Top in ID: Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe; chlorine may not kill C. difficile
A growing outbreak of Salmonella linked to cantaloupe has sickened more than 100 people and killed two, according to the CDC.
Pre-cut cantaloupes made from Malichita and Rudy brands, which have been recalled, are at the center of the outbreak.
The CDC has issued a warning not to eat any pre-cut cantaloupe if the brand of the fruit is unknown, including store-bought fruit mixes that contain cantaloupe. High-risk groups infected with Salmonella, particularly young children and older adults, may experience severe symptoms that require treatment or even hospitalization, according to the agency. It was the top story in infectious disease last week.
In another top story, a study found that chlorine-based bleach may not kill Clostridioides difficile despite its role as a primary disinfectant. Specifically, researchers reported that chlorine-based bleach cleaning solutions were no more effective than water at killing C. difficile on surfaces and hospital scrubs.
“If hospital trusts are relying on chlorine disinfectants to clean dirty or soiled areas, then they may not be destroying the spores that cause [C. difficile] infection,” Tina Joshi, PhD, an associate professor of molecular microbiology at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom, told Healio. “This could lead to continued incidence of C. difficile infection within the clinical environment and may be a reason why some hospitals are not seeing a reduction in C. difficile infection levels despite trying to disinfect.”
Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:
CDC warns against eating pre-cut cantaloupe amid growing Salmonella outbreak
The CDC issued a warning Thursday not to eat pre-cut cantaloupe if the brand of the fruit is not known, the latest development in a growing outbreak of Salmonella infections that has sickened more than 100 people, killing two. Read more.
Chlorine no more effective than water at killing C. difficile, study finds
Chlorine-based bleach cleaning solutions are no more effective at killing C. difficile on surfaces and hospital scrubs than water, a study found. Read more.
Nearly half of ID fellowship programs go unfilled as shortage persists
Nearly half of infectious diseases fellowship programs were not filled on Match Day as the number of applicants declined despite an increase in certified ID programs, the Infectious Diseases Society of America announced. Read more.
RSV, flu vaccine coadministration safe for older adults, study shows
When given together, Pfizer’s respiratory syncytial virus vaccine and the seasonal influenza vaccine generated robust immune responses and were well tolerated among older adults when coadministered, data from a recent study showed. Read more.
Moxidectin noninferior to ivermectin for strongyloidiasis treatment
Moxidectin was noninferior to ivermectin for patients with strongyloidiasis, according to data published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Read more.