Top in ID: Surge in measles, monoclonal antibody for COVID-19
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Researchers from WHO and the CDC reported that measles cases reached a 23-year high in 2019. It was the top story in infectious disease last week.
Another top story was about the emergency use authorization of bamlanivimab (Eli Lilly) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children.
Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:
Measles killed 207K people in 2019 as cases hit 23-year high
Globally, more than 207,000 people died from measles in 2019 as the number of cases of the highly contagious but preventable disease reached a 23-year high, researchers from WHO and the CDC reported. Read more.
FDA authorizes Eli Lilly’s monoclonal antibody therapy for COVID-19
The FDA authorized the emergency use of bamlanivimab for patients aged 12 years or older who test positive for SARS-CoV-2 and who are at least 88 pounds and at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 or hospitalization. This group includes patients aged 65 years or older and those with certain chronic medical conditions, the FDA said. Read more.
COVID-19 vaccine more than 90% effective, Pfizer says
A vaccine candidate developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 and showed no serious safety concerns, according to an interim analysis of phase 3 clinical trial results released by the companies. Read more. (Editor’s note: More recent data on another COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna and the NIH revealed an efficacy rate of 94.5% with no significant safety concerns.)
Long-acting injection superior to daily oral HIV PrEP in cisgender women
A long-acting injection of cabotegravir given every 8 weeks was 89% more effective than oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in preventing HIV among cisgender women, according to data released by ViiV Healthcare. Read more.
Flu during pregnancy associated with late-term pregnancy loss, reduced birth weight
Influenza infection during pregnancy is associated with late-term pregnancy loss and reduced birth weight, according to study findings published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Read more.