Patients admitted to a single hospital were screened for C. difficile carriage and those found to be positive were placed in contact isolation. This led to a significant decrease in hospital-acquired C. difficile infections.
A population-based case-control study from Denmark found the use of statins was associated with a decreased risk for community-associated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, with the greatest benefit from higher doses.
The article discusses case-control study revealing an increased risk for developing community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) with the use of systemic glucocorticoids. Topics discussed include data collected from a population-based…
BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have been promoted to optimize antimicrobial usage and patient outcomes, and to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. However, the best strategies for an ASP are not…
The article focuses on a bacteria Escherichia coli which lead to occurrence of pyelonephritis with increasing resistance of Escherichia coli for empiric antibiotics. Topics discussed include need for making choices of empiric antibiotic by clinicians…
Background: Predicting mortality risk in patients is important in research settings. The Pitt bacteremia score (PBS) is commonly used as a predictor of early mortality risk in patients with bloodstream infections (BSI). Here, we determined whether…
In the Consortium on Resistance Against Carbapenems in Klebsiella and other Enterobacteriaceae (CRACKLE), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) had a limited role in the treatment of less severe carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE)…
The article reports that the Herpes Zoster (HZ) vaccine has decreased its effectiveness in adults that are above 60 years of age. Topics discussed include decline in beneficial effect of the HZ vaccine; determination of an optimal re-dosing strategy…
The first reported case of human disease caused by parasite-derived cancer cells was discovered in a 41-year-old man with HIV infection; lung, adrenal, and liver nodules; and lymphadenopathy.
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…
The article discusses research published in the 2016 issue of the "New England Journal of Medicine" on a seven-day outpatient course of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) as compared to placebo for skin abscesses after incision and drainage. The…
A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, clinical trial found that a seven-day course of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole following incision and drainage (I&D) resulted in a higher rate of cure for skin abscesses compared to I&D and placebo.
A meta-analysis based on nine studies found an elevated serum procalcitonin to be an accurate test for differentiating bacterial from viral meningitis in adults.
The article presents a study which reveals the consideration of an elevated serum procalcitonin to be an accurate test for differentiating bacterial from viral meningitis in adults.
The article comments on the retrospective cohort study "Risk of acute kidney injury in patients on concomitant vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam compared to those on vancomycin and cefepime" by B. Navalkele and colleagues. The study found that…
