Respirology

Combined Ag/Ab rapid testing boosts case-finding in COVID-19

Elvira Manzano, Yesterday

A rapid and affordable test for diagnosing COVID-19 outside the walls of the healthcare units could improve case-finding, contact tracing, and infection control, says an expert during a pre-ECCMID 2021 session.

Antigen rapid test vs RT-PCR for COVID-19: What you need to know

Pearl Toh, 2 days ago

While RT-PCR is the current gold standard to confirm a SARS-CoV-2 infection, antigen rapid test (ART) for COVID-19 allows for quick detection of SARS-CoV-2 and thus fast triaging of infected patients requiring isolation at the population level, according to studies presented at ECCMID 2021.

Prednisone, but not biologic use, tied to increased COVID-19 severity

Roshini Claire Anthony, 3 days ago

Use of prednisone prior to SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis may be linked to a higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes such as hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death, according to a retrospective community-based study.

Antigen rapid tests: The new COVID-19 strategy moving forward?

Roshini Claire Anthony, 4 days ago

Same-day pre-event screening for SARS-CoV-2 using antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) may enable the resumption of large-scale indoor events which were halted or had their attendance capacity reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study from Spain presented at ECCMID 2021.

First dose of ChAdOx1, BNT162b2 vaccines may be protective in LTCF residents after 4 weeks

Roshini Claire Anthony, 5 days ago

Long-term care facility (LTCF) residents aged ≥65 years appeared to be protected from COVID-19 4–7 weeks after receiving their first dose of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 or BNT162b2 vaccine, according to a study presented at ECCMID 2021.

Antigen rapid test vs RT-PCR for COVID-19: What you need to know

Pearl Toh, 29 Jul 2021

Management of MDROs in the ICU and the role of newer antimicrobial agents

Prof. David Paterson, 30 Mar 2021

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are at risk of developing serious infections with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs), which require appropriate and adequate antibiotic coverage. Early empirical coverage is pivotal in saving patients’ lives. At a recent webinar co-organized by the Society of Infectious Disease (Singapore) and Pfizer, renowned Professor David Paterson, Professor of Medicine and Director, The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, and Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, discussed the role of newer antimicrobial agents, including ceftazidime-avibactam (Zavicefta) in the management of MDROs in the ICU. Dr Wong Sin Yew, Infectious Disease Physician at Gleneagles Medical Centre and Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore, chaired the event.

Tackling multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacterial infections in critically ill patients: Challenging the standard approach

Dr. Asok Kurup, Dr. Kenneth Chan, 07 Dec 2020

The rising incidence of infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria has become a serious health threat and a major challenge for intensivists. Against a backdrop of high patient mortality and risk factors for infection in intensive care units (ICU), early adequate therapy is of paramount importance. At a recent Pfizer-sponsored symposium, Dr Asok Kurup, Infectious Disease Physician, Singapore presented the implications of MDR gram-negative infections in critically ill patients in Asia, while Dr Kenneth Chan, Respiratory Physician and Intensivist, Singapore highlighted the role of ceftazidime-avibactam (Zavicefta) and shared published real-world data on ceftazidime-avibactam.

Preventing influenza during COVID-19: The importance of annual immunisations

01 Nov 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the globe, comparison is often drawn to influenza, another contagious respiratory-borne disease. Recently, Dr Azureen Azmel, a consultant infectious disease physician at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR), and Dr Leong Chee Loon, a consultant infectious disease physician with Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), came together to discuss about the importance of annual influenza vaccination during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Combined Ag/Ab rapid testing boosts case-finding in COVID-19

Elvira Manzano, 29 Jul 2021

Antigen rapid test vs RT-PCR for COVID-19: What you need to know

Pearl Toh, 29 Jul 2021

Antigen rapid tests: The new COVID-19 strategy moving forward?

Roshini Claire Anthony, 27 Jul 2021

First dose of ChAdOx1, BNT162b2 vaccines may be protective in LTCF residents after 4 weeks

Roshini Claire Anthony, 26 Jul 2021

Budesonide-albuterol lowers exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in patients with asthma

Elaine Soliven, 25 Jun 2021

Treatment with a fixed-dose combination of budesonide and albuterol (BDA) in a single pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI), also known as PT027, significantly prevents exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in adolescents and adults with asthma, according to the TYREE* study presented at ATS 2021.