Anti-infective agents

Switching patients from IV to oral antimicrobials

IV antimicrobials are important for the effective treatment of infection but there are many benefits to timely switching to oral formulations. This article explains why switching is important, when switches should be considered and how to improve implementation.…

Four point-of-care tests for UTIs ‘show promise’, says NICE in early guidance

NICE said it needs more data on the accuracy of the tests in detecting and identifying bacteria before it can recommend them for use in the NHS.…

Recent antibiotic reduces cancer survival after immune checkpoint inhibitors by 12%, study results show

Results from a Canadian cohort study suggest that antibiotic therapy may reduce the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.…

How COVID-19 affected pharmacy supply of antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infections

Learnings from a community pharmacy patient group direction service for the management of suspected urinary tract infections, which identified prescribing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.…

Newborn babies to be genetically tested to prevent gentamicin-associated deafness

Around 1,200 babies born in England and Wales each year are at risk of hearing loss from gentamicin.…

Chlamydia: screening, diagnosis and management

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the UK. Learn the signs and symptoms of chlamydia, who is eligible for screening and how to treat it.…

Development and implementation of a national antimicrobial intravenous-to-oral switch criteria for early switching

The 'English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance 2020–2021' report recorded an increased number of antibiotic-resistant infections compared with 2016[1]. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is exacerbated by antibiotic overuse, thus antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) …

Repeated use of antibiotics increases inflammatory bowel disease risk, study suggests

Patients aged 40 to 60 years who had been prescribed antibiotics showed the highest risk for inflammatory bowel disease.…

Next-generation antivirals: targeting COVID-19

Many of the antivirals trumpeted as turning points in the COVID-19 pandemic have not proved as effective as first expected, but researchers are hoping that a second generation of antivirals will provide better protection — with fewer side effects.…

Two antivirals added to list of drugs that cannot be exported or hoarded

The government added the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir, used to treat flu, to the list on 20 December 2022.…