Antibiotics

Pleuromutilin antibiotics, meningococcal disease, tuberculosis, a new fluoroquinolone to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, and WHO’s position on HPV vaccine recommendations makes up this week’s Top 5 articles.

Belinda Ostrowsky, MD, MPH, explains how to treat patients who expect to receive an antibiotic, but should not.

Kirk Hevener, PharmD, PhD, explains why narrow-spectrum antibiotics are more beneficial for treating C. difficile.

A new Johns Hopkins study finds that one fifth of hospitalized adults experience adverse effects from prescribed antibiotics; one fifth of those effects occurred in patients who should not have been prescribed antibiotics in the first place.

Milena McLaughlin, PharmD, MSc, explains strategies institutions can take to address antimicrobial shortages.

Although treatment for chronic Lyme has provided some patients with relief of their symptoms, it may also expose them to complications related to the prescribed modalities.

Jason Gallagher, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, FIDSA, explains the importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing for off-label indications.

Genovefa Papanicolaou, MD, discusses a new antiviral in development to prevent cytomegalovirus.

Researchers discover a new approach for measuring how long it takes an antibiotic to kill bacteria.

Commentary authors warn that lack of access to antibiotics to treat common bacterial infections are becoming difficult to access due to manufacturers finding them less profitable to produce and market; this can have serious implications.

Researchers from Yale University have come up with a new “chemical process” that may aid in the development of a new class of antibiotics.

Badela, a new antibiotic developed by Melinta Therapeutics, was just approved by the US FDA to treat acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections.

Milena McLaughlin, PharmD, MSc, explains the different ways that antimicrobial shortages can impact patient care.

Khalid Eljaaly, PharmD, MS, CAPPS, BCPS, explains which studies are ideal to run through a meta-analysis.

Lauri A. Hicks, DO, discusses the use of immunotherapy in tackling antibiotic resistance.

New drugs for HIV, the growing rate of antibiotic resistance, a new hepatitis C treatment option, and updates on the Ebola outbreak and Lyme disease diagnostics, make up the Top 5 articles for this week.

Lillian Abbo, MD, shares key elements that clinicians should incorporate into antimicrobial stewardship practices.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a report on the cases of 2 infants who contracted Legionnaires’ disease during water births.

Jeremy Burrows, DPhil, MA, explains how new antimalarials could change the game for countries where malaria is endemic.

Amesh A. Adalja, MD, FIDSA argues that a bill being considered in the Pennsylvania state legislature will ultimately result in increased antibiotic resistance and will set back the clock for finding appropriate treatments for Lyme disease.

Caetano P. Sabino, BSc, PhD Student, explains how photodynamic therapy works.

Recent research shows no clinical benefits from adding azithromycin to standard treatment for adults who presented to emergency departments with acute asthma exacerbations requiring a corticosteroid course.

Researchers from Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy highlight correlations between antibiotic use and horizontal transmission of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) bacterial species.

Kenneth Mayer, MD, shares some of the common concerns individuals have regarding the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis as protection against HIV.

James S. Lewis, PharmD, FIDSA, explains why antimicrobial susceptibility testing is so important when it comes to stewardship programs.