Infection control measures for cutaneous tuberculosis in the absence of pulmonary disease are problematic. Delays in diagnosis can lead to the exposure of many individuals. This article describes a case of cutaneous tuberculosis and the subsequent contact investigation. Strategies for infection control and their practicality are discussed.

One hundred isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were collected in a laboratory serving several hospitals and clinics in southeastern Wisconsin and tested for mupirocin susceptibility. Only two isolates of S. aureus showed mupirocin resistance. The mupirocin-resistant isolates were from hospitalized patients with positive blood cultures.

We administered a web-based questionnaire to SHEA, APIC, and EIN members to assess the frequency of fires associated with alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) dispensers in healthcare settings. None of the 798 responding facilities using ABHRs reported a dispenser-related fire; 766 facilities had accrued an estimated 1,430 hospital-years of ABHR use.

Effectiveness of gentamicin-impregnated cement in preventing deep wound infection after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was estimated using data from prospective surveillance. In multivariate analysis, the protective effect of gentamicin-impregnated cement on the development of infection was close to the limit of significance. Gentamicin-impregnated cement may prevent TKA infections.

Influenza A was cultured in 62 double rooms. The roommate was infected in 12 (19.4%). During 3,294 resident-seasons, influenza was cultured in 208 single rooms (6.3%). Those who lived in double rooms with a culture-positive roommate had a 3.07 relative risk (CI95, 1.61-5.78) of acquiring influenza.

We present a case of meningitis after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement subsequent to acoustic neuroma resection and cranioplasty. Four days following PEG tube placement the patient developed Enterobacter aerogenes meningitis, requiring explantation of infected cranioplasty material. His condition subsequently improved. Etiology and future intervention strategies are discussed (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2003;24:780-782).

A case-control study of three cases of Legionella pneumophila pneumonia identified transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a risk factor. Patient isolates and environmental strains from water used for rinsing TEE probes were identical by pulsed-fleld gel electrophoresis. This is the first report of endoscopy as a potential source of legionellosis.