The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published on their website the latest NHSN Annual Report Data Summary. Click here for the complete document.

Texas enacted an appropriations bill, HB 1, on June 17. This bill includes a provision relating to the state’s HAI reporting system. Under the terms of the new law, reporting must be expanded to include information concerning infections that resulted in a patient’s death. The HAI provision can be found on page II-74 of the law.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a guidance document and checklist highlighting basic infection prevention practices in outpatient settings. The Guide to Infection Prevention for Outpatient Settings: Minimum Expectations for Safe Care outlines key infection prevention policies, procedures, and practices that should be in place in outpatient settings to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Click here for the complete document

Due to the large number of healthcare facilities needing to enroll quickly in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), CDC has temporarily abbreviated the training requirements for enrolling and has created a new webpage to guide people through the training and enrolling process. The process has now been compressed to four hours. Click here to access the CDC's new site.

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services released national HAI plan in January 2009. Click here for the complete document

The CDC has issued new guidelines on the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection, advising that Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) blood tests are now preferred over the century-old tuberculin skin test (TST) for diagnosing TB infection in certain populations. Click here for the complete guidelines.

Texas Department of State Health Services announces changes to HIV/STD reporting requirements for 2010. Click here for the complete report.

The APIC/SHEA Guidelines: Infection Prevention and Control in the Long Term Care Facility was officially published in September 2008

Governor Rick Perry has signed the bill SB 288 - Reporting of healthcare - associated infections in the State of Texas in June 2007. However, the funding to implement this legislation is not available at this time. Please click here for the link of the bill

Deputy Assistant Secretary has posted a memorandum regarding annual fit-testing for tuberculosis in attempt to clarify this issue for regional administrators. Please click here for the complete memorandum.

Wicker Amendment regarding annual fit testing for TB fails. Click here for complete letter in pdf version

NHSN had revised the Laboratory Confirmed Blood Stream Infection (LCBI) Definition. The revised criteria will go into effect in NHSN beginning January 1, 2008. Click here for the complete newsletter outlining the changes

Influenza - Associated Pediatric Mortality and Staphylococcus aureus Coinfection.
This health advisory contains updated information about influenza and bacterial coinfection in children. Click here for the complete report

The Texas Department of State Health Services has released new guidelines to help prevent the spread of staphylococcal infections. Click here for the complete guidelines

APIC published MRSA prevalence study results. Click here for details

CDC has released interim guidance for the use of face masks and respirators by the general public in certain public settings during an influenza pandemic. Click here for the full guidance

FDA Approves First U.S. Vaccine for Humans Against the Avian Influenza Virus H5N1. Click here for more information

SHEA/APIC legislative mandates for use of active surveillance cultures to screen for MRSA and VRE

CDC's Influenza Pandemic Operation Plan
This plan provides an understanding of CDC's internal processes during a flu pandemic

CMS Recognizes Joint Commission Accreditation for Clinical Laboratories

Infectious disease information
from around the world