Tuberculosis

960 babies exposed to TB at San Francisco hospital

Anne Zieger — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:25:17 -0400

Kaiser Permanente has discovered that a worker at San Francisco Medical Center had an active case of tuberculosis and may have exposed 960 babies to the disease. The worker, who was a part-time night-shift employee who worked at Kaiser from March 10 to August 10 and is no longer an employee, was assigned to the postpartum unit in the maternity ward of the hospital. Kaiser is notifying the babies' mothers of the risk, which experts say is very low but still requires notification. Kaiser is also notifying 115 employees who might have been exposed to the disease. Kaiser will test and if need be, treat any patient who comes up positive. In the unlikely event that a patient has become infected, the TB strain involved is one that responds will to antibiotics, Kaiser officials noted.

To learn more about the TB scare:
- read this piece from the San Francisco Chronicle

Study: Number of drug-resistant germs rising

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:59:54 -0400

Here's an unsettling statistic, to say the least. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the number of germs resistant to antibiotics is growing. The Institute, which is part of NIH, will publish an article in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, stating that one in five of the 94,360 patients who developed an invasive MRSA infection in 2005 died. Also, 20 percent of tuberculosis cases worldwide are drug-resistant, with 10 percent "extensively" drug resistant, the agency said. Perhaps most sobering, as of 2002: 14 percent of certain bloodstream infections were resistant to antibiotics, up from 4 percent in 1993.

To learn more about this study:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece (reg. req.)

Related Articles:
Study: Broad testing can slash MRSA rates. Report
Study: MRSA testing may not help. Report
Case study: NY hospital isolates MRSA patients. Report
Case study: NC hospital cuts MRSA rates. Report
VA program slashes MRSA infection rates. Report
Study: Disinfectant cuts down on MRSA. Report

ALSO NOTED: States sue Abbott, claiming it blocked generics; SEC helps troubled hospital bond holders; and much more...

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:59:50 -0400

> Eighteen states are suing Abbott Laboratories, saying it blocked generic competition for its popular cholesterol medication TriCor. FiercePharma

> In an effort to help them avoid huge interest rate hikes due to auction failures, the SEC is allowing hospitals to bid on their own bonds. FierceHealthFinance

> The CDC has issued $38 million in grants to help health information exchanges deliver information to public health entities. FierceHealthIT

> It looks like this new cancer vaccine might be effective against cervical cancer. FierceVaccines

And Finally... A lack of adequate laboratory facilities in Asia and the Pacific is helping to fuel the spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis strains. Article