Impact of admission screening for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on the length of stay in an emergency department
Gilligan P et al. – The authors consider that national and local policies for MRSA need to balance the welfare of patients in the ED with the need to comply with best practice, when there are inadequate ED and inpatient isolation facilities. Patients with MRSA requiring emergency admission must have a bed available read more
Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 027: assessing the risks of further worldwide spread
Clements ACA et al. – This framework first requires identification of potential vehicles of introduction, including international transfers of hospital patients, international tourism and migration, and trade in livestock, associated commodities, and foodstuffs. It then calls for assessment of the risks of pathogen release, of exposure of individuals if release happens, and of resulting outbreaks. Health departments in countries unaffected by outbreaks should assess the risk of introduction or reintroduction of C difficile PCR ribotype 027 using a structured risk–assessment approach. read more
Infection and Colonization in Epidermolysis Bullosa
Mellerio JE – A balance exists between a wound’s bacterial load and the host defenses, such that there is a spectrum from simple contamination, through colonization, critical colonization, to overt infection. The increased bioburden in critically colonized or infected wounds impairs healing and therefore recognition of these situations, and appropriate measures to promote a healing environment, are fundamental to the care of EB wounds. read more
Preferred treatment and prevention strategies for recurrent community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft-tissue infections: A survey of adult and pediatric providers
Mascitti KB et al. – Among pediatric and adult providers, 70% preferred trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole for directed treatment of community–associated methicillin–resistant Staphylcoccus aureus skin and soft–tissue infections, although a higher proportion of pediatric compared with adult providers favored clindamycin. For recurrent infections, 88% of providers employed at least 1 topical decolonization strategy. read more
In Vitro Double and Triple Bactericidal Activities of Doripenem, Polymyxin B, and Rifampin against Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli
Urban C et al. – Bactericidal activity was achieved in 90% of all bacteria assayed using combinations of polymyxin B, doripenem, and rifampin against five each of the carbapenem–resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli isolates studied. Combinations with these antibacterials may provide a strategy for treatment of patients infected with such organisms. read more
