Patrick Kenney, MD MS
@patrickkenney.bsky.social
Med-Peds ID, phage discoverer, more importantly husband and dad. Posts are my own. #medsky #IDsky #askmedpeds #phagetherapy
Hoping this is the start of something great - Lassa is a scourge
In a phase 1 trial in the United States and Liberia, a replication-competent recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus–vectored vaccine against Lassa fever had acceptable safety and was immunogenic over a wide dose range. Full trial results: nej.md/47pstZ9
#MedSky #IDSky
#MedSky #IDSky
November 6, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Hoping this is the start of something great - Lassa is a scourge
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
@isv-news.bsky.social #ISV2025
Alec Freyn, Moderna presenting ISV Paper of the Year 2025 - quadrivalent mRNA vaccine against a broad spectrum of orthopoxviruses.
Alec Freyn, Moderna presenting ISV Paper of the Year 2025 - quadrivalent mRNA vaccine against a broad spectrum of orthopoxviruses.
October 30, 2025 at 1:14 PM
@isv-news.bsky.social #ISV2025
Alec Freyn, Moderna presenting ISV Paper of the Year 2025 - quadrivalent mRNA vaccine against a broad spectrum of orthopoxviruses.
Alec Freyn, Moderna presenting ISV Paper of the Year 2025 - quadrivalent mRNA vaccine against a broad spectrum of orthopoxviruses.
Glad to see someone is still trying this drug for the US! The FDA declined to approve a few years ago based on (if I remember right) some issues about prespecified endpoints on an otherwise solid trial. I have concerns about overuse, but this could keep people out of hospital and off OPAT. #IDSky
GSK’s oral tebipenem phase III study stopped early 2/2 efficacy for cUTI , 58.5% vs 60.2% with IV imi-cil (?!?) for drug-resistant infections. Clinical cure (no sx) 93.5 vs 95.2.
FWIW we usually use erta, not imi-cil. Great to have PO option though!
#IDWeek #IDSky
www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/...
FWIW we usually use erta, not imi-cil. Great to have PO option though!
#IDWeek #IDSky
www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/...
Positive PIVOT-PO phase III data show tebipenem HBr’s potential as the first oral carbapenem antibiotic for patients with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) | GSK
Data presented at IDWeek 2025 after study stopped early for efficacy
www.gsk.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Glad to see someone is still trying this drug for the US! The FDA declined to approve a few years ago based on (if I remember right) some issues about prespecified endpoints on an otherwise solid trial. I have concerns about overuse, but this could keep people out of hospital and off OPAT. #IDSky
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
Speaking for all physicians and healthcare providers here. When we see patients in need of care especially in an emergency room we do not leave them for dead. We do not care about their immigration status, we treat them because that is what we took an oath to do and is also basic human decency.
Leavitt: "When an illegal alien goes to the emergency room, who's paying for it? The American taxpayer."
October 3, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Speaking for all physicians and healthcare providers here. When we see patients in need of care especially in an emergency room we do not leave them for dead. We do not care about their immigration status, we treat them because that is what we took an oath to do and is also basic human decency.
There are lots of things I wish I knew - today I wish I knew how to use Python (or had the time to learn!). Right after that is my wish that someone would put Bacphlip on the phage.galaxy.eu UI so old fogies like me who learned chemistry instead of programming can use it 😭 #phage
September 6, 2025 at 7:26 PM
There are lots of things I wish I knew - today I wish I knew how to use Python (or had the time to learn!). Right after that is my wish that someone would put Bacphlip on the phage.galaxy.eu UI so old fogies like me who learned chemistry instead of programming can use it 😭 #phage
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
"First do not harm" is not a suggestion it is a core feature of the job. If you can't check your biases at the door when you provide healthcare, find another job. Calling ICE on a patient is some disgusting behavior.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Patient seeking care at NIH hospital detained by ICE
NIH officials called immigration authorities after scrutinizing the patient’s identification presented to security at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 9, 2025 at 11:26 AM
"First do not harm" is not a suggestion it is a core feature of the job. If you can't check your biases at the door when you provide healthcare, find another job. Calling ICE on a patient is some disgusting behavior.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Raw milk in the US has significant safety issues, no matter what some folks say. #IDSky
Raw milk sickens 21 people in Florida including 6 children
Public health officials in Florida are reporting 21 cases of campylobacter and E. coli infections linked to drinking raw milk, all from the same farm.
apnews.com
August 5, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Raw milk in the US has significant safety issues, no matter what some folks say. #IDSky
A must read
On Feb. 15, José Manuel Ramos Bastidas called his wife from inside a Texas immigration detention facility.
He asked her to record a message, “just in case something happens to me.”
Thread 👇
He asked her to record a message, “just in case something happens to me.”
Thread 👇
July 18, 2025 at 11:53 PM
A must read
This is a nice report - goes along with anecdotal data as well as extrapolation from dalbavancin.
What is wild, though, is that 9 of 27 patients in this study had PSSA. 33%!! I think I saw a PSSA isolate once... #IDSky
What is wild, though, is that 9 of 27 patients in this study had PSSA. 33%!! I think I saw a PSSA isolate once... #IDSky
Oritavancin shows promise for treating 27 SAB patients (mean age 43, 52% male). 96% clinical cure, 89% alive at 180 days, and 18 hospital days avoided. 💊💰##idsky
Oritavancin for the Treatment of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia—A Retrospective Single-arm Cohort Study
AbstractIntroductionPatients who require prolonged intravenous antibiotics for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) and who are ineligible for outpatient parental antibiotic therapy (OPAT) present a challenge in regard to delivering appropriate and cost-effective treatment. Oritavancin, a novel long-acting lipoglycopeptide, shows promise as an alternative to OPAT for patients with complex Gram-positive infections, including those with SAB.ObjectivesTo assess the outcomes, including safety and impact on length of stay and cost-effectiveness of using oritavancin for patients with SAB who are ineligible for OPAT.MethodsRetrospective single-arm cohort study of adult patients with SAB who received at least 1 dose of oritavancin within the Hunter New England Local Health District between January 2020 and July 2023.ResultsA total of 27 patients were identified: mean age, 43 years, 52% male, and 59% people who currently inject drugs. Sources/foci of infection included bone/joint infection (26%), skin/soft-tissue infection (15%), infective endocarditis (26%), catheter-associated bacteremia (7%), and bacteremia with no clear source/focus (26%). Intravenous antibiotics were administered for a mean duration of 10 days before oritavancin therapy. Clinical cure was seen in 26/27 (96%) of patients, with 1 patient lost to follow-up and deemed not clinically evaluable. Twenty-four of 27 (89%) patients were alive at the end of the 180-day follow-up period, with 2 patient deaths unrelated to their index infection and 1 patient not clinically evaluable. A total of 89% of patients demonstrated a positive return on investment, with on average 18 hospital days per patient avoided.ConclusionsOritavancin is promising as a suitable and potentially cost-effective alternative for patients with SAB who are ineligible for OPAT. Prospective studies are required to confirm its utility in clinical practice, in particular in patients who do not receive oral antibiotic stepdown therapy.
academic.oup.com
July 17, 2025 at 1:47 AM
This is a nice report - goes along with anecdotal data as well as extrapolation from dalbavancin.
What is wild, though, is that 9 of 27 patients in this study had PSSA. 33%!! I think I saw a PSSA isolate once... #IDSky
What is wild, though, is that 9 of 27 patients in this study had PSSA. 33%!! I think I saw a PSSA isolate once... #IDSky
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
RFK Jr. spouted dangerous vaccine falsehoods on national TV. As a parent and infectious diseases doctor, I couldn't stay silent. Here's what the data actually shows. 🧵
June 13, 2025 at 5:26 AM
RFK Jr. spouted dangerous vaccine falsehoods on national TV. As a parent and infectious diseases doctor, I couldn't stay silent. Here's what the data actually shows. 🧵
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
New moment of “WTF”:
-pt with rare infection (so rare will leave unnamed, as could reveal identity)
-nl times: reach out to CDC for testing
-now: “they confirmed they are not currently accepting specimens for serology…they suggested we could reach out to Canada National Reference Center”
😳😳😳
-pt with rare infection (so rare will leave unnamed, as could reveal identity)
-nl times: reach out to CDC for testing
-now: “they confirmed they are not currently accepting specimens for serology…they suggested we could reach out to Canada National Reference Center”
😳😳😳
June 9, 2025 at 11:29 PM
New moment of “WTF”:
-pt with rare infection (so rare will leave unnamed, as could reveal identity)
-nl times: reach out to CDC for testing
-now: “they confirmed they are not currently accepting specimens for serology…they suggested we could reach out to Canada National Reference Center”
😳😳😳
-pt with rare infection (so rare will leave unnamed, as could reveal identity)
-nl times: reach out to CDC for testing
-now: “they confirmed they are not currently accepting specimens for serology…they suggested we could reach out to Canada National Reference Center”
😳😳😳
Short but accurate - firing the ACIP experts hurts everyone. #IDSky www.idsociety.org/news--public...
Statement on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
www.idsociety.org
June 10, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Short but accurate - firing the ACIP experts hurts everyone. #IDSky www.idsociety.org/news--public...
The ongoing tragedy of American withdrawal from aid programs: www.npr.org/sections/goa...
Marco Rubio said no one has died due to U.S. aid cuts. This mom disagrees
Mariam Mohammed says her younger son died when she could not get treatment for him at a U.S.-funded clinic that had temporarily closed. Researchers say there are many thousands of cases like his.
www.npr.org
June 1, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The ongoing tragedy of American withdrawal from aid programs: www.npr.org/sections/goa...
Another Recovery paper. I think this one is a victim to earlier success. Study numbers are low, most had vaccine, and most had other antivirals. I don't think you can make any conclusions here. My 2¢ - future studies need to focus on soft outcomes (hospital, ED, etc) or special populations. #IDSky
Adding molnupiravir or nirmatrelvir–ritonavir to usual care showed no clinical outcome improvements. Low recruitment limits conclusions, especially for nirmatrelvir–ritonavir.##idsky
[Articles] Molnupiravir or nirmatrelvir–ritonavir plus usual care versus usual care alone in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial
Adding molnupiravir or nirmatrelvir–ritonavir to usual care was not associated with improvements in clinical outcomes. However, low recruitment meant a clinically meaningful benefit of treatment could not be ruled out, particularly for nirmatrelvir–ritonavir.
www.thelancet.com
May 16, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Another Recovery paper. I think this one is a victim to earlier success. Study numbers are low, most had vaccine, and most had other antivirals. I don't think you can make any conclusions here. My 2¢ - future studies need to focus on soft outcomes (hospital, ED, etc) or special populations. #IDSky
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
All 4 of my NIH research grants are terminated. These were grants on MDR-TB treatment & strategies for supporting adolescents living w/ HIV. This is a massive waste of resources. I am heartbroken for my Harvard team, my partners in Peru, the next generation of scientists & our country. Shame.
May 15, 2025 at 8:59 PM
All 4 of my NIH research grants are terminated. These were grants on MDR-TB treatment & strategies for supporting adolescents living w/ HIV. This is a massive waste of resources. I am heartbroken for my Harvard team, my partners in Peru, the next generation of scientists & our country. Shame.
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
Inhaled bacteriophage therapy shows promise in cystic fibrosis patients
In a small study, CF patients treated with the therapy saw a reduction in multidrug-resistant lung bacteria and improved lung function.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
In a small study, CF patients treated with the therapy saw a reduction in multidrug-resistant lung bacteria and improved lung function.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
May 1, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Inhaled bacteriophage therapy shows promise in cystic fibrosis patients
In a small study, CF patients treated with the therapy saw a reduction in multidrug-resistant lung bacteria and improved lung function.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
In a small study, CF patients treated with the therapy saw a reduction in multidrug-resistant lung bacteria and improved lung function.
www.cidrap.umn.edu/a...
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
🧵1/ With rising STI rates across the U.S., the very programs that protect us were slashed. Cuts to CDC’s Division of STD Prevention gut a system built to stop syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV, and more. Here’s what we’re losing and why it matters to everyone. #IDSky #PublicHealthSky
April 5, 2025 at 1:02 PM
🧵1/ With rising STI rates across the U.S., the very programs that protect us were slashed. Cuts to CDC’s Division of STD Prevention gut a system built to stop syphilis, gonorrhea, HIV, and more. Here’s what we’re losing and why it matters to everyone. #IDSky #PublicHealthSky
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
Where does TrumpElon think innovation for all their favorite biotech corporations comes from? PCR only exists because somebody was looking for bacteria in hot springs at Yellowstone. I’m just a private practice ophthalmologist who barely understands p values but even I know this shit is important.
This is my institution. These are the people I work with making these decisions. The situation is heartbreaking. Public medical schools have no other choice; there is no other source of funding, and everyone in academia is at extreme risk right now.
March 13, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Where does TrumpElon think innovation for all their favorite biotech corporations comes from? PCR only exists because somebody was looking for bacteria in hot springs at Yellowstone. I’m just a private practice ophthalmologist who barely understands p values but even I know this shit is important.
A labor of love, finally in peer review, is up as a preprint. This manuscript describes the first group of phages I isolated and characterized after starting what has become my career research focus. 2+ years of work (during ID fellowship mid-COVID!) in one very long document 😬 #phagesky #IDSky
A Novel Bacteriophage Genus Infects Carbapenem Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii Via a Non-Capsular Receptor and Provides Protection in Vivo
Extensive drug resistance (XDR) in Acinetobacter baumannii and other pathogens has revitalized bacteriophage as a therapeutic consideration. Six phages (AB1I1L,
papers.ssrn.com
March 5, 2025 at 6:38 PM
My former co-fellow knocking it out of the park talking about AI in Peds ID! #IDSky #PedsIDSky
Session 2: PIDS member Gwenn Skar moderates Arthur Chang’s How to Utilize AI in Our Daily Workflow
March 5, 2025 at 6:33 PM
My former co-fellow knocking it out of the park talking about AI in Peds ID! #IDSky #PedsIDSky
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
Rubio terminated 5800 USAID contracts – more than 90% of its foreign aid programs – in defiance of the courts.
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
February 27, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Rubio terminated 5800 USAID contracts – more than 90% of its foreign aid programs – in defiance of the courts.
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
Here’s a list of just some of the lifesaving awards that were terminated. Nearly all were Congressionally mandated. They’ve saved millions of lives. 🧵
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
Late yesterday, we received award termination notices for three of our primary USAID agreements.
Read our full statement. pedaids.org/press-releas...
Read our full statement. pedaids.org/press-releas...
February 27, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Late yesterday, we received award termination notices for three of our primary USAID agreements.
Read our full statement. pedaids.org/press-releas...
Read our full statement. pedaids.org/press-releas...
Reposted by Patrick Kenney, MD MS
Although we are not federally funded for this summer, WE WILL STILL RUN The National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP) in 2025. We remain committed to the work that needs to be done and will continue to meet people where they are. 1/4 nsurp.org
NSURP.org
National Summer Undergraduate Research Project
nsurp.org
February 24, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Although we are not federally funded for this summer, WE WILL STILL RUN The National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP) in 2025. We remain committed to the work that needs to be done and will continue to meet people where they are. 1/4 nsurp.org