Weekend Update: Almost Thanksgiving Edition

Batterio killer al II Policlinico: due bambini fuori pericolo
„Il Secondo Policlinico: Source NapoliToday“

Leggi tutto: http://www.napolitoday.it/cronaca/batterio-II-policlinico-neonati-fuori-pericolo.html
Diventa fan: http://www.facebook.com/NapoliToday

Just some random stuff for your enjoyment while you're running around trying to get everything ready before you (a) are invaded by family/friends or (b) invade family/friends or (c) both.

#1: Recently, there was a serious outbreak of Acinetobacter infections in the neonatal care unit of Batterio killer al II Policlinico: due bambini fuori pericolo
„Secondo Policlinico di Napoli, which resulted in the closure of the unit/department/hospital depending on the report you read. English or Italiano

h/t Maryn McKenna

#2: November 14-20, 2011 is Get Smart About Antibiotics Week. SHEA, APIC and IDSA all support this effort and so do we. See also the CDC Get Smart website.

#3: CDDEP has a new ResistanceMap showing US antibiotic prescriptions per capita at the state level. Each state's use is listed.  The worst offender: West Virginia which uses approximately 1.2 antibiotic prescriptions/person. Alaska has the lowest use with about 0.5 prescriptions/person. Where does your state rank? Check out CDDEPs map!

#4: Scientific America has an interesting post by Katherine Harmon reviewing two recent Science papers.  There is new evidence as to how S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa respond to stress and how this new knowledge might be exploited to enhance existing antibiotics. Shatalin et al. Science 18 November 2011: Vol. 334 no. 6058 pp. 986-990 and Nguyen et al. Science pp. 982-986

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