Northern states appear to have higher rates of Escherichia coli O157 than southern states do, and young children appear to be infected most often, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published today in Epidemiology & Infection.
China reported two more H7N9 influenza infections today, along with two deaths in patients whose illnesses were announced earlier.
A case of H5N1 avian flu has been confirmed in a 4-year-old Cambodian boy, bringing to three that country's cases so far this year, according to a joint press release today from Cambodia's Ministry of Health (MOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The largest US outbreak so far of bacteria producing the enzyme NDM (New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase), which confers resistance to most antibiotics, has been linked to a Chicago area hospital, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The contamination was traced to endoscopic equipment.
Most US samples had bacterial contamination, and a good many had pathogenic varieties.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday declared that an Escherichia coli outbreak linked to chicken salad and wrap products from Glass Onion Catering is over after affecting at least 33 people in four states.
Seven of the patients required hospitalization, and two developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially deadly kidney complication. No deaths were reported.
Saudi Arabia's health ministry today announced two more Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections, one of which appears to be in a health worker with an asymptomatic infection who had contact with a confirmed case, according to a machine-translation of a statement posted on the ministry's Web site.
Federal and state health officials are investigating a three-state, 26-case E coli outbreak.
Ten new polio cases have been confirmed in Pakistan's North Waziristan region, bringing to 25 the number of cases reported this year, Pakistan Today reported today.
To help prepare for protecting outpatients from infection during disasters such as pandemics, bioterror attacks, or outbreaks of a novel disease, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) today released a new guide, "Infection Prevention for Ambulatory Care Centers During Disasters."