acquired resistance
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Reduction in susceptibility through the acquisition of genes encoding resistance from other bacteria, or through mutation.
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antimicrobial
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A chemical substance that inhibits or destroys bacteria, parasites, viruses or fungi, and that can be safely administered to humans or animals. In this report:
‘antimicrobial’ is used when it implies that data on all, or almost all, the classes of agents has been captured in a surveillance program. Since this report is confined to systemic antibacterial agents, ‘antibacterial’ is used when referring to the output of analyses, and when comparisons are made with data reported by other countries
‘antimicrobial’ is used when broadly referring to agents used to treat or prevent infections caused by microbes. The term embraces antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antiparasitic agents.
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antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
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Failure of an antimicrobial to inhibit a microorganism at the antimicrobial concentrations usually achieved over time with standard dosing regimens.
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antimicrobial stewardship (AMS)
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An ongoing effort by a health service to reduce the risks associated with increasing antimicrobial resistance and to extend the effectiveness of antimicrobial treatments. It may incorporate a broad range of strategies, including monitoring and review of antimicrobial use.
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broad-spectrum antimicrobials
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A class of antimicrobials that affects many organisms.
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community onset
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An organism that is acquired by a patient at least 48 hours before being admitted to a hospital, or specimens collected in the community, outpatient clinics or emergency departments.
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community services
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Health services provided outside a hospital. In this report, the primary focus is on general practice and residential aged care facilities.
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defined daily dose (DDD)
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The average dose per day to treat the main indication for an average adult patient, as defined by the World Health Organization.
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extended-spectrum β-lactamase
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An enzyme that is produced by some gram-negative bacteria. These bacteria are usually found in the bowel and urinary tract, and are considered to be multidrug-resistant organisms because they are resistant to a large number of antimicrobials.
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hospital
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All public, private, acute and psychiatric hospitals; free-standing day hospital facilities; and alcohol and drug treatment centres. Includes hospitals specialising in dentistry, ophthalmology and other acute medical or surgical care. May also include hospitals run by the Australian Defence Force and corrections authorities, and those in Australia’s offshore territories. Excludes outpatient clinics and emergency departments.
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hospital onset
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An organism that is acquired by a patient at least 48 hours after being admitted to a hospital.
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hospital peer group
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Grouping according to similarity to enable fair comparisons of performance across hospitals. A peer group can consist of hospitals of a similar size (major, large, medium or small) or geographical location. Hospital size is determined by the number of admissions and, in some cases, the number of emergency department presentations annually. Hospitals may move between peer groups due to changes in the nature of their activity.
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intrinsic resistance
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Natural lack of susceptibility to the antimicrobial as used for treatment.
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McGeer criteria
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A set of infection surveillance definitions for use in long-term care facilities.
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National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards
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Standards developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to drive the implementation of safety and quality systems, and improve the quality of health care in Australia. The NSQHS Standards provide a nationally consistent statement about the level of care consumers can expect from health service organisations.
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occupied-bed days (OBDs)
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The total number of bed days of all admitted patients accommodated during the reporting period, taken from a count of the number of inpatients at about midnight each day.
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passive surveillance
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Data collection designed for a broader purpose, but where a subset of the data can be used for secondary analysis. In this report, it refers to broader collections from which data on antimicrobial use and resistance can be extracted.
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Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
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An Australian Government program that subsidises medicines.
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principal referral hospital
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Major city hospitals with more than 20 000 acute casemix-adjusted separations per year, and regional hospitals with more than 16 000 acute casemix-adjusted separations per year.
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Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS)
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An Australian Government program that subsidises medicines for veterans.
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targeted surveillance
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Data collection designed for a specific and targeted purpose. In this report, it refers to collections specifically designed for the surveillance of antimicrobial-resistant organisms.
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therapeutic group or class
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Categorisation of drugs that have similar chemical structure and spectrum.
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topical (medication)
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A medication that is applied to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes; includes creams, foams, gels, lotions and ointments.
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