Long-acting injectable HIV therapies: the next frontier
Purpose of review There has been significant development of long-acting injectable therapy for the management of HIV in recent years that has the potential to revolutionise HIV care as we know it. This review summarises the data and outlines the potential challenges in the field of long-acting antiretroviral therapy (ART). Recent findings In recent years, monthly and two monthly long-acting injectable ART in the form of cabotegravir and rilpivirine has shown safety and efficacy in large-scale phase 3 randomised control trials. Also, agents with novel mechanisms of action, such as Lenacapavir, have been tested in...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - December 26, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: HIV INFECTIONS AND AIDS: Edited by David Dockrell Source Type: research

Conjunctival cancer in people living with HIV
Purpose of review Historically, conjunctival cancer has been associated with HIV particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The human papilloma virus (HPV) has been implicated as a potential causative agent without conclusive evidence. This review covers recent evidence of the epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of conjunctival cancer in people living with HIV (PLWH). Recent findings HIV infection has been attributed to 33% of squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva in sub-Saharan Africa. Although clear evidence of the effect of immunodeficiency on conjunctival cancer risk has been demonstrated, the role of HPV on...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - December 26, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: HIV INFECTIONS AND AIDS: Edited by David Dockrell Source Type: research

Editorial introductions
No abstract available (Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases)
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - December 26, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: EDITORIAL INTRODUCTIONS Source Type: research

The infant pharyngeal microbiomes: origin, impact and manipulation
Purpose of review There has been an exponential increase in research into infant microbiome evolution, and it appears that pharyngeal microbiota are associated with clinical phenotypes (e.g. infection and asthma). Although broad consensus views are emerging, significant challenges and uncertainties remain. Recent findings Infant pharyngeal microbiome research is limited by low biomass, high temporal diversity and lack of agreed standards for sampling, DNA sequencing and taxonomic reporting. Analysis of amplicon sequence variants and improved cost and availability of whole-genome sequencing are promising options ...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: PAEDIATRIC AND NEONATAL INFECTIONS: Edited by Saul N. Faust Source Type: research

COVID-19 in children: current evidence and key questions
Purpose of review SARS-CoV-2 infection in children has been less well characterized than in adults, primarily due to a significantly milder clinical phenotype meaning many cases have gone undocumented by health professionals or researchers. This review outlines the current evidence of the epidemiology of infection in children, the clinical manifestations of disease, the role of children in transmission of the virus and the recently described hyperinflammatory syndrome observed later during the first phase of the pandemic. Recent findings International seroprevalence studies have found younger children to have lo...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: PAEDIATRIC AND NEONATAL INFECTIONS: Edited by Saul N. Faust Source Type: research

Clinical application of non-coding RNAs in sepsis
Purpose of review Studies indicating that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a regulatory role in sepsis are increasing rapidly. This present review summarizes recent publications on the role of microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in sepsis. Recent findings MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and lncRNAs are being identified as potential sepsis biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Experimental studies have examined the biological mechanisms that might underpin the regulatory role of these ncRNAs in sepsis. Summary Clinical applications of miRNAs and lncRNAs in sepsis are on the horizon. These data could lead to the ide...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: PAEDIATRIC AND NEONATAL INFECTIONS: Edited by Saul N. Faust Source Type: research

The current state of immunization against Gram-negative bacteria in children: a review of the literature
Purpose of review Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) are a major cause of infection worldwide and multidrug resistance in infants and children. The major pathogens include Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. With new antibiotic options limited, immunization is likely to play a critical role in prevention. This review discusses their epidemiology, the current state of vaccine research and potential immunization strategies to protect children. A comprehensive review of the literature, conference abstracts along with web searches was performed to identi...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: PAEDIATRIC AND NEONATAL INFECTIONS: Edited by Saul N. Faust Source Type: research

Duration of antimicrobial therapy for Gram-negative infections
Purpose of review The potential benefits on antimicrobial resistance emergence, incidence of antibiotic-related adverse effects, and health costs have pushed to shorten therapeutic courses for Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) infections. However, the safety of this approach is still under investigation. This review gathers recent contributions to the evaluation of the impact on antimicrobial resistance and clinical outcome of shorter therapeutic courses against GNB infections, and highlights data on the modern approach of adjustable antibiotic duration. Recent findings Recent advances include data on the safety of 7-...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: GRAM-NEGATIVE INFECTIONS: Edited by Matteo Bassetti Source Type: research

Prolonged infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics for Gram-negative infections: rationale and evidence base
Purpose of review The aim of this review is to discuss the rationale of and current evidence for prolonged beta-lactam infusion in the management of Gram-negative infections. Recent findings Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) data from various in-vitro and in-vivo experimental studies conclusively support prolonged infusion over intermittent infusion in terms of achieving effective beta-lactam exposure for maximal bacterial killing. Superior PK/PD target attainment has been demonstrated with prolonged beta-lactam infusion in patient populations that are more likely to have less susceptible Gram-negative inf...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: GRAM-NEGATIVE INFECTIONS: Edited by Matteo Bassetti Source Type: research

The role of new antimicrobials for Gram-negative infections in daily clinical practice
Purpose of review To discuss a possible clinical reasoning for treating resistant Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) infections in daily clinical practice, as well as developing a research agenda for the field. Recent findings Novel agents, both belonging to β-lactams and to other classes of antimicrobials, have recently become available, likely replacing polymyxins or polymyxin-based combination regimens as the preferred choices for the first-line treatment of severe resistant GNB infections in the near future. Summary The peculiar characteristics of novel agents for severe resistant GNB infections have abrup...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: GRAM-NEGATIVE INFECTIONS: Edited by Matteo Bassetti Source Type: research

Unresolved issues in the identification and treatment of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative organisms
Purpose of review Carbapenem-resistant organisms (CROs), including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacterales, are a threat worldwide. This review will cover mechanisms of resistance within CROs and challenges with identification and treatment of these organisms while pointing out unresolved issues and ongoing challenges. Recent findings The treatment of CROs has expanded through newer therapeutic options. Guided utilization through genotypic and phenotypic testing is necessary in order for these drugs to target the appropriate mechanisms of resistance and select optimal antibiotic ther...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: GRAM-NEGATIVE INFECTIONS: Edited by Matteo Bassetti Source Type: research

Treatment of extended-spectrum β-lactamases infections: what is the current role of new β-lactams/β-lactamase inhibitors?
Purpose of review The widespread diffusion of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing Enterobacteriales currently represents a major threat for public health worldwide. Carbapenems are currently considered the first-line choice for serious ESBL infections. However, the dramatic global increase in ESBL prevalence has led to a significant overuse of carbapenems that has promoted the selection and spread of carbapenemases, which might further prejudicated our ability to treat infections due to multidrug-resistant pathogens. Therefore, strategies to limit the use of carbapenems should be implemented. Recent fi...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: GRAM-NEGATIVE INFECTIONS: Edited by Matteo Bassetti Source Type: research

Current choices of antibiotic treatment for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections
Purpose of review Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most feared nosocomial pathogens. Treatment of P. aeruginosa infections is challenging because of the limited choices of antibiotics and the emergent resistance of the pathogen. The present review aims at addressing the management of P. aeruginosa infections and highlighting the novel antibiotics that show a future promising role. Recent findings Novel fluoroquinolones have been recently introduced and show favorable activity. New combinations of β-lactams/β-lactamase inhibitors have been studied in various indications of infections because of P. aeruginos...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: GRAM-NEGATIVE INFECTIONS: Edited by Matteo Bassetti Source Type: research

Clinical and economic impact of bacterial resistance: an approach to infection control and antimicrobial stewardship solutions
Purpose of review The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and economic burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to provide an expert opinion on different approaches to fight it. Recent findings For several decades now, it has been known that AMR among human pathogens is related to high clinical and economic burden. Different strategies have been implemented to control the clinical and economic burden of AMR. Antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASP), environmental cleaning and infection source control have been reported as the most effective interventions. There is a potential role f...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: GRAM-NEGATIVE INFECTIONS: Edited by Matteo Bassetti Source Type: research

Infections after anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for hematologic malignancies: timeline, prevention, and uncertainties
Purpose of review Data on the infectious complications of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-modified T-cell (CAR-T-cell) therapies are scant. The approaches to preventing and managing infections among CAR-T-cell recipients are extrapolated from those of patients with other hematological malignancies. Understanding the incidence and risk factors of infections in these patients will improve clinical outcomes. Recent findings Infections occur in 23–42% of CAR-T-cell recipients and are most frequent in the first month after infusion, declining sharply thereafter. Risk factors include preinfusion (e.g., prior hem...
Source: Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases - November 7, 2020 Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS: BACTERIAL/FUNGAL: Edited by Monica A. Slavin Source Type: research