Evaluating Epidemiology and Improving Surveillance of Infections Associated with Health Care,United States

The Healthcare-Associated Infections Community Interface (HAIC), launched in 2009, is the newest major activity of the Emerging Infections Program. The HAIC activity addresses population- and laboratory-based surveillance for Clostridium difficile infections, candidemia, and multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli. Other activities include special projects: the multistate Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Use Prevalence Survey and projects that evaluate new approaches for improving surveillance. The HAIC activity has provided information about the epidemiology and adverse health outcomes of health care–associated infections and antimicrobial drug use in the United States and informs efforts to improve patient safety through prevention of these infections.     

Lower extremity abnormalities in children

Rotational and angular problems are two types of lower extremity abnormalities common in children. Rotational problems include intoeing and out-toeing. Intoeing is caused by one of three types of deformity: metatarsus adductus, internal tibial torsion, and increased femoral anteversion. Out-toeing is less common than intoeing, and its causes are similar but opposite to those of intoeing. These include femoral retroversion and external tibial torsion. Angular problems include bowlegs and knock-knees. An accurate diagnosis can be made with careful history and physical examination, which includes torsional profile (a four-component composite of measurements of the lower extremities). Charts of normal values and values with two standard deviations for each component of the torsional profile are available. In most cases, the abnormality improves with time. A careful physical examination, explanation of the natural history, and serial measurements are usually reassuring to the parents. Treatment is usually conservative. Special shoes, cast, or braces are rarely beneficial and have no proven efficacy. Surgery is reserved for older children with deformity from three to four standard deviations from the normal.     

Usefulness of antibiogram surveillance for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in outpatient pediatric populations

We assessed the impact of distributing an outpatient age-specific methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) antibiogram on physician knowledge of MRSA prevalence and choice of empiric therapy. Questionnaires were given to 125 physicians at outpatient pediatric clinics in Monroe County, NY, before and after antibiogram distribution (response rates, 42% and 24%, respectively). The median physician-estimated MRSA prevalence (among S. aureus skin infections) was 15% before they received the antibiogram and 20% after. According to the antibiogram, the true 2005 prevalence was 25% among skin infections. When asked to select empiric therapy for a pediatric outpatient with a skin abscess, while assuming varying levels of MRSA prevalence, most selected cephalexin when the prevalence was assumed to be 20% or less, and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole when the prevalence was assumed to be 30% or greater. These data suggest that antibiograms may improve empiric therapy decision making by increasing knowledge of local outpatient prevalence of antibiotic resistance.     

Template for an Antibiotic Stewardship Policy for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Settings

In response to a rising concern for multidrug resistance and Clostridium difficile infections, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) will require all long-term care (LTC) facilities to establish an antibiotic stewardship program by November 2017. Thus far, limited evidence describes implementation of antibiotic stewardship in LTC facilities, mostly in academic- or hospital-affiliated settings. To support compliance with CMS requirements and aid facilities in establishing a stewardship program, the Infection Advisory Committee at AMDA—The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, has developed an antibiotic stewardship policy template tailored to the LTC setting. The intent of this policy, which can be adapted by individual facilities, is to help LTC facilities implement an antibiotic stewardship policy that will meet or exceed CMS requirements. We also briefly discuss implementation of an antibiotic stewardship program in LTC settings, including a list of free resources to support those efforts.     

Impact of Changes in Clostridium difficile Testing Practices on Stool Rejection Policies and C. difficile Positivity Rates across Multiple Laboratories in the United States

We describe the adoption of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) for Clostridium difficile diagnosis and their impact on stool rejection policies and C. difficile positivity rates. Of the laboratories with complete surveys, 51 (43%) reported using NAAT in 2011. Laboratories using NAAT had stricter rejection policies and increased positivity rates.     

Diagnostic approach to tinnitus

Tinnitus is a common disorder with many possible causes. Most cases of tinnitus are subjective, but occasionally the tinnitus can be heard by an examiner. Otologic problems, especially hearing loss, are the most common causes of subjective tinnitus. Common causes of conductive hearing loss include external ear infection, cerumen impaction, and middle ear effusion. Sensorineural hearing loss may be caused by exposure to excessive loud noise, presbycusis, ototoxic medications, or Meniere's disease. Unilateral hearing loss plus tinnitus should increase suspicion for acoustic neuroma. Subjective tinnitus also may be caused by neurologic, metabolic, or psychogenic disorders. Objective tinnitus usually is caused by vascular abnormalities of the carotid artery or jugular venous systems. Initial evaluation of tinnitus should include a thorough history, head and neck examination, and audiometric testing to identify an underlying etiology. Unilateral or pulsatile tinnitus may be caused by more serious pathology and typically merits specialized audiometric testing and radiologic studies. In patients who are discomforted by tinnitus and have no remediable cause, auditory masking may provide some relief.