Infection Control News and Research

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Financial pressure on care homes driving a new trend in choice of mattresses

Over recent months we have noticed a growing trend. Care Homes are increasingly opting for our Simpulse range of mattress systems over their traditional choice of OLA.

From Select Medical 10 Oct 2019

Peripherally inserted central catheters associated with serious allergic reactions in patients

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) that use a magnetized tip to guide insertion were associated with serious allergic reactions in patients, according to a study published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal for the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Severe adverse reactions occurred in patients within minutes of PICC insertion.

8 Oct 2019

Higher hospital-wide use of antibiotics linked to more C. difficile infections

Higher hospital-wide use of four classes of antibiotics thought to increase the risk of the dangerous intestinal illness.

16 Sep 2019

ICU bloodstream infections have reduced by 80%, research shows

Bloodstream infections acquired in UK Intensive Care Units reduced by 80% between 2007 and 2012, according to research funded by the NIHR Guy's and St Thomas' Biomedical Research Centre.

10 Sep 2019

Perfectus Biomed to exhibit at IPS conference in Liverpool

The Perfectus Biomed team will be exhibiting at the Infection Prevention Society conference in Liverpool this month.

From Perfectus Biomed 3 Sep 2019

FDA recommends health care facilities to transition away from fixed endcap duodenoscope models

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recommending that duodenoscope manufacturers and health care facilities transition to different types of duodenoscopes that may pose less risk to patient safety.

31 Aug 2019

Move to single-patient rooms reduced rates of hospital-acquired infections

The move to single-patient rooms at the McGill University Health Centre's Glen site in 2015 resulted in significantly reduced rates of hospital-acquired infections, suggests a study published today in the highly respected journal JAMA: Internal Medicine published by the American Medical Association.

21 Aug 2019

FDA approves effective new treatment for extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is the leading infectious killer in the world, far above AIDS. It kills about 1.6 million of the 10 million it affects every year. About 30,000 patients worldwide now have XDR tuberculosis (that fails to respond to any of the four antibiotic categories in use at present).

15 Aug 2019

A newly-emerging species of C. difficile highly adapted to spread in hospitals

Scientists have discovered that the gut-infecting bacterium Clostridium difficile is evolving into two separate species, with one group highly adapted to spread in hospitals.

12 Aug 2019

Extremely drug resistant bacteria spreading through hospitals

A new study found that a common bacterium responsible for chest infections and sepsis in sick people, and which fails to respond to the strongest antibiotics, is spreading through hospital contacts.

30 Jul 2019

Complications after cardiac device implantation vary widely among hospitals

The chances of patients experiencing complications after having a cardiac device implanted vary according to where they have the procedure.

30 Jul 2019

International report identifies the main actions necessary to reduce epilepsy treatment gap

Worldwide, more than 50 million people are living with epilepsy. Treatment can cost as little as US$5 a year and eliminates seizures in about two-thirds of people.

29 Jul 2019

Antibiotic-resistant strains of K. pneumoniae spread through hospitals in Europe

New research has found that antibiotic-resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, an opportunistic pathogen that can cause respiratory and bloodstream infections in humans, are spreading through hospitals in Europe.

29 Jul 2019

Many healthy women carry drug-resistant E. coli strains in their guts

A recent study of over 1,000 healthy women with no symptoms of urinary tract infections showed nearly 9 percent carried multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli strains in their guts.

26 Jul 2019

E. coli superbug can live in women’s gut without symptoms

Virulent and multi-drug resistant strains of Escherichia coli can thrive in women’s gut even without any symptoms, a new study found.

23 Jul 2019

Multiple breaches of injection safety practices identified in New Jersey septic arthritis outbreak

Multiple violations of injection safety and infection prevention practices--from lack of handwashing to inappropriate re-use of medication vials--were identified after an outbreak of septic arthritis at a New Jersey outpatient facility in 2017, according to an investigation published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal for the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

17 Jul 2019

Study: Surveillance for antibiotic-resistant bacteria continues to be core focus for healthcare facilities

Below is a summary of a study published online today in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. This article will be freely available for a limited time. SHEA members have full access to all ICHE articles through the online portal.

17 Jul 2019

Australian seagulls carry superbugs

In a surprising observation, a team of Australian scientists found that one in five silver gulls in Australia harbored antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which could cause a wave of serious human infections. This comes against a background of increasing alarm over the emergence of antibiotic resistance in many common bacterial species.

11 Jul 2019

Interdisciplinary approach reduces the use of broad spectrum antibiotics

An interdisciplinary approach to antimicrobial stewardship involving comprehensive blood culture identification testing decreased broad spectrum antibiotic use, according to new research presented last week in Philadelphia at the 46th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

27 Jun 2019

Study finds slime and biofilm hidden in hospital sinks, faucets

Hand hygiene is a critical component of infection prevention in hospitals, but the unintended consequences include water splashing out of a sink to spread contaminants from dirty faucets according to new research presented last week in Philadelphia at the 46th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

27 Jun 2019