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USAMRIID provides on-site laboratory support to current Ebola outbreak

Analysis of clinical samples from suspected Lassa fever cases in Sierra Leone showed that about two-thirds of the patients had been exposed to other emerging diseases, and nearly nine percent tested positive for Ebola virus.

16 Jul 2014

Priority actions needed to tackle the Ebola crisis in West Africa according to researchers in Sierra Leone

Researchers working in Sierra Leone suggest priority actions needed to tackle the ongoing Ebola crisis in West Africa. In a letter to The Lancet, the researchers call for improvements in access to diagnostic technologies and health-care resources, as well as improved disease surveillance and health communication.

7 Jul 2014

First Edition: June 20, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about a new poll of showing a majority of those signing up for marketplace plans had been uninsured before and the Obama administration's decision to extend marriage benefits, including family leave, to same-sex couples.

20 Jun 2014

Study documents occupational exposure to waste anesthetic gases in PACU

Teleflex Incorporated (NYSE: TFX): A study published in the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing (JOPAN) documents occupational exposure to waste anesthetic gases (WAG) in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) may be higher than standards recommend.

29 Apr 2014

Travelers offer businesses tips on how to create safe workplace

The four most common workplace injuries among Texas employers in 2013 included strains, sprains, fractures and contusions, according to a recent analysis of Travelers' 2013 workers compensation claim data. Based on this data, Travelers is offering businesses tips on how to create a safe workplace.

20 Feb 2014

New review calls for action to reduce illness and death from silica exposure at work

A new review highlights new developments in understanding the health effects of silica, and calls for action to reduce illness and death from silica exposure at work, including stronger regulations, heightened awareness and prevention, and increased attention to early detection of silicosis and lung cancer using low dose CT scanning.

11 Dec 2013

APIC develops infection prevention guidelines for EMS providers

In an effort to keep Emergency Medical Services system responders—and the patients they care for—safe and healthy, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology has developed a free, downloadable Guide to Infection Prevention in Emergency Medical Services.

11 Apr 2013

Less than half of U.S. schools address pandemic preparedness in their school plan

Less than half of U.S. schools address pandemic preparedness in their school plan, and only 40 percent have updated their school plan since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, according to a study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

31 Aug 2012

Inadequate mask and respirator use put health care workers at risk of 2009 H1N1 infection

Inadequate use of masks or respirators put health care workers at risk of 2009 H1N1 infection during the earliest stages of the 2009 pandemic in the U.S., according to a study published in the December issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

1 Dec 2011

Ansell purchases minority share of Yulex

Ansell Limited, a global leader in protection solutions, today announced it has purchased a minority share of Yulex Corporation, a manufacturer of biopolymers derived from guayule.

28 Nov 2011

Novel use of duct tape in infection prevention saves $110,000 annually

The Trinity Infection Prevention team from Iowa/Illinois Trinity Medical Center has come up with the novel idea of using duct tape to reduce infections and save up to $110,000. For this they received the Blue Ribbon Abstract Award. They presented their work, “The Red Box Strategy: An Innovative Method to Improve Isolation Precaution Compliance and Reduce Costs” which received the designation at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology's 2011 Annual Conference and International Meeting June27-29 in Baltimore.

29 Jun 2011

Study shows chemical workers perceive high risk of safety threats

In an analysis of focus group interviews published in a scientific journal this month, a team of scientists found chemical workers perceive a high risk of on-the-job chemical threats, but are resigned to accepting the risks. The study also noted a certain level of distrust of management and health advisors, problems with written safety guides, and the need to include more experienced workers in the development of safety training programs.

23 Feb 2011

Study examines nosocomial outbreak of influenza in Hong Kong hospitals

Direct contact and droplets are the primary ways influenza spreads. Under certain conditions, however, aerosol transmission is possible. In a study published in the current issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, available online, the authors examined such an outbreak in their own hospital in Hong Kong.

23 Nov 2010

Flu shots, heart attacks and flu prevention guidelines

According to a new British study yearly flu shots may protect against heart attacks, and the earlier in the season a shot is given the greater the protection. Niroshan Siriwardena, a professor of primary and pre-hospital health care at the University of Lincoln said, “The risk of getting a heart attack was reduced by 19 percent for those who had a vaccination in the past year.”

21 Sep 2010

Survey finds high level of noncompliance with PPE protocols among safety professionals

Nearly all of the safety professionals in a survey released today said that workers in their organizations had at some point failed to wear the necessary safety equipment while on the job. An exceedingly high 98 percent of respondents who attended the recent American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) show in Baltimore answered "yes" when asked if they had observed workers not wearing safety equipment when they should have been, according to the survey, which was conducted by Kimberly-Clark Professional.

12 Aug 2010

Noveko RD2 antimicrobial respirators obtain FFP2 classification

Noveko International Inc. is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Noveko Inc. has obtained FFP2 classification for its new model of antimicrobial respirators and can now bring them to market in all countries throughout the European Union. These respirators will be marketed as Noveko RD2 antimicrobial respirators.

29 Jul 2010

3M second-quarter global sales increase 17.7% to $6.7 billion

3M today reported record second-quarter earnings of $1.54 per share on sales of $6.7 billion. Sales and per-share earnings increased 17.7 percent and 37.5 percent, respectively, versus the second quarter of 2009. Excluding special items recorded in the second quarter of 2009, earnings per share rose 28.3 percent.

22 Jul 2010

CPTC offers training program for firefighters to help reduce health-related deaths and injuries

Firefighter deaths due to heart attacks may not be due to bad diets, but from exposure to hydrogen cyanide in fire smoke. Nationally, six firefighters have literally dropped dead from heart attacks after coming off of a shift of smoky fires and more than 100 were treated or hospitalized for smoke inhalation since January 1.

21 Jun 2010

Lapses in infection control common in ambulatory surgical centers

An assessment of nearly 70 ambulatory surgical centers in three states found that lapses in infection control were common, including for practices such as hand hygiene, injection and medication safety and equipment reprocessing, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA.

9 Jun 2010

sBioMed's anthrax killing sterilant receives EPA approval

It has been nine years since the 2001 anthrax attacks sickened twenty-three people and killed five. Since that time, the U.S. government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in remediation and billions in their search for a disinfectant that can reliably kill anthrax spores and other pathogens that might be used as weapons.

16 Apr 2010