Top in ID: Monovalent COVID-19 vaccines; C. difficile burden
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FDA advisors recommend that future COVID-19 vaccines be monovalent, targeting XBB sublineages of the omicron variant, after data showed that bivalent vaccines are less effective against currently circulating variants.
“Though we’re now at a period during which the number of new COVID-19 cases has declined, notably, we still have SARS-CoV-2 as something that could be a real concern in the future, particularly as we move into the 2023-2024 winter season when we are concerned that we may have another wave of COVID-19 during a time when the virus has further evolved,” Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said during a meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.
It was the top story in infectious disease last week.
In another top story, Jennifer Ross, PharmD, BCIDP, discussed new strategies to help lessen the burden of Clostridioides difficile in health care settings through a collaborative and synchronized approach.
Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:
FDA advisors say new COVID-19 vaccines should be monovalent, targeting XBB
An FDA advisory committee voted to recommend changing the composition of the country’s COVID-19 vaccines to be monovalent XBB-lineage vaccines, removing the wild strain of SARS-CoV-2 from the shots. Read more.
Changes on horizon may help lessen C. difficile burden
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored challenges in the prevention and treatment of health care-associated infections. Read more.
Biden picks internal medicine physician Cohen to lead CDC
President Joe Biden officially announced that former North Carolina secretary of health Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH, will be the next director of the CDC. Read more.
Tattoo-related infections have risen sharply since 2000, study finds
There has been a 77% increase in tattoo-related infections since 2000, a study found, although researchers say the number of infections is likely much higher. Read more.
CDC reports rise in meningococcal disease among people with HIV
Prompted by a large spike in cases last year, the CDC has reminded health care providers to ensure that all patients with HIV are fully vaccinated against meningococcal disease. Read more.