Clinical Summaries
These clinical summaries provide information to help manage common infectious conditions and antimicrobials for clinicians practising at Sinai Health.
These materials are intended for general clinical education and guidance. They are not a substitute for a clinician’s knowledge, skill or judgment in treating patients.
Some of the content in this section was created in collaboration with the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program at University Health Network, or was developed during our collaboration as a joint program between 2009 and 2024.
Antimicrobial use
Immune reactions to penicillin‑family antibiotics.
A beta-lactam antibiotic, traditionally dosed at intermittent 30-minute infusions.
Adjusting medicine doses for reduced kidney function.
Central nervous system infections
Inflammation of the meninges.
Patients who are immunocompromised
A severe fever with long-lasting, very low levels of neutrophils, which are white blood cells that help fight infections.
A serious fungal lung infection in people who are immunocompromised.
Fever with a low level of white blood cells during cancer treatment.
Intra-abdominal infections
A bacterium that causes diarrhea.
Respiratory tract infections
A lung infection from inhaled material.
Pneumonia acquired outside hospital settings.
A sudden worsening of COPD breathing symptoms.
A contagious illness caused by SARS‑CoV‑2.
Pneumonia developing 48 hours after hospitalization or ventilation.
A contagious viral respiratory illness.
Skin and soft tissue infections
A bacterial skin infection causing redness, swelling and warmth.
Infections at or near a surgical incision site.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Infections of the urinary system.
Urinary infections caused by a urinary catheter.
A sexually transmitted bacterial infection causing genital discharge or painful urination.
A sexually transmitted bacterial infection causing pus-like discharge and genital pain.
An infection of reproductive organs.
A sexually transmitted bacterial infection that may start with painless sores and progress to rash or organ damage.