By Kaitlyn Kenyon, PharmD Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) aren’t just hospital buzzwords anymore — they’re among the leading drug-resistant pathogens gaining ground since the COVID-19 pandemic, turning once-routine infections into increasingly difficult treatment challenges and raising the stakes for antibiotic selection decisions in children.1 The Controversy of Vancomycin Vancomycin was discovered […]

By Hira Ilyas, PharmD Dr. Pak and colleagues have recently published their early experience using intravenous to oral transition in pediatric endocarditis at Seattle Children’s hospital, which raises the question of whether this approach is ready for broader use.1,2 They reported on the use of intravenous to oral antibiotic transition in pediatric endocarditis from December […]

By Timothy Rodrigue, PharmD  Antibiotics are commonly prescribed in children for the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM)1. AOM is very prevalent with approximately 23% and 60% of children diagnosed by ages 1 and 3 years, respectively.2 Despite the high prevalence of AOM in young children, uncomplicated AOM is generally a self-limiting disease. In the […]

Lyme Disease is being diagnosed earlier in the season and with increasing frequency. Diagnosed annual cases of Lyme Disease in the United States tripled from 2010 to 2023 (30,158 – 89,468).1 It is primarily concentrated in the Northeast and upper Midwest, with cases spanning from Maine through the Mid-Atlantic states and extending westward to Wisconsin.1 […]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mentioned in September 2025, that congenital syphilis cases increased for the 12th consecutive year.1 This information, in combination with periodic shortages of Bicillin LA2, the primary treatment of syphilis in pregnancy, suggest it may not decrease soon. Why is Congenital Syphilis an Issue? Congenital syphilis is an issue […]

By Megan McGrath PharmD Candidate, Streptococcal pharyngitis is an infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (otherwise known as group A streptococcal or GAS). Children 3 to 14 years are most likely to have these infections with 93.2 cases per 1000 persons 3 to 9 years old and 40.9 cases per 1000 persons 10 to 18 years […]

By Nicole Pietraszewski PharmD Candidate, Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the cause of about 1.5 million pediatric medical visits each year and remains the second-leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations in the United States.1 The 2011  Pediatric Infectious Disease Society and Infectious Diseases Society of America (PIDS/IDSA) guideline for pediatric CAP, currently archived, recommends a 10-day […]

The Surgical Infection Society (SIS) Guidelines on the Prevention and Management of Pediatric Intra-Abdominal Infection Update was just published.1 These authors note that these are to be used in conjunction with the prior guidelines, as many aspects have not changed. Source control remains essential. For treatment they continue to recommend the combination of ceftriaxone (or […]

Measles, a disease that was a rare occurrence in the recent past, has become much more common beginning in 2025. As I have received many questions about measles vaccine and treatment options, I thought it would be a good initial topic to discuss in early 2026. Measles Cases Continuing to Increase The incidence of measles […]

By Kenna Riley PharmD Candidate,   Bacterial arthritis (e.g., septic arthritis) is caused by bacteria entering the joint from the bloodstream, causing infection and inflammation of the joint and synovial fluid.​1​ It requires prompt antibiotic treatment to prevent severe outcomes, such as irreversible joint damage.  In 2023, the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS) and the […]