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Our weekly wrap-up of antimicrobial stewardship & antimicrobial resistance scans

CDC reports H1N2v flu case in Wisconsin

In its weekly flu update on Sep 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported two more variant H1N2 (H1N2v) infections, in Michigan and Wisconsin.

High rates of fatigue, brain fog 9 months after nonsevere COVID-19

About 9 months after COVID-19 infection, 19% of nonhospitalized adult patients in a German cohort had fatigue, 26% had mild cognitive impairment ("brain fog"), and 1% had moderate cognitive dysfunction, according to a multicenter study.

The study, published late last week in EClinicalMedicine, also showed that the incidence and risk factors for fatigue and cognitive impairment differed by age-group.

Fallout continues over Biden's 'pandemic is over' comments

At a routine press briefing today, two White House officials fielded questions about President Joe Biden's recent off-the-cuff comment during a news program that the pandemic is over, while acknowledging that COVID is still a problem.

Boston public schools reports first monkeypox case

Boston public schools (BPS) yesterday announced the first monkeypox case in an "adult member of the BPS community," according to a letter sent to parents. The school district said the person was isolating at home, and the district was working to identify exposed individuals.

Scottish report shows no increase in healthcare-associated infections

A new report from Scotland's national health service shows that three key healthcare-associated infections remained stable or declined from 2020 to 2021.

COVID pandemic worsened all-cause death inequities for non-White races

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically worsened disparities in all-cause death rates for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), Native Hawaiian, other Pacific Islander (NHOPI), and Black Americans and eroded mortality advantages for Asian and Hispanic groups, finds a study published yesterday in PNAS.

Study shows previous Omicron infection most protective against BA.2

A study in The Lancet Infectious Diseases demonstrates that previous Omicron BA.1 infection was the most protective factor against BA.2 infection (associated with a risk reduction of 72%) and gave greater protection than primary infection with pre-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 (38%) or three doses of an mRNA vaccine in people with no previous infection (46%).

Spero, GSK to partner on oral carbapenem for complicated UTIs

Biopharmaceutical company Spero Therapeutics announced today that it has entered into a licensing agreement with GSK for the antibiotic tebipenem pivoxil hydrobromide (HBr).

FDA advisers approve fecal transplant treatment for recurrent C difficile

Swiss biopharmaceutical company Ferring Pharmaceuticals announced yesterday that the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Vaccine and Related Biologic Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted in favor of the company's investigational fecal microbiota transplant (FMT)-based therapy.

Risk of neurologic disorders in US veterans rose in year after COVID

The risk of a range of neurologic conditions rose significantly in the year after COVID-19 infection among a group of US veterans—regardless of whether they had required hospitalization, according to a study published yesterday in Nature Medicine.

Our weekly wrap-up of antimicrobial stewardship & antimicrobial resistance scans

Omicron subvariants linked to reinfections

A new study based on COVID-19 patients in France shows high reinfection rates among people with different Omicron subvariants, including BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5. The study is published as a research letter in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Monkeypox vaccine 79% effective, according to Israeli preprint study

According to a new non-peer reviewed study out of Israel, the Jynneos vaccine is 79% effective against monkeypox infection.

The study was based on patients eligible for monkeypox vaccine seen in the Clalit Health Services system between Jul 31 and Sep 12, 2022. Of 1,970 subjects eligible for the study, 873 (44%) were vaccinated with Jynneos and completed at least 25 days of follow-up.

SARS-CoV-2 mutation leads to resistance to remdesivir in 2 patients

A report published yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases describes a new SARS-CoV-2 mutation that confers resistance to the COVID-19 antiviral drug remdesivir in two persistently infected kidney transplant recipients treated with immunosuppressive drugs.

Trial supports protocol for reducing antibiotics in suspected sepsis cases

An opt-out protocol for antibiotic de-escalation in patients with suspected sepsis resulted in more antibiotic discontinuations and less exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics, with no evidence of harm, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial published today in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

High-flow oxygen not better than standard O2 in COVID respiratory failure

High-flow oxygen didn't significantly lower death rates beyond those of standard oxygen therapy in COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure, according to a multicenter randomized clinical trial published yesterday in JAMA.

COVID Omicron variant shown to spread better in households than Delta

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is much more transmissible among household members than Delta, with an estimated secondary attack rate (SAR) from thrice-vaccinated index patients of 46%, compared with 11% for Delta, finds a study published today in Nature Communications.

The SAR is the percentage of contacts who become infected by an index (initial) patient.

UK report shows rise in resistant, sexually transmitted Shigella

A report yesterday from the United Kingdom's Health Security Agency (HSA) shows sexually transmitted Shigella infections are rising again in England after falling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wide healthcare transmission of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella noted

A multicenter US study identified widespread nosocomial transmission of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) within and between healthcare settings, researchers reported yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Ebola Sudan infects 4 more in Uganda, 54 total

Uganda's health ministry on Twitter today reported four more lab-confirmed Ebola Sudan cases, as well as one more death in a patient with a confirmed infection. The developments push the country's overall total to 54 cases, 35 of them confirmed and 19 listed as probable. The latest death brings Uganda's fatality count to 25, 7 in confirmed patients and 18 in people who had probable infections.

Our weekly wrap-up of antimicrobial stewardship & antimicrobial resistance scans

Wide healthcare transmission of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella noted

A multicenter US study identified widespread nosocomial transmission of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) within and between healthcare settings, researchers reported yesterday in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Study: Paxlovid effective for COVID-19, not tied to higher risk of rebound

The oral antiviral drug Paxlovid is safe and effective for treating COVID-19 and carries no additional risk of viral rebound beyond other treatments, according to a meta-analysis published late last week in the Journal of Infection.

CDC, FDA investigate multistate Listeria outbreak

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating a multistate Listeria outbreak linked to brie and camembert cheeses.

Ohio and Florida data show more Republican excess COVID-19 deaths

New statistics from Ohio and Florida published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) show that Republicans have suffered more COVID-related excess deaths than Democrats, adding to the literature that demonstrates the link between political party affiliation, vaccination uptake, and COVID-19 mortality.