Top stories in infectious disease: Multidrug resistant Salmonella linked to raw chicken, C. difficile survives commercial laundering of hospital bedsheets

The most-read story in infectious disease this week was the CDC announcement that 92 people in 29 states were sickened in an outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella tied to raw chicken products. The second-most read story was a study that found commercial washing and drying under the United Kingdom’s health care laundry policy did not remove all Clostridium difficile spores from hospital bedsheets.

Other popular stories included a report that detailed how researchers contained a prolonged outbreak of carbapenemase-producing bacteria Enterobacteriaceae, a study that found Batronella bacteria was common in vampire bats and a committee that concluded that the current Ebola outbreak in Congo is not a global public health emergency. – by Janel Miller

29 states hit by outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella linked to raw chicken

The CDC announced that 92 people in 29 states have been sickened in an outbreak of multidrug-resistant Salmonella linked to raw chicken products. Read more.

C. difficile survives commercial laundering of hospital bedsheets

Commercial washing and drying under United Kingdom health care laundry policy failed to remove all Clostridium difficile, also known as Clostridioides difficile, spores on hospital bedsheets, according to study results published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. Read more.

Bartonella bacteria prevalent in vampire bats

Bartonella bacteria — which can cause several human diseases — were discovered in high rates in vampire bats in Peru and Belize, according to findings published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Read more. Read more.

Sink traps in ICU harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Researchers in Israel said they contained a prolonged outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, or CPE, in a hospital ICU after discovering that sink traps were the source of repeated infections in patients. Read more.

Ebola outbreak in Congo not a global public health emergency, committee says

An emergency committee convened by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PHD, MSc, determined that the current Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo does not meet the criteria to be declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Read more.