Journal Mobile

Author(s): 
P Robertson
Journal Issue: 
Volume 38: Issue 4: 2008

Format

Abstract

 

Animals and, unfortunately, medical care are responsible for many of the problems  and  challenges  caused  by  infection  that  we  currently  face.  The symposium’s  morning  session  covered  four  zoonotic  infections  –  Q  fever,  Lyme borreliosis,  verotoxin-producing Escherichia  coli  and  rabies  –  that  will  require improved interaction between physicians, microbiologists, veterinarians and public health agencies for their control. Representatives of each of these groups spoke, and  the  audience  was  similarly  broad  in  its  make-up. The  afternoon  session  saw expert  speakers  discuss  two  difficult  bugs  –  complicated Staphylococcus  aureus bacteraemia and fungal lung infection – and the difficult clinical scenario of ensuring patients  with  severe  sepsis  receive  effective  initial  antibiotics  without  fuelling antimicrobial  resistance  or Clostridium  difficile disease. The  wealth  of  information and experience provided should challenge anyone prescribing antimicrobial agents to reflect on and improve their own practice.

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