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News Scan for Dec 11, 2020

CDC reports first pediatric flu death of the new flu season

Though flu activity in the United States remains well below expected levels for this time of year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported the first pediatric flu death of the 2020-21 season, a child who died from influenza B.

  • US pediatric flu death
  • Polio in 4 countries
  • More avian flu in Europe

News Scan for Dec 10, 2020

First US case of gonorrhea with resistance-conferring mutation identified

A paper today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR) describes the first US case of Neisseria gonorrhoeae harboring a genetic element that confers resistance to a first-line antibiotic.

  • Drug-resistant gonorrhea in Nevada
  • Novel type 2 polio vaccines
  • Global flu remains low

News Scan for Dec 04, 2020

Extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains detected in Italy

Two extensively drug-resistant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae identified in two patients at an Italian hospital in May appear to be a dangerous variant of a strain that caused an outbreak in Tuscany in 2018 and 2019, Italian scientists reported yesterday in Eurosurveillance.

  • XDR Klebsiella strains in Italy
  • Polio in 3 countries
  • More avian flu outbreaks

News Scan for Nov 20, 2020

CWD confirmed in 2 Minnesota deer, bringing 2020 total to 16

Two deer recently tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD), reports the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), bringing the state's 2020 cases to 16 and total cases to 95.

  • More CWD in Minnesota
  • Polio in 6 countries

News Scan for Nov 13, 2020

Pharmacist-led stewardship linked to improved antibiotic prescribing

An antibiotic stewardship program (ASP) intervention led by ambulatory care pharmacists was associated with improvements in guideline-concordant antibiotic prescribing in a family medicine residency clinic, researchers reported today in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

  • Pharmacist-led stewardship
  • COVID-19 and antibiotic use
  • Polio in 3 countries
  • More H5N8 avian flu in poultry
  • US food outbreaks

News Scan for Nov 06, 2020

UK study finds CRP tests tied to lower antibiotic prescribing for cough

The use of point-of-care C-reactive protein (CRP) tests in primary care practices reduced the odds of prescribing antibiotics for cough by 21%, a non-significant but clinically relevant reduction, researchers reported yesterday in Eurosurveillance.

  • CRP stewardship testing for cough
  • Measles vaccine education
  • H9N2 avian flu case in China
  • Polio in 8 countries

News Scan for Oct 30, 2020

Telemedicine linked to more appropriate antibiotic prescribing for UTIs

Telemedicine visits for urinary tract infections (UTIs) were associated with more appropriate antibiotic prescribing and decreased use of diagnostic and follow-up resources than virtual visits, according to the results of a primary care network study published yesterday in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

  • UTI telemedicine antibiotic prescribing
  • ICE detention center outbreaks
  • Polio in 7 countries

News Scan for Oct 23, 2020

Ten countries add more cases to their polio totals

Ten countries reported a total of 87 new polio cases over the past week, including Afghanistan and Pakistan seven African nations, and Yemen, according to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

  • Polio in 10 countries
  • Dutch H5N8 avian flu detections

News Scan for Oct 22, 2020

Report shows significant drop in European veterinary antibiotic sales

Sales of veterinary antibiotics in European countries fell by more than one-third from 2011 through 2018, according to a report yesterday from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

  • Decline in Europe's veterinary antibiotics
  • Antibiotic research data shared
  • WHO polio statement

News Scan for Oct 16, 2020

US emergency sick leave act tied to reduced COVID-19 cases

The emergency sick leave provision of the Mar 18 bipartisan Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) appears to have reduced the spread of the virus. A Health Affairs study yesterday found that states where workers could get up to 2 weeks of paid sick leave showed 417 fewer confirmed cases per day, or an average of 1 prevented case per day per 1,300 workers.

  • Sick leave and the COVID curve
  • Who wears masks?
  • Polio in 6 countries
  • Peach-linked Salmonella outbreak winds down

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