The year in ID: End of COVID emergencies, new vaccines and more

The front page of Healio | Infectious Disease News this year included stories about COVID-19, new vaccines, reversing decades of ID dogma, and more.

Below is a list of cover stories we published in 2023.

‘Shorter is better’ mantra begins to change antibiotic prescribing

The optimal duration of antibiotic therapy has been a matter of some debate, and increasingly, research is showing that shorter durations are just as effective as longer courses for many infections. Read more.

‘Negative Fauci effect’? ID reckons with disappointing Match Day

As the COVID-19 pandemic grew, so did the hope that the field of ID might attract more physicians. However, a disappointing Match Day suggested that the perceived drawbacks to a career in ID — for example, lower compensation and one of the highest rates of reported burnout — persist. Read more.

Experts fear impact of US plan to end COVID-19 emergencies

In late January, the White House announced plans to end both the public health and national emergencies declared to help bolster the fight against COVID-19 on May 11 and researchers feared the move could “commercialize” or privatize the pandemic response. Read more.

HIV vaccine research ‘at a crossroads’ after recent failures

It has been more than 40 years since HIV emerged, and, as of 2023, there are still no HIV vaccines available with zero candidates currently in late-stage trials after the failures of three experimental vaccines in development. Read more.

COVID-19 pandemic tested CDC and FDA, exposing cracks

Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, requested an internal and external review of the CDC’s performance during the COVID-19 pandemic and responses said that the agency was too slow to share science and data, struggled to translate findings into practical policy and fell short of prioritizing public health communications, especially for the American public. Healio | Infectious Disease News asked experts how they felt the CDC and FDA handled the early days of the pandemic. Read more.

Transplant medicine contends with organ shortage and pandemic-related disruptions

Transplant medicine and the field of transplant infectious diseases faced numerous disruptions and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of transplants declining “transiently” during the height of COVID-19. However, there continued to be exciting developments in transplant ID, including transplants from donors with HIV and hepatitis C, xenotransplantation, and new therapies. Read more.

Addressing physician burnout ‘a moral imperative’

Provider burnout — in infectious diseases and other specialties — was an ongoing issue since before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the stresses of the pandemic proved to be a “uniquely traumatic experience” for health workers and their families, pushing them “past their breaking point.” Read more.

Older adults first in line for RSV vaccines, but will they roll up their sleeves?

This fall and winter, older adults in the U.S. have been faced with an important decision: Should they roll up their sleeves to receive the world’s first approved vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus? According to the CDC, the decision should be up to patients and their physicians. Read more.

Physicians reckon with 'profound' impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has been described as “the most catastrophic acute infectious disease outbreak” in more than a century, with impacts going beyond the loss of life, to patient health and the practice of medicine in the U.S. as a whole. We asked experts to describe some of the most significant and lasting changes. Read more.

‘Oral is the new IV’: Another treatment dogma bites the dust?

There are “overwhelming and concordant” data showing that oral antibiotic therapy is at least as effective as IV-only antibiotic therapy for several conditions — endocarditis, osteomyelitis and bacteremia — leading to potential for a new mantra: “oral is the new IV.” Read more.

Malaria vaccines: A first for parasitic diseases

In the last few years, major strides have been made in the fight to control malaria, including the first two malaria vaccines ever recommended for use. We checked in with experts to get feedback on the vaccines and where the world stands in its fight against malaria. Read more.