Three-years of dalbavancin use at a UK tertiary referral hospital serving a population with high numbers of people who inject drugs.

Background: Dalbavancin's unique properties have led to an increase in its off-licence use in complex infection and in vulnerable populations including people who inject drugs (PWID), but data remain limited. In this retrospective cohort study, we describe the characteristics, treatment rationale and outcomes for all adult inpatients treated with dalbavancin at a UK tertiary hospital.

Results: Fifty-eight inpatients were treated with dalbavancin between 1 January 2018 and 1 January 2021, 98.

Stakeholder perspectives on an integrated package of care for lower limb disorders caused by podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis or leprosy: A qualitative study.

Background: Lower limb disorders including lymphoedema create a huge burden for affected persons in their physical and mental health, as well as socioeconomic and psychosocial consequences for them, their families and communities. As routine health services for the integrated management and prevention of lower limb disorders are still lacking, the 'Excellence in Disability Prevention Integrated across Neglected Tropical Diseases' (EnDPoINT) study was implemented to assess the development and delivery of an integrated package of holistic care-including physical health, mental health and psychosocial care-within routine health services for persons with lower limb disorders caused by podoconiosis, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy.

Methodology/principal Findings: This study was part of the first of three phases within EnDPoINT, involving the development of the integrated care package.

Consensus-based antimicrobial resistance and stewardship competencies for UK undergraduate medical students.

Background: In the UK there is limited coverage of antimicrobial stewardship across postgraduate curricula and evidence that final year medical students have insufficient and inconsistent antimicrobial stewardship teaching. A national undergraduate curriculum for antimicrobial resistance and stewardship is required to standardize an adequate level of understanding for all future doctors.

Objectives: To provide a UK national consensus on competencies for antimicrobial resistance and stewardship for undergraduate medical education.

The role of the smartphone in the transition from medical student to foundation trainee: a qualitative interview and focus group study.

Background: The transition from medical student to junior doctor is one of the most challenging in medicine, affecting both doctor and patient health. Opportunities to support this transition have arisen from advances in mobile technology and increased smartphone ownership.

Methods: This qualitative study consisted of six in-depth interviews and two focus groups with Foundation Year 1 Trainees (intern doctors) and final year medical students within the same NHS Trust.

Identification and control of a gentamicin resistant, meticillin susceptible outbreak on a neonatal unit.

We describe the identification and control of an outbreak of gentamicin resistant, meticillin susceptible (GR-MSSA) on a 36-bed neonatal unit (NNU) in London. Control measures included admission and weekly screening for GR-MSSA, cohorting affected babies, environmental and staff screening, hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) for terminal disinfection of cohort rooms, and reinforcement of hand hygiene. Seventeen babies were affected by the outbreak strain over ten months; seven were infected and ten were asymptomatic carriers.

Non-tuberculous slow-growing mycobacterial pulmonary infections in non-HIV-infected patients in south London.

Background: UK data on slow-growing non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary infections are sparse and there is little consensus on optimal treatment regimens.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of NTM pulmonary infections in a London teaching hospital. Inclusion criteria were culture of slow-growing mycobacteria between 2000 and 2007, age > 18 y, HIV-negative, and meeting American Thoracic Society criteria.

Fatal laryngeal diphtheria in a UK child.

Over the last century, the infectious causes of acute upper airway obstruction have changed dramatically. Toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae has become rare in the UK due to national immunisation programmes. Since 1986, eight sporadic cases of C diphtheriae were reported, all of whom had recently returned from endemic areas.

Mobile Medical Education (MoMEd) - how mobile information resources contribute to learning for undergraduate clinical students - a mixed methods study.

Background: Mobile technology is increasingly being used by clinicians to access up-to-date information for patient care. These offer learning opportunities in the clinical setting for medical students but the underlying pedagogic theories are not clear. A conceptual framework is needed to understand these further.