MRSA

Suspected yellow fever cases double in Brazil

The number of suspected yellow fever cases in Brazil is climbing quickly, with 421 suspected infections and two more states reporting cases, the health ministry said yesterday in a statement. The case total reflects an increase of 215 cases from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) update on Jan 18.

UV-light disinfection might cut hospital MRSA, VRE rates

An expensive type of ultraviolet (UV) light treatment called UVC was associated with a 30% drop in the incidence of infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) but did not affect Clostridium difficile rates when used for cleaning hospital rooms between patients, according to a study yesterday in The Lancet.

Saudi Arabia reports possible hospital MERS outbreak in Buraydah

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) has reported a possible hospital outbreak of MERS-CoV in Buraydah, the site of several recently diagnosed cases of the respiratory disease.

Study finds MRSA infections in significant decline at VA hospitals

An initiative to reduce rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections at Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals continues to be associated with marked declines, researchers reported yesterday in the American Journal of Infection Control.

FDA notes full implementation of rules on antibiotic use in food animals

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it has reached a "significant milestone" in efforts to reduce the use of medically important antibiotics in food producing animals.

Hospitals penalized for high rates of MRSA and C difficile

The federal government is for the first time cutting Medicare payments to hospitals that have high rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Clostridium difficile, according to Kaiser Health News.

Metrics developed for assessing antimicrobial stewardship impact

A panel of experts has identified six metrics that hospitals can use to assess the impact of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs).

Study: Discontinuing contact precautions did not lead to CDI outbreaks

A study yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases suggests that contact isolation may not be necessary to prevent outbreaks of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in hospitals.

Our weekly wrap-up of antimicrobial stewardship & antimicrobial resistance scans

Study finds benefits for antibiotic de-escalation in pneumonia patients

A new study out of Spain has found that antibiotic de-escalation in adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia appears safe and effective and does not adversely affect outcomes.

MRSA acquisition low in those exposed to index patients, study finds

The rate of MRSA acquisition is low among contacts of patients colonized or infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), according to a study yesterday in the American Journal of Infection Control.