Hospital Infection Control & Prevention – April 1, 2015
April 1, 2015
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Spore wars: C. difficile takes a staggering toll as top HAI
While CRE and other “superbugs” have been much in the headlines of late, Clostridium difficile has quietly become one of the most deadly pathogens in the country. Some 500,000 people are being infected annually in the U.S., with 29,000 patients dying within 30 days of the initial diagnosis of a C. diff infection (CDI). That is three times the number of people that have died of Ebola since the epic outbreak began in December of 2013.
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LTC worker flu shot rates low due to false fears
Whether it is due to apathy or ignorance, many workers in long term settings have historically avoided seasonal flu shots even though the residents under their care may be at high risk of experiencing complications of influenza infection.
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Hospitals moving on antibiotic stewardship, but outpatient settings have a more difficult task
The analogy between antibiotic resistance and climate change is an apt one in the sense that both require a local and a global response. Flagrant antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings, for example can certainly undermine a judicious hospital response in the grand scheme of things. Similarly, what good is it if one country fights to save fading antibiotic efficacy but another nation passes out pills like candy. More on that later, but first the outpatient problem.
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CDC, ECRI Institute devise culturing protocols for duodenoscopes to prevent CRE infection
Responding to a series of outbreaks of CRE (carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae) linked to duodenoscopes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed an interim protocol for culturing the devices before use to create a greater of margin of safety for patients.
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Hospital goes high tech, improves hand hygiene
An Alabama hospital greatly improved hand hygiene compliance and significantly reduced health care associated infections (HAIs) after installing an automated hand-hygiene monitoring system.
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CDC: Only one confirmed occupational HIV infection in a U.S. health care worker since 2000
In the 1980s when HIV infection was tantamount to a death sentence, health care workers bravely took care of the first epidemic waves of AIDs patients.