Articles Tagged With:
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VA hospital system may mandate staff flu shots in ‘near future’
With a new study finding that virtually none of the nation’s 150 Veterans Health Administration hospitals have mandatory flu shot policies for healthcare workers — leaving vaccination rates languishing in the 55% range — the VA system is considering a vaccine mandate to protect patients and coworkers, Hospital Infection Control & Prevention has learned.
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Emergency Department Visits Related to Dietary Supplements
A 10-year chart review of 63 nationally representative emergency departments reveals 3667 cases of adverse events related to dietary supplement use; these are estimated to represent 23,005 emergency department visits yearly. Characteristics of the visits are described and categorized.
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Echinacea-based Infusion Noninferior to Oseltamivir in Early Influenza Treatment
Echinacea Hotdrink was found to be as effective as oseltamivir as early treatment intervention of clinically diagnosed and lab-confirmed influenza virus infections and had fewer adverse effects.
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Imagery for Improving Quality of Life Among Breast Cancer Survivors
This randomized study demonstrated that an imagery program delivered either live or via telemedicine could improve quality of life in breast cancer survivors compared to a wait list group.
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Infectious Disease Alert Updates
These updates include: "A Deadly Funeral", "Increase in Congenital Syphilis", "That Is Not Strep Throat!", and "Increase in Ocular Syphilis"
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Malaria: Getting Better, but Still a Long Way To Go
While significant progress has been made in the control of malaria, the number of cases remains huge — an estimated 198 million cases and 584,000 deaths in 2013.
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Antibiotic Therapy for Pediatric Parapneumonic Empyema
In a retrospective review of 391 children with parapneumonic empyema, the safety and effectiveness of oral antibiotic therapy was comparable to outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy for antibiotic management following hospitalization.
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Encephalitis from Chikungunya Virus: An Increasingly Recognized Syndrome
A retrospective cohort study of a major chikungunya virus outbreak found a significant incidence of central nervous system disease, with patients < 1 year of age and > 65 years of age at most risk for chikungunya virus-associated encephalitis.
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Differences Between Older and Younger Adults with Viral Respiratory Infections
A prospective study of acute respiratory illness was conducted between 2009 and 2013. Coronavirus and rhinovirus/enterovirus were the most common viral pathogens. Among patients older than age 60 with chronic lung and heart disease (vs healthy adults 18-40 years old), dyspnea, more prolonged illness, and treatment with prednisone and antibiotics were more commonly seen. Myalgia was more common in younger patients.
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Azithromycin to Prevent Asthma Exacerbations?
Azithromycin helped prevent progression from upper airway infection to wheezing in a select group of preschool-age children. Further studies are needed before considering widespread use of azithromycin for young children with “colds.”