News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – A recently identified enzyme that can make gram-negative bacteria resistant to nearly all antibiotics is back in the news with reports of several recent cases in Canada and two in Austria.

(CIDRAP News) – The US Senate's battle over pending food safety legislation erupted in a House of Representatives committee hearing on Salmonella in eggs today, where two illness victims gave a face to the outbreak and farm owners faced public questions for the first time, with one of them blaming feed ingredients for the contamination.

(CIDRAP News) – A day before the May 5 call toaction from the World Health Organization (WHO) to improve hand hygienepractices in healthcare workers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) held a clinicians teleconference on the topic and said it would unveil anew online resource tomorrow as part of the day's events.

– WASHINGTON, DC (CIDRAP News) – Health officials worldwide are becoming increasingly concerned about influenza viruses' resistance to antiviral drugs, which can shut down a flu infection or mitigate symptoms. Flu antivirals are vital for reducing severe illness and death in average flu seasons and could be essential bulwarks against an influenza pandemic if one began.