News
ICViewExpert PerspectivesMedical World NewsPathogen PlaybookVideosWebinars
Conference CoverageConference ListingAPIC Chapters
Infection Control TodaySupplements And Featured Publications
CME/CEEditorial Advisory BoardJob BoardPartnersSponsoredWhitepapers
Subscribe
Educator of the Year Official Rules2024 Educator of the Year Winner2023 Educator of the Year WinnerEducator of the Year
Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyAdvanced Technology
Bug of the Month
COVID-19
Environmental ServicesEnvironmental Services
HAIs
Hand Hygiene
IC Trends
Long-Term CareLong-Term Care
Operating Room
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
Policy
PreventionPreventionPreventionPrevention
Sterile ProcessingSterile Processing
Surface Disinfection
Vascular Access
Spotlight -
  • IC Trends
  • Bug of the Month
  • Featured Articles
  • Featured Columns
  • Pathogen Playbook
Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyAdvanced Technology
Bug of the Month
COVID-19
Environmental ServicesEnvironmental Services
HAIs
Hand Hygiene
IC Trends
Long-Term CareLong-Term Care
Operating Room
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
Policy
PreventionPreventionPreventionPrevention
Sterile ProcessingSterile Processing
Surface Disinfection
Vascular Access
    • News
    • Subscribe
Advertisement

No Increased Risk of Lung Infections Among Infants Using Popular Anti-Reflux Medicines

September 19, 2018
Article

New University of Otago research shows infants using popular anti-reflux medicines like omeprazole are not at increased risk of pneumonia or other lower respiratory tract infections, contrary to findings from other international studies.

Lead researcher, Mei-Ling Blank from the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine says use of the drugs -- proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) -- by otherwise healthy infants is controversial as studies have repeatedly failed to demonstrate the drugs relieve the symptoms of presumed acid reflux in infants.

"Several large overseas studies have observed an association between the use of PPIs and pneumonia in adults, while two small studies conducted overseas suggested that infants using PPIs may also be at risk of lung infections," Ms Blank says.

PPIs are commonly prescribed to infants for symptoms attributed to acid reflux or heartburn, with an earlier study by the Otago researchers finding New Zealand has among the highest rates of PPI use by infants internationally.

"Given the high rates of PPI use that one of our earlier studies found, it was important to investigate if infants in New Zealand who were using PPIs were at increased risk of serious lung infections," Ms Blank says.

Co-author of the study, senior lecturer in epidemiology in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dr. Lianne Parkin, says the Otago study was the largest of its kind internationally and was able to address some of the methodological limitations of previous studies.

"Not only did we find a relatively low number of serious lung infections among the children in the cohort, but healthy infants who were currently using PPIs were at no greater risk of a lung infection than healthy infants who had stopped taking PPIs," Parkin says.

The study examined the health records of more than 21,000 New Zealand infants born between January 2005 and December 2012 who were dispensed omeprazole, lansoprazole or pantoprazole at least once before their first birthday. The study was published today in the international Journal of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.

Other researchers involved in the Otago study are Dr. Jiaxu Zeng and Dave Barson from the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine. Funding for the study came from the New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre, Medsafe and a Strategic Research Grant from the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine.

Source: University of Otago

Recent Videos
Pathogen Playbook Presenter: Sharon Ward-Fore, BS, MS, MT(ASCP), CIC, FAPIC
Mark Wiencek, PhD
Rebecca Crapanzano-Sigafoos, DrPH, CIC, AL-CIP, FAPIC
The CDC’s updated hospital respiratory reporting requirement has added new layers of responsibility for infection preventionists. Karen Jones, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC, clinical program manager at Wolters Kluwer, breaks down what it means and how IPs can adapt.
Studying for the CIC using a digital tablet and computer (Adobe Stock 335828989 by NIKCOA)
Infection Control Today's Conversations with the HSPA President, Arlene Bush, CRCST, CER, CIS, SME, DSMD, CRMST
Infection Control Today's Conversations with the HSPA President, Arlene Bush, CRCST, CER, CIS, SME, DSMD, CRMST
Cheron Rojo, BS, FCS, CHL,  CER, CFER, CRCST
Matthias Tschoerner, Dr Sc
Standardizing Cleaning and Disinfection
Related Content

Hot Topics With Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC

Hot Topics for IPC on July 2, 2025

Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC
July 2nd 2025
Article

This Hot Topics for IPC covers the latest on ASPR, AMR, vaccines, and a study on AMR and livestock manure from Michigan State University.


The Clean Bite

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Dental Professionals: A Layered Defense

Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC
July 1st 2025
Article

Dental infection control expert Sherrie Busby tackles PPE missteps, from chin-bra masks to cropped lab coats, reminding dental teams that proper protection is crucial, not optional.


Rebecca Battjes, MPH, CIC, FAPIC; Vidya Nankoosingh, MLT, CIC; and Peter Teska, MBA

Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
June 30th 2025
Article

Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.


ACIP decides on vaccinations   (Adobe Stock 606491608 by N Lawrenson/peopleimages.com)

New ACIP Panel Backs Seasonal Flu, RSV Vaccinations, but Divisions Emerge Over Thimerosal and Infant Dosing

Richard Payerchin
June 27th 2025
Article

In its first major session under newly appointed leadership, the revamped Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to support flu and RSV vaccinations for the 2025–2026 season, but internal debate over vaccine preservatives, access equity, and risk assessment highlighted the ideological and scientific tensions now shaping federal vaccine policy.


US Department of Health and Human Services

A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides

Richard Payerchin
June 26th 2025
Article

As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.


Jill Holdsworth, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL; and Katie Belski, BSHCA, CRCST, CHL, CIS, CER, At HSPA25

Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski

Betsy Donahue, MA
June 26th 2025
Article

In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.

Related Content

Hot Topics With Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC

Hot Topics for IPC on July 2, 2025

Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC
July 2nd 2025
Article

This Hot Topics for IPC covers the latest on ASPR, AMR, vaccines, and a study on AMR and livestock manure from Michigan State University.


The Clean Bite

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Dental Professionals: A Layered Defense

Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC
July 1st 2025
Article

Dental infection control expert Sherrie Busby tackles PPE missteps, from chin-bra masks to cropped lab coats, reminding dental teams that proper protection is crucial, not optional.


Rebecca Battjes, MPH, CIC, FAPIC; Vidya Nankoosingh, MLT, CIC; and Peter Teska, MBA

Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
June 30th 2025
Article

Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.


ACIP decides on vaccinations   (Adobe Stock 606491608 by N Lawrenson/peopleimages.com)

New ACIP Panel Backs Seasonal Flu, RSV Vaccinations, but Divisions Emerge Over Thimerosal and Infant Dosing

Richard Payerchin
June 27th 2025
Article

In its first major session under newly appointed leadership, the revamped Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to support flu and RSV vaccinations for the 2025–2026 season, but internal debate over vaccine preservatives, access equity, and risk assessment highlighted the ideological and scientific tensions now shaping federal vaccine policy.


US Department of Health and Human Services

A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides

Richard Payerchin
June 26th 2025
Article

As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.


Jill Holdsworth, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL; and Katie Belski, BSHCA, CRCST, CHL, CIS, CER, At HSPA25

Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski

Betsy Donahue, MA
June 26th 2025
Article

In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.

Advertise
About Us
Editorial Board
Contact Us
Job Board
Terms and Conditions
Privacy
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Contact Info

2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512

609-716-7777

© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.
Home
About Us
News