The outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China is continuing to evolve. While the immediate risk in the US is still considered low, this is a potentially serious public health threat. A multidisciplinary task force at Englewood Health is monitoring the situation and meeting regularly to ensure we are prepared for any suspected or […]
Antiviral medications may be a treatment option for patients with the flu. Antiviral medications are different from antibiotics, which fight against bacterial infections. Antiviral medications can prevent flu complications, like pneumonia. The CDC has recommended four FDA-approved antiviral drugs to treat flu this season: Oseltamivir phosphate (available as a generic version or under the trade […]
It’s that time of year when many patients come to the office with the flu or a cold. As part of Englewood Health’s antibiotic stewardship program, the Infectious Disease team reminds providers that antibiotics should not be prescribed for the cold or the flu, which are both viral infections. Antibiotic-resistant germs kill more than 23,000 […]
Englewood Hospital has made strides in reducing rates of C. difficile infection over the past year. A critical step included updating our testing algorithm for C. difficile and standardizing our infection prevention recommendations. One issue that continues to be problematic is recurrent disease in high-risk patients. Bezlotoxumab (Zinplava) is the first fully humanized monoclonal antibody […]
According to the CDC, on any given day, about one in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection (HAI). Approximately 2 million hospital patients develop an HAI each year. This is about 10% of all inpatients. The most common healthcare-associated infections are bloodstream infections, pneumonia (associated with ventilator use), wounds, and urinary tract […]
For the past three quarters, we have seen a sustained improvement in the rate of hospital-acquired C. Difficile infections (CDI) at Englewood Hospital. For 2019, our year-to-date standardized infection ratio is 0.457, down from 1.141 from our 2018 rate. In early 2018, a multidisciplinary CDI Prevention Committee was initiated in response to an increase in […]
By Deirdre Minihan, PharmD, BCPS Clinical Coordinator for Infectious Diseases, Pharmacy Dept. Last month’s Infection Prevention Update provided an overview of antibiotic stewardship—a comprehensive antimicrobial management program to improve patient outcomes from infection, minimize adverse effects such as healthcare-associated infections, and limit bacterial resistance. Between 20 and 50% of all antibiotics prescribed in U.S. acute […]
Fundamental infection prevention principles include the use of Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions. Standard Precautions represent the minimum infection prevention measures for all patient care, regardless of the patient’s infection status. These evidence-based practices—meant to prevent the spread of infections among patients and protect healthcare personnel—include: hand hygiene the use of personal protective equipment (e.g. gowns, […]
Legionnaires’ disease is caused by the Legionella bacteria, which is a naturally occurring aquatic organism. Illness results from exposure to contaminated water aerosols or from aspirating contaminated water. In general, it is not spread from person to person. The disease is a serious lung infection (pneumonia) that is deadly in about 10% of the people […]
Candida auris (C. auris) is a fungus that can cause serious illness in people who are sick or immunocompromised. While C. auris is not considered a widespread threat to the general public, it can cause complications and death for immunocompromised individuals in hospitals, nursing homes, and other care settings. Why It’s a Threat The CDC […]