The U.S. is facing a dire shortage of infectious disease specialists and some experts point to a complex web of issues that currently face the specialty as drivers of the shortage, Fox News reported Jan. 25.
Infection Control
In a recent study, St. Louis-based Washington University School of Medicine researchers found Acinetobacter baumannii, an antibiotic-resistant bacterium responsible for many hospital-associated infections, can resurge after a catheter insertion.
Nearly 1 in 4 study participants admitted filling their respiratory devices with tap water, which can be unsterile, according to a CDC study.
Candida auris, a drug-resistant fungal infection, has been found in a long-term care facility in Central Mississippi, NBC affiliate WLBT reported Jan. 10.
Researchers at the Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan may have found a way to predict risk of infection using cognitive performance tests.
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Antibiotic drug resistance isn't universal — it varies by the age of the patient and the healthcare setting, according to a study published Jan. 2 in JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance.
Severe strep A infections are on the rise in children, leading to a rise in other diseases associated with strep A, which could include flesh-eating bacteria.
Layering a surgical mask over an N95 may cause leakage, according to a study published Dec. 20 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
Healthcare facilities should no longer routinely screen symptom-free patients for COVID-19 upon admission or before procedures, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America said Dec. 21.
Early signs suggest flu season may peak early in the U.S. this year, though health experts caution the upcoming holiday season could spur another uptick in activity.