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Global review finds antibiotics frequently supplied without prescription

About three in four antibiotic requests and three in five consultations in community pharmacies around the world result in the sale of antibiotics without a prescription, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published yesterday in the Journal of Infection.

More polio cases reported from Afghanistan, Somalia

In its weekly report, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) announced two advance notices of polio cases, one each in Afghanistan and Somalia.

The case in Afghanistan involves wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in Nad-e-Ali district, Helmand province. The patient suffered an onset of paralysis on Jun 1. The case raises the total number of WPV1cases in Afghanistan in 2018 to 9.

Our weekly wrap-up of antimicrobial stewardship & antimicrobial resistance scans

Global review finds antibiotics frequently supplied without prescription

About three in four antibiotic requests and three in five consultations in community pharmacies around the world result in the sale of antibiotics without a prescription, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published yesterday in the Journal of Infection.

Israeli program sees CRE rates cut in half during 7-year period

Israeli long-term care facilities (LTCFs) saw a 50% reduction in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) during a 7-year national intervention program, according to a study today in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Study of H5N1 avian flu genetic changes in Egypt finds potential hot spots

A new analysis of a decade's worth of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu virus genetic sequences collected from poultry and wild birds in Egypt found 39 distinct substitutions with the possible ability to increase the pandemic potential of the virus, with spatial clustering that focused on two governorates—Alexandria and Beheira—that are located in the northwestern Nile Delta.

UK launches research competition for AMR innovation

The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) yesterday announced the launch of a £10 million ($13 million) research competition to fund innovative efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Four MERS cases recorded by Saudi Arabia in June

A new report from the World Health Organization's (WHO's) Eastern Mediterranean regional office shows four more MERS- CoV cases reported by Saudi Arabia in June, one of them fatal.

The WHO said none of the four cases of appears to be in a cluster. In late May, Saudi officials identified clusters of cases in Najran and Jeddah linked to household outbreaks.

FDA updates safety labels for fluoroquinolones

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday announced that it is updating the labels for fluoroquinolone antibiotics to strengthen warnings about the risk of mental health side effects and reduced blood sugar.

Tests underway to ID cause of febrile illness outbreak in eastern DRC

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) health ministry announced yesterday that it has received reports of 25 fever cases with symptoms similar to Ebola in North Kivu province in the eastern part of the country.

In a statement, it said the affected area is in the Mangina health district.

FDA: New testing method turns up Cyclospora in salad mix distributed to McDonald's

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday that tests involving a newly validated method to detect Cyclospora in fresh produce have confirmed the parasite in an unused package of expired salad mix processed by Fresh Express in Streamwood, Ill., that had been distributed to McDonald's.

Zika immune globulin treatment trial launches

Yesterday Emergent BioSolutions announced the start of a phase 1 clinical trial for ZIKV-IG, the company's anti-Zika virus immune globulin. The double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical study will enroll about 30 healthy volunteers at a single site.

Carbapenemase-producing K pneumoniae in Greece now more resistant

An analysis of carbapenem-nonsusceptible Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in Greece has found increasing resistance to last-line antibiotics.

DRC confirms Ebola species as Zaire in latest outbreak

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC's) ministry of health confirmed that the new Ebola outbreak in the eastern reaches of the country is caused by the Zaire Ebola virus species, according to Science magazine.

FDA issues azithromycin warning for cancer patients receiving stem cells

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued a warning about long-term azithromycin use in cancer patients who've undergone a donor stem cell transplant.

Multistate Cyclospora outbreak tied to McDonald's salads nears 400 cases

In an update yesterday on a Cyclospora outbreak linked to McDonald's salads, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 109 more cases, raising the total to 395.

The number of affected states remained at 15, and the latest illness onset was Jul 20. So far 16 people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

FDA issues azithromycin warning for cancer patients receiving stem cells

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued a warning about long-term azithromycin use in cancer patients who've undergone a donor stem cell transplant.

Saudi Arabian health ministry notes 30 new MERS cases

After several months of silence, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recently uploaded information on 30 new MERS-CoV case detections on its website, including a cluster of 11 household cases from Najran detected in late May and early June.

Study shows benefits of phased approach for implementing stewardship

Researchers with a large community hospital system report that a phased approach for implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs was associated with significant clinical and financial benefits.

IDSA names hospital stewardship standouts

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) yesterday awarded its Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence designation to 25 US hospitals.

FDA: Cattle may have contaminated romaine lettuce tied to E coli outbreak

Canal water contamination with Escherichia coli O157:H7 near a Yuma, Ariz., romaine lettuce growing region might be linked to a large cattle facility, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday in an update.

WHO says Southern Hemisphere flu activity remains fairly low

Influenza activity remains elevated in South America, has started to decline in southern Africa, and is still below seasonal threshold levels in Australia and New Zealand, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest update.

Vaccination begins in DRC Ebola outbreak; tests confirm 1 more case

One week after the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC's) health ministry declared a new outbreak in the east of the country, an immunization campaign began today, which targeted frontline health workers from the Mangina Reference Health Center, the epicenter of the outbreak, who had been in contact with confirmed cases and their contacts.

Australian report highlights drug-resistant gonorrhea, CPE infections

Neisseria gonorrhea and carbapenamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) remain the most commonly reported organisms with resistance to critical antibiotics in Australia, according to a report yesterday by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission).

Reports detail early start to West Nile season in Europe

Some European countries this year experienced an early start to their West Nile virus (WNV) transmission season, which could be related to earlier warmer temperatures and higher rainfall levels that foster populations of Culex mosquitoes that carry the virus, according to two reports published today in the latest issue of Eurosurveillance.

H1N2v confirmed in California, Michigan fairgoers; CDC unveils variant flu graphic novel

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported four variant H1N2 (H1N2v) cases in people who had contact with swine at fairs, two first reported by California yesterday and two from Michigan, the same day the agency released a new graphic novel aimed at teaching young people about the risk of variant flu in swine exhibit settings.