Antibacterial agents (antibiotics)

Preserving macrolides

Macrolide antibiotics have many uses, particularly for penicillin-allergic patients, but recent trends suggest that resistance is increasing among Gram-positive infections.…

Point-of-care testing for influenza could improve antimicrobial use, feasibility study concludes

Point-of-care testing for influenza is feasible in primary care and may improve antimicrobial use, a study in the British Journal of General Practice has concluded.…

Evidence shows the antibiotics market is failing, but here is how it can be revived

A core group of pharmaceutical companies are making progress in tackling the spread of antimicrobial resistance, but change is not happening at the scale needed to radically impact the threat from drug resistance.…

Sepsis risk factors could help inform antimicrobial stewardship in primary care, study suggests

Risk of sepsis and benefit from antibiotics following a GP consultation for infection are more substantial among those who are older, frail or who have had a urinary tract infection, a study has found.…

Almost all patients who used pharmacy sore throat test and treat service would choose service again

Nearly 100% of patients who accessed a community pharmacy sore throat test and treat service said they would return to their pharmacy for subsequent sore throat symptoms, a survey has found.…

Delaying antibiotics in upper respiratory tract infection could increase risk of hospital admission, study suggests

Delayed antibiotic prescribing is associated with an increase in the risk of infection-related hospital admissions and repeat antibiotic prescribing in patients with upper respiratory tract infection, a study in Clinical Infectious Diseases has suggested.…

Clarithromycin linked to increased haemorrhage risk in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants

Older adults taking direct oral anticoagulants are more likely to be admitted to hospital for haemorrhage after receiving clarithromycin compared with azithromycin, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine has suggested.…

We need a national de-labelling drive for patients with penicillin allergy

False penicillin allergies are placing patients at risk of resistant infections and are a threat to antimicrobial stewardship; we must safely de-label patients to avoid these costs to public health.…

Dangerous labels: incorrect penicillin allergies fuel antibiotic resistance

The vast majority of people with a penicillin allergy label are, in fact, not allergic, leading to significant healthcare implications. Experts say it is now time for a national “de-labelling” drive to help conserve vital antibiotics.…

Doubling of penicillin allergy reports may put a million hospital patients at greater risk each year

An analysis of hospital admissions data by The Pharmaceutical Journal shows that between 2012/2013 and 2018/2019, the number of hospital admissions in England where the patient had a diagnostic ‘label’ of penicillin allergy almost doubled, from 575,000 to 1.1 million.…