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CARB-X funs antibacterial peptide development

CARB-X said today it has awarded Lytica Therapeutics, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, up to $5.3 million to develop antibacterial peptides that have broad activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria for treating lung and other infections.  

Ebola case count hits 3,433 in DRC

The World Health Organization's (WHO's) online Ebola dashboard shows a case count of 3,433 today, with a single newly confirmed case. The death toll is now 2,249 in an outbreak that has lasted 18 months in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Qatar reports MERS in 65-year-old man with underlying conditions

Qatar's Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) yesterday confirmed a new MERS-CoV case in a 65-year-old man, the fourth case recorded in Qatar since December.

Surveys find less antibiotic-resistant bacteria in UK chicken meat

The United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency (FSA) released two surveillance reports this week on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in chicken meat.

Transdisciplinary Canadian team to build global AMR network

York University this week announced a $2 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to support the development of a global network to address infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance.

Though flu activity still high, CDC notes decreases in some flu markers

After a month-long rise, US flu levels dropped last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly FluView report. But most regions are still experiencing elevated influenza activity, and 13 more pediatric deaths were recorded, raising the 2019-20 flu season total to 105.

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

Transdisciplinary Canadian team to build global AMR network

York University this week announced a $2 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to support the development of a global network to address infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance.

Analysis links outpatient penicillin prescribing with sepsis mortality rates

A new study by researchers from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health suggests that outpatient prescribing of penicillins is associated with rates of mortality with sepsis in older US adults.

Ebola cases hit 3,444 in DRC; study shows vaccine reduces viral load

After additions of what might be retrospective cases, the World Health Organization's (WHO's) online Ebola dashboard shows a case count of 3,444 today, which represents 11 more cases than the total reported at the end of last week. The death toll now stands at 2,264 in an outbreak that has lasted 18 months in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

CARB-X to fund development of broad-spectrum peptide antibiotics

CARB-X announced today that it will award Peptilogics of Pittsburgh up to $2.56 million in funding to develop a new class of peptide antibiotics with broad activity against drug-resistant bacteria.

One new MERS case reported in Saudi Arabia; WHO details recent cases

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new MERS-CoV case today. This raises the number of MERS cases recorded this month to 11.

New global AMR surveillance partnership announced

The International Society for Infectious Diseases' (ISID's) Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) today announced that it is teaming up with Public Health England to boost global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance efforts.

Study ranks relative effectiveness of influenza vaccines in seniors

A study today in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found that egg-based adjuvanted and high-dose (HD) flu vaccines had slightly higher relative vaccine effectiveness (RVE) than egg-based quadrivalent (four-strain) vaccines in nearly 13 million Medicare beneficiaries 65 and older during the 2018-19 flu season.

One new MERS case reported in Saudi Arabia in Hail

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new MERS-CoV case today. This raises the number of MERS cases recorded this month to 12.

WHO advisors: Use 3 new strains for next Northern Hemisphere flu vaccine

The World Health Organization (WHO) flu vaccine strain selection committee met this week to assess what strains to include in the 2020-21 Northern Hemisphere flu season and today recommended swapping out three of the strains.

In their report, they recommend replacing egg-based flu vaccine strains:

WHO marks week with no new Ebola cases in DRC

No new cases of Ebola were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) over the past week, according to an update yesterday from the World Health Organization (WHO), leaving the case count at 3,444. It marks the first time since the outbreak began that no new confirmed cases were reported over a 7-day period.

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

CDC surveillance estimates nearly 23,000 US candidemia cases

A population-based surveillance study estimates that there were nearly 23,000 cases of candidemia in the United States in 2017, researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and several state health departments reported today in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Study: Delaying antibiotics OK in mild to moderate bacterial infections

Withholding antibiotic therapy until diagnosis of bacterial infections (ie, 4 to 8 hours) seems acceptable in patients other than those who may have septic shock or bacterial meningitis and may be a sound antibiotic stewardship approach, according to a meta-analysis of 60 studies published in Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

Saudi health ministry reports 7 more MERS cases

Over the weekend and through today, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 7 new MERS-CoV cases: 5 in Riyadh, 1 in Taif, and 1 in Mecca. The new cases bring the February case tally to 18 and the March tally to 1.

Stewardship intervention tied to improved prescribing for kids' UTIs

A study conducted in a large healthcare system in Colorado found that a multicomponent intervention was associated with increased use of first-line antibiotics among children with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), researchers reported today in Pediatrics.

Saudi health ministry reports new MERS case

Today Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new MERS-CoV case in Unayzah, bringing the March tally to two infections, after the ministry reported 18 in February.

Study: Inappropriate presurgical antibiotic use common in children

A point-prevalence study of 32 US children's hospitals found that prophylactic (preventive) antibiotics were inappropriately given in 33.0% of pediatric surgical patients. The study, published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, was led by members of the SHARPS Collaborative based at Washington University in St. Louis.

Saudi health ministry reports another MERS case

Today Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new MERS-CoV case in Najran, bringing the March tally to three infections, after the ministry reported 18 in February.

Latest Saudi MERS case confirmed in Al-Kharj man

Today Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a new MERS-CoV case in Al-Kharj, bringing the country's March tally to four infections, after the ministry reported 18 in February and 15 in January.

For third week in a row, US flu activity declines

For the third week in a row, US flu levels dropped last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly FluView report. But the CDC said the flu season continues to be tough on children, as 11 new pediatric flu-related deaths were confirmed.