November 3rd, 2010
Morgan DJ et al. – Electronic medical record documentation of antibiotic use during the year prior to admission identifies most Methicillin–Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and nearly all Vancomycin–Resistant Enterococcus transmission risk with surveillance culture sampling of only 51% of patients. This approach has substantial cost savings compared with the practice of universal active surveillance.
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November 3rd, 2010
Glasser JS et al. – Despite several methods to test bacteria for topical susceptibility, no defined breakpoints exist and standards need to be established. The authors recommend continuing to use silver products for prophylaxis against gram–negatives and mafenide acetate for treatment, and mupirocin for methicillin–resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
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October 27th, 2010
Tschudin–Sutter S et al. – An outbreak of extended–spectrum beta–lactamase–producing Escherichia coli in a neonatal care unit began with transmission from a mother to her newborn twins during vaginal delivery. Subsequently, infection spread by healthcare worker contact with other neonates; a healthcare worker also was infected. Knowledge about transmission may improve infection control measures.
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October 27th, 2010
Schweickert B et al. – Nosocomial infections with Methicillin–resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) account for increased morbidity, mortality and health care costs in critically ill patients worldwide. The Intensive Care Unit (ICU)–component of the German surveillance system for nosocomial infections (Krankenhaus–Infektions–Surveillance–System, KISS) has been supplemented with a module targeting the surveillance of multiresistant pathogens (Multiresistente Erreger (MRE)–KISS) in order to account for the increasing burden of antibiotic–resistant bacteria. read more
October 20th, 2010
Navaneethan U et al. – Despite its wide spectrum of presentations, clostridium difficile infection has been reported to be associated with a longer duration of hospitalization and a higher mortality in inflammatory bowel disease patients. Inflammatory bowel disease patients with restorative proctocolectomy or with diverting ileostomy are not immune to clostridium difficile infection of the small bowel or ileal pouch. Whether immunomodulator or corticosteroid therapy for IBD should be continued in patients with superimposed clostridium difficile infection is controversial. It appears that more adverse outcomes was observed among patients treated by a combination of immunomodulators and antibiotics than those treated by antibiotics alone. The use of biologic agents does not appear to increase the risk of acquisition of clostridium difficile infection. For clostridium difficile infection in the setting of underlying IBD, vancomycin appears to be more efficacious than metronidazole.
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