Tuberculosis

Patients with tuberculosis who used tobacco faced a heightened risk for disease recurrence/relapse and death during treatment, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in CHEST.

Experts have called for additional research and drug development after estimates showed that more than 700 million disability-adjusted life-years were associated with 85 pathogens, with some disproportionately affecting young children.

Interleukin-17 and IL-23 inhibitors do not increase the risk for tuberculosis reactivation among patients with psoriatic disease who have a latent tuberculosis infection, according to a retrospective study.

Among patients with tuberculosis in high-incidence countries, more than 80% did not report persistent cough and more than 60% did not report cough all together, according to results published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The U.S. House of Representatives reauthorized the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief for 1 year as part of a spending package passed on Friday, sending the plan to the Senate for consideration.

Data showed that not all patients with chronic inflammatory skin diseases undergo pretreatment testing before initiating systemic immunomodulatory therapies, despite current guidelines, according to a study.

Updated guidelines for protecting health care workers and patients from respiratory infection transmission are on their way, at the request of the CDC.

Current practices for latent tuberculosis infection testing may be missing high-risk patients, according to a study assessing factors associated with testing and positivity, researchers said.

Adaora Adimora, MD, MPH, FIDSA, an infectious disease physician, researcher and mentor, has died at the age of 67 years following a long illness.