Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Infectious Disease for August 2019. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
CDC Boosts Efforts to Fight Congo Ebola Outbreak
FRIDAY, Aug. 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stepped up its efforts to help fight the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
More Information: CDC
CBS News Article
Massachusetts Communities at ‘Critical Risk’ for Mosquito-Borne Virus
FRIDAY, Aug. 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There is a “critical risk” for a dangerous mosquito-transmitted virus in 28 Massachusetts communities, the state health department warns.
CDC: Mumps Outbreak Reported in Migrant Detention Facilities
FRIDAY, Aug. 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There have been confirmed and probable mumps cases reported among adult migrants detained in facilities, according to research published in the Aug. 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Costs of Reusable Colonoscopes Vary Based on Center Volume
FRIDAY, Aug. 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The cost per colonoscopy, including purchase, maintenance, and reprocessing costs, varies from $188.64 to $501.16, with higher costs at low-volume centers, according to a study published online Aug. 14 in Gut.
Deep Infections Occur in 6 Percent of Knee Fracture Repairs
FRIDAY, Aug. 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Deep surgical site infections (SSIs) occur in nearly 6 percent of periarticular knee fracture repairs, according to a review published online Aug. 23 in JAMA Network Open.
FDA Reports Rare Cases of Liver Injury, Failure With Hep C Therapies
THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has received reports of rare cases of worsening liver function or liver failure in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) who had moderate-to-severe liver impairment and were treated with Mavyret, Zepatier, or Vosevi, despite these drugs being contraindicated in this group of patients, the agency reported yesterday.
WHO: ‘Dramatic Resurgence’ of Measles Occurring in Europe
THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Vaccine refusals have contributed to a “dramatic resurgence” of measles in Europe, the World Health Organization says.
AP News Article
More Information: WHO
New Anti-CRE Antibiotics Used for 35 Percent of Infections
THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Currently, new anti-carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) antibiotics are estimated to treat 35 percent of CRE infections in which they were expected to be used as first-line agents, according to a study published in the August issue of Open Forum Infectious Diseases.
1984 to 2016 Saw Increase in Age of Death for HIV-Infected
THURSDAY, Aug. 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The mean age at death increased for patients with HIV infection from 1984 to 2016, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine.
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Guidelines Updated for Vaccination in Multiple Sclerosis
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Guidelines have been updated on vaccinations in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS); a practice guideline update summary was published online Aug. 28 in Neurology.
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Vaccine-Related Searches on Pinterest Will Show Only Public Health Organizations
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From now on, vaccine-related searches on Pinterest will only produce results from public health organizations.
Low Nurse and Support Staffing Tied to Higher Inpatient Mortality
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Low levels of nurse and nursing support staffing are associated with increased inpatient mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in BMJ Quality & Safety.
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USPSTF Advises Broader Age Range for Hep C Screening
TUESDAY, Aug. 27, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection screening for individuals aged 18 to 79 years. These recommendations form the basis of a draft recommendation statement published online Aug. 27 by the USPSTF.
Draft Recommendation Statement
Draft Evidence Review
Comment on Recommendations
Tourist With Measles Visited Southern California Attractions
MONDAY, Aug. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — People who were at Disneyland and other Southern California tourist attractions earlier this month may have been exposed to measles by a tourist from New Zealand, say health officials from Los Angeles and Orange counties.
ACIP Recommendations Updated for 2019-20 U.S. Flu Season
MONDAY, Aug. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) relating to the use of seasonal influenza vaccines in the United States have been updated for 2019 to 2020; the updated recommendations have been published in the Aug. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
PostRx Antimicrobial Stewardship Feasible in Community Hospitals
MONDAY, Aug. 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Postprescription audit and review (PPR) is a feasible and effective strategy for antimicrobial stewardship in community hospitals, according to a study published online Aug. 16 in JAMA Network Open.
WHO: Malaria Eradication Not Currently Possible
FRIDAY, Aug. 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The eradication of malaria worldwide may eventually be possible, but when that might be achieved is unclear, according to the World Health Organization.
AP News Article
More Information: WHO
Most HPV-Linked Cancers Due to Types Targeted by 9vHPV Vaccine
FRIDAY, Aug. 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Ninety-two percent of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers are attributable to HPV types targeted by the 9-valent HPV vaccine (9vHPV), according to research published in the Aug. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Antibiotic Use Tied to Higher Risk for Rheumatoid Arthritis
FRIDAY, Aug. 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Antibiotic prescriptions are associated with a higher risk for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a study published online Aug. 7 in BMC Medicine.
Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Outbreak Characterized
THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A recent multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica serotype Newport outbreak, affecting patients in 32 states, was associated with soft cheese and beef consumption, according to a report published in the Aug. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Coverage With HPV Vaccine Continuing to Increase in Boys
THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Coverage with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine increased among boys from 2017 to 2018, according to research published in the Aug. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Some Cities in Texas Susceptible to Measles Outbreaks
THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Some cities in Texas are susceptible to measles outbreaks, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
Tuberculosis Rates for U.S. Children Are Low and Declining
THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Overall tuberculosis rates are low among children and adolescents and are declining steadily, according to a study published online Aug. 21 in The Lancet Public Health.
Odds of Developing C. Diff Increased in Older Cancer Patients
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Older adults with cancer have increased odds of developing Clostridiodes difficile infection (CDI), according to a study published in the September issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Oral Antibiotic Use Linked to Risk for Colorectal Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Oral antibiotic use is associated with an increased risk for colon cancer and a reduced risk for rectal cancer, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in Gut.
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Private Rooms Help Sustain Lower Rates of Some Nosocomial Colonization
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A hospital’s move to entirely single-patient rooms was associated with reductions in multidrug-resistant organism colonization, according to a study published online Aug. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
DAAs Cut Deaths in Those Treated for HCV-Related Liver Cancer
TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and complete response to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is associated with a significant reduction in the risk for death, according to a study published online July 30 in Gastroenterology.
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Lipophilic Statins May Cut Liver Cancer in Chronic Viral Hepatitis
TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Lipophilic statin use is associated with significantly reduced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence and mortality in adults with chronic viral hepatitis, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Most U.K. Patients With UTI Receive Antibiotics on Same Day
TUESDAY, Aug. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) — More than 85 percent of patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) receive antibiotics the same day and more than half are treated with trimethoprim, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in EClinicalMedicine.
Parents Divided on Primary Care Policies for Unvaccinated Patients
MONDAY, Aug. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Three in 10 parents say that their child’s primary care office should ask parents who refuse all vaccines to find another health care provider, according to an Aug. 19 Mott Poll Report.
Mechanical, Oral Antibiotic Bowel Prep Yields No Benefit for Colectomy
MONDAY, Aug. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Mechanical and oral antibiotic bowel preparation (MOABP) does not reduce surgical site infections (SSIs) or the overall morbidity of colon surgery versus no bowel preparation (NBP), according to a study published online Aug. 8 in The Lancet.
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Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Recommendations Developed for Management of Lyme Disease
FRIDAY, Aug. 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American College of Rheumatology have released a draft of their joint clinical practice guidelines for the management of Lyme disease.
Draft Guidelines
Draft Supplemental Materials
Comment on Guidelines
Advertising Can Promote Interest in Health-Related Research
THURSDAY, Aug. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Advertising current local health-related research using large TV monitors in emergency department waiting rooms can increase the short-term interest in health-related research, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in BMJ Open.
ACIP Recommends Catch-Up HPV Vaccines Through Age 26
THURSDAY, Aug. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Catch-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations are recommended for all persons through age 26 years and should be considered for some persons aged 27 to 45 years, according to research published in the Aug. 16 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Israeli Flight Attendant Dies of Measles
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 14, 2019 (HealthDay News) — An Israeli flight attendant and mother of three who contracted measles earlier this year died on Tuesday.
Doctors Say New Drugs ‘Cured’ Two Ebola Patients
TUESDAY, Aug. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — New drugs cured two Ebola patients in Congo, showing that people can recover from the highly lethal disease if it is diagnosed and treated early, doctors say.
Non-Hospital-Based Provider-to-Patient Telehealth Use Growing
TUESDAY, Aug. 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Use of non-hospital-based provider-to-patient telehealth grew almost 1,400-fold from 2014 to 2018, according to a FAIR Health White Paper.
One-Third of Physicians Will Take 10+ Years to Pay Off Debt
MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Nearly two-thirds of actively practicing physicians are still carrying medical school debt, according to the Medical School Debt Report 2019, published by the staffing firm Weatherby Healthcare.
Medical School Debt Report 2019
New Ebola Drugs Highly Effective, Might Shorten Outbreak in Africa
MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Two experimental Ebola treatments have worked so well in the Democratic Republic of Congo outbreak that they will be offered to all patients, scientists say.
Flu Vaccine Tied to Better Long-Term Outcomes in Elderly ICU Survivors
MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Among elderly patients, influenza vaccination is associated with a reduced risk for dying in the year following discharge from an intensive care unit (ICU), according to a study published in the July issue of Intensive Care Medicine.
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Method to Calculate Central Line Infections Flawed
FRIDAY, Aug. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Using the true number of central lines as the denominator improves methods of determining central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates, according to a study published online July 24 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
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Guidelines Issued for Managing Hidradenitis Suppurativa
FRIDAY, Aug. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In a two-part guideline, published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the United States and Canadian Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundations present recommendations for the diagnosis, evaluation, and management of hidradenitis suppurativa.
Abstract/Full Text Part I
Abstract/Full Text Part II
In 2018, 2,813 Cases of Domestic Arbovirus Reported in U.S.
THURSDAY, Aug. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A total of 2,813 cases of domestic arboviral disease were identified in 2018, of which 94 percent were West Nile Virus, according to research published in the Aug. 9 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Persistent Inflammation After Sepsis Linked to Higher Mortality
THURSDAY, Aug. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — About two-thirds of patients who survive hospitalization for sepsis have persistent elevation of inflammation and immunosuppression biomarkers, which is linked to increased mortality, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in JAMA Network Open.
Patient Who Caught Legionnaires’ Disease at Atlanta Hotel Dies
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — One of the 12 people diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease after staying at the Sheraton Atlanta hotel in early July has died, officials said.
CNN Article
More Information: CDC
Nurse Intervention Using Tech May Improve PID Care in Youth
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Adolescent and young adult women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) are more likely to experience decreases in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis positivity with a technology-enhanced community health nursing (TECH-N) intervention, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in JAMA Network Open.
Medicare Spending on Essential Medicines Up 116 Percent From 2011 to 2015
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Spending associated with essential medicines grew substantially from 2011 to 2015 for Medicare Part D beneficiaries, according to a study published online July 17 in The BMJ.
Poor Pneumonia Outcomes Tied to Overuse of Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics
TUESDAY, Aug. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics is associated with increased mortality and other poor outcomes in adults admitted for community-onset pneumonia, according to a study published in the July 1 issue of the European Respiratory Journal.
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Vaccination Does Not Up Risk for Developing Multiple Sclerosis
TUESDAY, Aug. 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Evidence shows that vaccination is not associated with an increased risk for being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) within the next five years, according to a study published online July 30 in Neurology.
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Compliance With Meds Falters With Age in Youth Born With HIV
FRIDAY, Aug. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV, the prevalence of medication nonadherence and unsuppressed viral load increases with age, according to a study published online July 3 in AIDS.
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Brand-Brand Competition Has Not Cut Prices in Pharma Market
FRIDAY, Aug. 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Brand-brand competition in the U.S. pharmaceutical market has not lowered drug list prices, according to a review published online July 30 in PLOS Medicine.
Transmission Risks Up for HIV-Positive Injection Drug Users
THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — HIV-positive individuals who inject drugs are more likely to have a detectable viral load and engage in high-risk sexual behaviors, according to research published in the Aug. 2 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Trump Admin Announces Plan to Allow Drug Imports From Canada
THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Americans could import less expensive prescription drugs from Canada under a plan being developed by the Trump administration.
HHS Press Release
PhRMA Statement
First Ebola Transmission in Congo City of Goma Reported
THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The first transmission of the Ebola virus in Congo’s major city of Goma was announced Thursday by the country’s health ministry. It said that the disease has been confirmed in the 1-year-old daughter of a man who died of Ebola on Wednesday. The man had symptoms for several days while at home with his large family, CBS News reported.
Recommendations Decreased for Cough, Cold Medicine in U.S.
THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — There has been a decrease in recommendations for opioid-containing and nonopioid cough and cold medicines (CCM) in the United States, according to a research letter published online July 29 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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One Dose of HPV Vaccine May Be Sufficient in Certain Situations
THURSDAY, Aug. 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — One dose of prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine may be as effective as two or three doses in preventing high-grade disease in a high-coverage setting, according to a study published online July 15 in Papillomavirus Research.
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