Infectious Disease

An increased risk of hospitalization for more than 6 days due to community-acquired infections was associated with male sex and admittance to the Pulmonology or Surgery department, with risk shown to differ according to pathogen.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) reaffirmed previous recommendations against routine serologic screening for genital herpes infection among asymptomatic adolescents and adults, including pregnant individuals.

Jessica Allegretti, MD, MPH, medical director of the Crohn's and Colitis Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, discussed how the FDA’s approval of Rebyota for the prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) may promote cost effective management of CDI for patients and health systems.

Data released in the CDC’s latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicate that patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis who are Black, Hispanic/Latino, or of lower socioeconomic status (SES) are at greater risk of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections, with Hispanic/Latino ethnicity cited as an independent risk factor.

Vaccination was shown to lower risk of developing severe COVID-19 in both variants, with the largest difference in risk observed in patients aged 40 to 59 years.

HHS updated guidance for states using Medicaid managed care to manage nonmedical needs; anxieties surrounding new variants rise amidst underreported COVID-19 cases in China, which defended its counts; public health campaigns try new strategies to increase trust and promote immunizations.

The Chinese government warns of backlash for countries requiring COVID-19 testing of travelers from China; monoclonal antibody drugs show some promise against infectious diseases, but costs need to be lower; the role of FDA and Biogen in approving Alzheimer drug Aduhelm is detailed in a scathing Congressional committee report.

The top 5 most-read articles for infectious disease in 2022 explored preventive efforts and therapeutic innovations against Clostridioides difficile infections, as well as federal action on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jessica Allegretti, MD, MPH, medical director of the Crohn's and Colitis Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, explained the mechanism of action for Rebyota, the first fecal transplant therapy approved by the FDA for the prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in individuals 18 years and older, following antibiotic treatment for recurrent CDI.

Several therapeutic innovations in the management of Clostridioides difficile infection recurrence, current evidence on the efficacy of weight loss procedures in reversing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and an interview the use of artificial intelligence were spotlighted at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2022.

Use of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment (without interferon) was shown to reduce liver and nonliver complications, as well as improve long-term overall survival among patients with chronic hepatitis C.

A cross-sectional study showed that patients experiencing homelessness were at more than 2-fold greater age-adjusted mortality risk due to COVID-19 compared with the general population, with these increased risks observed across race/ethnicity and sex status.

Patients with diabetes who reported use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or metformin prior to COVID-19 infection were associated with lower COVID-19–related adverse outcomes during hospitalization.

The monthly volume of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine doses administered have returned to the level observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic among children in an integrated health care system in California, but HPV vaccine coverage remains lower compared with prepandemic levels.

Ferring’s Rebyota, a novel first-in-class microbiota-based live biotherapeutic, has been approved by the FDA for the prevention of recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in individuals 18 years and older, following antibiotic treatment for recurrent CDI.

Elderly Japanese patients with a high geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) were associated with significantly better Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) relapse-free survival compared with those with low GNRI.

Individuals who completed their full primary series of COVID-19 vaccination were more likely to report getting the influenza vaccine vs those who did not, and vice versa.

Negative trial results come in for Roche’s experimental Alzheimer disease drug; high risks of several adverse outcomes seen with repeated SARS-CoV-2 infection; Colorado has passed a measure to legalize 2 psychedelic compounds for medicinal and recreational use.

Pediatric patients who developed coexisting Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) while hospitalized for cystic fibrosis exhibited greater mortality risk, length of stay, and cost compared with those without cooccuring CDI.

A phase 3 study showed Ferring’s RBX2660, an investigational microbiota-based live biotherapeutic, to be safe and significantly reduce recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) after antibiotic treatment, with a sustained response achieved through 6 months.

A poster presented at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Nexus 2022 showed that patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI), who had Medicare Advantage Part D coverage or were enrolled in a commercial health plan were associated with significantly greater health care resource utilization, including emergency department and inpatient visits, compared with those without rCDI.

The FDA has issued a complete response letter to Gilead Sciences, indicating that it cannot approve the company’s first-in-class investigational entry-inhibitor, bulevirtide, for the treatment of chronic hepatitis D virus infection and compensated liver disease.

The number of tuberculosis cases has risen by 4.5% from 2021; Black and Hispanic patients with COVID-19 were less likely to receive paxlovid in 2022; a new report highlights declines in US cancer death rates between 2015 and 2019.

Microbiota restoration may be a solution for effectively treating patients with Clostridiodes difficile infection, according to researchers.

Improved outcomes associated with fidaxomicin compared with vancomycin suggest benefits from its greater use in Medicare patients, although uptake remains low despite its recommended use.

CDC's latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showed that US adults of non-Hispanic Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hispanic race/ethnicity exhibited significantly higher influenza hospitalization rates and lower vaccination coverage compared with White adults.

Compared with Ethiopia’s current nonmandatory hepatitis B vaccination program, expanded vaccination coverage among health care workers was shown to be more cost-effective and result in improved life expectancy gains.

Patients with hepatitis C virus infection and chronic homelessness who were placed into permanent supportive housing exhibited a significantly reduced risk of hospitalization and liver-related morbidity and mortality.

Children with acute infective conjunctivitis experienced significantly reduced duration of conjunctival symptoms when treated with topical antibiotics.

Optum and Change Healthcare have completed their merger initiated in 2021; efficacy of the Jynneos vaccine is in question after 90 of 7339 individuals contracted monkeypox after vaccination; the CDC will no longer maintain a list of country-by-country COVID-19 travel advisories.