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Infection Control Monitor

Each week, Infection Control Monitor will provide important information to help health care facilities improve their infection control efforts. With this resource, facilities can catch up on the latest infection control news and learn valuable tips on keeping their facilities safe.

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Infection Control Monitor

Issue 29, July 17, 2006

• Hearing on Imaging Act slated for today

  The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health plans to hear testimony in support of the...

Issue 51, December 29, 2006

• Bird flu continues to spread in Egypt

  Two more people have died as avian flu continues spreading to humans in Egypt. Health officials...

• Missouri health agency to post hospital infection rates

  Missouri residents will soon be able to access the rates of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) at...

Issue 50, December 22, 2006

• One more reason to ditch that tie

  The British Medical Association has given physicians one more reason they can ditch their neckties...

• Seniors face greatest risk of dying from flu

  The flu poses a greater risk of death for seniors age 85 and older, according to a new government...

Issue 49, December 15, 2006

• NIH says circumcision a way to stop HIV

  Circumcising adult men is an effective way to limit transmission of HIV that causes AIDS, says the...

• FDA approves test for Chagas disease

  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) December 13 approved a test that will help protect the...

Issue 48, December 8, 2006

• Study says HIV testing should be routine

  Voluntary screening for HIV should be a part of the medical care of all adults, not just those at...

• Three hospitals battle Norwalk virus

  Three hospitals-one in the U.S. and two in Canada-are dealing with an outbreak of the Norwalk virus.

Issue 47, December 1, 2006

• Study says poor hygiene leads to higher infection rate

  Turning the spotlight on hospital-acquired infections, the American Journal of Medical Quality...

• Exotic pets may pose health risk

  While exotic pets from Africa, Asia, and South America can be cute and trendy, the fact these...

Issue 46, November 17, 2006

• Pennsylvania first state to report hospital infection rates

  Pennsylvania became the first state this week to publicly report the number of patients who...

• Reports on disease outbreaks

  An epidemic of dengue fever in Cuba has been brought under control, reported the Los Angeles Times...

Issue 45, November 10, 2006

• Eleven hospital patients die of C. difficile

  A Quebec hospital reported the death of an eleventh patient infected with the Clostridium difficile...

Issue 44, November 3, 2006

• Officials believe salmonella outbreak is over

  A salmonella outbreak that sickened 171 people in 19 states appears to be over, according to an...

• Vaccine may hold promise in fight against infections

  A newly developed vaccine may prove to be the latest weapon to work against Methicillin-resistant...

Issue 43, October 27, 2006

• CDC guidelines aimed at preventing "super-bug" infections

  The CDC last week released guidelines urging hospitals and other healthcare facilities to reduce...

• CDC provides new resources on MRSA

  With Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the news recently, the CDC has provided...

Issue 42, October 20, 2006

• Study looks at different approach to protecting people against pandemic flu

  A new study shows promise for a different approach to protecting people against pandemic influenza...

Issue 41, October 13, 2006

• TB threat poses danger to Europe

  The European Union (EU) needs to do more to fight a dangerous outbreak of a more deadly form of...

• Recalled lettuce tests negative for E. coli

  First it was spinach, then a scare over lettuce. However, California lettuce recalled over fears...

Issue 40, October 6, 2006

• Mosquito-borne diseases kill 87 in India

  Outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases in northern and southern India have overwhelmed hospitals and...

• Infection control lapse contributed to deaths

  An outbreak that killed three babies at Wellington Hospital in New Zealand last year has been...

Issue 39, September 29, 2006

• Confirm that staff have hand hygiene know-how

  While the new 2007 National Patient Safety Goals are coming around the corner, ICPs would be wise...

• The CDC announces HIV screening changes

  The CDC has released new recommendations for HIV screening of all hospital patients.

Issue 16, April 21, 2006

• Scientists accuse drug firms of inventing diseases

  Scientists have accused major pharmaceutical companies of 'medicalizing' problems from high...

• Injection to treat alcoholism wins federal approval

  The Food and Drug Administration approved Vivitrol, said spokewoman Laura Alvey. Alkermes Inc. will...

Issue 15, April 14, 2006

• Bausch & Lomb halts ReNu MoistureLoc shipments

  Bausch & Lomb decided to cease shipments of its ReNu MoistureLoc brand contact lens solution in the...

• Flesh-destroying bacteria claims life of Seattle man

  A Seattle man who thought he had the flu died Sunday, April 2, of a flesh-destroying bacteria, the...

Issue 14, April 7, 2006

• Midwest preparing for possible mumps epidemic

  The nation's largest mumps outbreak in 17 years has Midwest health officials prepared for more...

• United Nations notes quick spread of bird flu

  The deadly bird flu virus has spread at an accelerated rate over the past three months, infecting...

Issue 13, March 31, 2006

• Pennsylvania hospitals analyze infection costs

  According to a Pennsylvania state analysis released this week, Pennsylvania patients who contract...

• Study shows decrease in HIV infections in India

  According to a recent study, the number of new HIV infections in four south Indian states has...

• Study shows decrease in HIV infections in India

  According to a recent study, the number of new HIV infections in four south Indian states has...

• Collect infection control data

  The collection of data is a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. With healthcare dollars at a...

Issue 12, March 22, 2006

• Study defines two bird flu strains

  All influenza viruses can easily mutate, and H5N1 appears to be no exception.

• Schools prepare for bird flu

  Schools in the United States are being told to plan for the possibility of an outbreak of bird flu...

Issue 11, March 16, 2006

• JCAHO clarifies position on alcohol hand sanitizers

  JCAHO has clarified its December 2005 interpretation that restricted foam dispensers to patient...

• First Afghan bird flu case confirmed

  Tests have confirmed the first outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in Afghanistan, the...

Issue 10, March 10, 2006

• Bird flu could reach Americas in 6 months

  According to the Associated Press, the H5N1 strain of bird flu could reach the Americas in six to...

• WHO: Bird flu bigger challenge than AIDS

  The World Health Organization announced earlier this week that the lethal strain of bird flu poses...

Issue 9, March 3, 2006

• HHS buys additional antiviral medicine to prepare for potential influenza pandem

  In a HHS press release, Secretary Mike Leavitt announced the purchase of additional antiviral drugs...

• IDSA releases hit list of superbugs

  The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has released a "Hit List" of the six top-priority...

Issue 8, February 24, 2006

• India slaughters chickens to contain bird flu

  In western India, health officials and farm workers in protective clothing began the culling of...

• Clinton, Australia launch AIDS campaign

  Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Australia announced plans to combat AIDS in China, Vietnam...

Issue 7, February 17, 2006

• Bird flu hits Germany, Europe tries to stop spread

  On Wednesday, Germany confirmed H5N1 bird flu in two swans, prompting other European countries to...

• Report says bird flu pandemic would spark global downturn

  An Australian report on the macroeconomic fall-out of an influenza pandemic says a worst-case...

Issue 6, February 10, 2006

• Nigerians warned of danger of bird flu infection

  International experts urged Nigerians to avoid contact with sick fowl to prevent infection from the...

• FDA approves a preliminary test for bird flu in humans

  A test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that can give a...

Issue 5, February 2, 2006

• Deaths from intestinal infection increase in NJ

  New Jersey is seeing an increase in deaths from an intestinal bacterial infection that often...

• Bird flu death of Iraqi girl confirmed

  According to Iraqi Health Minister Abdul Mutalib Ali Mohammed Salih, a 14-year-old girl who died...

Issue 4, January 27, 2006

• APIC, IDSA, SHEA develop model legislation on public reporting of healthcare-ass

  The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), the Infectious...

• WHO: HIV infection rate a serious concern in China

  Although China has brought down the number of people living in the country with the HIV virus...

• Take action against fungal growth

  Microbial remediation is a relatively simple but expensive operation, perhaps best described as...

Issue 3, January 20, 2006

• Checklist helps faith-based and community organizations prepare for influenza pa

  Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt has announced the release of the Faith-Based...

• The JCAHO explores mandatory flu shots

  The JCAHO is in the midst of a field review to weigh the possibility of requiring mandatory flu...

• Inspect buildings for fungal amplification

  If remodeling or maintenance activities are likely to disturb dust reservoirs in a hospital...

Issue 2, January 13, 2006

• Secretary Leavitt releases guide to help individuals and families get prepared f

  Mike Leavitt, the secretary of the United States Health and Human Services, has announced the...

• Staph infection reported among wrestlers

  Health officials have diagnosed four members of the Adirondack Wildcats varsity wrestling team in...

Issue 51, January 4, 2006

• Turkey reports bird flu outbreak near Armenia border

  Less than a month after declaring its territory free of avian influenza, Turkey has reported an...

Issue 4, November 10, 2006

• Germs are on the minds of Americans

  Americans have become increasingly germaphobic and social critics suggest that at its root is a...

Issue 1, April 7, 2006

• JCAHO surveyors focus on staff qualifications

  JCAHO surveyors focus on staff qualifications A specific degree or educational background is...

• A look at how to easily stay on top of IC.2.10’s annual risk analysis

  Under standard IC.2.10, the JCAHO requires hospitals to annually review a risk analysis of...

• Don't charge employees for shots

  Research shows that cost has been a barrier for some staff to receive flu shots, and for that...