Given the extreme importance of the current pandemic caused by COVID-19, and as scientists agree there is no identified pharmacological treatment, where possible, therapeutic alternatives are raised through drug repositioning. This paper presents a selection of studies involving drugs from different pharmaceutical classes with activity against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, with the potential for use in the treatment of COVID-19 disease.

Introduction: Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have become common in hospitals and the community environment, and this wide resistance has limited patient treatment. Clindamycin (CL) represents an important alternative therapy for infections caused by S. aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing using standard methods may not detect inducible CL resistance. This study was performed to detect the phenotypes of resistance to macrolides-lincosamides-streptogramin B (MLS B ) antibiotics, including CL, in clinical samples of S. aureus from patients at a tertiary hospital in Santa Maria, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Methods: One hundred and forty clinical isolates were submitted to the disk diffusion induction test (D-test) with an erythromycin (ER) disk positioned at a distance of 20mm from a CL disk. The results were interpreted according to the recommendations of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Results: In this study, 29 (20.7%) of the 140 S. aureus samples were resistant to methicillin (MRSA), and 111 (79.3%) were susceptible to methicillin (MSSA). The constitutive resistance phenotype (cMLS B ) was observed in 20 (14.3%) MRSA samples and in 5 (3.6%) MSSA samples, whereas the inducible resistance phenotype (iMLS B ) was observed in 3 (2.1%) MRSA samples and in 8 (5.8%) MSSA samples. Conclusions: The D-test is essential for detecting the iMLS B phenotype because the early identifi cation of this phenotype allows clinicians to choose an appropriate treatment for patients. Furthermore, this test is simple, easy to perform and inexpensive.

Background: The worldwide increase in the occurrence of cancer associated with the limitations of immunotherapy and the emergence of resistance have impaired the prognosis of cancer patients, which leads to the search for alternative treatment methods. Drug repositioning, a well-established process approved by regulatory agencies, is considered an alternative strategy for the fast identification of drugs, because it is relatively less costly and represents lower risks for patients. Areas of Uncertainty: We report the most relevant studies about drug repositioning in oncology, emphasizing that its implementation faces financial and regulatory obstacles, making the creation of incentives necessary to stimulate the involvement of the pharmaceutical industry. Data Sources: We present 63 studies in which 52 non-anticancer drugs with anticancer activity against a number of malignancies are described. Therapeutic Innovations: Some have already been the target of phase III studies, such as the Add-Aspirin trial for nonmetastatic solid tumors, as well as 9 other drugs (aprepitant, artesunate, auranofin, captopril, celecoxib, disulfiram, itraconazole, ritonavir, and sertraline) in the CUSP9* clinical trial for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. Others have already been successful in repositioning such as thalidomide, zoledronic acid, celecoxib, methotrexate, and gemcitabine. Conclusions: Therefore, drug repositioning represents a promising alternative for the treatment of oncological disorders; however, the support from funding agencies and from the government is still needed, the latter regarding regulatory issues.

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Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil etiológico e de resistência aos antimicrobianos das hemoculturas realizadas em um hospital universitário. Métodos: Analisaram-se retrospectivamente as hemoculturas positivas realizadas no hospital durante janeiro a dezembro de 2018. Foram coletadas informações referentes ao gênero e faixa etária, tipo de coleta (periférica/cateter), setores de internação hospitalar, microrganismos envolvidos, tempo de positividade médio (TPM) e perfil de resistência aos agentes antimicrobianos. Resultados: Das 870 hemoculturas positivas, houve preponderância no gênero masculino (53,0%), em adultos (33,9%), no sangue periférico (65,7%) e no setor de Pronto Atendimento Adulto (23,4%). Staphylococcus epidermidis (38,1%) e Klebsiella pneumoniae (26,3%) foram os microrganismos prevalentes. O TPM das bactérias foi inferior a 24 horas (18h 39min e 17h, Gram positivas e Gram negativas, respectivamente), e para fungos (4,7 % do total), acima de 48 horas (52h 26min). Staphylococcus apresentou resistência significativa frente à oxacilina (S. epidermidis - 82,3% e S. hominis - 85,5%). A resistência de K. pneumoniae frente aos carbapenêmicos foi de 56,5%, à colistina de 23,2% e às cefalosporinas de 53,6%. Conclusões: A resistência a oxacilina nos estafilococos coagulase, bem como a dos carbapenêmicos, colistina e cefalosporinas de amplo espectro em K. pneumoniae são fatores preocupantes. A infecção de corrente sanguínea, mesmo em países desenvolvidos, constitui, ainda, importante fonte de mortalidade. A imediata antibioticoterapia correta impacta financeiramente e no desfecho clínico. Estudos epidemiológicos como este ofertam importantes subsídios, colaborando com o início da terapia efetiva e o aumento significativo da probabilidade de sobrevivência do paciente.

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Este artigo está licenciado sob forma de uma licença Creative Commons Atribuição 4.0 Internacional, que permite uso irrestrito, distribuição e reprodução em qualquer meio, desde que a publicação original seja corretamente citada. ABSTRACT Aims:To evaluate the prevalence of bacteria in urine cultures of pregnant women seen at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Obstetrics at the University Hospital of Santa Maria, Brazil, and to determine the antibiotic sensitivity profile of these bacteria. Methods:The reports issued by the Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University Hospital of Santa Maria were retrospectively analyzed. All positive urine cultures of pregnant women seen at the Department of Obstetrics from January to December 2014 were included in the study. The tests for the identification of bacterial isolates and their sensitivity profiles were assessed by an automated system. Results: A total of 423 positive urine cultures were detected in the pregnant women. Gram-negative Escherichia coli was the most prevalent microorganism (46.50%). Gram-positive Staphylococcus saprophyticus was the second most prevalent bacterium (6.2%). Candida spp. was isolated from 94 (21.8%) urine samples. Nitrofurantoin and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid showed the lowest antimicrobial resistance against E. coli (91.33% and 90.77%, respectively). Ampicillin had the highest sensitivity among prevalent Gram-positive bacteria. Conclusions:The sensitivity profile found in this study allows us to suggest nitrofurantoin and/or amoxicillin/clavulanic acid for the treatment of urinary tract infection caused by Gram-negative bacteria during pregnancy. Given the prevalence rates detected in this study, these antimicrobials can be initiated empirically before the urine culture results are known, in the cases of symptomatic urinary tract infection. This study underscores the importance of urine culture in the prenatal period and in the third trimester because of the different microorganisms identified and the different sensitivity to the antimicrobials tested.