NACCHO’s Efforts to Combat Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance
Lori Tremmel Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), shared insights into the organization’s efforts to combat healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AR), particularly in light of the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. NACCHO has been providing capacity-building programs designed to address local health departments’ needs, […]
How Are We Doing Right Now?
The seasonal respiratory virus season in the northern hemisphere runs from October through April. As we are at about the halfway point of the season, we wanted to identify incidence rates and get some guidance from Robert H. Hopkins, Jr, MD, medical director, NFID, on the current state of the virus season focusing on COVID-19, […]
Improving Antibiotic Stewardship and Infection Control
Dr treating patient at the hospital. Image credits: Unsplash Clinical Decision Support (CDS) tools play a crucial role in healthcare, particularly in optimizing antibiotic prescribing and reducing infections. These tools are essential to Antimicrobial Stewardship (ASP) and Infection Prevention (IP) programs. A recent study highlights the application of established CDS evaluation frameworks, such as the […]
Human Milk Sugar Shows Potential For Norovirus Treatment
Number of cases. Image credits: CDC A recent study has shown that 2′-fucosyllactose (2′FL), a sugar found in human milk, can reduce the replication of human norovirus (HuNoV) in lab-grown human intestinal cells, suggesting it could become a treatment for norovirus infections. The research, published in Journal of Virology, focused on the GII.4 Sydney [P16] […]
Decoding HIV's tactics
Scientists have unveiled insights into how HIV-1, the virus responsible for AIDS, skillfully hijacks cellular machinery for its own survival. By dissecting the molecular interplay between the virus and its host, the researchers identified novel strategies that HIV-1 employs to ensure its replication while suppressing the host’s cellular defenses. Source link
Child undernutrition may be contributing to global measles outbreaks, researchers find
Amid a global surge in measles cases, new research suggests that undernutrition may be exacerbating outbreaks in areas suffering from food insecurity. A study involving over 600 fully vaccinated children in South Africa found those who were undernourished had substantially lower levels of antibodies against measles. Researchers from McGill University, UC Berkeley School of Public […]
Expedite Subtyping of Influenza A in Hospitalized Patients
Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory requesting clinicians and laboratories to expedite the subtyping of influenza A-positive specimens from hospitalized patients, especially those in the intensive care unit (ICU). The federal agency said they are looking for this be performed within 24 hours and they stated on […]
Summarizing SGLT-2 Inhibitor Usage in People With Diabetes and HIV
Image credit: Pexels, N Voitkevich Diabetes presents a significant health challenge for people living with HIV. Among persons with HIV, the prevalence of diabetes is over 2-fold higher than in individuals without HIV.1 There is also an earlier onset of diabetes among persons with HIV than in those without HIV.2 Diabetes is associated with a […]
The “Skip Phenomenon” in Blood Infections
The “skip phenomenon” (SP) refers to a clinical pattern in which blood cultures intermittently test positive before eventually clearing. A recent study sheds light on the fact that one-third of patients with Staphylococcus lugdunensis infective endocarditis (S lugdunensis IE) experience the SP, and these patients tend to face prolonged bacteremia, extended hospital stays, and a […]
Breaking Down Barriers, Having Conversations in the Communities
In 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its surveillance report that showed that despite Black women in the United States making up just 13% of the overall female population, they accounted for 50% of HIV diagnoses among women.1 Barriers for Black women getting HIV prevention and care include access, economic, and cultural, […]
