Infection Control News and Research

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Center for Health Sciences to offer certificate program in Phlebotomy

Beginning in October, the Graduate School's new Center for Health Sciences will offer a Medical Laboratory Technician, Associate of Applied Science degree and a certificate program in Phlebotomy. The first of many programs to be offered, both curricula provide a combination of coursework and clinical experience with strong emphasis on employability skills such as problem solving, effective communication, professional conduct, and information and technology literacy.

21 Aug 2010

LIJ Medical Center achieves zero central-line infection rate in SICU

For one year and counting, Long Island Jewish Medical Center has achieved a zero central-line infection rate in its surgical intensive care unit, a significant accomplishment for hospitals.

19 Aug 2010

New Superbug emphasises ill-preparedness across Europe to meet this emerging public health challenge

Research just published that identifies new highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria reinforces the frequency with which similar strains of so-called “superbugs” are being discovered across Europe, according to the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID).

17 Aug 2010

Simple, low-cost interventions reduce most common hospital-acquired infections

Urinary catheters are often left in place longer than needed, and new research shows that reminder systems that encourage hospital staff to remove catheters promptly can reduce the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 52 percent.

17 Aug 2010

Study shows health care-associated invasive MRSA infections decrease among patients

An analysis of data from 2005 through 2008 of nine metropolitan areas in the U.S. indicates that health care-associated invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections decreased among patients with infections that began in the community or in the hospital, according to a study in the August 11 issue of JAMA.

11 Aug 2010

Methodist Healthcare System to implement TeleTracking Technologies' RadarFind RTLS

Citing superior accuracy and performance, the Methodist Healthcare System, San Antonio, TX, has selected TeleTracking Technologies' RadarFind real-time locating system to track thousands of assets, and eventually patients, across multiple facilities.

11 Aug 2010

Multiple tattoos increase risk of contracting hepatitis C: Study

Youth, prison inmates and individuals with multiple tattoos that cover large parts of their bodies are at higher risk of contracting hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases, according to a University of British Columbia study.The researchers reviewed and analysed 124 studies from 30 countries, including Canada, Iran, Italy, Brazil and the United States, and found the incidence of hepatitis C after tattooing is directly linked with the number of tattoos an individual receives. The findings are published in the current issue of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

7 Aug 2010

New article highlights importance of patient safety features in design of IV needleless connectors

A new article by infection control expert William Jarvis, M.D., President, Jason and Jarvis Associates, LLC, highlights the importance of patient safety features in the design of IV needleless connectors.

5 Aug 2010

ICU Medical's Neutron Neutral-Pressure Needleless Connector receives FDA clearance

ICU Medical, Inc., a worldwide leader in the development, manufacture and sale of proprietary, disposable medical connection systems for use in vascular therapy applications, today confirmed that it has received FDA 510-k clearance for the Neutron™ Neutral-Pressure Needleless Connector.

4 Aug 2010

Respiratory symptoms are accurate indicators of influenza infection

New research shows that individuals with mild H1N1 infection may go undetected using standard diagnostic criteria, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, (APIC). The study concludes that coughing or other respiratory symptoms are more accurate in determining influenza infection than presence of a fever.

30 Jul 2010

Reusing syringes in anesthesia leads to viral transmission: Study

Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus can be transmitted during intravenous administration of anesthesia, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute. In this study, doctors found that anesthesia contamination - not endoscopy contamination - was the cause of infection.

23 Jul 2010

Studying retrovirus assembly can help new drug development for infection control

How a retrovirus, like HIV, reproduces and assembles new viruses is different than previously thought, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. Understanding the steps a virus takes for assembly could allow development of a way to prevent the spread of retroviral diseases. The team studied a chicken virus called Rous sarcoma virus that causes cancer in chickens and is similar to HIV.

16 Jul 2010

TheraDoc clinical surveillance system helps clinicians reduce catheter-related infections: Study

Hospira, Inc., a leading provider of clinical information and medication delivery technologies, today announced a study showing how the TheraDoc clinical surveillance system helped clinicians at Memorial Hospital Miramar reduce catheter-related infections, which correlated with an increase in infection-control interventions.

14 Jul 2010

Universal surveillance for MRSA decreased HAIs related to devices: Study

Pitt County Memorial Hospital today announced results of a study demonstrating that universal surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus decreased health care-associated infections related to devices. Infection rates decreased 68 percent for ventilator-associated pneumonias; 51 percent for central line-associated bacteremias; and 49 percent for catheter-associated urinary tract infections.

14 Jul 2010

Aggressive infection control measures stop spread of Acinetobacter baumannii at Dallas hospital

Rapid identification and aggressive infection control measures allowed a Dallas hospital to stop the spread of Acinetobacter baumannii, a type of bacteria that has become increasingly prevalent in healthcare facilities and is resistant to most antibiotics. The findings were presented today at the 37th Annual Conference and International Meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

13 Jul 2010

Hospitals adopt advanced computer technology to prevent HAIs

Hospitals that adopt advanced computer technology to identify healthcare-associated infections are more likely to have implemented best practices to prevent such infections, according to research presented today at the 37th Annual Conference and International Meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

13 Jul 2010

Sperian Respiratory Protection awarded VHA contract for 65,000 special configuration half-mask respirators

The U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has awarded Sperian Respiratory Protection USA a contract to purchase 65,000 special configuration modified Sperian Blue1 half-mask respirators with speaking diaphragm for use in VHA hospitals nationwide. VHA is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States with over 150 hospitals and 130,000 healthcare workers. This award is a result of Sperian's emphasis on developing respiratory products that enhance speech intelligibility when worn by healthcare workers.

13 Jul 2010

APIC survey uncovers barriers in adoption of best practices for CRBSI prevention in hospitals

Hospitals still struggle to prevent avoidable healthcare-associated infections, according to a survey of infection preventionists released today by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Half of those surveyed agree that catheter-related bloodstream infections continue to be a problem in their facilities and cite lack of time, resources, and the commitment of hospital leadership as hindering their ability to combat these infections more aggressively.

13 Jul 2010

FDA grants Catheter Connections 510(k) clearance for DualCap disinfecting product

Catheter Connections, Inc., a manufacturer of innovative vascular access and infection control products, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company 510(k) clearance to market its DualCap™ product. DualCap is the only device that nests two disinfecting caps together - for both IV access points, the needleless injection site (NIS) and the male luer at the end of the IV tubing. Previously overlooked as a route of microbial colonization, Catheter Connections has developed the first disinfecting cap for the male luer.

12 Jul 2010

Roche Molecular Systems receives FDA clearance for new LightCycler MRSA Advanced Test

Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) cleared its new LightCycler® MRSA Advanced Test for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) for clinical use in the United States.

9 Jul 2010

Infection Control News and Research

Center for Health Sciences to offer certificate program in Phlebotomy

LIJ Medical Center achieves zero central-line infection rate in SICU

New Superbug emphasises ill-preparedness across Europe to meet this emerging public health challenge

Simple, low-cost interventions reduce most common hospital-acquired infections

Study shows health care-associated invasive MRSA infections decrease among patients

Methodist Healthcare System to implement TeleTracking Technologies' RadarFind RTLS

Multiple tattoos increase risk of contracting hepatitis C: Study

New article highlights importance of patient safety features in design of IV needleless connectors

ICU Medical's Neutron Neutral-Pressure Needleless Connector receives FDA clearance

Respiratory symptoms are accurate indicators of influenza infection

Reusing syringes in anesthesia leads to viral transmission: Study

Studying retrovirus assembly can help new drug development for infection control

TheraDoc clinical surveillance system helps clinicians reduce catheter-related infections: Study

Universal surveillance for MRSA decreased HAIs related to devices: Study

Aggressive infection control measures stop spread of Acinetobacter baumannii at Dallas hospital

Hospitals adopt advanced computer technology to prevent HAIs

Sperian Respiratory Protection awarded VHA contract for 65,000 special configuration half-mask respirators

APIC survey uncovers barriers in adoption of best practices for CRBSI prevention in hospitals

FDA grants Catheter Connections 510(k) clearance for DualCap disinfecting product

Roche Molecular Systems receives FDA clearance for new LightCycler MRSA Advanced Test

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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