Antibiotic prescriptions by dentists have increased
Dentists in B.C. are increasingly prescribing more and stronger types antibiotics - sparking concerns that the pattern could increase superbugs and the risks of diseases spreading. Dr. Fawziah Marra, with the University of B.C., examined 17 years worth of antibiotic prescriptions in collaboration with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. Her findings revealed that dentists prescribed 62.2% more antibiotics between 1997 and 2013. The general thinking in modern medicine recommends reducing...
Google Joins Effort to Stop Zika Virus Spread
From TechNewsWorld: Google last week announced it would contribute US$1 million to the UN Children's Fund to support the global fight against the mosquito-borne Zika virus. A team of Google engineers has volunteered to work with UNICEF to analyze data in an effort to figure out the viral infection's path. It also will match employee donations with the goal of giving an extra $500,000 to UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization....
Hand hygiene: the “before” moment
In January, we promoted the 4 Moments for Hand Hygiene – a simple and effective way to ensure safe, quality care and prevent infections in health care settings. This month, we’re focusing in on the first moment: before initial patient / patient environment contact. In a nutshell, here’s what you need to remember: When? Clean your hands when entering a room: before touching client/patient/resident before touching any object or furniture in the client/patient/resident’s environment Some...
Janet Bristier: Powtoons Reprocessing Presentation
Using cartoon videos to improve communications with staff about reprocessing medical devices From the PICNet 2016 Educational Conference [video width="1280" height="720" mp4="http://picnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/10_Janet-Bristier_Safehandling-2015.mp4"][/video] You can view details of the conference here....
New research finds how ‘superbugs’ build their defences
Scientists at the University of East Anglia are getting closer to solving the problem of antibiotic resistance. New research published today in the journal Nature reveals the mechanism by which drug-resistant bacterial cells maintain a defensive barrier. The findings pave the way for a new wave of drugs that kill superbugs by bringing down their defensive walls rather than attacking the bacteria itself. It means that in future, bacteria may not...
New species of tick-borne bacteria causes Lyme disease
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., have discovered a new species of tick-borne bacteria that causes Lyme disease. The new species, provisionally named Borrelia mayonii, after the clinic, has been found only in the upper Midwest but may be present elsewhere. Six patients with the infection were identified by the researchers. The patients had symptoms similar to, but not precisely the same as, those caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, until now...
Zika virus options: GMO mosquitos, pesticides, and bacterium Wolbachia
This in-depth article in Forbes.com explains various options for combatting Zika virus, and also debunks the recent media myth that GMO mosquitos have in any way contributed to the Zika outbreak. ...