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Bowen AC, Smith B, Daveson K, Eldridge L, Hempenstall A, Mylne T, Szalkowski R, Van Rooijen K, Anderson L, Stephens M, Tong SYC, Yarwood T. Capacity building to address antimicrobial resistance in remote Australia: The inaugural HOT NORTH Antimicrobial Academy. Infect Dis Health 2024:S2468-0451(24)00007-5. [PMID: 38555194 DOI: 10.1016/j.idh.2024.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) for some pathogens in Australia are considerably higher in rural and remote compared to urban regions. The inaugural Hot North Antimicrobial Academy was a 9-month educational programme aimed to build workforce knowledge and capacity in antimicrobial use, audit, stewardship, surveillance and drug resistance in remote primary health care. METHODS The Academy was advertised to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, regional and remote healthcare workers. Participants were Aboriginal health practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and doctors from Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia working in remote primary health care with a focus on Indigenous health. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Academy ran virtually from February-November 2021 using Microsoft Teams. The Academy was evaluated using surveys and yarning circles to assess impact and knowledge gain. RESULTS Participants and faculty from across Australia attended 19 lectures and mentorship sessions. Eleven participants commenced and eight (73%) completed the Academy. The Academy raised participants awareness of AMR guidelines, governance and generating change; built confidence in advocacy; grew knowledge about drug resistant infections; and created a community of AMR champions in Indigenous health. CONCLUSION The evaluation confirmed the Academy met the needs of participants, provided opportunities to move stewardship from tertiary hospitals into Indigenous and remote clinics and developed skills in research, audit, stewardship and advocacy for all involved. All sessions were recorded for future use, with facilitation by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) in future years.
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Affiliation(s)
- A C Bowen
- Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccine and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
| | - B Smith
- Queensland Statewide Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - K Daveson
- Queensland Statewide Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; The Canberra Hospital, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - L Eldridge
- Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - A Hempenstall
- Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, Cairns, QLD, Australia; James Cook University, Douglas, QLD, Australia
| | - T Mylne
- Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - K Van Rooijen
- Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service, Port Lincoln, SA, Australia
| | - L Anderson
- Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service, Broome, WA, Australia
| | - M Stephens
- National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - S Y C Tong
- Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - T Yarwood
- Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Services, Cairns, QLD, Australia
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Tay S, Bowen AC, Blyth CC, Clifford P, Clack R, Ford T, Herbert H, Kuthubutheen J, Mascaro F, O'Mahoney A, Rodrigues S, Tran T, Campbell AJ. A quality improvement study: Optimizing pneumococcal vaccination rates in children with cochlear implants. Vaccine 2022; 40:4531-4537. [PMID: 35718588 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Children with cochlear implants are at increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, with national and international guidelines recommending additional pneumococcal vaccines for these children. This study aimed to examine the pneumococcal immunization status and rate of invasive pneumococcal disease in children with cochlear implants at a tertiary paediatric hospital over a 12-year period. Additionally, the impacts of vaccination reminders and a dedicated immunization clinic on pneumococcal vaccination rates were assessed. This quality improvement study included 200 children who had received a cochlear implant through the Children's Hearing Implant Program at a tertiary paediatric hospital servicing the state of Western Australia. The majority of children (88%) were not up to date with additionally recommended pneumococcal vaccinations. Over the 12-year study period, 2% of children developed invasive pneumococcal disease associated with cochlear implant infections. Generic and personalized electronic immunization reminders improved pneumococcal vaccine up-take in this paediatric cochlear implant setting from 12% (19/153) at baseline to 49% (75/153, p < 0.0001) post implementation. The value of a nurse-led dedicated immunization clinic was also demonstrated with all children (42/42, 100%) up to date with Prevenar13 and the majority (34/42, 81%) up to date with Pneumovax23 post initiation of this referral pathway. These data support the expansion of this model to other medically-at-risk paediatric groups that have been highlighted consistently to be under-vaccinated.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Tay
- Immunisation Service, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - A C Bowen
- Immunisation Service, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia
| | - C C Blyth
- Immunisation Service, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia
| | - P Clifford
- Immunisation Service, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - R Clack
- Children's Hearing Implant Program, Ear Nose and Throat Department, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - T Ford
- Immunisation Service, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia; Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - H Herbert
- Children's Hearing Implant Program, Ear Nose and Throat Department, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - J Kuthubutheen
- Children's Hearing Implant Program, Ear Nose and Throat Department, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia; Division of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia
| | - F Mascaro
- Immunisation Service, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - A O'Mahoney
- Immunisation Service, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - S Rodrigues
- Children's Hearing Implant Program, Ear Nose and Throat Department, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - T Tran
- Children's Hearing Implant Program, Ear Nose and Throat Department, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia
| | - A J Campbell
- Immunisation Service, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Western Australia, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia
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Thomas HM, Runions KC, Lester L, Lombardi K, Epstein M, Mandzufas J, Barrow T, Ang S, Leahy A, Mullane M, Whelan A, Coffin J, Mitrou F, Zubrick SR, Bowen AC, Gething PW, Cross D. Western Australian adolescent emotional wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health 2022; 16:4. [PMID: 35027061 PMCID: PMC8756750 DOI: 10.1186/s13034-021-00433-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been vast and are not limited to physical health. Many adolescents have experienced disruptions to daily life, including changes in their school routine and family's financial or emotional security, potentially impacting their emotional wellbeing. In low COVID-19 prevalence settings, the impact of isolation has been mitigated for most young people through continued face-to-face schooling, yet there may still be significant impacts on their wellbeing that could be attributed to the pandemic. METHODS We report on data from 32,849 surveys from Year 7-12 students in 40 schools over two 2020 survey cycles (June/July: 19,240; October: 13,609), drawn from a study of 79 primary and secondary schools across Western Australia, Australia. The Child Health Utility Index (CHU9D) was used to measure difficulties and distress in responding secondary school students only. Using comparable Australian data collected six years prior to the pandemic, the CHU9D was calibrated against the Kessler-10 to establish a reliable threshold for CHU9D-rated distress. RESULTS Compared to 14% of responding 12-18-year-olds in 2013/2014, in both 2020 survey cycles almost 40% of secondary students returned a CHU9D score above a threshold indicative of elevated difficulties and distress. Student distress increased significantly between June and October 2020. Female students, those in older Grades, those with few friendships or perceived poor quality friendships, and those with poor connectedness to school were more likely to score above the threshold. CONCLUSIONS In a large dataset collected during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of secondary school students with scores indicative of difficulties and distress was substantially higher than a 2013/2014 benchmark, and distress increased as the pandemic progressed, despite the low local prevalence of COVID-19. This may indicate a general decline in social and emotional wellbeing exacerbated by the events of the pandemic. TRIAL REGISTRATION ANZCTRN (ACTRN12620000922976). Retrospectively registered 17/08/2020. https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380429&isReview=true .
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Affiliation(s)
- H. M. Thomas
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - K. C. Runions
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - L. Lester
- grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - K. Lombardi
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1038.a0000 0004 0389 4302Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia
| | - M. Epstein
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - J. Mandzufas
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - T. Barrow
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - S. Ang
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - A. Leahy
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - M. Mullane
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - A. Whelan
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - J. Coffin
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - F. Mitrou
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - S. R. Zubrick
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - A. C. Bowen
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia ,grid.410667.20000 0004 0625 8600Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, Australia
| | - P. W. Gething
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1032.00000 0004 0375 4078Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - D. Cross
- grid.414659.b0000 0000 8828 1230Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia ,grid.1012.20000 0004 1936 7910University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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Campbell AJ, Dotel R, Braddick M, Britton PN, Eisen DP, Francis JR, Lynar S, McMullan B, Meagher N, Nelson J, O’Sullivan MVN, Price DJ, Robinson JO, Whelan A, Tong SYC, Bowen AC, Davis JS. OUP accepted manuscript. JAC Antimicrob Resist 2022; 4:dlac014. [PMID: 35237755 PMCID: PMC8884362 DOI: 10.1093/jacamr/dlac014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Combination antibiotic therapy with an antitoxin agent, such as clindamycin, is included in some guidelines for severe, toxin-mediated Staphylococcus aureus infections. The evidence to support this practice is currently limited to in vitro, animal and observational human case-series data, with no previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Objectives This pilot RCT aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a clinical trial to examine if adjunctive clindamycin with standard therapy has greater efficacy than standard therapy alone for S. aureus infections. Methods We performed an investigator-initiated, open-label, multicentre, pilot RCT (ACTRN12617001416381p) in adults and children with severe S. aureus infections, randomized to standard antibiotic therapy with or without clindamycin for 7 days. Results Over 28 months, across nine sites, 127 individuals were screened and 34 randomized, including 11 children (32%). The primary outcome—number of days alive and free of systemic inflammatory response syndrome ≤14 days—was similar between groups: clindamycin (3 days [IQR 1–6]) versus standard therapy (4 days [IQR 0–8]). The 90 day mortality was 0% (0/17) in the clindamycin group versus 24% (4/17) in the standard therapy group. Secondary outcomes—microbiological relapse, treatment failure or diarrhoea—were similar between groups. Conclusions As the first clinical trial assessing adjunctive clindamycin for S. aureus infections, this study indicates feasibility and that adults and children can be incorporated into one trial using harmonized endpoints, and there were no safety concerns. The CASSETTE trial will inform the definitive S. aureus Network Adaptive Platform (SNAP) trial, which includes an adjunctive clindamycin domain and participants with non-severe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. J. Campbell
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, Australia
- Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - R. Dotel
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Blacktown Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - M. Braddick
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Townsville University Hospital, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - P. N. Britton
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Children’s Hospital Westmead, Sydney, Australia
- University of Sydney, Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, Sydney, Australia
- Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - D. P. Eisen
- College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - J. R. Francis
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Australia
| | - S. Lynar
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia
- Infectious Diseases, Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - B. McMullan
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, Sydney, Australia
- School of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- National Centre for Infections in Cancer, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - N. Meagher
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity, The University of Melbourne & Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population & Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - J. Nelson
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia
| | - M. V. N. O’Sullivan
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- New South Wales Health Pathology, Newcastle, Australia
| | - D. J. Price
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity, The University of Melbourne & Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Centre for Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population & Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - J. O. Robinson
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Australia
- Department of Microbiology, Pathwest Laboratory Medicine, Perth, Australia
- College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Discipline of Health, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia
| | - A. Whelan
- Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - S. Y. C. Tong
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity, The University of Melbourne & Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - A. C. Bowen
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, Australia
- Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia
| | - J. S. Davis
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia
- John Hunter Hospital, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
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5
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Campbell AJ, Dotel R, Blyth CC, Davis JS, Tong SYC, Bowen AC. Adjunctive protein synthesis inhibitor antibiotics for toxin suppression in Staphylococcus aureus infections: a systematic appraisal. J Antimicrob Chemother 2020; 74:1-5. [PMID: 30307507 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dky387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis inhibitor antibiotics inhibit synthesis of new proteins, including exotoxins and other important virulence determinants in Staphylococcus aureus. A summary of the literature regarding the use of adjunctive protein synthesis inhibitors for toxin suppression in the setting of S. aureus infections is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Campbell
- Perth Children's Hospital, 15 Hospital Avenue, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,School of Medicine, Division of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - R Dotel
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, and Department of Infectious Diseases, Blacktown Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - C C Blyth
- Perth Children's Hospital, 15 Hospital Avenue, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,School of Medicine, Division of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - J S Davis
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - S Y C Tong
- Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.,Victorian Infectious Disease Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, and The University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Victoria, Australia
| | - A C Bowen
- Perth Children's Hospital, 15 Hospital Avenue, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,School of Medicine, Division of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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6
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Harris TM, Bowen AC, Holt DC, Sarovich DS, Stevens K, Currie BJ, Howden BP, Carapetis JR, Giffard PM, Tong SYC. Investigation of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistance in an emerging sequence type 5 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone reveals discrepant resistance reporting. Clin Microbiol Infect 2018; 24:1027-1029. [PMID: 29723570 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2018.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- T M Harris
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - A C Bowen
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - D C Holt
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; School of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - D S Sarovich
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - K Stevens
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - B J Currie
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - B P Howden
- Microbiological Diagnostic Unit Public Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - J R Carapetis
- Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - P M Giffard
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; School of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - S Y C Tong
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Victorian Infectious Disease Service, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and The University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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7
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McLeod C, Morris PS, Snelling TL, Carapetis JR, Bowen AC. Nitazoxanide for the treatment of infectious diarrhoea in the Northern Territory, Australia 2007-2012. Rural Remote Health 2014; 14:2759. [PMID: 24924831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Australian Indigenous children suffer a high burden of diarrhoeal disease. Nitazoxanide is an antimicrobial that has been shown to be effective against a broad range of enteropathogens. To date, its use has not been reported in the tropical Top End (northernmost part) of the Northern Territory, Australia. The objective was to describe the use of nitazoxanide at the Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, and to assess any association with the time to resolution of diarrhoea. METHODS Eligible children (≤13 years) were identified from dispensary records as having been prescribed nitazoxanide during the audit period, 1 July 2007 to 31 March 2012. Patient demographics, symptoms, diarrheal aetiology, treatment details and clinical outcomes were obtained by chart review. RESULTS Twenty-eight children were treated with nitazoxanide, mostly for Cryptosporidium infection associated with prolonged diarrhoea. Dehydration was evident in 27 (96%) children on admission, and 11 (41%) were underweight. Diarrhoeal duration prior to treatment was 11.5 days (6.5 days pre- and 5 days post-admission). For children ≥12 months, nitazoxanide was prescribed according to guidelines stipulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Resolution of diarrhoea occurred a median of 2.4 days (IQR: 1.4-7.3) after starting treatment. An increase in weight for length at discharge was found for all children. CONCLUSIONS Prompt resolution of diarrhoea without adverse outcomes suggests nitazoxanide may be an effective treatment for Cryptosporidium infection in this setting. Its role in the treatment of other causes of infectious diarrhoea needs further investigation. Randomised trials will further direct its use and determine optimal dosing regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- C McLeod
- Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia .
| | - P S Morris
- Menzies School of Health Research, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia .
| | - T L Snelling
- Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - J R Carapetis
- Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - A C Bowen
- Menzies School of Health Research, Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia .
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