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More than half of the antibiotics prescribed by dentists practicing in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2019 do not have guidelines supporting their use and were likely unnecessary, researchers reported today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. ... "Regardless of definition applied, antibiotics prescribed by dentists were commonly unnecessary," the study authors wrote. "Improving prescribing by dentists is critical to reach the national goal to decrease unnecessary antibiotic use." (Dall, 2/20)

A new report indicates the world's leading economies have made progress in their efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) but need to do more to lessen the health and financial impact of the looming public health crisis. The report released yesterday by the Global Coalition on Aging and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)—the 2024 AMR Preparedness Index Progress Report—assesses the actions taken by 11 high-income nations to address AMR across five categories. (Dall, 2/16)

An analysis of Klebsiella isolates from US women treated for uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) found a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), researchers reported this week in Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control. ... Although Escherichia coli is the most common cause of uUTIs, K pneumoniae causes approximately 6% of cases, and the study authors say that AMR surveillance for uUTIs is needed to enable physicians to provide optimal empiric antibiotic treatment for patients. (Dall, 2/16)

Pharmaceutical company Viatris announced today that its manufacturing site in India has received Minimized Risk of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) certification. The certification, developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI) in collaboration with the AMR Industry Alliance, provides third-party, independent verification that the antibiotic waste released into the environment by antibiotic manufacturing sites is below a threshold that could promote AMR in the environment. (Dall, 2/20)

British drugmaker GSK (GSK.L), opens new tab said on Wednesday its long-acting injectable HIV therapy showed promise in keeping the viral load suppressed compared to daily oral treatment, especially in individuals facing challenges with pill intake. The interim analysis of a late-stage trial on the therapy known as Cabenuva demonstrated superior efficacy in maintaining viral load suppression compared to daily oral therapy in individuals with a history of adherence challenges to oral antiretroviral treatment, which is used to suppress and mitigate the progression of the disease. (2/21)

Emily Hollenbeck lived with a deep, recurring depression she likened to a black hole, where gravity felt so strong and her limbs so heavy she could barely move. She knew the illness could kill her. Both of her parents had taken their lives. She was willing to try something extreme: Having electrodes implanted in her brain as part of an experimental therapy. Researchers say the treatment —- called deep brain stimulation, or DBS — could eventually help many of the nearly 3 million Americans like her with depression that resists other treatments. (Ungar, 2/21)

Adopting a healthy lifestyle could reduce the risk of irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, a new study found. For adults in midlife and older who were physically active, got enough sleep, ate a quality diet, moderated alcohol intake or didn’t smoke, the risk for developing the gastrointestinal disorder dropped by up to 42%, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Gut. (Nicioli, 2/20)

The PFAS-REACH study is looking to test whether exposure to PFAS — a group of man-made chemicals that have been linked to harmful health effects — changes how children’s immune systems respond to vaccines. Researchers were originally looking for children between 4 and 8 to participate in the study, but they have now expanded to include children from 11 to 15. (Hoplamazian, 2/20)

A meta-analysis of papers published during mpox epidemics from 1970 to 2023 suggests that symptoms in affected patients have become more diverse, with a decrease in symptoms other than rash. ...The 61 included studies reported on 21 symptoms in 720 mpox patients from period 1, 39 symptoms from 1,756 patients from period 2, and 37 symptoms from 12,277 patients from period 3. The findings were published late last week in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. (Van Beusekom, 2/20)

Millions of childhood asthma attacks would be avoided and hundreds of infant lives saved by 2050 if the U.S. transitioned entirely to electric vehicles (EVs) powered by renewable energy, according to new research from the American Lung Association (ALA). (Muller, 2/20)

Hundreds of infants’ lives would be saved and millions of children would breathe easier across the US if the nation’s power grid depended on clean energy and more drivers made the switch to zero-emission vehicles, according to a new report from the American Lung Association. (Christensen, 2/21)