Communicable
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Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Communicable episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Communicable for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Communicable episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Communicable E16: Climate change and infections – effects on clinical practice & infection-control efforts
Communicable
12/15/24 • 50 min
The topic of climate change can engender a ‘doom and gloom’ narrative, as many climate and health consequences are already manifesting. Our host, Dr. Navaneeth Narayanan is joined by two ID physicians passionate about climate change and sustainable clinical practice, Dr. Shreya Doshi (Washington DC, US) and Dr. Laura Jung (Leipzig, Germany). Together they discuss new trends in infectious diseases observed in clinical practice as a direct consequence of climate change, including how tropical diseases are not so tropical anymore. They also outline ways individual clinicians and hospitals can be more sustainable and offer additional resources for the listeners (see below).
This episode was edited by Kathryn Hostettler and peer reviewed by Dr. Loora Grünvald of the University of Tartu, Estonia.
Literature
- Mora C et al. Nat Clim Chang (2022). doi: 10.1038/s41558-022-01426-1
- Doshi S et al. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc (2023). doi: 10.1093/jpids/piae029
- Hofmeister RJ et al. OFID (2024). doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofae368
- Judson SD et al. OFID (2024). doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofae691
- Jung L et al. Lancet Planet Health (2023). 10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00253-4
- UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance 2024 https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2024/09/26/default-calendar/un-general-assembly-high-level-meeting-on-antimicrobial-resistance-2024
Additional resources
- Lancet countdown on health and climate change https://www.thelancet.com/countdown-health-climate
- Medicine for a changing planet https://www.medicineforachangingplanet.org/
- Rx for climate https://www.rxforclimate.org/
10/07/24 • 60 min
Carbapenemase producers are a nightmare for clinicians. Not only are they resistant to carbapenems, a last resort β-lactam antibiotic, they are notorious for developing multidrug and pandrug resistances resulting in limited to no treatment options. In this episode of Communicable, hosts Angela Huttner and Thomas Tängdén sit down with Dr. David Paterson (National University of Singapore) and Dr. Souha Kanj (American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon), two ID physicians from regions where carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae or CRE, and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter are widespread. The episode begins with the history and emergence of CRE and reviews current epidemiology, diagnosis (including the Ambler classification of β-lactamases) and treatment options. Lessons and insights from personal experiences are shared to reflect the current clinical challenges caused by carbapenem-resistant bacteria and the importance of infection prevention and control measures to mitigate further spread.
This episode was edited by Kathryn Hostettler and peer-reviewed by Dr. Filippo Medioli of Policlinico di Modena, Italy. For more related content on the WHO Priority Pathogens List and new antibiotics in the pipeline, check out our previous episodes, Communicable E3 and E10 (see Literature).
Literature
Communicable E3 - The New WHO Priority Pathogens List: which bugs to target first? June 2024. https://communicable.transistor.fm/episodes/communicable-e3-the-new-who-priority-pathogens-list-which-bacteria-to-target-first
Communicable E10 - Pipeline update: new antibiotics & other antimicrobials that you might actually use. Sep 2024. https://communicable.transistor.fm/episodes/communicable-e10-pipeline-update-new-antibiotics-other-antimicrobials-that-you-might-actually-use
Wagenlehner FM, et al. Cefepime-Taniborbactam in Complicated Urinary Tract Infection. N Engl J Med 2024 Feb. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2304748
Cohn J, et al. Accelerating antibiotic access and stewardship: a new model to safeguard public health. Lancet Infect Dis 2024 Sep. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00070-7
Timsit JF, et al. When should I start broad-spectrum antibiotics? Intensive Care Med 2024 Sep. doi: 10.1007/s00134-024-07654-7
Paterson DL. Antibacterial agents active against Gram Negative Bacilli in phase I, II, or III clinical trials. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2024 Apr. doi: 10.1080/13543784.2024.2326028
02/23/25 • 56 min
Several publications have described wondrous therapeutic effects of faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) on Clostridioides difficile infection. Yet the recent randomised trial assessing FMT in US veterans was terminated early for futility. In this episode, hosts Angela Huttner and Marc Bonten delve into the history, application, and complexities of FMT with experts Maria Vehreschild (Frankfurt University Hospital, Germany) and Dimitri Drekonja (Minneapolis Veteran Affairs Care System and University of Minnesota, US), who led the US trial. From the regulatory challenges and trial nuances to important new research, this conversation sheds light on a potentially revolutionary yet controversial treatment.
Episode was edited by Kathryn Hostettler and peer-reviewed by Arjana Zerja (Mother Theresa University Hospital Centre, Tirana, Albania).
Other mentions:
- EurFMT
- European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare. Guide to the quality and safety of tissues and cells for human application. vol. 5th ed. EDQM Council of Europe; 2022. https://freepub.edqm.eu/publications/17/detail
Literature
- Drekonja DM et al (2024) Clin Infect Dis, doi: 10.1093/cid/ciae467
Communicable E12 - The Nightmare Series, part 3: How to deal with vancomycin-resistant enterococci
Communicable
10/21/24 • 57 min
Enterococci are commensal microbes, part of the healthy microflora populating the human gut. But they are also opportunistic pathogens and notorious nosocomial agents with intrinsic traits that promote their pathogenesis and make them difficult to kill. In the third instalment of the Nightmare Series, hosts Angela Huttner and Thomas Tängdén are joined by enterococcal experts Kimberly Kline (University of Geneva) and Louis Rice (Brown University) to discuss what make vancomycin-resistant enterococci, or VRE, such a clinical nightmare. Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are the focus.
This episode was edited by Kathryn Hostettler and peer-reviewed by Dr. Nunzia Esposito of the University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Literature
Stellfox ME et al. J Antimicrob Chemother 14 Feb 2024. doi: 10.1128/mbio.03396-23
Rogers R & Rice LB. Clin Infect Dis 15 Jan 2024. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad613
Lebreton F et al. Cell 18 May 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.04.027
Donskey CJ et al. N Engl J Med 28 Dec 2000. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200012283432604
07/01/24 • 44 min
Hosts Angela Huttner & Erin McCreary welcome Prof. David Paterson (Singapore) and Prof. Josh Davis (Newcastle, Australia) to discuss the design and results of the BLING-3 trial, which compared continuous infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics to standard intermittent dosing in 7000 critically ill patients across 104 intensive-care units. In unadjusted analyses, the trial did not show a statistically significant mortality benefit with continuous infusion. Yet in prespecified adjusted analyses, there was a statistically significant reduction in mortality, and a meta-analysis of randomized trials published simultaneously with the BLING-3 trial showed the same. As the two ID doctors on the BLING team, Profs. Paterson and Davis offer context and insights into what these results mean and how they might affect your clinical practice. Episode peer-reviewed by Dr. Mia Lidén of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.
Literature
- BLING-1: Dulhunty et al. Continuous infusion of beta-lactam antibiotics in severe sepsis: a multicenter double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Jan;56(2):236-44. DOI: 10.1093/cid/cis856
- BLING-2: Dulhunty et al. A Multicenter Randomized Trial of Continuous versus Intermittent β-Lactam Infusion in Severe Sepsis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2015 Dec 1;192(11):1298-305. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201505-0857OC
- BLING-3: Dulhunty et al. Continuous vs Intermittent β-Lactam Antibiotic Infusions in Critically Ill Patients With Sepsis: The BLING III Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2024 Jun 12:e249779.DOI: 10.1001/jama.2024.9779
- Meta-analysis: Abdul-Aziz et al. Prolonged vs Intermittent Infusions of β-Lactam Antibiotics in Adults With Sepsis or Septic Shock: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA. 2024 Jun 12:e249803. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2024.9803
Communicable E7 - Melioidosis goes global
Communicable
08/12/24 • 52 min
Once considered endemic only to tropical and subtropical climates such as Southeast Asia and northern Australia, melioidosis is expanding to non-endemic areas such as the southern US. Climate change is impacting infectious diseases, melioidosis being no exception. Now is the time to inform and prepare: as this Communicable episode’s title indicates, melioidosis is going global.
Join hosts Angela Huttner and Josh Davis on their in-depth exploration of melioidosis with invited experts Dr. Ella Meumann and Prof. Bart Currie from Royal Darwin Hospital, Darwin, Australia. Topics range from melioidosis discovery, clinical presentation, diagnostic approaches and host risk factors to the disease’s expanding endemicity.
Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by the sapronotic agent Burkholderia pseudomallei and contracted by both people and animals through direct contact with contaminated soil, air or waters. Current burden estimates of 169’000 cases and 89’000 deaths per year are thought to be grossly underreported due to limited access to laboratory diagnostics and lack of clinical awareness. Experts call for melioidosis to be recognized as a neglected tropical disease in order to give this disease the urgent attention and resources it deserves.
This episode was edited by Kathryn Hostettler and peer-reviewed by Dr. Goulia Ohan of Yerevan State Medical University, Armenia.
Literature
Meumann EM and Currie BJ. Approach to melioidosis. CMI Comms 2024;1(1). doi: 10.1016/j.cmicom.2024.100008
Savelkoel J, Dance D. Alfred Whitmore and the Discovery of Melioidosis. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024;30(4):752-756. doi:10.3201/eid3004.230693
Limmathurotsakul D, Wongsuvan G, Aanensen D et al. Melioidosis Caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei in Drinking Water, Thailand, 2012. Emerg Infect Dis. 2014;20(2):265-268. doi: 10.3201/eid2002.121891
Petras JK, Elrod MG, Ty MC, et al. Locally acquired melioidosis linked to environment—Mississippi, 2020-2023. N Engl J Med. 2023;389:2355-2362. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2306448
Howes M and Currie BJ. Melioidosis and Activation from Latency: The “Time Bomb” Has Not Occurred. ASTMH. 28 May 2024;111(1): 156-160. doi 10.4269/ajtmh.24-0007
Communicable E6 - “Sneaky viruses”: an update on hepatitis B & C before World Hepatitis Day
Communicable
07/25/24 • 54 min
Responsible for 1.3 million deaths and 2.2 million new infections per year, viral hepatitis is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality amongst all infectious diseases, just behind tuberculosis.
Hosts Angela Huttner and Oana Sandulescu welcome special guest and leading hepatitis expert, Professor Mojca Matičič, MD, PhD (Ljubljana, Slovenia), to refresh your knowledge on the pathogenesis of hepatitis B & C infections, review the latest direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies, map out some countries’ successful elimination initiatives, and understand challenges remaining for others.
In recognition of World Hepatitis Day this Sunday, 28 July, a day dedicated to raising awareness about viral hepatitis, we are releasing our latest episode a few days early. The World Hepatitis Day theme this year is: it’s time for action! The Communicable team urges our listeners to inform themselves and others, and to test, treat, and vaccinate against viral hepatitis.
This episode was peer reviewed by Dr. Liem Luong of CIC Cochin Pasteur, Hôpital Cochin-Port Royal, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
Literature
World Hepatitis Day 2024: It’s time for action. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-hepatitis-day/2024
“WHO sounds alarm on viral hepatitis infections claiming 3500 lives each day.” Geneva: World Health Organization; 9 April 2024. https://www.who.int/news/item/09-04-2024-who-sounds-alarm-on-viral-hepatitis-infections-claiming-3500-lives-each-day
Global hepatitis report 2024: action for access in low- and middle-income countries. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. doi: 10.2471/B09024.
The European Association of the Study of the Liver (EASL). EASL Congress Milan, Italy 5-8 June 2024. https://www.easlcongress.eu/
ESCMID. Cutting Edge Insights into Viral Hepatitis: Recent Scientific Breakthroughs and Clinical Updates. Lund, Sweden 13-14 June 2024. https://www.escmid.org/event-detail/cutting-edge-insights-into-viral-hepatitis-recent-scientific-breakthroughs-and-clinical-updates/
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). ECDC Evidence brief: Prevention of hepatitis B and C in the EU/EEA. Stockholm: ECDC; 2024.
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Hepatitis C. In: ECDC. Annual epidemiological report for 2022. Stockholm: ECDC; 2024.
Burnet Institute and Kirby Institute. Australia’s progress towards hepatitis C elimination: annual report 2022. Melbourne: Burnet Institute; 2022.
Maticic M, Pirnat Z, Leicht A, et al. The civil society monitoring of hepatitis C response related to the WHO 2030 elimination goals in 35 European countries. Harm Reduct J. 2020 Nov 19;17(1):89. doi: 10.1186/s12954-020-00439-3
07/15/24 • 38 min
The ‘I’ (intermediate susceptibility) in a EUCAST-guided antibiogram never meant impending resistance to your antibiotic. It was never meant to make you find the one ‘S’ (invariably a carbapenem) and use it instead—even if many clinicians did.
In this episode of Communicable, hosts Marc Bonten and Angela Huttner welcome Profs. Christian Giske (outgoing chair) and Sören Gatermann (newly elected chair) of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) to discuss its recent updates, including the new ‘susceptible dose dependent’ (SDD) label, and to shed light on common misconceptions around the way it sets breakpoints. Breakpoints for Pseudomonas aeruginosa are discussed, as are intravenous fosfomycin’s ‘disappearance’ from the breakpoints table and EUCAST’s new guidance on it. Episode peer-reviewed by Dr. Suzanne van Asten of Radboud University Medical Center.
Literature:
The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST): https://www.eucast.org/
EUCAST guidance on use of fosfomycin i.v. breakpoints:
https://www.eucast.org/fileadmin/src/media/PDFs/EUCAST_files/Guidance_documents/Use_of_fosfomycin_iv_breakpoints_General_advice_20240528.pdf
In vitro synergy between fosfomycin and ceftazidime/avibactam:
Kroemer, Martens, Decousser et al. Evaluation of in vitro pharmacodynamic drug interactions of ceftazidime/avibactam and fosfomycin in Escherichia coli. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2023 Oct 3;78(10):2524-2534. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkad264
06/17/24 • 42 min
What are WHO's most wanted bacterial pathogens in 2024? Hosts Angela Huttner & Oana Sandulescu welcome guests Dr. Hatim Sati of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Dr. Erin Duffy (CARB-X) to discuss WHO’s new Priority Pathogens List. Developed by WHO and a panel of global experts, the List identifies the ‘top’ bacteria for which research & development are of critical, high, and medium priority, and thus serves as a framework for resource allocation and public-policy guidance. Episode peer-reviewed by Dr. Galadriel Pellejero of Lozano Blesa Clinical Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain.
Literature:
WHO bacterial priority pathogens list, 2024: Bacterial pathogens of public health importance to guide research, development and strategies to prevent and control antimicrobial resistance.
The last episode of the year carries a special end-of-year message from the CMI Comms editors and replays the very first episode of Communicable aired on 10 May 2024, in which editors Angela Huttner, Marc Bonten, and Erin McCreary discuss late-breaker clinical trials presented at ESCMID Global 2024 in Barcelona, providing insights into the trials’ designs, results, and implications. The DOTS trial compared two doses of long-acting dalbavancin to standard of care in patients with complicated S. aureus bacteraemia. GAME-CHANGER compared cefiderocol to standard of care for Gram-negative infections. PediCAP compared oral step-down therapy with amoxicillin with or without clavulanic acid at shorter durations to the current WHO-recommended standard of five days of intravenous antibiotic therapy in children with severe pneumonia. Additional results from the MULTICAP and CLEEN trials, the CAMERA-2 follow-on in vitro analysis, and the Burkina Faso Escherichia coli transmission study are also discussed. This episode was peer-reviewed by Dr. Yousra Kherabi (Clinical Trials Research Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Department, Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité, Paris; and Université Paris Cité, Inserm, IAME, Paris, France).
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FAQ
How many episodes does Communicable have?
Communicable currently has 22 episodes available.
What topics does Communicable cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Infectious Diseases, Medicine and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Communicable?
The episode title 'Communicable E6 - “Sneaky viruses”: an update on hepatitis B & C before World Hepatitis Day' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Communicable?
The average episode length on Communicable is 53 minutes.
How often are episodes of Communicable released?
Episodes of Communicable are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of Communicable?
The first episode of Communicable was released on May 10, 2024.
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