Top in ID: AstraZeneca vaccine rollout, efficacy of single-dose mRNA vaccines
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In the wake of concerns over blood clots in recipients, Denmark, Norway and other European countries halted administration of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. It was the top story in infectious disease last week.
Another top story focused on a one-dose messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine strategy for people who were previously infected with COVID-19. Multiple studies investigated the efficacy of administering one dose vs. two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in this population. The results appeared to be promising, but experts said more research is needed.
Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:
European countries halt AstraZeneca vaccine rollout
Several European countries, including Denmark and Norway, halted vaccinations with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine over reports of blood clots in vaccinees. In a statement, the European Medicines Agency said there is “currently no indication” that the AstraZeneca vaccine caused a fatal blood clot in a person in Austria, or a pulmonary embolism in another person in Austria who is recovering. Read more.
One dose of mRNA vaccine may suffice for previously infected people
Results from multiple studies suggest that halving the two-dose series of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines may be sufficient to protect people who have recovered from COVID-19. Read more.
In children with pneumonia, short course of antibiotics comparable to long course
A 5-day course of antibiotics was just as effective as the standard 10-day course in treating community-associated pneumonia in nonhospitalized children, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Read more.
Final analysis shows Novavax COVID-19 vaccine 100% protective against severe disease
A final analysis showed that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine was 96.4% efficacious against mild, moderate or severe disease caused by wild SARS-CoV-2 in a phase 3 trial in the United Kingdom, the company said. Read more.
In trial, cabotegravir delayed detection of some incident HIV infections
In a trial assessing cabotegravir for HIV PrEP, the long-acting injectable appeared to delay the detection of a small number of incident HIV infections using standard HIV testing, researchers reported. Read more.