December 21, 2018
Uganda releases Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan. With support from CDDEP, the Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership (GARP), and the World Health Organization, the Government of Uganda developed and released its Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan which outlines governance mechanisms, strategic interventions, and implementation and monitoring and evaluation plans to improve infection prevention and control and reduce the spread of antibiotic resistant superbugs nationwide. [Antimicrobial Resistance National Action Plan 2018-2023]
Face masks reduce staph exposure in hog workers. In North Carolina, industrial hog operation (IHO) workers who wore a face mask at least 80 percent of the time were 69 percent less likely to carry multi-drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus compared to workers who wore a mask less than 80 percent of the time, according to an observational study led by scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This reduced risk extended to family members of IHO workers who consistently (80 percent of the time or more) wore a face mask. [Environmental Health Perspectives]
Global reduction in pneumonia cases and deaths. The global incidence of pneumonia in children under the age of 5 dropped 22 percent from 178 million in 2000 to 138 million in 2015. During that time period, pneumonia-related deaths dropped 47 percent, and the burden of clinical pneumonia attributable to HIV decreased by 45 percent. Lung infection remains a leading cause of preventable illness and death in the under-five age group. In 2015, over half of all pneumonia cases occurred in India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, and China, and 49 percent of pneumonia deaths occurred in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ethiopia. [The Lancet Global Health]
US flu activity low. In the US, nationwide flu activity is elevated but low, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). California, Georgia, and Massachusetts are the only three states reporting widespread flu activity while 31 states report local or regional spread. The majority of laboratory confirmed cases were caused by the Influenza A H1N1 virus. Six pediatric influenza-related deaths have occurred so far. [CDC Situation Update, CDC FluView]
McDonald’s to measure and reduce use of medically important antibiotics in its beef supply. The global fast-food chain McDonald’s announced it would implement pilot tests to measure baseline use of medically important antibiotics in its ten leading beef sourcing countries which include Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Ireland, Poland, UK, Canada, US, and Brazil. By 2020, the company will set market-specific targets to curb use of medically important antibiotics, and by 2022 will report progress on these antibiotic stewardship efforts. [McDonald’s Newsroom, Reuters, The Guardian]
Alzheimer’s drug active against drug-resistant gram-positive pathogens. Hydroxyquinoline PBT2, a zinc ionophore that has progressed to phase 2 human clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease, in combination with zinc, exhibits antibacterial activity and disrupts cellular homeostasis in several drug-resistant Gram-positive bacterial strains including erythromycin-resistant group A Streptococcus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. PBT2-zinc used in combination with clinically relevant antibiotics enhanced the killing of these pathogens and may present an alternative treatment paradigm, according to researchers. [mBio]
Preoperative ASB treatment does not reduce risk of postoperative infection. Screening and treating preoperative asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) did not improve the risk of contracting a postoperative surgical site infection, according to a large, retrospective cohort study of Veterans Administration patients. ASB was identified in 617 of the 17,749 preoperative urine cultures performed over a five-year period. After adjusting for age, physical health status, smoking status, race and ethnicity, sex, and diabetes status, patients with or without ASB had similar odds (2.4 versus 1.6 percent) of surgical site infection. Antibiotic treatment for ASB prior to surgery was not significantly associated with a reduction in post-operative infection (Adjusted odds ratio=0.68, P=.54). [JAMA Surgery]
Mumps outbreak in Australia despite high vaccine coverage. Between March 2015 and December 2016, there were 893 cases of mumps (genotype G) in Western Australia. The attack rate increased with age, and most cases occurred among those ages 15-19 years. Of patients aged 1-19 years, 89 percent were fully vaccinated and 7 percent were partly vaccinated against the virus. This was the second widespread mumps outbreak to occur in Australia despite high vaccination coverage, according to researchers. [The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Comment]
WHO establishing expert panel on human gene editing. The World Health Organization (WHO) is convening a multi-disciplinary expert panel to review the scientific, ethical, and legal challenges of human gene editing and to provide guidance for national and global oversight and regulation. WHO will also seek advice on how to encourage transparency and ethical practices in the rapidly emerging field. [WHO]
Saudi MOH reports three MERS cases. Between December 12-14, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded three cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in men ages 45-53 living in Najran City, Sajir City, and Riyadh City. All three infections were community acquired, and two of the three patients had contact with camels, a known risk factor for MERS transmission. [MOH]
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