Scholars@Duke
Mary Townsend

Mary Townsend

Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine
Medicine, Infectious Diseases
mary.townsend@duke.edu
Box 3089 Med Ctr, Durham, NC 27710
0402A Hosp North, Durham, NC 27710

Selected Publications

Use of Methenamine for Urinary Tract Infection Prophylaxis: Systematic Review of Recent Evidence.

Journal Article Int Urogynecol J · March 2024 INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Antibiotic resistance is an unavoidable consequence of antibiotic use and growing rates of resistance are an urgent issue. Methenamine is a non-antibiotic alternative used for urinary tract infection (UTI) prophylaxis. The obje ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of Implementation of the Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Within Veterans Health Administration Emergency Departments and Primary Care Clinics on Antibiotic Prescribing and Patient Outcomes.

Journal Article Clin Infect Dis · September 7, 2021 BACKGROUND: The Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship provide a framework to improve antibiotic use. We report the impact of core elements implementation within Veterans Health Administration sites. METHODS: In this quasiexperimental controlle ... Full text Link to item Cite

Proton pump inhibitor usage reduces sustained viral response rates for veterans with HIV/HCV coinfection on ledipasvir/sofosbuvir: a real-world study from a multicentre VA cohort.

Journal Article J Viral Hepat · April 2021 Previous studies have reported an association of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use and decreased sustained viral response rate (SVR) in patients taking ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF). The relationship between PPI usage and SVR is less clear in patients with ... Full text Link to item Cite

Standard Versus Extended Duration Direct-Acting Antiviral Therapy in Hepatitis C Patients With Slow Response to Treatment.

Journal Article Ann Pharmacother · November 2020 BACKGROUND: Response-guided hepatitis C therapy was standard with interferon-based regimens but is not used for direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). Week 4 viral kinetics may predict sustained virological response (SVR) with DAAs, but it is unclear whether ext ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of prophylactic oseltamivir on INR in patients on stable warfarin therapy.

Journal Article J Thromb Thrombolysis · August 2020 Influenza prophylaxis with oseltamivir is recommended for exposed high-risk patients. Patients with many comorbidities have an increased likelihood of co-administration of oseltamivir and warfarin. Evidence of a drug interaction is conflicting in the liter ... Full text Link to item Cite

Inpatient management of uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections in 34 Veterans Affairs medical centers: A medication use evaluation

Journal Article Open Forum Infectious Diseases · January 1, 2020 Background. Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are a key antimicrobial stewardship target because they are a common infection in hospitalized patients, and non-guideline-concordant antibiotic use is frequent. To inform antimicrobial stewardship interv ... Full text Cite

Impact of Substance Use Disorder on the Rate of Sustained Virological Response in Veterans With Chronic Hepatitis C Treated With Direct-Acting Antivirals.

Journal Article Ann Pharmacother · June 2019 BACKGROUND: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are commonly encountered in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. It is important to consider the impact of SUDs on HCV treatment. OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of clinical cure (sustained viro ... Full text Link to item Cite

Incidence of Drug Interactions Identified by Clinical Pharmacists in Veterans Initiating Treatment for Chronic Hepatitis C Infection.

Journal Article Ann Pharmacother · August 2018 BACKGROUND: Many direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with the potential to affect efficacy and safety. OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence and severity of DDIs with DAAs identified by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) clinical pha ... Full text Link to item Cite

Reducing Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing for Adults With Acute Bronchitis in an Urgent Care Setting: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Journal Article Adv Emerg Nurs J · 2016 Acute bronchitis is a predominantly viral illness and, according to clinical practice guidelines, should not be treated with antibiotics. Despite clear guidelines, acute bronchitis continues to be the most common acute respiratory illness for which antibio ... Full text Link to item Cite

Risk factors associated with unfavorable short-term treatment outcome in patients with documented Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Journal Article Int J Clin Pharm · April 2015 BACKGROUND: Invasive infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. While risk factors for mortality have been identified, their influence on short-term outcomes impacting treatment selection has not be ... Full text Link to item Cite

Predictors of glycaemic control among HIV-positive veterans with diabetes.

Conference Int J STD AIDS · March 2015 Antiretroviral therapy has decreased HIV-related mortality. However, the incidence of diabetes as a co-morbidity is increasing as HIV-positive patients age. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between markers of HIV-infection and diabet ... Full text Link to item Cite

Antifungal catheter lock therapy for the management of a persistent Candida albicans bloodstream infection in an adult receiving hemodialysis.

Journal Article Pharmacotherapy · July 2014 Antifungal catheter lock therapy (AfLT) with liposomal amphotericin B has been used in the treatment of pediatric central line infections caused by Candida species; however, reports describing the use of liposomal amphotericin B lock therapy in the adult h ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor treatment on the rates of sexually transmitted diseases in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center patient population.

Journal Article J Pharm Pract · February 2014 OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are higher in a veteran population prescribed phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors for erectile dysfunction compared to individuals no ... Full text Link to item Cite

Recent advances in the treatment of life-threatening, invasive fungal infections.

Journal Article Expert Opin Pharmacother · December 2013 INTRODUCTION: Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) pose significant morbidity and are often life-threatening to many high-risk patients. Timely diagnosis and treatment of these infections with optimal therapy is imperative. AREAS COVERED: Advances have been m ... Full text Link to item Cite

Overview of treatment options for invasive fungal infections.

Journal Article Med Mycol · August 2011 The introduction of several new antifungals has significantly expanded both prophylaxis and treatment options for invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Relative to amphotericin B deoxycholate, lipid-based formulations of amphotericin B have significantly redu ... Full text Link to item Cite

Medication adherence in combat veterans with traumatic brain injury.

Journal Article Am J Health Syst Pharm · February 1, 2011 PURPOSE: Medication adherence in combat veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) was evaluated. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of TBI were identified by a computer search of veterans enrolled in the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom ... Full text Link to item Cite

Potential role of tigecycline in the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia.

Journal Article Infect Drug Resist · 2011 Tigecycline is a member of the glycylcycline class of antimicrobials, which is structurally similar to the tetracycline class. It demonstrates potent in vitro activity against causative pathogens that are most frequently isolated in patients with community ... Full text Link to item Cite

Echinocandin pharmacodynamics: review and clinical implications.

Journal Article J Antimicrob Chemother · June 2010 Echinocandins have made a significant impact in the treatment of select invasive fungal infections, most notably invasive candidiasis and aspergillosis. However, treatment outcomes for such infections are still less than optimal, prompting an examination o ... Full text Link to item Cite

Antifungal drug resistance: Clinical relevance and impact of antifungal drug use

Journal Article Current Fungal Infection Reports · June 1, 2010 Antifungal drug resistance significantly impacts treatment outcomes in patients with invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Although primary (intrinsic) resistance may occur independent of previous therapy, prior concomitant antifungal exposure increases the r ... Full text Cite

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-induced hepatotoxicity in a pediatric patient.

Journal Article Pharmacotherapy · May 2010 Due to the escalating rates of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infection, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is being used increasingly in the pediatric population for skin and soft tissue infections. Although ... Full text Link to item Cite

Incidence of Severe Hepatotoxicity Related to Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients.

Journal Article AIDS Res Treat · 2010 Introduction. Hepatotoxicity is a concern in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfected patients due to their underlying liver disease. This study assessed the incidence of hepatotoxicity in HIV/HCV co-infected patients in two outpatient infectious diseases cl ... Full text Link to item Cite

Drug-drug interactions with HIV antiretroviral therapy

Journal Article U.S. Pharmacist · April 18, 2008 Cite

Tigecycline in the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal and complicated skin and skin structure infections.

Journal Article Ther Clin Risk Manag · December 2007 Tigecycline, a glycylcycline related to the tetracycline class of antibiotics, represents a new option for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal and complicated skin and skin structure infections. It displays favorable activity in vitro against the ... Link to item Cite

A comparison of the effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy between HIV- and non-HIV-infected subjects with hyperlipidaemia.

Journal Article Int J STD AIDS · December 2007 This retrospective cohort study conducted at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center evaluated the effectiveness and safety of lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) in a HIV-infected population as compared with a general population with hyperlipidaemia. Fifty-th ... Full text Link to item Cite

Treatment of infectious endocarditis

Journal Article U.S. Pharmacist · May 18, 2007 Cite

Association between pharmacy medication refill-based adherence rates and cd4 count and viral-load responses: A retrospective analysis in treatment-experienced adults with HIV.

Journal Article Clin Ther · April 2007 BACKGROUND: Current guidelines and most contemporary statements in the literature indicate that, like other medical conditions, HIV infection requires exceptionally high adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for successful treatment. OB ... Full text Link to item Cite

Tigecycline: a new glycylcycline antimicrobial.

Journal Article Int J Clin Pract · December 2006 Tigecycline is a new glycyclcycline antimicrobial recently approved for use in the USA, Europe and elsewhere. While related to the tetracyclines, tigecycline overcomes many of the mechanisms responsible for resistance to this class. It demonstrates favoura ... Full text Link to item Cite