Open access
Open access
Powered by Google Translator Translator

Infectious Diseases (all articles)

RCT supports the use of therapeutic heparin in moderately ill patients admitted to the hospital with Covid-19.

17 Oct, 2021 | 21:35h | UTC

Effectiveness of therapeutic heparin versus prophylactic heparin on death, mechanical ventilation, or intensive care unit admission in moderately ill patients with covid-19 admitted to hospital: RAPID randomised clinical trial – The BMJ

Commentary: High-dose of readily available blood thinner reduces risk of death for moderately ill COVID-19 patients – St. Michael’s Hospital

Related studies (some conflicting results)

RCT: Therapeutic-dose heparin superior to standard prophylactic or intermediate-dose heparins for thromboprophylaxis in high-risk hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Another meta-analysis suggests standard-dose prophylactic anticoagulation is the best option for patients hospitalized with Covid-19.

M-A: Safety and efficacy of different prophylactic anticoagulation dosing regimens in critically and non-critically ill patients with COVID-19 – According to this analysis, standard-dose prophylactic anticoagulation should be the standard of care for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who do not have an indication for therapeutic anticoagulation, irrespective of disease severity.

RCT: In noncritically ill patients hospitalized with Covid-19, therapeutic-dose anticoagulation with heparin increased the probability of survival to hospital discharge compared with usual-care thromboprophylaxis.

RCT: In critically ill patients with Covid-19, therapeutic anticoagulation with heparin did not result in improved outcomes compared to usual-care pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis.

RCT: In patients hospitalized with Covid-19 with elevated D-Dimer, a full-dose anticoagulation strategy based on rivaroxaban (full-dose heparins in unstable patients) + rivaroxaban to day 30 was not better than prophylactic anticoagulation and increased bleeding risk.

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

J&J COVID-19 Vaccine: FDA recommends booster shot for all adults aged 18 and older at least two months following initial vaccination with the single-shot vaccine.

17 Oct, 2021 | 21:32h | UTC

News release: Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot Unanimously Recommended for Emergency Use Authorization by U.S. FDA Advisory Committee

Commentaries:

FDA panel endorses booster shot for J&J COVID-19 vaccine – Associated Press

The Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine offers good protection now. A booster shot will maximize that, experts say – CNN

FDA advisers recommend J&J Covid-19 vaccine boosters, talk mix and match boosters – CNN

Related: [Press release – not published yet] J&J says booster shot at two months provided 75% protection against moderate to severe COVID-19 globally and 94% of such cases in the U.S.

 

Review: SARS-CoV-2 Dose, Infection, and Disease Outcomes for COVID-19.

17 Oct, 2021 | 21:30h | UTC

SARS-CoV-2 Dose, Infection, and Disease Outcomes for COVID-19 – A Review – Clinical Infectious Diseases

Related: Seroconversion and fever are dose-dependent in a nonhuman primate model of inhalational COVID-19.

 

Commentary from the author on Twitter (thread – click for more)

 

[Preprint] Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections in 620,000 U.S. Veterans, February 1, 2021 to August 13, 2021 – “Vaccine protection declined by mid-August 2021, decreasing from 91.9% in March to 53.9%”.

17 Oct, 2021 | 21:29h | UTC

Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections in 620,000 U.S. Veterans, February 1, 2021 to August 13, 2021 – medRxiv

Related:

Observational study in Qatar showed the effectiveness of Pfizer vaccine against any SARS-CoV-2 infection dropped to 20% in months 5 through 7 after the second dose, but effectiveness against severe Covid-19 remained high.

Cohort study: Pfizer vaccine effectiveness against any infections declined from 88% during the first month after full vaccination to 47% after 5 months. Vaccine effectiveness against hospital admissions remained high; 87% within 1 month, and 88% at 5 months after full vaccination, with no significant waning.

Editorial | Covid-19 vaccination: evidence of waning immunity is overstated.

COVID vaccine immunity is waning — how much does that matter? – “As debates about booster shots heat up, what’s known about the duration of vaccine-based immunity is still evolving”.

COVID vaccine effects wane over time but still prevent death and severe illness.

Perspective | What we actually know about waning immunity.

Another study shows Pfizer mRNA vaccine immunity is reduced over time.

[Press release – not published yet] Study shows vaccine protection wanes over time, but vaccines still offer good protection against severe disease.

Studies: COVID vaccine protection waning against infection but not hospitalization.

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

Eight months later: Researchers compare immune responses elicited by three COVID-19 vaccines.

17 Oct, 2021 | 21:27h | UTC

News release: Eight months later: Researchers compare immune responses elicited by three COVID-19 vaccines – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Original study: Differential Kinetics of Immune Responses Elicited by Covid-19 Vaccines – New England Journal of Medicine

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

What can masks do? Part 2: What makes for a good mask study — and why most fail.

17 Oct, 2021 | 21:25h | UTC

COMMENTARY: What can masks do? Part 2: What makes for a good mask study — and why most fail – CIDRAP

See also: COMMENTARY: What can masks do? Part 1: The science behind COVID-19 protection – CIDRAP

 

Review: Management of infectious emergencies for the inpatient dermatologist.

17 Oct, 2021 | 21:06h | UTC

Management of Infectious Emergencies for the Inpatient Dermatologist – Current Dermatology Reports (if this link is paywalled, try this one)

 

Review: Timing of antibiotic therapy in the ICU.

17 Oct, 2021 | 21:05h | UTC

Timing of antibiotic therapy in the ICU – Critical Care

 

PHE Statement: The role of face coverings in mitigating the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:52h | UTC

The role of face coverings in mitigating the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus: statement from the Respiratory Evidence Panel – Public Health England

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

What can masks do? The science behind COVID-19 protection.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:51h | UTC

COMMENTARY: What can masks do? Part 1: The science behind COVID-19 protection – CIDRAP

 

Study evaluated several heterologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccine regimens; no efficacy data but there was increased antibody production on study days 15 and 29 after booster shots from Moderna and Pfizer.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:49h | UTC

Heterologous SARS-CoV-2 Booster Vaccinations: Preliminary Report – medRxiv

Commentary: Study: Mixing and Matching COVID-19 Booster Shots Is Effective, Safe – U.S. News

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

Statins linked to reduced risk of death from COVID-19 in major population study – “Randomized studies will be needed to ascertain whether there is a causal relationship, note the researchers”.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:47h | UTC

News release: Statins linked to reduced risk of death from COVID-19 in major population study – Karolinska Institutet

Original study: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and COVID-19 mortality in Stockholm, Sweden: A registry-based cohort study – PLOS Medicine

Commentaries:

Expert reaction to study looking at statins and risk of death from COVID-19 – Science Media Centre

People taking statins less likely to die from Covid, study suggests – The Guardian

 

‘I hope you die’: how the COVID pandemic unleashed attacks on scientists.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:46h | UTC

‘I hope you die’: how the COVID pandemic unleashed attacks on scientists – Nature

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

Perspective | Trying to Block SARS-CoV-2 Transmission With Intranasal Vaccines.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:44h | UTC

Trying to Block SARS-CoV-2 Transmission With Intranasal Vaccines – JAMA

 

FDA panel green-lights Moderna COVID boosters for risk groups.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:43h | UTC

FDA panel green-lights Moderna COVID boosters for risk groups – CIDRAP

 

Editorial: Covid-19 treatments and vaccines must be evaluated in pregnancy.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:41h | UTC

Covid-19 treatments and vaccines must be evaluated in pregnancy – The BMJ

Related:

Two observational studies suggest spontaneous abortion is not increased following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination during pregnancy.

Study shows high effectiveness of the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy.

5 Crucial Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy.

CDC Guidance: Pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19.

ACOG and SMFM Recommend COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Individuals – “ACOG encourages its members to enthusiastically recommend vaccination to their patients.”

Cohort study: Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine associated with 78% lower risk of Covid-19 in pregnancy.

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

Cohort study: Vaccinated pregnant patients had 90% lower risk of severe or critical Covid-19 compared with unvaccinated pregnant patients.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:38h | UTC

Maternal Outcomes After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection in Vaccinated Compared With Unvaccinated Pregnant Patients – Obstetrics & Gynecology

Related:

Two observational studies suggest spontaneous abortion is not increased following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination during pregnancy.

Study shows high effectiveness of the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy.

5 Crucial Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy.

CDC Guidance: Pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19.

ACOG and SMFM Recommend COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Individuals – “ACOG encourages its members to enthusiastically recommend vaccination to their patients.”

Cohort study: Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine associated with 78% lower risk of Covid-19 in pregnancy.

 

Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)

 

WHO Report: Tuberculosis deaths rise for the first time in more than a decade due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

15 Oct, 2021 | 02:30h | UTC

Tuberculosis deaths rise for the first time in more than a decade due to the COVID-19 pandemic – World Health Organization

Report: Global tuberculosis report 2021

Commentary: Tuberculosis deaths rise for 1st time in years, due to COVID – Associated Press

 

Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)

 

[Preprint] In RCT with 29,949 participants, the Novavax vaccine demonstrated high overall efficacy (>90%) for the prevention of Covid-19, and all moderate-to-severe cases occurred in placebo recipients.

14 Oct, 2021 | 10:17h | UTC

Efficacy and Safety of NVX-CoV2373 in Adults in the United States and Mexico – medRxiv

Commentary: Novel vaccine demonstrates high efficacy for prevention of COVID-19 – News Medical

Related:

RCT: Novavax vaccine conferred 89.7% protection against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and 100% protection against hospitalizations or deaths.

Opinion | The mRNA vaccines are extraordinary, but Novavax is even better.

(Press release – not published yet) Novavax COVID-19 vaccine demonstrates 90% overall efficacy and 100% protection against moderate and severe disease.

RCT: Novavax vaccine is 49.4% effective against B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 variant.

[Press release – not published yet] Novavax reports 96% efficacy against original strain of COVID-19, 86% efficacy against B.1.1.7 variant, and 55% efficacy against B1.351 variant

New COVID-19 vaccines: here’s how the promising Novavax and Johnson & Johnson jabs work

Covid-19: Novavax vaccine efficacy is 86% against UK variant and 60% against South African variant

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

Systematic Review: Short-term and long-term rates of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

14 Oct, 2021 | 10:15h | UTC

Short-term and Long-term Rates of Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Systematic Review – JAMA Network Open

Commentaries:

Most COVID-19 survivors have symptoms 6 months on, review finds – CIDRAP

Expert reaction to systematic review on rates of postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) – Science Media Centre

How many people get ‘long COVID’? More than half, researchers find – Penn State

Related:

WHO Consensus: A clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition (Long Covid).

Characterizing long COVID: a living systematic review.

Long Covid – The illness narratives.

New guidelines to help doctors manage long COVID patients published.

M-A: More than 50 long-term effects of COVID-19. (several articles on the subject)

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

How to be a good science communicator.

14 Oct, 2021 | 10:13h | UTC

How to be a good science communicator – Nature Medicine

 

Commentary on Twitter

 

How Covax failed on its promise to vaccinate the world – “Covax, described as “naively ambitious” by one expert, has contributed just 5% of all vaccines administered globally”.

14 Oct, 2021 | 10:12h | UTC

How Covax failed on its promise to vaccinate the world – The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

Related:

Perspective | A beautiful idea: how COVAX has fallen short.

WHO Launches Strategy to Achieve Global Covid-19 Vaccination by mid-2022.

WHO special envoys: To beat Covid, there’s a simple lesson – no one’s safe until everyone’s safe.

Joint COVAX Statement on the Equal Recognition of Vaccines – COVAX urges all government authorities to recognize as fully vaccinated all people who have received COVID-19 vaccines that have been deemed safe and effective by WHO.

WHO COVAX Joint Statement: Call to action to equip COVAX to deliver 2 billion doses in 2021.

Covax: How will Covid vaccines be shared around the world?

 

Video: Merck’s Covid pill could transform treatment. Here’s how it works.

14 Oct, 2021 | 10:10h | UTC

Watch: Merck’s Covid pill could transform treatment. Here’s how it works – STAT

Related:

How antiviral pill Molnupiravir shot ahead in the COVID drug hunt.

What we know — and don’t know — about Merck’s new Covid-19 pill.

[Press release – not published yet] Merck announces oral antiviral Molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by approximately 50 Percent compared to placebo for patients with mild or moderate COVID-19.

Merck’s Covid-19 pill is great news but may not be a game-changer.

Video | A Pill For COVID? A Doctor Explains Molnupiravir.

 

WHO advisers recommend 3rd COVID vaccine dose for highest-risk groups.

13 Oct, 2021 | 01:48h | UTC

WHO advisers recommend 3rd COVID vaccine dose for highest-risk groups – CIDRAP

See also: WHO advises additional COVID shot for immunocompromised people – Reuters

 

Opinion | COVID lesson: trust the public with hard truths.

13 Oct, 2021 | 01:47h | UTC

COVID lesson: trust the public with hard truths – Nature

 

Commentary from the author on Twitter (thread – click for more)

 

Stay Updated in Your Specialty

No spam, just news.