Author Archives: mdjkf
Saving lives by routine cryptococcal antigen screening and pre-emptive fluconazole in patients with advanced HIV
Update July 2026 : Guidelines for diagnosing, preventing and managing cryptococcal disease among adults, adolescents and children living with HIV (WHO 2022) Screening for cryptococcal antigen followed by pre-emptive antifungal therapy among cryptococcal antigen–positive people is recommended before ART (re)initiation … Continue reading
Posted in Fungi, Module-CNS infections, Module-Mycology
Tagged Cryptococcus, HIV, Infectious diseases, Meningitis
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Clarity Initiative for Infectious Diseases – a great one stop site for research and other updates
The CLARITY initiative has great up-to-date infectious diseases content. For instance: Highlights of ESCMID Global 2026 from the CLARITY faculty Josh Davis’s top 10 ID paper picks for 2025
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Blood culture liaison process – advice by organism type- 3. Gram negatives
Incomplete SECOND CLINICIAN CALL: Confirmed culture identification with susceptibility available Prior to calling, check the isolate antibiogram to see that species and susceptibility are consistent with each other – see EUCAST Expert rules which provide intrinsic resistance characters by species, … Continue reading
Posted in Module - Blood cultures, Uncategorized
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Blood culture liaison process – 2. Advice by organism type- Gram positives
SECOND CLINICIAN CALL: Confirmed culture identification with susceptibility available Prior to calling, check the isolate antibiogram to see that species and susceptibility are consistent – see EUCAST Expert rules which provide expected antibiotic phenotypes for specific bacterial species If possible … Continue reading
Posted in Module - Blood cultures
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Positive blood culture laboratory liaison approach – 1. Initial Gram stain
BACKGROUND Important guide: G_90_Info_10_A Common Blood culture Gram stains and implications 1Sep22 amended 1May25 Documentation! Always record your clinician discussion about a case in a large personal diary or preferably on the electronic pathology record for the patient’s sample if … Continue reading
Posted in Module - Blood cultures
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Hepatitis B and D – treatment is highly effective, safe and affordable
Chronic hepatitis B is a major public health burden in most LMICscontributing to unnecessary suffering from liver failure and liver cancer leading to loss of life. Treatment is highly effective, safe, and affordable. Simplified treatment algorithms along with access to … Continue reading
PNG Antibiotic Guidelines 2024
STOP PRESS: PNG GUIDELINES LAUNCH WILL BE SOON (July 2024) following an initial implementation workshop in June. After quite some planning and with the support of WHO and Burnet Institute, last week saw the convening of a Guideline Writing Committee … Continue reading
Posted in Pacific Island nations, PNG
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Respiratory specimens – approach to analysis and interpretation
Guest posting: Ms Tessa Oakley, Senior Bacteriology Scientist with the Timor-Leste Fleming Fund Country Grant and PRIDA member. This excellent lecture is from a March 2022 session during the PRIDA Scientific Officer Microbiology Diploma course. Sputum and Respiratory Oakley 2022 … Continue reading
Posted in Module-Respiratory infections
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Urinalysis, crystals and casts – annotated photographic guides
Produced by Dr Henry Butt, Senior Hospital Scientist, Newcastle, Australia in 1998. Urinary Crystals Urinalysis Urinary casts See also: https://idmic.net/2018/09/17/video-masterclass-dr-chris-ashhurst-smith-part-2-urine-culture-reading/ https://idmic.net/category/module-urinary-tract-infection/
Yeast 101 – species of medical importance – Dr N Townell
Yeast summary April 2021 Townell Candida species Cryptococcus species Trichosporon species Talaromyces marneffei (previously Penicillium marneffei) Rhodotorula species Malassezia furfur Pneumocysitis jiroveci Dimorphic fungi not included.
Posted in Fungi, Module-Mycology
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Microbiology and Infectious Diseases postgraduate teaching (PRIDA) 