News

The Florida Times-Union is reporting today on the case of Jean Law, a nurse on staff at Baptist Medical Center-South in Jacksonville, Fla. who contracted a bacterial infection and had to have both legs and eight fingers amputated because staff at the facility allegedly failed to diagnose her septic condition quickly enough.

The Oncology Nursing Society has released the findings of a recent survey of oncology nurses that show they are increasingly concerned about invasive fungal infections in their patients.

During an influenza pandemic, a substantial proportion of transmission is thought to occur in households.

Data on the performance of Mycobacterium-tuberculosis-specific interferon-(IFN)-gamma release assays (IGRAs) in the serial testing of healthcare workers is limited.

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University developed techniques to quickly identify evolution of drug resistance in strains of malaria.

The vast majority of pediatricians and family physicians nationally are offering the human papillomavirus (also called HPV) vaccine, though fewer physicians are strongly encouraging it for 11- to 12-year-old girls as recommended by national guidelines.

In a letter to infection preventionists, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is informing them about positive displacement needleless connectors and the possible link to several patient deaths associated with bloodstream infections (BSIs).

In todays environment, the delivery of healthcare is constantly evolving, requiring practitioners to be nimble and quickly adapt to new guidelines, protocols and technology.

Researchers describe a novel device that utilizes immunosensor and bio-optical technology to detect M. tuberculosis antigen (Ag85B) in cough and demonstrate its use under field conditions during a pilot study in an area of high TB incidence.

Unilife Corporation has launched Unitract.com to support the commercial release of its Unitract 1 mL clinical safety syringes.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved vaccines for the 2010-2011 influenza season in the United States.

A new drug-resistant strain of E. coli, ST131, is a major cause of serious antimicrobial-resistant E. coli infections in the United States.

Researchers show that public education campaigns regarding hand hygiene are effective in altering individual hand hygiene habits during the peak periods of influenza transmission.

When Staphylococcus aureus is isolated in urine, it is thought to usually represent hematogenous spread. Because such spread might have special clinical significance, Shingo Chihara and colleagues evaluated predictors and outcomes of S. aureus bacteriuria among patients with S. aureus bacteremia.

Epidemic outbreaks of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) in intensive care units (ICUs) are increasing. The incidence of MDR-AB bacteremia, which develops as a result of colonization, is increasing through widespread dissemination of the pathogen, and further colonization.

During the SARS pandemic in Hong Kong, panic and worry were prevalent in the community and the general public avoided staying in public areas.

Sanofi Pasteur announces that shipping of the 2010-2011 formulation of its seasonal influenza vaccine Fluzone® Influenza Virus Vaccine is underway in the U.S.

Researchers have discovered a novel mechanism in Salmonella that affects its virulence and its susceptibility to antibiotics by changing its production of proteins in a previously unheard of manner. This allows Salmonella to selectively change its levels of certain proteins to respond to inhospitable conditions.

A new research consortium through which to address persistent knowledge gaps could be precisely what the healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention community has been waiting for in light of urgent scientific and clinical questions requiring more definitive answers

Electronic portal speeds identification and investigation of potential health hazards in human food industry.

The best way to prevent the spread of disease in rural areas may be by targeting select popular hangouts, according to a new study by the Kansas State University EpiCenter research team.

Vaccine scares may do more harm than previously believed to a population's "herd immunity."

Researcher discovers existing drugs can potentially target the disease's ability to spread.

New research shows that individuals with mild H1N1 infection may go undetected using standard diagnostic criteria.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says it has filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for failing to issue a final rule regulating the chemicals triclosan and triclocarban, which are commonly found in antibacterial soaps.

Delivery to the Strategic National Stockpile of the first 1 million doses of the nations first smallpox vaccine for certain immune-compromised populations is now complete, the result of a Project BioShield contract.