Browse Infectious Disease Articles by Topic

Is It Safe to Speak Up? Infection Prevention and ‘Psychological Safety’

The majority of infection preventionists surveyed in a new study reported the lack of a strong “psychological safety” culture in their hospitals, meaning workers may be less likely to point out breaks in aseptic technique and other incidents that could undermine patient safety.

Parents Can Pose Staph Risk to Babies in NICUs

The parents of babies in neonatal intensive care units can serve as a gateway for Staphylococcus aureus to colonize and potentially infect their newborns, researchers report in a recently published clinical trial.

Can You Interpret This Rhythm?

The long lead II rhythm strip in the figure was obtained from a middle-aged woman with syncope and hypotension. What can you say about the rhythm?

Minocycline Topical Foam (Amzeeq)

Minocycline topical foam is indicated to treat inflammatory lesions of non-nodular moderate-to-severe acne vulgaris in patients ≥ 9 years of age.

Anticoagulation Decisions in Atrial Fibrillation

Using the Delphi method of arriving at a consensus among clinicians concerning for which patients with atrial fibrillation should oral anticoagulants be recommended, the risk of stroke, the risk of hemorrhage, and patient-specific factors emerged. Many of these factors are not included in the guidelines and should be studied further.

Treating Depression in Epilepsy: To Medicate or Not?

Epileptic patients with major depression were randomized to either cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or sertraline. Depression and related secondary health outcomes were analyzed in both groups. Sertraline and CBT were found to be equally efficacious with improvement in mood in more than half of patients.

Optimism Could Increase Odds of ‘Exceptional Longevity’

An analysis of 10-year follow-up data from the Nurses’ Health Study and 30-year follow-up data from the Veteran Affairs Normative Aging Study revealed a significant association between baseline levels of higher optimism and longevity, even when data were adjusted for health behaviors and psychosocial factors.

Cefiderocol Injection (Fetroja)

Cefiderocol should be prescribed to treat complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis, in adults ≥ 18 years of age with limited or no alternative treatment options.

Vegetarians and Stroke

A recent study revealed vegetarians have a 22% lower incidence of ischemic heart disease, but a 20% increased incidence of total stroke, mostly related to hemorrhagic stroke, when compared to meat eaters.

Clostridioides difficile Infection: Fecal Microbiota Transplantation vs. Antibiotics

Relative to vancomycin or metronidazole treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection, treatment with fecal microbiota transplantation is associated with a lower risk of bloodstream infection, shorter hospital length of stay, and improved survival.