The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Jan 2015
Measuring antimicrobial prescribing quality in Australian hospitals: development and evaluation of a national antimicrobial prescribing survey tool.
Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes have been developed with the intention of reducing inappropriate and unnecessary use of antimicrobials, while improving the quality of patient care and locally helping prevent the development of antimicrobial resistance. An important aspect of AMS programmes is the qualitative assessment of prescribing through antimicrobial prescribing surveys (APS), which are able to provide information about the prescribing behaviour within institutions. Owing to lack of standardization of audit tools and the resources required, qualitative methods for the assessment of antimicrobial use are not often performed. The aim of this study was to design an audit tool that was appropriate for use in all Australian hospitals, suited to local user requirements and included an assessment of the overall appropriateness of the prescription. ⋯ By involving the end users in the design and evaluation, we have been able to provide a practical and relevant APS tool for quantitative and qualitative data collection in a wide range of Australian hospital settings.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Dec 2014
Multicenter Study Observational StudyA multicentre cohort study on colonization and infection with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in high-risk patients with haematological malignancies.
Bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by enterobacteria remain a leading cause of mortality in patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. The rate and type of colonization and infection with ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) and their mode of transmission in German cancer centres is largely unknown. ⋯ Even though BSI with ESBL-E is still rare in this high-risk population, colonization rates are substantial and vary considerably between centres. In-hospital transmission of ESBL-E as assessed by molecular typing was the exception.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Nov 2014
ReviewThe World Health Assembly resolution on antimicrobial resistance.
Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem that can only be tackled successfully through strengthened international partnerships. A concerted political, scientific and media campaign has garnered support for the recent World Health Assembly resolution on antimicrobial resistance, mandating the WHO to develop a global action plan. ⋯ Key themes are communication, prevention of infection, using knowledge to guide action, sustainability and optimizing the use of antimicrobial medicines and diagnostic devices. Implementation of the global action plan will require member states to make a commitment to developing national action plans and strengthening capacity, building on collaborations between the WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health, the World Bank, Codex Alimentarius and the Transatlantic Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance.
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J. Antimicrob. Chemother. · Nov 2014
Clinical validation of a multiplex real-time PCR assay for detection of invasive candidiasis in intensive care unit patients.
New techniques, such as those based on multiplex quantitative real-time PCR (MRT-PCR), can improve the detection of invasive candidiasis (IC). ⋯ MRT-PCR appears to be a useful test for confirming a diagnosis of IC in critically ill patients, especially in those with deep-seated disease. Its high sensitivity and positive predictive value make it a much more efficient tool for the management of IC than other diagnostic procedures and clinical scores.