Infection Control

Health systems are scaling back mask rules for staff, patients and visitors as respiratory virus season wanes.

The CDC's framework to prevent healthcare-associated Clostridioides difficile infections may have potential benefits for hospitals, but further research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness, according to a study published March 27 in JAMA Network Open.

Physicians can reduce the risk of surgical site infections by using a nasal antiseptic before procedures, according to research published March 28 in the American Journal of Infection Control. 

The CDC acknowledged ventilation as a core strategy to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses in a March 22 guidance update. 

A recent study conducted by researchers in the U.K. found COVID-19 vaccines can reduce heart failure by up to 55% and blood clots by up to 78% after an infection.

Fifty-eight cases of measles have been reported in the first quarter of 2024, the same number of total cases in 2023, the CDC reported.

AI tools might be able to diagnose healthcare-associated infections, but human oversight is vital to ensuring patient safety, according to a study published March 13 in the American Journal of Infection Control. 

Cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children continue to be reported and saw a relative rise during fall 2023, the CDC reported.

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule that will reduce ethylene oxide emissions from commercial sterilization facilities.

The CDC has deployed a team to help address an ongoing measles outbreak that originated at a temporary migrant shelter in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, The Hill reported March 12.