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Undiagnosed Pneumonia Outbreak in China Puts Pressure on Pediatric Hospitals, Prompts Questions
An undetermined pneumonia outbreak in China is hitting children hard, so far, there is no indication that the infections are deadly. But reports of a spike in pneumonia cases in China are eerily similar to early reports of a mystery pneumonia outbreak in late 2019 in Wuhan, which heralded the emergence of COVID-19. Full Access: ProMed
Clostridioides Difficile Spores Tolerate Disinfection with Sodium Hypochlorite Disinfectant and Remain Viable Within Surgical Scrubs and Gown Fabrics
1.difficile is the most common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea globally. Its spores have been implicated in the prevalence of C. difficile infection due to their resistance and transmission ability between surfaces. Currently, disinfectants such as chlorine-releasing agents (CRAs) and hydrogen peroxide are used to decontaminate and reduce the incidence of infections in clinical environments The results revealed that viable biocide-exposed C. difficile spores can be recovered from surgical scrubs and patient gowns, with no observable changes to spore morphology, highlighting the potential of these fabrics as vectors of spore transmission. Full Access: Microbiology Research
US Flu Cases, Hospitalizations Keep Climbing
FluView data for the week ending November 18 show an overall 4.9% hike in flu positivity, up 0.5 percentage points from last week. The highest positivity rates were in the Mountain (11.2%), south central (7.6%), southeast (7.6%), and West Coast (7.2%) regions. So far this season, an estimated 12,000 people have been hospitalized, and 740 have died according to the CDC. Full Access: CDC
Highest 10-Year Drug Shortage Rate Reported
The U.S. is facing the highest number of drug shortages in almost a decade and is not far from the all-time high of 320, according to a report from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Especially hard hit this past summer have been antimicrobials, chemotherapy drugs, central nervous system agents, fluids and electrolytes, and hormone replacements. Full Access: US Pharmacist