All articles tagged: Infectious Disease

In a clinical practice guideline issued by the American Society for Radiation Oncology and published online June 18 in Practical Radiation Oncology, recommendations are presented for the use of radiation therapy (RT) for management of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).Danielle N. Margali

As a summer wave of COVID infections rolls across the country, U.S. health officials have recommended that all Americans over the age of 6 months get one of the updated COVID vaccines when they become available this fall.The recommendation was issued Thurs

The spread of H5N1 avian flu to dairy cows has health experts and many Americans on edge, and now a new study finds the virus stays viable on milking equipment for at least an hour.“Dairy cows have to be milked even if they are sick, and it has not been clear for how long the virus contained in residual milk from the milking process remains stab

Immunoglobulin replacement therapy (IgRT) is associated with reductions in hypogammaglobulinemia, infections, severe infections, and associated antimicrobial use among real-world patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), according to a study published online June 21 in Blood Advances.Jacob D. Soum

In new vaccination guidance issued Wednesday, U.S. health officials now recommend that all Americans aged 75 and older get an RSV vaccine before fall arrives.However, those a bit younger -- ages 60 to 74 -- should only seek the shot if they are vulnerable to severe RSV because of chronic medical conditions such as lung or heart disease, or if

Many sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in the United States, and a nationwide poll indicates that ignorance about how they're transmitted could be fueling their spread.About a third of Americans (34%) falsely believe sexually transmitted infections (<a href="https://www.healthday.com/a-to-z-health/infectious-diseases/most-common-st

On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory warning of a heightened risk of dengue fever infections in the United States."Dengue transmission peaks during the warmer and wetter months in many tropical and subtropical regions," the agency noted in its advisory. "Dengue cases are likely to increase a

Multiple brands of ice cream are being recalled by the maker, Totally Cool Inc., due to concerns over Listeria contamination.The full list of brands and recalled products can be found online, but include multiple products by Friendly's, Abylin's Frozen, some Hershey's i

mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to a study published in the June issue of&nbsp;Obstetrics &amp; Gynecology.Kimberly K. Vesco, M.D., M.P.H., from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon, and colleagues evaluated the asso

Current cannabis use may be an independent risk factor for COVID-19–related complications, according to a study published online June 21 in&nbsp;JAMA Network Open.Nicholas B. Griffith, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues examined whether cannabis and tobacco use are associated with adverse hea

As scorching summer temperatures drive Americans indoors and millions travel for vacations and family gatherings, COVID infections are again climbing, U.S. health officials warned Monday.In evidence that suggests a COVID summer wave is underway, case counts are most likely&nbsp;increasing in 39 states&nbsp;and aren’t declining anywhere in the c

Older patients with COVID-19 are more likely to survive hospitalization in facilities with adequate nursing resources, according to a study published online June 7 in the&nbsp;International Journal of Nursing Studies.Karen B. Lasater, Ph.D.,&nbsp;R.N., from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia, and colleagues

Just two injections a year of a new HIV drug protected young women in Africa from infection with the sexually transmitted disease, new trial results show.In announcing the findings, Gilead Sciences Inc. said its HIV medication lenacapavir demonstrated 100% efficacy as a prev

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Capvaxive pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia in adults.Capvaxive is specifically designed to help protect adults against the serotypes that cause the majority of invasive pneumococcal&nbsp;disease cases, inc

Mailed HIV-self tests (HIVSTs) can increase testing among persons who have never received testing for HIV or have not received testing in the past year, according to research published in the June 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Travis Sanchez, from Emory University

Just under one-quarter of adults with self-reported COVID-19 report they had not recovered by 90 days, according to a study published online June 17 in&nbsp;JAMA Network Open.Elizabeth C. Oelsner, M.D., from the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, and colleagues used data from 14 ongoing National Institutes of

A deadly bacterial infection known as streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is spreading across Japan, officials in that country report.In March, Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases issued its first warning&nbs

In 2023, 7.6 percent of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population was uninsured, according to early estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2023, released by the National Center for Health Statistics.Robin A. Cohen, Ph.D., from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, and colleagues used data from

In a success story for Americans seeking affordable healthcare coverage, tax credits put in place during the pandemic helped millions gain health insurance, a new report found.Trouble is, the credits are set to expire at the end of 2025, noted a research team from the nonprofit Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJ).According to RWJ's <a h

In a health advisory issued Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned of a Salmonella outbreak linked to pet bearded dragons, noting that there have been reports of 15 illnesses across nine states."Four people have been hospitalized," the agency said, although no deaths linked to the scaly pets have been reporte

Past-year Papanicolaou testing rates were lower in 2022 than in 2019, overall, and lower rates were seen in rural versus urban women, according to a study published in online June 14 in JAMA Network Open.Tyrone F. Borders, Ph.D., and Amanda Thaxton Wiggins, Ph.D., from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, examined receipt of a Papan

Among adults in the intensive care unit with sepsis or septic shock, the use of prolonged β-lactam antibiotic infusions is associated with lower risk of 90-day mortality compared with intermittent infusions, according to research published online June 12 in the&nbsp;Journal of the American Medical Association&nbsp;to coincide with the annual C

COVID vaccine makers will be advised to update their shots to target the KP.2 variant, an offshoot of the JN.1 variant that spread widely last winter, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday.It's a turnaround for the agency: The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/updated-covid-19-vaccines-use-united-states-beg

Health care spending growth is projected to outpace that of the gross domestic product (GDP) during the coming decade, according to a study published online June 12 in Health Affairs.Jacqueline A. Fiore, Ph.D., from the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services in Baltimore, and colleagues projected growth in national health expend

For individuals with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the risks for death and postacute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) reduce over three years but persist, especially among hospitalized individuals, according to a study published online May 30 in Nature Medicine.Miao Cai, Ph.D., from the Veterans Af

The burden of adverse effects of medical treatment (AEMT) is increasing, with the proportion of all cases accounted for by the increasing rates seen in older adults, according to a study published online June 11 in BMJ Quality &amp; Safety.Liangquan Lin, from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences &amp; Peking University Medical Col

Children with acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) with severe neurological manifestations are more likely to have new neurocognitive and/or functional morbidity at hospital discharge, according to a study published online June 10 in JAMA Network Open.</

Short-term systemic side effects of the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccine are associated with greater long-lasting neutralizing antibody (nAB) responses, according to a study published online June 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Ethan G. Dutcher, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of California, San F

A new proposed definition for Long COVID could help patients get the help they need, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine says.Long COVID is a chronic condition that occurs after COVID-19 infection and is present f

A 15-day course of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (NMV/r) is safe but does not demonstrate a significant benefit for improving postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) symptoms, according to a study published online June 7 in&nbsp;JAMA Internal Medicine to coincide with the Demystifying Long COVID North American Conference 2024, held from Jun

The combination of bulevirtide plus peginterferon alfa-2a is superior to bulevirtide monotherapy for achieving undetectable hepatitis D virus (HDV) RNA level at 24 weeks after the end of treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis D, according to a study published online June 6 in the&nbsp;New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday has for the first time approved the use of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for people in their 50s who are at increased risk for the illness.Drugmaker GSK's Arexvy vaccine, as well as vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, are already approved

An experimental vaccine that could offer one-stop prevention for both COVID-19 and influenza is showing positive results among older adults in trials, maker Moderna announced Monday.The shot — for now called mRNA-1083 — "has met its primary endpoints, eliciting a higher immune response than the licensed comparator vaccines used in the trial," Mo

Only half of individuals disclose or believe they should disclose having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) prior to sexual intercourse, according to a literature review published online June 5 in the&nbsp;Journal of Sex Research.Kayley D. McMahan, Ph.D., and Spencer B. Olmstead, Ph.D., from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville,

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday asked states to work harder to protect the public from the risks of raw milk as a bird flu outbreak continues to spread among dairy cows.In an open letter to state and local officials,&nbsp;the agency urged more testing of&nbsp;her

Anthrax disease in humans is rare and when it does occur, it's usually during hot, dry summers.That's why the case of a Texas rancher who developed anthrax in January of this year piqued the interest of investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The rancher, who survived his ordeal, caught the anthrax germ after b

Among emergency department patients evaluated for an mpox-compatible rash, the prevalence of mpox is 1.5 percent, according to research published in the June 6 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Carl T. Berdahl, M.D., from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and co

An outbreak of salmonella illness linked to recalled cucumbers has now expanded to at least 162 cases in 25 states, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday.In an update issued from the the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials noted that 54 of the cases

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Wednesday recommended updating the formula for COVID vaccines ahead of a fall campaign that will encourage Americans to get the latest shots.The unanimous vote recommends that vaccine makers tailor the next vaccine to target the JN.1 variant, which&nbsp;dominated&nbsp;infections in the Unite

A 59-year-old person in Mexico is the first human in the world known to be infected with the H5N2 strain of avian flu, and the patient died of complications linked to the illness, the World Health Organization reported Wednesday.H5N1 and H5N2 strains of avian f

In clinical guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published June 4 in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, recommendations are presented for the use of doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP) for preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in gay, bisexual, and other men who

Excess mortality persisted in 2020 through 2022 in the Western world, according to a study published online June 3 in BMJ Public Health.Saskia Mostert, M.D., from Amsterdam UMC, and colleagues explored excess mortality in the Western world from 2020 to 2022 using all-cause mortality reports abstracted from the "Our World in Data" databa

A company recall has been issued for cucumbers sold in 14 states because of possible contamination with salmonella.In a notice posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, F

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning parents about a goat milk infant formula potentially tainted with a bacterium that's very dangerous to babies.Crecelac brand formula, already under recall since May 24, could contain Cronobacter, which "can cause bloodstream and central nervous system infections, such as sepsis and meningi

As the H5N1 avian flu continues to spread among dairy cows in the United States, nearly 5 million doses of flu vaccine are now being prepared for possible use in humans.Since the outbreak in livestock began this spring, bird flu has been confirmed in three humans who worked on dairy farms in Texas and Michigan, and health experts are concerned th

Amid an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows, there's been a third case of H5N1 avian flu confirmed in a dairy worker, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.The previous two human cases -- the first in Texas, the second in Michigan, where this latest case also occurred -- involved only a brief discomfort of the eyes, linked to conjuncti

At-school vaccination may be a useful tool to increase human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage among adolescents, according to a study published online May 23 in JAMA Network Open.Nathalie Thilly, Ph.D., from Université de Lorraine in Nancy, France, and colleagues examined the effectiveness of a three-component intervention (ed

Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing is common with or without a plausible antibiotic indication, and inappropriate prescribing is also common in U.S. emergency department visits, according to a study published online April 26 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine and a second study published May 14 in Antimicrobial Stewardship and

From 2007 to 2019, there was an increase in inflation-adjusted health care spending, largely due to increasing contributions to premiums, according to a research letter published online May 28 in JAMA Internal Medicine.Sukruth A. Shashikumar, M.D., from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and colleagues conducted a cro

Bird flu has been detected for the first time in alpacas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Tuesday.The animals that tested positive were on a farm in Idaho where poultry that had tested positive for the H5N1 virus were culled in May.&nbsp;The alpacas tested positive on May 16, the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laborato

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a notice regarding the risks for Salmonella outbreaks stemming from backyard poultry.About 109 people in 29 states have gotten sick from Salmonella after touching or caring for backyard poultry, the CDC said in a health advisory. Of those, 33 people have been hospi

There is considerable variation in mortality rates among patients with suspected sepsis, according to a research letter published online May 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Brett Biebelberg, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis of all adults admitted to five Massachusetts

For men who have sex with men (MSM), voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is associated with a reduced risk for HIV infection, according to a study published online May 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Yanxiao Gao, M.D., Ph.D., from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenzhen, and colleagues examined the efficacy of VMMC in p

Primary human papillomavirus (HPV) screening intervals could be extended, with the risk for cervical precancer or worse (CIN2+) eight years after negative HPV screening comparable to risk after three years in cytology cohorts, according to a study published online May 22 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers &amp; Prevention.Anna Gottschlic

Postoperative chemotherapy is associated with an increased incidence of periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) among patients with total joint arthroplasties, according to a study published online May 2 in the Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery.Amir Human Hoveidaei, M.D., from the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics at the Si

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is associated with reduced odds of several types of HPV-related cancers, not just cervical cancer, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, held from May 31 to June 4 in Chicago.Jefferson DeKloe, from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, and

A second case of bird flu has been detected in another dairy worker, this time in Michigan, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday.The first case was reported in a dairy worker in Texas in early April.Officials said the Mi

In fall/winter 2023/2024, the risk for death in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 was greater than the risk for death in patients hospitalized for seasonal influenza, according to a research letter published online May 15 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Yan Xie, Ph.D., from the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Car

Life expectancy and age-standardized disease burden are expected to continue improving between 2022 and 2050, according to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, published in the May 18 issue of The Lancet.Stein Emil Vollset, M.D., M.P.H., and colleagues from the GBD 2021 Forecasting Collaborators provide a reference forecast and a

Muslim pilgrims attending the annual Hajj could be at risk for meningitis due to outbreaks occurring in Saudi Arabia, U.S. health officials warned this week.Twelve cases of meningitis linked to Umrah travel to Saudi Arabia have been reported to national health agencies in three countries, the CDC said in a <a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/ha

Variation is seen in preparedness and response to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) viruses, according to a research letter published online May 21 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Noting that HPAI A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses pose pandemic potential, Noah Kojima, M.D., from the U.S. Centers for Diseas

Definitions of long COVID and care models are evolving, but considerable variability is seen in these models, according to a review published online May 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Roger Chou, M.D., from the Oregon Health &amp; Science University in Portland, and colleagues performed a scoping review on definitions of long COVI

In an American Academy of Pediatrics clinical report published online May 20 in Pediatrics, recommendations are presented for breastfeeding among people living with and at risk for HIV.Lisa Abuogi, M.D., from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, and colleagues examined feeding practices for infants born to people livi

Due to a potential risk for Salmonella, the supermarket chains ALDI and Hy-Vee are recalling brands of cream cheese.No actual illnesses linked to the products have yet been reported, but Hy-Vee said it is announcing the recall of Hy-Vee Cream Cheese Spread "out of an abundance of caution due to the potential for contamination with

A multipronged primary care quality improvement initiative increases early human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine initiation across racial/ethnic, sociodemographic, insurance, and geographic groups, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, held from May 2 to 6 in Toronto.Caitlin Miller, from Nemours

Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) is associated with fewer complications but higher average total cost than conventional TKA (cTKA), according to a study recently published online in&nbsp;Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery.Vikram A. Aggarwal, from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and col

Both acute hepatitis C (AHC) and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis incidence were up substantially globally from 1990 to 2019 in reproductive-aged women, according to a study published online April 19 in the&nbsp;Journal of Global Health.Yanzheng Zou, from the School of Public Health at Nanjing Medical University in China, and

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a kit that will allow women to collect their own vaginal sample for HPV screening, a move that could increase early detection in those at risk for cervical cancer.Women will be able to swab thems

Black female patients hospitalized for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) bloodstream infections (BSI) face increased 30-day mortality, according to a study presented at the annual European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global Congress, held from April 27 to 30 in Barcelona, Spain.Felicia Ruffin, Ph.D., from t

At the individual level, there is high predictability for measles antibody dynamics from birth, according to a study published online May 13 in Nature Microbiology.Wei Wang, from the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety in Shanghai, and colleagues reconstructed antibody trajectories from birth by combining serological data from 1,505 i

Physicians with disabilities (PWDs) are significantly more likely to experience depersonalization but not emotional exhaustion when compared with their peers without disabilities, according to a research letter published online May 9 in&nbsp;JAMA Network Open.Lisa M. Meeks, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arb

Despite national guidelines, a small proportion of children were prescribed ineffective and potentially harmful medications for acute COVID-19, according to a study published online May 8 in Pediatrics.Julianne E. Burns, M.D., from the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort s

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health &amp; Human Services have jointly announced a myriad of initiatives aimed at preventing the H5N1 avian flu virus, currently infecting U.S. dairy cows, from mutating and spreading in humans.The illness is typically not fatal in bovines, but monitoring and prevention on the nation's f

Ascension, a major U.S. health care system with 140 hospitals in 19 states, announced late Thursday that a cyberattack has caused disruptions at some of its hospitals."Systems that are currently unavailable include our electronic health records system, MyChart (which enables patients to view their medical records and communicate with their provid

A personalized tool can predict infants at increased risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) who would benefit most from RSV prevention products, according to a study published in the March issue of the Open Forum Infectious Diseases.Brittney M. Snyder, Ph.D., from Vanderbilt University

A Midwestern candy company has issued a massive recall due to the risk of salmonella tainting some of its products.Palmer Candy Company of Sioux City, Iowa, is recalling “white coated confectionary items” because they could be contaminated with salmonella, the company announced this week.The products are sold in bags, pouches, tubs and o

Planters Honey Roasted Peanuts and Planters Deluxe Lightly Salted Mixed Nuts, sold at Publix and Dollar Tree in five states, are being recalled due to the risk for Listeria contamination.So far, there have been no reports of illness linked to the recalled products, according to the manufacturer, Hormel."The products were shipped t

Among outpatients, 7.0 percent have at least one adverse event (AE), with adverse drug events being the most common, according to a study published online May 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Noting that knowledge of outpatient AEs remains limited, David M. Levine, M.D., M.P.H., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues de

Underassessment and undertreatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) is seen globally, according to a study published online May 1 in the&nbsp;Journal of Hepatology.Sahith Kudaravalli, from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, and colleagues examined rates of evaluation and treatment in patients from the Real-world&nbsp;Effectiv

Doctors in Texas are describing the only known human case of H5N1 avian flu connected to the ongoing outbreak of the disease in dairy cows.Bird flu in humans remains extremely rare, but in the hundreds of cases documented worldwide over the past few years, about half proved fatal -- upping scientists' concerns about the possibility that an easily

After investigation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that the nation's ground beef supply is so far testing negative for the presence of H5N1 avian flu.In a statement, the agency said that

People drinking raw unpasteurized milk are at risk for potentially contracting bird flu, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Wednesday.“We continue to strongly advise against the consumption of raw milk,” Dr. Donald Prater,

There was an initial decrease in inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions following onset of COVID-19, followed by an increase, according to a study published online April 22 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.Kao-Ping Chua, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, and colleagues conducted an interrupted tim

Olfactory dysfunction, especially for smell, is more common in individuals with prior COVID-19 versus individuals with no history of infection, with deficits varying by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant type, according to a study published online April 23 in JAMA Network Open.Ryan Sharetts, from Unive

In yet another sign that bird flu is spreading widely among mammals, a new report finds more than half of cats at the first Texas dairy farm to have cows test positive for bird flu this spring died after drinking raw milk.Published Tuesday in the Emerging Infectious Diseases</

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Pivya (pivmecillinam) tablets for the treatment of female adults with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs).The approval is for UTIs caused by susceptible isolates of Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. The most common side

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it is now testing ground beef for any presence of the H5N1 virus that continues to spread among dairy cows.The agency said it is sampling ground beef bought in grocery stores in states where dairy cattle have tested positive for the virus, also known as H5N1, CNN reported. O

Individuals seen for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by clinicians in a private U.S. health care setting are less likely to receive recommended treatment than those seen in a public health clinic, according to a study published online in the May issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.Brian E. Dixon, Ph.D., from Indiana Universi

There is no risk for new-onset seizure incidence for individuals receiving a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine versus placebo, according to a review published online April 29 in JAMA Neurology.Ali Rafati, M.D., from Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, and colleagues conducted a systematic

Cognitive impairment persists in children and adolescents living with HIV even in the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to research published online April 23 in eClinicalMedicine.Sophia Dahmani, from Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact o

Reduced vancomycin susceptibility is impacting clinical responses among adults with Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection, according to a study recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.Taryn A. Eubank, Pharm.D.,&nbsp;from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, and colleagues examined if

H5N1 avian "bird" flu is making headlines this week, with new reports finding inactive virus detected in 1 in 5 U.S. milk samples. That means the virus is infecting mammals such as dairy cows, and now res

Physicians are increasingly seeing cases of syphilis that do not present with typical symptoms, such as rash or skin ulcers, according to a new report presented last week at the 2024 Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference in Atlanta.Instead, patients are presenting with headaches or disruptions in their vision or hearing, said a team co-led b

People with opioid use disorder (OUD) are less likely to receive palliative care during the last 90 days before death, according to a study published online April 29 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.Jenny Lau, M.D., from the University Health Network in Toronto, and colleagues conducted a cohort study using heal

A multisite collaborative increases appropriate antibiotic use for pediatric community-acquired pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, and urinary tract infections, according to a study published online April 29 in Pediatrics.Russell J. McCulloh, M.D., from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, and colleagues conduct

There was a surge in ethics literature during COVID-19 advocating for the ethical acceptability of physicians refusing to treat, according to a study published online April 24 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.Braylee Grisel, from the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues analyzed 156 articles for quali

Live bird flu virus has not been found in any of the first batch of retail milk samples tested, federal health officials said Friday.Amid an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in U.S. dairy cows, the early findings should reassure the public that the milk sold in stores remains safe, officials added.In the <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/ale

Global vaccination efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives, including 101 million infants, a new study led by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows.Immunization has contributed more to the health and survival of newborns than any other medical advance, researchers concluded.The <a href="https://www.healthday.com/a-to-z-heal

Nearly two-thirds of survivors of severe COVID-19 discharged to long-term acute care hospitals have persistent impairments at one year, according to a study published online April 10 in&nbsp;Critical Care Medicine.Anil Makam, M.D., from the University of California San Francisco, and colleagues investigated impairments among hospitaliz

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is clamping down on salmonella bacteria found in breaded, stuffed raw chicken products, with the agency issuing a final rule on the issue Friday.The agency's Food Safety and Inspect

Bits of bird flu virus have been discovered in roughly 20% of retail milk samples tested in a national survey, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.The finding suggests that bird flu has spread far more widel

Antibiotics have no measurable impact on the severity or duration of cough due to acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) among adults presenting to primary care or urgent care, according to a study published online April 15 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.Daniel J. Merenstein, M.D., from Georgetown University Medi

More than half of women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant are very likely to get vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during pregnancy, according to a study published online April 25 in Pediatrics.Jennifer K. Saper, M.D., from the Ann &amp; Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, and colleagues c

There is significant global variation in COVID-19 treatment recommendations and disease severity stratifications, according to a study published online April 22 in BMJ Global Health.Mia Cokljat, M.B.Ch.B., from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and colleagues compared the COVID-19 treatment guidelines of each World Heal

As bird flu continues to spread among dairy cows in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday it will start requiring testing of the animals if they are moved across state lines. The "USDA has identified [bird flu] spread between cows within the same herd, spread from cows to poultry, spread between dairies associat

U.S. recalls of foods for salmonella, foreign objects or undeclared allergens are rampant nowadays and the highest they've been since 2020, a watchdog group warns. “Everyone needs to do better: food producers, regulators and lawmakers,” said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog at U.S. Public I

Bits of inactive bird flu virus have been discovered in samples of pasteurized milk from across the United States, health officials said Tuesday, although they stressed the viral fragments don't threaten humans.However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did note that testing suggests that bird flu has likely infected far more dairy cows

Patients have lower hospital mortality and readmission rates when treated by female physicians, with a larger benefit observed for female patients, according to a study published online April 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Atsushi Miyawaki, Ph.D., from the School of Public Health at The University of Tokyo, and colleagues conduc

Clinicians frequently treat gram-negative infection with older, generic antibiotics, despite recent approval of next-generation, gram-negative antibiotics, according to a study published online April 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine to coincide with the Internal Medicine Meeting, the annual meeting of the American College of Physicians,

Measles infections continue to spread across the country, with 125 cases now reported in 18 states, new U.S. government data shows.That is more cases than were reported in all of 2022, the most recent annual peak for&nbsp;measles infections, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases

The H5N1 avian flu virus that's infecting U.S. cattle is increasingly showing up in mammals -- a dangerous sign that it could someday easily infect people.That's the warning issued late last week by World Health Organization chief scientist Dr. Jeremy Farrar, CNN reported.“We have to watch, more than watch, we have to make sure

For children younger than 5 years, the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization increased in 2021 and 2022 compared with 2015 to 2019, according to a study published online April 18 in JAMA Network Open.Robert J. Suss, M.P.H., and Eric A.F. Simões, M.B.B.S., M.D., from the University of Colorado School of Medicine

For non-critically ill patients with urinary tract infection (UTI), computerized provider order entry (CPOE) prompts providing patient- and pathogen-specific multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) risk estimates can reduce empiric extended-spectrum antibiotic use, according to a study published online April 19 in the Journal of the American Medical A

All expecting mothers should get a blood test for syphilis three times during pregnancy, new guidance issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends.The practice advisory calls on doc

Community Helicobacter pylori (HP) testing in high-risk individuals is technically feasible, according to a study published online April 3 in&nbsp;Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.Shria Kumar, M.D., from the University of Miami, and colleagues evaluated the results of community-based HP testing in an at-risk, underse

The Biden Administration announced Tuesday that it will work with 50 nations worldwide to try to prevent global pandemics such as COVID-19, which brought the world to a standstill four years ago."Today, I am proud to announce that my Administra

Working-age adults in the United States are dying at higher rates than their peers in high-income countries, according to a study published online March 21 in the&nbsp;International Journal of Epidemiology.Jennifer Beam Dowd, Ph.D., from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and colleagues synthesized cause-specific mortalit

From 2011 to 2021, there was an increase in vaccination timeliness among U.S. children aged 0 to 19 months, according to a study published online April 12 in JAMA Network Open.Sophia R. Newcomer, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the University of Montana in Missoula, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study analyzing nationally representati

More than 22 percent of older hospitalized adults with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection experience an acute cardiac event, according to a study published online April 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.Rebecca C. Woodruff, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues conducted

Significantly higher hepatitis C virus cure rates are seen for patients receiving opioid treatment program-integrated facilitated telemedicine versus off-site hepatitis specialist referral, according to a study published online April 3 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Andrew H. Talal, M.D., M.P.H., from the Jacobs Sch

Mailed at-home self-sampling for&nbsp;human papillomavirus&nbsp;(HPV) testing&nbsp;increases cervical cancer screening participation in underscreened populations by almost threefold, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, held from April 5 to 10 in San Diego.Jane R. Montealegre, Ph.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity in children is not associated with an increased risk for new asthma diagnosis, according to a study published online April 12 in Pediatrics.James P. Senter, M.D., M.P.H., from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues c

Use of presurgery intranasal povidone-iodine (PVP-I) is effective for reducing the rate of surgical site infection (SSI) after joint arthroplasty and spine surgery, according to a study published online March 27 in the American Journal of Infection Control.Lisa Saidel-Odes, M.D., from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva, I

U.S. measles elimination status was maintained as of the end of 2023, but there was an increase in the number of measles cases reported in the first quarter of 2024, according to research published in the April 11 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Adria D. Mathis, M.S.P

A rare fungal infection has been diagnosed in two cats and a vet tech who treated one of the animals, a new report warns.The three cases -- discovered in Kansas in late 2022 and early 2023 -- were caused by a fungus called Sporothrix schenckii, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in the May i

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Dovato (dolutegravir/lamivudine) for adolescents living with HIV.The approval is for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adolescents aged 12 years and older (weighing ≥25 kg) with no antiretroviral (ARV) treatment history or to replace the current ARV regimen in those who are virologically s

Direct oral penicillin challenges (DPCs) can be delivered to patients with penicillin allergy labels (PALs) by nonallergy health care professionals (HCPs), according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Infection.Mamidipudi Thirumala Krishna, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., from the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the antibiotic Zevtera (ceftobiprole medocaril sodium for injection) for three different indications, including treatment of adults with Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections, adults with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, and adult and pediatric patients (age 3 months

Disease severity is similar for patients hospitalized with respiratory syncytial disease (RSV) and unvaccinated adults with COVID-19 or influenza, according to a study published online April 4 in JAMA Network Open.Diya Surie, M.D., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues examined disease sever

Nonhospitalized patients with post-COVID condition (PCC) tolerate exercise, with preserved cardiovascular function, but have lower aerobic capacity, according to a study published online April 4 in JAMA Network Open.Andrea Tryfonos, Ph.D., from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, and colleagues conducted a randomized, crossover tria

For patients with confirmed COVID-19, nirmatrelvir-ritonavir is not associated with a shorter time to sustained alleviation of symptoms than placebo, according to a study published in the April 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.Jennifer Hammond, Ph.D., from Global Product Development at Pfizer in Collegeville, Pennsylvania,

The prevalence of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is high in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) chronic carriers detected through annual screenings, according to a study published online March 22 in UEG Journal.Laura Weichselbaum, from CHU Saint-Pierre in Brussels, and colleagues examined the diagnostic impact of an annual screening for

A Texas plant full of egg-laying hens has been shut down temporarily after bird flu was detected in the animals.Cal-Maine Foods, the largest egg producer in the country, said in a news release issued Tuesday that it had to subsequently cull about&nbsp;1.6 million hens and

Persistent disparities by race/ethnicity are seen in the incidence of tuberculosis (TB), according to a study published online April 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Yunfei Li, Sc.D., from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, and colleagues quantified trends in racial/ethnic disparities in TB incidence among U.S

An unnamed person in Texas had been diagnosed with the H5N1 avian flu after close contact with infected dairy cattle, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. It's only the second case ever confirmed in the United States (the first was in Colorado in 2022), and preliminary analysis of the strain in the new case sugges

Tuberculosis (TB) case counts and rates have been increasing since 2020, according to research published in the March 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Paula M. Williams, Dr.P.H., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues obtained TB case counts from the National TB Surve

A regional collaborative involving universal decolonization in long-term care facilities and targeted decolonization among hospital patients in contact precautions is associated with better multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO)-related outcomes, according to a study published online April 1 in the&nbsp;Journal of the American Medical Association

There has been a rise in invasive meningococcal disease, mainly attributable to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y, according to an alert issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.There were 422 cases of invasive meningococcal disease in 2023, the most seen since 2014. So far this year, 143 cases have already been r

There are sociodemographic disparities in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake among 27- to 45-year-olds, according to a study published online March 28 in&nbsp;Human Vaccines &amp; Immunotherapeutics.Natalie L. Rincon, from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues explored any sociodemographic disparities in HPV

U.S. physicians received $12.13 billion from industry from 2013 to 2022, according to a research letter published online March 28 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.Ahmed Sayed, M.B.B.S., from Ain Shams University in Cairo, and colleagues examined the distribution of payments within and across specialties and the medica

Cases of a strain of highly antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea that first emerged in China in 2016 have tripled there in just five years, according to research published in the March 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Shao-Chun Chen, Ph.D., of the Chinese Academy of Medic

Mpox cases are climbing again in the United States, with the number of reported infections now twice as high as they were at this time last year, new government data shows.In response, public health experts have raised alarms about the increase and stressed that vaccination rates against the disease need to improve.“This has the potent

Puerto Rico has declared a dengue epidemic following a surge in cases of the mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. territory.In total, there have been 549 cases, including 341 hospitalizations and 29 severe cases, reported since the start of the year, the most recent data from the Puerto Rico Department shows. Cases are concentrated in the citie

Inappropriate diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in hospitalized adults is common, especially among older adults and those with dementia, according to a study published online March 25 in JAMA Internal Medicine.Ashwin B. Gupta, M.D., from the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System in Michigan, and colleagues conducted a prospec

Global adult mortality rates increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, reversing previous decreasing trends, according to a study published online March 11 in The Lancet.Austin E. Schumacher, Ph.D., from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle, and colleagues examined changes in mortality and life expectancy from 1950

Annual administration of a second dose of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine five months after the initial dose results in fewer hospitalizations and deaths, according to a study published online March 26 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Chad R. Wells, Ph.D., from the Yale School of Public Health in

The presence of generalized&nbsp;joint hypermobility (GJH) is associated with not recovering fully from COVID-19, according to a study published online March 19 in&nbsp;BMJ Public Health.Jessica A. Eccles, M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., from Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the United Kingdom, and colleagues evaluated whether GJH is a risk fa

Milk from dairy cows in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico has tested positive for&nbsp;the presence of bird flu, U.S. officials say.In a news release issued Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed the virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, know

A significant reduction in recovery time is seen among COVID-19 patients who receive early antibiotic treatment, according to a study published online March 20 in the&nbsp;Journal of Medical Virology.Carlo Brogna, M.D., from the Craniomed Group Srl. Research Facility in Bresso, Italy, and colleagues studied the impact of specific antib

Many patients, including those with the greatest care needs, choose telemedicine even when in-person visits are available, according to a study published online March 22 in&nbsp;JAMA Network Open.Eva Chang, Ph.D., M.P.H., from Advocate Health in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and colleagues assessed patient characteristics associated with telem

Physicians express largely negative views about the impact of private equity (PE) on the health care system, according to a research letter published online March 11 in&nbsp;JAMA Internal Medicine.Jane M. Zhu, M.D., from Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, and colleagues conducted a survey to assess physicians' views towa

Life expectancy increased to 77.5 years in 2022, while the age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths increased from 2002 to 2022 but did not change from 2021 to 2022, according to two March data briefs published by the National Center for Health Statistics.Kenneth D. Kochanek, from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Mar

There were fewer reports of coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis coinciding with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research published in the March 21 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Samantha L. Williams, M.P.H., from the CDC in Atlanta,

Neutralizing anti-interleukin-23 is associated with severe, persistent, opportunistic infections, according to a study published in the March 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.Noting that interleukin-12 shares a common subunit with interleukin-23, Aristine Cheng, M.D., from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectio

For Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older, there is no evidence of elevated stroke risk immediately after vaccination with either brand of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine, according to a study published in the March 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.Yun Lu, Ph.D., from the U.S. Food and Drug Administ

Adults have fewer health care encounters for neurologic diagnoses over the year following hospital-based care for COVID-19 versus influenza, according to a study published online March 20 in Neurology.Adam de Havenon, M.D., from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues examined the burden of neurologic health care a

For patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, viral load rebound and symptom rebound can occur after a standard five-day course of treatment with VV116 or nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, according to a study published online March 13 in JAMA Network Open.Zhitao Yang, M.D., from Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, and colleagues conducted a randomiz

As measles cases rise globally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association each issued advisories on Monday stressing the need for vaccination.Besides a total of 58 known cases of measles in the United States, "many countries, including

Electronic letters incorporating cardiovascular (CV) gain framing and repeated messaging, which increase influenza vaccination, do not translate into improvement in clinical outcomes, according to a study published online March 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Niklas Dyrby Johansen, M.D., from Copenhagen University Hospital-Herle

In a report published in the April issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases, the details of 10 cases of nonkeratitis Acanthamoeba infection are described from 1994 to 2022, all of which occurred among immunocompromised patients.Julia C. Haston, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues id

For people with HIV (PWH) with metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), semaglutide is associated with absolute and relative declines in intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content, according to a study presented at the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, held from March 3 to 6 in Denver.Jordan E. Lake, M.D

As millions of Americans prepare to travel abroad this summer and measles outbreaks increase worldwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tightened its guidance on how travelers should handle the potential health threat.Americans planning to fly to other countries should consult their doctors at least six weeks</st

In 2023, 117 cases of multisystem inflammation syndrome in children (MIS-C) were reported, with 26 percent of patients having onset during August to October, according to research published in the March 14 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Anna R. Yousaf, M.D., from the

Among sexual and gender-minority people who initiate preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, the annual rate of discontinuation is between 35 and 40 percent, according to a study published in the March issue of Health Affairs.Yan Guo, Ph.D., from the City University of New York in New York City, and colleagues examined PrEP discontin

Pregnant women receiving the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prefusion F protein-based maternal vaccine (RSVPreF3-Mat) have offspring with lower risks for any and severe medically assessed RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease; however, the vaccine may increase the risk for preterm birth, according to a study published in the March 14 iss

Following a cyberattack on one of the nation's largest health insurers that's thrown health care payments into disarray and likely exposed reams of private patient data, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday it has begun an investigation into the incident.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/03/13/h

Many U.S. seniors do not intend to vaccinate against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the 2023 to 2024 season, according to a study published online Jan. 19 in Health Affairs Scholar.Simon F. Haeder, Ph.D., from Texas A&amp;M University in College Station, queried Americans older than age 60 years about their RSV vaccination sta

Very early treatment of in utero HIV-1 can result in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-free remission for ≥48 weeks, according to a study presented at the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, held from March 3 to 6 in Denver.Deborah Persaud, M.D., from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and co

COVID-19 vaccination is associated with a reduced risk for post-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection cardiac and thromboembolic outcomes, according to a study published online March 12 in Heart.Núria Mercadé-Besora, from the University of Oxford, and colleagues conducted a staggered cohort study bas

Following a cyberattack on the largest health insurer in the United States last month, health care providers continue to scramble as insurance payments and prescription orders continue to be disrupted and physicians lose an estimated $100 million a day.That <a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/cyberattack-jeopardizes

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sent a team to Chicago to help contain an outbreak of measles that has sickened four.The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported on Monday that two adults at the shelter had been diagnosed and were in stable condition. That followed a <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/d