Category: Infection Control

Hospital masking picks up steam

More health systems have implemented mask rules in recent weeks amid an uptick in respiratory virus activity and growing concerns over potential capacity issues this winter.

Brushing teeth daily linked to lower risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia

The simple act of tooth brushing at least once per day can lower a patient’s risk of getting infected with hospital-acquired pneumonia, according to a study published Dec. 18 in JAMA.

7 advancements in C. diff care in 2023

As antibiotic resistance grows, so does research toward preventing and treating Clostridioides difficile, a bacterium known to be one of the leading causes of healthcare-associated infections in U.S. patients that can sometimes turn fatal. Often, infec…

Contaminated beds linked to C. diff risks: Study

Patients staying in a hospital bed previously occupied by a patient with a Clostridium difficile infection have a higher risk of contracting one themselves, according to new research published Dec. 13 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 

CDC's upcoming mask rule can worsen protection flaws, critics say

Before a CDC advisory committee votes whether to update its 13-year-old infection control rules in healthcare settings, critics of the guidance’s draft say the proposal is confusing and too lenient, KFF Health News reported Dec. 14. 

WVU Medicine confirms inpatient C. auris case

A patient at a WVU Medicine facility has tested positive for Candida auris, a spokesperson for the Morgantown, W.Va.-based health system confirmed to CBS affiliate WDTV Dec. 8. 

Adherence to infection control measures depends on role: Study

Employees at a North Carolina hospital were five times more likely to report infection prevention issues if they faced a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 compared to their co-workers, according to a new study.

HAIs decline significantly in acute care hospitals, CDC says

For the first time since the pandemic, progress is being made in decreasing healthcare-associated infections at acute care hospitals, according to a new CDC report.

Denver Health administers 1st shots of Ebola vaccines

In a milestone moment in the Mile High City, on Nov. 27, Denver Health administered the first live Ebola vaccine for preventative measures to some patients, 9News reported.

Yale opens Center for Infectious Diseases

Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health is consolidating infectious disease care under one roof through a new center, which opened Nov. 27, the New Haven Register reported.