Editor's Note Patients in Maryland hospitals on mechanical ventilators were exposed to two dangerous pathogens, which are becoming growing threats in hospital systems, according to a new report published on October 12 by JAMA Network.  The report analyzed survey data from 51 participating healthcare facilities. The data included 482 patients…

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Editor's Note A new nasal vaccine in development by Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics in Australia could provide long-term protection against the deadly bacteria Streptococcus A (Strep A), Griffith University's Griffith News October 5 reports. Strep A causes 700 million human infections each year, and there are more than 500,000…

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Editor's Note An experimental vaccine designed by researchers at University of Southern California has been shown to prevent serious infections from drug-resistant pathogens, according to an October 2023 study published by Science Translational Medicine. In this study, titled "A protein-free vaccine stimulates innate immunity and protects against nosocomial pathogens," the…

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Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on August 24, announced the launch of a new program to strengthen survival and recovery rates for sepsis patients, called the “Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements.” The program is aimed at helping hospitals implement, monitor, and optimize sepsis programs and improve…

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Editor's Note This study from Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, investigates the source of an outbreak of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRA) in a general hospital due to contamination of a laundry evaporative cooler and the laundry environment. A total of 58 patients were affected in the outbreak. Their most…

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Editor's Note An update of the 2014 “Strategies to Prevent Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections [CAUTIs] in Acute-Care Hospitals” was published August 25 by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). The update, which is a collaborative effort led by SHEA, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Association for…

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Editor's Note In this study, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, examine the feasibility of transitioning back to reusable surgical gowns and the corresponding cost savings and reductions in solid waste. Disposable surgical gowns were replaced with polyester reusable surgical gowns with AAMI level III barrier protection that…

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Editor's Note The COVID-19 Omicron subvariant EG.5 is now the dominant variant in the US, replacing Arcturus XBB.1.16, according to the August 4 US News & World Report. EG.5 accounts for more than 17% of new COVID-19 cases in the US in the past 2 weeks, and it is increasing…

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Editor's Note This expert guidance document, sponsored by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), updates the “Strategies to Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] Transmission and Infection in Acute Care Hospitals” that were published in 2014. Among the updates: Recommendations are now categorized as Essential Practices that should be…

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Editor's Note This study, led by nurse researchers at the College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, explores the experiences of infection preventionists (IPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses from 61 IPs surveyed were included in the analysis. Among the findings: The initial phases of COVID-19 was a time of clinical…

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