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Reports from China about severe pneumonia in children and overcrowded hospitals in October 2023 reminded of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the request of the World Health Organization (WHO), China provided epidemiological and clinical data in November 2023, according to which the current increase in illnesses is due to an increased circulation of known pathogens. By far the most frequently detected pathogen, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is known to cause pneumonia in children. The course is usually mild, nonetheless a high number of serious cases have been reported from China [1]. In severe cases or extrapulmonary manifestations, antibiotic therapy should be considered. For macrolide antibiotics, the substance group of first choice, resistance rates in Asia are up to 90 %, which could explain the severe courses caused by inadequate antibiotic therapy [2]. Alternative antibiotics are associated with severe side effects and are rarely administered. If there is no response to treatment, pathogens such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), SARS-CoV-2 or influenza should be consider ed in the differential diagnosis. In Germany, resistance to macro lides is currently < 10 %, which means that treatment is sufficiently safe [3]. Currently there are no indications of increased virulence of the pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article outlines the recommendations, evidence base and implications for practitioners for guidance by British Thoracic Society on the long-term use of macrolide antibiotics in respiratory disease. Topics discussed include information on use of Azithromycin to reduce bronchial hyperresponsiveness in asthma; impact of macrolide therapy on mortality; and need for Close communication to ensure the safe ongoing prescribing and monitoring of prophylactic macrolides.

The article focuses on a systematic review and meta-analysis that compared oral macrolide with tetracycline antibiotic treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), finding that macrolides were more effective and safer in managing MGD.

In the article, the author discusses the new solutions to improve outcomes of ocular surgery, particularly the efficient treatment of Demodex blepharitis before surgery. Also cited are the ocular surface diseases that could complicate the operation like dry eye disease (DED), blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and the symptoms of Demodex blepharitis like the presence of cylindrical dandruff or collarettes.

The article discusses the discovery, chemical structure and medical application of bryostatin compounds. Discovered in 1968 by marine biologist, Jack Rudloe, bryostatins are a family of 20 macrolide lactones, 18 of which have been structurally analyzed. Studies on bryostatin 1 have shown its potential use in treating Alzheimer's disease, strokes and cancer. Clinical studies led by George Pettit and Daniel Akron as well as challenges in promoting the medicinal use of bryostatins are also cited.

The article examines the implications of antimicrobial pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). PK is defined as the study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of drug while PD is the relationship between drug exposure in serum, tissue and body fluids and the effects of a drug. The PK and PD properties of CAP medications including fluoroquinolones, beta-lactams, macrolides and tetracyclines advise on appropriate dose selection and prevention of resistance.

The article presents an educational activity for ophthalmologists concerning the terms of resistance to anti-infectives including macrolides and fourth-generation fluoroquinolones. It provides information on the background of the study such as its learning objectives, accreditation statement and method of participation. Furthermore, the article discusses the summary of the activity that states about the best way to treat infections is to use broad-spectrum and fast-killing agents.

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The article offers information on the eye disease preseptal cellulitis which is characterized by infection from eyelid anterior to orbital septum. It discusses the causative agents of the disease including Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae and Klebsiella pneumonia. It also presents information about preventive measures of disease along with its treatment including hot compress, draining the lesion with small needle and antibiotics namely cloxacillin, cephalosporins and macrolides.

The article features Dr. Herbert E. Kaufman and his various contributions in ophthalmology. Also cited are Kaufman's works as resident at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, particularly the discovery of treatment for keratitis and iritis, his discovery of a treatment for corneal fungal infections with colleague Emanuel Newman, and Kaufman's contribution in the eye bank corneal storage.

The article discusses several researches related to drug discovery and synthesis of new molecules. It mentions that a group of chemists at the Harvard University under researcher Andrew G. Myers figured out how to multiply macrolide munitions with a fully synthetic approach. It also highlights a study led by a team led by microbiologists Andreas Peschel and Bernhard Krismer at the University of Tübingen who discovered lugdunin compound with ability to kill Staphylococcus aureus.

The article presents a discussion of diagnosing fungal keratitis, adapted from Dr. Eduardo C. Alfonso's presentation during Cornea Subspecialty Day at the 2017 meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Topics covered include the effectiveness of natamycin for filamentous keratitis and intrastromal voriconazole for recalcitrant fungal keratitis, the shortcomings of slit lamp to diagnose ulcerative keratitis, and cases that may require surgical intervention.

The article discusses developments in the treatment of the eye disease called glaucoma as of March 2018. Also cited are the advancement of the new drugs latanoprostene bunod from Bausch + Lomb/Nicox and netarsudil from Aerie Pharmaceuticals into the research and development pipeline, the therapeutic areas being analyzed including neuroprotective agents, optic nerve regeneration, and gene therapy, and the comment by Dr. Joel S. Schuman on the developments.

The article reports that adding oral voriconazole to treatment for fungal keratitis might be beneficial to treat patients with Fusarium species, according to a study led by Jennifer R. Rose-Nussbaumer, M.D. Topics mentioned include confocal microscopy for diagnosis of filaments, the rationale for use of natamycin for treating fungal ulcers, and ability of oral voriconazole for fungal ulcers to penetrate into the eye.

The article examines whether lingering cough is caused by mycoplasma infection. Mycoplasma are pleomorphie bacteria that lack a cell wall and are known as the smallest and simplest self-replicating organisms known to humans. Mycoplasmic infection is easily detected by antibody tests. Incubation lasts 3 weeks and stretches to weeks without medication. Macrolides, fluroquinolones, and tetracyclines are used for eradicating the infection.

The article discusses a synthetic approach developed by Harvard University chemist Andrew G. Myers and colleagues which appeared in a 2016 issue of the journal "Nature," allowing them to construct macrolides in a modular way. Topics mentioned include the characteristics of macrolide antibiotics, the synthetic platform created by Myers and colleagues, and how Macrolide Pharmaceuticals, a company Myers cofounded, will work toward making clinical antibiotic candidates.

The article considers the increasing interest in the macrolides' non-antibacterial properties.

The article reports that levofloxacin ophthalmic solution promotes activity against the pathogen Streptococcus (S) pneumoniae along with its multidrug resistant isolates as found out in a survey by the Tracking Resistance in the United States Today Program. It has been discovered that 99 percent of S pneumoniae isolates were susceptible to levofloxacin while 98 percent of multidrug resistant isolates. The drugs include penicillin, cephalosporin, and macrolide.

The article reports on the use of topical tacrolimus for treating vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Topics discussed include outpatient ophthalmic morbidity caused by the condition, common occurrence in dry and hot climates, and the complications that result from the use of corticosteroids. The ability of Tacrolimus to suppress T-cell activation and T helper cell-mediated B-cell proliferation and a research that centered on treatment outcomes are also mentioned.

The article examines the effectiveness of using voriconazole for treating fungal keratitis. Topics discussed include observations made during the Mycotic Ulcer Treatment trial I, better response of Fusarium to natamycin compared with voriconazole, and the susceptibility patterns of different bacteria. The likelihood of perforation in patients who were randomly assigned to voriconazole and their need for therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty are mentioned.

The article informs that the antibiotic company Macrolide Pharmaceuticals has launched 22 million dollars of financing to support the discovery of macrolide antibiotics and the goal of the funding is to expand the efficacy of macrolides to destroy both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

The article reports discusses research published in the periodical "Clinical Infectious Diseases" which found that about 40 percent of specimens positive for Mycoplasma genitalium were resistant to macrolides.

The article discusses issues in medication safety, particularly the risk of drug interactions between statins and macrolide antibiotics. Based on a study on the topic, the primary outcome of said interaction was hospitalization with rhabdomyolysis. The secondary outcomes include hospitalization for acute kidney disease, hyperkalemia, and mortality.

The article discusses the efforts of physician and biochemist Roy Vagelos to develop a new drug "Ivermectin" that would target diseases such as onchocerciasis and elephantiasis both caused by microfilaria. It also states that Vagelos, as chief executive officer (CEO) of the pharmaceutical company Merck decided to provide the drug free to poor people, which according to him was the right thing to do. It adds that although financially unviable the move eradicated the endemic in some countries.

The article provides information on a systematic review and meta-analysis which addressed the association between macrolide-based regimens for hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia and a significant reduction in mortality compared with nonmacrolide regimens.

The article offers information the study of Stephen Kim and colleagues concerning the use of topical antibiotics. According to Kim, the use of topical antibiotics promotes antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, the study reveals that repeated exposure to fluoroquinoline associated with coagulate-negative staphylococci (CNS) development while repeated exposure to azithromycin was associated with increased resistance to macrolides.

The article reports on the decline of the export prices of clarithromycin antibiotic in China in 2009.

The article reports on the completion of the Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (IMB) on the phase III clinical trials of biotechmycin antibiotic on January 7, 2010 in China.

The article focuses on the performance of avermectin, a new antibiotic biological pesticide in China. It explains that the avermectin can be use as insecticide for agriculture, anthelmintic for animals, and a chemical for household sanitation. It also offers information on the production and dissemination, whereby, the country has more that 400 producers by the end of 2008.

The article examines the results of the Phase I trial of drug named Sirolimus introduced by MacuSight Inc. in the U.S. During the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Mark Blumenkranz shares that rapamycin has been found to be safe and has biologic activity against diabetic macular edema (DME). He adds that the drug is a macrolide anti-fungal agent that has been isolated from a Streptococcus species and cannot result to dose-limiting toxicity when taken by patients.

The article discusses a research on a combination regimen of clarithromycin, lenalidomide and dexamethasone (BiRD) as a first-line therapy for multiple myeloma. It references a study by R. Niesvizky et al, published in a 2008 issue of "Blood." The regimen being found to be effective and well tolerated is reported.

The article reports on the results of a study which assess the therapeutic use of clindamycin and macrolides during middle-pregnancy. Canadian researchers underwent a review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of these medicines. It is advised that the use of metronidazole for bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis must be avoided during the second trimester of pregnancy.

The article discusses the results of the study about the new class of synthetic macrolides that had been found to inhibit the migration of breast cancer cells in vitro by researchers Carole A. Bewley and Belhu B. Metaferia. According to Bewley, the compound's potency is similar to the tumor-cell-migration inhibitors, but is much simpler. Moreover, several researchers at Weill Medical College of Cornell University discovered four new macrolides that suppress tumor cell migration.

Traces the history of the development of the drug ivermectin, an antiparasitic agent for treating onchocerciasis or river blindness. Chemical name; CAS Registry number; Actions of the drug; Negative effects; Companies which produce the drug.