Free Republic

According to researchers, the antibiotic-resistant organism is a local public health threat. APH investigated 37 cases of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae — or CRE — at Austin-area medical facilities in 2017, with 18 of those being Travis County residents. "Healthy people usually do not get CRE infections – they usually happen to patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings," the Centers for Disease Control wrote on its website about CRE. Patients who use ventilators, catheters or those who take antibiotics for a prolonged period of time are most at risk, the CDC said. Individuals can make sure to wash their...

Hospital infections kill more Americans each year than AIDS, car accidents and breast cancer combined -- and researchers are searching for solutions. This week, a study of 153 Veterans Affairs hospitals shows that doing a simple swab test to identify and isolate the few patients carrying infection-causing bacteria can save lives. It's called screening, but even more important is cleaning. Studies are rolling in that hospitals need to be cleaner. In fact, if you're visiting a friend or relative in the hospital, don't bring flowers or candy -- take gloves and a canister of bleach wipes. Hospitals do an inadequate...