Top in ID: Trump and COVID-19, ‘Berlin patient’ dies of cancer

Last week, President Donald J. Trump announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. It was the top story in infectious disease.

Another top story was about the death of Timothy Ray Brown, the first person cured of HIV.

Read these and more top stories in infectious diseases below:

Trump, a ‘high-risk’ patient, tests positive for coronavirus

Healio spoke with Amesh A. Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, and Cyrus Shahpar, MD, MPH, COVID-19 chief science officer and head of the epidemic intelligence unit at Resolve to Save Lives, about the clinical implications of the president’s infection. Read more.

‘Berlin patient’ Timothy Ray Brown, first person cured of HIV, dies of cancer

Known as the “Berlin patient,” Brown has died following a recurrence of leukemia, according to the International AIDS Society. Read more.

Truvada patent expires, potentially opening ‘new doors’ for PrEP access

The patent for the HIV medication Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumurate) expired last week, potentially creating an opportunity for a generic PrEP option for patients. Read more.

Vaccines for COVID-19

Researchers and regulatory agencies are racing against the clock to develop a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19. This episode of “Unmasking COVID-19” outlines the path of vaccine development, the top contenders currently in phase 3 trials, as well as questions that remain unanswered. Read more.

Many Americans will forgo flu shot despite fears of COVID-19 ‘twindemic’

Although influenza vaccination rates have increased in the United States, new data showed that less than 60% of U.S. adults plan to get vaccinated against influenza this season, despite fears of a COVID-19 “twindemic,” experts said. Read more.