In a small randomized, controlled trial that compared fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) administered by enema to a six-week oral vancomycin taper, FMT was not more effective for patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection.
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…
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that giving cranberry capsules to elderly women residing in nursing homes did not result in any significant benefits, including no reduction in symptomatic urinary tract infections.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that giving cranberry capsules to elderly women residing in nursing homes did not result in any significant benefits, including no reduction in symptomatic urinary tract infections.
The article focuses on a study conducted on patients allergic to Beta-Lactam antibiotics by increasing its dose. Topics discussed include collection of patients' demographic and allergy history data and performing penicillin skin testing (PST),…
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.
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…
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…
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…
Although a well-conducted randomized clinical trial did not show that azithromycin was non-inferior to doxycycline for the treatment of chlamydia, both treatments resulted in a high rate of cure (97% and 100%, respectively).
The article focuses on the retrospective cohort study of the outbreak of the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) which causes the encephalitis and the central nervous system (CNS) involvement after a large CHIKV outbreak that occurred on Reunion Island between…
A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial from the Netherlands found that longer-term antibiotic therapy fo r Lyme disease did not improve health-related quality o f life compared to a standard course of treatment.
A nationwide cohort study from Denmark found a significantly increased risk of spontaneous abortion associated with oral fluconazole usage. Caution with this medication during pregnancy is advised.
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.
The article reports that patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis can fair well without surgery as compared to clinical trial patients who underwent surgery, and states that patients had lower risk of complications during the one-year follow-up…
Results of the phase 2 LATTE study show that after 24 weeks of induction triple therapy, maintenance therapy with cabotegravir (a long-acting dolutegravir analogue) and rilpivirine led to virological suppression in 82% of patients, compared to 71 %…
A retrospective observational study found that among hospitalized patients, ward-level antibiotic prescribing was associated with a significantly increased risk for Clostridium difficile infection beyond what would be expected with patient-level…
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.
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.
