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CDC study links reduced antibiotic use with decrease in C difficile rates

Researchers with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today in Clinical Infectious Diseases that reductions in antibiotic use, particularly fluoroquinolones and third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, was associated with a decrease in Clostridioides difficile rates in US acute care hospitals.

MERS sickens 1 more in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's health ministry today reported new MERS-CoV case, which involves a 78-year-old man from Afif in the in the central part of the country, according to an update to its epidemiological week 9 report.

An investigation revealed the man had contact with camels before his MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) symptoms began. He is currently hospitalized for his infection.

CDC study links reduced antibiotic use with decrease in C difficile rates

Researchers with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today in Clinical Infectious Diseases that reductions in antibiotic use, particularly fluoroquinolones and third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins, was associated with a decrease in Clostridioides difficile rates in US acute care hospitals.

Report: Antibiotic resistance, sustainable development are intertwined

A new report from ReAct and the Dag Hammerskjold Foundation calls for antibiotic resistance to be integrated into the sustainable development agenda.

Study finds improper empiric therapy not tied to worse UTI outcomes

A University of Toronto study has discovered no connection between adequate empiric antibiotic therapy and cure time for patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by bacteria, suggesting a potential for sparing antibiotics, according to a study yesterday in Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

Scott Gottlieb resigns as FDA commissioner

Scott Gottlieb, MD, announced today that he will resign as commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the coming weeks to spend more time with his family.

MERS sickens 1 more in Saudi Arabia hospital outbreak

Saudi Arabia's steady rise in MERS-CoV cases continued today, with one more illness reported that appears to be part of a hospital outbreak in Wadi ad-Dawasir, according to a Ministry of Health (MOH) update to its epidemiologic week 10 report.

Two more MERS cases recorded in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded two cases of MERS-CoV in young women from Khamis Mushait in an update to its epidemiologic week 10 report.

The first patient is a 33-year-old woman who is listed as a secondary case, meaning she likely contracted MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) from another sick person. She did not report recent camel contact, the MOH said.

VA study finds 5% rate of prolonged antibiotics after outpatient surgery

A 2-year multicenter Veterans Administration (VA) retrospective cohort study published yesterday discovered that 5% of patients having outpatient surgeries received antimicrobial prophylaxis longer than 24 hours after surgery, with rates varying by procedure, facility type, and surgical specialty.

Australian study shows promise for home IV antibiotics for peds cellulitis

A non-inferiority trial in Australia has determined that intravenous (IV) ceftriaxone at home may be an alternative to IV flucloxacillin in the hospital for children who have cellulitis, according to a study yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

DRC records 5 more Ebola cases, 4 deaths; new health zone affected

A 20th health zone in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has confirmed its first Ebola case, according to today's update from the ministry of health. A young woman who was a case-contact of patient in Butembo, refused follow-up, and died is the first case-patient recorded in Lubero.

Australian study shows promise for home IV antibiotics for peds cellulitis

A non-inferiority trial in Australia has determined that intravenous (IV) ceftriaxone at home may be an alternative to IV flucloxacillin in the hospital for children who have cellulitis, according to a study yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

VA study finds significant antibiotic over-prescribing in outpatients

A new study by pharmacists with a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in upstate New York has found that 40% of the antibiotics prescribed for outpatients were inappropriate. The findings appeared in the American Journal of Infection Control.

Saudi Arabia reports more MERS in hot spots, hits 100 cases for year

In updates for epidemiologic weeks 10 and 11, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) announced five new cases of MERS-CoV today and over the weekend, including two in Wadi ad-Dawasir, the site of an ongoing hospital-based outbreak.

Probable plague cluster reported at Uganda-DRC border

Health officials are investigating a pneumonic plague outbreak at the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office for Africa said today in its weekly emergencies and outbreaks report.

HHS appoints NIH cancer chief as acting FDA commissioner

The US Department of Human Services (HHS) said yesterday that Ned Sharpless, MD, will serve as acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), replacing Scott Gottlieb, MD, who announced his resignation on Mar 5 after less than 2 years in the position.

EPA urged to deny proposal for more antibiotic spraying on citrus fields

Representatives from the Center for Biological Diversity, Public Interest Network, and US PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) today delivered 45,000 petition signatures to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), calling on the agency to deny a proposal that would allow for expanded antibiotic spraying on citrus fields.

Rare plague case in dog exposes more than 100 people to Yersinia pestis

A Colorado dog with pneumonic plague exposed at least 116 people at a veterinary hospital to Yersinia pestis because of a delay in diagnosis, according to a report in Emerging Infectious Diseases. 

Iranian researchers report high MRSA rates in hospital cockroaches

Iranian investigators have discovered a high rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a common superbug, in two types of cockroaches found in hospitals, according to a study yesterday in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control.

Improperly home-canned peas linked to 3 botulism cases in New York

Improperly home-canned peas sickened three women in New York City last summer after they ate potato salad that contained the ingredient, underscoring the importance of safe canning procedures, New York health officials reported today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Penicillin allergy intervention cuts down on restricted antibiotic use

Australian researchers reported yesterday in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy that a novel, pharmacist-led penicillin allergy de-labeling intervention at a tertiary hospital led to a significant decrease in the prescribing of restricted antibiotics.

Penicillin allergy intervention cuts down on restricted antibiotic use

Australian researchers reported yesterday in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy that a novel, pharmacist-led penicillin allergy de-labeling intervention at a tertiary hospital led to a significant decrease in the prescribing of restricted antibiotics.

US data show overall drop in antibiotic prescribing, but not for adults

US nationwide prescribing data show that oral antibiotic prescription rates dropped 5% from 2011 to 2016, and the ratio of broad- to narrow-spectrum antibiotics decreased 8% in that span, but prescribing rates in adults rose slightly, according to a new study in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

US measles cases reach 268 as outbreaks grow in New York, New Jersey

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today said measles counts have now grown to 268 cases in 15 states—62 more cases than the agency reported in a Mar 4 update. For comparison, the CDC reported 372 cases for all of 2018.

More than half of hospital trainees report to work with flulike illness

More than half of postgraduate hospital trainees self-reported that they come to work while experiencing influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms, despite also saying that doing so poses a risk to patients, according to a study yesterday in the American Journal of Infection Control.