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Top stories in infectious disease: Dapivirine vaginal ring reduces HIV risk; hospital cleaning bundle efficient, cost-effective
Among the top stories in infectious disease last week were findings from the HOPE trial that determined the dapivirine vaginal ring reduced the risk for HIV infection by an estimated 39% and a study that indicated a novel hospital cleaning bundle that improved cleaning thoroughness and reduced vancomycin-resistant enterococci infections by 37% is also cost-effective.
Other highlights included research that found patients treated for tuberculosis experience higher mortality than the general population, a study that found an automated EMR tool increased the number of charts that could be reviewed and was associated with a decrease in antimicrobial use, drug resistance and Clostridioides difficile infections and findings that suggested global warming may have played a critical role in the emergence of Candida auris.
HOPE trial: Dapivirine vaginal ring reduces HIV risk by estimated 39%
The dapivirine vaginal ring reduces the risk for HIV infection by an estimated 39%, according to phase 3b findings presented at the International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science. Read more.
Novel hospital cleaning bundle efficient and cost-effective
A novel hospital cleaning bundle that has been shown to improve cleaning thoroughness and reduce vancomycin-resistant enterococci infections by 37% is also cost-effective, according to newly published study results. Read more.
Patients treated for tuberculosis experience higher mortality than general population
Tuberculosis is treatable and curable, but newly published study findings showed that patients treated for — or cured of — TB still experience significantly increased mortality following treatment, with a pooled standardized mortality ratio nearly three times higher than the general population or matched controls, according to results from a systematic review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Read more.
Automated EMR tool improves antimicrobial stewardship
Researchers customized a Pennsylvania hospital’s electronic medical record to automate antimicrobial stewardship documentation and found that the tweak increased the number of charts that could be reviewed and was associated with a decrease in antimicrobial use, drug resistance and Clostridioides difficile infections. Read more.
Global warming may have contributed to emergence of Candida auris
Global warming may have played a critical role in the emergence of Candida auris, researchers reported in mBio. Read more.