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March '24 Infectious Diseases Update

Posted by Doug Black, PharmD., Ann Lloyd, PharmD. on Mar 12th 2024

Sanford Guide ID Update features current developments in infectious diseases, curated by the Sanford Guide Editorial Board and our AMS Program Manager. Links marked with a * are available to Sanford Guide Web Edition and All Access clients. All other links are available without a Sanford Guide subscription. To receive monthly updates via email, sign up now. 

MARCH 2024

SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19

Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment: Update from WHO

  • In a Rapid Communication, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a number of updates to its forthcoming 2nd edition of the guidance on tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT). The primary update is a recommendation to use a regimen of six months of levofloxacin as TPT for contacts of patients with multidrug- or rifampin-resistant TB, based on the results of two RCTs in Vietnam and South Africa that support the use of the regimen in all age groups. Other revisions include updated drug dosages for TPT regimens with levofloxacin and rifapentine, integration of recommendations on screening strategies to rule out TB ahead of starting TPT and the use of TB tests, and an update of the algorithm for the management of TPT in contacts. The updated guidance will be released later this year. The Rapid Communication is available here.

Cefepime-Enmetazobactam Approved

  • Cefepime-enmetazobactam (Exblifep)* has been approved by the US FDA for complicated UTI in adults. Enmetazobactam is a beta-lactamase inhibitor similar to tazobactam. A key structural difference improves penetration into the bacterial cell. Enmetazobactam enhances the activity of cefepime vs Ambler Class A enzymes, such as ESBLs. The recommended doage is 2.5 gm (cefepime 2 gm + enmetazobactam 0.5 gm) IV q8h x7-14 days. Each dose is infused over 2 hours. In a recently published phase 3 RCT in patients with complicated UTI or acute pyelonephritis caused by gram-negative bacilli, cefepime-enmetazobactam (compared with piperacillin-tazobactam) met criteria for noninferiority as well as superiority with respect to the primary outcome of clinical cure and microbiologic eradication (JAMA 2022;328:1304).

AMS Pearl: Lab Innovations for AMS

Ten Laboratory Innovations for Stewardship and Infection Prevention

  • A recent paper reviewed the top 10 clinical microbiology laboratory advancements over the past decade. The technologies are categorized as either preanalytic, analytic, post-analytic, or other. Clinical applications and key benefits to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and infection prevention are discussed along with potential limitations. 
  • Clinical decision support tools, rapid testing capabilities, and automated stewardship interventions are described and evidence-based examples are shared. An extensive overview of sequencing methods, multiplex panels, rapid susceptibility testing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), and home testing is provided. 
  • AMS and infection prevention programs could use this paper to gain a better understanding of novel clinical microbiology technologies to potentially incorporate into their programs in partnership with the microbiology laboratory. Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol. 2024 Jan 25;4(1):e8. doi: 10.1017/ash.2024.10.

Drug Shortages (US)

  • Bicillin-LA and Bicillin-CR availability: See Dear Healthcare Professional letter here.
  • New shortages:
    • Acyclovir injection (21 Feb 2024)
    • Nitazoxanide oral susp 100 mg/5 mL (15 Feb 2024)
  • Shortages recently resolved:
    • Cefixime capsules 400 mg (9 Jan 2024)
  • Antimicrobial drugs or vaccines in continued reduced supply or unavailable (as of 10 Mar 2024) due to increased demand, manufacturing delays, product discontinuation by a specific manufacturer, or unspecified reasons: 
    • Antibacterial drugs:
      • Aminoglycosides:
        • Amikacin injection
        • Gentamicin injection (22 Feb 2021)
        • Tobramycin injection
      • Bacitracin ophthalmic ointment
      • Carbapenems:
        • Meropenem injection
      • Cephalosporins:
        • Cefazolin injection (4 Jun 2018)
        • Cefdinir, all oral formulations (29 Jun 2023)
        • Cefixime 400 mg capsules (21 Jan 2022)
        • Cefotaxime injection (FDA is allowing temporary importation of product from SteriMax in Canada, in conjunction with Provepharm Life Solutions and its distributor Direct Success. Click here for details).
      • Chloramphenicol injection (9 Oct 2023)
      • Clindamycin phosphate injection (25 Jun 2015)
      • Doxycycline oral suspension (16 Nov 2021)
      • Fluoroquinolones:
        • Ciprofloxacin injection (13 Jan 2023)
        • Ciprofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution
        • Levofloxacin oral solution, 25 mg/mL (15 Sep 2023)
        • Moxifloxacin 400 mg tablets (6 Dec 2023)
        • Ofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution
      • Glycopeptides, glycolipopeptides, lipopeptides:
        • Vancomycin injection (1 Jun 2015)
      • Macrolides/azalides:
        • Azithromycin ophthalmic solution 1%
        • Erythromycin 0.5% ophthalmic ointment (8 Jul 2022)
      • Metronidazole injection (20 Oct 2021)
      • Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates GU Irrigant (25 Jun 2023)
      • Nitrofurantoin oral suspension
      • Penicillins:
        • Amoxicillin. all oral formulations (18 Oct 2022)
        • Amoxicillin-clavulanate, all oral formulations (17 Nov 2022)
        • Ampicillin injection (19 Oct 2023)
        • Dicloxacillin capsules (250 mg, 500 mg)
        • Penicillin G benzathine injection (Bicillin-LA) (1 Feb 2023)
        • Penicillin G benzathine/Penicillin G procaine (Bicillin-CR) (31 Mar 2023)
        • Penicillin VK tablets (250 mg, 500 mg), oral solution (250 mg/5 mL) (17 May 2023)
        • Piperacillin-tazobactam injection
      • Polymyxin B sulfate/Trimethoprim sulfate ophthalmic solution (31 Mar 2023)
      • Sulfacetamide 10%/Prednisolone sodium phos 0.23% oph soln (21 Sep 2023)
      • Sulfanilamide 15% vaginal cream (unavailable)
    • Antifungal drugs: 
      • Amphotericin B injection (10 Nov 2022)
      • Amphotericin B Lipid Complex (5 Aug 2022)
      • Nystatin topical powder (18 Aug 2023)
    • Antimycobacterial drugs: 
      • Isoniazid 100 mg, 300 mg tablets (1 Sep 2022)
      • Isoniazid injection 100 mg/mL (24 Jan 2024)
      • Rifampin capsules
    • Antiparasitic drugs:
      • Primaquine
    • Antiviral drugs: 
      • Nirsevimab-alip injection (24 Oct 2023)
      • Oseltamivir capsules, powder for oral suspension (1 Nov 2022)
      • Podofilox 0.5% topical gel
      • Ribavirin for inhalation solution (23 May 2023)
      • Valganciclovir tablets, powder for oral solution (7 Feb 2023)
    • Vaccines:
      • None
  • Antimicrobial drugs recently discontinued: 
    • Posaconazole oral susp 40 mg/mL (Dec 2023, by Merck)
    • Sulfacetamide 10%/Prednisolone acetate 0.2% oph ointment (Aug 2023 by Allergan, sole supplier)
    • Penicillin G procaine 600,000 units/mL IM injection (Jun 2023)
    • Ritonavir oral solution 80 mg/mL (Jan 2023)
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