Antibiotic Development, Stewardship Advocates See Window of Opportunity
The pandemic isn’t over yet, but with more and more Americans getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel becoming a little brighter every day—at least in the United States—many clinicians, scientists, and public health advocates are calling for renewed attention to an infectious disease threat that was in the spotlight before the pandemic arrived. Prior to the pandemic, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was considered one of the major looming health threats facing the world, if not the looming threat. But over the past year, COVID-19, and its multifaceted impact on society, has pushed AMR further back on the agenda, both for the public and policy makers.
2021 Sanctae Crucis Recipients Honored for Leadership During Pandemic
Last week, the College of the Holy Cross presented seven alumni with Sanctae Crucis Awards for their extraordinary commitment and leadership in critical fields throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sanctae Crucis Award is the highest non-degree accolade that the College bestows on alumni. The awards have been presented annually since 1998 to alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally and in the service of their community. Among the awardees is Levy CIMAR Director Dr. Helen Boucher, Chief of Infectious Diseases at Tufts Medical Center. She graduated from Holy Cross in 1986 prior to attending the University of Texas Medical School in Houston.
Plotting the End of Lyme Disease: Tufts Researchers Lead the Cutting Edge of Fighting this Mysterious Illness
As people weary of being cooped up during a pandemic winter look forward to a summer outside, residents across the northeastern United States are once again confronted with a familiar virulent pathogen lurking in the woods and fields. Unlike coronavirus, however, this dangerous microorganism doesn’t float through the air—it enters the body through the bite of a tick. Lyme disease has been a constant scourge since it was identified five decades ago on the Connecticut coastline, before spreading across the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. Several Levy CIMAR are involved in the fight against Lyme including Senior Leadership Members Drs. David Snydman and John Leong.
Helen Boucher Named Interim Dean at Tufts University School of Medicine
Helen Boucher, MD, chief of the Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Tufts Medical Center, professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, and a director of the Stuart B. Levy Center for Integrated Management of Antimicrobial Resistance (Levy CIMAR), has been named to a new, joint position as interim dean for Tufts University School of Medicine and chief academic officer for Wellforce, beginning July 1. Dr. Boucher will be the first woman to lead the School of Medicine in its 128-year history. Cheleste Thorpe, MD, will step in as Interim Director to lead the Levy CIMAR alongside Director Ralph Isberg, PhD.
There’s a Vaccine for Lyme Disease. So Why Can’t We Get It?
Thanks to vaccines, the number of COVID-19 cases has plummeted in the U.S. and restrictions are being lifted across the country. But as we return to our normal activities, we face a more familiar summertime scourge. We’re in the thick of Lyme disease season, the two-month run from early June to the end of July when 85 percent of infections take place. Surprisingly, vaccines may have allowed us to avoid this epidemic, too. A vaccine called LYMErix has existed for decades, but it’s no longer available. In this article, you will learn why LYMErix is no longer available and discover where the research stands today.
Concerned About the Delta Variant? This Sports Analogy Helps Explain the Risk
Many people are worried that the rise of the delta variant of the coronavirus, which is more contagious than the earlier variants and has become the dominant strain in the U.S., as well as in Massachusetts. Among the questions people have been wondering is whether they need to wear masks inside again indoors, even if they’ve been vaccinated. The World Health Organization recently said they should, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that’s unnecessary.Experts including the Levy CIMAR’s Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, weigh in.
A Few Days on Antibiotics Are Often as Good as Weeks, Research Shows
Dozens of studies show that for many bacterial infections, a short course of antibiotics, measured in days, performs as well as the traditional course, measured in weeks. Shorter courses also carry a lower risk of side effects. In April the strength of this research persuaded the American College of Physicians to issue new \u0022best practice advice\u0022 for four kinds of infections: pneumonia (the kind acquired in the community rather than in a hospital), \u0022uncomplicated\u0022 urinary tract infections (UTIs), skin infections known as cellulitis (provided there is no pus) and acute bronchitis in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
‘Silent Pandemic’ Threatens to Turn Back Century of Medical Progress
\u0022Before antibiotics, a simple skin infection had a 10% chance of killing you. People never think about that today, because we have antibiotics that cure all bacterial skin infections. We don’t think about skin infections as being a problem at all,\u0022 says Dr. Helen W. Boucher of the Levy CIMAR and interim Dean of the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. But now, she warns, time for many of these drugs is running out. Antimicrobial resistance is turning back nearly a century of work to prevent deaths from bacterial and fungal infections. In the U.S. alone, nearly 3 million people annually are believed to fall ill to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, and more than 35,000 of the patients die.
Tufts Epidemiologist Breaks Down How New Mask Guidance Applies To Mass.
As COVID-19 cases rise once again, and as variants continue to spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending that vaccinated people start wearing masks indoors, in many situations. The recommendation applies to areas considered to have a \u0022high and substantial transmission\u0022 of COVID-19, and in K-12 schools. The Levy CIMAR’s Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, joined WBUR’s Morning Edition to discuss what this means for Americanas and how this affects Massachusetts residents in particular.
Bacteriophage Therapy Market 2021 Share Leaders, Current Status, Industry Size By Major Key Vendors, Trends
Coherent Market Insights recently published an in depth study of Bacteriophages Therapy Market covering interesting aspects of the market with supporting development scenarios starting from 2021-2027. The report delivers the clean elaborated structure of the Market comprising each and each business-related information of the market at a worldwide level. the entire range of data associated with the worldwide Market is obtained through various sources. PhagePro, Inc., co-founded by the Levy CIMAR’s Andrew Camilli, PhD, is listed among key players focusing on bacteriophage therapies.
- Tufts Researchers Find Link Between Dog-Human Antibiotic Resistance
- IDSA announces Tufts Medical Center Among Recipients of Antimicrobial Stewardship Centers of Excellence Designation
- CIMAR Featured in Spotlight on Research and Collaboration
- CIMAR Joins the Battle Against AMR with Collaborative and Brainstorming Workshop
- Tufts Summer Programs Provide Research Opportunities for Undergraduates