The antibiotic vancomycin, long considered the go-to treatment for infections caused by the deadly superbug C. difficile (C. diff), may no longer be delivering the desired results, according to recent research published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases by the University of Houston College of Pharmacy.
C. diff infections are the leading cause of death due to gastroenteritis in the United States. Symptoms can range from mild diarrhea and abdominal pain to severe complications such as toxic megacolon, sepsis, and even death.
Despite a 54% increase in the use of oral vancomycin since 2012, based on 2018 clinical practice guidelines, clinical cure rates have dropped significantly from almost 100% in the early 2000s to approximately 70% in contemporary clinical trials.
Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, research assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research at the UH College of Pharmacy, reports that there is a concerning lack of understanding regarding whether antimicrobial resistance to these strains could be impacting the clinical response to vancomycin therapy.
The emergence of data suggesting reduced effectiveness of vancomycin has become increasingly prevalent, yet the full implications of this trend remain unclear. The urgent need for further investigation into alternative treatment options and potential resistance mechanisms is emphasized by Gonzales-Luna and her team.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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