Article
Immunology
James W. Antoon, Matt Hall, James A. Feinstein, Kathryn E. Kyler, Samir S. Shah, Sonya Tang Girdwood, Jennifer L. Goldman, Carlos G. Grijalva, Derek J. Williams
Summary: This study investigated the concordance of antiviral treatment in children at high risk for influenza complications and found that 42% did not receive guideline-concordant antiviral treatment. Further research is needed to identify barriers to appropriate antiviral use in this vulnerable population.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Frederick G. Hayden, Jason Asher, Benjamin J. Cowling, Aeron C. Hurt, Hideyuki Ikematsu, Klaus Kuhlbusch, Annabelle Lemenuel-Diot, Zhanwei Du, Lauren Ancel Meyers, Pedro A. Piedra, Takahiro Takazono, Hui-Ling Yen, Arnold S. Monto
Summary: Studies indicate that prompt antiviral treatment can reduce the risk of influenza virus transmission to contacts, especially in household settings. However, reported effects vary widely across studies. Additionally, all approved classes of influenza antivirals carry a potential risk of transmitting drug-resistant variants.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Virology
Omid Rashidi, Afagh Moattari, Neda Pirbonyeh, Amir Emami, Mohammad Rahim Kadivar, Nahid Tavakoli Movaghar, Fahimeh Edalat
Summary: The study aimed to determine the genetic mutation of the neuraminidase gene in influenza A (H1N1) viruses in southwest Iran. The emergence of oseltamivir resistance was identified, highlighting the importance of conducting similar evaluations in different geographical regions and planning treatment strategies for influenza.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Renee W. Y. Chan, Kin P. Tao, Jiqing Ye, Kevin K. Y. Lui, Xiao Yang, Cong Ma, Paul K. S. Chan
Summary: Influenza virus is a major public health challenge characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Oseltamivir is commonly used as an antiviral, but resistant strains have been detected. This study designed and synthesized two new compounds that showed significant antiviral activity against both seasonal and oseltamivir-resistant strains. These compounds have the potential to be an important addition to the arsenal of antiviral drugs.
Article
Immunology
Teena Mohan, Ha T. Nguyen, Krista Kniss, Vasiliy P. Mishin, Angiezel A. Merced-Morales, Jennifer Laplante, Kirsten St George, Patricia Blevins, Anton Chesnokov, Juan A. De la Cruz, Rebecca Kondor, David E. Wentworth, Larisa Gubareva
Summary: Four cases of oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 virus infection were detected among inhabitants of a border detention center in Texas, USA. The hemagglutinin of these viruses belongs to subclade 6B.1A5A-156K, which may enable viral escape from preexisting immunity, highlighting the importance of monitoring both drug resistance and antigenic drift of circulating viruses.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Chia-Ping Su, K. Arnold Chan, Ching-Tai Huang, Chi-Tai Fang
Summary: The study shows that inhaled zanamivir is as effective as oral oseltamivir in preventing influenza-related hospitalization or death for outpatients.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hassan Zaraket, Aeron C. Hurt, Barry Clinch, Ian Barr, Nelson Lee
Summary: Influenza B viruses cause significant morbidity and mortality, especially in children. There is uncertainty surrounding the clinical efficacy of neuraminidase inhibitors for treating influenza B. Focus on children and high-risk patients is crucial for managing influenza B effectively.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Virology
Smriti Krishna, Anup Jayaram, Ujwal Shetty, Prasad Varamballi, Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay, Anitha Jagadesh
Summary: Influenza viruses can mutate, leading to respiratory ailments. The H275Y mutation in the neuraminidase gene reduces the effectiveness of oseltamivir, a commonly used drug for treating Influenza A and B virus infection. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of the H275Y mutation among hospitalized patients from 2014 to 2021. The results showed a low prevalence of oseltamivir resistance and raised concerns about the effectiveness of the recommended probes for detecting the mutation in recent years.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Chiara Medaglia, Arnaud Charles-Antoine Zwygart, Paulo Jacob Silva, Samuel Constant, Song Huang, Francesco Stellacci, Caroline Tapparel
Summary: Influenza viruses have high genetic variability and can quickly develop resistance mutations. Combination therapy with two drugs can reduce the risk of resistance emergence. Combining interferon lambda with oseltamivir can delay the emergence of drug-resistant influenza virus variants.
Article
Virology
Takayuki Kuroda, Keita Fukao, Shinpei Yoshida, Ryoko Oka, Kaoru Baba, Yoshinori Ando, Keiichi Taniguchi, Takeshi Noshi, Takao Shishido
Summary: Although the prevalence of influenza virus strains with reduced susceptibility to baloxavir acid is low, there is a possibility of emergence under selective pressure and human-to-human transmission. The study investigated the efficacy of baloxavir acid and oseltamivir phosphate against influenza strains with PA/I38T substitution, and found that baloxavir acid demonstrated dose-dependent antiviral effects comparable to oseltamivir phosphate, although the reduction in lung virus titer was diminished in animal models infected with PA/I38T-substituted strains.
Article
Immunology
Masatoki Sato, Emi Takashita, Masahiko Katayose, Kenji Nemoto, Nobuko Sakai, Seiichiro Fujisaki, Koichi Hashimoto, Mitsuaki Hosoya
Summary: This study aimed to detect influenza variants with reduced susceptibility to baloxavir marboxil and oseltamivir, and to determine differences in clinical course in children with and without these variants post-antiviral treatment. The results showed that while the emergence of baloxavir-resistant variants may affect the clinical course of patients, oseltamivir-resistant variants had no clinical impact.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Mark W. Tenforde, Charisse N. Cummings, Alissa C. O'Halloran, Gretchen Rothrock, Pam Daily Kirley, Nisha B. Alden, James Meek, Kimberly Yousey-Hindes, Kyle P. Openo, Evan J. Anderson, Maya L. Monroe, Sue Kim, Val Tellez Nunez, Melissa McMahon, Chelsea McMullen, Sarah A. Khanlian, Nancy L. Spina, Alison Muse, Maria A. Gaitan, Christina B. Felsen, Krista Lung, Eli Shiltz, Melissa Sutton, Ann Thomas, H. Keipp Talbot, William Schaffner, Andrea Price, Ryan Chatelain, Carrie Reed, Shikha Garg
Summary: Based on surveillance data, it was found that the initiation rate of antiviral treatment increased from 86% to 94% among hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza in the United States during the 2015-2016 through 2018-2019 seasons. However, late presentation to care resulted in 62% of patients starting therapy ≥ 3 days after illness onset.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Virology
Mengwei Li, Yuxu Wang, Jing Jin, Jie Dou, Qinglong Guo, Xue Ke, Changlin Zhou, Min Guo
Summary: The study reveals that honeysuckle acids and flavonoids extracts are the major antiviral active components, showing inhibitory effects against influenza viruses. Honeysuckle extracts have a broad-spectrum inhibitory effect on the neuraminidase of influenza viruses.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yunjeong Lee, Dong Han Lee, Hee-Dae Kwon, Changsoo Kim, Jeehyun Lee
Summary: This study proposes mathematical models with different population structures to estimate the reproduction numbers of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 epidemic in South Korea. The incorporation of age- or region-structure allows for robust estimation of parameters, in contrast to the basic SIR model which provides estimated values with severe fluctuation. The results show that introducing heterogeneity into the population is essential for a more accurate estimation of disease dynamics.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ji-Hyun Park, Beomkyu Kim, Khristine Joy C. Antigua, Ju Hwan Jeong, Chang il Kim, Won-Suk Choi, Sol Oh, Chan Hyung Kim, Eung-Gook Kim, Young Ki Choi, Yun Hee Baek, Min-Suk Song
Summary: The study found that treatment with baloxavir marboxil (BXM) in mice can lead to the emergence of resistant variants of influenza viruses. Combination therapy with BXM and oseltamivir phosphate (OS) can help mitigate the emergence of this resistance.
ANTIVIRAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Zikria Saleem, Abdul Haseeb, Brian Godman, Narjis Batool, Ummara Altaf, Umar Ahsan, Faiz Ullah Khan, Zia Ul Mustafa, Muhammad Umer Nadeem, Muhammad Junaid Farrukh, Muhammad Mugheera, Inaam Ur Rehman, Asma Fareed Khan, Hamid Saeed, Mohammad Akbar Hossain, Mohamed Raafat, Rozan Mohammad Radwan, Muhammad Shahid Iqbal
Summary: This study assessed the patterns of antimicrobial prescribing and the prevalence of COVID-19 among hospitals in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among 1024 hospitalized patients, 662 (64.64%) received antimicrobials. The most common indications for antimicrobial use were pneumonia (13.3%), central nervous system infections (10.4%), and gastrointestinal indications (10.4%). The study revealed high antimicrobial use in Pakistani hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for multifaceted interventions to enhance rational antimicrobial prescribing, especially for surgical prophylaxis.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Omaid Hayat Khan, Andee Dzulkarnaen Zakaria, Mohd Nizam Hashim, Amer Hayat Khan, Abdullmoin AlQarni, Manal AlGethamy, Mohammed Mahboob, Anas Mohammed Aljoaid, Nehad Jaser Ahmed, Abdul Haseeb
Summary: Surgical site infections are common among surgical patients and result in adverse outcomes. This study highlights the importance of surveillance studies in evaluating and revising infection control policies, and identifies risk factors associated with surgical site infections.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Md. Ashraful Islam, Dhfer Mahdi Alshayban, Atta Abbas Naqvi, Muhammad Bilal Maqsood, Azfar Athar Ishaqui, Muhammad Kashif, Majid Ali, Abdul Haseeb
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the anxiety level, disease knowledge, and intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 in the general public. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia, involving 542 adult participants. The results showed that most participants had no anxiety attributed to COVID-19, good knowledge of the disease, and intended to administer a vaccine. Age groups, chronic medical conditions, self-rated knowledge, and income were found to be determinants of anxiety and vaccination intention.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fatima Balquis, Muhammad Farhan Sohail, Huma Hamid, Waseem Ullah, Amer Hayat Khan, Gul Shahnaz
Summary: The lack of TB knowledge among private pharmacy staff and the sale of compromised quality anti-TB drugs contribute to the emergence of MDR-TB in Pakistan. This study examines the quality and storage conditions of FDC anti-TB drugs in private pharmacies and the awareness of pharmacy staff regarding TB identification and dispensing of appropriate treatment regimens. The results show a lack of awareness among staff, with 30% of drug samples failing to meet specifications. Private pharmacies play a crucial role in the effective management of TB and MDR-TB.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Muhammad Zeeshan Munir, Amer Hayat Khan, Tahir Mehmood Khan
Summary: This study analyzed medical records using two-stage cluster sampling and found that mortality in Pakistani COVID-19 patients is associated with factors such as gender, age, symptoms, and indications of organ failure. The most prescribed drugs were antibiotics, corticosteroids, anticoagulants, tocilizumab, and ivermectin.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Mohammed Zawiah, Amer Hayat Khan, Rana Abu Farha, Abubakar Usman, Abubakar Shaaban, Khawla Abu Hammour, Zahraa Almuhsen
Summary: This study aimed to explore the diagnostic and treatment practices for stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) among clinicians. The findings revealed a lack of standardized approach, with clinicians relying on different criteria and strategies. Therefore, it is important to establish and implement a gold standard criteria for diagnosing and treating SAP.
ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF GENERAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Karwan Bahram Maulood, Mohammad Khan, Syed Azhar Syed Sulaiman, Amer Hayat Khan
Summary: This study assessed asthmatic patients' knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) towards bronchial asthma and the impact of health education. A cross-sectional interventional asthma KAP survey was conducted in Erbil, Iraq, involving 250 asthmatic patients. Health education interventions led to significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and practices among asthmatic patients.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mahmood Basil A. Al-Rawi, Amer Hayat Khan, Muhammad Shahid Iqbal, A. T. El Olemy
Summary: Diabetes increases the risk of COVID-19 infection and leads to poorer outcomes. Fluctuations in blood glucose levels make viral infection harder to treat, and compromised immune systems result in longer recovery times. Poorly controlled diabetes impairs the immune response. Inflammatory biomarkers are elevated in diabetic patients with COVID-19. The impact of COVID-19 on pancreatic abnormalities and manifestation is not well understood, requiring further investigation. Weight loss, exercise, diet control, regular monitoring, and management of comorbidities are crucial for prevention and better outcomes. Vaccination priority should be given to diabetic patients, and a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for those with underlying medical conditions.
ASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Zia Ul Mustafa, Hafiza Kiran Majeed, Shaiza Latif, Muhammad Salman, Khezar Hayat, Tauqeer Hussain Mallhi, Yusra Habib Khan, Amer Hayat Khan, Usman Abubakar, Kishwar Sultana, Brian Godman
Summary: This cross-sectional study evaluated the adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures among healthcare workers (HCWs) working at COVID-19 treatment centers in Punjab, Pakistan. The study found that despite the limited availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), Pakistani HCWs demonstrate good adherence to IPC measures.
DISASTER MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Nehad J. Ahmed, Khaled Alanazi, Mohamed Alghazwani, Ziyad S. Almalki, Abdul Haseeb, Ahmed M. Alshehri, Abdullah K. Alahmari, Amer H. Khan
Summary: The study aimed to assess healthcare workers' knowledge of antibiotic use and resistance during the COVID-19 epidemic. The results showed that most healthcare professionals had good knowledge about bacterial resistance and antibiotic use, but there was still a knowledge gap on antibiotic use. Therefore, raising awareness through conferences, lectures, and workshops is crucial.
LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Nehad J. Ahmed, Abdullah K. Alahmari, Ahmed M. Alshehri, Ziyad S. Almalki, Abdul Haseeb, Amer H. Khan
Summary: Antibiotics were initially seen as miraculous drugs due to the lack of alternative treatments for severe bacterial infections. However, they can cause adverse effects such as nausea, diarrhea, rashes, vomiting, and gastrointestinal distress. A retrospective analysis of adverse drug events associated with commonly prescribed antibiotics revealed the occurrence of various adverse events, including rash, drug hypersensitivity, pruritus, dyspnea, and gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea. Although uncommon, serious adverse effects can also occur. Understanding the rates of frequent adverse events associated with antibiotic use can help prescribers weigh the benefits against the harms.
LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Nehad J. Ahmed, Enas E. Elsaid, Ziyad S. Almalki, Ghadeer A. Alasmari, Abdul Haseeb, Ahmed Malshehri, Abdullah K. Alahmari, Amer H. Khan
Summary: Antibiotic resistance leads to longer hospital stays, increased medical expenses, and higher mortality rates. This retrospective study examined the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in a tertiary hospital in Al Seih. A total of 522 bacterial isolates were collected in 2021, with the majority being gram-negative bacteria (84.10%). The most common bacteria identified were Klebsiella pneumoniae (22.41%), Escherichia coli (17.62%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.09%), Acinetobacter baumannii (12.84%), and Staphylococcus aureus (10.15%). The study revealed high resistance rates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis to multiple antibiotics, while Acinetobacter baumannii showed resistance to all tested antibiotics. It is recommended to educate the public on responsible antibiotic use and increase awareness among healthcare professionals regarding appropriate antibiotic prescribing based on antimicrobial resistance rates.
LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Nehad J. Ahmed, Khaled Alanazi, Mohamed Alghazwani, Ziyad S. Almalki, Abdul Haseeb, Ahmed M. Alshehri, Abdullah K. Alahmari, Amer H. Khan
Summary: This study investigated the attitudes and practices of healthcare professionals regarding antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance through an online survey disseminated on social media. The findings showed that the majority of respondents recognized antibiotic abuse as the main cause of bacterial resistance and believed in the importance of educational courses on rational antibiotic use. Additionally, most participants reported responsible behavior such as not taking antibiotics without a prescription and not sharing antibiotics with others.
LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Saleh A. Alrebish, Hasan S. Yusufoglu, Reem F. Alotibi, Nawal S. Abdulkhalik, Nehad J. Ahmed, Amer H. Khan
Summary: Healthcare-associated infections, such as ventilator-associated pneumonia, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections, were investigated in a retrospective study at a public hospital in Unaizah, Saudi Arabia in 2021. The rates of surgical site infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms were reported. The compliance rates for various infection prevention techniques were also assessed, emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene and personal safety equipment.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Usman Abubakar, Ahmed Awaisu, Amer Hayat Khan, Khurshid Alam, Mario Gajdacs
Summary: This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rate of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The results showed an increased risk of CLABSIs and CDIs during the pandemic, but no overall increase in the risk of HAIs.
