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, […]
New Combo Drug Shows Strong Results For Worm Infections in Children
Alejandro Krolewiecki, PhD Image credits: Children With Worms Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) like Trichuris trichiura, hookworms, and Strongyloides stercoralis continue to pose a significant health threat, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. These infections cause debilitating conditions, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Existing treatments, such as albendazole, have shown limited effectiveness, particularly against T trichiura. Recent studies […]
Bird flu is mutating, but antivirals still work
One of the earliest strains of bird flu isolated from a human in Texas shows a unique constellation of mutations that enable it to more easily replicate in human cells and cause more severe disease in mice compared to a strain found in dairy cattle, researchers from Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) report in […]
The Changing Climate of Vector-Borne Diseases
The consequences of climate change are now readily visible worldwide. Driven primarily by greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, average global temperatures for the past decade have been the warmest in recorded history.1 Current trends are expected to persist, with global average temperatures estimated to […]
Widespread Beta-Lactamase Resistance Genes Pose Growing Threat Across One Health Domains in the US
Babafela Awosile, DVM, MVSc, PhD, DACVPM Image credits: LinkedIn A comprehensive review of research underscores the widespread distribution of beta-lactamase resistance genes in Enterobacteriaceae across human, animal, and environmental sources in the United States. The study, which analyzed 335 articles published between 1981 and April 2022, provides critical insights into the molecular epidemiology of these […]
Estimating the AUC for Vancomycin Using Non Trapezoidal Equations
In the first part of the interview with Msdi, he discussed AUC-based monitoring for vancomycin and its adoption by institutions and its value in dosing. (See the article below.) Read more: Looking at the Slow Adoption of AUC-Based Monitoring for Vancomycin In this segment, Msdi talks about using a unique approach that estimates the AUC […]
