Division News

Duke study finds one in three patients with bloodstream infections given inappropriate therapy

Growing drug resistance, a high prevalence of S. aureus bacteria and ineffective antibiotics prescribed to one in three patients are among the challenges facing community hospitals in treating patients with serious bloodstream infections, according to researchers at Duke Medicine. The findings, published March 18, 2014, in the journal PLOS ONE, provide the most comprehensive look at bloodstream infections in community hospitals to date.

In the news: Duke study shows young, unvaccinated adults account for severest flu cases

A snapshot of patients who required care at Duke University Hospital during this year’s flu season shows that those who had not been vaccinated had severe cases and needed the most intensive treatment. In an analysis of the first 55 patients treated for flu at the academic medical center from November 2013 through Jan. 8, 2014, Duke Medicine researchers found that only two of the 22 patients who required intensive care had been vaccinated prior to getting sick. The findings were published online in Mon., Feb.

Duke Management Guide for Infectious Diseases

The Duke CustomID is a decision support tool intended to provide clinicians with institution-specific, easily accessible, easily customizable information about the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases inside of the Duke institution.