Pfizer recently announced getting the marketing authorization from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for their drug, Emblaveo (aztreonam-avibactam). It has been approved to treat a variety of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, including complicated urinary tract and intra-abdominal infections, hospital-acquired pneumonia (including ventilator-associated ones), as well as infections caused by aerobic gram-negative organisms in patients with limited treatment options. This merging of aztreonam, a beta-lactam antibiotic, with avibactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor, has been deliberately designed to counter resistance by gram-negative bacteria to many existing antibiotics. The approval extends to all the 27 countries in the European Union and a few other European countries, such as Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.
Meanwhile, a new study published on JAMA Network Open indicates that there has been a significant rise in hospitalizations due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), particularly in ICUs, among US preschoolers when comparing the rates during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021 and 2022) with the rates registered from 2015-19. The increased RSV rate has potential implications on newer prevention strategies, as older children, among whom the rate has surged, are currently not eligible for treatments like monoclonal antibodies.
Turning to bloodstream infections (BSIs), an upcoming presentation at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Congress cites that Black women have heightened risks of death due to BSIs caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) when compared with White women and Black men. These racially discriminatory health outcomes necessitate further research to uncover and address their root causes.
Last among the highlights, readiness for discharge in children suffering from community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) might be indicated via younger age, normal capillary refilling, absence of vomiting, and decreased breath sounds, as per a Pediatrics research study. The potential usefulness of these indicators spans optimizing CAP children’s care by comprehensively assessing their clinical stability and recovery, thereby potentially decreasing hospital stays.
In light of these updates, infection preventionists are tasked with devising updated strategies to address emerging challenges. As the outlook on infectious diseases continues shifting, it is crucial for healthcare providers to stay abreast of the latest developments to mitigate the risks and improve patient outcomes.