Decontamination News and Research

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Common anthrax sampling methods need improvement

A research team from the National Nuclear Security Administration's Sandia National Laboratories has discovered that common anthrax sampling methods need improvement. The research shows that more deadly spores remain after decontamination than previously believed.

25 Oct 2005

New surgical cleaning process reduces risk of vCJD

Scientists say a new cleaning process will reduce the risk of hospital transmission of the human form of mad cow disease.

4 Aug 2005

Product claiming to protect against anthrax lacks credentials or approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says Bio-Germ, a lotion being promoted by a Texas businessman lacks federal approval and could face scrutiny for claims made on its Web site.

5 Jul 2005

Detox diets unsound science and do not work

Scientists say there is no proof that Detox diets work and they do no more to rid the body of toxins than the body's own natural system.

8 Jun 2005

Researchers develop new method for facile identification of proteins in bacterial cells

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have developed a new method for identifying specific proteins in whole cell extracts of microorganisms using traditional peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF).

4 May 2005

Trusts perform better on chemical incidents but protective suits and tents still imperfect

Trusts are far better prepared to deal with patients injured in chemical incidents following national training but the design and distribution of chemical protective suits and shelters are still a problem, says research published this week in Emergency Medicine Journal.

20 Apr 2005

Endoscopy Review Group findings published

The UK Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has published the findings of an independent review into endoscope decontamination in Northern Ireland.

16 Mar 2005

New Canadian Quarantine Act aims to prevent the introduction and spread of communicable diseases

The Government of Canada has reintroduced in Parliament legislation titled: "An Act to prevent the introduction and spread of communicable diseases", which would help further protect Canadians from the importation of communicable diseases.

12 Oct 2004

Second case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease infection that was probably caused by blood transfusion

Research reported in The Lancet this week details the second case of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) infection that was probably caused by blood transfusion. The rogue prion responsible for vCJD was identified at postmortem five years after an elderly person received a blood transfusion from a donor who later developed vCJD.

5 Aug 2004

Reports of MRSA have increased by 3.6% in England over the last year

The results from the third year of the mandatory surveillance scheme for Staphylococcus aureus show the number of blood-stream infections caused by both sensitive strains, and also strains resistant to methicillin (MRSA) broken down by regions and also by each acute NHS Trust.

15 Jul 2004

A natural molecule that blocks a key bacterial enzymes could lead to a new generation of antibiotics

Rutgers scientists have deciphered the complex mechanics of microcin J25 (MccJ25), a tiny, natural molecule that acts like a cork in a bottle to block a key bacterial enzyme – potentially leading to a new generation of antibiotics.

17 Jun 2004

The UK health service proved robust in an exercise to test response to a deliberate release of a chemical substance

The UK health service proved largely robust in an exercise designed to test its response to the deliberate release of a chemical substance. But the exercise, run by the Health Protection Agency, also flagged up areas where the treatment of casualties could be improved.

16 Jun 2004

Computational design used to engineer and construct a protein that could sense the nerve agent soman

Duke University Medical Center biochemists have used computational design to engineer and construct a protein that could sense the nerve agent soman. They said their achievement constitutes a proof-of principle that such engineered proteins can be made to detect nerve agents such as sarin and other toxic substances.

5 Jun 2004

$498 million to strengthen response to bioterror attacks, infectious diseases, and natural disasters

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced $498 million in awards to states, territories and four major metropolitan areas to strengthen the ability of hospitals and other health care facilities to respond to bioterror attacks, infectious diseases, and natural disasters that may cause mass casualties.

25 May 2004

Managing large numbers of patients from mass casualty incidents

Today’s hospitals are challenged to become better prepared to manage large numbers of patients from mass casualty incidents (MCI), hazardous material incidents (HAZMAT), or in extreme cases, attacks using weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

17 May 2004

Canada updates Quarantine Act

Health Minister Pierre Pettigrew today introduced in Parliament legislation entitled: "An Act to prevent the introduction and spread of communicable diseases", which would help further protect Canadians from the importation of communicable diseases.

12 May 2004