CIDRAP News: Med societies ask that HAI penalties be suspendedWarning that persistent staff and supply shortages in hard-hit hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic have led to disruptions that could result in an increase in drug-resistant hospital infections, the heads of three US medical professional societies last week sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services requesting a suspension of reimbursement penalties for healthcare-associated infections. Read more |
|
|
|
|
|
COVID-Related Superbug OutbreakTest your knowledge on a hospital superbug outbreak caused by COVID-related disruptions to standard infection control measures. |
|
|
AMR Diagnostics ResourcesExplore our resources on rapid diagnostics, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and reporting, laboratory capacity, and therapeutic guidance. |
|
|
Upcoming Events and Opportunities |
|
|
|
Call for COVID-19/AMR Research FellowThe University of St. Andrews is accepting applications through Jan 15 for a research fellow to work on a project investigating the impact of COVID-19 on the behavioral drivers of AMR in East Africa. |
|
|
US PACCARB MeetingThe US Department of Health and Human Services announced a meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB) on Feb 10 and Feb 11. |
|
|
COVID-19 and Co-infections |
|
Global AMR Progress during the PandemicThe World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on progress and coordination toward AMR global and national action plans over 2020, highlighting the focus on developing guidelines for appropriate antibiotic use in the context of COVID-19. |
|
COVID-19 and Antibiotic Use VideoThe Pan American Health Organization developed a short video on the connections between COVID-19, antibiotic use, and AMR. |
|
Antimicrobial Education in an Irish Maternity HospitalThe Irish Medication Safety Network posted slides from a presentation given by Sarah Fenton, MPharm, MSc, on delivering education about new antimicrobial guidelines at an Irish maternity hospital during the pandemic. |
|
Investment in AMR after the PandemicThe Financial Times editorial board describes the necessity of preparing to tackle AMR after the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the arenas of agricultural antimicrobial use and government involvement in antimicrobial development incentives. |
|
Scottish Stewardship Experiences during COVID-19The Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group posted presentations from a meeting on addressing current challenges in antimicrobial stewardship and antibiotic use during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
|
|
|
Global AMR/AMS Policy and Projects |
|
Global-PPS in Nigeria and GeorgiaThe Global Point Prevalence Survey of Antimicrobial Consumption and Resistance (Global-PPS) published a newsletter about progress from 2020, specifically in Nigeria and the country of Georgia, and plans for 2021 to support Global-PPS participants in gathering AMR and antibiotic use data that can be used to inform stewardship. |
|
Insights into the Antifungal PipelineOn IDStewardship, Emily Fox, PharmD, highlights five things to know about the antifungal pipeline, including options for oral and parenteral outpatient therapy. |
|
Oman's AMR Action PlanOman's Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries published the country's AMR National Action Plan. |
|
Excellence in Sepsis DiagnosisThe US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published proceedings of a workshop on achieving excellence in sepsis diagnosis. |
|
Global One Health Risk AssessmentThe World Organisation for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the WHO published a Joint Risk Assessment Operational Tool to support countries in assessing risks, including AMR, at the human–animal–environment interface. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Antimicrobial Prophylaxis in Blood CancersIn Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology, Alessandro Busca, MD, et al present a position statement on antimicrobial use in patients with lymphoproliferative malignancies, given the relative shortage of information about infectious complications and the benefits of antimicrobial prophylaxis in this group. |
|
|
Nosocomial Infections in COVID-10 Patients in SpainIn the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Tommaso Bardi, MD, et al found that 40.7% of 140 patients admitted to a Spanish intensive care unit with severe COVID-19 from March to May 2020 developed a nosocomial bacterial or fungal infection. |
|
|
|
|
|
