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To underscore the risks of fatal bacterial infection following platelet transfusions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published these two case reports.
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It is critical that clinicians are aware of the problem of bacterial contamination of blood components, particularly platelets, and consider the possibility of bacterial contamination when investigating transfusion reactions, the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) is urging.
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No evidence was found of nosocomial transmission of H5N1 avian influenza among 83 health care workers with exposure to case patients in Vietnam, researchers reported.
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Is your state next? Laws requiring disclosure of individual hospital infection rates are sweeping the nation. Four states Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, and Missouri have passed infection rate disclosure laws, and 20 others have introduced bills.
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Use of risedronate in women 80 years and older reduced the incidence of vertebral fractures and was well tolerated.
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Maintaining INRs (International normalized ratios) between 2 and 3 is safer than INRs below 2, as suggested by some guidelines.
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Most neoplastic lesions are not detected either by Hemoccult screening or by multitarget analysis of fecal DNA. Nevertheless, the fecal DNA analysis was significantly more efficient than Hemoccult testing.
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Pharmacotherapy of hypertension has been much in the news in the last 2 months. Standard therapies such as atenolol have been challenged, while calcium channel antagonists may be making a comeback.
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Atenolol is unsuitable as a first-line drug in hypertension.
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A new agent has received expedited FDA approval for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis.
