Antimicrobials News

Influenza-related hospitalization rates begin to increase in patients at a younger age than previously assumed, indicating that prevention strategies should be encouraged for younger patients, researchers found.

HOUSTON — A study assessing outpatient antibiotic prescribing among clinicians in Philadelphia successfully identified those considered “high-volume prescribers” who may be at risk for inappropriate antibiotic use.

Two studies assessing the use of algorithm-driven prompts meant to improve antibiotic selection for patients hospitalized with pneumonia or UTIs showed the prompts were effective, researchers found.

New estimates presented at ESCMID Global Congress show that antimicrobial resistance prevalence in WHO gram-negative priority pathogens may be “substantial” in countries lacking current data.

HOUSTON — Natural language processing could reduce the need for manual chart reviews to determine a patient’s risk for carrying or being infected with multidrug-resistant organisms, according to a study.

We caught up with Gonzalo Bearman, MD, MPH, at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Spring Conference to ask how he got “Hooked on ID.”

HOUSTON — A 6-month implementation study improved nurses’ evaluation of penicillin allergies among perioperative patients, as is recommended by the CDC for antimicrobial stewardship programs, researchers reported.

HOUSTON — Consulting with an infectious disease physician can shorten antibiotic prescriptions for uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia and move patients from IV to oral antibiotics more quickly, according to a study.

HOUSTON — Antibiotic use in urology outpatient settings may be “substantially underestimated” if only prescriptions made during in-person encounters are considered, researchers found.

Replacing contaminated sinks did not end an outbreak of multidrug-resistant bacteria in a Japanese pediatric ward but other infection prevention measures did, such as forbidding mouth-washing using sink water, researchers reported.