Author: Zachary Van Roy

Microbe Monday: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Today, we start a new series of posts on the UNMC ID Blog: Microbe Monday. This is a monthly installment introducing the microbiology behind the pathogens routinely encountered in the clinic. While these posts are geared more towards education, recent research advances and interesting historical context should be broadly interesting to all readers. Our first microbe is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Read on to learn more about this important pathogen.

Dec 13, 2022

December is HIV/AIDS Awareness Month

Beginning with World AIDS Day on December 1st, the month of December is a time to raise awareness and reflect on the impact this epidemic has had on our communities and the world.

Dec 9, 2022

Joint Commission and CMS Conditions of Participation Updates for Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals

This post is part of a series on Antibiotic Awareness Week 2022.  For more information, check out the full post on the Nebraska Antimicrobial Stewardship Assessment and Promotion Program (ASAP) blog. Knowing and implementing TJC and CMS requirements for ASPs is essential for a successful program. Furthermore, TJC recommendations are something to take note of […]

Nov 24, 2022

Sounding the Alarm: Antimicrobial Resistance in the United States

This post is part of a series on Antibiotic Awareness Week 2022, authored by UNMC ID fellow Dr. Mackenzie Keintz. Read on to learn more about growing antimicrobial resistance in the United States and what can be done to stop it.

Nov 23, 2022

NHSN Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Module Reporting – CMS required by 2024!

This post is part of a series on Antibiotic Awareness Week 2022.  For more information, check out the full post on the Nebraska Antimicrobial Stewardship Assessment and Promotion Program (ASAP) blog. Antimicrobial resistance rates continue to increase in hospitals across the United States. One of the five CDC core actions to combat the spread of […]

Nov 22, 2022

Influential Papers in Antimicrobial Stewardship from the Past Year

This post is part of a series on Antibiotic Awareness Week 2022, authored by Scott Bergman, PharmD, FCCP, FIDSA, BCIDP. Read on to learn more about influential antibiotic stewardship research published this year.

Nov 21, 2022

Addressing Reported Penicillin Allergy – A 2022 Practice Parameter Update

This post is part of a series on Antibiotic Awareness Week 2022.  For more information about how to manage a patient reported penicillin allergy, check out the full post on the Nebraska Antimicrobial Stewardship Assessment and Promotion Program (ASAP) blog. Patient reported antibiotic allergies present clinicians with challenging decisions at the point of prescribing. Approximately […]

Nov 18, 2022

Publication Alert: Preparing the Intensive Care Unit for Future Pandemics

rom SARS to H1N1 to Ebola and now COVID-19, it is clear that pandemic infectious diseases are likely to be a constant challenge to the healthcare system and humanity for the foreseeable future. Luckily, past pandemics can help us learn to better combat these diseases in the future. This is the case made by a new article authored by Drs. Cawcutt, Kalil, and Hewlett. Their thesis: best summed up by the Winston Churchhill quote “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Nov 17, 2022

Are You Antibiotics Aware? U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week is November 18-24, 2022

U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week is an annual observance that raises awareness of the threat of antibiotic resistance and the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. The observance is a partnership between the CDC, state-based programs (such as the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Healthcare-Associated Infections/Antibiotic Resistance Team), and non-profit/for-profit partners.

Nov 15, 2022

Research Digest: Improving Care for People Living with HIV

UNMC ID has a long history of not only providing extraordinary medical care for people living with HIV (PLWH), but also contributing strongly to the research that informs the future of medicine. We have even featured many such articles on this blog. Today, we summarize a few recent publications focused at improving care for for this patient population through bettering medication adherence and important health screening measures.

Nov 10, 2022