Infectious Disease

The AJMC® Infectious Disease compendium is a comprehensive resource for news and interviews about the viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites that create illness and outbreaks.

Latest News

Avian Influenza: Prevention, Progress, and Public Health Priorities
Avian Influenza: Prevention, Progress, and Public Health Priorities

January 24th 2025

To learn more about the recent bird flu outbreaks, we spoke with Asha Shah, MD, director of infectious diseases and epidemiologist at Stamford Hospital.

Background of H5N1 word,Medical health concept - JUN LI - stock.adobe.com
New Insights Into H5N1 Variability in Human Mutations

January 17th 2025

Birdflu | Image Credit: © RafMaster-stock.adobe.com
Bird Flu Risk Remains Low, Despite First Reported Death

January 9th 2025

Addressing STIs Through Managed Care: Opportunities in Medicaid and Beyond
Addressing STIs Through Managed Care: Opportunities in Medicaid and Beyond

December 16th 2024

Nursing home care | Image credit: Kzenon - stock.adobe.com
Low RSV Vaccination Rates in Nursing Homes Highlight Urgent Need for Uptake

November 24th 2024

More News

neurologic complications.
September 21st 2022

Headaches, Mood Disturbances Among Neurologic Complications Linked With Monkeypox

Matthew Gavidia
Rare presentations of encephalitis and transverse myelitis are among neurologic consequences linked with orthopoxviruses of smallpox and monkeypox.
What We're Reading
September 16th 2022

What We’re Reading: Flu Season Warnings; Equity in Monkeypox Vaccine; Climate Change and Health Care Services

Julia Bonavitacola
Health experts warn that all should brace for a flu season that could be worse than the past 2 years; the CDC is opening applications to a vaccine equity program that will help those who may have limited access to the monkeypox vaccine; a new report found that health care services will be greatly affected by climate change.
hospital beds
September 13th 2022

Hospital Dramatically Decreased CDI With 2 Interventions

Laura Joszt, MA
Simply adding an admission screening question and a 2-step testing algorithm sharply decreased the number of Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) in the year after implementing the interventions.
What We're Reading
September 12th 2022

What We’re Reading: Biden Boosts Biotech; 9/11 Program Nearly Depleted; Tpoxx Safe in Monkeypox

AJMC Staff
President Joe Biden is set to sign an order to boost biotech as part of his Cancer Moonshot; the health care program for 9/11 survivors and first responders is running short on money; tecovirimat (Tpoxx) has been found to be safe in patients with monkeypox.
united states.
September 12th 2022

Exploring Current Response and Unmet Needs for Monkeypox: A Q&A With David E. Koren, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, AAHIVP, FIDSA

Matthew Gavidia Hayden E. Klein
David E. Koren, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, AAHIVP, FIDSA, infectious disease clinical pharmacist at Temple University Hospital, provides an update on current preventive efforts to address the monkeypox public health emergency in the United States and what steps are needed to protect at-risk populations.
Hospital patient.
September 10th 2022

Lower Risk of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infections Shown Over Past Decade

Matthew Gavidia
A 16% lower adjusted risk in recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections was found in 2018 compared with 2013 across diverse US sites part of the CDC’s Emerging Infections Program.
David E. Koren, PharmD.
September 9th 2022

Dr David Koren on At-Risk Populations, Educational Efforts in Monkeypox

Matthew Gavidia Hayden E. Klein
David E. Koren, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, AAHIVP, FIDSA, infectious disease clinical pharmacist at Temple University Hospital, discussed the risk posed by monkeypox among immunocompromised individuals and men who have sex with men, as well as the need for educational efforts to address misconceptions tied to the disease.
David E. Koren, PharmD.
September 2nd 2022

Dr David Koren Discusses Response to the Monkeypox Public Health Emergency

Matthew Gavidia Hayden E. Klein
David E. Koren, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, AAHIVP, FIDSA, infectious disease clinical pharmacist at Temple University Hospital, speaks on gaps in monkeypox vaccine availability and access and steps to improve response to the public health emergency.
Anthony Fauci, MD
August 22nd 2022

Fauci Announces He Is Stepping Down in December 2022

Allison Inserro
Anthony Fauci, MD, announced Monday he is stepping down in December 2022 from his various positions, including as head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, “to pursue the next chapter of my career” and that he is not retiring.
HPV
August 19th 2022

Effectiveness of HPV Vaccine Shown by Comparing Women Born in Different Decades

Julia Bonavitacola
A cross-sectional study found that human papillomavirus (HPV) had a higher probability of being diagnosed in women born in the 1980s compared with women born in the 1990s.
What We’re Reading: CDC Loosens COVID-19 Restrictions; New York DNA Database; Racial Disparities in Monkeypox
August 12th 2022

What We’re Reading: CDC Loosens COVID-19 Restrictions; New York DNA Database; Racial Disparities in Monkeypox

AJMC Staff
The CDC announced it would be loosening recommendations to battle COVID-19 to put more responsibilities on individuals; Mount Sinai Health System has started building a database of patient genetic information; parts of the country see racial disparities in individuals contracting monkeypox.
Image for What We're Reading News
August 10th 2022

What We’re Reading: Alzheimer Drug Setback; Rural Health Care Investment; Monkeypox Drug Delivery

AJMC Staff
Acadia Pharmaceuticals’ pimavanserin (Nuplazid) was not extended by the FDA to include Alzheimer-related psychosis; HHS/Health Resources and Service Administration vow to strengthen rural health care; a new deal has the United States paying $26 million for Siga Technologies’ Tpoxx.
Doctor and patient.
August 8th 2022

Hepatitis C Reinfection Rates Low After Successful Treatment in People Who Inject Drugs

Matthew Gavidia
Treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with direct-acting antiviral medications was associated with low HCV reinfection rates among patients who inject drugs, although risk for reinfection was highest in the first 24 weeks of treatment and among those with ongoing injecting drug use.
United states.
August 4th 2022

US Declares Monkeypox a Public Health Emergency

Matthew Gavidia
US cases of monkeypox have risen to 6600, and Thursday's declaration aims to provide enhanced testing, treatment, and vaccine capabilities nationwide.
Hospital staff with patient.
August 2nd 2022

Mortality Risk of Clostridioides difficile Infection Increased With Proton Pump Inhibitor Use

Matthew Gavidia
Proton pump inhibitor use was cited as the only avoidable risk factor for mortality in patients with Clostridioides difficile infection.
world maps
July 27th 2022

US Monkeypox Cases Number Nearly 3600 as HHS Approves Additional Vaccine

Allison Inserro
The number of monkeypox cases in the United States is close to 3600, the CDC said this week, and on Wednesday, HHS approved a supplement to the biologics license for a vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic to prevent smallpox and monkeypox.
nurse and patient.
July 26th 2022

Reduced Sepsis Mortality Risk Seen With High Nurse Staffing

Matthew Gavidia
Each additional hour of care per day provided by registered nurses to Medicare beneficiaries admitted to an acute care hospital with a sepsis diagnosis was associated with a 3% decreased risk of 60-day mortality.
Freda Pyles
July 23rd 2022

Clostridioides difficile Poses a Challenge in Rural Areas, Patient Says

Before she finally had successful treatment for her Clostridioides difficile infection in New Haven, Connecticut, Freda Pyles’ family physician in rural Pennsylvania was terrified and frustrated that he could not cure her and other patients.
hospital patient.
July 21st 2022

Hospital Readmission and Mortality Risk Greater With Clostridioides difficile Infection

Matthew Gavidia
Patients who experienced Clostridioides difficile infection had increased risks of mortality and hospital readmission, as well as greater length of stay and total hospital charges.
How a Patient Finally Resolved a Clostridioides difficile Infection
July 15th 2022

How a Patient Finally Resolved a Clostridioides difficile Infection

After struggling for months with a Clostridioides difficile infection, Freda Pyles traveled from her home to rural Pennsylvania to Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut for the therapy that ultimately healed her.
Hospital room patient.
July 13th 2022

Disinfectant Linked With Reduced Hospital-Onset Clostridioides difficile Infection

Matthew Gavidia
Hospital ward cleaning with potassium peroxymonosulphate-based environmental disinfectant and a decrease in days of therapy with carbapenems were associated with a reduction in the rate of hospital-onset Clostridioides difficile infection.
Freda Pyles
June 29th 2022

Describing a Clostridioides difficile Infection and the 6-Month Journey to a Diagnosis

Allison Inserro
At the end of September 2021, Freda Pyles, a resident of rural Pennsylvania, began an antibiotic for a dental infection. That set off a 6-month battle with Clostridioides difficile, which was misdiagnosed a few times before she was treated at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Here, she describes how she contracted the infection and what happened afterwards.
Dr Preethi Venkat Discusses Differences in Hospitalizations for C diff, IBD Only
June 28th 2022

Dr Preethi Venkat Discusses Differences in Hospitalizations for C diff, IBD Only

Hayden E. Klein Lindsey Mulrooney
Preethi Venkat, MD, second-year internal medicine resident at the University of California, San Diego, discusses differences in hospitalizations for patients with irritable bowel disease (IBD) and Clostridioides difficile (C diff) infection vs those with IBD hospitalized for other reasons.
FMT Is Cost Effective for Any Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection, Study Says
June 27th 2022

FMT Is Cost Effective for Any Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection, Study Says

Lindsey Mulrooney
Research found fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to be an optimal cost-effective treatment strategy for first and subsequent recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), challenging current guidelines.
graphic of teddy bear
June 23rd 2022

Merck's Pneumococcal Vaccine Expanded for Wider Use in Children

AJMC Staff
The FDA and the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Wednesday gave positive decisions on an expanded indication for Merck’s pneumococcal 15-valent conjugate vaccine (Vaxneuvance).
Women “Significantly” More Likely to Develop Long COVID, Review Finds
June 22nd 2022

Women “Significantly” More Likely to Develop Long COVID, Review Finds

Mary Caffrey
The study, published in Current Medical Research and Opinion, finds that females were 22% more likely than males to have long COVID, which was defined as having symptoms that lasted more than 4 weeks after onset.
What We're Reading
June 13th 2022

What We're Reading: COVID-19 Vaccine Works in Children Under 5; Gun Deal Focuses on Mental Health; Other Viruses Flare Up

AJMC Staff
The FDA determined that the 3-dose Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine worked in children aged 6 months through 4 years; the bipartisan Senate gun deal will focuses on mental health; the pandemic has other viruses acting mysteriously, with children diagnosed with respiratory viruses in May and June.
What We're Reading: FTC Launches PBM Inquiry; FDA Advisers Recommend Novavax; Drug Prices Soar
June 8th 2022

What We're Reading: FTC Launches PBM Inquiry; FDA Advisers Recommend Novavax; Drug Prices Soar

AJMC Staff
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched an inquiry into the practices of pharmacy benefit managers; FDA advisers overwhelmingly support approval of Novavax, a new COVID-19 vaccine; drug prices soar to 20% annual inflation.
patient speaking with doctor
May 28th 2022

Treatments That Leverage SCFAs May Be Effective in Clostridioides difficile Infection

Jaime Rosenberg
Citing outbreaks of Clostridioides difficile infection in both America and Europe, the researchers emphasized the need for more effective treatments.
Microbiome
May 24th 2022

Investigational Biotherapeutic Offers Relief From CDI Recurrence by “Filling in the Cracks” in the Microbiome

Christina Mattina
Abstracts presented at Digestive Disease Week 2022 showed that RBX2660, an investigational microbiota-based drug, was more likely to reduce the recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) compared with placebo.
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