Top infectious disease stories: Cerebrospinal fluid indicates infection-related CNS disease, drug combination treats P. aeruginosa infections

Among the top stories in infectious disease were study findings that suggested that cerebrospinal fluid cytokine levels may be clinically useful in determining if central nervous system disorders are infection-related and ceftolozane-tazobactam effectively treats multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

Other popular stories included data that revealed that eastern equine encephalitis is transmitted via solid organ transplantation, 69 infectious diseases have seasonality and one in five pharmacies in Spain dispense antibiotics without prescription.

Cerebrospinal fluid can show if central nervous system disease is infection-related

Cerebrospinal fluid cytokine levels may be clinically useful in determining if central nervous system disorders are infection-related and to distinguish between viral and non-viral infections, according to study findings published in PLoS One. Read more.

Ceftolozane-tazobactam effectively treats multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa infections

Ceftolozane-tazobactam effectively treats multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, especially when initiated early, findings from a retrospective study showed. Read more.

Eastern equine encephalitis transmitted via solid organ transplantation

Researchers documented the first reported transmission of eastern equine encephalitis through solid organ transplantation and warned clinicians to be aware of the virus as a cause of transplant-associated encephalitis. Read more.

Not just flu: ‘Epidemic calendar’ shows seasonality of 69 infectious diseases

Influenza is not the only infectious disease with a season.

Analyzing published data, Micaela E. Martinez, PhD, assistant professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public, created an “epidemic calendar” she said shows the seasonality of 69 infectious diseases, including Ebola, gonorrhea and Zika. Read more.

1 in 5 pharmacies in Spain dispenses antibiotics without prescription

Approximately one in five pharmacies in Spain dispenses antibiotics without a prescription, especially when pressured by patients, according to a recently published study. Read more.