http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. There is no government strategy to fight the spread of AIDS in Russia, where the number of deaths caused by the disease continues to grow, a senior healthcare official said on Thursday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-russia-anti-aids-strategy.html HIV & AIDS Thu, 16 May 2013 15:03:36 EST news287935410 In rooms of patients with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), the outside of the packages containing sterile items can become contaminated. Unused medical supplies are often thrown away to prevent the items from becoming pathways for transmission of drug-resistant microbes, and in the process this leads to increased healthcare costs. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital found that hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) is an effective way to sanitize the outside of the packages of these sterile supplies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-decontamination-unused-medical-health-care.html Health Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:33:24 EST news284722397 With rates and deaths associated with Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) at historically high levels, many hospitals have taken extra steps to reduce these infections. New research finds that a dedicated daily cleaning crew who adequately clean and disinfect rooms contaminated by C. difficile using a standardized process can be more effective than other disinfection interventions. The study is published in the May issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), in a special topic issue focused on the role of the environment in infection prevention. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-dedicated-staff-shown-difficile-contamination.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:31:17 EST news284722113 Placement of copper objects in intensive care unit (ICU) hospital rooms reduced the number of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) in patients by more than half, according to a new study published in the May issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, in a special topic issue focused on the role of the environment in infection prevention. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-copper-surfaces-health-care-acquired-infections.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:27:18 EST news284722030 (HealthDay)—Increased efforts to halt the spread of an intestinal superbug aren't having a major impact, according to a national survey of infection prevention specialists in the United States. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-combat-difficile.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:30:01 EST news282506860 Study results presented today at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections by the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that a series of community efforts can increase the number of people who get tested and know their HIV status, especially among men and young people with HIV who might otherwise transmit the virus to others. The study was also able to demonstrate a modest 14% reduction in new HIV infections in the intervention communities compared to the control communities. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-ways-hiv-infection.html HIV & AIDS Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:00:07 EST news281624141 There is general agreement among hospital infection preventionists (IPs) with respect to which practices have weak or strong evidence supporting their use to prevent healthcare-associated infection, according to a new study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-infection-preventionists-safe.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:40:01 EST news278929756 Patients recovering from surgery get infections far more often than is being reported, a new study led by De Montfort University has found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-hospital-infection-surveillance-flawed-experts.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:00:01 EST news277381570 Flooding can cause clinical and economic damage to a healthcare facility, but reopening a facility after extensive flooding requires infection prevention and control preparedness plans to ensure a safe environment for patients and healthcare workers. In a study published in the February issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, clinical investigators report key findings and recommendations related to the closure and re-opening of hospitals impacted by black-water floods. The guidance builds on lessons learned from Thailand and the United States. The findings come as many flood-damaged healthcare facilities in New York and New Jersey look to reopen in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-preparedness-infection-strategies.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 09 Jan 2013 14:40:59 EST news276964853 (Medical Xpress)—High compliance with hand hygiene and focusing on other simple infection control measures on medical, surgical and neuroscience intensive care units resulted in reduced rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection by 95 percent in a nine-year study, according to research findings by Virginia Commonwealth University physicians presented during IDWeek 2012. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-horizontal-infection-strategy-mrsa-infections.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:50:02 EST news270300167 A sweeping study on the issue of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals shows that using antimicrobial soap and ointment on all intensive-care patients significantly decreases bloodstream infection. The results, which are being presented for the first time at IDWeek 2012TM, may suggest a major change in health care practice that could help save lives. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-bloodstream-infections-percent-sickest-hospital.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:16:33 EST news269709380 A new scientific report out today from the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene (IFH) dismantles the myth that the epidemic rise in allergies in recent years has happened because we're living in sterile homes and overdoing hygiene. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-allergy-friends.html Immunology Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:00:04 EST news268408734 The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have each released new tools and information to help track deadly healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in nursing homes and other long-term care settings. Potentially deadly HAIs strike volumes of nursing home residents each year, with best estimates suggesting that up to 2.8 million infections can occur in this population annually. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-tools-nursing-homes-track-deadly.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:36:07 EST news267197760 (Medical Xpress)—A new study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins University's School of Medicine and the Bloomberg School of Public Health reveals that combining several tested and proven practices for preventing central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) with a program to improve safety, teamwork and communication can dramatically reduce the infection rates. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) and published online in Critical Care Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-proven-strategies-successful-reduction-deadly.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 14 Sep 2012 07:37:08 EST news266827021 (HealthDay)—Many U.S. schools are not prepared for another pandemic, according to a new study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-schools-unprepared-pandemics.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 30 Aug 2012 10:50:01 EST news265540449 Ending the global HIV/AIDS pandemic may be possible by implementing a multifaceted global effort that expands testing, treatment, and prevention programs, as well as meets the scientific challenges of developing an HIV vaccine and possibly a cure, according to a Viewpoint in the July 25 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-aids-free.html HIV & AIDS Sun, 22 Jul 2012 15:22:44 EST news262189359 A healthy boy was infected with antibiotic-resistant bacterium that was traced to his mother's nurse's bag left in the family's car after his mother's home healthcare visit to a patient with the same infection. Although the boy's infection and the patient's infection were never DNA tested, the coincidence was remarkable. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-surveys-infection-home-patients.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:50:01 EST news259854138 A small cluster of unusual illnesses at a Colorado children's hospital prompted an investigation that swiftly identified alcohol prep pads contaminated with Bacillus cereus bacteria, according to a report in the July issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. The investigation ultimately led to an international recall of the contaminated products. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-illnesses-colorado-children-hospital-prompts.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:15:09 EST news258722038 Preventing further complications in patients who develop infections after surgery to replace a knee or hip could save the U.S. healthcare system as much as $65 million annually, according to an analysis presented today at the 39th Annual Educational Conference and International Meeting of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-rehospitalizations-surgical-site-infections-.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:20:02 EST news257925881 Infection preventionists and healthcare epidemiologists play key roles in promoting effective antimicrobial stewardship in collaboration with other health professionals, according to a joint position paper published today by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) in their respective peer-review journals, the American Journal of Infection Control and Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-infection-groups-outline-antibiotics.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:44:51 EST news251376282 Hospitals whose infection prevention and control programs are led by a director who is board certified in infection prevention and control have significantly lower rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections (BSI) than those that are not led by a certified professional, according to a new study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of APIC - the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-infection-certification-mrsa.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:59:01 EST news250513132 Study results released today indicate that the HIV incidence rate for US women living in areas hardest hit by the epidemic is much higher than the overall estimated incidence rate in the US for black adolescent and adult women. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-hiv-black-women-higher-previously.html HIV & AIDS Fri, 09 Mar 2012 04:35:48 EST news250490141 The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that about one in every 20 patients develops an infection each year related to their hospital care. The key to preventing an outbreak of potentially deadly healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) -- such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or C. difficile -- is identifying them before affected individuals can pose a transmission risk. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-collaboration-rapid-response-health-care-associated-infections.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:47:26 EST news250426040 New guidelines from the Healthcare Infection Society (HIS) aimed at minimising surgical infection in day centres and primary care are now published in the Journal of Hospital Infection. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-guidelines-infection-minor-surgery.html Other Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:08:34 EST news247144092 New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill schools of medicine and pharmacy may help explain the failure of some recent clinical trials of prevention of HIV infection, compared to the success of others that used the same drugs. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-prophecy-success-hiv-clinical-trials.html HIV & AIDS Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:25:29 EST news242490246 (Medical Xpress) -- A new weapon has emerged to prevent HIV infection. Called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, it is a strategy of providing medications to at-risk people before they are exposed to the virus. Having shown great promise in recent phase 3 clinical trials, PrEP may soon be rolled out for public use. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-unconventional-approach-hiv-epidemics.html HIV & AIDS Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:13:36 EST news242460763 A South African outbreak of a multi-drug resistant "superbug" has been contained after it infected nine patients of whom three were still in quarantine, a hospital group said Monday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-safrican-hospital-superbug-outbreak.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:36:13 EST news238066555 (AP) -- An estimated 100,000 people in India may have escaped HIV infection over five years thanks to one of the world's biggest prevention programs, an encouraging sign that targeting high-risk groups remains vital even as more donors focus on treatment, a new study suggests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-gates-100k-indians-hiv.html HIV & AIDS Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:00:27 EST news237524414 Partner abuse leads to HIV infection, and black women are most at risk. A new study at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing has found that 46 percent of African-American adolescent girls report that their partner did not use a condom the last time they had sex -- often because of partner abuse. The girls described physical and sexual abuse and threats as preventing them from having their partner use condoms. The relationship between HIV and partner abuse is significant: In the U.S., at least 12 percent of HIV infections among women are a result of partner abuse. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-adolescent-girls-unwanted-unprotected-sex.html Health Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:42:44 EST news234546116 More than 60 percent of hospital nurses' and doctors' uniforms tested positive for potentially dangerous bacteria, according to a study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of APIC - the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-doctors-nurses-hospital-uniforms-dangerous.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:50:21 EST news234003000