Addressing Issues Surrounding Current Antibiotic Development

Resistance-guided testing targeting a single gene mutation could let clinicians safely reintroduce ciprofloxacin for the majority of gonorrhea cases still susceptible to it, sparing ceftriaxone as resistance climbs worldwide. Lao-Tzu Allan-Blitz, MD, MPH, offers insights into his work in this area.

Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia (SAB) causes significant morbidity and globally is the leading cause of death from bloodstream infection. This month, the IDSA and ESCMID released 7 consensus statements to assist in managing individuals with SAB. This review will focus on the adult patient population and additional information on pediatric population statements can be assessed in the guideline. Here is a closer look at Consensus Statement 2: Follow-up Blood Cultures.

With a significant increase in rabies exposures this year, Rodney Rohde, PhD, talks about seeking medical attention after animal interactions as well as clinical treatment when people have been bit or scratched.

Widespread antimicrobial use disrupts vital microbial communities that regulate Earth’s biogeochemical cycles, driving antimicrobial resistance, worsening human and environmental health, and significantly contributing to climate change.

New data from the PETERPEN trial suggest that piperacillin-tazobactam may be noninferior to meropenem for early clinical outcomes in select patients with ESBL bloodstream infections, but carbapenems remain the standard of care until final mortality results are available and fully analyzed.

Outcomes from treating orthopedic infection with debridement and implanted antibiotic were similar whether followed by short or standard duration of systemic antibiotic.

In the first episode of our new series looking at the food safety network, Lynette Johnston, PhD, offers insights into how the federal government surveillance infrastructure operates and how epidemiologists serve as food detectives in determining bacterial pathogens and potential foodborne outbreaks.

In this week's top infectious disease stories, a Pennsylvania teen became the state's fourth measles death in weeks, the CDC reported a 17% summer surge in rabies exposure calls, new research revisited whether cefepime raises mortality risk, a multihospital review examined ceftriaxone's safety after state alerts, and examining Legionella pneumonia diagnostics.