Top in ID: Free COVID-19 tests; shorter antibiotic duration for gram-negative bacteremia
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The Biden administration is offering more free COVID-19 tests ahead of the holiday season.
The administration relaunched the free COVID-19 test program in September, offering four tests per U.S. household. It is now offering four free additional tests. Households that did not order tests last time are eligible to order eight free tests.
According to data from the CDC, hospital admissions for COVID-19 increased 8% and the proportion of deaths due to COVID-19 increased 9% during the week of Nov. 5 to 11.
It was the top story in infectious disease last week.
In another top story, a study in Copenhagen found that a shorter antibiotic duration appeared to be just as effective as a longer treatment duration for patients with gram-negative bacteremia. The 90-day risk for all-cause mortality was 9.9% for patients with a longer duration and 11.2% for patients with a shorter antibiotic duration.
Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:
US offering more free COVID-19 tests ahead of holiday season
Americans will have another opportunity to order free COVID-19 tests ahead of the holiday season. Read more.
Outcomes similar in people with gram-negative bacteremia despite antibiotic duration
Study findings from hospitals in Copenhagen add to growing data that shorter antibiotic treatment duration is effective for patients with gram-negative bacteremia. Read more.
Sleep disorders associated with frailty among middle-aged, older people with HIV
Sleep disorders including insomnia, poor sleep quality and short and long sleep duration were associated with physical frailty among middle-aged and older patients with HIV, researchers found. Read more.
Levofloxacin reduces risk for multidrug-resistant TB in children, adults
Levofloxacin was safe and reduced the risk for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among children, adolescents and adults by 60% in two phase 3 trials, according to results presented at the Union World Conference on Lung Health. Read more.
MRIs reveal brain microstructure changes in people with long COVID
A novel MRI technique showed brain microstructure changes in people who have had COVID-19, and it traced long COVID symptoms to specific networks of the brain, according to a study. Read more.