Bacterial Infections and Mycoses Commons^™

The Effects Of Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediator Lipoxin A4 On Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilms And Interactions With Monocytes, Julianne M. Thornton

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is an opportunistic pathogen known as a major cause of hospital-acquired secondary infections, commonly causing chronic respiratory infections in immunocompromised individuals, especially those with cystic fibrosis, and often found in wound infections. P. aeruginosa uses the quorum sensing pathway to readily form protective biofilms, which reduce the efficacy of antibiotics and access by host immune cells to eradicate the pathogen. Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) are lipids endogenously produced by the host immune response to infection to aid in infection resolution. One SPM, Lipoxin A4 (LxA4), has been shown to be a robust quorum sensing inhibitor.

The …

Accuracy Of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring In Vancomycin And The Pharmacist Role: A Retrospective Case-Series, Kateryna Parkhomenko

Senior Theses

Vancomycin is a mainstay of therapy for treating virulent and resistant infections, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). However, vancomycin requires therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for optimal dosing and treatment. This requires pharmacists to calculate a dosing regimen that correlates to appropriate goal vancomycin concentrations in the blood. Dosing vancomycin can be difficult, as it varies on a patient’s weight, renal function, age, etc. Doses may have to be adjusted in response to out-of-range concentrations, which requires further pharmacy calculations. Inaccurate dosing poses a risk to patient safety and places a resource and time burden on pharmacists. If vancomycin dosing methods …

Investigation Of Clinically Relevant Fluconazole Resistance Mechanisms In The Fungal Pathogen Candida Parapsilosis, Laura Anne Doorley

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Invasive candidiasis is a severe fungal infection associated with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly among the critically ill and immunocompromised. Candida parapsilosis is the most common non-albicans species causing invasive Candida infections in pediatric and neonatal populations worldwide and is particularly common in the countries of South America, Western Asia, Mediterranean Europe, and Southern Africa. For many of these countries, fluconazole and other triazoles are the first line antifungal agents used for effective treatment of invasive Candida infection. Until recently, rates of fluconazole resistance among C. parapsilosis isolates were relatively low, therefore the determination of clinically relevant resistance mechanisms in …

Sulopenem For The Treatment Of Complicated And Uncomplicated Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection (Uti), Aiyi Chen, Thanh-Liem Vu, Daniel J. Yang, Landon Olsen

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic (Pbpk) Modeling For The Preclinical Development Of Spectinamide Antibiotics, Keyur R. Parmar

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Despite being an ancient disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and after decades of research, tuberculosis (TB) still affects millions of people every year worldwide. In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 10 million people developed tuberculosis and 1.5 million died of the disease. With the increase in the multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) cases, the treatment for TB with the standard first and second-line therapy is becoming increasingly difficult. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new anti-TB drugs as combination partners of existing and experimental classes of antimicrobial agents to shorten and simplify the …

Transmission Competence Of B. Burgdorferi Infected Ixodes Ticks And Development Of An Ospc-Based Lyme Disease Vaccine, Samanta Kamalika

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Introduction. Lyme disease, otherwise called Lyme borreliosis, is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). Studying the increase in overall Lyme disease incidence requires understanding the role of the vector Ixodes scapularis (I. scapularis) as the agent that carries the spirochete which is important to limit the occurrence of Lyme disease. Once we understand the vector-pathogen response, it also becomes important to determine the remedies for Lyme disease. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics if detected early, but the major obstacle lies in the early detection process. Therefore, it is important to investigate alternative preventive …

Radioluminescence Based Biochemical Sensing And Imaging Strategies To Measure Local Drug Release And Ph, Gretchen B. Schober

All Dissertations

In this dissertation we describe methods for measuring infection relevant biochemical analytes using radioluminescent and ultrasound luminescent materials. Films and nanoparticles fabricated with europium doped gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd₂O₂S:Eu³⁺) are used to quantitatively measure radiolabeled pharmaceutical concentration, specifically tritium labeled vancomycin (³H-vancomycin). Europium and dysprosium doped strontium aluminate is used to fabricate an ultrasound modulated, pH sensing film. These methods are indicated for theranostic evaluation of implant associated infection. Bacterial biofilms are inherently resistant to traditional antibiotic treatment and can coat biomedical implants. These biofilm related infections are difficult or impossible to eradicate …

Nursing Perspectives And Opinions On Early Or Delayed Sepsis Treatment: A Mixed Methods Approach, Pamela L. Harris

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Purpose. Each year at least 1.7 million adults in America develop sepsis. Sepsis can lead to life threatening organ dysfunction, severe hypotension, and death when severe sepsis or septic shock is involved. Sepsis is responsible for 50% of acute kidney injury (AKI), which is the most common form of organ dysfunction seen in critical care. Sepsis associated AKI results in loss of, or decreased renal function, is associated with adverse long-term outcomes, and carries a higher mortality rate than non-septic AKI, sepsis without AKI, or septic shock without AKI. Surviving sepsis guidelines suggests a 1-hour window from the time of …

Updates In The Pharmacologic Prophylaxis And Treatment Of Invasive Candidiasis In The Pediatric And Neonatal Intensive Care Units, James Hunter Fly, Seerat Kapoor, Kelly Bobo, Jeremy S. Stultz

Faculty Publications

Purpose of review The goal of this review was to provide an update on the prevention and treatment options for invasive candidiasis (IC) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Recent findings Studies have further validated the use of fluconazole for IC prophylaxis among high-risk patients in the NICU. It remains unclear if prophylaxis leads to resistance development and the ideal dosage regimen is still not clear. Recent studies have been published comparing caspofungin and micafungin to amphotericin B and illustrated similar efficacy outcomes in the NICU. Micafungin now has approval from the United …

Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infection Prevention With Use Of Disinfection Caps: A Scoping Review, Marianne E. Person, Jessica Biggs, Elizabeth Ross, Margaret Harvey Phd, Aprn, Acnp-Bc, Chfn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background Central lines provide lifesaving uses, but they also place the patient at risk for central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI). Catheter location, length of stay, handwashing, dressing changes, and disinfection of ports before use are all factors to prevent CLABSIs, yet sometimes these measures are not enough. Disinfecting caps are another way to decrease central line infection, however not all hospitals use this method. This scoping review aims to compare CLABSI rates with and without the use of disinfecting caps for the duration of central line use in intensive care patients.

Methods From August 2019 to September 2021, …

Effect Of Different Irrigation Regimens On Enterococcus Faecalis Elimination From Infected Root Canals (An In-Vitro Comparative Study), Fadl Khaled, Roula Abiad, Khaled Abd El Galil, Essam Osman

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Microorganisms harbored in the complexities of root canal systems might lead to endodontic failures and development of apical periodontitis. Enterococcus faecalis is the most common isolated bacteria in these cases. Aim: This study was conducted to compare the efficiency of four irrigation regimens on the elimination of an inoculated strain of E. faecalis. Materials and Methods: Forty single rooted extracted premolars were inoculated with a standard strain of Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212) and incubated at 37˚C for two weeks to allow infection of the dentinal tubules. The bacterial suspension was replaced with a new one every 48 hours. The teeth …

Cyclic Peptide [R4w4] In Improving The Ability Of First-Line Antibiotics To Inhibit Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Inside In Vitro Human Granulomas, Joshua Hernandez, David Ashley, Ruoqiong Cao, Rachel Abrahem, Timothy Nguyen, Kimberly To, Aram Yegiazaryan, Ajayi Akinwale David, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Vishwanath Venketaraman

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Tuberculosis (TB) is currently one of the leading causes of global mortality. Medical non-compliance due to the length of the treatment and antibiotic side effects has led to the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) that are difficult to treat. A current therapeutic strategy attempting to circumvent this issue aims to enhance drug delivery to reduce the duration of the antibiotic regimen or dosage of first-line antibiotics. One such agent that may help is cyclic peptide [R₄W₄], as it has been shown to have antibacterial properties (in combination with tetracycline) …

Chrysin‐Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles Potentiates Antibiofilm Activity Against Staphylococcus Aureus, Busi Siddhardha, Uday Pandey, K. Kaviyarasu, Rajasekharreddy Pala, Asad Syed, Ali K. Bahkali, Abdallah M. Elgorban

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The application of nanotechnology in medicine is gaining popularity due to its ability to increase the bioavailability and biosorption of numerous drugs. Chrysin, a flavone constituent of Orocylumineicum vent is well‐reported for its biological properties. However, its therapeutic potential has not been fully exploited due to its poor solubility and bioavailability. In the present study, chrysin was encapsulated into chitosan nanoparticles using TPP as a linker. The nanoparticles were characterized and investigated for their anti‐biofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus. At sub‐Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, the nanoparticles exhibited enhanced anti‐biofilm efficacy against S. aureus as compared to its bulk counterparts, chrysin …

Tick-Borne Infections In New Hampshire: An Evaluation Of The Diagnostic Process In A Local Patient Population, Katherine Anderson

Honors Theses and Capstones

Overall, approximately 95 percent of reported cases of vector-borne disease were associated with ticks, making these the most medically important group of arthropods in the United States.¹ Despite the prevalence of tick-borne infections, the process for the diagnosis of this condition is not well studied. This study aims to analyze data from a pool of 100 patients who underwent testing for tick-borne disease in the same institution in Dover, New Hampshire during the most recent peak tick season of 2019. Information utilized in this study included: patient age, sex, location of testing (inpatient versus outpatient), diagnostic testing methods used …

The Wet Bridge Transfer System: An Novel In Vitro Tool For Assessing Exogenous Surfactant As A Pulmonary Drug Delivery Vehicle, Brandon J. Baer

Western Research Forum

Background:

Due to its complex branching structure, direct drug delivery to the remote areas of the lung is a major challenge. Consequently, most therapies, such as those treating pulmonary infection and inflammation, must utilize large systemic dosing, with the potential for adverse side effects. A novel alternative strategy is to use exogenous surfactant, a material capable of distributing throughout the lung, as a pulmonary drug delivery vehicle.

Objective:

Utilize an in vitro transferring system to assess exogenous surfactant (BLES) as a pulmonary delivery vehicle for different therapeutics.

Methods:

An in vitro technique was developed to simultaneously study surfactant delivery and …

Coping With Chronic Fungal Rhinosinusitis: Diagnosis To Therapy, Veronica Corcino, Leslie Beavin, Shengli Lu, Ashley Ross, Carmen V. Sciortino Jr.

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Decreasing Time To Broad Spectrum Antibiotics For Septic Patients In The Emergency Department, Joseph J. Zieminski, Emily E. Bryant

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Background: Timely administration of broad spectrum antibiotics has been shown to be directly correlated with decreased mortality for patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. As such, both the Surviving Sepsis Campaign and the SEP-1 CMS measure recognize timely antibiotic administration as a cornerstone of therapy for patients with severe sepsis or septic shock.

Purpose: Decrease time to broad spectrum antibiotic administration for septic patients in the emergency department (ED) of Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Methods: An alert within the electronic medical record was created to more rapidly identify potentially septic patients in the ED. After receiving the alert, …

Rehabilitation Of An Injured Golden Eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos): A Case Study, Fida Muhammad Khan, Fakhar-I- Abbas, Abu Ul Hassan Faiz

Journal of Bioresource Management

Habitat destruction and anthropogenic activities cause wild birds to migrate towards urban areas in search of food and sometimes nesting in high-roof buildings, where they are caught by local people using different techniques and are further used for hunting or recreational purposes. An injured Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was found entangled in bushes near the vicinity of Balkasar Research Complex, Chakwal, Pakistan. After complete physical examination, a wound on the right wing and closed leg fracture was diagnosed. The successful treatment was done by anti-parasitic and anti-bacterial drugs with careful monitoring. Splint was adjusted after aligning the fractured …

Changing Diagnostic Methods And Increased Detection Of Verotoxigenic Escherichia Coli, Ireland, Thomas Rice, Noreen Quinn, Roy D. Sleator, Brigid Lucey

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

The recent paradigm shift in infectious disease diagnosis from culture-based to molecular-based approaches is exemplified in the findings of a national study assessing the detection of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli infections in Ireland. The methodologic changes have been accompanied by a dramatic increase in detections of non-O157 verotoxigenic E. coli serotypes.

Calcium Phosphate As A Key Material For Socially Responsible Tissue Engineering, Vuk Uskoković, Victoria M. Wu

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Socially responsible technologies are designed while taking into consideration the socioeconomic, geopolitical and environmental limitations of regions in which they will be implemented. In the medical context, this involves making therapeutic platforms more accessible and affordable to patients in poor regions of the world wherein a given disease is endemic. This often necessitates going against the reigning trend of making therapeutic nanoparticles ever more structurally complex and expensive. However, studies aimed at simplifying materials and formulations while maintaining the functionality and therapeutic response of their more complex counterparts seldom provoke a significant interest in the scientific community. In this review …

Characterization Of Bacterial Pathogens Involved In Aerobic Vaginitis: Prevalence, Strain Characterization And Sequelae, Leslie A. Lafferty

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

Aerobic vaginitis (AV) is a more recently defined infection that involves aerobic pathogenic bacteria that replace the normal flora of the vaginal tract. It is commonly mistaken for other vaginal infections, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), because they share many common symptoms. AV leads to complications during pregnancy, such as premature delivery and amnion infection, and is diagnosed by indications that range from vaginal discharge to inflammation. Because this infection is difficult to diagnose differentially from other vaginal infections, it is important to determine what pathogens are involved in AV so that we may have the ability to detect them. …

A Community Hospital Antimicrobial Stewardship Program’S Assessment Of Prolonged Infusion Piperacillin-Tazobactam For Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Pneumonia, Lee Nguyen, Paul Gavaza, Amy Y. Kang, An Nguyen, Liem Hoang, Nguyen Ta

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: The study aim was to determine and compare the length of hospitalization, mortality, clinical stability, and time to clinical stability of a standard infusion (SI) and prolonged infusion (PI) piperacillin-tazobactam (TZP) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( PA) pneumonia patients.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated length of hospitalization, mortality, clinical stability, and time to clinical stability with either SI-TZP or PI-TZP therapy in hospitalized patients diagnosed with PA pneumonia between January 01, 2008 and June 30, 2014. Patients were included in the study if they received ≥2 days of TZP, were diagnosed with PA pneumonia, and had TZP therapy …

Tuberculosis As A Metaphor For Isolation: An Interdisciplinary Examination Of Tuberculosis, Stefanie Pavlick 15

Honor Scholar Theses

No abstract provided.

Characterizing The Response Of Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella Pneumoniae Species To The Application Of A Phage Cocktail, Steven Liu

Symposium

Project Summary: The application of bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections is known as phage therapy, which takes advantage of bacteriophage’s natural ability to infect and lyse bacterial hosts. Phages have been shaped by billions of years of evolution to be highly specialized deliverers of bactericidal agents to the cytoplasm of their target bacteria. Ever since discovery of bacteriophages in 1915, phage therapy was recognized as a potentially powerful tool for eliminating bacterial infections. The effectiveness of phage therapy can be increased by creating a mixture of multiple phages to target a wider variety of bacterial strains. Furthermore, phage therapy has …

Eculizumab In The Successful Treatment Of Postpartum Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome - A Case Report, Craig A. Mackaness Do, Frederick S. Fleszler Md

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases In Travelers, Edith Mirzaian, Jeffery A. Goad, Ani Amloian, Fady Makar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Travel to the developing world is increasing among those from developed countries, placing them at risk for vaccine preventable and non-vaccine preventable diseases. From 2007-2011, the GeoSentinel Network reported 737 returned travelers with a vaccine preventable disease. While it is essential that clinicians use vaccines when available for a disease of risk, they should also be aware that the vast majority of diseases acquired by travelers are non-vaccine preventable. The vaccine preventable diseases can be divided into routine travel vaccines, special travel vaccines and routine vaccines used for travel. The routine travel vaccines include Hepatitis A and B, typhoid; special …

Efficacy Of Probiotics Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Gg And Saccharomyces Boulardii In The Treatment Of Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea And Clostridium Diffiicile-Associated Disease, Estie Klugmann

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Antibiotic therapy may cause serious side effects. Two disturbing effects of antibiotic administration are antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile-associated disorder. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea occurs as a direct result of the normal flora destruction due to the antibiotics - which do not discriminate against pathogens or healthy forms of bacteria. C. diff disorder also occurs as an indirect result of antibiotic administration, because the destruction of the normal flora prevents people from having healthy bacteria to prevent disease. There have been studies conducted to determine if replacing the destroyed normal flora with probiotics, or beneficial microorganisms will prevent or treat these conditions. …

A Comparison Of Pharmacist Travel-Health Specialists' Versus Primary Care Providers' Recommendations For Travel-Related Medications, Vaccinations, And Patient Compliance In A College Health Setting, Melissa J. Durham, Jeffery A. Goad, Lawrence S. Neinstein, Mimi Lou

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background. Pretravel medication and vaccination recommendations and receipt were compared between primary care providers (PCPs) without special training and clinical pharmacists specializing in pretravel health.

Methods. A retrospective chart review of patients seen for pretravel health services in a pharmacist-run travel clinic (PTC) compared to PCPs at a University Student Health Center. Vaccine/medication recommendations were assessed for consistency with national/international guidelines. Medical/pharmacy records were queried to determine the receipt of medications/vaccinations.

Results. The PTC recommended antibiotics for travelers' diarrhea were given more often when indicated (96% vs 50%, p < 0.0001), and patients seen in the PTC received their medications more often (75% vs 63%, p = 0.04). PCPs prescribed more antibiotics for travelers' diarrhea that were inconsistent with guidelines (not ordered when indicated 49% vs 6%, p < 0.0001 and ordered when not indicated 21% vs 3%, p < 0.0001). The PTC prescribed antimalarials more often when indicated (98% vs 81%, p < 0.0001), while PCPs prescribed more antimalarials that were inconsistent with guidelines (not ordered when indicated 15% vs 1%, p < 0.0001 and ordered when not indicated 19% vs 2%, p < 0.0001). The PTC ordered more vaccines per patient when indicated (mean = 2.77 vs 2.31, p = 0.0012). PTC patients were more likely to receive vaccines when ordered (mean = 2.38 vs 1.95, p = 0.0039). PCPs recommended more vaccines per patient that were inconsistent with guidelines (not ordered when indicated: mean = 0.78 vs 0.12, p < 0.0001, ordered when not indicated: mean 0.18 vs 0.025, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions. A pharmacist-run pretravel health clinic can …

Isoniazid Completion Rates For Latent Tuberculosis Infection Among College Students Managed By A Community Pharmacist, Karl M. Hess, Jeffery A. Goad, Joanne Wu, Kathleen Johnson

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective: The authors' objective was to document 9-month and previously recommended 6-month treatment completion rates for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in a pharmacist-managed LTBI clinic in a community pharmacy oil a college Campus. and to describe patient characteristics. Participants: Participants were university Students diagnosed with LTBI. Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective review, of pharmacy records from 2000 to 2006. Main outcome measures included 6-month and 9-month LTBI treatment completion rates, total isoniazid (INH) tablets taken. characteristics of completers versus noncompleters. average time to treatment completion, and reported adverse drug events. Results: The 9-month completion rate was 59%, and the …