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Infectious Disease [ALERT] Updates
Treatment of C. Diff. — follow the guidelines. Semi roll-over causes Cryptosporidiosis Antibiotics prescribed from decision-fatigue? -
A New Expanded Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
The U.S. FDA approved a new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in December of 2014.1 Two HPV vaccines have been available for several years — a bivalent vaccine (HP2) containing L1 protein of the oncogenic types 16 and 18 as well as a quadrivalent vaccine (HP4)containing type 16 and 18 together with types 6 and 11 (which cause genital warts). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recently updated their recommendations for the use of these vaccines:
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Controlling the Spread of Chikungunya Virus: A New Possibility
SYNOPSIS: A phase-1 clinical trial of a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine demonstrates safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity against rapidly spreading Chikungunya virus.
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Antiviral Therapy Improves Outcomes in Immunocompromised but Not Immunocompetent HSV Meningitis Patients
SYNOPSIS: A retrospective, observational, single-center study found immunocompromised patients are at increased risk for neurologic sequelae from HSV meningitis and likely benefit from antiviral therapy. There is no benefit to antiviral therapy in immunocompetent individuals.
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Reactive Hemophagocytic Syndrome in Adults
Patients with HPS were more likely to be immunosuppressed.
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Peramivir for Treatment of Influenza
Peramivir (RapivabTM) was recently approved by the FDA for treating acute uncomplicated influenza.
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Hospital Compare may slow price increases
While previous studies have failed to prove that access to quality information from public reporting sites such as Hospital Compare can be an impetus for hospitals to improve quality of care, a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs indicates it may have an impact on prices.1
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Behavioral health and hospital costs
When you think about it, it’s not the fact that’s surprising, but the extent. In 13 New Jersey hospitals, a third of all hospital costs were associated with behavioral health issues, such as substance abuse or mental illness. Even more alarming, the report by the Rutgers University Center for State Health Policy noted that three-fourths of the highest users of hospital services were afflicted with behavioral health conditions, compared to about a third of those who were not considered high users of services.
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Patient safety on the night shift
The floors are quiet, patients are asleep, and residents are trying to either catch some shut-eye or catch up on paperwork. The rush of the evening hours in the emergency department has ended. Yet the wee hours of the morning — 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. — are when doctors think the hospital is at its least safe, according to a new study.1
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Leadership Involvement Improves Quality
A study looks at quality improvement and patient safety, and how they trickled down to actual quality of care and outcomes.