Alternative data sources for determining AMR. A study in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases by CDDEP’s Head-Africa, Kim Faure and collaborators highlights a new method of determining antimicrobial consumption data in low-resource countries. The researchers emphasize that alternative data sources, such as Intercontinental Marketing Services (IMS) data and contractual data can serve as indicators of antimicrobial exposure at the population level. [International Journal of Infectious Diseases]

Need for antibiotic stewardship, global funding in AMR. In a commentary in Clinical Microbiology and Infection, CDDEP Director Ramanan Laxminarayan and colleagues highlight the need for funding for antibiotic stewardship teams and human resource estimates. It also underscores the need for a global funding mechanism, setting standards for staffing, and optimizing the use of antibiotics, including in community and long-term care facilities. [Clinical Microbiology and Infection]

Genomic data can reveal how superbug spreads. A study in Science Translational Medicine shows how genomic sequencing can be used to track people with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections and pinpoint outbreaks in nearby areas. The researchers identified a cluster of people living in east England and compared their information with the epidemiological data. The results revealed a series of small outbreaks in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and households that would have previously gone unrecognized. [Science Translational Medicine]

New shingles vaccine approved. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine advisory group has recommended the Shingrix vaccine for use in adults aged 50 and above in the US. The CDC also recommended a third dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to people at increased risk in outbreak settings, such as at college campuses. [CIDRAP]

Providers share in the transmission of CRE infections. A study in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology suggests that healthcare providers dealing with patients with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) may increase the risk of infection in other patients under their care. The findings re-emphasize the importance of infection prevention measures such as hand hygiene. [Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology]

UK report highlights AMR trends. A Public Health England (PHE) surveillance report finds an increasing trend in the number of resistant bloodstream infections in healthcare settings in the UK. As many as five thousand people die each year from drug-resistant infections in the UK and as many as a fifth of the antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary. [ESPAUR report, CIDRAP]

Resistant infectious strain from Europe circulating in pigs in the US. A study in Clinical Infectious Diseases suggests a possible transmission of a multi-resistant Salmonella strain from Europe to the US Midwest. The strain, Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:-, has been found widely circulating in pigs, and causes foodborne disease outbreaks that could become a public health concern. [Clinical Infectious Diseases]

CDC announces a $9 million grant on AMR. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced $9 million in awards to support research to twenty-five institutions for identifying new ways to combat antibiotic resistance (AMR). The funds are also targeted for testing new strategies for infection control in healthcare settings and transmission of resistant genes from environmental sources. [CIDRAP, CDC announcement]

Electronic health records help track C difficile infections. A research letter published in the JAMA Internal Medicine highlights the use of patients’ electronic health records (EHR) to identify a previously unrecognized source of Clostridium difficile infections (CDIs). The study analyzed EHR data from all adult hospitalizations between 2013 and 2015 and found that while exposure and risk varied across different locations in the hospital settings, the risk was significantly higher in areas where scans are conducted in the emergency departments. [JAMA Internal Medicine letter]

Early treatment of H7N9 patients tied to better survival rates. A study in Clinical Infectious Diseases finds that early treatment of patients with H7N9 avian influenza infections with neuraminidase inhibitors improved survival rates. The study found that early use of antiviral drugs can reduce the risk of death by nearly half, in line with previous similar studies. [CIDRAP, Clinical Infectious Diseases]