An alarming 70% of infections may now be resistant to antibiotics, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) said this week.
“Research demonstrates that many healthcare-associated infections can be prevented through adopting a range of elimination strategies, including proper hand hygiene, barrier precautions such as use of gloves and gowns, and equipment cleaning and decontamination,” Kathy Warye, APIC’s chief executive, said.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is of particular concern in nursing homes, where conditions are prime for spreading the disease. Other infection-related dangers also exist. An Indiana nursing home, for example, was quarantined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week after a vaccine-resistant strain of influenza paralyzed the facility.
