Top infectious disease stories: Tattoo ink causes outbreak of skin infection, gloves may prevent hand hygiene

Among the top stories in infectious disease this week was a report about an outbreak of nontuberculous mycobacteria in Florida caused by contaminated tattoo ink and tap water and a study that found that gloves are a potential barrier to hand hygiene, especially among nurses.

Other popular stories including a report linking an outbreak of Escherichia coli in romaine lettuce to a growing region in California, the announcement of the initiation of a phase 1/2 study of VIR-2218 therapeutic treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus infection and findings that a defective bronchoscope was responsible for a cluster of multidrug-resistant infections.

Tattoo ink causes outbreak of nontuberculous mycobacteria

An outbreak of nontuberculous mycobacterial skin infections in Florida was traced to contaminated tattoo ink and tap water, according to findings published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Read more.

Gloves are a potential barrier to hand hygiene, especially among nurses

Glove use in health care settings is a potential barrier to hand hygiene, especially among nurses, according to study findings published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. Read more.

Romaine lettuce outbreak linked to growing region in California

An outbreak of Escherichia coli in romaine lettuce that led to a nationwide disposal of the leafy greens just days before Thanksgiving has been linked to a growing region in California. Officials said companies will begin voluntarily labeling romaine to make it easier to identify the source of future outbreaks. Read more.

Vir, Alnylam initiate phase 1/2 study of hepatitis B therapy

Vir Biotechnology, Inc. and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the initiation of a phase 1/2 study of VIR-2218, an investigational RNA interference, or RNAi, therapeutic treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Read more.

Defective bronchoscope blamed for cluster of multidrug-resistant infections

Researchers determined that a defective bronchoscope was likely the source of a cluster of multidrug-resistant infections among patients in a medical ICU in Pittsburgh. Read more.