Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Commons^™

Path To Resistance: Risk Factors Associated With Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Kushal Patel, Jessica J.F. Kram, Dennis J. Baumgardner

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Background: An estimated 51,000 health care-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections occur in the United States annually. More than 13% are secondary to non-carbapenem multidrug-resistant strains, which result in 400 yearly deaths. Traditional risk factors for resistance include ICU stay, mechanical ventilation, previous hospitalization and major comorbidities. As microbes evolve, risk factors also may evolve.

Purpose: To determine if traditional and/or new risk factors for P. aeruginosa resistance are valid and predictive of infection with carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa.

Methods: We retrospectively studied inpatients and outpatients ≥ 18 years old who presented to an Aurora Health Care facility with a positive P. …

Blastomyces: Why Be Dimorphic?, Dennis J. Baumgardner

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

In introducing the infectious disease focus for this edition of the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews, the author describes the unsolved mysteries surrounding the dimorphic fungus Blastomyces and the related pathogenesis of pulmonary blastomycosis.