Infectious Diseases (all articles)
Opinion | The case for mandating COVID-19 vaccines for health care workers.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:22h | UTCThe Case for Mandating COVID-19 Vaccines for Health Care Workers – Annals of Internal Medicine
News release: Case is strong for mandating COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers – American College of Physicians
Commentary on Twitter
The Case for Mandating COVID-19 Vaccines for Health Care Workers https://t.co/pdaBRZdkfG via @AnnalsofIM "The case for mandating SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for health care workers is substantially stronger than the case was for mandating influenza vaccines." I fully agree.
— Kenny Lin, MD, MPH (@kennylinafp) July 12, 2021
RCT: Neither Remdesivir nor Hydroxychloroquine affect viral clearance in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:23h | UTCNews release: Neither remdesivir nor HCQ affect viral clearance in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 – American College of Physicians
Original Study: Evaluation of the Effects of Remdesivir and Hydroxychloroquine on Viral Clearance in COVID-19 – Annals of Internal Medicine
Commentary on Twitter
Newly published research in Annals concludes neither remdesivir nor #hydroxychloroquine affected viral clearance in hospitalized patients with #COVID19 https://t.co/K3qWLUW8uY. pic.twitter.com/ugbjJJ3qI5
— Annals of Int Med (@AnnalsofIM) July 12, 2021
[Preprint] Wastewater genomic testing can effectively track COVID-19 variants of concern.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:19h | UTCOriginal Study: Assessing multiplex tiling PCR sequencing approaches for detecting genomic variants of SARS-CoV-2 in municipal wastewater – medRxiv
Related: Perspective | Sewage sleuths helped an Arizona town beat back Covid-19. For wastewater epidemiology, that’s just the start. (texts on the subject) AND Human Waste Could Be The Next Big Weapon in Controlling COVID-19 – TIME
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Excited to share our new preprint assessing different approaches for sequencing SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater! We compared different sample matrices and tiled PCR schemes, and then applied the best combo to track variants of concern in @MetroVancouver: https://t.co/cXFhr1qmAe
— Ryan Ziels (@RyanZiels) June 1, 2021
Cohort study: Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine associated with 78% lower risk of Covid-19 in pregnancy.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:20h | UTCBetween BNT162b2 Vaccination and Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pregnant Women – JAMA
Commentary: Pfizer COVID vaccine shows 78% efficacy in pregnancy – CIDRAP
Real-World Evidence: The low validity of temperature screening for COVID-19 triage.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:11h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Temperature screening with infrared thermometers has a sensitivity of 9.43% for PCR+ COVID. https://t.co/GjaKpkUqwU
— Carlos del Rio (@CarlosdelRio7) July 7, 2021
New Zealand children falling ill in high numbers due to Covid ‘immunity debt’.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:16h | UTCNew Zealand children falling ill in high numbers due to Covid ‘immunity debt’ – The Guardian
Related: New Zealand, where Covid-19 is dormant, fights another respiratory virus – The New York Times
Next steps for wastewater testing to help end this pandemic — and prevent the next one.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:18h | UTCNext steps for wastewater testing to help end this pandemic — and prevent the next one – STAT
Author interview: A biostatistician on the ‘gold mine’ in our sewers – STAT
Related: Perspective | Sewage sleuths helped an Arizona town beat back Covid-19. For wastewater epidemiology, that’s just the start. (texts on the subject) AND Human Waste Could Be The Next Big Weapon in Controlling COVID-19 – TIME
One COVID vaccine dose yields good protection in elderly, 2 studies find.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:15h | UTCOne COVID vaccine dose yields good protection in elderly, 2 studies find – CIDRAP
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
2 research Articles on #COVID19 vaccine effectiveness in older people:
1) Effectiveness of BNT162b2 and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 COVID-19 vaccination at preventing hospitalisations in people aged at least 80 years: a test-negative, case-control study https://t.co/ELvMCPwSHF— The Lancet Infectious Diseases (@TheLancetInfDis) June 24, 2021
WHO: New study highlights unacceptably high global prevalence of syphilis among men who have sex with men.
14 Jul, 2021 | 11:04h | UTCOriginal Study: Prevalence of syphilis among men who have sex with men: a global systematic review and meta-analysis from 2000–20 – The Lancet Global Health
Commentary: Syphilis in men who have sex with men: advancing research and human rights – The Lancet Global Health
German national treatment guidance for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
13 Jul, 2021 | 10:02h | UTC
Long Covid: 39% of patients report persistent symptoms more than seven months after diagnosis of COVID-19 in an outpatient setting.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:57h | UTCCommentaries: Long COVID symptoms in a third of people with COVID-19 – American College of Physicians AND Covid-19: 1-in-3 Patients Reported Long-Hauler Symptoms – Physician’s Weekly
Commentary on Twitter
A new prospective cohort study of >400 people with mild to moderate (outpatient) covid at 7-9 months: nearly 1 of 3 had persistent symptoms #LongCovid @AnnalsofIM
https://t.co/ix1Hhsm0iZ
by @mayssamnehme and colleagues pic.twitter.com/Uc4UEclDvA— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) July 5, 2021
WHO warns against mixing and matching COVID vaccines.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:53h | UTCWHO warns against mixing and matching COVID vaccines – Reuters
Commentary: WHO cautions data still limited on mixing COVID-19 vaccines, but Canadian officials say it’s OK – CTV News
Related: Germany issues world’s strongest recommendation for mixing Covid-19 vaccines. AND [Preprint] Mixing Covid jabs has good immune response, study finds – “The Com-Cov trial looked at the efficacy of either two doses of Pfizer, two of AstraZeneca, or one of them followed by the other. All combinations worked well, priming the immune system”. AND Perspective | Can I get AstraZeneca now and Pfizer later? Why mixing and matching COVID vaccines could help solve many rollout problems. AND RCT: Mixing 2 different Covid vaccines is associated with increased risk of side effects. AND Should you mix and match COVID-19 vaccines? Scientists are seeking answers
Commentary on Twitter
The World Health Organization's chief scientist on Monday advised against people mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers, calling it a "dangerous trend" since there was little data available about the health impact. https://t.co/Oog6fWDSMz
— Reuters Health (@Reuters_Health) July 13, 2021
Large genomic analysis has identified 13 new genomic regions associated with susceptibility and severity to Covid-19.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:59h | UTCMapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19 – Nature
Commentaries: The quest to find genes that drive severe COVID – Nature AND Gene hunters turn up new clues to help explain why Covid-19 hits some people so hard – STAT AND Large genomic analysis highlights COVID-19 risk factors – Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard AND A new study finds genetic variations in Covid patients that could point to better drug treatments. – The New York Times AND How your DNA may affect whether you get COVID-19 or become gravely ill – ScienceNews
[Preprint] Long Covid: Persistent symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection in a random community sample of 508,707 people.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:55h | UTCCommentary: Study explores the prevalence of long COVID in England – News Medical
Extremely rare cases of Guillain-Barré reported with Johnson & Johnson vaccine for Covid-19.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:48h | UTCJ&J’s Covid-19 vaccine may trigger neurological condition in rare cases, FDA says – STAT
See also: Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Is Linked To Neurological Disorder In Extremely Rare Cases – NPR AND F.D.A. Attaches Warning of Rare Nerve Syndrome to Johnson & Johnson Vaccine – The New York Times
Pro-Con Debate | Should we delay covid-19 vaccination in children?
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:51h | UTCShould we delay covid-19 vaccination in children? – The BMJ
News release: Should we delay COVID-19 vaccination in children? – British Medical Journal
Commentary on Twitter
Covid-19 vaccines in adults have been remarkably effective. There is good reason to expect that the same will be true in children.
A group of authors discuss the pros and cons of vaccinating children against covid-19 https://t.co/TOEI67YPeH
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) July 9, 2021
Another RCT evaluating the efficacy and quality of life of antibiotic-only treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:33h | UTCA Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating the Efficacy and Quality of Life of Antibiotic-only Treatment of Acute Uncomplicated Appendicitis: Results of the COMMA Trial – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Related: A Randomized trial comparing antibiotics with appendectomy for appendicitis AND Antibiotics alone for uncomplicated appendicitis: Oral Moxifloxacin almost as good as intravenous Ertapenem + oral Levofloxacin AND Observational study: 67.1% success rate with nonoperative management of children with uncomplicated appendicitis AND Randomized Trial: Quality of Life and Patient Satisfaction at 7-Year Follow-up of Antibiotic Therapy vs. Appendectomy for Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis AND Meta-Analysis: Antibiotic Treatment vs. Appendectomy for Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis in Adults and Children AND Nonoperative treatment for nonperforated appendicitis in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis – Pediatric Surgery International
Commentary on Twitter
The debate continues!
Another RCT comparing antibiotics to surgery for uncomplicated appendicitis – COMMA trial from 🇮🇪
Recurrence within 1-year : 25% after AB
Superior quality of life at 3 and 12mo after surgery.https://t.co/Yv51qpxchb
— Ville Sallinen (@villesallinen) July 11, 2021
Podcast | An Antibiotics Primer.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:35h | UTC#284 An Antibiotics Primer, with @IDdocAdi – The Curbsiders
M-A: Similar mortality with Fluoroquinolones or Macrolides for the treatment of Legionella Pneumonia.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:18h | UTCAre Fluoroquinolones or Macrolides Better for Treating Legionella Pneumonia? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis – Clinical Infectious Diseases (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Review: Infectious disease-associated encephalopathies.
13 Jul, 2021 | 09:30h | UTCInfectious disease-associated encephalopathies – Critical Care
Commentary on Twitter
A Review published in Critical Care focuses on the pathophysiology of encephalopathies associated with sepsis, malaria, influenza, and COVID-19; emerging therapeutic strategies; and the role of neuroinflammation. https://t.co/991S4kAKJk
— BMC (@BioMedCentral) July 11, 2021
[Preprint] Heparin for Moderately Ill Patients with Covid-19 – “In moderately ill ward patients with Covid-19 and elevated D-dimer level, therapeutic heparin did not significantly reduce the primary outcome but decreased the odds of death at 28 days”.
12 Jul, 2021 | 03:14h | UTCHeparin for Moderately Ill Patients with Covid-19 – medRxiv
Related: 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. AND [Preprint] Practice Changing RCT: Therapeutic-dose anticoagulation with heparin (LMWH or unfractionated heparin) improves outcomes in non-critically ill patients with Covid-19 – the superiority of therapeutic-dose anticoagulation was seen in both high and low D-dimer groups. AND [Preprint] RCT: Full-dose/therapeutic anticoagulation provides no benefit in critically ill patients with Covid-19
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
🚨Final results of the RAPID trial now pub'd @medrxivpreprint 🚨 RAPID was an open-label trial that randomly assigned hospitalized ward patients with COVID-19 and elevated D-dimer levels to therapeutic or prophylactic heparin. 🧵 1/10 https://t.co/oxiyXQAPeK pic.twitter.com/V2GtruEyM2
— Michelle Sholzberg (@sholzberg) July 9, 2021
New CDC Guidance for COVID-19 prevention in kindergarten schools says safely returning to in-person instruction is a priority.
12 Jul, 2021 | 03:11h | UTCCommentaries: Updated CDC schools guidance prioritizes in-person learning, even if all Covid-19 safety measures aren’t in place – CNN AND The C.D.C. Issues New School Guidance, With Emphasis on Full Reopening – The New York Times AND New CDC guidance says fully vaccinated teachers and students don’t need to wear masks indoors – CNBC AND CDC calls for reopening schools fully, recommends masking – CIDRAP
Related: COVID and schools: the evidence for reopening safely – Nature
[Preprint] Study confirms children’s extremely low risk of death from Covid-19 – “99·995% of children and young people with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test survived”.
12 Jul, 2021 | 03:12h | UTCCommentaries: Risks of severe illness in children from COVID-19 shown to be very low in largest study yet – University of Liverpool AND Covid: Children’s extremely low risk confirmed by study – BBC
Related study from the same group (preprint): Risk factors for intensive care admission and death amongst children and young people admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and PIMS-TS in England during the first pandemic year – medRxiv
RCT: Another study shows Azithromycin does not improve outcomes in patients with Covid-19.
12 Jul, 2021 | 03:09h | UTCCommentaries: Trial shows that the antibiotic azithromycin does not prevent mild COVID cases progressing to hospitalization, death – European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases AND Azithromycin: can its benefit be ruled out in mild COVID-19? – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine
Related: M-A: Azithromycin does not reduce the need for invasive mechanical ventilation or mortality in patients with Covid-19. AND RCT: Azithromycin provides no benefit for community treatment of patients with suspected COVID-19 AND RECOVERY trial: Azithromycin not beneficial for patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 AND [Press release – not published yet] Azithromycin and doxycycline are not generally effective against COVID-19 in patients treated at home, shows PRINCIPLE trial AND Coalition Covid-19 Brazil – Randomized trial: Azithromycin not beneficial for patients admitted to the hospital with severe Covid-19 AND Coalition Covid-19 Brazil – Randomized trial: hydroxychloroquine with or without azithromycin in mild-to-moderate Covid-19
Commentary on Twitter
In patients with mild-to-mod #COVID19 managed without hospital admission, azithromycin + SOC did not reduce the risk of subsequent hospital admission or death
Read the ATOMIC2 trial here https://t.co/QXJ7T08JZS, being presented at #ECCMID2021 by lead author Tim Hinks @HinksLab pic.twitter.com/ZDiPhuQqFB
— The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (@LancetRespirMed) July 9, 2021
A correlate of protection for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is urgently needed – “Recent studies suggest that neutralizing antibodies could serve as a correlate of protection for vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in humans”.
12 Jul, 2021 | 03:03h | UTCA correlate of protection for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is urgently needed – Nature Medicine