Review
Immunology
Sang Ho Choi, Antoni Cesar, Timothy Arthur Chandos Snow, Naveed Saleem, Nishkantha Arulkumaran, Mervyn Singer
Summary: This study found that the efficacy of doxycycline is comparable to macrolides or fluoroquinolones in adult patients with mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), suggesting that it is a viable treatment option. However, larger trials are needed to confirm these findings due to the lack of recent studies.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Jason E. Lang, Christoph P. Hornik, Carrie Elliott, Adam Silverstein, Chi Hornik, Amira Al-Uzri, Miroslava Bosheva, John S. Bradley, Charissa Fay Corazon Borja-Tabora, David Di John, Ana Mendez Echevarria, Jessica E. Ericson, David Friedel, Ferenc Gonczi, Marie Grace Dawn Isidro, Laura P. James, Krisztina Kalocsai, Ioannis Koutroulis, Istvan Laki, Anna Lisa T. Ong-Lim, Marta Nad, Gabor Simon, Salma Syed, Eva Szabo, Daniel K. Benjamin, Michael Cohen-Wolkowiez
Summary: This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of Solithromycin in pediatric community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. The results showed a higher incidence of adverse events in the Solithromycin group, but the drug was generally well-tolerated and associated with clinical improvement.
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Moe Uddin, Turab Mohammed, Mark Metersky, Antonio Anzueto, Carlos A. Alvarez, Eric M. Mortensen
Summary: This study aimed to examine the association between beta-lactam plus doxycycline and mortality for patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia. The study found that the use of doxycycline as part of guideline-concordant antibiotic therapy was associated with lower 30- and 90-day mortality than regimens without doxycycline.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Sang -Ho Choi, Antoni Cesar, Timothy Arthur Chandos Snow, Naveed Saleem, Nishkantha Arulkumaran, Mervyn Singer
Summary: For hospitalized adults with mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), respiratory fluoroquinolone monotherapy or β-lactam plus macrolide combination therapy are suggested as first-line options according to guidelines. However, the efficacy of these regimens has not been adequately evaluated.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Raghad K. Aldhahri, Shahad G. Gabb, Ohoud A. Shoaib, Reem M. Almadani, Khalid Eljaaly, Abrar K. Thabit
Summary: This study compared the effectiveness and safety of a combination of doxycycline with a beta-lactam and a combination of a macrolide with a beta-lactam in the treatment of non-severe community-acquired pneumonia. The results showed that there was no significant difference in clinical cure rate, time to clinical stability, and length of stay between the two groups. However, the combination of doxycycline with a beta-lactam had a better safety profile.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Ki Wook Yun, Rebecca Wallihan, Ankita Desai, Sherman Alter, Lilliam Ambroggio, Daniel M. Cohen, Ossama El-Assal, Sarah Marzec, Todd A. Florin, Meghan Keaton, Samir S. Shah, Richard M. Ruddy, Samantha Sharpe, Amy L. Leber, Kathy Everhart, Asuncion Mejias, Octavio Ramilo
Summary: This study provides contemporary information on the clinical characteristics and etiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children in the USA. The most common pathogens detected were rhinovirus/enterovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Tachypnea and chest radiographs with consolidation and/or pleural effusion were associated with hospitalization.
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Lucia Boix-Palop, Andrea Vergara, Emma Padilla, Diego Martinez, Ana Blanco, Josefa Perez, Esther Calbo, Jordi Vila, Climent Casals-Pascual
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of plasma Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) concentration in adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and its association with etiology, severity, and prognosis. The study found that LCN2 concentration was higher in bacterial CAP compared to non-bacterial CAP and had a limited ability to distinguish between the two. It also found that LCN2 concentration was associated with disease severity in adult patients with CAP. However, its utility as a biomarker to discriminate between viral and bacterial etiology in CAP is limited.
Article
Immunology
Anastasios Smyrnaios, Kari Risnes, Sidsel Krokstad, Svein Arne Nordbo, Inger Heimdal, Andreas Christensen, Henrik Dollner
Summary: This study compared children with pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and hospital controls to determine the contribution of respiratory viruses and bacteria. The presence of RSV, HMPV, and M. pneumoniae were most strongly associated with CAP. Increasing viral genomic loads of RSV and HMPV were also found to be positively associated with CAP risk.
PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Kjersti Oppen, Thor Ueland, William Ward Siljan, Oyvind Skadberg, Cato Brede, Trine Lauritzen, Pal Aukrust, Trude Steinsvik, Einar Husebye, Annika E. Michelsen, Jan Cato Holter, Lars Heggelund
Summary: The study found that hepcidin and ferritin in the blood may serve as potential biomarkers of microbial etiology in community-acquired pneumonia, predicting differences between various pathogen groups, independently of inflammatory markers.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jung Ho Suh, Bin Ahn, Seung Ha Song, Sujin Choi, Sung Hwan Choi, Hyunju Lee, Mi Seon Han, Ji Young Park, Eun Hwa Choi, Ki Wook Yun
Summary: This study investigated the etiology and clinical characteristics of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Korean children, and found that Mycoplasma pneumoniae and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were the most commonly detected pathogens. High fever and dyspnea were common clinical symptoms. The use of antibiotics for the treatment of pediatric CAP should be carefully considered based on epidemiology and clinical features.
JOURNAL OF KOREAN MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
August Wrotek, Julita Robakiewicz, Katarzyna Pawlik, Patryk Rudzinski, Izabela Pilarska, Aleksandra Jaron, Aleksandra Imielowska, Malgorzata Jarzebowska, Katarzyna Zablocka, Teresa Jackowska
Summary: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has a significant impact on pediatric hospitalizations. The study analyzed the contribution of CAP to hospitalizations, its etiology in relation to age, and the role of inflammatory markers. It found that CAP accounted for a considerable proportion of hospitalizations and patient days, with viral pneumonia being more common than bacterial pneumonia. Serum inflammatory markers can assist in differentiating the causative factors.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Annika Eklundh, Samuel Rhedin, Malin Ryd-Rinder, Maria Andersson, Jesper Gantelius, Giulia Gaudenzi, Magnus Lindh, Ville Peltola, Matti Waris, Pontus Naucler, Andreas Martensson, Tobias Alfven
Summary: Immunization with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines has reduced the burden of community-acquired pneumonia in children and potentially changed the etiology of CAP. The majority of clinical CAP episodes in children were classified as viral etiology, with bacterial etiology being uncommon.
Article
Pediatrics
Sandra R. Arnold, Seema Jain, David Dansie, Herman Kan, Derek J. Williams, Krow Ampofo, Evan J. Anderson, Carlos G. Grijalva, Anna M. Bramley, Andrew T. Pavia, Kathryn M. Edwards, Vikki G. Nolan, Jonathan A. McCullers, Robert A. Kaufman
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the association between consolidation on chest radiograph and typical bacterial etiology of childhood community acquired pneumonia (CAP). The results showed that consolidation poorly predicted typical bacterial CAP, but its absence made typical bacterial CAP unlikely. Pleural effusion was the best predictor of typical bacterial infection, but too uncommon to aid etiology prediction.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Naomi J. Gadsby, Daniel M. Musher
Summary: Pneumonia remains a common infection with high morbidity and mortality, despite modern advances. The understanding of its etiology has evolved with new techniques, identifying both known and emerging organisms. Bacteriologic techniques have identified Streptococcus pneumoniae as the most common cause, but more modern studies emphasize other bacteria and normal respiratory flora. Viral pneumonia has been shown to be important, and host transcriptional signatures may help distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sue Qian, Johnny Siu, Abbas Hussein, Yizhong Zheng
Summary: This study showed that a majority of patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia were prescribed azithromycin without undergoing electrocardiograms to assess the QTc interval and without meeting the criteria for severe community-acquired pneumonia. This inappropriate use of azithromycin poses various risks and issues.
INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Christopher Kiss, Declan Connoley, Kathryn Connelly, Kylie Horne, Tony Korman, Ian Woolley, Jillian S. Y. Lau
Summary: This study examines the health outcomes of long-term antibiotic therapy in a cohort of patients, revealing potential risks such as increased mortality rate and colonization of multi-resistant microorganisms. These patients often lack access to more effective curative treatments.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Yael Hammerschlag, Tony M. Korman, Kathryn Cisera, Ian J. Woolley
Summary: This study examines the outcomes of HIV-infected patients who are ineligible for Medicare in Australia. Delayed diagnosis of HIV and acquiring Medicare status are associated with significant disease burden and costs. Most HIV-infected patients who are ineligible for Medicare remain in Australia for treatment.
INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Geoffrey W. Coombs, Denise Daley, Princy Shoby, Nicholas W. T. Yee, James O. Robinson, Ronan Murray, Tony M. Korman, Morgyn S. Warner, Kelly Papanaoum, Petra Derrington, Robert Horvath, Adam Jenney, Denis Spelman, Shakeel Mowlaboccus
Summary: Australian researchers have identified that CC398 MRSA isolates in ten cases of bacteremia were closely related to human-associated and livestock-associated clades. The study highlights the importance of using whole-genome sequencing and international comparisons to distinguish between CC398 CA-MRSA and LA-MRSA and determine the origin of the isolates.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sally F. Gordon, Elise Virah Sawmy, Eleanor Duckworth, Michelle Wolthuizen, Hazel J. Clothier, Malinda Chea, Naveen Tenneti, Ngaree Blow, Jim P. Buttery, Joseph de Luca, Tony M. Korman, Sara Barnes, Charlotte Slade, Callum Maggs, Michelle L. Giles, Benjamin W. Teh, Craig Aboltins, Katherine M. Langan, Annaliese Van Diemen, Nigel W. Crawford
Summary: The Victorian Specialist Immunization Services (VicSIS) was established in February 2021 in Victoria, Australia, aiming to provide vaccine safety services for COVID-19 vaccines. VicSIS supports practitioners and patients with complex vaccine safety questions, offering individual vaccination recommendations and adverse event reviews. As of September 2021, VicSIS has received a significant number of referrals and served thousands of patients.
HUMAN VACCINES & IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Emma L. Smith, Laura Bywater, Rebecca Pellicano, Grant A. Jenkin, Tony M. Korman
Summary: This article reports a case of rifampin-induced acute tubular necrosis requiring hemodialysis in a patient receiving thrice-weekly rifampin with daily dapsone for retreatment of relapsed Hansen's disease. The patient had positive rifampin-dependent antiplatelet antibodies. Case reports of acute renal failure associated with the use of rifampin are summarized.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Aleece MacPhail, Tony Korman, Ian Woolley, Jillian Lau
Summary: This study describes the landscape of outpatient prescribing of long-term antibiotics in Australia. The results show that prolonged continuous antibiotics (> 12 months) were prescribed to 339/100,000 population, with 50% of patients aged more than 65 years. The frequently prescribed antibiotic classes were tetracyclines, sulfonamides/trimethoprim, cephalosporins, and penicillins. Prophylaxis of infection and immunomodulatory indications were the most common reasons for prescribing.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Katrina Woodford, Kendrick Koo, John Reynolds, Robert G. Stirling, Susan Harden, Margaret Brand, Sashendra Senthi
Summary: This article presents an up-to-date patterns of care analysis for stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients, focusing on treatment trends, treatment intent, and survival. The study found that a significant proportion of patients do not receive radical treatment and identified factors predictive of treatment choice. The findings emphasize the importance of strategies to increase radical treatment rates and provide better decision support.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jon Salmanton-Garcia, Wing-Yan Au, Martin Hoenigl, Louis Yi Ann Chai, Hamid Badali, Ariful Basher, Ronja A. Brockhoff, Sharon C. -A. Chen, Ariya Chindamporn, Anuradha Chowdhary, Christopher H. Heath, Kausar Jabeen, Jaehyeon Lee, Madonna Matar, Saad Jaber Taj-Aldeen, Ban Hock Tan, Kenji Uno, Retno Wahyuningsih, Liping Zhu, Arunaloke Chakrabarti, Oliver A. Cornely
Summary: Invasive fungal infections pose a significant threat to patients in Asia/Pacific with malignancies, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, undiagnosed/untreated HIV/AIDS. Adequate access to diagnostic tools and antifungals is essential for IFI management and patient survival.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Virology
Xiaomin Dong, Yi-Mo Deng, Ammar Aziz, Paul Whitney, Julia Clark, Patrick Harris, Catherine Bautista, Anna-Maria Costa, Gregory Waller, Andrew J. Daley, Megan Wieringa, Tony Korman, Ian G. Barr
Summary: This study developed a rapid and simplified amplicon-based one-step multiplex reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) for whole genome sequencing (WGS) of human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The new method showed a success rate of 83.5% and achieved full coverage of the genome for 98 RSV-A and 74 RSV-B from 206 RSV positive clinical samples collected in Australia in 2020 and 2021.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL VIROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Adam G. Stewart, Sharon C. A. Chen, Kate Hamilton, Tiffany Harris-Brown, Tony M. Korman, Melanie Figtree, Leon J. Worth, Jen Kok, David Van der Poorten, Karen Byth, Monica A. Slavin, David L. Paterson
Summary: This study aimed to identify the predisposing factors, risks for severe disease, and mortality determinants of CDI in eastern Australia. The results showed that age <65 years, malignancy within the last 5 years, and surgery within the previous 30 days were significant risk factors for severe CDI. Patients require early diagnosis, clinical surveillance, and effective therapy to prevent complications and improve outcomes.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Charlie Higgs, Lamali Sadeesh Kumar, Kerrie Stevens, Janet Strachan, Tony Korman, Kristy Horan, Diane Daniel, Madeline Russell, Christopher A. Mcdevitt, Norelle L. Sherry, Timothy P. Stinear, Benjamin P. Howden, Claire L. Gorrie
Summary: Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important human pathogen, and non-invasive isolates may serve as a source of invasive isolates and reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants. By comparing the genomes and antibiotic resistance profiles of invasive and non-invasive isolates, we found that non-invasive isolates exhibited higher levels of resistance to multiple antibiotics and certain sub-populations with high levels of AMR were overrepresented in the non-invasive population.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Rafael Canton, Thomas Gottlieb, Geoffrey W. Coombs, Patrick C. Y. Woo, Tony M. Korman, Maria Garcia-Castillo, Denise Daley, Karri A. Bauer, Michael Wong, Dominik J. Wolf, Fakhar Siddiqui, Mary Motyl
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health threat, particularly affecting patients in resource-poor settings. Various surveillance programs exist worldwide, and one of the largest is the SMART program, which has been running for 20 years. The SMART database includes data from nearly 500,000 isolates from over 60 countries, and can help monitor and guide clinical treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Shantelle Smith, Daniel Sapkaroski, Margaret Brand, Anh Tran, John Zalcberg, Robert G. Stirling
Summary: This retrospective cohort study analyzed the clinical care pathways of Stage III-IV non-small cell lung cancer patients in Victoria based on the Optimal Care Pathway recommendations. The study found unwarranted variations in the implementation of supportive care and palliative care, with higher utilization of palliative care at the time of treatment rather than early after diagnosis. The findings highlight the importance of multidisciplinary meetings and early supportive care screening in improving communication and integration of palliative care into routine clinical practice.
NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Shio Yen Tio, Sharon C. -A. Chen, Kate Hamilton, Christopher H. Heath, Alyssa Pradhan, Arthur J. Morris, Tony M. Korman, Orla Morrissey, Catriona L. Halliday, Sarah Kidd, Timothy Spelman, Nadiya Brell, Brendan McMullan, Julia E. Clark, Katerina Mitsakos, Robyn P. Hardiman, Phoebe Williams, Anita J. Campbell, Justin Beardsley, Sebastiaan Van Hal, Michelle K. Yong, Leon J. Worth, Monica A. Slavin
Summary: This retrospective study analyzed the epidemiology and outcomes of invasive aspergillosis in adult patients from 10 tertiary centers in Australasia. The study found associations between the disease and hematologic malignancies, intensive care unit admission, and infections caused by non-Aspergillus fumigatus species complex. It suggests accurate species identification and susceptibility testing for optimal patient outcomes.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-WESTERN PACIFIC
(2023)
Review
Respiratory System
Maitri Munsif, Duncan Sweeney, Tracy L. Leong, Rob G. Stirling
Summary: Inhaled GM-CSF treatment has shown significant improvements in symptoms, dyspnea scores, lung function, gas exchange, and radiology indices in patients with aPAP. Further research comparing the effectiveness and patient preference between whole lung lavage and nebulized GM-CSF is needed.
EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW
(2023)