Associated+Infections+Reduction+Act+of+2007

=**Associated Infections Reduction Act of 2007**=

media type="file" key="House Bill Number 4214.mp3"

H.R. 4214 Sponsored by :Elija Cummings ( Democrat )
The Associated Infections Reduction Act of 2007 directs the Agency for Health care Research and Quality (AHRQ), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to develop guidelines for infection, control plans to prevent, detect, control, and treat community and health care-associated infections at hospitals. This requires AHRQ to establish the best practices, including the establishment of an infection control oversight committee.the AHRQ must collaborate with other agencies and organizations whose area of expertise is the identification, treatment, and prevention of infectious disease. It will publish proposed guidelines, and provide for a comment period of no less than 90 days. The AHRQ will have to establish final guidelines. It directs the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to consult best practices guidelines in evaluating hospitals' infection control plans and report to Congress on the possibility of reducing infection rates through a Quality Improvement Payment Program and requires hospitals to report information about community and healthcare-associated infections to the CDC National Healthcare Safety Network. This information will be used by the CDC to develop a national database of infection rates in hospitals. The Director of the CDC will award grants to states so they can carry out public awareness campaigns. The Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will expand and intensify NIH programs regarding research and related activities concerning such infections. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must establish an interagency working group on community and healthcare-associated infectionsFinally, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has to report to Congress on this Act's impact.
 * Summary:** This bill was introduced on November 15, 2007




 * History of issue:**

=
 Staph infections are very common. The bacteria look like innocent clusters of grapes under the microscope. Staph bacteria surround us. It is often found on the surface of healthy people’s skin. Infection occurs if they enter the skin, or enter the body through another route. There are many species of Staph bacteria. They cause a wide variety of illnesses in children, ranging from very mild skin infections to devastating toxic shock syndrome. Skin infections are especially common and include impetigo, conjunctivitis, cellulites, acne, boils, sties, and infected wounds or hangnails. Staph can be associated with mild blocked tear ducts in newborns. Staph scalded skin syndrome, though, is a severe skin disease caused by Staph. Staph can cause infections in the ears, nose, and throat. And it can cause swimmer’s ear, an infection in the ear canal. Staph infections also occur in lymph nodes. Staph blood infections can lead to many other areas of infection including pneumonia, infective arthritis , bone infections, and even meningitis. Staph food poisoning is one of the most common types of food poisoning .======



Many people that get other infections that deal with open skin infections, such as shingles, can develop into staph. People with skin problems like burns or eczema may be more likely to get staph skin infections. This is likely in teens, more boys than girls, because when they play sports and reuse sweaty cloths this increase the likeliness of this because if you have even a small cut and this sweat bacteria gets into in then staph can develop. Staph infections can spread from person to person with those who live close together in group situations such as a dorm.
 * People affected:**

Cummings, Elijah. "Congressional Legislation." __Congress Link__. 12 Dec. 2007. Capital Advantage. 10 Dec. 2008 .
 * Bibliography:**

Eppes, Stephen C. "Staph Infections." __Teens Health__. Jan. 2008. Nemours Foundation. 10 Dec. 2008 .

Gelfand, Jonathan L. "Staph Infection." __Web MD__. 1 Aug. 2007. 10 Dec. 2008 .