Publications by authors named "Antonia Scobie"
Article Synopsis
- Mycobacterial cultures are regularly conducted on bone and joint samples to detect both Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) at a tertiary orthopedic center.
- Between July 2017 and September 2022, a total of 6,162 cultures were performed, resulting in 22 MTBC and 6 NTM positive cases, while highlighting that 229 cultures are needed to find one additional infection not detected by routine methods.
- The study suggests that targeting mycobacterial cultures, especially for spinal samples and patients suspected of having sarcoma, may be more effective than routine testing, particularly in areas with low tuberculosis prevalence.
Fluoroquinolones in orthopaedic infection: balancing risks and rewards.
J Antimicrob Chemother
October 2024
This article discusses the recent regulatory restrictions on the use of fluoroquinolones and their impact on treating orthopaedic infections. We focus on the balance between the benefits and risks of fluoroquinolones in scenarios involving severe infections where alternative antibiotics may be less effective. The discussion includes a summary of recent evidence on adverse effects and the implications for clinical practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDue to the complex nature of treponemal serology interpretation, testing algorithms vary across the UK. There is currently no gold standard method for interpretation of discordant serology results. To analyse serological response in early infection and to determine the best approach for discordant total antibody EIA and TPPA samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackgroundDiphtheria is a potentially fatal disease caused by toxigenic strains of or AimOur objective was to review the epidemiology of diphtheria in the United Kingdom (UK) and the impact of recent changes in public health management and surveillance.MethodsPutative human toxigenic diphtheria isolates in the UK are sent for species confirmation and toxigenicity testing to the National Reference Laboratory. Clinical, epidemiological and microbiological information for toxigenic cases between 2009 and 2017 are described in this population-based prospective surveillance study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Rigorous antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs) are an essential strategy against antimicrobial resistance.
Objectives: To evaluate and score ASPs in acute English NHS hospitals and determine association of ASP scores with antimicrobial prescribing.
Methods: ASP structure and process were evaluated through an online survey in 148/152 acute hospitals in 2017.
Unlabelled: LISTERIOSIS: is a foodborne illness that can result in septicaemia, Central Nervous System (CNS) disease, foetal loss and death in high risk patients.
Objectives: To analyse the demographic trends, clinical features and treatment of non-perinatal listeriosis cases over a ten year period and identify mortality-associated risk factors.
Methods: Reported laboratory-confirmed non-pregnancy associated cases of listeriosis between 2006 and 2015 in England were included and retrospectively analysed.