Health Highlights: April 29, 2013

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Hospitals Try New Methods to Reduce Infections

U.S. hospitals are trying a wide range of new products in an attempt to reduce the number of infections among patients.

These items include: machines that emit hydrogen peroxide or ultraviolet light; germ-resistant copper bed rails, call buttons and IV polls; and antimicrobial linens, curtains and wall paint, the Associated Press reported.

However, there is no widely-accepted evidence that these products have prevented infections among hospital patients.

In the U.S., about 1 in 20 patients pick up infections while in hospital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says these hospital infections are linked to about 100,000 deaths a year and add as much as $30 billion a year to health care costs, the AP reported.