Gastrointestinal Infections

While young people with enteric infections have the lion’s share of symptoms, the elderly suffer higher rates of complications and hospitalizations from these illnesses. Arriving at a correct, timely diagnosis for this cohort of patients is key.

The FDA approved the vaccine in 2016 for adults between the ages of 18 and 64 who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission.

Expanding the differential for diarrhea beyond Clostridium difficile.

A novel study from Seddon and colleagues adds to the body of evidence that supports what antimicrobial stewardship programs are so often challenged to do, early de-escalation.

Investigators at Johns Hopkins have developed a new saliva-based assay that would make norovirus infection testing less invasive.

Nicola Petrosillo, MD, discusses current controversies in C difficile prevention and treatment.

A new study found that individuals who had low microbiota diversity prior to a bone marrow transplant were more likely to be at a higher risk for post-transplant complications.

Results from 2 new studies completed in the United States and Canada indicate that probiotic supplements do not produce any benefits for children with gastroenteritis.

Additionally, its use is associated with colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by lower relative quantities of some potentially protective bacterial organisms.

The FDA has approved the antibiotic for the treatment of adult patients with travelers’ diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of E coli not complicated by fever or blood in the stool.

Glenn Tillotson, PhD discusses the development of new antibiotics and therapies for C diff during an era when antibiotic resistance is a serious global health threat.

Edmund A. Hooker, MD, DrPH, discussed the gaps in disinfection in the hospital and how hospital beds can be properly sanitized to prevent the spread healthcare-associatedted infections.

Instead, increasing duration of postoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis is associated with higher odds of acute kidney injury and C diff infection in a dose-dependent manner.

Dale N Gerding, MD, provides insight about prevention options for C diff that are expected in the future.

In allogenic hematopoietic cell transplant patients, auto-FMT treatment led to the recovery of beneficial gut bacteria close to baseline levels within days.

Nimish Patel, PharmD, PhD, describes his study, which compared fidaxomicin with oral vancomycin in early targeted therapy of C diff.

Dale N. Gerding, MD, discusses bezlotoxumab and its use for preventing recurrent C diff infections.

Stay up-to-date on the latest infectious disease news by checking out our top 5 articles of the week.

During a multidrug-resistant Campylobacter outbreak, 142 puppies were identified as receiving 1 or more antibiotic courses before arriving or while at the store.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe has declared a cholera outbreak after over 1,900 suspected cases have been reported.

Barbara Wells Trautner, MD, PhD, explains how overtreating asymptomatic bacteriuria can lead to antibiotic resistance or incorrect diagnoses.

A new study is the first to identify eosinophil counts as a predictor of outcomes in human patients.

The conventional approach to fighting resistant E coli infections typically involves the use of no more than 2 antibiotics; however, combining as many as 5 may be the trick to fighting these infections.

Investigators have found that a strain of E coli found in retail poultry products can cause a wide range of infections in people.

New practical advice for the treatment of C difficile from SHEA advises against routine testing in NICU patients with diarrhea.

Nimish Patel, PharmD, PhD, discusses the updates to CDI management guidelines and the role of the pharmacists in providing education to physicians.

A new review examines previous studies and concludes that healthcare professionals could benefit from sensitivity training when dealing with patients who have HAIs.

Candidemia is a significant risk factor for C difficile infection in hospital patients.

Barbara Wells Trautner, MD, PhD, discusses finding alternatives to fluoroquinolones and facilitating patient communication to improve outcomes.

Stay up-to-date on the latest infectious disease news by checking out our top 5 articles of the week.