Without PEPFAR, Nearly 500,000 Children Could Die From AIDS-Related Causes in 5 Years
Image credit: Pixabay, Pexels At the end of January, the Trump Administration ordered a stop-work for all global health funding, which included the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. This long-standing public health initiative, started by President George W. Bush, has played a critical role in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly in […]
Environmental Fungicides Drive Genetic Shifts in Candida tropicalis, Promoting Azole Resistance
Candida tropicalis fungus Image credits: Unsplash A recent study published in PLOS Biology highlights the growing concern over Candida tropicalis, a human fungal pathogen that has become increasingly resistant to azoles, a class of antifungal drugs commonly used in clinical settings. C tropicalis is an obligate diploid organism with an incomplete and atypical sexual cycle, […]
Undermining HIV Prevention Now Will Cost Billions Later
On April 21, the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Braidwood Management vs Becerra, a case that could unravel key ACA provisions, and potentially put PrEP usage out of reach for many Americans due to costs. Image credit: Tim Mossholder, Pexels This is the fourth in a series looking at HIV today. This […]
US Influenza Activity is Declining But Still Remains Elevated
CDC logo Image credits: CDC According to the CDC’s latest Influenza Surveillance Report, Seasonal influenza activity remains elevated but continues its downward trend for the second consecutive week. Despite the recent decrease, the 2024–2025 flu season has been classified as “high severity” for all age groups, marking the first such designation since the 2017–2018 season. […]
Second Measles Death In Texas
Image credit: Pete Alexopoulos The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting a second measles death has occurred in the state. The patient was a school-aged child and died in what officials are saying was measles pulmonary failure. The patient tested positive for measles and was hospitalized in Lubbock. The child was not vaccinated and […]
A Hospital Relates Rise in Antimicrobial Resistance to Pandemic
This illustration depicts a three-dimensional (3D) computer-generated image of three multidrug-resistant, Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. The artistic recreation was based upon scanning electron microscopic (SEM) imagery. Note the presence of numbers of thin, diaphanous fimbriae emanating from the organisms’ cell wall, as well as a single, corkscrew-shaped flagellum, which provides the bacteria with a unipolar mode […]
Top 5 Infectious Disease News Stories Week of March 29-April 5
VX-01 Monoclonal Antibody Targets Mucormycosis by Blocking Angioinvasion VX-01 is a humanized monoclonal antibody developed by Ashraf S Ibrahim, PhD, and his team to target mucormycosis, a severe fungal infection that primarily affects immunocompromised individuals. Unlike traditional antifungal treatments, VX-01 prevents fungal angioinvasion, blocking the fungus from infiltrating blood vessels and tissues, which is crucial […]
New Genomic Study Reveals Hidden Pathways of C difficile Transmission in Hospitals
Infection control practice Image credits: Unsplash A study published in JAMA Network Open has identified previously unrecognized pathways through which Clostridioides difficile spreads in healthcare settings. While direct patient-to-patient transmission has long been considered the primary mode of infection, researchers found that C difficile also persists on hospital surfaces, contributing to delayed and indirect transmission […]
“Golden Hour” to Start Antibiotic in Suspected Sepsis
Image credit: Stephen Andrews, Unsplash Patients with suspected sepsis in the Emergency Department (ED) have twice the rate of survival at 28 days when antibiotics are started within 1 hour, even when symptoms are not severe and the diagnose is uncertain, according to post-hoc analysis of a trialthat evaluated a sepsis treatment “bundle.”1 Although guidelines2 […]
AI as a Tool to Support Clinicians, Not Replace Them
In this final part of our conversation with Sharmeen Roy, PharmD, BCPS, chief strategy and science officer at DoseMe, she discussed AI as a tool designed to assist pharmacists and clinicians in making more informed patient care decisions. According to Roy, AI is designed to consolidate patient information, aiding clinicians in their decision-making process without […]
