Infectious Diseases (all articles)
Efficacy of Recombinant Influenza Vaccine in Adults 50 Years of Age or Older
26 Jun, 2017 | 17:20h | UTCEfficacy of Recombinant Influenza Vaccine in Adults 50 Years of Age or Older – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
“Say bye to egg-grown flu vaccine? Recombinant vaccines are a little more effective & much quicker to adapt” (RT @RichardLehman1 see Tweet and brief commentaries on the study)
Genetic sequencing of spinal fluid for diagnosing brain infections?
25 Jun, 2017 | 17:02h | UTCBrain-Invading Tapeworm That Eluded Doctors Spotted by New DNA Test – Scientific American (free)
“Genetic sequencing of spinal fluid hailed as an advance over standard procedures for diagnosing brain infections”
Improving Awareness of and Screening for Health Risks Among Sex Workers
23 Jun, 2017 | 01:39h | UTCNews release: Ob-Gyn Awareness of Sex Workers’ Health Risks During Routine Visits is Essential
Commentary: Group Offers Guidance on Screening for Female Sex Workers – Physician’s First Watch (free)
Guideline summary: Consensus on Surgical Treatment of Infective Endocarditis
23 Jun, 2017 | 01:35h | UTCOriginal article: 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) consensus guidelines: Surgical treatment of infective endocarditis: Executive summary (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Infection-related microcephaly after the 2015 and 2016 Zika virus outbreaks in Brazil
22 Jun, 2017 | 15:12h | UTCInfection-related microcephaly after the 2015 and 2016 Zika virus outbreaks in Brazil: a surveillance-based analysis – The Lancet (free registration required)
Invited commentary: Risk of Zika-related microcephaly: stable or variable? (free registration required)
Commentary: Study: First Zika microcephaly wave in Brazil was outlier – CIDRAP (free)
See also a Research Letter from the same authors and related commentaries in our March 31st issue (see #4).
“Zika spread rapidly in Latin America. We braced ourselves for a vast international epidemic of Zika-related microcephaly; but when it did not happen we asked ourselves why.” (from invited commentary)
Host and viral traits predict zoonotic spillover from mammals
22 Jun, 2017 | 15:14h | UTCHost and viral traits predict zoonotic spillover from mammals – Nature (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Spillover Beasts: Which Animals Pose The Biggest Viral Risk? – NPR Goats and Soda (free) (RT @NPRGoatsandSoda see Tweet with interesting illustration) AND Bats Are the Number-One Carriers of Disease – TIME Health (free) AND Where in the world will the next emerging disease appear? – CNN (free text and video) AND Bats really do harbor more dangerous viruses than other species – Science (free) AND Whence new plagues? – The Economist (a few articles per month are free)
“The majority of human emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, with viruses that originate in wild mammals of particular concern”
An update on Zika virus infection
22 Jun, 2017 | 15:20h | UTCAn update on Zika virus infection – The Lancet (free registration required)
“Update on Zika virus infection (2017): review focuses on important updates & gaps in the knowledge” (RT @TheLancet see Tweet)
WHO toolkit for the care and support of people affected by complications associated with Zika virus
21 Jun, 2017 | 18:28h | UTC
Can Zika infection attack the brains of newborns?
21 Jun, 2017 | 02:10h | UTCCan Zika infection attack the brains of newborns? Scientists head to field for answers – STAT News (free)
Related: Is Zika Dangerous For Kids? It Probably Depends On The Age – NPR Goats and Soda (free)
Antibiotic stewardship reduces the incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
20 Jun, 2017 | 12:41h | UTCEffect of antibiotic stewardship on the incidence of infection and colonisation with antibiotic-resistant bacteria and Clostridium difficile infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis – The Lancet Infectious Diseases (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Antibiotic Stewardship Programs Linked to Lower Rates of Drug-Resistant Infections – Physician’s First Watch (free) AND Review ties stewardship to sharp drop in resistant bacteria – CIDRAP (free)
Association of Adverse Events With Antibiotic Use in Hospitalized Patients
14 Jun, 2017 | 00:41h | UTCAssociation of Adverse Events With Antibiotic Use in Hospitalized Patients – JAMA Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: Antibiotic-Associated Adverse Events Common – Medscape (free registration required)
“20% of hospitalized patients receiving antibiotics had adverse drug event. Of those, 20% of regimens inappropriate” (RT @PeterPronovost see Tweet)
Strategies for Preventing HIV Infection Among HIV-Uninfected Women Attempting Conception with HIV-Infected Men
13 Jun, 2017 | 20:04h | UTCCommentaries: CDC Outlines Options for HIV-Discordant Couples Who Want to Conceive – Physician’s First Watch (free) AND CDC Reversal: Sperm From HIV-Infected Men Okay for Insemination – Medscape (free registration required)
Improving Recognition of Pediatric Severe Sepsis
13 Jun, 2017 | 20:05h | UTCEditorial: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea: Use of Real-Time Tools to Identify Children With Severe Sepsis in the Pediatric Emergency Department (free)
Commentary: New pediatric protocol reduces missed sepsis diagnoses by 76 percent – American College of Emergency Physicians, via EurekAlert(free)
Working while sick
12 Jun, 2017 | 19:50h | UTCWorking with influenza-like illness: Presenteeism among US health care personnel during the 2014-2015 influenza season – American Journal of Infection Control (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Working while sick – ACP Internist (free) AND Health worker survey reveals many work during flu illness – CIDRAP (free)
Over 40% of surveyed health care personnel worked with self-reported influenza-like illness. “To reduce levels of health-worker–associated flu transmission, the researchers said that misconceptions about working while sick and sick leave policies both need to be addressed” (from CIDRAP)
Handshake-free zones to prevent infections?
8 Jun, 2017 | 15:51h | UTCHandshake-free zone in a neonatal intensive care unit: Initial feasibility study – American Journal of Infectious Control (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Hospitals Could One Day Be Handshake-Free Zones To Prevent The Spread Of Disease – WBGH News (free) AND Handshake-Free Zone: Stopping the Spread of Germs in the Hospital – Medscape (free registration required) AND Handshake-Free Zones Target Spread Of Germs In The Hospital – NPR Health News (free)
Uncovered: an unexpected source of superbugs
8 Jun, 2017 | 15:42h | UTCUncovered: an unexpected source of superbugs – The Conversation (free)
A New Mindset for Health Security
6 Jun, 2017 | 14:56h | UTCA New Mindset for Health Security – Global Health NOW (free)
“What are governments doing to prevent, identify, and contain infectious disease outbreaks?”
Estimates of global, regional, and national morbidity, mortality, and aetiologies of diarrhoeal diseases
5 Jun, 2017 | 14:44h | UTCInvited commentary: Diarrhoeal disease trends in the GBD 2015 study: optimism tempered by skepticism (free)
Other commentaries: Despite substantial global reduction in diarrhea deaths, half a million children still die from diseases each year – Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) (free) AND Global diarrhoea deaths down by a third – BBC News (free)
“Deaths due to diarrhoea in children under 5 down 34% 2005-15, but still 4th leading cause of death” (RT @TheLancetInfDis see Tweet)
“Global diarrhoea deaths in children down by a third, but still fourth biggest killer in under fives, >500,000 a year” (RT @anetrid see Tweet)
Italy has introduced mandatory vaccinations – other countries should follow its lead
5 Jun, 2017 | 14:42h | UTCSee more on mandatory vaccination in our May 29 issue, see #6
Diagnostic preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks
4 Jun, 2017 | 19:11h | UTCDiagnostic preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks – The Lancet (free registration required – or Link to free PDF)
Scientists create a more potent, durable version of vancomycin
4 Jun, 2017 | 19:13h | UTCScientists create a more potent, durable version of vancomycin – CIDRAP (free)
Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection in Nursing Home Residents
4 Jun, 2017 | 19:01h | UTCInvited commentary: A Triumph for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Safety Program for Long-term Care: Moving Beyond “Round Up the Usual Suspects”
Drug-Drug Interactions With Statins and HIV Medications
4 Jun, 2017 | 18:44h | UTC
Sofosbuvir, Velpatasvir, and Voxilaprevir for Previously Treated HCV Infection
2 Jun, 2017 | 18:40h | UTCSofosbuvir, Velpatasvir, and Voxilaprevir for Previously Treated HCV Infection – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentary: When DAA Treatment for Hepatitis C Fails, 3-Drug Regimen “Highly Effective” – Physician’s First Watch (free)
Ebola Vaccine Heads To Congo To Help Stop Outbreak
1 Jun, 2017 | 18:28h | UTCPowerful New Ebola Vaccine Heads To Congo To Help Stop Outbreak – NPR Goats and Soda (free)
See also: DRC approves use of Ebola vaccine – CIDRAP (free) AND Ebola vaccine approved for use in ongoing outbreak – Nature News (free)