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Investigators have confirmed the first outbreak of invasive infection caused by Aspergillus ustus. The mold rarely infects humans, as only 15 systemic cases have been reported among hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. In the outbreak, six patients with infections were identified. Three infections each occurred in both 2001 and 2003.
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Petussis outbreaks among health care workers are of special concern because of the risk for transmission to vulnerable patients. Last year, the CDC detailed pertussis outbreaks among health care workers and patients that included hospital outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Oregon.1 The outbreaks, which occurred before the availability of the new pertussis vaccine, are summarized below to underscore the disruptive nature of nosocomial pertussis outbreaks.
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Hardier and more virulent than traditional nosocomial strains, community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) now appears to be laying claim to the hospital.
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Infection control professionals adopting policies requiring workers to sign declination statements if they forgo influenza vaccination can expect to run into a persistent group of refuseniks with varied reasons for their recalcitrance.
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A proposed infection rate disclosure law in Connecticut focuses mistakenly on counting infections, rather than holding hospitals accountable for implementing strategies to prevent them, a representative of the state hospital association recently testified.
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Add vardenafil to the list of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors with promise in the treatment of Raynaud disease.
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Mean oral temperatures decline with age, ranging from 97.3°F at 6 am to 97.8°F at 10 pm in persons older than 65 years. The majority of both nursing home and community elderly have normal mean temperatures below 98.6°F.
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The CDC recommends that QuantiFERON®-TB Gold (QFT-G) may be used in all circumstances in which the TST is currently used, including contact investigations, evaluation of recent immigrants, and sequential-testing surveillance programs for infection control (eg, those for health-care workers).
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The fda has approved the first non-injectable insulin for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes called Exubera®.
