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Fitzgerald Health Education Associates, Inc., August 2015 fhea.com
and quickly identify and deal with emerging outbreaks
of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
CDC Office of Health care-Associated Infections (HAI)
Prevention Research and Evaluation director, John Jerni-
gan, MD, issued the report, "Vital Signs: Estimated Effects
of a Coordinated Approach for Action to Reduce Antibi-
otic-Resistant Infections in Health Care Facilities—United
States" (MMWR, August 7, 2015;64(3);826-831).
Data from the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Net-
work and Emerging Infections Program were used to
project the number of health care-associated infec-
tions from antibiotic-resistant bacteria or
Clostridium
difficile both with and without a large-scale national
intervention that would include interrupting transmis-
sion and improved antibiotic stewardship.
The report concludes that with effective action now,
more than half a million antibiotic-resistant health-care
associated infections could be prevented over 5 years
and that a coordinated approach to interrupting trans-
mission is more effective than historical independent fa-
cility-based efforts.
Although increased funding will be needed to make
these efforts a reality, the CDC estimates that almost $8 bil-
lion in hospital bills would be avoided over 5 years if an-
tibiotic-resistant infections were to be halted. More than 2
million illnesses and at least 23,000 deaths occur each year
in the United States because of antibiotic-resistant bacte-
ria. The powerful antibiotics used to treat patients with
these infections leave them vulnerable to
C. difficile infec-
tions, which causes an estimated 15,000 deaths per year.
Unless nationwide improvements are made in infec-
tion control and antibiotic prescribing, these infections
will continue to increase, said Dr. Jernigan. All health-
care institutions must be part of the effort, including
long-term care facilities.
To read the report,
click here .
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