Young doctors' perspectives on antibiotic use and resistance: a multinational and inter-specialty cross-sectional European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) survey.

BACKGROUND: Postgraduate training has the potential to shape the prescribing practices of young doctors. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the practices, attitudes and beliefs on antibiotic use and resistance in young doctors of different specialties. METHODS: We performed an international web-based exploratory survey. Principal component analysis (PCA) and bivariate and multivariate [analysis of variance (ANOVA)] analyses were used to investigate differences between young doctors according to their country of specialization, specialty, year of training and gender. RESULTS: Of the 2366 participants from France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain, 54.2% of young doctors prescribed antibiotics predominantly as instructed by a mentor. Associations between the variability of answers and the country of training were observed across most questions, followed by variability according to the specialty. Very few differences were associated with the year of training and gender. PCA revealed five dimensions of antibiotic prescribing culture: self-assessment of knowledge, consideration of side effects, perception of prescription patterns, consideration of patient sickness and perception of antibiotic resistance. Only the country of specialization (partial η2 0.010-0.111) and the type of specialization (0.013-0.032) had a significant effect on all five identified dimensions (P < 0.01). The strongest effects were observed on self-assessed knowledge and in the perception of antibiotic resistance. CONCLUSIONS: The country of specialization followed by the type of specialization are the most important determinants of young doctors' perspectives on antibiotic use and resistance. The inclusion of competencies in antibiotic use in all specialty curricula and international harmonization of training should be considered.

Antimicrobial storage and antibiotic knowledge in the community: a cross-sectional pilot study in north-western Angola.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobials are drugs that were once lifesavers and mainly curative. Nowadays their value is increasingly under pressure because of the rapid and worldwide emergence of antimicrobial resistance, which, in low-resource settings, frequently occurs in microorganisms that are likely to be transmitted in the community. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional pilot study including 102 households within the 10th Health and Demographic Surveillance System round in Dande, Bengo Province, Angola. RESULTS: Of the total 102 households piloted, 79 (77.45%) were urban. Fifty-seven respondents were female (56.44%), and the mean age of the respondents was 39.70±15.35years. Overall, storage of antimicrobials was found in 55/102 households (53.92%). More than 66% of the antimicrobials stored were prescribed by a health professional and the majority of antimicrobials were bought at pharmacies or at a street market. Penicillin and its derivatives, antimalarial drugs, and metronidazole were the antimicrobials most frequently stored. Households with female respondents reported storing any drugs at home more frequently (82.50%; p=0.002) and also storing antimicrobials more frequently (64.91%; p=0.016) as compared to households with male respondents. Reported use of antimicrobials was significantly higher in urban households (60.76%, 48/79) as compared to rural households (30.43%, 7/23) (p=0.010). Overall, 74 of 101 respondents (73.26%) reported having already heard about antibiotics. The common reasons given for their use were cough and other respiratory symptoms, wounds, flu and body muscle pain, fever, bladder complaints, and diarrhoea and/or presumed typhoid fever. Nearly 40% (28/74) of the respondents thought that antibiotics should be stopped as soon as the person does not feel sick anymore. CONCLUSIONS: Community interventions for appropriate use of antibiotics should be designed with a special focus on women. This should be done through public awareness campaigns and improving access to reliable medical services. Drug prescribers are key not only to appropriate antimicrobial prescription, but also to adequate dispensing, and are strong advocates for the possible misconceptions on antimicrobial usage by lay people.

Candida albicans osteomyelitis as a cause of chest pain and visual loss.

Candida albicans osteomyelitis is a rare disease that occurs in immunocompromised individuals, sometimes with a late diagnosis related to the mismatch between symptoms and candidemia. This case refers to a 36-year-old male patient with a history of oesophageal surgery for achalasia with multiple subsequent surgeries and hospitalisation in the intensive care unit for oesophageal fistula complication. Four months after discharge, the patient was admitted to the infectious diseases department with pain in the 10th-12th left ribs, swelling of the 4th-6th costal cartilage and decreased visual acuity. An MRI study showed thickening and diffuse enhancement, with no defined borders in the cartilage and ribs, compatible with infection. After performing a CT-guided bone biopsy, isolated C. albicans sensitive to antifungal agents was detected. The patient started therapy with liposomal amphotericin B and maintenance fluconazole for 6 months and showed clinical and radiological improvement within this time.

Palestra e manual sobre tratamento da dor alteraram a prescrição de analgésicos no pós-operatório de cirurgia geral / Presentation and manual on pain management have changed analgesics prescription in the postoperative period of general surgeries

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O planejamento da analgesia no tratamento da dor aguda pós-operatória é fundamental para o seu controle efetivo, pois quando não tratada acarreta alterações nocivas ao organismo. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a mudança na prescrição de analgésicos no período pós-operatório de cirurgias gerais antes e após a apresentação de simpósio e o fornecimento de manual sobre tratamento da dor. MÉTODO: Estudo prospectivo com 45 pacientes, com idade entre 18 e 70 anos, submetidos a cirurgias gerais, avaliando a efetividade da analgesia pós-operatória pela aplicação da escala numérica da dor e análise da prescrição dos analgésicos, antes e após a apresentação de palestra e o fornecimento de manual sobre tratamento da dor pós-operatória, para os médicos assistentes, residentes e internos da Clinica Cirúrgica de um hospital escola de médio porte. RESULTADOS: No grupo controle, a intensidade da dor foi 3,64 ± 3,2 na 1ª hora, 4,24 ± 2,9 em 12 horas, 4,84 ± 2,2 em 24 horas e 4,08 ± 2,3 em 48 horas. No grupo pós-estudo, a intensidade da dor foi 2,85 ± 2,8 em 1 hora, 2,90 ± 2,7 em 12 horas 2,25 ± 2,6 em 24 horas e 1,95 ± 2,4 em 48 horas. Não houve diferença estatística significativa entre as diferentes horas do mesmo grupo, mas existiu uma diferença entre a 24ª hora do grupo controle em relação ao grupo estudo (p < 0,001), e entre a 48ª hora de grupo controle em relação ao grupo estudo (p < 0,005). CONCLUSÃO: A intervenção proposta gerou mudanças discretas nas prescrições analgésicas pós-operatórias, porém suficientes para proporcionar diminuição na intensidade da dor em alguns momentos do estudo.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Analgesic planning to manage acute postoperative pain is critical for its effective control, because if untreated it brings noxious changes to the body. This study aimed at analyzing the change in analgesics prescription in the postoperative period of general surgeries before and after the presentation of a symposium and the distribution of a pain management manual. METHOD: This was a prospective study with 45 patients aged between 18 and 70 years, submitted to general surgeries, to evaluate the effectiveness of postoperative analgesia via the pain numerical scale, and to analyze analgesics prescription before and after a presentation and the distribution of a postoperative pain management manual for assistant, resident and internship physicians of the Surgical Clinic of a medium-sized teaching hospital. RESULTS: Pain intensity in the control group was 3.64 ± 3.2 in the 1st hour, 4.24 ± 2.9 within 12 hours, 4.84 ± 2.2 within 24 hours and 4.08 ± 2.3 within 48 hours. Pain intensity in the post-study group was 2.85 ± 2.8 in 1 hour, 2.90 ± 2.7 within 12 hours, 2.25 ± 2.6 within 24 hours and 1.95 ± 2.4 within 48 hours. There has been no statistically significant difference among different hours for the same group, however there has been a difference between the 24th hour of the control group as compared to the study group (p < 0.001) and between the 48th hour of the control group as compared to the study group (p < 0.005). CONCLUSION: The proposed intervention has generated mild changes in postoperative analgesics prescription, however enough to provide pain intensity decrease in some studied moments.

Mind the gap: Management of an emergent and threatening invasive fungal infection-a case report of rhino-orbital-cerebral and pulmonary mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis is an emergent and threatening invasive fungal invasion underdiagnosed by clinicians due to lack of awareness and aspecific clinical picture. The authors describe a clinical case of a diabetic and cirrhotic patient who developed rhino-orbital-cerebral and pulmonary mucormycosis, non-responsive to treatment. Typical gaps in the management of this deadly disease are addressed. There is a strong need for novel therapies and an expectation that sponsors will recognize the critical need for randomized clinical trials.

[Global expression of Chagas´ disease - emerging opportunities and impact in Portugal]. / A expressão global da doença de Chagas - oportunidades emergentes e impacto em Portugal.

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is endemic in the countries of Central and South America. Despite vector control programs and other measures taken in the blood banks and maternity hospitals, it is estimated that there are about eight million people infected worldwide. Although traditionally associated with rural life and poverty, the current migration flows transform it into a global public health problem. In Portugal, this problem is poorly known, with an estimated underdiagnosis index that exceeds 99%. In European countries, besides imported cases, autochthonous infections arise through vertical transmission and blood/organ donation.The conventional serological tests for diagnosing Chagas disease and verifying its cure are indirect hemagglutination (IHA), indirect immunofluorescence (IFAT), and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA).The hypothesis of autoimmunity as a basic mechanism of this disease and the absence of early markers of cure are the causes of controversy regarding the specific treatment of this disease. The currently available drugs have adverse effects on a large number of patients and parasitological efficacy in chronic disease is suboptimal.The authors reinforce the need of a high level of suspicion in patients with suggestive epidemiology and the need of populational screening of specific high risk groups.

Emerging and under-recognized Chagas cardiomyopathy in non-endemic countries.

Due to recent population emigration movements, an epidemic of Chagas disease is currently menacing most developed countries. The authors report the case of a 53-year-old Brazilian woman living in Europe for the last 10 years who developed heart failure symptoms, having a previous symptomatic sinus node disease with a pacemaker implant at age of 40 years. The diagnosis was based on serology and myocardial biopsy and the patient was treated with nifurtimox. The authors emphasize the need of a high level of suspicion in patients with suggestive epidemiology and the need of populational screening of specific high risk groups. New treatment options are also discussed.