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Infections and Outbreaks of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Hospital Settings
AbstractPurpose of ReviewNontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections in the hospital setting are a complex and often challenging entity. The goal of this review is to discuss diagnostic and treatment strategies for established as well as emerging nosocomial NTM infections.Recent FindingsNTM outbreaks have been documented in a variety of hospital settings. Contamination of medical devices or aqueous solutions is often implicated in the spread of infection. More recently, the slow growerM. chimaera has been reported in the setting of contaminated heater-cooler devices used for cardiopulmonary bypass and extracorporeal memb...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - June 1, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Candida auris : What We Need to Know in Healthcare Settings
AbstractPurpose of reviewCandida auris is an emerging pathogen characterized for its difficult identification, rapid nosocomial spread, and limited treatment options. Data is currently limited; however, this will change as the pathogen ’s prevalence increases. The goal of this review is to provide a concise summary of the available data to manage a possibleC. auris infection.Recent findingsCandida auris has been rapidly spreading globally and has been evading popular identification methods with MALDI-TOF being the only successful modality as long as the “research use only” database is used. Echinocandins are the trea...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - May 28, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Current Treatment of Mycetoma
AbstractPurpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to update the status of treatment of actinomycetoma and eumycetoma. Specific information is presented to describe the best medical management for uncomplicated and complicated actinomycetic and fungal mycetomas.Recent findingsLocalized actinomycetoma that involves the skin without affecting underlying organs is treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for 3 to 12  months. In extensive infections with bone or deep organ involvement and in those with no therapeutic response, amikacin can be added. Duration of treatment varies from 5 to 20 weeks and will depend on cli...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - May 26, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Recent Advances in the Diagnosis of Neurocysticercosis
AbstractPurpose of reviewNeurocysticercosis (NCC) results from the localization in the central nervous system (CNS) of larval stages of the cestode parasiteTaenia solium. NCC is the most common helminthic parasitic disease of the nervous system and the main cause of acquired epilepsy. This literature review presents an update in NCC diagnostic techniques, including neuroimaging, immunological assays, molecular assays, and clinical manifestations.Recent findingsNCC can cause a wide array of neurological manifestations, most of them being non-pathognomonic. Diagnosis of this infection represents a challenge due to its nonspe...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - May 12, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Advances in Clinical Diagnosis and Management of Chikungunya Virus Infection
AbstractPurpose of reviewIn this review, we attempt to give the reader an update on clinical diagnosis, management, and treatment of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection regarding the course of the disease and the role of clinical laboratory. CHIKV infection evolves through three phases: acute, sub-acute, and chronic. Protocol for patient assessment and management should be in agreement with each phase requirements.Recent findingsDespite its benignity, CHIKV infection has shown an increase in severe cases during recent outbreaks. Among the most affected group are neonates, elderly population, and patients with co-morbiditie...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - May 8, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

New Advances in the Treatment of Trichuriasis
AbstractPurpose of reviewInfection with the intestinal nematodeTrichuris trichiura is a common public health relevant human infection. Since the commonly used drugs show low efficacy against this infection, recent literature about the state-of-the-art treatment of trichuriasis is reviewed particularly with regard to current efforts to improve the situation.Recent findingsThe drugs albendazole and mebendazole are widely used in preventive chemotherapy in high-risk areas around the world, since they are easy to administer and also effective against other soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections. Unfortunately, both drugs s...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - May 4, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Challenger Treats Zika Virus
AbstractPurpose of reviewArthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are zoonotic, and the common vectors are ticks and hematophagous mosquitoes. Currently, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, West Nile, and Japanese encephalitis virus infections have been causing worldwide concerns. In 2015, a large outbreak was documented with another mosquito-borne flavivirus, the Zika virus (ZIKV), and ravaging South and Central Americas and the Caribbean. ZIKV was declaring a public health emergency, because of the clinical evidence neurological complications.Recent findingsThe flavivirus infection is difficult to differentiate only with cli...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - May 4, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Transmission and Control of Respiratory Viral Infections in the Healthcare Setting
AbstractPurpose of the reviewViral respiratory infections have been recognized as a cause of severe illness in immunocompromised and non-immunocompromised hosts. This acknowledgement is a consequence of improvement in diagnosis and better understanding of transmission. Available vaccines and antiviral drugs for prophylaxis and treatment have been developed accordingly. Viral respiratory pathogens are increasingly recognized as nosocomial pathogens as well. The purpose of this review is to describe the most frequent and relevant nosocomial viral respiratory infections, their mechanisms of transmission and the infection cont...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - April 30, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Henipavirus Infection: Natural History and the Virus-Host Interplay
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe review summarizes the history of the emergence of the Henipviruses, provides a general introduction of their molecular biology and the efforts to develop antiviral treatment strategies, including the successful development of a veterinary vaccine.Recent FindingsParamyxoviridae, genusHenipavirus comprises emerging pathogens detected in Southeast Asia, Australia and Africa. Henipaviruses are enveloped with non-segmented, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA molecules and are distinguished from other Paramyxoviruses by a substantially larger RNA genome. Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV) are ...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - April 30, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Can We Achieve Zero Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia?
AbstractPurpose of ReviewVentilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is still a common complication in intensive care units, being associated with higher costs, increasing hospital length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation and use of antimicrobials. Ventilator care bundles are key measures to patient care quality improvement, and their implementation contributes to the reduction in the incidence of VAP. The current review focuses on preventive measures of VAP and a potential concept of zero VAP rate.Recent FindingsSeveral reports have documented a decrease in VAP rate with the implementation of ventilator care bundles. ...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - April 30, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Mucosal Barrier Injury Laboratory Confirmed Bloodstream Infections
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo increase the awareness of the new CDC survey definition of Mucosal Barrier Injury Laboratory-Confirmed Bloodstream Infection (MBI-LCBI). We included a comparison of the definition of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI), with a high sensitivity but low specificity and Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infection (CRBSI). There are other parameters like the difference between the size of the inoculum (catheter lumen vs peripheral), that increased specificity and is useful for research and clinical decisions. Also, MBI-LCBI secondary to bacterial translocation in patients who had recei...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - April 28, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Hospitalists as Integral Stakeholders in Antimicrobial Stewardship
AbstractPurpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to discuss the role of the hospitalist in antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs), to offer antimicrobial stewardship strategies that hospitalists can implement, to discuss opportunities for hospitalists to serve as educators on stewardship practices, and to offer resources for hospitalists to gain further training in antimicrobial stewardship.Recent findingsAntimicrobial stewardship is vital to combat antibiotic resistance, and effective stewardship requires a multidisciplinary approach. Antimicrobial stewardship programs have typically included infectious disease s...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - April 27, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Treatment of Infections Among Patients With Cystic Fibrosis
AbstractPurpose of ReviewTo describe potential antimicrobial stewardship program strategies to enhance the optimization of antimicrobial therapy for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).Recent FindingsCystic fibrosis is a complex medical condition known for its frequent pulmonary exacerbations attributed to microorganisms which are treated with antimicrobials administered by various routes. Due to exposure to antimicrobials from an early age, both as eradication regimens and for chronic colonization, this patient population often has drug-resistant organisms colonizing their respiratory tract. With CF patients surviving well...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - April 25, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Infections and Outbreaks of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Hospital Settings
AbstractPurpose of ReviewNontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections in the hospital setting are a complex and often challenging entity. The goal of this review is to discuss diagnostic and treatment strategies for established as well as emerging nosocomial NTM infections.Recent FindingsNTM outbreaks have been documented in a variety of hospital settings. Contamination of medical devices or aqueous solutions is often implicated in the spread of infection. More recently, the slow growerM. chimaera has been reported in the setting of contaminated heater-cooler devices used for cardiopulmonary bypass and extracorporeal memb...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - April 25, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research

Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Population
Opinion statementPurpose of reviewAntimicrobial stewardship is important in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients because their underlying immunosuppression places them at high risk for life-threatening infectious complications. Limited data exist regarding optimal antimicrobial use in these patients. This review is intended to evaluate current evidence regarding best practices for antimicrobial stewardship in the HSCT population and to explore areas of active research.Recent findingsCarefully selected antimicrobial prophylaxis and treatment are critical, although this remains difficult as the HSCT populatio...
Source: Current Treatment Options in Infectious Diseases - April 24, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research