Infectious Disease

Leslie Kantor, PhD, MPH, chair and professor of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers School of Public Health, discusses the key messages that people need to hear about the continued importance of the flu vaccine, even if they have been immunized for COVID-19.

The World Health Organization and CDC warn of the potential for measles outbreaks; the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Moderna battle over patent rights to Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine; a new Kaiser Family Foundation shows employers have increased mental health care offerings.

Evidence is insubstantial for treatment of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), but authors of a review of available evidence provide recommendations for agents and testing.

The CDC director endorsed a pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years; proposed drug pricing reform will allow Medicare Part D to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies; some employers may not send death benefits to families of employees who die of COVID-19 without being vaccinated.

Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, FASTMH, professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and dean, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, and codirector, Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, addresses the approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 and emphasized its benefits far outweigh the rare possibility of myocarditis.

In a long-awaited move, the FDA approved a pediatric dose of Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years.

In studies presented at the American College of Gastroenterology 2021 meeting, success was reported for RBX2660, a treatment for clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

Many novel traits are shared through gene transfer, but scientists haven’t been able to determine why some bacteria engage in gene transfer while others do not.

A study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that Glucosyltransferase domain is a possible molecular target for therapeutic interventions for Clostridioides difficile infection.

Research presented during IDWeek 2021 showed data on V114, Merck’s investigational 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Pfizer and BioNTech ask FDA to authorize their COVID-19 vaccine in children; the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended widespread use of the world’s first malaria vaccine; a US judge blocks Texas’ strict abortion law.

Samples from 12 countries suggest shoe soles have a high positivity rate for Clostridium difficile, a strain primarily thought of as a hospital-associated infection.

New research presented at IDWeek 2021 presented data on the microbiota-based live biotherapeutic RBX2660 for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection.

When patients are quickly readmitted, they have higher health care costs, a new study has found.

The CDC says yes to COVID-19 booster shots; a new survey shows vaccine hesitancy and skepticism are falling; the US Preventive Services Task Force updates screening suggestions for 2 sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Advanced dementia and serum albumin levels were better predictors of poor outcomes, the investigators said, among older patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

A new report shows patient readmissions and mortality dropped among patients aged 65 and older following the institution of an antibiotic stewardship program.

Clinicians are finding that there really is no basis to recommend probiotics for patients with Clostridioides difficile infection, that instead they may cause harm, said Colleen R. Kelly, MD, FACG, gastroenterologist and associate professor of medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

The advisory committee voted against COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for individuals 16 years and older, but unanimously voted for booster shots for people 65 years and older or who are at high risk of severe COVID-19.

COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated cost billions between June and August; the Department of Justice called for a temporary block on the Texas abortion law; legislators limited the power of public health officials in at least 26 states, a report shows.

The Department of Labor rules will affect employers with 100 or more workers.

New CDC data show an increase in some health care–associated infections during COVID-19.

The findings of this study suggest possible poor communication about human papillomavirus infection (HPV), the authors said, since they do not align with epidemiologic evidence.

A new mathematical model highlights the challenges of preventing Clostridioides difficile transmission in the hospital.

Some hospitals may revisit crisis standards of care; Florida hospitals to pause elective surgeries; studies find nearly a quarter of Black Americans with low incomes report fair or poor health care.