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

US hospital data shows rise in resistant UTIs in older patients

An analysis of US hospital data shows that antibiotic resistance in older patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) nearly doubled from 2009 to 2016, researchers reported yesterday in PLoS One. 

Study find urinary antigen testing underused in pneumonia patients

An analysis of almost 160,000 pneumonia patients in 170 US hospitals indicates that urinary antigen testing (UAT), a practice recommended by national guidelines to allow for antibiotic de-escalation in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), is not widely performed, researchers reported today in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Nationwide US data show high levels of post-discharge antibiotic exposure

An analysis of nationwide Veterans Health Administration data across 3 years finds that a large proportion of antimicrobial exposure among hospitalized patients occurs immediately following discharge, according to a study yesterday in Clinical Microbiology and Infection.

Group issues urgent call for battle against continued, dramatic STD rise

Based on new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showing that sexually transmitted disease (STD) levels hit an all-time high in 2018, the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) yesterday issued an urgent call for more federal funding to battle the diseases.

MSF calls for price cut on multidrug-resistant TB drug

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) is calling on drug maker Johnson & Johnson to lower the price of bedaquilin, an oral medication for the treatment of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

Probiotics associated with increased C difficile risk in NY hospital study

Patients who received probiotics concurrently with antibiotics were more likely to have an incident of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) than those who didn't receive probiotics, researchers reported yesterday in the American Journal of Infection Control.

Probiotics associated with increased C difficile risk in NY hospital study

Patients who received probiotics concurrently with antibiotics were more likely to have an incident of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) than those who didn't receive probiotics, researchers reported yesterday in the American Journal of Infection Control.

FDA advisory committee reviewing new drug application for cefiderocol

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee is meeting today to discuss the new drug application (NDA) for cefiderocol, an investigational antibiotic developed by Shionogi, Inc, a US-based subsidiary of Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi & Co.

FDA advisors approve new antibiotic cefiderocol for complicated UTI

In a 14-2 vote, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee yesterday recommended that the new antibiotic cefiderocol, made by Shionogi & Co, Ltd, of Japan, be approved for complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI), including pyelonephritis, caused by gram-negative bacteria in patients who have limited or no alternative treatment options available, the company said in a news r

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

FDA advisors approve new antibiotic cefiderocol for complicated UTI

Originally published by CIDRAP News Oct 17

WHO issues toolkit for stewardship programs in low-resource countries

The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday published a roadmap for implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs in healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

High-intensity antimicrobial stewardship may top low-intensity

A new study conducted in a 400-bed community hospital in Toronto shows that high-intensity prospective audit and feedback (PAF) was tied to a greater reduction in antimicrobial use than low-intensity interventions. The study appeared yesterday in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

Colistin-resistant Klebsiella infections documented at Indian hospital

A new study in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology describes several cases of colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections at a hospital in northern India.

New guidelines say antibiotics not necessary for most toothaches

New guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA) recommend against using antibiotics for toothaches in most cases.

TB Alliance picks Indian firm to manufacture, commercialize pretomanid

Nonprofit drug developer TB Alliance announced today that it will partner with an Indian company to manufacture and commercialize pretomanid for treating extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).

CARB-X announces funding for new drugs targeting Staph aureus

CARB-X announced today funding of up to $4.98 million for BioVersys's new small-molecule drugs targeting Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, including methicillin-resistant S aureus. The drugs could be used as a stand-alone to treat uncomplicated skin and skin-structure infections, as well as in combination with other antibiotics for more severe infections.

Minnesota officials scramble for deer carcass plan amid CWD worries

Ten days before Minnesota's deer hunting firearms season opens, state officials are scrambling to create a disposal plan for animal carcasses among growing concern over chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurologic prion disease that affects cervids like deer and elk.

ICU stewardship program tied to drop in antibiotics, bloodstream infection

An interrupted time series analysis conducted in two Italian intensive care units (ICUs) demonstrated a substantial reduction in antibiotic consumption and bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria after the teaching hospital instituted an antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) program, with no change in mortality or length of stay, according to a study yesterday in C

NICU quality improvement steps tied to CDC compliance, fewer antibiotics

Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) participating in a quality improvement (QI) collaborative increased adherence to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) core elements of antibiotic stewardship dramatically and cut antibiotic use by a third, according to a study today in Pediatrics.

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

Fecal transplant for C diff tied to fewer bloodstream infections, deaths

Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) was associated with a dramatic decrease in bloodstream infections (BSIs), days of hospitalization, and death rates compared to treatment with antibiotics, according to a prospective cohort study today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Rapid viral testing in emergency department linked to lower antibiotic use

The results of a randomized clinical trial show that the use of a rapid, multi-pathogen respiratory panel (RP) in an emergency department (ED) was associated with a trend toward decreased antibiotic use, according to a study yesterday in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

Phase 3 trial for Takeda's dengue vaccine shows promising results

Takeda's dengue vaccine candidate (TAK-003) is safe and effective against dengue virus, according to part 1 of phase 3 clinical trial results published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Australian study: Improvement needed in antibiotic prescribing for kids

Nearly one in five antibiotic prescriptions for hospitalized children in Australia is inappropriate, Australian researchers reported yesterday in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

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

Australian study: Improvement needed in antibiotic prescribing for kids

Nearly one in five antibiotic prescriptions for hospitalized children in Australia is inappropriate, Australian researchers reported yesterday in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.