Infection in Medical Technology

McCaughey Urges Use of First NYS Hospital Infection Report

NEW YORK, June 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Betsy McCaughey of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths (RID) urges families to make use of hospital infection rates made available by the NYS Department of Health today. "Now patients can learn which hospitals in their area have the lowest infecti...

Blue Light Destroys Antibiotic-Resistant Staph Infection - Results Reported in Photomedicine and Laser Surgery Journal

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Two common strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as MRSA, were virtually eradicated in the laboratory by exposing them to a wavelength of blue light, in a process called photo-irradiation that is described in a paper pu...

Leading Healthcare System Decreases MRSA Infection Rate by 53 Percent - Offers Protocol & Educational Materials Free of Charge to Other Organizations

Infant Deaths Spur Hard-Hitting, System-Wide Hand Washing Campaign That Drives Culture Change, Saves Lives CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Novant Health, one of the top 10 integrated health systems in the country, dramatically increased hand-washing compliance from ...

Study Findings Show Infection Control Intervention Helps Keep Kids in School

Disinfecting and using hand sanitizers helped reduce absenteeism rates in elementary schools BOSTON, June 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A study from researchers at Children's Hospital Boston published in Pediatrics found that a simple infection control intervention in elementary schools -- dis...

Alabama Hospitals Compare Infection Prevention Performance Statewide With New Benchmarking Tool

MedMined(TM) services from Cardinal Health Equip Hospitals to Measure Infection Performance Against Peers to Facilitate Best Practice Identification and Sharing DUBLIN, Ohio, April 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cardinal Health, a global provider of products and service...

New York Infection Prevention Expert Named Recipient of Carole DeMille Award

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) today announced that Rachel L. Stricof, MT, MPH, of Albany, NY, has been named the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Carole DeMille Achievement Award. APIC...

Treatment with PEGASYS(R)/COPEGUS(TM) Provides Hope for Hepatitis C Patients Whose Infection Did Not Initially Respond to Peg-Intron(R)/Ribavirin

- Response at 12 weeks is a powerful predictor of eventual treatment success - BOSTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche today announced final results from the REPEAT study, which demonstrated that treatment with once-weekly PEGASYS(R) (peginterferon alfa-2a) and dai...

'Superbug' Outbreak Calls for Immediate Increased Attention on Infection Control

NEW YORK, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent outbreak of MRSA (Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria, often referred to as "the superbug," should cause organizations and facilities nationwide to reevaluate and redouble their infection control efforts. The superbug is resistant ...

Seal Shield Launches World's First Antibacterial, Dishwasher Safe Keyboard and Mouse for Infection Control

New Family of Antibacterial Products aimed at reducing cross contamination infections including MRSA JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Seal Shield Corporation announced today the SILVER SEAL(TM) family of antibacterial products for infection control. Notably, Sea...

Optimer Pharmaceuticals Presents Results From Fidaxomicin Phase 3 Study for the Treatment of Clostridium difficile Infection

Positive data from subgroup analysis presented at 19th annual European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) meeting in Helsinki , Finland SAN DIEGO, May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPTR ) announced that the results fr...

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Announces Lead Anti-infective Product Candidate, NVC-422, Shown to be Effective in Treating Topical Fungal Infection

EMERYVILLE, Calif., March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE Alternext: NBY), a mid-stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class, novel, synthetic anti-infective products for the treatment and prevention of a wide range of bacterial, fungal, and viral infe...

Early Switch from IV to Oral Meds Is Effective for Children with Acute Bone Infection

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- When treating children for acute osteomyelitis--a bacterial bone infection--an early changeover from intravenous (IV) antibiotic delivery to oral antibiotics is just as effective as continuing the IV therapy, according to pediatric researchers. ...

British Midlands University Announces Use of Gene Technology to Fight Lethal Hospital Acquired Infection

University of Nottingham Scientists Leading Major Study into Lethal 'Super' Strains of C.difficile CHICAGO, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The British Midlands Development Corporation today announced that scientists at The University of Nottingham are leading a major European study to unravel the ...

Cepheid Announces CE IVD Release of First On-Demand Test for van A/van B Genes Most Associated With Hospital-Acquired VRE Infection

CE IVD Menu Expanded to Eight On-Demand Tests for Use on the GeneXpert(R) System SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cepheid (Nasdaq: CPHD) today announced the release of Xpert(TM) vanA/vanB as a European CE IVD Mark product under the European Dir...

Intercell Announces Initiation of Further Phase II Clinical Trial of V710 an Investigational Vaccine to Prevent S. aureus Infection

VIENNA, Austria, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Intercell AG (VSE: ICLL) today announced that its collaborator Merck & Co., Inc. has initiated a Phase II clinical trial of V710, an investigational vaccine for the prevention of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections. This randomized double blind...

Nationwide Progress Poll Reveals Increased Efforts by Hospitals to Control MRSA Infection

Healthcare Facility Infection Prevention and Control Professionals Cite Greatest Needs for Continued Success to Combat MRSA Including Additional Staff, More Environmental Services and Time-Saving High Tech Solutions DENVER, June 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than three out of four (76%) ...

NOLabs AB Reports Success in Fight Against Bacteria Causing Urinary Tract Infection

HELSINGBORG, Sweden, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- NOLabs AB, the Swedish medtech company focusing on developing innovative Nitric Oxide-containing medical devices, today reported that it has achieved another important milestone in the development of a new preventive therapy against urinary tract i...

MacroChem Announces Presentation of Pexiganan Phase 3 Study Results for Topical Treatment of Diabetic Foot Infection

Combined data from two Phase 3 trials show clinical success rates statistically equivalent to oral antibiotic therapy WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass., March 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MacroChem Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: MACM) announced today the presentation of a poster entitled "T...

OPKO Health and Pathogenics Announce Data Publication Demonstrating the Potential Utility of NCT in a Severe Eye Infection

-In Vitro Data Shows OPKO's Formulation of NCT Has Promising Activity Against Acanthamoeba Keratitis, a Serious Ocular Infection- -Provides Additional Evidence That This Phase II Agent Has Good Tolerability and Broad Anti-Microbial Activity Against a Wide Range of ...

Anadys Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Results for ANA598 in Animal Model of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

ANA598 demonstrates significant antiviral activity in vivo SAN DIEGO, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANDS ) announced preliminary data today from two studies of ANA598, a non-nucleoside inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B polymerase, in...

European Commission Approves ATRIPLA(R) (efavirenz 600 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg), the First Once-Daily Single Tablet Regimen for Virologically Suppressed Adults With HIV-1 Infection

- Product Developed Through Joint Venture Between Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead Sciences, the First of Its Kind in HIV Treatment - PRINCETON, N.J. and FOSTER CITY, Calif., Dec. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The European Commission has granted marketing authorization for ATRIPLA(R) (efavi...

Chimerix Initiates a Multi-dose Clinical Trial of the Company's Lead Compound, CMX001, for the Treatment for Smallpox Infection

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Chimerix, Inc., a biotechnology company developing orally available antiviral therapeutics, announced today that the Company has initiated a multi-dose trial with its lead drug candidate, CMX001, an oral treatment for smallpox infection. Th...

NTMir Announces Research Grants for Epidemiology and Household Water as Source of Infection

CORAL GABLES, Fla., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- NTM Info & Research (NTMir), a not-for-profit organization that supports education and research for nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease announces the implementation of Rapid Information Pilot Studies (RIPS(TM)), an innovative program to pr...

R7128 Receives Fast Track Designation from the FDA for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pharmasset, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRUS ) has received fast track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for R7128 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. R7128 is a prodrug of PSI-6130, an oral cytidine n...

The American Liver Foundation Urges Cautious Optimism about CDC Report on Declining Acute Hepatitis Infection Rates

Focus Must Remain on the Millions Still Suffering from Chronic Hepatitis B and C NEW YORK, March 21, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that significant decline in the rates of new acute hepatitis infections in the United States in the last 10 ye...

Alnylam Reports Results of Human Experimental Infection Model with Respiratory Syncytial Virus

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2007 - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY), a leading RNAi therapeutics company, presented data from its experimental infection study at the 2007 Pediatric Academic Societies' (PAS) Annual Meeting being held in Toronto. This study represents an imp...

Viral Enzyme Recruited in Fight Against Ear Infection

St. Jude Study Success in Using Virus Enzyme to Treat Mouse Model of Acute Otitis Media Suggests that Nasal Spray Could Be Used to Prevent Both Ear Infection and Pneumonia in People with Influenza MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 22, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- Parents might one day give their children a weekly tre...

Anthrax Monoclonal Antibody Valortim Demonstrates Therapeutic Effect in New Primate Model of Established Anthrax Infection

Pilot Study Demonstrates 50% Survival in Valortim-Treated Animals PRINCETON, N.J. and ANNAPOLIS, Md., March 29, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medarex, Inc. , a leading monoclonal antibody company, and PharmAthene, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company dedicated to the development...

Anthrax Monoclonal Antibody Valortim(tm) Demonstrates Therapeutic Effect in New Primate Model of Established Anthrax Infection

Pilot Study Demonstrates 50% Survival in Valortim-Treated Animals PRINCETON, N.J. and ANNAPOLIS, MD., March 29, 2007 - Medarex, Inc. (Nasdaq: MEDX), a leading monoclonal antibody company, and PharmAthene, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company dedicated to the development of biodefense cou...

Peramivir Protects Mice From Lethal H5N1 Infection

St. Jude study shows intramuscular injection of peramivir for eight days protected mice from lethal H5N1 influenza virus infection and inhibited virus replication, supporting the use of this drug to control influenza during a pandemic MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 01, 2007 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The ant...

St. Jude Study Shows Effectiveness of Peramivir in Prevention of Mortality in Mouse Model of Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus Infection

BioCryst Says Study Confirms and Extends Evidence Seen in a Previous Study BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 02, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, reported favorable results evaluating peramiv...

Sirion Therapeutics Receives Orphan Drug Designation for Ophthalmic Drug to Treat Viral Eye Infection

TAMPA, Fla., April 16, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- Sirion Therapeutics, Inc., an ophthalmic-focused biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it has received orphan drug designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its anti-viral therapy, ganciclovir, for the treatment of acute herpe...

Anadys Pharmaceuticals Nominates ANA598, a Small-Molecule, Non-Nucleoside Inhibitor of The NS5b Polymerase, as a Candidate for Clinical Development in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection

SAN DIEGO, June 20, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel medicines for the treatment of hepatitis and cancer, announced today that it has nominated ANA598 as a candidate for ...

OPAXIO(TM) Combined with Alimta(R) Well Tolerated in Dose-Ranging Study of Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

...mg/m2 of pemetrexed. None of the patients in cohort one had an initial dose-limiting toxicity (IDLT) with two cycles of therapy. There was one IDLT of infection with neutropenia in cohort two. Aside from grade 3 fatigue in two patients, there were no grade 3 or greater nonhematologic toxicities. A median of 4....

Pennsylvania Agriculture Department Issues Quarantine for Allegheny County Horse Stable

...iculture Secretary Dennis Wolff said today. There is no threat to human health from EHV-1. "Equine Herpesvirus causes upper respiratory infection and can cause severe neurological disease in horses," said Wolff. "The quarantine was put in place to restrict the movement of horses from the stable ...

Schering-Plough Announces U.S. Filing of Mometasone Furoate/Formoterol Fumarate Combination for the Maintenance Treatment of Asthma

...reactions, facial swelling, hives, and throat tightness reported. Patients who use inhaled steroid medicines for asthma may develop a fungal infection of the mouth and throat. Rinse your mouth after using ASMANEX. It is possible that hypercorticism (an excess level of steroids in your body) ...

Northern California Cancer Center's First-of-Its-Kind Research Reveals Low Socioeconomic Status Often Equals Poor Chance of Lymphoma Survival

...ma, is a cancer of the immune system and white blood cells which affects men and women equally. The cancer involves the body's lymph nodes which fight infection and disease. It begins with an enlargement of the lymph nodes and symptoms can include fever, weight loss, sweating and fatigue. It is called "foll...

Human Genome Sciences and GlaxoSmithKline Announce Positive Phase 3 Study Results for BENLYSTA(TM) in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

... patients on belimumab. The most common adverse events were headache, arthralgia, upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infection and influenza, and were also comparable between belimumab and placebo treatment groups. No malignancies were reported. Pr...

Cystic Fibrosis - Liposomal Tobramycin Receives Second Orphan Drug Designation Within Weeks

.... The newly granted second designation relates to pulmonary infections caused by Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia) pathogens. Despite stringent infection control practices, B. cepacia infections still occur in cystic fibrosis patients and can lead to fatal sepsis. The cell envelopes of these especially ...

Schering-Plough Expands Vicriviroc Phase II Study in Treatment-Naive Patients With HIV

...iroc. These infections and other adverse events observed in these patients were generally consistent with expectations for patients with advanced HIV infection and with the multiple drugs being administered.(8) About Schering-Plough Schering-Plough is an innovation-driven, science-cent...