New Bat Coronavirus Has Capacity to Spread to Humans
Image credit: Hitchhike, Pexels On nearly the 5 year anniversary when the US shutdown from the global COVID-19 pandemic, a report comes out of China that a bat coronavirus has the potential to be transmitted to humans. The news comes from the lab of Shi Zhengli, PhD, the Chinese scientist infamous for research with bats […]
CHMP Approves Ivermectin/Albendazole Combination for Parasitic Worm Infections
Alejandro Krolewiecki, MD On January 30, 2025, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) issued a positive opinion for the approval of Ivermectin/Albendazole, a fixed-dose combination aimed at treating soil-transmitted helminth infections and microfilaraemia in lymphatic filariasis patients. This marks an important step forward in combating parasitic worm infections, particularly in regions outside […]
Stealth virus: Zika virus builds tunnels to covertly infect cells of the placenta
Infection with Zika virus in pregnancy can lead to neurological disorders, fetal abnormalities and fetal death. Until now, how the virus manages to cross the placenta, which nurtures the developing fetus and forms a strong barrier against microbes and chemicals that could harm the fetus, has not been clear. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine […]
Emerging Threats and Key Knowledge from 2024 Leading into 2025
Clinical science in infectious diseases saw significant progress in 2024, with multiple clinical trials of new antibiotics and infection prevention strategies. The year also brought public health challenges, including outbreaks of dengue, measles, mpox, and highly pathogenic avian influenza A, highlighting the continued need for research and clinical interventions. At IDWeek 2024, experts gathered to […]
Indoor Domestic Cats Within Dairy Worker Households Contract Avian Influenza
It has been previously documented that outdoor cats on dairy farms have contracted HPAI A(H5N1), otherwise known as avian influenza; however, up until now, the virus has not been reported in indoor cats. In this week’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), avian influenza was […]
High Uptake for RSV Vaccine and Nirsevimab Among Pregnant Women, Infants
Amongst eligible pregnant women, 64.0% received the RSVpreF vaccine, and 70.1% of eligible neonates received nirsevimab, according to a new study that was published in JAMA Network Open, yesterday. The investigators write that this translates to more than 80% coverage against RSV during all but the first month of the study.1 “This study suggests that […]
Ginkgo Bioworks Targets Infectious Disease with Rapid Respiratory Virus Detection System
Ginkgo Bioworks is collaborating with the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) in a project valued at up to €24 million to develop rapid metagenomic sequencing for respiratory virus detection. The funding comes from the EU4Health program and aligns with the priorities of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). The RANGER (RApid […]
Groundbreaking study shows potential of new mRNA vaccine to help fight tuberculosis
A new vaccine that boosts immunity against tuberculosis (TB) has been shown to be effective in pioneering pre-clinical trials, as part of a successful collaboration between three leading Australian research institutions. A study into the vaccine’s effectiveness, published in eBioMedicine, was led by experts from the Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute at University of Sydney, the […]
Paxlovid Does Not Significantly Reduce COVID-19 Hospitalization, Mortality in Vaccinated Older Adults
In a large study published today, nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) use was not found to reduce hospitalizations and mortality in adults 70 years of age and older who were vaccinated.1 “There were no significant differences just below vs just above age 70 years (per 100000 patients per month) in COVID-19–related hospitalizations (39.5 vs 42.9; absolute difference, 3.4; […]
Persistent Fever as a Key Mortality Predictor in MRSA Bacteremia
Sean Ong Image credits: LinkedIn A post hoc analysis of the CAMERA2 randomized clinical trial has identified persistent fever after 72 hours as a key predictor of increased mortality in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia. In contrast, white blood cell (WBC) count and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels did not show the same predictive […]
