This week, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study revealing a promising new treatment for C. diff that would reduce the frequency of relapses among C. diff patients. A few different versions of the media coverage of the story are here:

1. Associated Press: New treatment for potentially deadly C. difficile shows promise: researchers
2. WebMD: Relapses in C. diff Infections Reduced
3. NPR Shots Blog: Bad Intestinal Bug May Get New Treatment

A study published in Science Magazine used a new method of genetic sequencing to track the transmission of MRSA.  Researcher Stephen Bentley from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in England said, “This is set to revolutionize genetic sequencing in general, and, I believe, a particular impact will be seen with bacteria, and more particularly, those bacteria which cause infectious disease.”

The Times of India and UPI published articles this week about a new study finding that the combination of two different antibiotics, lankacidin and lankamycin, can be more successful at inhibiting the growth of MRSA and other dangerous pathogens than if used individually.

A study in The Lancet this week found that that the use of procalcitonin can reduce patients’ exposure to antibiotics in ICUs.

Finally, CNN has a great piece on the “unsung heroes” of hospital-acquired infection reduction efforts.