Professor Stephen Chambers, Our people, University of Otago, Christchurch, University of Otago, New Zealand

Professor

MB ChB, MD(Otago), MSc(Lond), FRACP

Email steve.chambers@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 364 0649

Research interests

Professor Steve Chambers' research interests relate to diagnostics in respiratory infections, the treatment of infectious diseases and intermediary metabolism with particular emphasis on the relationship between bacterial and human metabolism.

He is interested in the effective delivery of treatment for infectious disease that minimises harm to the patient depends on rapid, accurate diagnosis of the infecting organism.

Clinical studies undertaken by Professor Chambers and his team have confirmed the limitations of current methods such as culture and PCR, particularly in children, which depend on the collection of sputum and other specimens. This lead the concept of diagnostic breath testing, which can be performed on readily available samples that can be easily repeated, to follow microbial metabolism. Markers of bacterial metabolisms are obvious diagnostic candidates particularly as they are specific to a particular respiratory pathogen.

In the media

Professors Steve Chambers and David Murdoch were interviewed for Radio New Zealand's Our Changing World series in March 2014.

&amp;amp;lt;h2&amp;amp;gt;Patents&amp;amp;lt;/h2&amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;ldquo;Analysing breath samples for volatile organic compound&amp;amp;amp;rdquo;. PCT/NZ2006/000071, 2006&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;ldquo;Detection of volatile compounds as markers for mycobacteria&amp;amp;amp;rdquo;. Provisional Patent 2007&amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;gt;

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Publications

Munk, P., Brinch, B., Møller, F. D., Petersen, T. N., Hendriksen, R. S., Seyfarth, A. M., … Global Sewage Surveillance Consortium, including Jeunen, G.-J., Gemmell, N., Chambers, S. T., … Aarestrup, F. M. (2023). Genomic analysis of sewage from 101 countries reveals global landscape of antimicrobial resistance. Nature Communications, 14(1), 7251. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-34312-7

Chin, P. K. L., Than, M., & Chambers, S. (2023). One giant leap for cephalexin dosing, one small step for antimicrobial stewardship. Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine, 25, 7-8. doi: 10.1007/s43678-022-00442-6

Campbell, P. O., Chin, P. K. L., Dalton, S. C., Metcalf, S. C. L., Douglas, N. M., & Chambers, S. T. (2022). Frequency of pharmacological target attainment with flucloxacillin and cefazolin in invasive methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infection: A prospective cohort study in hospitalised patients. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2022.106695

Carr, A. C., Vlasiuk, E., Zawari, M., Meijer, N., Lauren, C., MacPherson, S., Williman, J., & Chambers, S. T. (2022). Supplementation with oral vitamin C prior to and during myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A pilot study. Antioxidants, 11(10), 1949. doi: 10.3390/antiox11101949

Lian, X., Scott-Thomas, A., Lewis, J. G., Bhatia, M., & Chambers, S. T. (2022). A novel monoclonal antibody 1D2 that broadly inhibits clinically important Aspergillus species. Journal of Fungi, 8, 960. doi: 10.3390/jof8090960

Ministry of Health, including Chambers, S., Jennings, L., & Tatley, M. (2006). Immunisation Handbook 2006. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health, 455p.

Authored Book - Research

Beard, M. E. J., Thwaites, J. H., Chambers, S. T., Colls, B. M., Cameron, C., Jeffery, M., … Pithie, A., … Sainsbury, R. (2007). Management guidelines for common medical conditions (12th ed.). Christchurch, New Zealand: Canterbury District Health Board, 288p.

Authored Book - Other

Beard, M. E. J., Thwaites, J. H., Chambers, S. T., Colls, B. M., Doogue, M., Jeffery, M., … Pithie, A., … Sainsbury, R. (2005). Management guidelines for common medical conditions (11th ed.). Christchurch, NZ: Canterbury District Health Board, 271p.

Authored Book - Other

Beard, M. E. J., Thwaites, J. H., Begg, E. J., Chambers, S., Colls, B. M., Jeffery, G. M., … Pithie, A., … Sainsbury, R., & Young, C. (2003). Management guidelines for common medical conditions (10th ed.). Christchurch, NZ: Canterbury District Health Board, 299p.

Authored Book - Other

Beard, M. E. J., Thwaites, J. H., Begg, E. J., Chambers, S., Jeffery, G. M., King, S., Pithie, A., … Sainsbury, R., & Young, C. (2001). Management Guidelines for Common Medical Conditions (9th ed.). Christchurch: Canterbury District Health Board.

Authored Book - Other

Beard, M. E. J., Town, G. I., Ardagh, M. W., Begg, E. J., Chambers, S., Jeffery, G. M., & Laing, R. T. R. (2000). Management Guidelines for Common Medical Conditions (8th ed.). Christchurch, New Zealand: Internal Medicine Services, Canterbury Health, 284p.

Authored Book - Other

Beard, M. E. J., Begg, E. J., Ardagh, M. W., Chambers, S. T., Fink, J. N., Lim, V., & Town, G. I. (1996). Management Guidelines for Common Medical Conditions. (6th ed.). Christchurch: Internal Medicine Services, Canterbury Health Ltd.

Authored Book - Other

Begg, E., Barclay, M., Vella-Brincat, J., Gardiner, S. J., Doogue, M., McDermott, L., … Chambers, S., & Murdoch, D. (Eds.). (2004). Preferred Medicines List (8th ed.). Christchurch: The Caxton Press, 172p.

Edited Book - Other

Chambers, S. (2013). Microbiology and Iinfectious Diseases. In P. Joyce, G. Nicholls, K. Thomas & T. Wilkinson (Eds.), The Christchurch experience: 40 years of research and teaching. (pp. 122-126). Christchurch, New Zealand: University of Otago.

Chapter in Book - Other

Journal - Research Article

Cheung, J., Nordmeier, K., Kelland, S., Harrington, M., Williman, J., Storer, M., Beaglehole, B., … Chambers, S., Epton, M., Freeman, J., Murdoch, D., Werno, A., & Maze, M. (2022). Symptom persistence and recovery among Covid-19 survivors during a limited outbreak in Canterbury, New Zealand: A prospective cohort study. Internal Medicine Journal. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/imj.15930

Journal - Research Article

Lian, X., Chambers, S., Lewis, J. G., Scott-Thomas, A., & Bhatia, M. (2022). Two monoclonal antibodies that specifically recognize aspergillus cell wall antigens and can detect circulating antigens in infected mice. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23, 252. doi: 10.3390/ijms23010252

Journal - Research Article

Manandhar, S., Scott-Thomas, A., Harrington, M., Sinha, P., Pilbrow, A., Richards, A. M., Cameron, V., Bhatia, M., & Chambers, S. T. (2022). Hydrogen sulfide and substance P levels in patients with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteraemia. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23, 8639. doi: 10.3390/ijms23158639

Journal - Research Article

Palmer, D., Soule, S., Gaddam, R. R., Elder, P., Chambers, S., & Doogue, M. (2022). Unbound vitamin D concentrations are not decreased in critically ill patients. Internal Medicine Journal, 52, 89-94. doi: 10.1111/imj.15096

Journal - Research Article

Téllez, A., Ambrosioni, J., Hernández-Meneses, M., Llopis, J., Ripa, M., Chambers, S. T., … Raymond, N., … the International Collaboration on Endocarditis (ICE) Investigators, including Murdoch, D. R. (2022). Clinical characteristics and outcome of infective endocarditis due to Abiotrophia and Granulicatella compared to Viridans group streptococci. Journal of Infection. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2022.05.023

Journal - Research Article

Chambers, S. T., Withers, A., Dawson, K., Anderson, T., Williman, J., Murdoch, D., Scott-Thomas, A., & Slow, S. (2021). How safe are gloves and masks used for protection against Legionella longbeachae infection when gardening? Letters in Applied Microbiology, 73, 616-622. doi: 10.1111/lam.13546

Journal - Research Article

Drennan, P. G., Green, J. K., Gardiner, S. J., Metcalf, S. C. L., Kirkpatrick, C. M. J., Everts, R. J., Zhang, M., & Chambers, S. T. (2021). Population pharmacokinetics of free flucloxacillin in patients treated with oral flucloxacillin plus probenecid. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 87, 4684-4693. doi: 10.1111/bcp.14887

Journal - Research Article

Everts, R. J., Gardiner, S. J., Zhang, M., Begg, R., Chambers, S. T., Turnidge, J., & Begg, E. J. (2021). Probenecid effects on cephalexin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in healthy volunteers. Journal of Infection, 83, 182-189. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2021.05.037

Journal - Research Article

Mohammadi, A., Chambers, S. T., Slow, S., Anderson, T., Williman, J., Scott, P., Murdoch, D., & Scott-Thomas, A. (2021). Presence of Legionella Longbeachae in pine but not composted green waste used in manufacture of potting soils in New Zealand. Journal of Applied & Environmental Microbiology, 9(1), 1-4. doi: 10.12691/jaem-9-1-1

Journal - Research Article

Scott, P., Zhang, J., Anderson, T., Priest, P. C., Chambers, S., Smith, H., Murdoch, D. R., French, N., & Biggs, P. J. (2021). Whole-genome sequencing and ad hoc shared genome analysis of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from a New Zealand primary school. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 20328. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99080-8

Journal - Research Article

Baxter-Parker, G., Gaddam, R. R., Moltchanova, E., Carr, A. C., Shaw, G., Chambers, S., & Gieseg, S. P. (2020). Oxidative stress and immune cell activation quantification in sepsis and non-sepsis critical care patients by neopterin/7,8-dihydroneopterin analysis. Pteridines, 31(1), 68-82. doi: 10.1515/pteridines-2020-0015

Journal - Research Article

Carr, A. C., Spencer, E., Das, A., Meijer, N., Lauren, C., MacPherson, S., & Chambers, S. T. (2020). Patients undergoing myeloablative chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation exhibit depleted vitamin C status in association with febrile neutropenia. Nutrients, 12(6), 1879. doi: 10.3390/nu12061879

Journal - Research Article

Chambers, S. T., Ioteba, N., Timeon, E., Rimon, E., Murdoch, H., Green, J., … Williman, J., & Priest, P. (2020). Surveillance of leprosy in Kiribati, 1935-2017. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 26(5), 833-840. doi: 10.3201/eid2605.181746

Journal - Research Article

Chambers, S. T., Long, M., Gardiner, S. J., Chin, P. K. L., Yi, M., Dalton, S. C., … Metcalf, S. C. L. (2020). Determinants of vancomycin nephrotoxicity when administered to outpatients as a continuous 24-hour infusion. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 55, 105972. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.105972

Journal - Research Article

Everts, R. J., Begg, R., Gardiner, S. J., Zhang, M., Turnidge, J., Chambers, S. T., & Begg, E. J. (2020). Probenecid and food effects on flucloxacillin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in healthy volunteers. Journal of Infection, 80, 42-53. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2019.09.004

Journal - Research Article

Gardiner, S. J., Basevi, A. B., Hamilton, N. L., Metcalf, S. C. L., Chambers, S. T., Withington, S. G., Chin, P. K., Freeman, J. T., Dalton, S. C., on behalf of the Canterbury District Health Board Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee. (2020). Point prevalence surveys of antimicrobial use in adult inpatients at Canterbury District Health Board hospitals. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1525), 18-33. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Gardiner, S. J., Metcalf, S. C. L., Werno, A., Doogue, M. P., Chambers, S. T., on behalf of the Canterbury District Health Board Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee. (2020). A persuasive approach to antimicrobial stewardship in Christchurch hospitals produced a sustained decrease in intravenous clarithromycin dosing and expenditure via a switch to azithromycin orally. New Zealand Medical Journal, 133(1512), 22-30. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Green, J., Howard, J., Shankar, A., Clinghan, R., Luff, T., Birch, M., Pithie, A., … Metcalf, S., & Chambers, S. (2020). Assessing the impact of a ‘bundle of care’ approach to Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in a tertiary hospital. Infection Prevention in Practice, 2, 100096. doi: 10.1016/j.infpip.2020.100096

Journal - Research Article

Mohammadi, A., Chambers, S. T., Scott-Thomas, A., Lewis, J. G., Anderson, T., Podmore, R., Williman, J., Murdoch, D., & Slow, S. (2020). Enhancement of culture of Legionella longbeachae from respiratory samples using immunomagnetic separation and antimicrobial decontamination. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 58(11), e01218-20. doi: 10.1128/jcm.01218-20

Journal - Research Article

Thompson, L., Ioteba, N., & Chambers, S. (2020). Leprosy in kiribati: The lived experience. Leprosy Review, 91, 353-366. doi: 10.47276/lr.91.4.353

Journal - Research Article

Chambers, S. T., Basevi, A., Gallagher, K., Carswell-Moyna, A., Isenman, H., Pithie, A., Dalton, S., & Metcalf, S. C. L. (2019). Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) in Christchurch: 18 years on. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1501), 21-32. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Gaddam, R. R., Chambers, S., Fraser, R., Cogger, V. C., Le Couteur, D. G., Ishii, I., & Bhatia, M. (2019). Cystathionine-gamma-lyase-derived hydrogen sulfide-regulated substance P modulates liver sieve fenestrations in caecal ligation and puncture-induced sepsis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(13), 3191. doi: 10.3390/ijms20133191

Journal - Research Article

Gilkison, C., Chambers, S., Blok, D. J., Richardus, J. H., Timeon, E., Rimon, E., & Priest, P. (2019). Predicting the impact of household contact and mass chemoprophylaxis on future new leprosy cases in South Tarawa, Kiribati: A modelling study. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 13(9), e0007646. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007646

Journal - Research Article

Mutreja, I., Warring, S. L., Lim, K. S., Swadi, T., Clinch, K., Mason, J. M., … Chambers, S. T., … Gerth, M. L., … Woodfield, T. B. F. (2019). Biofilm inhibition via delivery of novel methylthioadenosine nucleosidase inhibitors from PVA-tyramine hydrogels while supporting mesenchymal stromal cell viability. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, 5(2), 748-758. doi: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01141

Journal - Research Article

Panta, G., Richardson, A. K., Shaw, I. C., Chambers, S., & Coope, P. A. (2019). Effectiveness of steam sterilization of reusable medical devices in primary and secondary care public hospitals in Nepal and factors associated with ineffective sterilization: A nation-wide cross-sectional study. PLoS ONE, 14(11), e0225595. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225595

Journal - Research Article

Priest, P. C., Slow, S., Chambers, S. T., Cameron, C. M., Balm, M. N., Beale, M. W., Blackmore, T. K., … Ussher, J. E., van der Linden, A. J., … Murdoch, D. R. (2019). The burden of Legionnaires' disease in New Zealand (LegiNZ): A national surveillance study. Lancet Infectious Diseases, 19, 770-777. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30113-6

Journal - Research Article

Shahid, K., Alamri, Y., Scowcroft, H., Dixon, L., Creighton, J., Isenman, H., Metcalf, S., & Chambers, S. (2019). Urinalysis orders and yield among General Medicine patients: A single-centre's experience in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 132(1488), 21-27. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Chin, P. K. L., Drennan, P. G., Gardiner, S. J., Zhang, M., Dalton, S. C., Chambers, S. T., & Begg, E. J. (2018). Total flucloxacillin plasma concentrations poorly reflect unbound concentrations in hospitalised patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 84(10), 2311-2316. doi: 10.1111/bcp.13673

Journal - Research Article

Gardiner, S. J., Drennan, P. G., Begg, R., Zhang, M., Green, J. K., Isenman, H. L., Everts, R. J., Chambers, S. T., & Begg, E. J. (2018). In healthy volunteers, taking flucloxacillin with food does not compromise effective plasma concentrations in most circumstances. PLoS ONE, 13(7), e0199370. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199370

Journal - Research Article

Gardiner, S. J., Metcalf, S. C. L., Chin, P. K. L., Doogue, M. P., Dalton, S. C., & Chambers, S. T. (2018). Metronidazole stewardship initiative at Christchurch hospitals: Achievable with immediate benefits. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1473), 53-58. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Green, J. K., Gardiner, S. J., Clarke, S. L., Thompson, L., Metcalf, S. C. L., & Chambers, S. T. (2018). Antimicrobial stewardship practice in New Zealand's rural hospitals. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1481), 16-26. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Scott, P., Priest, P. C., Chambers, S. T., Heijne, J. C. M., & Murdoch, D. R. (2018). Staphylococcus aureus carriage in a New Zealand primary school: A cohort study. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 37(6), e172-e175. doi: 10.1097/inf.0000000000001796

Journal - Research Article

Slow, S., Epton, M., Storer, M., Thiessen, R., Lim, S., Wong, J., Chin, P., Tovaranonte, P., Pearson, J., Chambers, S. T., Murdoch, D. R., and VIDCAPS Group, including Jardine, D., & Pithie, A. (2018). Effect of adjunctive single high-dose vitamin D₃ on outcome of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalised adults: The VIDCAPS randomised controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 13829. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-32162-2

Journal - Research Article

Carr, A. C., Rosengrave, P. C., Bayer, S., Chambers, S., Mehrtens, J., & Shaw, G. M. (2017). Hypovitaminosis C and vitamin C deficiency in critically ill patients despite recommended enteral and parenteral intakes. Critical Care, 21, 300. doi: 10.1186/s13054-017-1891-y

Journal - Research Article

Gaddam, R. R., Chambers, S., Murdoch, D., Shaw, G., & Bhatia, M. (2017). Circulating levels of hydrogen sulfide and substance P in patients with sepsis. Journal of Infection, 75(4), 293-300. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2017.07.005

Journal - Research Article

Gaddam, R. R., Fraser, R., Badiei, A., Chambers, S., Cogger, V. C., Le Couteur, D. G., & Bhatia, M. (2017). Differential effects of Kupffer cell inactivation on inflammation and the liver sieve following caecal-ligation and puncture-induced sepsis in mice. Shock, 47(4), 480-490. doi: 10.1097/shk.0000000000000755

Journal - Research Article

Lever, M., McEntyre, C. J., George, P. M., & Chambers, S. T. (2017). Is N,N-dimethylglycine N-oxide a choline and betaine metabolite? Biological Chemistry, 398(7), 775-784. doi: 10.1515/hsz-2016-0261

Journal - Research Article

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Professor Stephen Chambers

Research interests

In the media

Publications

Affiliations