CDC releases core elements for prescribing outpatient antibiotics The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new recommendations for antibiotic prescribing in outpatient settings in an effort to help reduce the spread of drug-resistant infections, improve patient safety and lower the cost of health care. According to the CDC, at least 2 million people each year in the U.S. acquire serious infections with bacteria that are resistant to one or more of the antibiotics designed to treat those infections. At least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of these antibiotic-resistant infections. The CDC recommendations, "Core ... November 22, 2016 General Antibiotic Resistance, AWARE, CDC, CMA Foundation (CMAF), Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
Prepare for Zika transmission in the U.S. with August 10 webinar The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Medical Association (AMA) are hosting an important one-hour webinar next week focused on transmission of the Zika virus in the United States. The webinar will be next Wednesday, August 10, 2016, at 4 p.m. PT. All interested parties are invited to participate in this free webinar. CDC Medical Epidemiologist Susan Hills will present an update on the epidemiological and clinical aspects of the current outbreak. CDC Medical Officer Kiran Perkins, M.D., MPH, will present on the implications for pregnant ... August 5, 2016 General Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health, Webinars, Zika Virus, CDC 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDC urges aggressive screening of pregnant women for Zika The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging physicians to be more aggressive in screening pregnant women for the Zika virus. The new guidance comes amid growing concerns about Zika, which, if contracted by pregnant women, can result in severe birth defects — including microcephaly, which stunts children’s brain development. It has also been implicated in miscarriages and diseases like Guillain-Barre, a neurological disorder that causes temporary paralysis. The CDC update recommends that all pregnant women in the United States and its territories should be “assessed for possible ... August 5, 2016 General Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health, Zika Virus, CDC, Infectious Diseases 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDC warns of multistate outbreak of B. cepacia possibly tied to liquid docusate The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a joint warning for a multistate outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia infections (also known as B. cepacia complex). To date, 47 B. cepacia cases have been confirmed from health care facilities in five states. Reports of possible cases from additional states are currently being investigated. CDC has confirmed that two samples of unused oral liquid docusate product received from one of the affected hospitals have tested positive for B. cepacia complex. B. cepacia is a gram-negative ... July 14, 2016 General Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Infectious Diseases, Public Health, CDC 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDPH publishes FAQ on ordering and interpreting Zika lab tests The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Laboratory has published an FAQ designed to answer providers’ frequently asked questions about ordering and interpreting Zika laboratory tests and tests for other flaviviruses. Because the way Zika test results are applied to clinical care is rapidly changing, CDPH published this document to clarify the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent recommendations. Additionally, the FAQ addresses the current limitations of commercial laboratory testing for Zika in California. To read the FAQ, click here. If you have additional questions about ... July 14, 2016 General CDC, Department of Public Health, Zika Virus, Blood Testing 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDC issues clinical guidelines for possible congenital Zika virus infection The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued interim guidelines for health care providers in the evaluation, testing and management of infants with possible congenital Zika virus infection. The guidelines, developed in conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics, were published in the January 26 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Zika virus is a mosquito-borne infectious disease primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. These mosquitoes, which also transmit dengue and chikungunya viruses, are found throughout much of the Americas, including parts of the United States. The ... February 1, 2016 General Public Health, CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDC says flu vaccine better match for 2015 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the flu shot available to the public this year is a much better match for the flu virus that is expected to circulate during this year's flu season. Last season’s vaccine did not protect against a particular strain of H3N2 flu virus – known as the "Switzerland variant” – causing the vaccine's effectiveness rate against the H3N2 strain to be only about 13 percent. In an effort to get it right in 2015, scientists scrutinized 199 flu specimens collected in ... September 23, 2015 General Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Flu, Vaccination, CDC, Immunization 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDC encourages antiviral treatment for influenza With a poorly matched influenza vaccine and influenza activity high across much of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging physicians to prescribe antiviral drugs to patients who are very ill with flu-like symptoms, particularly those over age 65 and those at high risk of complications from the virus. According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), flu activity in California is beginning to increase. The first influenza death in the state of a person under the age of 65 for the 2014-2015 season ... January 22, 2015 General Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Flu, Influenza, Public Health, CDC 0 0 Comment Read More »
Congress passes a number of health care provisions in the current budget Congress narrowly passed a $1.1 trillion federal budget that will fund most of the federal government through September 2015. Below is a summary of key health care provisions in the bill. Within the bill, Congress expressed concern that there had not been adequate opportunity for public comment on bundling of surgical codes in the final rule of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The budget bill says that the appropriate methodology has not been tested to ensure that patient care and patient access are not negatively impacted ... December 16, 2014 General, Medicare Advocacy, Federal Legislation, Medicare, Prescription Drugs, CDC, Ebola, Recovery Audit Contractor 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDPH publishes quarantine guidelines for travelers at risk of contracting or spreading Ebola The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) yesterday published statewide guidelines for quarantining individuals with suspected cases of Ebola and those who are at high risk of contracting or spreading the disease. These rules are consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and include a mandatory 21-day quarantine for any travelers who had contact with an Ebola patient, whether or not the travelers are showing symptoms. However, the state said it would allow local health authorities to enforce the order on a “case-by-case” basis, with varying ... November 5, 2014 General Ebola, Infectious Diseases, Public Health, CDC 0 0 Comment Read More »
