Antibiotic Therapy
Threat of antimicrobial resistance on the rise in low-, middle-income countries
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.
Q&A: ‘Shorter is better’ message slow to reach pediatrics
Many studies have shown that shorter courses of antibiotic therapy are just as effective as longer ones for certain infections, including those that impact children. The idea is commonly referred to using the mantra “shorter is better.”
Preoperative antibiotic therapy decreased microbiologic culture yield
Preoperative antibiotic exposure led to a significant decrease in microbiologic yield of operative cultures among patients with native joint septic arthritis, researchers found.
Oral therapy noninferior to IV for treating low-risk S. aureus bloodstream infections
Making an early switch to oral antibiotic therapy from IV therapy is safe and effective for patients with low-risk Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection, researchers determined.
Top in ID: Paxlovid does not reduce long COVID risk; oral antibiotics safe in transplants
Paxlovid, an oral antiviral approved by the FDA in May 2023, did not reduce the risk for long COVID among vaccinated, nonhospitalized patients who received it within a month of their first SARS-CoV-2 infection, a study showed.
Oral antibiotics safe, effective for transplant recipients with gram-negative bacteremia
Transitioning organ transplant recipients to oral antibiotic therapy for the treatment of uncomplicated gram-negative bacteremia is effective and associated with fewer adverse events compared with continued IV therapy, researchers found.
Guideline-concordant pneumonia therapy lowers cardiovascular death risk in older patients
Among older adults who survived a community-acquired pneumonia infection, the risk for cardiovascular mortality 1 year after hospitalization decreased with guideline-concordant antibiotic therapy, according to results published in CHEST.
The year in ID: End of COVID emergencies, new vaccines and more
The front page of Healio | Infectious Disease News this year included stories about COVID-19, new vaccines, reversing decades of ID dogma, and more.
Use of chatbot AI ‘hazardous’ without ID consultant input, experts say
Although using artificial intelligence could be helpful for some aspects of patient care, experts say relying on the technology without the aid of an infectious disease consult could be hazardous for patients, a recent study showed.
‘Oral is the new IV’: Another treatment dogma bites the dust?
A lot of modern medicine is based on what Brad Spellberg, MD, and others call “inertial dogmas” — practices traced to decades-old evidence that are no longer supported by modern studies.