Infection Control Today Magazine - healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), hospital infections, infection prevention and control, healthcare epidemiology, aseptic technique, environmental hygiene, hand hygiene, disinfection and sterilization, outbreak investigation, surveillance

FEATURES

Blood Exposures Survey

The Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare (AOHP) recently commissioned a survey among its members to establish the first ...read more

Food Safety in Restaurants

Increased awareness and implementation of proper food safety in restaurants and delis may help prevent many of the foodborne illness outbreaks ...read more

Flu Facts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on key facts about the 2013-2014 influenza season. ...read more

SSI Prevention

This report explores the prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs) within the context of evidence-based practices replacing "sacred cows" in the ...read more

Biocides and Sporicidal Disinfectants

This Pulse provides a quick summary of some of the ideas and perspectives coming out of the 2013 Spring Conference of the Society of Healthcare ...read more

Latest Headlines

Penicillin Equally Effective as 'Big Gun' Antibiotics for Treating Less Severe Childhood Pneumonia

Children hospitalized for pneumonia have similar outcomes, including length of stay and costs, regardless of whether they are treated with "big gun" antibiotics such as ceftriaxone or cefotaxime or more narrowly focused antibiotics such as ampicillin or penicillin, ...More
8 hours ago Posted in News
U.S. Malaria Cases Increase With International Travel

The number of malaria cases in the United States is rising, a trend that can be linked to the increasing amount of international travel and inadequate use of prevention methods. ...More
8 hours ago Posted in News

From Common Colds to Deadly Lung Diseases, One Protein Plays Key Role

An international team of researchers has zeroed in on a protein that plays a key role in many lung-related ailments, from seasonal coughing and hacking to more serious diseases such as MRSA infections and cystic fibrosis. The finding advances knowledge about this range of ...More
9 hours ago Posted in News
Recycled Plastic Proves Effective in Killing Drug-Resistant Fungi

Researchers at Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) and California’s IBM Research – Almaden (IBM) have discovered a new, potentially life-saving application for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is widely used to make plastic bottles. They ...More
9 hours ago Posted in News
Better Preparedness Against Tamiflu-Resistant Influenza Viruses

Researchers at Umeå University and Uppsala Universityhave found that residues of the influenza drug Tamiflu in our environment can make the influenza virus in birds resistant. This can have serious consequences in the event of an influenza pandemic. With more than 14 ...More
9 hours ago Posted in News
FDA Approves Sovaldi for Chronic Hepatitis C

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces that it has approved Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) to treat chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Sovaldi is the first drug that has demonstrated safety and efficacy to treat certain types of HCV infection without the need for ...More
10 hours ago Posted in News
Knowledge About HPV Vaccine Effectiveness is Lacking, Study Asserts

Knowledge about the efficacy of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing cervical cancer was lacking in the majority of survey respondents for whom the information would be relevant, according to results presented here at the Sixth AACR Conference on the Science ...More
10 hours ago Posted in News
WHO Says Conflict in Syrian Arab Republic Hampers Polio Vaccination Efforts

The push to immunize all children against polio has been hampered by the ongoing crisis in the Syrian Arab Republic, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO and UNICEF have appealed to all parties to cooperate, including through temporary pauses in hostilities ...More
11 hours ago Posted in News
Needleless Connectors and the Improvement of Patient and Healthcare Professional Safety

When it comes to improving patient and healthcare safety, many factors are considered: time to treatment, antimicrobials and increased reporting standards to name a few. However, a small device – the needleless connector for intravenous systems – can have a big impact, ...More
12 hours ago Posted in Articles, PPE & Standard Precautions
Preventing Sharps Injuries in a Rural Medical Center: A Success Story

The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act became Public Law 106-430 on November 6, 2000. In 2001, in response to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, OSHA revised the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) to contain language designed to prevent needlestick ...More
12 hours ago Posted in Articles, PPE & Standard Precautions