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CDC closes investigation on 1,127-case Salmonella outbreak tied to onions

As of Oct 8, public health investigators and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have concluded their investigation of a Salmonella Newport outbreak that has resulted in 1,127 confirmed cases and 167 hospitalizations across 48 states.

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

EU lawmakers urge action on antibiotic shortages, development

Originally published by CIDRAP News Oct 7

European lawmakers yesterday called for the European Union (EU) to address antibiotic shortages and antibiotic development as key components of its forthcoming Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe.

Convalescent plasma doesn't cut death, hospital stays in COVID patients

A study late last week found that convalescent plasma (CP) treatment did not significantly reduce mortality, but improved hospital discharge rates for patients 65 and older. The study in Clinical Infectious Diseases is one of the first to analyze clinical outcomes for closely matched cohorts of CP and control patients. 

FDA considers revising criteria for ranking medically important antibiotics

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late last week published a concept paper outlining potential revisions to criteria that the agency uses to guide the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in veterinary medicine.

COVID-19 passed from humans to large cats at Bronx Zoo, study suggests

The first SARS-CoV-2 infections in US animals were confirmed in large cats at the Bronx Zoo in March during the height of the local COVID-19 outbreak. An American Society for Microbiology study today details the genomic characteristics of viruses that infected zookeepers, four tigers, and three African lions, supporting a human-to-animal transmission pathway.

CARB-X taps Swiss company to develop antibiotic for Enterobacteriaceae

CARB-X announced today that it is awarding up to $2.62 million to Swiss biopharmaceutical company Polyphor AG to develop a new antibiotic to treat infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE).

Study finds no increased COVID-19 risk for childcare workers

In one of the first large-scale studies of COVID-19 transmission in US childcare programs, no association was found between day care exposure and COVID-19 transmission risk for providers.

Study will examine risk factors for multidrug-resistant infections

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) announced yesterday that it has received an $11 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to conduct a 5-year study to better understand why some critically ill patients develop multidrug-resistant infections.

Poor, non-white districts less likely to reopen, study finds

A study yesterday in Journal of School Choice found that US schools in poor districts with large non-white student populations are less likely to reopen fully for the 2020 to 2021 academic year.

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.

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

Study will examine risk factors for multidrug-resistant infections

Originally published by CIDRAP News Oct 15

Trial finds no significant COVID effect of pre-exposure hydroxychloroquine

A randomized, controlled clinical trial involving high-risk healthcare workers found that pre-exposure prophylaxis with hydroxychloroquine once or twice weekly did not significantly reduce COVID-19 compared with placebo, researchers reported late last week in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

VA study finds increased antibiotic use during early months of COVID-19

Data from inpatient Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals show a significant increase in antibiotic use from January to May, largely negating a downward trend over the previous 5 years, researchers reported today in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.

Minorities in food, agriculture jobs especially hard hit by COVID-19

Racial and ethnic minority workers have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in food manufacturing and agriculture workplaces, according to a study yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Demographics were not available for all 742 sites surveyed across 30 states, but for those that were, 83.2% of confirmed cases involved minorities even though they made up only 47.4% of all workers.

Cellics receives $3.94 million from CARB-X for sepsis treatment

Today CARB-X announced it is funding $3.94 million to Cellics Therapeutics, based in San Diego, to further its nanomedicine treatment for sepsis.

COVID-19 infectious period ranges from 10 to 20 days, study finds

A study yesterday in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology found that individuals with mild or no COVID-19 symptoms may be infectious for no more than about 10 days, while those with severe illness may be able to spread the virus for as long as 20 days. The infectious periods align with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for isolation time.

CDC prison study helps redefine SARS-CoV-2 close contact

A paper published yesterday in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlights a case study the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has used to update how it defines close contacts of people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

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).

Lower COVID-19 viral loads found in asymptomatic children

In the first large study looking at SARS-CoV-2 viral loads (VL) in asymptomatic children, researchers found that VL were 3 to 4 logs lower compared with symptomatic children, which was consistent with the difference in median cycle threshold (Ct) values—10.3 cycles—between the two groups.

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).

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

Report shows significant drop in European veterinary antibiotic sales

Originally published by CIDRAP News Oct 22

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).

Survey: Few outpatient clinics have fully functional stewardship programs

A multicenter survey found that only 7% of ambulatory healthcare settings in the United States have fully functional antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs), researchers reported late last week in Open Forum Infectious Diseases.

CDC report highlights COVID-19 prevalence in US healthcare workers

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that US healthcare workers accounted for 6% of COVID-19 hospitalizations from March through May.

Experts offer return-to-play guidance for COVID-19 in athletes

Sports cardiologists in JAMA Cardiology yesterday updated guidance for athletes returning to play (RTP) after COVID-19 infection. The authors recommended a risk stratification approach, with screening for cardiac injury only for athletes with severe disease or preexisting cardiovascular (CV) conditions.

Panel issues C difficile guidance for low- and middle-income countries

A panel of experts convened by the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) has released a set of recommendations for preventing Clostridioides difficile infections in hospitals in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).