General Infectious Disease

Latest News

Special ACA Enrollment Window Brings Insurance to 500,000 Americans

President Joe Biden reopened the ACA insurance markets as millions became eligible as of April 1 for increased subsidies toward their premium.

Changes in Cancer Incidence, Deaths Expected by 2040

Researchers used population growth projections and current population-based cancer incidence and death rates to calculate the changes in incidences and deaths to 2040.

Factors Contributing to Eradication of Helicobacter pylori With Vonoprazan, Amoxicillin Therapy

By

Vincent Soreca

A team of investigators conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial to identify factors related to the eradication of H pylori with dual vonoprazan and amoxicillin as first-line therapy.

Stethoscope Remains Best Way to Monitor Fetal Distress During Labor

Researchers conducted a systematic literature review to identify randomized trials evaluating any intrapartum fetal surveillance method.

Acupuncture Effective for Chronic Muscular Pain in Cancer Survivors

Researchers assessed the effectiveness of electroacupuncture or auricular acupuncture vs usual care for chronic musculoskeletal pain in cancer survivors.

In Women With HIV, Hot Flashes Linked to Surrogate Markers of Cardiovascular Disease Risk

By

Sweta Gupta

In this study, researchers explored the relationship between hot flash frequency and systemic immune activation as well as subclinical cardiac pathology among women with HIV.

Lower Thresholds Could ID Hypertension in More Pregnant Women

Researchers used medical record data for women who delivered singleton infants to examine whether reclassification of hypertensive status using the ACC/AHA guideline definition better identifies women at risk for preeclampsia or eclampsia.

NAAT Nasopharyngeal Swabs Still Gold Standard for Diagnosing SARS-CoV-2

By

Jessica Nye, PhD

Researchers systematically reviewed literature to understand the performance and sensitivity of alternative sample types compared with that of nasopharyngeal swabs for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2.

Socioeconomics, Not Pathogens, Responsible for Children’s Neurodevelopment

By

Jessica Nye, PhD

The investigators hypothesized that pathogens that cause diarrhea would be negatively associated with both growth and neurodevelopment.

Toxoplasma gondii Infection May be Associated With Risk for Gliomas

By

Jessica Nye, PhD

Researchers assessed cases of glioma and instance of T gondii among study participants who did not have cancer and provided blood samples.

Kimyrsa Approved for Acute Bacterial Skin/Skin Structure Infections

By

Brian Park, PharmD

Both Kimyrsa and Orbactiv are oritavancin products indicated for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections.

A Conversation About Racial Disparities in Health Care With Dr Scharles Konadu

By

Betsy Pitner Lowe

Clinical Pain Advisor met with Scharles Konadu, MD, a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine Gastroenterology Specialty Board, to discuss how deeply racial inequity is woven into our health care system.

New Biomarkers Predict Mortality, Clinical Features of Infective Endocarditis

By

Estie Mermelstein, MSN, FNP-BC

Researchers analyzed data from patients with a recent diagnosis of IE hospitalized to see whether PCT, proADM, and copeptin have prognostic value in IE compared with CRP, a known biomarker for IE.

Zika Virus Transmission Correlated with Risky Sexual Behavior in Men

By

Estie Mermelstein, MSN, FNP-BC

Researchers used a retrospective survey to associate sexual behavior during the Zika virus epidemic to better understand the disease burden of sexually transmitted Zika virus.

Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Blacks with HIV Are Especially Needed In Rural Settings

By

Marissa Purdy

Study authors evaluated care outcomes among black persons diagnosed with HIV during 2018 in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas.

Two New Poliovirus Vaccines Safe and Efficacious in Adults, Children, and Infants

By

Sweta Gupta

These 2 randomized, partly-masked studies aimed to address the emergence and spread of circulating vaccine-derived type 2 polioviruses and vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis from Sabin monovalent OPV2.

Laws Encouraging Hospital Workers to Vaccinate Reduce Influenza Mortality Rates

By

Jessica Nye, PhD

The objective of this quasi-experimental observational study was to measure the effect of states’ hospital worker influenza vaccination laws on pneumonia and influenza mortality.

Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acid, Vitamin D Do Not Cut Risk for A Fib

Treatment with EPA-DHA or vitamin D3 supplement vs placebo results in no significant difference in incident atrial fibrillation over 5 years.

Ebola Outbreak Likely Triggered by Survivor

An investigation suggests that a survivor of Ebola carried the virus for at least 5 years and then transmitted it via semen to a sex partner.

Evaluating Lung Recruitability in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome From COVID-19

By

Virginia A. Schad, PharmD, RPh

In patients requiring mechanical ventilation for ARDS related to COVID-19, combining the lung ultrasound aeration score and the recruitment-to-inflation ratio can provide additional information on lung recruitment.