BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections, creating a financial burden for the U.S. healthcare system. Reports suggest that vitamin D-deficient CDI patients incur higher…
OBJECTIVES: Infections of the spine lead to considerable morbidity and a high cost to the global healthcare system. Currently, evidence for using ceftaroline, an advanced-generation cephalosporin active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus…
Pneumonia is one of the most common infections worldwide. Morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs increase substantially when pneumonia is caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB). The ongoing spread of antimicrobial…
Background Infections due to S. aureus result in significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expense. We sought to identify the strains of S. aureus causing infections in hospitalized patients in Northeast Ohio and determine whether they are…
The increasing incidence and prevalence of multi-drug resistance (MDR) among contemporary Gram-negative bacteria represents a significant threat to human health. Since their discovery, beta-lactam antibiotics have been a major component of the…
A prospective exploratory study was conducted to characterize the oral mycobiome at baseline and determine whether changes occur after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). We found that ICU admission is associated with alterations in the oral…
Vitamin D plays an important role in modulating the immune response to infections. Deficiency of vitamin D is a common condition, affecting both the general population and patients in health care facilities. Over the last decade, an increasing body…
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Infections in lung transplant recipients (LTRs) are a serious complication that is associated with high mortality. Early and accurate diagnosis is critical in the management of these infections in order to achieve improved…
Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) result in significant morbidity and mortality for patients in both community and health care settings. This is primarily due to the difficulty in treating MRSA, which is often…
Background: We aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of resident physicians regarding sepsis in general and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines in particular. Methods: After institutional review board approval, we surveyed…
BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of resident physicians regarding sepsis in general and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines in particular. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, we surveyed…
Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Antimicrobial resistance, including in pathogens that cause CABP, continues to spread at an alarming rate. Because of these factors, the…
Giardiasis is a common yet neglected cause of diarrheal illness worldwide. Antimicrobial therapy is usually but not always effective and drug resistance has become an increasing concern. Several promising drug candidates have been recently identified…
Omadacycline, an aminomethylcycline, is a novel member of the tetracycline class of antibiotics. It has received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) and acute…
Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae causes serious nosocomial infections and therapeutic options are limited. There is increasing evidence suggesting that combination antibiotic therapy is more effective than monotherapy and leads to better…
Early administration of appropriate empiric antibiotics is essential for achieving the best possible outcomes in sepsis. Yet the choice of antibiotic therapy has become more challenging due to recent reports of nephrotoxicity with the combination of…
The rapid and ongoing spread of antibiotic resistance poses a serious threat to global public health. The indiscriminant use of antibiotics in agriculture and human medicine along with increasingly connected societies has fueled the distribution of…
Despite notable advances in critical care medicine, mortality from severe sepsis remains unacceptably high. With current therapeutic strategies, nothing has proven more crucial than early and effective antibiotics. Among the most commonly utilized…
