ICCS Infection Prevention & Infection Control Newsletter (May 2019)
In this month's issue of the ICCS Infection Prevention & Control Newsletter, recapping some of the biggest infection prevention and control news from May, highlights include stories on ophthalmology devices, patient privacy curtains, measles, TB, antibiotic stewardship requirement and a New York bill on infection prevention certification.
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Joint Commission Spotlights Ophthalmology Device Infection Risks — The Joint Commission called attention to infection risks associated with several ophthalmology devices.
Patient Privacy Curtains Represent Infection Risk — The results of a study showed that patient privacy curtains are commonly contaminated with multidrug-resistant organisms, raising the risk of infection and disease transmission.
Measles Outbreak: 8 Resources for Outpatient Settings — Several outpatient center clients contacted ICCS regarding the measles epidemic and how outpatient settings should respond. We compiled and shared a compendium of resources available for free access and download.
Expert Council Pushes for Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Requirement — The Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, which provides recommendations on federal programs to combat antibiotic resistance, urged the finalization of a policy that would make antibiotic stewardship programs a requirement for U.S. hospitals.
New Guidelines Advise Against Annual TB Testing for Healthcare Personnel — The National Tuberculosis Controllers Association released updated recommendations for tuberculosis (TB) screening, testing and treatment of healthcare personnel, including advising against annual screening of all healthcare personnel for TB.
Understaffing of Nurses Increases Infection Risk — The results of a study indicate there is a correlation between nurse understaffing and elevated healthcare-associated infection risk.
New York Considering Bill Requiring Infection Prevention Certification — Lawmakers in New York sponsored a bill that would require infection preventionists to be certified in infection prevention and control if they want to practice in N.Y. hospitals.
Glucocorticoids Raise Infection Risk for Joint Replacement Patients With RA — The results of a study show that glucocorticoid use significantly increased the risk for infection for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing joint replacement surgery.
Attending APIC 2019? Hear ICCS Founder and President Phenelle Segal present on "Breaches in Dental Infection Prevention: Could This Be Your Practice?" on Friday, June 14, at 8:00 AM.
Potential C Diff Risk Factors Identified — Cases of Clostridium difficile infection in pediatric inpatients have increased over the last two decades, and new research suggests both antibiotic use and the use of proton pump inhibitors may play a role.
Microbes on Explanted Pedicle Screws May be Possible Cause of Spinal Implant Failure — The results of a study showed that microbial colonization of surgical implant hardware may be linked to pedicle screws loosening over time, leading to spinal instability and consequent pain.
Bedside Nurses Can Make a Big Difference in Antimicrobial Stewardship, Study Finds — A study found health systems can make significant strides in their antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention efforts by enlisting a resource every hospital already has: bedside nurses.
Preventive Antibiotics After Assisted Birth Could Reduce Maternal Infections — The results of a randomized clinical trial suggested a single dose of preventive antibiotics after assisted childbirth could cut the number of maternal infections by nearly half.
Cornell Scientists Discover New Antibiotic Resistance Gene — While sifting through the bacterial genome of salmonella, Cornell food scientists discovered mcr-9, a new, stealthy jumping gene so diabolical and robust that it resists one of the world’s few last-resort antibiotics.
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