Category Infection prevention
Top 10 Infectious Diseases papers 2022 – Prof Josh Davis
Here is Josh’s eclectic selection of top non-COVID papers for 2022! Top ID papers of 2022 Davis Happy New Year all from AIMED.
ACIPC presentation – VRE control update Nov 2021
How can we control VRE? Ferguson ACIPC 2021 Invited presentation to ACIPC Conference – the top 3 horizontal (standard) controls are: Hand hygiene by healthcare staff Environmental controls – REACH trial Antimicrobial stewardship – target piperacillin+tazobactam and ceftriaxone to reduce usage below 30 DDD/1000 patient-days. References https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2019/211/3/reduced-vre-and-mrsa-colonisation-and-infection-following-sustained-reduction Ferguson- VRE in hospitals – 2014 monograph https://www.publish.csiro.au/ma/MA14011 […]
Preoperative nasal screening for Staph. aureus carriage and load reduction (HNE LHD)
Indications for preoperative screening for Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA or MRSA) nasal carriage and preoperative staphylococcal load reduction (HNE LHD): Open cardiac and valve procedures Shoulder, hip or knee joint total arthroplasties: primary or revision procedures Aortic work (stent and open) and all lower limb open surgery for vascular reconstructions (bypass, endarterectomy). Iliac stents (as they […]
Outpatient MRSA eradication instructions
Your recent pathology test showed that you are carrying a strain of resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria (germ) that may cause boils or other more serious infections (See also NSW MRSA Fact sheet). Eradication treatment aims to completely remove MRSA from your body. In more than half of the people treated in this way, MRSA […]
Zika transmission prevention not just for men- updated WHO guidance
The World Health Organization (WHO) has strengthened its advice on preventing sexual transmission of the Zika virus. The interim guidance report recommends that both men AND women practice safe sex for six months after returning from an area where an infection is present, even if they have no symptoms. The previous guidelines, published in June 2016, stated […]
Recurrent community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) – what to do?
A call from a local GP last week – 53 year old woman who was given a course of oral amoxycillin+clavulanate for respiratory infection and then developed moderately severe enteritis associated with CT evidence of colitis. Stool testing for C. difficile toxin genes was positive, confirming a diagnosis of CDI. She responded to a 10 day course […]
2016 European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
The ECCMID recently met in Amsterdam to talk all things Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. They have made the majority of the presentations made at the meeting freely available to all online. With over 200 sessions, including 11 keynote lectures, over 100 symposia and oral sessions and 3000 abstracts presented over 4 days there is something […]
Ten infection prevention commandments for medical staff
Thanks Craig Boutlis who helped me develop these some time back. Nothing has changed much yet! Always disinfect your hands with alcohol-based hand rub BEFORE and AFTER touching a patient or performing a procedure. Set the example for your team and expect others to follow your lead. Dress well for safer care – abandon ties […]
AIMED - Let's talk about antibiotics 
Micro comments: Clostridium difficile testing
Here are our local Pathology North (NSW) comments together with their rationale: Positive CDI test result comment (no test of clearance required!): The duration of contact precautions following recovery are controversial. Patients will continue to excrete C. difficile for weeks following recovery and can represent a cross infection risk. However continent patients with formed stool who […]