August 30, 2024
Point-of-Care Diagnostics Guide Antibiotic Use in Rural Uganda
Emily Ciccone, MD, MHS led the first study of C-reactive protein testing by community health workers, where many initially seek medical care.
Category: News
August 5, 2024
Blood Culture Best Practices: Shortage Update
Please adhere to blood culture best practices during the global shortage of blood culture bottles (BD BACTEC).
July 18, 2024
International Shortage of Blood Culture Bottles: What You Can Do
The FDA recommends laboratories and health care providers consider conservation strategies to prioritize the use of blood culture media bottles, preserving the supply for patients at highest risk.
July 1, 2024
Evaluating Antibiotic Durations of Therapy for Uncomplicated Gram-Negative Bacteremia from Urinary Sources
A 2019 randomized controlled trial demonstrated noninferiority amongst patients treated with seven versus 14 days of antibiotics for uncomplicated bacteremia caused by Gram-negative organisms. The primary composite outcome, including all-cause mortality, infectious complications, and hospital readmissions, occurred in 46% of patients in the seven-day group vs 48% in the 14-day group. Most of the 600 …
June 12, 2024
Q&A with UNC Antimicrobial Resistance Researchers
“I am the former Medical Director for the Carolina Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at UNC Hospitals,” said Jonathan Juliano. “During that time, my lab began to conduct molecular epidemiology research around AMR. Now, we help support trainees and faculty interested in AMR for conducting genomic studies to better understand AMR genes and transmission of highly resistant bacteria.”
May 20, 2024
WHO updates list of drug-resistant bacteria most threatening to human health
The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its updated Bacterial Priority Pathogens List (BPPL) 2024, featuring 15 families of antibiotic-resistant bacteria grouped into critical, high and medium categories for prioritization. The list provides guidance on the development of new and necessary treatments to stop the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
May 18, 2024
Boyd, Stromberg, and Weber recognized as Super Antimicrobial Stewards
The Carolina Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (CASP) honored three collaborators with Super Steward Awards. The award recipients were Jenny Boyd, MD; Joseph Stromberg, MD; and David J. Weber, MD, MPH. CASP created the awards in 2022 to recognize colleagues’ efforts to champion stewardship in their settings. “CASP’s success hinges on collaboration with colleagues passionate about stewardship. …
April 29, 2024
UNC Hospitals’ OPAT Program Improves Outcomes, Decreases Hospital Readmissions
“Since 2017, patients completing therapy have increased 68% while readmissions during OPAT have decreased from 25% to 11% in 2023,” Michael Swartwood, MSN, RN, CAPM, OPAT’s data manager, reported.
March 21, 2024
AHRQ Safety Program for Telemedicine: Improving Antibiotic Use
Is your practice interested in improving appropriate use of antibiotics in telemedicine? The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is currently recruiting practices for a no-cost, 18-month program beginning in June 2024 to promote appropriate antibiotic use while maintaining patient satisfaction and reducing potential side effects in patients seen via telemedicine. Practices will receive …
February 26, 2024
What Happens If You Take an Antibiotic You Don’t Need?
Not only will antibiotics do nothing for a virus, but taking them unnecessarily could cause harm to you and your community. And it’s happening a lot.
January 12, 2024
Scientists Reveal Role of Notorious Cell Subpopulation in Antibiotic Failure
In a new study, UNC School of Medicine’s Brian Conlon, PhD, Duke’s Josh Parsons, MD, PhD, and colleagues provide the best evidence to date for the significance of bacterial persister cells in the failure of antibiotics in the clinic.
January 2, 2024
Extended-infusion Cefepime Now Orderable in Epic
Antimicrobial resistance is on the rise worldwide, notably among gram-negative bacteria, known for their propensity to resist multiple antibiotic agents which threatens the likelihood of treatment success. As rising resistance rates limit antimicrobial options, dose optimization is key to clinical success. For β-lactam antibiotics, the best predictor of bacterial killing is the proportion of the …