Usefulness of broad-range PCR in the etiologic diagnosis of sepsis
Journal: Critical Care
Year: 2013

Background: Reliable surveillance methods are indispensable for benchmarking of healthcare-associated infection rates. The National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) recently introduced surveillance of ventilator-associated events (VAE), including ventilator-associated conditions (VAC) [1]. This new algorithm is amenable to automated implementation and strives for more consistent interpretation. We assess the feasibility and reliability of automated implementation. Materials and methods: Retrospe