October 2019

In the October Editor-in-Chief letter, Dr. Jason Gallagher writes about the role clinicians play in helping patients understand antibiotic resistance.

Rising incidence of viral and bacterial infections has accompanied the opioid crisis, but it also presents new opportunities for multidisciplinary treatment and preventive care.

When the CD4 count seems too good to be true.

By stopping unnecessary antibiotics before they start, clinicians can avoid unnecessary harm to the patient and the population.

Novel β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and cefiderocol may play a part in the treatment of infections caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Achromobacter xylosoxidans, and Burkholderia cepacia complex.

Patients with a new diagnosis of HIV may benefit from rapid start of ART.

The high recurrence rates of Clostridioides difficile infection highlight the need for novel agents with unique mechanisms of action for treating the infection.

Updates include novel and revised breakpoints for azithromycin, polymyxins, daptomycin, and cefiderocol.

One promising proposal to greatly increase access to DAA HCV therapy is to keep this treatment with appropriately trained PCPs, in contrast with referring patients to infectious disease, gastroenterology, or hepatology subspecialists.

Unsurprisingly, STD clinics have reported increased patient interest in PrEP; however, these clinics often face challenges in providing longitudinal patient care because of limited resources and capacity.