Infectious Disease Topics
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Zoster Vaccine Recombinant Adjuvanted (Shingrix)
The FDA has approved a second zoster vaccine for the prevention of shingles in adults.
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Prevention of Clostridium difficile Recurrence by Orally Administered Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
Fecal microbiota transplantation orally administered in capsules was non-inferior to administration by colonoscopy.
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Unexpected Benefit of Pneumococcal Vaccine in Decreasing the Burden of Otitis Media
Surveillance data collected prospectively in Israel reveal a decline in progression from pneumococcal carriage to complex otitis media in both vaccine-targeted and non-vaccine serotypes following implementation of routine use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Vaccinating against pneumococcal serotypes causing early-life infections may reduce the risk of subsequently developing complex otitis media due to other organisms.
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Follow-up Blood Cultures in Gram-negative Bacteremia — Don’t Order Them
In contrast to blood cultures obtained on therapy in patients with Gram-positive bacteremia and endocarditis, follow-up blood cultures in patients with Gram-negative bacteremia seldom provide useful information.
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Spinal Epidural Abscess
Non-operative management of spinal epidural abscess is safe and effective in selected patients.
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Self-administered Weekly Therapy for Latent Tuberculosis Is Non-inferior to Directly Observed Therapy in the United States
A randomized clinical trial conducted in the United States and three other countries compared self-administered isoniazid and rifapentine with and without weekly reminders to directly observed therapy (DOT). Self-administered therapy without reminders was non-inferior to DOT in the United States; no other comparisons met non-inferiority criteria.
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Secnidazole Oral Granules (Solosec)
The FDA has approved the first oral single-dose treatment for bacterial vaginosis in adult women.
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Etiology of Acute Liver Failure and Next-generation Sequencing
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing was applied to examine serum from 204 adult patients with acute liver failure (ALF). Researchers identified a potential viral etiology in eight of the 187 patients with ALF of indeterminate etiology. Potential pathogens identified in these included HSV-1, HBV, parvovirus B19, CMV, and HHV-7.
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Stewardship, Science, and Spirituality
Awareness of a patient’s and family’s belief system might help physicians appropriately frame explanations about the importance of antimicrobial stewardship.
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Meropenem-vaborbactam
Meropenem-vaborbactam (Vabomere) is the latest β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor (BLI), approved by the FDA in August 2017 for treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI), including pyelonephritis, caused by susceptible Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae species complex in adults older than 18 years of age.