The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has collaborated with Medscape to release a new interactive case challenge designed to help healthcare providers protect patients from Staphylococcus aureus (staph) infections.

The scenario — accessible here (free account required) — follows a patient's death from a bloodstream staph infection and a provider's realization that their facility's staph infection rate is higher than the national rate. By reviewing this case, providers can challenge themselves to see if they know how to properly respond to protect patients from serious staph infections.

CDC recently reported that nearly 120,000 people suffered from bloodstream staph infections in the United States in 2017, with nearly 20,000 dying.

CDC is calling on facilities, providers and administrators to protect patients from staph infections and released a framework of strategies intended to help reduce device- and procedure-related infections. CDC has also recommended that all facilities perform ongoing staph infection data assessments and implement prevention actions.