Publications by authors named "Samuel De l'Etoile-Morel"
In Canada, a substantial proportion of migrants come from strongyloidiasis-endemic regions. Systematic screening for Strongyloides is not performed in immunocompromised patients in whom this infection could be potentially fatal. We aim to assess the level of Strongyloides awareness and knowledge among Canadian physicians caring for immunocompromised patients and identify factors currently associated with screening.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Differentiating cellulitis from pseudocellulitis is challenging, and misdiagnosis leads to unnecessary antimicrobial use and increased healthcare expenditure. Clinical diagnosis remains the criterion standard and may involve expert consultation. Our objective was to evaluate the usefulness of a handheld infrared thermometer to improve diagnostic certainty in cases of suspected cellulitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The effect of participation in a clinical trial on concomitant off-study investigational drug use has not been described. We sought to determine if participation in the Daptomycin as Adjunctive Therapy for bacteremia (DASH) trial increased overall daptomycin prescribing at study sites.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed daptomycin use for 8 years preceding the trial, off-study daptomycin use during the trial itself (31 months), and daptomycin use for 6 fiscal months after trial completion.
Background: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) with methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Our objective in this study was to determine the efficacy of synergistic treatment with daptomycin when given with either cefazolin or cloxacillin for the treatment of MSSA BSI.
Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed at 2 academic hospitals in Montreal, Canada.
The optimal treatment for potential AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae, including Serratia, Providencia, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, and Morganella species, remains unknown. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors with carbapenems in the treatment of bloodstream infections with these pathogens found no significant difference in 30-day mortality (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Vancomycin is commonly used to treat MRSA infections but can lead to serious side effects like renal failure; its relationship with MRSA colonization swabs for diagnosis remains unclear.
- A systematic review of 29 studies, involving over 24,000 patients, found that negative MRSA colonization swabs have high negative predictive values (over 90%) in settings with low MRSA prevalence, which could help avoid unnecessary vancomycin use.
- Further research is necessary to determine if using MRSA screening swabs can reduce the costs associated with screening in environments where MRSA colonization is low.