Discussions in Infection Control

An independent site by Lawrence F Muscarella PhD -- a national authority on the causes and prevention of healthcare-associated infections and related errors.

Category: Superbugs

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Bronchoscopes Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Cystoscopes Device Recalls Endoscope Sampling Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) FUJIFILM Klebsiella pneumoniae Olympus Outbreak Investigations Pentax Superbugs University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Superbugs, Contaminated Gastrointestinal Endoscopes, and a Growing Number of Hospital Infections: Is an FDA Action Imminent?

December 2, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

December 2, 2014 — Two superbug outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were recently linked to contaminated gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopes. These “nightmarish” bacteria are often abbreviated as CRE. These two outbreaks were…

Auxiliary Water Channel Best Practices Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Colonoscopes Colonoscopy Disease Transmission Disposable Irrigation Tubing Endoscope Reprocessing Endoscope Sampling Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) Gastrointestinal Endoscopy GI Endoscopes Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Hepatitis (B and C) Viruses Infection Prevention Joint Commission (JCAHO) Klebsiella pneumoniae Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase]-producing K. pneumoniae MAJ-855 Water Tube Medical Errors Mycobacterium abscessus Product Labeling Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quality Assurance Risk Management Serratia spp. Superbugs Surveys Tap Water The Reuse of Single-Use Devices

Tap Water Used for Irrigation during GI Endoscopy: A Recommendation and Assessment of the Infection Risk

May 20, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

Synopsis: This article discusses the potential for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) associated with the use of tap water, compared to sterile water, for irrigation (and/or cleansing the endoscope’s lens) during gastrointestinal…

Adult Intensive Care Units Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Audits Best Practices Bundles Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) catheter-associated urinary tract infections Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections Central-Line Venous Catheters Checklists Disease Transmission Hand Hygiene and Antisepsis Healthcare Policy Healthcare Quality, Safety Healthcare-Acquired Infections Joint Commission (JCAHO) Medical Errors Published Infection Rates Quality Assurance Superbugs Surveys ventilator-associated pneumonia

Study Finds U.S. Hospitals Are not Following Policies Proven to Prevent Life-Threatening Infections – A Call to Action

February 7, 2014 Lawrence F Muscarella PhD

A study by the Columbia University School of Nursing found that while most hospitals have evidence-based policies on file for the control and prevention of health care-associated infections (“HAIs”), clinician…

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