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Narrow-spectrum antibiotics found safe, effective for moderate pneumonia

A clinical trial in the Netherlands found that an antimicrobial stewardship intervention safely reduced broad-spectrum antibiotic use in patients hospitalized with moderately severe pneumonia, Dutch researchers reported yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

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

Narrow-spectrum antibiotics found safe, effective for moderate pneumonia

A clinical trial in the Netherlands found that an antimicrobial stewardship intervention safely reduced broad-spectrum antibiotic use in patients hospitalized with moderately severe pneumonia, Dutch researchers reported yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Stewardship rules, drug review tied to better antibiotic prescribing

Implementing a set of rules targeting antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) into a hospital-wide medication review service was associated with a dramatic decline in inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, Belgian researchers reported last week in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

Australian study shows long-term benefits of ICU stewardship intervention

An audit of an electronic medical record–integrated antimicrobial stewardship intervention in an Australian intensive care unit (ICU) demonstrated long-term benefits and sustainability, Australian researchers reported today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

Culling completed at Wisconsin farm where CWD-positive deer found

Animal health officials in Wisconsin announced yesterday that they have completed depopulation of a white-tail deer herd at a Burnett County breeding farm where chronic wasting disease (CWD) was found in a buck in October 2020.

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

Groups urge Congress to boost funding for AMR, antibiotic development

A coalition of more than 50 organizations is calling on Congress to boost US investments in efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and develop new antibiotics.

New guide helps antibiotic developers with stewardship, access plans

A coalition of groups funding antibiotic research and development today released new guidance for developers of antibacterial products to integrate stewardship and access into their plans.

Audit and feedback tied to improved antibiotic use in long-term care

Audit and feedback with peer comparison was associated with small reductions in prolonged antibiotic treatment in a study involving physicians and long-term care (LTC) facility residents in Ontario, Canadian researchers reported today in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Report highlights barriers to hospital stewardship in LMICs

Interviews with clinicians at hospitals in three low- and middle-income countries highlight some of the barriers to appropriate antibiotic prescribing in these settings, according to a study published yesterday in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control.

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

Report highlights barriers to hospital stewardship in LMICs

Interviews with clinicians at hospitals in three low- and middle-income countries highlight some of the barriers to appropriate antibiotic prescribing in these settings, according to a study published yesterday in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control.

Trial suggests shorter antibiotic course for hospitalized pneumonia

The results of a randomized clinical trial conducted in France indicate that 3 days of beta-lactam therapy is non-inferior to 8 days of treatment in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia who meet clinical stability criteria after 3 days, French investigators reported last week in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

WHO highlights importance of good hand hygiene

To mark World Hand Hygiene Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) today called for countries to reduce inequalities in the availability of good hand hygiene and other infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.

US hospital data show link between antibiotic use, C difficile rates

Data from a cohort of US acute care hospitals (ACHs) reveal an association between total and broad-spectrum antibiotic use and hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile infection (HO-CDI) rates, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

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

Telemedicine consults for Staph bacteremia look promising

Use of infectious diseases (ID) telemedicine for management of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) at 10 US hospitals resulted in similar outcomes compared with on-site consultation, researchers reported today in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

CARB-X to fund development of rapid test for chlamydia, gonorrhea

CARB-X announced today that it is awarding Australian diagnostics company SpeeDx up to $1.8 million to develop a rapid molecular diagnostic test for chlamydia and gonorrhea infections.

Waiting room video cuts antibiotic expectations but not prescriptions

Watching a brief video about antibiotic treatment prior to a family practitioner visit reduced patients' expectations about receiving antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) but had no influence on physician prescribing, according to a randomized controlled trial published this week in the Annals of Family Medicine.

No increased Achilles tendon rupture risk with 3rd-gen fluoroquinolones

An analysis of administrative claims data in Japan found that newer, third-generation fluoroquinolones were not associated with an increased risk of Achilles tendon rupture, Japanese researchers reported this week in the Annals of Family Medicine.

Rapid, portable PCR test for gonorrhea shows promise

A rapid, cartridge-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform developed by scientists at Johns Hopkins University for detecting gonorrhea infections and providing antibiotic susceptibility results showed promising results in a study published this week in Science Translational Medicine.

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

Rapid, portable PCR test for gonorrhea shows promise

A rapid, cartridge-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform developed by scientists at Johns Hopkins University for detecting gonorrhea infections and providing antibiotic susceptibility results showed promising results in a study published this week in Science Translational Medicine.

Study of internet searches finds public AMR awareness lagging

An analysis of Google Trends suggests World Antimicrobial Awareness Week has not improved public awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Higher COVID-19 transmission tied to crowded households

COVID-19 transmission among households was three times more likely if the household had a high living density, according to a study yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Higher living density is defined as having more than three household members but fewer than six rooms.

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

Significant decline noted in outpatient antibiotic use in British Columbia

Outpatient antibiotic use in British Columbia has declined by more than 23% over the last two decades, driven by significant decreases in pediatric use, Canadian researchers reported yesterday in JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance.

Antibiotic stewardship in hospitalized seniors tied to better outcomes

An analysis of hospitalized geriatric patients found that rigorous de-escalation and curtailing of antibiotics was associated with reductions in hospital readmission and mortality, US researchers reported last week in JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance.

Ivory Coast launches Ebola vaccination, is monitoring 9 contacts

The Ivory Coast yesterday launched an Ebola vaccination campaign aimed at frontline health workers and other high-risk groups, part of the response into an imported Ebola case involving a woman who had just arrived from Guinea.