International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Apr 2019
Macrolides in critically ill patients with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.
Macrolides have been reported to be associated with improved outcomes in patients with viral pneumonia related to influenza and other viruses, possibly because of their immune-modulatory effects. Macrolides have frequently been used in patients with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). This study investigated the association of macrolides with 90-day mortality and MERS coronavirus (CoV) RNA clearance in critically ill patients with MERS. ⋯ These findings indicate that macrolide therapy is not associated with a reduction in 90-day mortality or improvement in MERS-CoV RNA clearance.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Jan 2019
Prediction of 28-days mortality with sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), quick SOFA (qSOFA) and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) - A retrospective study of medical patients with acute infectious disease.
Evaluating the use of sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) ≥ 2 compared to quick SOFA (qSOFA) and to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in assessing 28-days mortality in medical patients with acute infection. ⋯ SOFA score≥2 was better than SIRS and qSOFA to predict mortality within 28-days of admission among patients with acute infectious disease.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Dec 2018
Significance of the detection of influenza and other respiratory viruses for antibiotic stewardship: Lessons from the post-pandemic period.
The aim was to describe the factors associated with antibiotic use in upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in the post-pandemic influenza period. ⋯ The diagnosis of influenza is important for the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs. Each institution should implement an algorithm for the diagnosis and management of upper respiratory tract infections. Biomarkers such as CRP and procalcitonin should be used more effectively.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Oct 2018
ReviewA summary and appraisal of existing evidence of antimicrobial resistance in the Syrian conflict.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in populations experiencing war has yet to be addressed, despite the abundance of contemporary conflicts and the protracted nature of twenty-first century wars, in combination with growing global concern over conflict-associated bacterial pathogens. The example of the Syrian conflict is used to explore the feasibility of using existing global policies on AMR in conditions of extreme conflict. The available literature on AMR and prescribing behaviour in Syria before and since the onset of the conflict in March 2011 was identified. ⋯ High rates of multidrug resistance, particularly Gram-negative organisms, have been noted amongst Syrian refugees when compared with local populations. Conflict impedes many of the safeguards against AMR, creates new drivers, and exacerbates existing ones. Given the apparently high rates of AMR in Syria, in neighbouring countries hosting refugees, and in European countries providing asylum, this requires the World Health Organization and other global health institutions to address the causes, costs, and future considerations of conflict-related AMR as an issue of global governance.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Jul 2018
Developing a decision support system for patients with severe infection conditions in pre-hospital care.
To develop and validate a pre-hospital decision support system (DSS) for the emergency medical services (EMS), enabling the identification and steering of patients with critical infectious conditions (i.e., severe respiratory tract infections, severe central nervous system (CNS) infections, and sepsis) to a specialized emergency department (ED) for infectious diseases. ⋯ The development of a specific DSS aiming to identify patients with three different severe infectious diseases appears to give accurate decision support to PENs when steering patients to the optimal level of care.