Study: One in three hospital infections linked to antimicrobial resistance

🦠 Meet Lophomonas blattarum – The Mysterious Protozoan Behind Respiratory Infections Did you know that a tiny flagellated protozoan, once thought to live only inside cockroaches and termites, has now been detected in human lungs? That’s Lophomonas blattarum — an emerging, and somewhat controversial, respiratory pathogen. 🔬 About the Organism: Lophomonas blattarum is a multiflagellated protozoan parasite belonging to the phylum Parabasalia. It’s normally found in the intestines of cockroaches, but humans may get infected by inhaling cysts or trophozoites present in dust or air. 🫁 Clinical Significance: This organism has been linked to pulmonary and sinonasal infections (lophomoniasis), especially in: Immunocompromised patients Children and the elderly Individuals exposed to cockroach-infested environments Symptoms may include persistent cough, fever, dyspnea, and productive sputum — often mimicking bacterial pneumonia or asthma. 🧪 Diagnosis: Lophomonas can be detected in sputum or BAL samples via microscopy, though it’s often misidentified as ciliated epithelial cells. PCR targeting 18S rRNA provides a definitive diagnosis. 💊 Treatment: Metronidazole remains the drug of choice, showing excellent clinical response. ⚖️ Ongoing Debate: Some researchers argue Lophomonas blattarum might not be a true pathogen, but rather a misinterpreted artifact. However, growing molecular evidence supports its independent parasitic identity. 🌍 Why it matters: With rising urbanization and poor sanitation in many regions, cockroach-associated protozoal infections could become more relevant in respiratory medicine. Awareness and accurate identification are key. #LophomonasBlattarum #Parasitology #Pulmonology #MedicalMicrobiology #PublicHealth #EmergingPathogens #InfectiousDiseases

Excited to Share Our New Systematic Review on Lipidomics in Respiratory Infections. Our new publication is the first of its kind to analyze 9 studies applying mass spectrometry–based lipidomic profiling to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and COVID-19. Our work shows how cutting-edge laboratory techniques, combined with clinical data, can open new avenues for diagnosis and prognosis in lower respiratory tract infections. #Lipidomics #Innovation #MassSpectrometry #InfectiousDiseases #Diagnostics #TranslationalResearch https://lnkd.in/gBRiwT4f

National Taiwan University researchers studied 12 Long COVID patients and found that lingering spike protein levels were linked to higher symptom counts and stronger inflammatory signals like IL-6 and TNF-α. ”Our study suggests persistent Long COVID guidelines for personalized care strategies and could inform public health policies to support early interventions that reduce long-term disability and healthcare burdens with possible other post-infection syndromes.” Attention: Folkhälsomyndigheten Swedish Society for Immunology (SWIMM) Socialstyrelsen #SpikeProtein #SARSCoV2 #LongCovid #postcovid #Covid19 https://lnkd.in/dDFmTNHY

✨ We are excited to share this #HighlyCited #SystematicReview: ✨ 🩺 Candida auris Infection, a Rapidly Emerging Threat in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units: A Systematic Review By Rozeta Sokou et al. from Ethnikon kai Kapodistriakon Panepistimion Athinon 📊 Article Views: 4686 | Citations: 20 Background 👉 In recent years, a global epidemiological shift in candidemia has been observed, marked by the emergence of resistant non-albicans Candida species. 👉 Candida auris, in particular, has become a significant global concern, causing infections in both pediatric and adult populations within healthcare settings. 👉 Despite its widespread impact, there is a limited understanding of the clinical course and transmission dynamics of neonatal systemic Candida auris infections, hindering effective prevention and management. This study focused on the epidemiologic data, the clinical presentation, risk factors, and outcome of C. auris infection in neonatal population. Results 💫 Prematurity emerged as a primary risk factor, alongside total parenteral nutrition, central line insertion, mechanical ventilation, and prior broad-spectrum antibiotic use. 💫 The mortality rate reached approximately 42%, with therapeutic details sparingly reported in 12% of cases. 💫 Treatment strategies varied, with amphotericin B predominantly used as monotherapy, while combination antifungal agents were used in 44% of cases. 💫 Notably, 97.4% of cases exhibited fluconazole resistance, and 67.1% showed resistance to amphotericin B. ➡️ Despite the rarity of neonatal Candida auris infections, their global occurrence necessitates comprehensive preparedness in patient care. A deeper understanding of Candida auris pathogenesis is crucial for developing effective strategies to control and prevent neonatal infections caused by this pathogen. ⬅️ Discover more: https://brnw.ch/21wWz2Y #CandidaAuris #Neonates #CandidaInfection

🚨 Alarming Rise of Superbugs in Newborns: A Public Health Wake-Up Call A recent multi-country study across Southeast Asia has revealed a deeply concerning trend — drug-resistant “superbugs” are increasingly causing life-threatening infections in newborns. 🔍 Key Findings • From nearly 15,000 blood samples collected between 2019 and 2020, many bacterial infections were resistant to frontline antibiotics used for treating neonatal sepsis. • Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli, Klebsiella, and Acinetobacter accounted for almost 80% of the cases — all known for their high resistance potential. • Fungal infections made up nearly 10% of serious infections, a much higher rate than that observed in high-income nations. • There’s a severe lack of antibiotics approved for neonatal use, and the long development-to-approval timeline makes the crisis even more critical. ⚠️ Why This Matters In many hospitals, treatments begin empirically — before lab results are available. But with rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR), these standard regimens are losing effectiveness, putting newborn lives at higher risk. Moreover, most treatment guidelines are based on data from high-income countries, which don’t reflect the local resistance patterns prevalent in regions like Southeast Asia. Without localized surveillance and updated antibiotic policies, we risk undoing decades of progress in reducing infant mortality. 🌍 The Way Forward • Strengthen surveillance of neonatal infections and AMR at regional and global levels. • Develop and adopt region-specific treatment protocols. • Accelerate the approval and accessibility of neonatal-safe antibiotics. • Encourage cross-sector collaboration among researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to tackle AMR head-on. • Superbugs are not just a hospital challenge — they’re a global threat to our future generations. It’s time for urgent, coordinated action. 🔗 Source: ScienceAlert – “Study Reveals Alarming Rise of Superbugs in Newborn Babies”

Delighted to share that Nicoline Meyer Riisberg (one of my research students) and colleagues have published an important study on the link between Streptococcus pneumoniae infection and cardiovascular risk in patients with COPD. Using a nationwide self-controlled case series design, the study shows that: Within 2 weeks of infection, COPD patients had a markedly increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including acute myocardial infarction. These findings highlight the critical interplay between respiratory infections and cardiovascular complications, underscoring the need for vigilance in this high-risk patient population. Official title: Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events During Acute Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection in COPD Patients Read the full paper here: JACC Advances https://lnkd.in/dr76MKvZ Nicoline Meyer Riisberg, Daniel Modin, Barbara Bonnesen Bertelsen, Anna Kubel Vognsen, Josefin Eklöf, Jonas Bredtoft Boel, Christian Østergaard MD, Ram Dessau,Tor Biering-Sørensen, MD, MSc, MPH, PhD, Jens-Ulrik Stæhr Jensen, Pradeesh Sivapalan Copenhagen Respiratory Research COP RESP

Pranita Tamma, MD, MHS, discusses recent studies comparing ceftolozane-tazobactam and ceftazidime-avibactam for drug-resistant Pseudomonas infections, emphasizing similar mortality outcomes, high rates of emerging resistance, and the importance of stewardship practices that prioritize preserving ceftazidime-avibactam for broader clinical use. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/enqHB43x

Congratulations to the international team of academic ID physicians, Drs. Vyas, Feys, Mansour, Wauters and van de Veerdonk, on this beautifully thoughtful and timely piece! 👏 👏 👏 "...About 80% of the counties in the United States do not have a single infectious disease physician. Europe has about half the number of specialist ID physicians per million inhabitants compared to the US. As we listen to our current internal medicine residents, we hear three major concerns about entering the infectious diseases field: 1) salary compensation, 2) fatigue from the COVID pandemic, and 3) perception that the principal job of infectious disease physicians is to gatekeep antibiotics. ... Major advances in life expectancy and good health are primarily attributed to controlling infectious diseases. ... ...what is the next significant advance in infectious diseases? We believe that it will be host-directed strategies. ... The field of infectious diseases has primarily been defined as the clinical practice of microbiology, focusing on microbes. ... In parallel, exacerbated immune responses to microbial stimuli also lead to host pathology, oftentimes with deadly consequences, with sepsis and primary ARDS being the most extreme examples. Understanding the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of these patients has led to the concept that further manipulation of the immune system, coupled with conventional antimicrobials, may offer unprecedented opportunities for cures that currently elude many patients. ... Host-directed therapies in infectious diseases- a new paradigm The three objectives of host-directed therapies include [1] interfering with host cell factors required by a pathogen for replication or persistence, [2] enhancing protective immune responses against a pathogen, and [3] reducing pathogen-induced exacerbated inflammation to rebalance immune reactivity at sites of pathology. ... The frameshift in perspective is to dethrone the primacy of the invading microorganism, and recognize that the following equation better captures the problem to solve in clinical medicine: Microorganism + immune response = clinical presentation/status. ... Summary: Despite real challenges in the field of infectious diseases that dampen the enthusiasm of trainees to join this workforce, we see an exciting future for our field thanks to foundational research and the ability to translate these findings into new tools to guide infectious disease physicians to both modulate the immune response and target pathogens with antimicrobials to improve patient outcomes." Source: https://lnkd.in/g6-y35xu

A large database study (Jones et al., Journal of Arthroplasty, 2025) reviewing data from 2010 to 2021 revealed important insights: • Absolute rTHA cases remained stable from about 19,000 to 16,000, while the adjusted incidence per 100,000 THAs fell sharply from roughly 20,000 to 13,000 (P < 0.001). This means that even as primary hip replacements increased, fewer needed revision. A quiet marker of progress. • Top causes: Aseptic loosening 21.5%, Instability 19.8%, Infection 19.1%. Infection and loosening both showed consistent decline. Instability, however, remained unchanged and continues to be a major concern. • Post-revision complications such as DVT, infection, and transfusion decreased significantly, but ER visits and readmissions did not show similar improvement. Most striking takeaway: The rate of revisions is clearly decreasing, yet instability remains the unresolved frontier in hip arthroplasty. For those building the future of joint reconstruction, the data says we are better than before, but not yet where we could be. https://lnkd.in/d5ahXT-z

Newcastle University leads UK trial to redefine sepsis treatment. A major UK-wide study, led by Newcastle University, is investigating whether a shorter course of antibiotics could be just as safe and effective for sepsis treatment as the current standard. The research, known as the SHORTER trial, is testing if a five-day antibiotic regimen is as effective as the usual seven-day course. If successful, this could revolutionise how sepsis is managed in hospitals, reducing risks for patients while tackling a major global health threat – antibiotic resistance. https://lnkd.in/eqPbrgA2 #sepsis #antibiotics #health #healthresearch