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DRC's 13th Ebola outbreak declared over

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today declared the end of its thirteenth Ebola outbreak, given that two 21-day incubation periods have passed since the last patient was discharged from treatment, the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional office said today.

Trial finds no mortality benefit from azithromycin for kids' diarrhea

A randomized trial involving more than 8,000 children in low-income settings found that azithromycin did not improve mortality in children with acute diarrhea, an international team of researchers reported yesterday in JAMA Network Open.

COVID-19 breakthrough cases confer 'super immunity,' study finds

COVID-19 breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated US adults substantially boosted humoral immunity and demonstrated cross-neutralization against the Delta (B1617.2) variant, despite mostly mild illness, finds a small study yesterday in JAMA.

Humoral immunity involves antibodies secreted by B cells circulating in bodily fluids.

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

Trial finds no mortality benefit from azithromycin for kids' diarrhea

A randomized trial involving more than 8,000 children in low-income settings found that azithromycin did not improve mortality in children with acute diarrhea, an international team of researchers reported yesterday in JAMA Network Open.

Stewardship steps tied to reduced antibiotics, C diff at community hospital

Implementation of a multifaceted antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) in a large community hospital in New Jersey was associated with significant, sustained reductions in unnecessary antibiotic use, Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) rates, and antimicrobial acquisition costs, researchers reported late last week in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.

COVID ICU patients with acute kidney injury at higher risk for death

A small observational study presented over the weekend at the online Euroanaesthesia conference suggests that, of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), those with acute kidney injury (AKI) are more likely to die in the hospital than those with a history of kidney disease.

Study: 0 of 107 French teens with MIS-C fully vaccinated against COVID-19

A study of 107 French teens hospitalized with the COVID-19–related multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) shows that none had been fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, and only 7 had received one dose.

Unvaccinated at up to 4 times the risk of symptomatic COVID infection

People unvaccinated against COVID-19 were at up to four times the risk of infection, finds a JAMA Network Open study based on tests taken at US retail pharmacies, most of them after the emergence of the Delta (B1617.2) variant.

New metric aims to capture antibiotic prescribing among pediatricians

A team of pediatricians in Massachusetts has developed a new metric for capturing the range of antibiotic prescribing among pediatricians for common clinical scenarios.

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

New metric aims to capture antibiotic prescribing among pediatricians

Originally published by CIDRAP News Dec 22

A team of pediatricians in Massachusetts has developed a new metric for capturing the range of antibiotic prescribing among pediatricians for common clinical scenarios.

US flu activity shows another jump, first two peds deaths reported

United States flu activity jumped again the week ending Dec 18, with eight states reporting high or very high activity and the first two pediatric flu deaths reported for the season, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its regular update.

COVID-19 linked to increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes

A retrospective study of a large cohort of US pregnancies during the COVID-19 pandemic found that infection with SARS-CoV-2 was associated with increased risks for poor pregnancy outcomes, an international team of researchers reported today in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Fully vaccinated people with immune dysfunction at higher risk of breakthrough COVID

Full vaccination against COVID-19 was associated with reduced risk of breakthrough infection, but risk of breakthrough infection was much higher among fully vaccinated people with immune dysfunction than those without, US researchers reported today in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Probe of first US Omicron cluster hints at shorter incubation period

The incubation period for the Omicron variant may be shorter than for Delta and the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, Nebraska researchers reported yesterday, based on an analysis of the first known Omicron cluster in the United States. The team reported its findings yesterday in an early online edition of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

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

Study finds high prevalence of antibiotic use in Latin American hospitals

Originally published by CIDRAP News Dec 29

US flu markers continue steady rise

US flu markers rose again last week, though reporting may be impacted by holiday-related delays, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly update, which covers the week ending Dec 25.

CDC reports new E coli outbreak linked to leafy greens

Late last week the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted an outbreak notice about an Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak related to mixed leafy greens.

Study finds measurable drop in lung volume after mild COVID infection

Nonhospitalized patients who recovered from asymptomatic to mild COVID-19 can experience small but measurable drops in dynamic lung volume, Danish researchers reported yesterday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. They note that lower lung function, even within the normal ranges, is a risk factor for higher respiratory morbidity and mortality.

Large study finds supports safety of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women

A large multistate cohort study of more than 40,000 pregnant women and their nonpregnant peers found no link between COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and preterm or small-for-gestational-age births.

Trial finds three rounds of azithromycin better than one for yaws reduction

The results of a randomized trial in Papua New Guinea suggest three rounds of mass administration of azithromycin led to a greater reduction in the prevalence of yaws than a single round, researchers reported today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Preprint study shows significant vaccine efficacy waning in adolescents

Yesterday a new preprint study out of Israel showed the efficacy of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine waned in 12- to 17-year-olds in a similar pattern seen in adult recipients. Within 5 month after completing the initial two-dose vaccinations series, protection against infection with SARS-CoV-2 dropped to 58%. The study was published on the preprint server medRxiv.

US flu activity continues steady rise

For the week ending Jan 1, most US flu indicators rose, with the season still dominated by H3N2 and now affecting a range of age-groups and hitting the northeastern and central regions hardest, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest weekly update.

Study finds little menstrual cycle change after COVID vaccination

Despite anecdotal reports of alternations in menstrual cycle following COVID-19 vaccination, a study looking at the connection found little impact. A research team based at Oregon Health & Science University published their findings this week in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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

Study describes outbreak of highly resistant, deadly Klebsiella in India

Indian researchers yesterday reported on a hospital outbreak of two strains of extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Their findings appeared in Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control.

T cells induced by common colds help cross-protect against COVID-19

T cells induced by infection with coronaviruses such as those that cause the common cold might help protect against COVID-19, finds a small UK study today in Nature Communications.