The Prospective Value of Genetic Testing for Antifungal Susceptibility for Candida Auris
Image credit: pexels, Pavel Danilyuk Candida auris (C auris) is a concerning fungal infection that continues to see an increase in incidence rates. Since it was first discovered in the United States in 2016, it has grown exponentially. In 2023, there were 4,514 new cases of C auris in the country.1 In addition to rising incidence rates, the fungal […]
Extended Paxlovid Treatment Shows Mixed Results for Long COVID
Alison K Cohen, PhD, MPH Image credits: UCSF A case series published in Communications Medicine explored the effects of extended courses of oral nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) for individuals with Long COVID. The study involved 13 patients who took extended courses ranging from 7.5 to 30 days. Of these, 11 participants were not experiencing an acute reinfection, […]
Tuberculosis strains resistant to new drugs are transmitted between patients
Tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s biggest infectious disease killer with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) posing a particular threat to global health. A study led by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) shows that resistance to the new MDR-TB treatment regimen recently recommended by the World Health Organization is already spreading between patients. The […]
Men Experience More Pronounced Health Decline After Lower Respiratory Tract Infections
Image credit: Engin Akyurt, Unsplash A Swedish population-based study finds that older men with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) had a greater likelihood of health decline vs men who did not have them. And women did not show any statistically significant differences in health decline. The population was assessed utilizing the Health Assessment Tool (HAT) […]
Simplifying Vaccine Access Translates to Better Uptake
Image credit: Studio Romantic, stock.adobe.com Defined by researchers as a simplification of the vaccination process, they agree that the further overall vaccine access increases, the more eligible patients will actively seek immunization. With the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a prime example of patients independently seeking out vaccination, the authors believe that an infrastructural change in […]
Top 5 Infectious Disease News Stories Week of December 28-January 3
This week, the CDC MMWR highlights a major blastomycosis outbreak and increased tularemia cases, CHOP’s feedback reports improve antibiotic stewardship in pediatric pneumonia, and more. Source link
Survey Reveals African Hesitancy to Get Mpox Vaccination
Image credit: Road Ahead, Unsplash A new survey conducted amongst Africans across 6 countries found that 32.7% of respondents were hesitant to get vaccinated against mpox and for those who were parents, 38.9% were hesitant to get their children vaccinated.1 The results of the survey were published in eClinicalMedicine. “The weighted rates of mpox vaccination […]
Nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir (Paxlovid) Reduces Short and Long-Term Adverse Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients with Kidney Disease
Close up of the antiviral by Pfizer, Paxlovid. Image credits: Unsplash A recent study published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases demonstrates that nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid), an antiviral treatment for COVID-19, significantly reduces short- and long-term adverse outcomes in patients with kidney disease. This cohort study involved 1,095 patients with kidney disease who received Paxlovid, compared to […]
Modeling tool affirms critical role of testing in pandemic response
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how crucial testing is for disease preparedness and response, and new research from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and a team of collaborators underscores that principle. Published in the Jan. 2 edition of The Lancet Public Health, the research included simulation and analysis that suggests public-private partnerships to develop, […]
NIH Offers Updated Risk Assessment on Avian Influenza
Three influenza A (H5N1/bird flu) virus particles (rod-shaped; yellow). Note: Layout incorporates two CDC transmission electron micrographs that have been repositioned and colorized by NIAID. Image credit: CDC and NIAID The National Institutes of Health (NIH) updated its risk assessment for highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza A virus (HPAI H5N1) saying the risk to the […]
