ICAAC 2005
Audio Journal of Infectious Disease: Reporting from the 2006 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), September 27 – 30, San Francisco">Audio Journal of Infectious Disease: Reporting from the 2006 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), September 27 – 30, San Francisco
 Roger Baxter |
 Jaap van Dissel |
Which Antibiotics Pose Greatest Risk of C. difficile infection?
REFERENCE: Abstract K-0349
Roger Baxter, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland
In the presence of certain antibiotics, it seems Clostridium difficile can flourish. Roger Baxter, from Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, presented data suggesting that imipenem and clindamycin are among the drugs that give patients a greater risk of C. difficile infection.
Prevent C. difficile relapse – with a Protein Concentrate from Cows
REFERENCE: Abstract K-0352
Jaap van Dissel, Leiden University Medical Center
Clostridium difficile relapse is sometimes difficult to prevent with antibiotics – so could a rather different approach, involving a protein powder obtained from immunised cows, give a greater and more durable benefit? Jaap van Dissel of the Leiden University Medical Center had the details at ICAAC.
Fire Ants: Purveyors of Pain, or Possible Source of New Antimicrobials?
Heather White
Heather White, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson
If you have ever been bitten by a fire ant you’ll remember the pain! But a study presented in Washington has shown that when they sting, they produce substances with antimicrobial properties. And hence these fierce creatures could have a use in medicine.
Latest on Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine for Cervical Cancer
John Schiller
John Schiller, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda
The human papilloma virus vaccine, which is currently being tested in the prevention of cervical cancer, brings together both infectious disease and cancer. Delegates at the ICAAC conference heard an update on both the anti-cancer and the anti-wart activities of the two vaccines: one from Merck and the other from GlaxoSmithKline.
Which Macrolide Antibiotics Provide Greatest Barrier to Resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae?
Joseph Blondeau
Antibiotic resistance is not going to go away in a hurry, but can we at least make it as difficult as possible for bacteria to overcome the drugs they face? Joseph Blondeau told the conference about his group’s investigation into which of three macrolide antibiotics was the most difficult for Streptococcus pneumoniae to develop resistance against.
Pharmacokinetically Enhanced Amoxicillin and Clavulanate for Drug Resistant Streptococcus Pneumoniae
Thomas File
Thomas File, Summa Health System, Akron, Ohio
Community Associated Pneumonia is a sizeable problem for health systems, and what is more, some strains of the frequent culprit - streptococcus pneumoniae - are found to be drug resistant. Thomas File told the conference about a Pharmacokinetically Enhanced regimen of Amoxicillin and Clavulanate and how it does seem to be active in patients infected with one of these resistant strains.
New Antiviral Approach for Infectious Mononucleosis - Kissing Disease
Hank Balfour
Hank Balfour, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Infectious mononucleosis, also known as the kissing disease, is caused Epstein Barr Virus, or EBV; so, can we effectively treat, and prevent its spread, with an antiviral? According to one study - with a limited number of patients - the answer might be yes. Hank Balfour told us more.
Clostridium difficile: Back in Hospitals and Meaning Business
Lance Peterson
Lance Peterson, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Illinois
The bacterium clostridium difficile that can cause diarrhoea in hospital patients is making a resurgence. It’s potentially very aggressive, and it’s not so easy to detect any more. But a new real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test reported at the ICAAC conference looking for genes involved with production of the C. difficile product: toxin B promises to help fight the problem.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: New Initiatives
Michele Pearson
Michele Pearson, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta
A community-wide approach is needed to combat MRSA according to a new assessment presented to the conference in Washington DC. An ongoing study has highlighted as paramount the value of coordinated action including simple hygiene measures such as hand-washing.
Chloroquine Selects for Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Guyana
Ross Davidson
Ross Davidson, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia
The use of the antimalarial chloroquine could provide the selective pressure for E.coli to develop fluoroquinolone resistance - that’s according to a study presented by Ross Davidson at ICAAC. He investigated this by looking at remote community from Guyana, who had access to chloroquine but not fluoroquinolones, and he began by telling Audio Medica about the link between the two.
Benign Bladder Bacteria: Preventing Infection in Spinal Cord Injury Patients
Barbara Trautner
Barbara Trautner, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
When patients with spinal cord injury rely on urinary catheters for bladder drainage, this may lead to one or more urinary tract infections, or UTIs. As an alternative to drugs, delegates at ICAAC heard about a rather more novel technique for dealing with this problem: bacterial interference: using benign bacteria to out-compete the pathogens.
Acinetobacter: Could Rival MRSA in Hospitals?
Yehuda Carmeli
Yehuda Carmeli, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston
The Washington DC conference also heard about a hospital infection that has had a worryingly low profile: acinetobacter baumanii. The news at ICAAC was that this could easily rival MRSA as a serious problem for health systems worldwide.
Acinetobacter: Could Rival MRSA in Hospitals?
Yehuda Carmeli
Yehuda Carmeli, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston
The Washington DC conference also heard about a hospital infection that has had a worryingly low profile: acinetobacter baumanii. The news at ICAAC was that this could easily rival MRSA as a serious problem for health systems worldwide.
Bayard Roberts, Siân Clarke, Sandy Cairncross, Claire Bertschinger and Virginia Berridge
- depression and post traumatic stress disorder in war-torn northern Uganda and the lessons to be drawn from a research project there; - the unexpected additional value of using malaria drugs at regular intervals among school children in Kenya; - the key role of sanitation in preventing infant deaths all over the world and what is being done to improve it; - the life and work of the nurse who inspired Band Aid and Live Aid, as she receives an honorary doctorate; - the \"marketing\" of health to the British public, as illustrated by the way attitudes to smoking have changed over the years.
