Infectious Disease

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.

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

In an interview conducted before the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant began driving another wave of infections, Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, FASTMH, discussed the struggle public health officials and scientists have in fighting false beliefs about vaccinations.

This year's most-viewed content in infectious disease was dominated by COVID-19, as the Delta variant continued to strain the US health care system. It also included news about Clostridioides difficile.

Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, of Texas Oncology, and Lucio Gordan, MD, of Florida Cancer Specialists, MD, presented data from a study they conducted in partnership with the Community Oncology Alliance and Avalere Health.

When a flu season is mild, it can make developing a vaccine for the following season a bit more difficult as it can be hard to find the right match, but on the other hand, the US health system could benefit from less stress this winter given the unrelenting demands posed by COVID-19, says Leslie Kantor, PhD, MPH, chair and professor of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers School of Public Health.

Payer participants consider how they proactively risk stratify patients for clostridium difficile infection recurrence.

Two doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine have reduced efficacy against the Omicron variant; a federal appeals court reinstates the Biden administration’s health care worker vaccine mandate in 26 states; a new combination therapy may reduce breast cancer progression.

A brief review of the role of bezlotoxumab therapy for patients at high risk for clostridium difficile infection recurrence.

An overview on how the cost of therapy for recurrent clostridium difficile infection may impact treatment planning.

Focused discussion on the use of fidaxomicin for clostridium difficile infection, and possible barriers to the selection of this agent.

Misinformation about flu vaccines must be dealt with immediately, according to Leslie Kantor, PhD, MPH, chair and professor of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers School of Public Health.

Payer participants break down how coverage criteria are determined for treatments for clostridium difficile infection.

Shared insight on the differences between ACG and IDSA/SHEA treatment guidelines for patients with clostridium difficile infection.

Results of a nationwide retrospective cohort study show maternal infection with syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.

The report briefly explained the policy options that policymakers can use to help address challenges related to vaccine research and development, testing, and manufacturing, as well as the economic challenges related to vaccine development for infectious diseases.

A panel of experts review treatment goals and assessing response in patients with recurrent clostridium difficile infection.

A broad view on the impact of recurrent clostridium difficile infection on patients and the healthcare system at large.

A multifaceted approach focused on enforcing basic infection prevention practices and promoting education about Clostridioides difficile (C difficile) transmission led to a reduction in the number of infections in a hospital setting.

The FDA decision was followed by a CDC advisory panel meeting Friday, and as expected, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, who has spoken in favor of booster shots, signed off on the plan.

Experts focus on recurrent clostridium difficile infection to define risk factors and discuss impact on patient outcomes.

Opening their discussion, panelists elucidate patient factors that may impact risk of developing clostridium difficile infection.