News

One of the most common causes of preventable healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) is poor hand hygiene. iScrub Lite 1.5, an iPhone and iPod touch application developed at the University of Iowa (UI), makes monitoring hand hygiene compliance more efficient and accurate.

Richard Whitley, MD, FIDSA, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), has written a letter to CDC director Thomas Frieden relating to the draft guidance, "Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare Settings."

AORN offers a new infection prevention course that assists ASCs in meeting CMS requirements.

Pharmacy OneSource, software-as-a-service provider of Sentri7, a Web-based, real-time infection prevention surveillance, documentation and reporting system, announces a complimentary webinar, "Sepsis Management: The Latest Evidence-Based Practice," presented by Kirsten Pyle-Springer, RN, CCRN.

EVA (Evolutionary Air), the newest Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) from Bullard, is now approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) with a combination chemical and particulate filter that protects users against organic vapors, chloride dioxide, chlorine, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide and particulates at a high efficiency level.

Ecolab Inc. announces the launch of Virasept, Ecolabs first ready-to-use (no mixing required) hard-surface disinfectant approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be effective against Clostridium difficile spores.

Preferred Surgical Products, LLC announces that it recently received a three-year, single-source contract with the Johns Hopkins Health System for its STAT-COVER line of sterile equipment covers and the STAT-PAC line of infection prevention packs for OR turnover. 

A team of biochemists has identified the molecular mechanism by which an immune response is triggered by invading viruses.

Immune system cells called macrophages spring into action to surround and destroy threats such as viruses or cancer cells. But sometimes the would-be protective response leads to persistent inflammation, which, in turn, can cause disease.

Just 20 percent of people nationwide are either very concerned or concerned that they or someone in their household will become infected with the H1N1 influenza virus, according to The Marist Poll, a project of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion. 

Findings from the New York State Department of Health reveal the benefits of an audit process to validate healthcare-associated infection (HAI) data.

New research shows that many people wouldn't get inoculated against HIV even if a vaccine was developed.

Hospitalizations for three common waterborne diseases cost the U.S. healthcare system as much as $539 million annually, according to research presented at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

A new study being published in the journal Urology shows that Proantinox®, a proprietary cranberry-based blend used in hospitals and long-term care facilities, is safe and effective in significantly reducing the incidence of UTIs in women at risk for recurring infections.

Laundering temperatures, fabric denier and handling procedures all impact infection control efforts.

A manufacturer and distributor in Puerto Rico is receiving harsh FDA punishment for distributing hand sanitizer as an unapproved new drug due to the use of the active ingredient benzalkonium chloride, which is not recognized as safe and effective for OTC antifungal drugs.

Johns Hopkins researcher argues that arrogance, lack of transparency stand in way of saving lives.

Pitt County Memorial Hospital (PCMH) today announced results of a study demonstrating that universal surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) decreased health care-associated infections (HAIs) related to devices.

An estimated 5 percent of the Key West, Fla., population -- more than 1,000 people -- showed evidence of recent exposure to dengue virus in 2009, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health.

Hospira, Inc. today announced a study showing how the TheraDoc clinical surveillance system has helped clinicians at Memorial Hospital Miramar reduce catheter-related infections, which correlated with an increase in infection control interventions.

Rapid identification and aggressive infection control measures allowed a Dallas hospital to stop the spread of Acinetobacter baumannii.