Infectious Disease Alert – December 1, 2024

Pink Eye: Do Antibiotics Matter?

Acute infectious conjunctivitis, commonly referred to as pink eye, is common in children and is caused by bacteria more often than by viruses. Nonetheless, neither the clinical course of uncomplicated cases nor the spread of infection to peers is significantly altered by treatment with topical antibiotics or by exclusion of infected children from daycare and school settings.

Effectiveness of Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19

A study that compared nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, remdesivir, or a combination of both for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 found those who received nirmatrelvir-ritonavir monotherapy had lower mortality, reduced intensive care unit admission, and reduced need for mechanical ventilation.

Aztreonam-Avibactam vs. Meropenem for Serious Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections

In this multinational, prospective, Phase III, randomized trial, aztreonam-avibactam was found to be a safe and effective option, when compared to meropenem with or without colistin, for treating complicated intra-abdominal infections, hospital-acquired pneumonia, and ventilator-acquired pneumonia caused by gram-negative bacteria.

Parasites and Poverty in the South

Parasite contamination of soil remains prevalent in some areas of the southern United States.

Outpatient CAP Treatment in Adults: Narrower Spectrum Therapy Is Better Tolerated

Examination of a large database led to the conclusion that treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in outpatients with narrower-spectrum agents (macrolides or doxycycline) was associated with similar clinical outcomes but with a lower incidence of adverse effects when compared to broader-spectrum therapy.

Infectious Disease Updates

Is Your Hospital Bed Contaminated? The Surgical Skin Prep Debate Thickens