New Shingles Vaccine Reduced Occurrence in Patients Having Stem Cell Transplantation
Keith M. Sullivan, MD, of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and coauthors report that a new, nonlive shingles vaccine reduced the occurrence of shingles (herpes zoster) compared with placebo among patients who had undergone stem cell transplantation with their own stem cells. Shingles risk is increased after this type of stem cell transplantation and a vaccine that contains a weakened live strain of the shingles virus isn't recommended for these immunocompromised patients.
This randomized clinical trial conducted in 28 countries included 1,846 patients who had undergone stem cell transplantation; 922 to receive two doses of the vaccine within a few months after transplantation and 924 to receive placebo. During a follow-up of about 21 months, at least one episode of shingles was confirmed in 49 patients who received the vaccine compared to 135 patients who received placebo (an incidence of 30 cases per 1,000 person-years after two doses of the vaccine compared with 94 per 1000 person-years after placebo). The difference was statistically significant.
A limitation of the study is that long-term protection from the vaccine wasn't assessed.
Source: JAMA
Genomic Surveillance A New Frontier in Health Care Outbreak Detection
November 27th 2024According to new research, genomic surveillance is transforming health care-associated infection detection by identifying outbreaks earlier, enabling faster interventions, improving patient outcomes, and reducing costs.
Point-of-Care Engagement in Long-Term Care Decreasing Infections
November 26th 2024Get Well’s digital patient engagement platform decreases hospital-acquired infection rates by 31%, improves patient education, and fosters involvement in personalized care plans through real-time interaction tools.
Comprehensive Strategies in Wound Care: Insights From Madhavi Ponnapalli, MD
November 22nd 2024Madhavi Ponnapalli, MD, discusses effective wound care strategies, including debridement techniques, offloading modalities, appropriate dressing selection, compression therapy, and nutritional needs for optimal healing outcomes.
The Leapfrog Group and the Positive Effect on Hospital Hand Hygiene
November 21st 2024The Leapfrog Group enhances hospital safety by publicizing hand hygiene performance, improving patient safety outcomes, and significantly reducing health care-associated infections through transparent standards and monitoring initiatives.
