Correct Antibiotic Research Articles

Comparison of the diversity of anaerobic-cultured gut bacterial communities on different culture media using 16S rDNA sequencing

The gut microbiome is a dense and diverse community of different microorganisms that deeply influence human physiology and that have important interactions with pathogens. For the correct antibiotic treatment of infections, with its twin goals of effective inhibition of the pathogen and limitation of collateral damage to the microbiome, the identification of infectious organisms is key. Microbiological culturing is still the mainstay of pathogen identification, and anaerobic species are among the most demanding bacterial communities to culture. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of growth media on the culture of an-aerobic bacteria from human stool samples. Stool samples from eight human subjects were cultured each on a yeast extract cysteine blood agar (HCB) and a modified peptone-yeast extract-glucose (MPYG) plate and subjected to Illumina NGS analysis after DNA extraction and amplification. The results showed tight clustering of sequencing samples belonging to the same human subject. Various differences in bacterial richness and evenness could be observed between the two media, with HCB plates supporting the growth of a more diverse microbial community, and MPYG plates improving the growth rates of certain taxa. No statistical significance was observed between the groups. This study highlights the importance of choosing the appropriate growth media for anaerobic bacterial culture and adjusting culture conditions to target specific pathological conditions. HCB plates are suitable for standard microbiological diagnostics, while MPYG plates may be more appropriate for targeting specific conditions. This work emphasizes the role of next-generation sequencing in supporting future research in clinical microbiology.

Antibiotic resistance of enteropathogenic bacteria in a teaching hospital in North Khuzestan during a three-year period.

Gastrointestinal infections affect many people annually. The most common bacterial agents involved in these infections are enteropathogenic bacteria and in the continuation of using broad-spectrum antibiotics, Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea is involved, especially in hospitalized patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the pattern of antibiotic resistance among enteropathogenic bacteria. In this cross-sectional study, 163 samples of patients with diarrhea in Dezful Ganjavian Hospital were examined. The samples were cultured in MacConkey, Hektoen enteric agar and GN broth, and cycloserine cefoxitin fructose agar media and incubated under standard conditions. In order to identify enteropathogenic bacteria, biochemical tests and serological confirmatory tests were used. Antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was investigated by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test. The frequency of pathogenic bacteria includes 41.1% of Shigella flexneri, followed by 41.1% of S. sonnei, 6.7% of Enteropathogenic E. coli, 5.5% of Salmonella enterica Serogroup B, and 5.5% of Shigella dysenteriae. The results revealed a total of 46 patients with orders regarding C. difficile culture, no C. difficile was isolated from the samples. The studied isolates showed the highest resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and ceftriaxone (88.3%), and the most effective antibiotic in the treatment of patients was ciprofloxacin with 86% sensitivity. Susceptibility to antibiotics was different among the isolates, which shows that the early identification of the infection agent and the selection of the correct antibiotic treatment are effective in improving the gastrointestinal infection and preventing the spread of the infection.

A qualitative study exploring how undergraduate pharmacy students undertake a drug allergy history

Abstract Introduction If antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is not controlled, a post-antibiotic era could result in common infections and minor injuries becoming fatal. One way to combat AMR is the ‘de-labelling’ or removal of incorrect antibiotic allergy labels. At least 92% of labels corresponding to penicillin allergy are incorrect when tested.[1] This means that patients may not be receiving the correct antibiotic treatment and take longer to recover. Therefore, taking an accurate allergy history is important. Pharmacists routinely take drug allergy histories. From 2026, pharmacy students in England will graduate as prescribers, highlighting the importance of drug allergy knowledge and skills. Aim To explore how undergraduate pharmacy students undertake a drug allergy history. Methods A qualitative study utilising a constructivist approach involving a low-fidelity simulation followed by a one-to-one face-to-face semi-structured interview was conducted. Final year undergraduate Master of Pharmacy students of an English school of pharmacy were recruited via email and word-of-mouth to take part in this study. Following informed consent, participants simulated taking a drug allergy history with a student researcher. The simulation was audio-recorded and then played back to the participant as a cue for a subsequent audio-recorded semi-structured interview that explored their thought-process when taking a drug allergy history. All audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.[2] Results Nine participants took part in the study. The simulation and interview lasted seven minutes on average. Four themes were generated through the analysis. Theme 1: taking drug allergy history is learnt mainly through practice-based learning. Theme 2: nature, type and severity of allergic reactions information were deemed important for making clinical judgements. Theme 3: skills for taking drug allergy history are underdeveloped despite having knowledge. Theme 4: real patient contact exposure is needed to translate learning into practice. Most participants remembered learning about taking drug allergy history through practice-based learning sessions such as workshops, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and hospital placements. Participants seemed to follow a set of ‘rules’ when undertaking the simulation. For example, they stopped asking questions about allergies and decide not to dispense penicillin when they were informed that the patient was allergic to penicillin. Most participants recognised the risk of serious harm to patients if they made a mistake about patient allergies, and the need to have more real-world experiences to help translate their learning into practice. Conclusion Pharmacy students appeared to have the theoretical knowledge about drug allergies, but they were not yet able to make an appropriate clinical judgement in real-world situations. An increase in real-world clinical experience such as patient consultations in work-based placements can provide pharmacy students with valuable opportunities. By knowing how to undertake an accurate allergy history, fewer people will be inaccurately labelled as allergic, promoting antimicrobial stewardship. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating how United Kingdom undergraduate pharmacy students undertake a drug allergy history. Our participants studied in one pharmacy school and undergraduate pharmacy students studying in other pharmacy schools may have different experiences around drug allergy history taking.

Managing Periorbital Necrotizing Fasciitis: How Invasive Should We Go?

Introduction : Periorbital necrotizing fasciitis (PNF) is rapidly progressive and severe infection that may result in vision loss, serious facial disfigurement, and death. Primary management includes surgical debridement; however, here we report a case in which conservative approach resulted in favorable resolution.
 Case Illustration : A 24-year-old male presented with swollen right upper eyelid, with watery eye, pain, and blurry vision since 1 week prior. No history of trauma or known systemic diseases was reported. Restricted movement of the right eye (RE), slight nonaxial proptosis, and skin defect along the right superior palpebra with pus, blood, necrotic and granulation tissues were found. Visual acuity (VA) of RE decreased to 6/40 with normal intraocular pressure. No abnormalities on the left eye, fever, and other signs of systemic involvement were present. Contrast orbital computed tomography (CT) scan revealed right preseptal and postseptal tissue lesions, suggesting orbital cellulitis. Initial blood work showed leukocytosis, elevated neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, and high liver function markers. The diagnosis of right orbital cellulitis with PNF was established. Skin swabs and blood cultures were taken, while intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam, bedside wound debridement, and chloramphenicol ointment application were initiated. The swab culture later showed Acinetobactersp. The infection improved, VA was restored to 6/6, and wound closure was achieved without any surgery.
 Discussion : Management of necrotizing fasciitis localized in periorbita in an otherwise healthy patient may be successfully accomplished with a less invasive approach.
 Conclusion : Timely diagnosis and correct antibiotic therapy are mandatory to decrease morbidity and mortality related to PNF.

Performance of large language models on advocating the management of meningitis: a comparative qualitative study

ObjectivesWe aimed to examine the adherence of large language models (LLMs) to bacterial meningitis guidelines using a hypothetical medical case, highlighting their utility and limitations in healthcare.MethodsA simulated clinical scenario...

P26 User experience of a clinical decision support system in the form of a mobile app in supporting antimicrobial stewardship

Abstract Background There are advancements in the use of technology in modern healthcare. Healthcare professionals use various digital platforms such as electronic medical records, e- prescriptions, websites and smartphone apps to enable prompt access to clinical information. Healthcare professionals are likely to refer to their smartphones for prompt clinical information or guidance that are easily accessible in contrast to paper guides, handbooks and desktop computers. Some studies have shown that mobile application guidelines within a smart phone app increase adherence to prescribing guidelines by clinicians. Furthermore, benefits of a smart phone app are the ability to update them more quickly than paper-based information and the ability to improve clinical decision-making within the form of an electronic clinical decision support system (CDSS). Despite the increased use of digital information there are limited studies in this area on the use of CDSS within smart phone antimicrobial apps. More evidence is needed to better understand healthcare usage of such apps in the area of antimicrobial stewardship. Microguide V1 (M1) is a smartphone antimicrobial app currently in widespread use in UK hospitals designed to provide access to local prescribing guidelines. However, M1 does not have a support tool to ‘direct’ or map prescribers to a specific treatment plan for their patients based on symptoms or suspected diagnosis. Microguide V2 (M2) is an updated version that includes an additional decision support tool that helps to identify the correct antibiotic to prescribe based on patient’s clinical symptoms. Objectives To evaluate clinician experiences with both versions of the app within Mid and South Essex University Hospitals (MSE) Trust. In MSE, the M1 is currently in use but M2 is being adopted from November 2023 onwards as part of strategies to improve antimicrobial stewardship, and to help with meeting Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) targets for IV to oral switching of antibiotics). Methods A mixed methods approach was devised utilizing an online survey and interviews pre- and post-introduction of M2. Questions were aligned to the COMB-B behaviour model approach influencing change. Topics covered were awareness, experience, barriers, concerns and prescribing behaviour. All prescribers within the Trust working on adult inpatient wards were eligible for participation. Results A pre-implementation survey of M2 was conducted between January and October 2023. A total of 473 people accessed the online survey, with 24 responses, but only a total of 15 participants fully completed the survey. The roles of the participants were 6 pharmacists, 3 nurses and 6 doctors. In terms of awareness of the app, 87% stated yes and 38% agreed that the app increased their awareness of antimicrobial stewardship. Two-thirds (67%) of participants used the app in supporting prescribing decisions, whilst a third had never used it. Nearly 40% of participants agreed that the app encouraged them to challenge inappropriate prescribing and almost half (46%) agreed that that they felt comfortable accessing the app at patient’s bedside. The interview analysis is still ongoing. Conclusions The results so far provide evidence that M1 is being accessed by prescribers in making clinical decisions and they find it useful. The obvious and major limitation of this study was the small number of responses, and this is partially explained by winter pressures and industrial action by nurses and doctors. This led to reduced availability of participants.

Case report: isolated prevotella intermedia causing intracranial infection detected using metagenomic next generation sequencing

BackgroundIsolated Prevotella intermedia, a rare gram-negative, rod-shaped, anaerobic bacterium, is rarely detected in clinical practice. It has been associated with infections of the oral cavity and female genital tract, but has never been detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients in China. Accurate detection of causative pathogens is still an arduous task owing to the difficult conditions of anaerobic bacterial culture. Isolated Prevotella intermedia can be detected by metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) of the CSF. Correct diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can help patients avoid life-threatening events.Case presentationHerein, we describe the case of a 64-year-old Chinese woman who presented with typical features of meningoencephalitis. Routine CSF culture failed to identify the causative pathogen. Isolated Prevotella intermedia was detected by mNGS, and the patient was treated with antibacterial agents including ceftriaxone, vancomycin, moxifloxacin, meropenem, metronidazole, and linezolid. The patient underwent surgical treatment for abscess of left frontal parietal lobe, which was observed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and was suspected to be caused by Prevotella intermedia. It was further confirmed that it was a secondary infection from the oral cavity, and the possible etiology might have been dental surgery. Treatment was rendered to the patient based on metagenomic test result, and her condition improved after two months.ConclusionsThis case highlights the role of mNGS in accurate diagnosis of patients with central nervous system infection. In particular, mNGS can be used to identify rare pathogens and confirm the diagnosis in patients with unknown etiology.

Airway microbiota correlated with pulmonary exacerbation in primary ciliary dyskinesia patients.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is characterized by symptoms such as productive cough, rhinitis, and recurrent infections in both the upper and lower airways, which can lead to chronic infection, bronchiectasis, and decreased pulmonary function. Our study aimed to analyze the diversity and composition of the microbiota in the respiratory tract and investigate the correlation of the microbiota with pulmonary exacerbation in PCD patients. This study employed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to explore the microbiota present in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and sputum samples collected from PCD patients. Eighty-five airway samples (17 BALF and 68 sputum samples) were collected from 72 patients aged 2 months to 60 years. Significantly lower sputum microbiota diversity and richness were found in the pulmonary exacerbation group than in the pulmonary stabilization group; additionally, the relative abundance of Pseudomonas increased when pulmonary exacerbation occurred. There was a positive correlation between pulmonary exacerbation and the relative abundance of Pseudomonas, while Streptococcus, Moraxella, and Haemophilus showed a negative correlation. Although there was no significant difference in the sputum microbiota diversity and composition in children aged 6-18 years with pulmonary exacerbation, Pseudomonas increased during pulmonary exacerbation. BALF samples of pediatric patients with pulmonary exacerbation had a lower microbiota diversity and richness; furthermore, Pseudomonas had a higher abundance and a moderate distinguishing effect. We found that microbiota beta diversity and dominance were decreased during pulmonary exacerbation. Additionally, Pseudomonas had a higher abundance and moderate distinguishing effect in pediatric patients with pulmonary exacerbation. IMPORTANCE PCD is a rare disease characterized by productive cough, rhinitis, and recurrent infections of the upper and lower airways. Because the diagnosis of PCD is often delayed, patients receive more antibiotics, experience a heavier financial burden, and have a worse prognosis; thus, it is very important to identify the pathogeny and use the correct antibiotic. In this large single-center study of PCD microbiota, we identified an outline of the bacterial microbes from the respiratory tract; furthermore, we found that the microbiota diversity in pediatric sputum was richer than that in pediatric BALF through sequencing, indicating a heterogeneous community structure. The microbiota diversity and richness were lower during pulmonary exacerbation than during pulmonary stabilization. A significantly higher abundance of Pseudomonas had a moderate distinguishing effect for lung exacerbation, which attracted more attention for the study of Pseudomonas therapy in pediatric patients with PCD.

Pulmonary Actinomycosis, A Lesson Learned Story

The bacteria Actinomyces spp. a gram-positive bacteria responsible for the actinomycosis disease. Its 15–20% pulmonary presentation is generally chronic, progresses slowly, and might be misinterpreted as lung cancer or other long-term conditions. We describe a man in his 60s with weight loss and dyspnea. The presence of Actinomyces spp. was identified in a bronchial biopsy of the middle lobe, ruling out lung cancer as the initial diagnostic possibility. After a month of intravenously administered antibiotic treatment, the patient experienced bronchiectasis. Pulmonary actinomycosis should be considered since it is challenging to detect and sometimes mistaken for lung neoplasia or TB due to its comparable clinical and radiographic presentations. The prognosis of pulmonary actinomycosis (PA) is favorable, and it is feasible to avoid recurring complications with the correct antibiotic treatment.

Antimicrobial stewardship program in urinary tract infections due to multiresistant strains in the emergency department

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a frequent reason for attendance at emergency department (ED). The present study evaluates the impact of a multidisciplinary program for the optimization of antibiotic therapy in patients with UTI caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria treated from the hospital ED. Descriptive study of the implementation of a program in which emergency, microbiology and pharmacy departments participated. Antibiotic treatment of the patients who consulted the ED with positive urine cultures caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria was reviewed upon discharge. In those patients with inappropriate treatment, doctors and/or pharmacists of the next level of healthcare or patients in the case of home discharge were contacted. The impact of the program was evaluated based on new visits to the ED at 30 days after discharge, compared with the results obtained from the usual practice three months prior the intervention. During the first year, 2,474 urine cultures of patients with UTI were reviewed, 533 (21.7%) were caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Empirical treatment was inappropriate in 287 (53.4%), making treatment modifications in 243 of them. 73 (19.3%) patients returned to the ED 30 days after discharge, being lower than the results obtained in the three months prior intervention (27.9%; p=0.031), without significant differences in new visits associated with UTI. The implementation of a multidisciplinary program focused on multidrug resistant UTI at discharge form ED correct antibiotic therapy in a large number of patients, being a potentially tool to reduce the number of new ED visits.

Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and perceived quality of education about antimicrobial use and resistance of medical students in Zambia, Southern Africa.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global health threat, particularity in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) where antibiotics are readily available, leading to antibiotic misuse. Educational interventions are lacking in Zambia. Our study assessed antimicrobial use and resistance knowledge, attitude and perceived quality of education relating to AMR in Zambian medical schools. A cross-sectional anonymous survey of students at six accredited medical schools in Zambia using a self-administered questionnaire was administered, using Qualtrics. Chi-squared, Fisher exact test, Pearson correlation test and Student's t-tests were performed for descriptive analyses. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between knowledge and antibiotic use, beliefs and behaviours. Analysis was performed in SAS version 9.4. One hundred and eighty responses from six medical schools were included in the final analysis. Fifty-six percent of students rated their overall education on antibiotic use as useful or very useful. Ninety-one percent thought that antibiotics are overused, and 88% thought resistance was a problem in Zambia. Only 47% felt adequately trained on antibiotic prescribing, and 43% felt confident in choosing the correct antibiotic for specific infections. Only 2% felt prepared interpreting antibiograms, 3% were trained to de-escalate to narrow-spectrum antibiotics, 6% knew how to transition from IV antibiotics to oral antibiotics, 12% knew of dosing and duration, and 14% understood the spectrum of activity of antibiotics. Forty-seven percent of respondents think hand hygiene is unimportant. Medical students in Zambia expressed a good level of knowledge, but low levels of training and confidence regarding antimicrobial prescribing practices and resistance. Our study highlights training gaps and possible areas of intervention in the medical school curriculum.

Farklı Hekim Gruplarının Pediatrik Akut Bakteriyel Rinosinüzite Yaklaşımları

Objective: Our aim in this study is to analyze the compliance rates with current guidelines by raising awareness among pediatricians, otolaryngologists, general practitioners and family physicians about the diagnosis and treatment of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. Methods: A survey containing 18 questions was sent to physicians working in the Marmara Region of Turkey. The responses and variables, including age, gender, duration of professional experience, specialty area, and the number of cases diagnosed in one month, were evaluated concerning the current guidelines from the American Society of Infectious Diseases Results: Totally 500 physicians were enrolled into this study. The majority of the physicians participating in the study [91,4% (n=458)] did not know how to differentiate acute rhinosinusitis from viral upper respiratory tract infection clinically. The number of physicians prescribing the correct antibiotic but at the wrong dosage was 186 (37.2%). It was observed that general physicians made more mistakes in determining the diagnosis with the correct criteria than the other specialties (p=0.03). Conclusion: There appears to be a problem of clinical inertia in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric acute bacterial rhinosinusitis at the emergency department in Turkey, possibly due to unfamiliarity with the condition, patient overload, worries about performance fees, and failure to update medical knowledge concerning current guidelines. Increased emphasis on continuing professional education and various supportive measures for primary care physicians may help to resolve this.

Анализ качественного и количественного состава ассоциаций микроорганизмов, выделенных из гнойного очага, у пациентов с хроническим остеомиелитом за трехлетний период

Introduction Annual microbiological monitoring of the leading causative agents of osteomyelitis and their antibiotic sensitivity is essential for identifying drugs that have lost the effectiveness. An increase in microbial associations requires different approaches to antibiotic therapy. Analysis of the composition of associations with a priority pathogen to be identified to avoid administration of ineffective drugs and optimize treatment. The purpose was to monitor qualitative and quantitative community composition of microorganisms isolated from the osteomyelitic focus in patients with chronic osteomyelitis over a three-year period. Material and methods The object of the study were strains of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria isolated during primary inoculation as part of associations of bacteria from wounds and fistulas of patients who were treated in the clinic of infection osteology at the Kurgan Ilizarov Centre between 2018 and 2020. Standard bacteriological methods were used to isolate pure cultures. Bacteria were identified using bacteriological analyzer. Results and discussion Two-component microbial associations isolated in patients with chronic osteomyelitis included P. aeruginosa + S. aureus, Enterobacteriacae + S. aureus, S. aureus + CoNS. The strains of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were most common pathogens identified in mixed cultures. Inoculations of S. aureus + Enterococcus sp. increased and P. aeruginosa + Enterococcus sp. associations showed a two-fold decrease in 2020 compared to 2018. Three- and four-component associations of bacteria increased with the spectrum of combinations being diverse among the isolated mix cultures over a three-year period. Bacteria of the Enterobacteriacae and S. aureus family were most common in three-component associations. Four-component associations were represented by mix cultures of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria including NFGOB and S. aureus. Conclusion An increased frequency of isolated microbial associations necessitates an annual analysis of changes in the qualitative and quantitative composition to identify the spectrum of the most common microflora of the osteomyelitic focus and correct antibiotic therapy.

NEONATAL SEPSIS

Septicemia in neonates refers to generalized bacterial infection documented by positive blood culture in the rst four weeks of life and is one of the four leading causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity in India. Although it is a global problem in developing countries is enormous because of the lack of clear guidelines for organizing the condition, the lack of standard laboratory procedures, and the impulsiveness of the physician to switch to antibiotics for any minor deterioration. The source of infection in the baby can be from the mother called early-onset sepsis or from the community or hospital called late-onset sepsis. Appropriate identication and knowledge of the causative microorganism can help in deciding the correct antibiotic and causative microorganisms in one area or hospital will be different from another area and therefore it is prudent to try to identify the disease-causing organism. Treatment requires well judged use of antibiotics with appropriate dosage and duration along with proper choice of antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics should be discouraged because of the risk of complications and resistance development

A Proposal for a Classification Guiding the Selection of Appropriate Antibiotic Therapy for Intra-Abdominal Infections.

Adequately controlling the source of infection and prescribing appropriately antibiotic therapy are the cornerstones of the management of patients with intra-abdominal infections (IAIs). Correctly classifying patients with IAIs is crucial to assessing the severity of their clinical condition and deciding the strategy of the treatment, including a correct empiric antibiotic therapy. Best practices in prescribing antibiotics may impact patient outcomes and the cost of treatment, as well as the risk of “opportunistic” infections such as Clostridioides difficile infection and the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance. This review aims to identify a correct classification of IAIs, guiding clinicians in the selection of the best antibiotic therapy in patients with IAIs.

Electrochemical antibiotic susceptibility testing: An emerging approach for fast and accurate determination of antibiotic effect in complex samples

With the emergence of drug resistant infections it is becoming increasingly important to develop technologies which accelerate and enhance prescription of antibiotics. For routine hospital testing in advanced economies, gold standard analysis techniques usually identify the correct antibiotic for treatment of an infection in 12–72 h. Current techniques are highly automated, can handle many samples but are inflexible, can be time consuming, and are not amenable to point of care use. Electrochemical approaches lend themselves very well to antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) because of the possibility of developing low cost miniaturised systems which can be deployed at the point of need or as high throughput systems which can be used in centralised hospital laboratories. This article will detail recent advances in the field of electrochemical AST and offer commentary on the current state of the field and the prospects for translation of electrochemical AST systems into real world use. • Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health problem with potential to cause 10 million deaths per year by 2050. • New technologies which better guide rational prescription of antibiotics are needed. • Electrochemical systems are beginning to show great promise for enhancing antibiotic stewardship. • Low cost, portability, high sensitivity and multiplex capability are attractive features of electrochemical AST systems.

Diagnosis of respiratory disease in adult cattle using ultrasonography

This article features video recordings to emphasise the vague presenting clinical signs of chronic respiratory disease affecting adult cattle, the common sonographic findings, and response to correct antibiotic therapy in selected cases. Identification and quantification of lung and pleural pathologies can be readily achieved within 1–2 minutes using a 5 MHz linear transducer (‘rectal probe’).

β-Lactam Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Critically Ill Patients: Weighing the Challenges and Opportunities to Assess Clinical Value.

OBJECTIVE:β-lactams are the cornerstone of empiric and targeted antibiotic therapy for critically ill patients. Recently, there have been calls to use β-lactam therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) within 24–48 hours after the initiation of therapy in critically ill patients. In this article, we review the dynamic physiology of critically ill patients, β-lactam dose response in critically ill patients, the impact of pathogen minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) on β-lactam TDM, and pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients. Additionally, we highlight available clinical data to better inform β-lactam TDM for critically ill patients.DATA SOURCES:We retrospectively analyzed patients admitted for sepsis or septic shock at a single academic medical center who were treated with β-lactam antibiotics.STUDY SELECTION:Indexed studies in PubMed in English language were selected for review on topics relative to critical care physiology, β-lactams, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, TDM, and antibiotic susceptibility.DATA EXTRACTION:We reviewed potentially related studies on β-lactams and TDM and summarized their design, patients, and results. This is a synthetic, nonsystematic, review.DATA SYNTHESIS:In the retrospective analysis of patients treated with β-lactam antibiotics, approximately one-third of patients received less than 48 hours of β-lactam therapy. Of those who continued beyond 48 hours, only 13.7% had patient-specific factors (augmented renal clearance, fluid overload, morbid obesity, and/or surgical drain), suggesting a potential benefit of β-lactam TDM.CONCLUSIONS:These data indicate that a strategy of comprehensive β-lactam TDM for critically ill patients is unwarranted as it has not been shown yet to improve patient-oriented outcomes. This review demonstrates that β-lactam TDM in the ICU, while laudable, layers ambiguous β-lactam exposure thresholds upon uncertain/unknown MIC data within a dynamic, unpredictable patient population for whom TDM results will not be available fast enough to significantly affect care. Judicious, targeted TDM for those with risk factors for β-lactam over- or underexposure is a better approach but requires further study. Clinically, choosing the correct antibiotic and dosing β-lactams aggressively, which have a wide therapeutic index, to overcome critical illness factors appears to give critically ill patients the best likelihood of survival.

Diagnosis and Management of Bloodstream Infections With Rapid, Multiplexed Molecular Assays.

Bloodstream infection is a major health concern, responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality across the globe. Prompt identification of the responsible pathogen in the early stages of the disease allows clinicians to implement appropriate antibiotic therapy in a timelier manner. Rapid treatment with the correct antibiotic not only improves the chances of patient survival, but also significantly reduces the length of hospital stay and associated healthcare costs. Although culture has been the gold standard and most common method for diagnosis of bloodstream pathogens, it is being enhanced or supplanted with more advanced methods, including molecular tests that can reduce the turnaround time from several days to a few hours. In this article, we describe two rapid, molecular bloodstream infection panels that identify the most common pathogens and associated genetic determinants of antibiotic resistance – the Luminex® VERIGENE® Gram-Positive Blood Culture Test and the VERIGENE® Gram-Negative Blood Culture Test. We conducted a search on PubMed to retrieve articles describing the performance and impact of these tests in the clinical setting. From a total of 48 articles retrieved, we selected 15 for inclusion in this review based on the type and size of the study and so there would be minimum of three articles describing performance and three articles describing the impact post-implementation for each assay. Here we provide a comprehensive review of these publications illustrating the performance and clinical utility of these assays, demonstrating how genotypic tests can benefit diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship efforts.

Antibiotic Usage in Surgical Prophylaxis: A Retrospective Study in the Surgical Ward of a Governmental Hospital in Riyadh Region.

Antibiotic prophylaxis is used to decrease the bacterial load in the wound to assist the natural host defenses in preventing the occurrence of surgical site infections. The present study aimed to investigate trends in using antibiotic prophylaxis in the surgical ward of a governmental hospital in the Riyadh Region and included collecting data concerning the use of antibiotic prophylaxis from medical electronic records. During 2020, most of the surgical patients received systemic antibiotics (82.40%). The most prescribed antibiotics were ceftriaxone (28.44%) and metronidazole (26.36%). The study also found that most of the patients received antibiotics for seven days or for five days, and only 1.08% of the patients received antibiotics appropriately for a maximum of one day. The present study showed that there was a major problem in selecting the correct antibiotic and in the duration of its use compared with the recommendations of the surgical prophylaxis guideline that was issued by the Saudi Ministry of Health. Thus, there is an urgent need to improve the adherence to the recommendations of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines in order to reduce the occurrence of negative consequences.