Infections

Significant morbidity and mortality is caused by healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs), including surgical site infections (SSIs), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and other healthcare-related infections and conditions caused by drug-resistant pathogens that jeopardize patient safety.

Investigators Report Cases of Tattoo-Associated Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Skin Infections

Permanent tattoos have become increasingly common, with 21 percent of adults in the United States reporting having at least one tattoo. On rare occasions, outbreaks of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) skin infections have been reported after tattooing. Dilution of tattoo ...More
August 23, 2012
Posted in News
Timing of Antibiotics Important in Reducing Infections After C-Section

Giving antibiotics before cesarean section surgery rather than just after the newborn’s umbilical cord is clamped cuts the infection rate at the surgical site in half, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Barnes-Jewish ...More
August 2, 2012
Posted in News
Nurse Staffing, Burnout Linked to Hospital Infections

Nurse burnout leads to higher healthcare-associated infection rates and costs hospitals millions of additional dollars annually, according to a study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control. Researchers from the Center for Health Outcomes ...More
July 30, 2012
Posted in News, Policies and Practice
Consumer Reports Scores Hospitals on Safety, Finds Too Many Pose Risks to Patients

For the first time, Consumer Reports has rated U.S. hospitals for safety, combining six key measures into one composite Rating. Overall, Consumer Reports rates 1,159 hospitals in 44 states in four special regional editions of its August issue and online at ...More
July 8, 2012
Posted in News, Hand Hygiene
CDC Recognizes Two States Making Progress in the Fight Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a report and updated recommendations that detail how states and healthcare facilities should deal with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), deadly pathogens that cause healthcare-associated ...More
June 26, 2012
Posted in News, Hand Hygiene
CDC Experts Outline Steps to Prevent the Transmission of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Today on Medscape, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experts Drs. Raymund Dante and Alice Guh provide step-by-step guidance for healthcare professionals that can help protect their patients by preventing the transmission of carbapenem-resistant ...More
June 21, 2012
Posted in News, Hand Hygiene, PPE & Standard Precautions
Slide Show: Preventing CRE Infections

ICT presents highlights from the 2012 CRE Toolkit - Guidance for Control of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ...More
June 21, 2012
Posted in Galleries, Hand Hygiene, PPE & Standard Precautions
Infections, Medical Errors and Injuries Still Rampant, but Some Hospitals are Safer Than Others

Approximately 400 people die every day because of a preventable hospital error – the equivalent of a jet crashing every day and killing all aboard. In response to this silent epidemic, more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals will now receive an A, B, C, D or F Hospital Safety Score ...More
June 7, 2012
Posted in News, Hand Hygiene, Policies and Practice
Surgical Site Infections More Likely in Patients with History of Skin Infection

People with a past history of just a single skin infection may be three times more likely to develop a painful, costly — and potentially deadly — surgical site infection (SSI) when they have an operation, according to new Johns Hopkins research. The increased risk, ...More
May 30, 2012
Posted in News
IDSA Diabetic Foot Infection Guidelines Suggest Multidisciplinary Team Approach is Best

Diabetic foot infections are an increasingly common problem, but proper care can save limbs and, ultimately, lives, suggest new guidelines released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Poor treatment of infected foot wounds in people with diabetes can lead ...More
May 29, 2012
Posted in News