Infectious Disease News

Higher disease activity and medication reduction at COVID-19 vaccination increase the risk for subsequent flares in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, according to data published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

The CDC posted an alert in October about an increase in Mycoplasma pneumoniae, or “walking pneumonia,” infections in the United States, especially among young children.

As a physician trained in India, I saw the devastating impact of infectious diseases like TB, malaria and waterborne illnesses, and the profound difference public health interventions can have. That led to my career in global health.

Infection prevention staff at Boston Children’s Hospital learned that the complexity of certain tasks is an important factor for determining staffing needs, rather than just using the number of beds.

It is estimated that approximately one-quarter of the world’s population has latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Although effective therapies are available, these agents can have significant adverse effects that can complicate treatment.

Most children who did not receive antibiotics for pneumonia did not experience treatment failure or severe outcomes, according to study findings published in JAMA Network Open.

PHILADELPHIA — Rebyota was safe and effective at 8 weeks and up to 6 months in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection, many of whom had other gastrointestinal comorbidities and risk factors, according to data presented.

Seven percent of dairy farm workers in two states had evidence of a recent infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to a new report published Thursday.

Patients with autoimmune or inflammatory rheumatic diseases living in rural areas demonstrate a 24% higher mortality risk after SARS-CoV-2 infection vs. those in urban areas, according to data published in Arthritis Care & Research.

LOS ANGELES —In this video from IDWeek, Vani Vannappagari, MBBS, PhD, MPH, global head of epidemiology and real-world evidence at ViiV Healthcare, discusses study findings demonstrating the effectiveness of cabotegravir for HIV prevention.