title: Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections: Research Priorities, Accomplishments, and Future Directions of the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group.
abstract: Antimicrobial resistance in gram-positive bacteria remains a challenge in infectious diseases. The mission of the Gram-Positive Committee of the Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group (ARLG) is to advance knowledge in the prevention, management, and treatment of these challenging infections to improve patient outcomes. Our committee has prioritized projects involving methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) due to the scope of the medical threat posed by these pathogens. Approved ARLG projects involving gram-positive pathogens include (1) a pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics study to evaluate the impact of vancomycin dosing on patient outcome in MRSA bloodstream infection (BSI); (2) defining, testing, and validating innovative assessments of patient outcomes for clinical trials of MRSA-BSI; (3) testing new strategies for "step-down" antibiotic therapy for MRSA-BSI; (4) management of staphylococcal BSIs in neonatal intensive care units; and (5) defining the impact of VRE bacteremia and daptomycin susceptibility on patient outcomes. This article outlines accomplishments, priorities, and challenges for research of infections caused by gram-positive organisms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Sarah B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Doernberg
authors.affiliation: Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, New York.
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Lodise
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Joshua T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Thaden
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston.|Clinica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile.
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Munita
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: Sara E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Cosgrove
authors.affiliation: Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston.
authors.forename: Cesar A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Helen W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Boucher
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: G Ralph
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Corey
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Franklin D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Lowy
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California; and.
authors.forename: Loren G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.|Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Holland
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Clostridium difficile infection.; Staphylococcus aureus; bloodstream infection; gram-positive bacteria; vancomycin-resistant enterococci