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West Nile virus is emerging as a new threat to laboratory workers as its presence grows in the United States. Infection control precautions should be reemphasized in light of two occupational cases of West Nile virus infection in research laboratorians, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasizes.
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The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has sent out a sentinel alert to all accredited facilities calling for them to report fatal nosocomial infections. The request for data has raised concerns among infection control professionals, who argue that ascribing deaths to infections is a complex matter confounded by underlying illness and a host of other variables.
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Effective Jan. 1, 2003, all Joint Commission Accreditation of Healthcare Organization organizations will be surveyed for implementation of the recommendations or of an acceptable alternative. Alternatives must be at least as effective as the published recommendations in achieving the goals.
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The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is partnering with three other organizations to conduct a study that will examine hospitals timely use of antibiotics before and after cardiovascular, joint replacement, and hysterectomy surgeries to effectively reduce post-surgical infection.
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Though recent research supports the need for more infection control staffing than traditionally allotted, ICPs are not expected to press for a specific staffing requirement from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
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In an unusual direct appeal to health care facilities, the chairman of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is asking for reports of nosocomial infections that result in patient deaths or permanent loss of function.
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Continuing to face withering criticism from diverse corners, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has now drawn the ire of a powerful member of Congress.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to distribute some 10,000 copies of a new training tool designed to assist laboratorians in selecting and using appropriate testing methods to detect antimicrobial-resistant strains of bacteria. The new tool, an interactive CD-ROM-based training course, provides the most extensive compilation of information on antimicrobial-resistance testing available to date.
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A recently approved tuberculosis test can be used to diagnosis latent TB infection in health care workers without generating false positives due to boosting effects of the traditional TB skin test, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.
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