50 mg/dl was 36.6%, compared to 6.9% in controls. The odds ratio for blood alcohol levels equal or over 50 mg/dl. compared to levels below 50 mg/dl was 7.5.

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We have studied the effectiveness of pharmacologic prophylaxis of experimental peritoneal hydatidosis. Mice (n = 140, divided in ten groups) suffered intraperitoneal contamination with protoscoleces of E. granulosus from sheep. Each group received different treatment (mebendazole, praziquantel, or both), in three different schedules (during 3 days before contamination, during 7 days after contamination, or both before and after Mebendazole 150 mg/kg-day), praziquantel (25 mg/kg-day) were given in three daily doses. Mice were sacrificed six months later and the number and type of existing peritoneal cysts was recorded. Prophylaxis prior to contamination was shown ineffective. Early treatment greatly decreased the severity of the peritoneal hydatidosis. The administration of the drug before and after contamination, did not improve the results obtained when the drug was given after contamination. Both mebendazole and praziquantel were effective, though the former obtained better results. The association of both drugs does not improve the results obtained with mebendazole alone. These experimental results recommend the early use of mebendazol or praziquantel after open surgery for hydatidosis, in order to prevent the occurrence of secondary peritoneal hydatidosis.

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