Infectious Disease

A study of hospitals and long-term care facilities in Louisville, Kentucky, found low rates of Clostridioides difficile testing in patients with new-onset diarrhea who are frequently infected.

Preventing health-care–associated infections in acute-care hospitals is crucial for patient well-being and health care cost burden, and comprehensive guidelines based on current research are an important aspect of prevention.

The drug, oteseconazole, is an azole antifungal indicated to reduce the incidence of recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis in females who are infertile or postmenopausal.

Fidaxomicin, now commonly used to treat Clostridioides difficile infection, selectively targets the bacterium while sparing crucial gut commensals that protect against colonization. However, knowledge gaps in the molecular basis of its narrow-spectrum activity remain.

The researchers wrote that their findings showcase the need for close monitoring of patients and for effective treatments for those with recurrent infection, which occurs in 15%-30% of all patients with Clostridioides difficile.

The CDC said that 75% of children under age 17 and more than 60% of adults up to age 49 have evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Self-reported vaccination statuses are often used in studies of influenza vaccination, and a recent study found this method reliable in health care personnel who receive the vaccine consistently. 

In a talk presented by The Hastings Center, Gary Cohen, president of Health Care Without Harm, explains how the health care industry can fight climate change, mitigate social determinants of health, and reduce costs through a series of targeted efforts.

As more bacterial DNA sequences are identified, the computational challenges associated with whole-genome sequencing have researchers looking to other potential methods of tracking and understanding differences in bacterial pathogens such as Clostridioides difficile.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, discusses training the next generation of public health professionals.

Cross-border acquisition of medications such as antibiotics has long been a practice in US communities bordering Mexico, and a lack of sufficient insurance is one driver of the trend, according to a recent study.

In addition to the 35 notifiable infectious diseases, 95 infectious diseases not required to be reported to public health authorities were also uncovered by the population-based observational study.

Both fidaxomicin and vancomycin are recommended for treatment of Clostridioides difficile infections, but real-world data suggest fidaxomicin should be the go-to treatment option.

Democrats and Republicans are near agreement on a $10 billion COVID-19 funding package; scientists perform the first complete, gapless sequence of a human genome; more than a third of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the pandemic.

The presence of antigen-specific and neutralizing antibodies was not associated with Clostridioides difficile infection symptoms, severity, therapy approach, treatment response, or recurrences in a new exploratory study.

Improving the prevention and diagnosis of primary Clostridioides difficile infection in older adults could reduce mortality and economic burden, according to recent research.

Starting July 1, credit-reporting giants will remove certain medical debts; AstraZeneca’s Evusheld was shown to reduce the viral load of subvariants BA.1, BA1.1, and BA.2; about 4% of middle school students and 13% of high school students use some type of tobacco product, according to a report.

Cases of Clostridioides difficile (C diff) have increasingly been reported outside of typical settings, and a survey of general practitioners in France found that many cases can be managed without hospitalization.

From one-stop testing and treatment sites to boosting research and surveillance, Biden administration health officials expanded on the COVID-19 plan the president announced in his State of the Union address Tuesday night, but the plan will require additional funding from Congress.

Closing out their discussion on recurrent clostridium difficile infection management, experts share closing thoughts and hopes for the future.

Panelists review unmet needs in clostridium difficile infection management and consider how medical policies are evolving to address them.

Shared insight on the process to gain access to fecal microbiota transplant for patients with clostridium difficile infection.

A focused discussion on the barriers to fecal microbiota transplant for patients with clostridium difficile infection.

Experts focus on the current state of fecal microbiota transplant as a treatment option for clostridium difficile infection.

Panelists take a step back to consider the broader challenges in managing patients with clostridium difficile infection.