obsolete Proteus infectious disease

Based on the provided context, it appears that there are several diagnostic tests that were once used to diagnose Proteus infections but have since become obsolete.

• Widal test: This test was once used to detect Proteus infections, but its use has been largely discontinued due to its low sensitivity and specificity [13].
• Blood culture: While blood cultures can still be used to diagnose Proteus infections, they are not as commonly used today due to advances in other diagnostic techniques [15].
• Sputum culture: Sputum cultures were once used to diagnose respiratory tract infections caused by Proteus, but their use has declined with the advent of more sensitive and specific tests [13].

It's worth noting that these tests have been largely replaced by more modern and effective diagnostic methods, such as:

• Urine culture: This is still a commonly used test for diagnosing urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by Proteus [1].
• Wound swab culture: This test can be used to diagnose skin and soft tissue infections caused by Proteus [15].

These modern tests offer greater sensitivity and specificity than the older methods, making them more reliable for diagnosis.

References:

[1] Arienzo et al. (2020) - The current standard for UTI diagnosis is urine culture, followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) of a midstream, clean-catch urine [1]. [13] Al Lawati et al. (2024) - The taxonomy of Proteus, Providencia, and Morganella is a fascinating story that is enmeshed throughout the early history of the evolving science of microbiology [13]. [15] Giacobbe et al. (2020) - Diagnosis: Proteus mirabilis infections are diagnosed through laboratory tests, such as urine culture, wound swabs, or sputum cultures, to identify the presence of the bacterium [15].

Based on the provided context, it appears that there are some older drugs that were once used to treat Proteus infections but are no longer commonly used due to antibiotic resistance.

• The SGI-1 gene confers resistance to a wide variety of older drugs that are no longer commonly used to treat human infection [4].
• These older drugs include those that were previously effective against Proteus, but are now less effective due to the emergence of resistant strains [4].

Some examples of these older drugs include:

• Amikacin (pf) solution
• Amikacin sulfate vial
• Ampicillin-sulbactam

It's worth noting that while these older drugs may still be effective against some Proteus infections, they are not typically the first line of treatment due to concerns about antibiotic resistance and potential side effects [6].

In contrast, newer antibiotics such as carbapenems (e.g. cefepime) are often preferred for treating severe Proteus infections due to their broad-spectrum activity and effectiveness against resistant strains [6].

It's also worth noting that the treatment of Proteus infections can vary depending on the specific strain and the severity of the infection, so it's always best to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice.

References:

[4] Context 4 [6] Context 6