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Includes the following Articles: Improved Blood Donor Screening for WNV, Azithromycin Failure as Prophylaxis or Treatment of Syphilis, United Kingdom Cracks Down on Potential Blood Donors and Human and Feline Sporotrichosis in Rio.
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A formulary switch from levofloxacin to gatifloxacin as the preferred quinolone in a long-term care facility was associated with a significant increase in the incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). A case-control study showed that duration of gatifloxacin was independently associated with illness. Switching back to levofloxacin was followed by a decrease in incidence of CDAD to prior levels.
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Receipt of vancomycin antedated isolation of MRSA with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin in 25 patients. Fortunately, there are several alternatives to vancomycin for many of these isolates. There are, in addition, a large number of antibiotics in the pipeline with activity against Gram-positive organisms.
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A total of 6.2% of hospital employees were nasal carriers of MRSA, with the rate highest among workers in long-term care (36%). In 4 of 10 families surveyed, family members were colonized by the same MRSA as the employee.
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An antibiotic preparation meant for addition to animal feed was found to be contaminated with antibiotic resistance genes. Fortunately, the genes being used generally encode for resistance mechanisms that are already highly prevalent in gastrointestinal bacteria.
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Overall, caspofungin was at least as effective as liposomal amphotericin B for empiric therapy in persistently febrile neutropenic patients. Caspofungin therapy was associated with greater survival 7 days after the end of therapy, greater efficacy in treatment of baseline fungal infections, and it was better tolerated.
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An outbreak of conjunctivitis caused by a macrolide resistant unencapsulated pneumococcus occurred among naval trainees who were receiving azithromycin as prophylaxis against atypical pneumonia.
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Exposure of E. coli to ampicillin results in selection of a preexisting population of persister cells. Persistence may also be induced by ampicillin exposure via activation of the SOS response.