A new review indicates that antimicrobial therapy given before clinicians take transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies to diagnose prostate cancer may lead to lower rates of sepsis, a potentially life-threatening infection.
The review, which included nine studies in multiple countries, found that 27 men would need to receive targeted antibiotics to prevent one infective complication.
"In light of these findings we are planning to introduce rectal swabs and targeted antibiotic prophylaxis as a necessary preparation for transrectal prostate biopsy," said Tim Dudderidge, consultant urological surgeon at Southampton General Hospital and senior author of the BJU International review. "The only question is whether techniques involving multiparametric MRI of the prostate and targeted transperineal biopsy will make transrectal biopsy obsolete first."
Source: Wiley
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental 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.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As 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.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In 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.