Thomas Holland - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Thomas Holland
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America, Jan 12, 2009
The clinical microbiology laboratory has a mandate to provide reliable, accurate susceptibility d... more The clinical microbiology laboratory has a mandate to provide reliable, accurate susceptibility data in a time frame that is useful to the clinicians requesting the information to optimize clinical outcomes and, when possible, to reduce the emergence of resistance. This mandate is served by selective reporting of results to the ordering clinician from isolates obtained from individual patients and by providing collective data on local prevalence of resistance to be used for empiric therapy. To meet these challenges and responsibilities, clinical microbiologists must continuously assess and update susceptibility testing and reporting strategies. Although classical methods remain the workhorse of susceptibility testing, molecular methods are on the cusp of challenging their primacy.
Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2015
Bacteremia Caused by Kerstersia gyiorum: a Case Report and Review of the Literature
Journal of clinical microbiology, Jan 25, 2015
Kerstersia spp. are an unusual cause of human infections. We report the first known case of bacte... more Kerstersia spp. are an unusual cause of human infections. We report the first known case of bacteremia and sepsis due to Kerstersia gyiorum, in a patient with chronic lower extremity ulcers, and we review the literature on this uncommon pathogen.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2011
Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia is one of the most common serious bacterial infections worldwid... more Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia is one of the most common serious bacterial infections worldwide. In the UK alone, around 12 500 cases each year are reported, with an associated mortality of about 30%, yet the evidence guiding optimum management is poor. To date, fewer than 1500 patients with S aureus bacteraemia have been recruited to 16 controlled trials of antimicrobial therapy. Consequently, clinical practice is driven by the results of observational studies and anecdote. Here, we propose and review ten unanswered clinical questions commonly posed by those managing S aureus bacteraemia. Our fi ndings defi ne the major areas of uncertainty in the management of S aureus bacteraemia and highlight just two key principles. First, all infective foci must be identifi ed and removed as soon as possible. Second, long-term antimicrobial therapy is required for those with persistent bacteraemia or a deep, irremovable focus. Beyond this, the best drugs, dose, mode of delivery, and duration of therapy are uncertain, a situation compounded by emerging S aureus strains that are resistant to old and new antibiotics. We discuss the consequences on clinical practice, and how these fi ndings defi ne the agenda for future clinical research.
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America, 2004
The clinical microbiology laboratory has a mandate to provide reliable, accurate susceptibility d... more The clinical microbiology laboratory has a mandate to provide reliable, accurate susceptibility data in a time frame that is useful to the clinicians requesting the information to optimize clinical outcomes and, when possible, to reduce the emergence of resistance. This mandate is served by selective reporting of results to the ordering clinician from isolates obtained from individual patients and by providing collective data on local prevalence of resistance to be used for empiric therapy. To meet these challenges and responsibilities, clinical microbiologists must continuously assess and update susceptibility testing and reporting strategies. Although classical methods remain the workhorse of susceptibility testing, molecular methods are on the cusp of challenging their primacy.
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2013
The use of daptomycin in Gram-positive left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) has significantly i... more The use of daptomycin in Gram-positive left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) has significantly increased. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of high-dose daptomycin on the outcome of left-sided IE due to Gram-positive pathogens. This was a prospective cohort study based on 1,112 cases from the International Collaboration on Endocarditis (ICE)-Plus database and the ICE-Daptomycin Substudy database from 2008 to 2010. Among patients with left-sided IE due to Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and Enterococcus faecalis, we compared those treated with daptomycin (cohort A) to those treated with standard-of-care (SOC) antibiotics (cohort B). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Time to clearance of bacteremia, 6-month mortality, and adverse events (AEs) ascribable to daptomycin were also assessed. There were 29 and 149 patients included in cohort A and cohort B, respectively. Baseline comorbidities did not differ between the two cohorts, except for a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes and previous episodes of IE among patients treated with daptomycin. The median daptomycin dose was 9.2 mg/kg of body weight/day. Two-thirds of the patients treated with daptomycin had failed a previous antibiotic regimen. In-hospital and 6-month mortalities were similar in the two cohorts. In cohort A, median time to clearance of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bacteremia was 1.0 day, irrespective of daptomycin dose, representing a significantly faster bacteremia clearance compared to SOC (1.0 versus 5.0 days; P < 0.01). Regimens with higher daptomycin doses were not associated with increased incidence of AEs. In conclusion, higher-dose daptomycin may be an effective and safe alternative to SOC in the treatment of left-sided IE due to common Gram-positive pathogens.
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, Jan 9, 2015
In Kenya, > 10 million episodes of acute febrile illness are treated annually among children u... more In Kenya, > 10 million episodes of acute febrile illness are treated annually among children under 5 years. Most are clinically managed as malaria without parasitological confirmation. There is an unmet need to describe pathogen-specific etiologies of fever. We enrolled 370 febrile children and 184 healthy controls. We report demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with Plasmodium falciparum, group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis, and respiratory viruses (influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], parainfluenza [PIV] types 1-3, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus [hMPV]), as well as those with undifferentiated fever. Of febrile children, 79.7% were treated for malaria. However, P. falciparum was detected infrequently in both cases and controls (14/268 [5.2%] versus 3/133 [2.3%], P = 0.165), whereas 41% (117/282) febrile children had a respiratory viral infection, compared with 24.8% (29/117) controls (P = 0.002). Only 9/515(1.7%) children had streptococcal...
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America, Jan 12, 2009
The clinical microbiology laboratory has a mandate to provide reliable, accurate susceptibility d... more The clinical microbiology laboratory has a mandate to provide reliable, accurate susceptibility data in a time frame that is useful to the clinicians requesting the information to optimize clinical outcomes and, when possible, to reduce the emergence of resistance. This mandate is served by selective reporting of results to the ordering clinician from isolates obtained from individual patients and by providing collective data on local prevalence of resistance to be used for empiric therapy. To meet these challenges and responsibilities, clinical microbiologists must continuously assess and update susceptibility testing and reporting strategies. Although classical methods remain the workhorse of susceptibility testing, molecular methods are on the cusp of challenging their primacy.
Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2015
Bacteremia Caused by Kerstersia gyiorum: a Case Report and Review of the Literature
Journal of clinical microbiology, Jan 25, 2015
Kerstersia spp. are an unusual cause of human infections. We report the first known case of bacte... more Kerstersia spp. are an unusual cause of human infections. We report the first known case of bacteremia and sepsis due to Kerstersia gyiorum, in a patient with chronic lower extremity ulcers, and we review the literature on this uncommon pathogen.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2011
Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia is one of the most common serious bacterial infections worldwid... more Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia is one of the most common serious bacterial infections worldwide. In the UK alone, around 12 500 cases each year are reported, with an associated mortality of about 30%, yet the evidence guiding optimum management is poor. To date, fewer than 1500 patients with S aureus bacteraemia have been recruited to 16 controlled trials of antimicrobial therapy. Consequently, clinical practice is driven by the results of observational studies and anecdote. Here, we propose and review ten unanswered clinical questions commonly posed by those managing S aureus bacteraemia. Our fi ndings defi ne the major areas of uncertainty in the management of S aureus bacteraemia and highlight just two key principles. First, all infective foci must be identifi ed and removed as soon as possible. Second, long-term antimicrobial therapy is required for those with persistent bacteraemia or a deep, irremovable focus. Beyond this, the best drugs, dose, mode of delivery, and duration of therapy are uncertain, a situation compounded by emerging S aureus strains that are resistant to old and new antibiotics. We discuss the consequences on clinical practice, and how these fi ndings defi ne the agenda for future clinical research.
Infectious Disease Clinics of North America, 2004
The clinical microbiology laboratory has a mandate to provide reliable, accurate susceptibility d... more The clinical microbiology laboratory has a mandate to provide reliable, accurate susceptibility data in a time frame that is useful to the clinicians requesting the information to optimize clinical outcomes and, when possible, to reduce the emergence of resistance. This mandate is served by selective reporting of results to the ordering clinician from isolates obtained from individual patients and by providing collective data on local prevalence of resistance to be used for empiric therapy. To meet these challenges and responsibilities, clinical microbiologists must continuously assess and update susceptibility testing and reporting strategies. Although classical methods remain the workhorse of susceptibility testing, molecular methods are on the cusp of challenging their primacy.
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2013
The use of daptomycin in Gram-positive left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) has significantly i... more The use of daptomycin in Gram-positive left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) has significantly increased. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of high-dose daptomycin on the outcome of left-sided IE due to Gram-positive pathogens. This was a prospective cohort study based on 1,112 cases from the International Collaboration on Endocarditis (ICE)-Plus database and the ICE-Daptomycin Substudy database from 2008 to 2010. Among patients with left-sided IE due to Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and Enterococcus faecalis, we compared those treated with daptomycin (cohort A) to those treated with standard-of-care (SOC) antibiotics (cohort B). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Time to clearance of bacteremia, 6-month mortality, and adverse events (AEs) ascribable to daptomycin were also assessed. There were 29 and 149 patients included in cohort A and cohort B, respectively. Baseline comorbidities did not differ between the two cohorts, except for a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes and previous episodes of IE among patients treated with daptomycin. The median daptomycin dose was 9.2 mg/kg of body weight/day. Two-thirds of the patients treated with daptomycin had failed a previous antibiotic regimen. In-hospital and 6-month mortalities were similar in the two cohorts. In cohort A, median time to clearance of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bacteremia was 1.0 day, irrespective of daptomycin dose, representing a significantly faster bacteremia clearance compared to SOC (1.0 versus 5.0 days; P < 0.01). Regimens with higher daptomycin doses were not associated with increased incidence of AEs. In conclusion, higher-dose daptomycin may be an effective and safe alternative to SOC in the treatment of left-sided IE due to common Gram-positive pathogens.
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, Jan 9, 2015
In Kenya, > 10 million episodes of acute febrile illness are treated annually among children u... more In Kenya, > 10 million episodes of acute febrile illness are treated annually among children under 5 years. Most are clinically managed as malaria without parasitological confirmation. There is an unmet need to describe pathogen-specific etiologies of fever. We enrolled 370 febrile children and 184 healthy controls. We report demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with Plasmodium falciparum, group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis, and respiratory viruses (influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus [RSV], parainfluenza [PIV] types 1-3, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus [hMPV]), as well as those with undifferentiated fever. Of febrile children, 79.7% were treated for malaria. However, P. falciparum was detected infrequently in both cases and controls (14/268 [5.2%] versus 3/133 [2.3%], P = 0.165), whereas 41% (117/282) febrile children had a respiratory viral infection, compared with 24.8% (29/117) controls (P = 0.002). Only 9/515(1.7%) children had streptococcal...