Injection Drug Use and Immunodeficiency Linked to Failed Hepatitis C Treatment in People with HIV
Brendan Harney, PhD, MPH Image credit: Burnet Institute New research is shining light on the efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), highlighting a 95% treatment success rate in this patient population and providing additional insight into factors negatively affecting treatment response.1 […]
Pfizer Launched Phase 3 Trial for Ibuzatrelvir, New Oral Antiviral for COVID-19 Treatment
Charlotte Allerton, Head, Discovery & Early Development at Pfizer. Image credits: Pfizer Pfizer has initiated a Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ibuzatrelvir, a new oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19. This study aims to determine whether ibuzatrelvir can effectively treat high-risk patients who are not hospitalized but at risk of […]
COVID-19 Roundtable: Prophylaxis for the Immunocompromised
For the immunocompromised there is limited efficacy to vaccines. In a mid-sized study published in the journal, Clinical Infectious Diseases, investigators found decreased COVID-19 vaccination seropositivity amongst immunocompromised populations vs nonimmunocompromised healthcare workers (HCWs). “Compared with HCW (92.4% seropositive), seropositivity was lower among participants with SOT (30.7%), hematological malignancies (50.0%), autoimmune conditions (79.1%), solid tumors […]
Ceftolozane Tazobactam Linked to Increased Clinical Success in Pneumonia
The CACTUS study found a 10% improvement in clinical success with ceftolozane tazobactam (CT), which was linked to a 1.5-fold increased chance of clinical success. After adjusting for residual differences between the treatment arms, the likelihood of success was nearly twice as high with CT. Despite these findings, mortality rates were similar between the two […]
Identifying a Novel Variant of Klebsiella Pneumoniae
Jose Alexander, MD, ABMM, ABAIM, FCCM, CIC, ASCP, BCMAS, medical director for the microbiology laboratory at AdventHealth in Orlando, FL has a unique perspective. As someone who has been both a practicing physician in the past and a current laboratorian, he is able to utilize both his clinical and diagnostic experiences and apply them to […]
Examining COVID-19 Mortality Rates Against Specific Treatments for Inpatients
Image credit: Pexels-rdne As COVID-19 becomes an endemic respiratory pathogen we ultimate contend with, the capacity to treat and manage severe infections and reduce mortality is that much more important. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted an age-adjusted 47% decline in deaths from 2021 (when the first vaccines were rolled out) to […]
Contagion Winter 2024 Digital Edition
View our interactive Winter 2024 digital edition. Source link
CDC Report and RECOVER Study Update
Prevalences of current Long COVID (A) and significant Long COVID–associated activity limitation (B) among adults, by jurisdiction — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2023 Image credits: CDC A new report from the CDC, based on data from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), shows that 6.4% of noninstitutionalized US adults reported […]
PCR Testing Linked to Better Outcomes in Complicated UTI than Culture/Sensitivity-Guided Treatment
Image Credit: Valiantsin, Adobe Stock PCR-based molecular testing was associated with better clinical outcomes in complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) than traditional culture-sensitivity in a randomized controlled trial, attributed by the investigators to enabling earlier targeted, rather than empiric treatment.1 “Our findings demonstrate a significantly faster turnaround time with molecular testing compared to C&S,” remarked […]
Top 5 Infectious Disease News Stories Week of December 14-20
This week, recent studies show progress in healthcare, including an mRNA vaccine for C difficile, the rise of antimicrobial resistance, peer-assisted telemedicine for hepatitis C in rural areas, and more. Source link
