Nosocomial Infections News

Two studies assessing the use of algorithm-driven prompts meant to improve antibiotic selection for patients hospitalized with pneumonia or UTIs showed the prompts were effective, researchers found.

HOUSTON — Natural language processing could reduce the need for manual chart reviews to determine a patient’s risk for carrying or being infected with multidrug-resistant organisms, according to a study.

HOUSTON — Using social network analysis, researchers were able to show how health care facilities in Colorado are connected by patient transfers, which allowed them to identify potential outbreak origins.

We caught up with Gonzalo Bearman, MD, MPH, at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Spring Conference to ask how he got “Hooked on ID.”

HOUSTON — Ending universal masking and admission testing of all hospitalized patients was associated with an increase in hospital-onset COVID-19 at five Massachusetts hospitals, researchers found.

HOUSTON — The risks for certain hospital-associated infections differ between urban and rural health care facilities, suggesting a nuanced relationship between health equity and the risk for infection, a study found.

BOSTON — More than 40% of patients with difficult-to-treat pathogens were prescribed older, generic agents despite the FDA approval of several new gram-negative antibiotics, findings showed.

HOUSTON — Consulting with an infectious disease physician can shorten antibiotic prescriptions for uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia and move patients from IV to oral antibiotics more quickly, according to a study.

HOUSTON — A Staphylococcus aureus screening program paired with genomic sequencing and electronic health data improved a New York hospital’s ability to identify transmissions and patients at high risk, according to a study.

HOUSTON — Uganda rapidly scaled up screening during a rare outbreak of Ebola virus in 2022 using a plan that researchers said could be a blueprint for future responses.