Hand Hygiene Day: The Key to Fighting Antibiotic Resistance Is in Your Hands
May 5th 2017Today, May 5th, is Hand Hygiene Day, a day that reminds healthcare workers, visitors, and policy makers alike, that frequent handwashing can be used to fight the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, and ultimately, save millions of lives.
CDC Responds to Rising Rates of Syphilis by Issuing Call to Action
May 4th 2017The rates of primary and secondary syphilis in the United States have increased by 19% from 2014 to 2015, and the CDC notes that preliminary data suggests that there was a “similar rate of increase in the first 6 months of 2016.”
Mutated HIV Proviruses Are Not as Harmless as Previously Thought
May 3rd 2017In a collaborative effort, scientists from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and George Washington University have found that defective HIV proviruses can complicate monitoring the true viral load within patients and distract the immune system from attacking the functional virus.
Statins Protect Patients with HBV/HCV-Related Liver Cirrhosis from Developing Decompensation
May 2nd 2017A study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance research database investigated the efficacy of statin use on preventing the development of liver decompensation in patients with different cirrhosis etiologies.
Supply of the Only Licensed Yellow Fever Vaccine in the US Expected to Run Out by Mid-2017
April 28th 2017Manufacturing issues have led to a shortage of the only yellow fever vaccine licensed in the United States; now, that shortage is expected to lead to a complete depletion of available vaccine by mid-2017.
University Mumps Outbreak Prevails Despite High 2-Dose MMR Coverage
April 27th 2017The University of Iowa experienced a large mumps outbreak last year, despite almost 100% adherence to 2-dose measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine schedule, which begs the question, is it time to start recommending a 3-dose schedule?
CDC Pilot Study Explores National Burden of HAIs in US Nursing Homes
April 27th 2017Using a model implemented in Europe in 2013 to estimate HAI prevalence by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Nicola Thompson, PhD, CDC, and her team estimated the national burden of HAIs in US nursing homes. In their poster, Dr. Thompson and her colleagues reported preliminary data from their pilot study.