Infectious Disease

Natasha Halasa, MD, MPH, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, discusses her role as principal investigator of the Vanderbilt site of the New Vaccine Surveillance Network.

Just 8.5% of eligible patients were screened for hepatitis C virus (HCV); among them, 5.9% tested positive for the HCV antibody, and 3.0% had an active infection.

This year’s most-read articles on infectious disease explored topics like vitamin D deficiency, COVID-19 masking, and Clostridioides difficile infection.

The researchers explained that future studies should explore how the physical, emotional, and social impact of hepatitis B on patients could be measured and incorporated into clinical management.

Ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, and piperacillin/tazobactam showed the greatest associations with adverse drug reaction case reports related to C difficile.

Although direct-mail self-sampling significantly increased cervical cancer screening, the opt-in approach only minimally increased screening.

Data from the phase 3 study confirmed the lot consistency, immunogenicity, safety, and tolerability of a toxoid-based Clostridioides difficile vaccine.

This article estimates the comprehensive value of direct-acting antivirals for the treatment of hepatitis C virus using a generalized cost-effectiveness analysis.

Consumers should not eat precut cantaloupe if they do not know the source, as the number of illnesses and recalls tied to a deadly salmonella outbreak grows; the White House and the Department of Education urged schools to take proactive steps to prevent youth drug use; a study published this week found a high prevalence of arrhythmia in patients with long COVID.

Researchers hypothesized that health care personnel (HCP) influenza vaccination coverage decreased during the pandemic because individuals may have believed that it was less important than in previous years.

Health officials said that at least 7 states reported high levels of illness, with cases also rising in other parts of the country; a group of Senate Democrats demanded answers about the shortage of nirsevimab, a new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) drug; Pentagon officials told Congress that eliminating per- and polyfluorinated substances would undermine military readiness.

Christian John Lillis, cofounder and executive director of the Peggy Lillis Foundation for C difficile Education & Advocacy, explained how FDA-approved microbiome-based therapeutics help to treat and prevent C difficile infection.

The CDC has published updated recommendations for the postexposure prevention and treatment of Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) infection; the FDA has granted marketing approval to an at-home chlamydia and gonorrhea test; lawmakers and Veterans Affairs officials acknowledge the potential for psychedelic drugs to treat veterans’ mental health conditions and prevent suicide.

To combat C difficile, Christian John Lillis, cofounder and executive director of the Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. Diff Education & Advocacy, noted that awareness and innovation must continue to increase.

Amid National C. Diff Awareness Month, Christian John Lillis, cofounder and executive director of the Peggy Lillis Foundation for C. Diff Education & Advocacy, explains the foundation's "See C. diff" campaign and what the PLF hopes the public will learn throughout the month.

Natasha Halasa, MD, MPH, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, discusses the most pressing diarrheal illness challenges and successful strategies physicians can use to reduce this burden in patients.

A study suggests that human papillomavirus (HPV) screenings should be updated due to effective HPV vaccines; a new study shows that osimertinib (Tagrisso, AstraZeneca) reduced both the 5-year risk of recurrent cancer and the risk of death in patients with stage 1B to 3A lung cancer; a new smartphone-controlled technology could help those who suffer from migraines.

The authors propose an investment in patient-centered care strategies to initiate and engage vulnerable populations with curative hepatitis C treatment.

A study showed the Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) treatment remained effective after subsequent systemic antibiotic exposure.

Patients being unaware of their hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is preventing the World Health Organization (WHO) from accomplishing its goal of eliminating HCV and hepatitis B virus as public threats by 2030.

The CDC found that the 2022-2023 influenza season had high severity among children and adolescents, resulting in them recommending that everyone receive the annual influenza vaccine by the end of October.

New phase 1B data support further investigation into Adiso Therapeutic's prospective treatment.

This analysis demonstrates value and innovation of direct-acting antivirals for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in the US Kaiser Permanente health system.

Age, fecal calprotectin level, toxin B polymerase chain reaction cycle threshold, immunosuppression, sex, and creatinine levels were identified as independent risk factors for developing recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection.

COVID-19 health care costs are significantly greater than those for influenza and pneumonia. Treatment costs for severe COVID-19 exceed those for influenza and pneumonia by approximately $50,000.