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Steven Tong

@steventong

Infectious diseases, clinical trials, staphylococcus and streptococcus. Reader and runner. Go Hawks!

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11.10.2024
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Latest posts by Steven Tong @steventong

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How do we win? The GAME CHANGER trial

πŸ“£ New CLARITY articles by Erin McCreary, PharmD & Ahmad Mourad are out to help us understand the GAMECHANGER trial & #cefiderocol The first notes a mortality signal among metallo-Ξ²-lactamase–producing infections... #IDSky #clinmicro https://ow.ly/GAqx50Yq6uh

06.03.2026 13:07 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

And @gurujosh.bsky.social and I just recorded a podcast with Scott Berry for 'In the Interim'. We discuss the SNAP journey so far. www.berryconsultants.com/resources/po....

Episode should drop in 2-3 weeks. Will post again when it does.

@thedohertyinst.bsky.social #IDSky

05.03.2026 00:18 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Just woke up and checked emails to see that 8 new participants recruited to #SNAP_Trial in the past 8 hours! While a number of domains have closed (PSSA, MSSA, adjunctive clindamycin) we continue to recruit to other domains. Beyond 5,800 total participants now.
@gurujosh.bsky.social

04.03.2026 20:06 πŸ‘ 15 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

We were absolutely the beneficiaries of your visit @angelahuttner.bsky.social!
We learnt so much about scientific communication and publishing, gender equity in medicine and science, and UTIs! (each was the focus of a talk / discussion Angela led).
#IDSky

02.03.2026 23:22 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Still waiting for journals to accept the SNAP papers...

02.03.2026 01:40 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Also has been my interpretation.

27.02.2026 20:18 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Awesome to have @angelahuttner.bsky.social visiting in Australia!

27.02.2026 12:00 πŸ‘ 7 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

I think you are probably right. But it feels like +FUBC for VGS/S anginosus would raise the β€˜risk’ of endocarditis (compared to -FUBC). And would contribute to equivalent of a VISTA score for S aureus.

14.02.2026 20:14 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Promotional Toolkit ESCMID Global (formerly ECCMID): an annual congress bringing together experts and specialists in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

With ESCMID Global quickly approaching!
To help you spread the word and get involved, check out ESCMID Global 2026 Promotional Toolkit
The official hashtag for the congress this year is #ESCMIDGlobal2026 on all social media channels. #IDSky
www.escmid.org/congress-eve...

13.02.2026 17:30 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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My top 10 ID papers for 2025. Full citations and descriptions available at clarityinitiative.org/hot-takes

Also see/hear our Communicable podcast episode on this at communicable.transistor.fm/episodes/com...

What were your top 10? Any thoughts about what I missed welcome!

#IDSky #Top10papers

05.02.2026 23:28 πŸ‘ 31 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 1

Medical research spending has a positive return on investment; for every $ invested there's an estimated $4 return. Beyond economics, delays hold up medical innovations
Australians deserve better
If you agree, please sign the petition to let #auspol leaders know why medical research matters
#NHMRC

28.01.2026 02:10 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Communicable | Communicable Episode 45: Top infectious diseases papers in 2025 In this episode of Communicable, Josh Davis (Newcastle, Australia) and Emily McDonald (Montreal, Canada), plus invited guest, Steven Tong (Melbourne, Australia)β€”all practicing physicians and clinical trialistsβ€” assemble to discuss some of their β€˜top infectious diseases papers published in 2025’....

πŸŽ™οΈ Just published Communicable E45: Top infectious diseases papers in 2025

Hosted by Josh Davis & Emily McDonald w/ invited guest Steven Tong

Listen on #Communicable: https://share.transistor.fm/s/9e626f2a

#IDSky #clinmicro

25.01.2026 23:00 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸ“£ New #Communicable drops Mon 26 Jan! In our last episode, we brought you some favorite #clinmicro papers of 2025. We continue this thread in our next episode with top ID papers of 2025, picked by our editors, Josh Davis & Emily McDonald and guest, Steven Tong. ⭐ Tune in MondayπŸŽ™οΈ

#IDSky

22.01.2026 10:45 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

C gattii?

22.01.2026 07:37 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Great to see this paper and editorial! Convincing for HIV and C neoformans.

Where is the field regarding non HIV patients? And also C gattii meningitis? Are there trials being conducted in these populations?

22.01.2026 07:35 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

We're going to randomise patients in SNAP to: 1) clopidogrel vs no clopidogrel (CLOPIDO SNAP #1) and; 2) aspirin vs clopidogrel for those already on aspirin (CLOPIDO SNAP #2).

20.01.2026 04:38 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ’ŠDrug Hypesensitivity Symposium 2026 - #DHS2026
Registrations are now open for our amazing 3-day #drugallergy & #antibioticallergy program in Melbourne 23-25th October 2026.

Stellar international🌏speaker lineup. @allergy-eaaci.bsky.social @thedohertyinst.bsky.social

➑️https://dhs2026.org/

19.01.2026 08:40 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Agree. It's a short, well researched, and strangely moving book. Well worth reading.

18.01.2026 18:45 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence… Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millen…

I see patients with TB every week. I can access modern diagnostics and treatments. Reading this book reminded me that is not the case in much of the world.
TB kills 1.25 million per year.
A disease of injustice.

Everything Is Tuberculosis: John Green www.goodreads.com/book/show/22...

18.01.2026 09:58 πŸ‘ 16 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

We are genotyping and phenotyping as many of the isolates as we can get hold of (will be most). So the analysis of blaZ and cefazolin inoculum effect will follow once done. Can't wait to see what this shows!
Altogether there were 1341 participants in SNAP, so much larger than CloCeBa.

18.01.2026 04:45 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Saw the post on X also - but I've decided today to deactivate my X account!

Agree with others that the numbers are too small in CloCeBa to draw strong conclusions.

Across the board in SNAP, cefazolin was better (15% mortality vs 17%). Similar in the 100 odd patients with endocarditis.

18.01.2026 04:45 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Research Officer The OpportunityHere at The Kids our vision is simple; Happy, Healthy Kids!The Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Team is dedicated to reducing the burd...

Exciting news - there's a spot open in the #IDepi team at @thekidsau.bsky.social !
Prof Chris Blyth is looking for a Research Officer to work on influenza research
1-year initial contract based in Perth
Slight bias (my team/boss) but it's a fantastic opportunity!
#EpiSky #AcademicSky #AusAcademia

15.01.2026 00:44 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Now I'll have a look at how Covid-19 deaths have changed over time.

See the quoted thread for discussion of how cases, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations have changed over time.

1/

13.01.2026 06:55 πŸ‘ 10 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 2
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Serological Responses to Streptococcus pyogenes Vaccine Candidate Antigens Suggests That Streptococcus dysgalactiae Is the Predominant Cause of Lower Limb Cellulitis AbstractBackground. A future Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep A) vaccine will ideally prevent a significant burden of lower limb cellulitis; however, natural

That's a pretty cool idea!
Laurens Manning has done some of the research with antibodies. Suggests that SDSE is the predominant cause of lower limb cellulitis!
academic.oup.com/ofid/article...

12.01.2026 22:35 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Ouli’s a clinician who developed incredible bioinformatics and coding skills. Plus the smarts to use those skills to communicate ideas

12.01.2026 20:34 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Pretty cool that Robin Patel picks Ouli Xie's @lancetmicrobe.bsky.social paper on SDSE and S pyogenes as one of her top 3 clinical microbiology papers for 2025! As expected, Robin does a great job explaining the paper.

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

@onisillos.bsky.social

12.01.2026 03:04 πŸ‘ 15 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

The other thing that hasn't been well measured is secondary GAS infections (that are not 'invasive'). Possible that some of these are prevented.

10.01.2026 11:21 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

We selectively do this in Australia. Always tricky with how rare the outcome is: β€˜The secondary attack rate among household contacts was 0.219% (7 individuals) before and 0.047% (7 individuals) after’.
We are doing a RCT, but the primary outcome is throat recovery of GAS, not clinical infection

09.01.2026 23:04 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Intrigued. Can’t wait to listen!

08.01.2026 10:12 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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How Do We Win? The GAME CHANGER Trial Erin K. McCreary, PharmD (1), Ahmad Mourad, MD MHS (2, 3)

The 3rd and 4th commentaries on recent ID trials are up on the CLARITY website (we aim to publish in depth reviews of important ID stuies).

This time looking at the GAMECHANGER trial:
clarityinitiative.org/commentaries...

@erinmccreary.bsky.social with Ahmad Mourad

@gurujosh.bsky.social

#IDSky

01.01.2026 23:50 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0