Study: Longer-Term Antibiotics Won't Ease 'Chronic Lyme Disease'
WEDNESDAY, March 30, 2016 -- People with persistent symptoms associated with Lyme disease are unlikely to find relief from longer-term antibiotic therapy, according to a new Dutch study.
Although antibiotics are the correct therapy to treat Lyme... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews - March 30, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Source Type: news
What is the Recurrence Risk for Clostridium difficile Infection?
Discussion
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common cause of nosocomial diarrhea.
Clostridium difficile is an obligate, anaerobic, gram-positive bacillus that is spore-forming and toxin producing. It is resistant to acid, heat, antibiotics and many antiseptic agents. Spores are acquired from the environment or by oral-fecal route. Once in the colon, the bacteria attach and proliferate making vegetative forms. Two main toxins are produced which disrupt the colonic integrity. Toxin A (TcdA) is an endotoxin that disrupts the mucosal cells. Toxin B (TcdB) is a cytotoxin that is 1000x more potent than TcdA and causes...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - March 28, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Prolonged Empirical Antibiotic Therapy in the ICUProlonged Empirical Antibiotic Therapy in the ICU
A study provides a snapshot assessment of the use of prolonged empirical antibiotic therapy in the ICU. Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) (Source: Medscape Pharmacist Headlines)
Source: Medscape Pharmacist Headlines - February 23, 2016 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Infectious Diseases Commentary Source Type: news
What Serotypes Cause the Most Group B Streptococcal Disease?
Discussion
Streptococcus agalactiae or Lancefield Group B streptococcus (GBS) was first described in 1887 and the first neonatal cases were described in the early 1960s. GBS can cause infections in all age groups but pregnant women and infants share most of the burden of the disease. GBS asymptomatically colonizes the genital and gastrointestinal tracts of pregnant women (15-40%). GBS is then transmitted vertically to infants generally after the rupture of fetal membranes or onset of labor. It is estimated that 50% of infants born to GBS+ mothers become colonized and 1% have invasive disease. Recurrent infections do occur ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - February 22, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Lyme: The Infectious Disease Equivalent of Cancer, Says Top Duke Oncologist
Last week, I mentioned the case of Dr. Neil Spector, whose long-undiagnosed Lyme Disease resulted in irreversible heart failure and ultimately, a heart transplant. Dr. Spector, author of Gone in a Heartbeat: A Physician's Search for True Healing, is the Sandra Coates Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology at Duke University School of Medicine. As the Director of Developmental Therapeutics at the Duke Cancer Institute, he's a leader in applying translational research to the clinical development of molecularly targeted personalized cancer therapies. Here, Dr. Spector shar...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - February 19, 2016 Category: Science Source Type: news
Targeted antibiotics may help protect against infections in men being tested for prostate cancer
(Wiley) A new review indicates that antimicrobial therapy given before clinicians take transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies to diagnose prostate cancer may lead to lower rates of sepsis, a potentially life-threatening infection. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - February 1, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news
Telemicrobiology: Focusing on Quality in an Era of Laboratory Consolidation
The misinterpretation of or delay in reporting Gram stains or other microscopic examinations negatively impacts patient safety and can lead to inappropriate treatment, including unnecessary test procedures, ineffective antimicrobial therapy, and increased length of stay. Conversely, when a positive blood culture or spinal fluid Gram stain is reported appropriately and quickly, deployment of appropriate treatment regimens is expedited and is directly associated with decreased patient morbidity and mortality, decreased hospital stay, and overall improvement in patient outcomes. (Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter)
Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - January 29, 2016 Category: Microbiology Authors: A. Brian Mochon, Mike Santa Cruz Source Type: news
At What Age Does the Risk of Infant Listeria Infection Decrease?
Discussion
Neonatal bacterial infections are commonly caused by Group B Streptococcus, enteric gram-negative organisms such as Escherichia coli, coagulase negative Staphylococcus, Listeria monocytogenes and Haemophilus influenza. Infections are usually because of transplacental infection or ascending infection from the mother’s genitourinary tract. Empiric treatment for suspected sepsis for neonates is usually combined IV aminoglycoside and expanded-spectrum penicillin antibiotic therapy in the US and Canada and this combination specifically covers for Listeria.
Listeria monocytogenes was first discovered in 1927 ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - January 25, 2016 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Feature Review: Probiotics for the prevention antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children
Should kids taking antibiotics also take probiotics?Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) occurs when antibiotics disturb the natural balance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in the intestinal tract, causing harmful bacteria to multiply beyond their normal numbers. The symptoms of AAD include frequent watery bowel movements and crampy abdominal pain. Probiotics are found in dietary supplements or yogurts and contain potentially beneficial bacteria or yeast. Probiotics may restore the natural balance of bacteria in the intestinal tract and prevent AAD. A team of Cochrane authors based in Canada and the United States worked ...
Source: Cochrane News and Events - January 14, 2016 Category: Information Technology Authors: mumoquit at cochrane.org Source Type: news
Class I Medical Device Recall: bioMérieux SA Etest® PIP/TAZO/CON-4 PTC 256 â Potential for Test Result Error
bioMérieux is recalling the Etest® PIP/TAZO/CON-4 PTC 256 because the test results from the affected product may indicate that antibiotic therapy using PIP/TAZO could stop or slow the growth of certain bacteria when it may not actually be effective in... (Source: Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA): CDRHNew)
Source: Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA): CDRHNew - December 29, 2015 Category: Medical Equipment Source Type: news
Lifestyle switching -- Bacillus cereus is able to resist certain antibiotic therapies
(University of Veterinary Medicine -- Vienna) The pathogenic bacterium Bacillus cereus causes vomiting and diarrhoea as well as systemic and local infections. A team from the Vetmeduni Vienna has reported for the first time that B. cereus, following contact with certain antibiotics, can switch into a special slowed-down mode. The bacteria then form small colony variants (SVCs) that are difficult to diagnose and almost impossible to treat with certain antibiotics. This discovered mechanism may provide an alternative explanation for antibiotic resistance. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - December 28, 2015 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
Patient-administered antimicrobial infusions at home may allow shorter hospital stays
(PLOS) Patients trained to administer their own intravenous antibiotics at home (self-administered outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy or S-OPAT), achieved similar or better outcomes compared to patients who received healthcare-delivered OPAT (H-OPAT) with assistance from a home-care nurse or skilled nursing facility, according to a paper published this week in PLOS Medicine. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - December 15, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news
Appropriate Antibiotic Therapy for Gram-Negative InfectionsAppropriate Antibiotic Therapy for Gram-Negative Infections
This review examines the effects of appropriate antibiotic therapy or inappropriate antibiotic therapy against gram-negative bacterial infections in the hospital setting. BMC Infectious Diseases (Source: Medscape Critical Care Headlines)
Source: Medscape Critical Care Headlines - December 1, 2015 Category: Intensive Care Tags: Infectious Diseases Journal Article Source Type: news
