Top in ID: SARS-CoV-2 reinfection severity; stethoscope disinfection boosts hand hygiene

Data from more than 3 million participants in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative revealed that SARS-CoV-2 reinfections have similar severity to initial infections.

Researchers found that 27% of patients who required hospital care for an initial infection of COVID-19 were also treated at the hospital for a reinfection. Conversely, 87% of people with mild cases during their first infection had mild reinfections.

“Our work highlights the prevalence and impact of reinfections, and suggests the need for further research,” Emily Hadley, MS, a research data scientist at RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, and colleagues wrote.

It was the top story in infectious disease last week.

In another top story, researchers reported that the use of stethoscope disinfection devices at an urgent care clinic and ED — which were installed near hand sanitizer dispensers outside exam rooms — increased hand hygiene compliance from 19% to 54%.

Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:

Study: SARS-CoV-2 reinfections have similar severity to initial infection

The severity of a SARS-CoV-2 reinfection is likely to be similar to the severity of a patient’s initial infection, researchers found. Read more.

Stethoscope disinfection device improves hand hygiene

Installation of a stethoscope disinfection device improved hand hygiene compliance among health care workers at an urgent care clinic and ED, researchers reported. Read more.

Facility doubles infection prevention staff, decreases hospital-related infections

A Florida hospital doubled the size of its infection prevention staff over a 4-year period and saw a substantial decrease in hospital-related infections, researchers reported at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology annual meeting. Read more.

NIH-sponsored trial of nasal COVID-19 vaccine begins enrollment

A first-in-human trial of a nasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate began enrolling adults aged 18 to 64 years who have received at least three prior doses of a COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccine, according to the NIH. Read more.

New forced-air system improves drying of endoscopes

A new forced-air system was more effective at drying and thus cleaning endoscopes than standard alcohol flush and air purge cycles, researchers found. Read more.