A survey of pediatric infectious diseases clinicians from 49 children's hospitals demonstrated variability across institutions in the treatment of epidural empyema from sinus extension, including antibiotic route, selection, and impact of neuroimaging on determining duration of therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pediatric Infect Dis Soc
April 2024
We sought to evaluate whether children hospitalized with acute respiratory infections experienced differences in antibiotic use by race and ethnicity. We found that likelihood of broad-spectrum antibiotic receipt differed across racial and ethnic groups. Future work should confirm this finding, evaluate causes, and ensure equitable antibiotic use.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere are limited resources for guidance on the transition from fellowship into a new faculty role in pediatric infectious diseases. This review aims to address this gap and provides a framework for a successful transition that is composed of four essential pillars-(1) stepping into your role, (2) finding your niche, (3) building your network, and (4) self-care-all of which are supported by strong mentorship/sponsorship and continual realignment with one's personal mission statement. In addition to providing general principles and guidance, this review also outlines specific steps that a junior faculty member can take to expand their influence and build a successful, fulfilling career in pediatric infectious diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe describe a case of Baylisascaris procyonis roundworm infection in a child in Washington, USA, with autism spectrum disorder. Environmental assessment confirmed nearby raccoon habitation and B. procyonis eggs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The medical establishment continues to be complicit in the degradation of native peoples of the United States through the use of the racist phrase "red man syndrome" (RMS) to describe the histamine-release syndrome that accompanies vancomycin infusion.
Methods: Five months after the transition from 1 electronic health record to another at our freestanding children's hospital, our antimicrobial stewardship team reviewed all active allergy records to identify and then replace use of RMS terminology with preferred alternative "vancomycin flushing syndrome." In partnership with institutional stakeholders, we also launched an educational campaign and instituted in the electronic health record an autocorrect functionality to prevent new RMS entries.
Background: Graduate Medical Education training programs transitioned to all-virtual recruitment in 2020. Limited data have been published regarding the consequences of this transition. We aimed to understand (1) infectious diseases (ID) fellowship programs' recruitment efforts and the effect of virtual recruitment on application and interview numbers and (2) the number of programs to which matched applicants applied and interviewed and applicants' perspectives on virtual recruitment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Hospitalized children experience frequent nighttime awakenings. Oral medications are commonly administered around the clock despite the comparable efficacy of daytime administration schedules, which promote sleep. With this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a quality improvement initiative to increase the proportion of sleep-friendly antibiotic administration schedules.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected many providers, but its impact on Infectious Diseases (ID) fellows in the United States is largely undescribed. In this study, we discuss key issues that emerged from the first national ID Fellows Call with respect to the ID fellow's role during the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching/learning, and research.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOne of the many challenges that has befallen the Infectious Diseases and Graduate Medical Education communities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the maintenance of continued effective education and training of the future leaders of our field. With the remarkable speed and innovation that has characterized the responses to this pandemic, educators everywhere have adapted existing robust and safe learning environments to meet the needs of our learners. This paper will review distinct aspects of education and training of the Infectious Diseases fellows we believe the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted most, including mentoring, didactics, and wellness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF