Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Infectious Disease for September 2015. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Negative Spiritual Belief Linked to Worse Health Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Any degree of negative spiritual belief is associated with worse health outcomes, regardless of positive spiritual beliefs, according to a study published in the Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health.
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CDC Estimates HIV Prevalence in U.S. Adults From ’07 to ’12
THURSDAY, Sept. 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The estimated prevalence of HIV is 0.39 percent among U.S adults, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in the National Health Statistics Reports published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ebselen Shows Potential for Drug-Resistant Clostridium difficile
THURSDAY, Sept. 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An experimental study suggests that ebselen might be a new weapon in the fight against Clostridium difficile. The research, which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, was published in the Sept. 23 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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Health Insurance Deductibles Rising Faster Than Wages
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Health insurance deductibles have risen more than six times faster than American workers’ average wages since 2010, a Kaiser Family Foundation report says.
ICU for Pneumonia in Elderly Ups Survival, Not Costs
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Admitting older, low-risk patients with pneumonia to the intensive care unit (ICU) — compared with admission to regular wards — is linked with higher survival rates but not higher medical expenses, new research suggests. The study was published in the Sept. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
IOM: Most U.S. Patients Will Experience Diagnostic Error
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new report commissioned by the U.S. government contends that most Americans will encounter at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, sometimes with severe consequences for their physical and mental health.
Medical Schools Teaching Students About Costs of Care
TUESDAY, Sept. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many medical schools are integrating discussions of cost, value, and effectiveness into their curricula, according to Kaiser Health News.
Harms From Unnecessary Abx Extend Beyond Resistance
TUESDAY, Sept. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Use of antibiotics in patients with heart failure exacerbation in the absence of compelling evidence of infection is unnecessary and potentially harmful, according to teachable moment piece published online Sept. 21 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Docs in Productivity Models Likely to Encounter Compensation Caps
MONDAY, Sept. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians, especially those working in a productivity model, need to understand compensation caps, which are set at a specific percentile of national pay based on surveys, according to a report in Medical Economics.
Rotavirus Gastroenteritis Almost Absent in FUT2 Nonsecretors
MONDAY, Sept. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — U.S. children with a genetic polymorphism affecting FUT2 secretor status appear to be protected from severe rotavirus gastroenteritis, according to a study published online Sept. 21 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Medicaid, Non-Home Discharge Tied to Longer Hospital Stays
MONDAY, Sept. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Prolonged hospital length of stay (LOS) is more likely among patients who are Medicaid enrollees with complex hospital stays who were not discharged home, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Volunteer Doctors Need to Check Liability Coverage
FRIDAY, Sept. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physicians who volunteer their medical expertise should consider their legal risks, according to an article published online Sept. 3 in Medical Economics.
2012 Office Visits 57% Higher for Women than Men, Ages 1864
FRIDAY, Sept. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In 2012 there were an estimated 301 physician office visits per 100 persons, with higher rates for females and adults aged 65 years and older, according to a September data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
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Mid-Morning May Be Best Time for Workday Break
FRIDAY, Sept. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Choosing preferred activities for a work break and taking a break earlier in the shift are linked to more resource recovery after a break, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in the Journal of Applied Psychology.
Panel Develops Criteria for Appropriate Use of PICCs
THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An expert panel has developed the Michigan Appropriateness Guide for Intravenous Catheters (MAGIC), according to research published in the Sept. 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Complex Chronic Diseases Appear to Drive Frequent Admissions
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Patients who are frequently admitted to U.S. academic medical centers are significantly more likely than other patients to have multiple complex chronic conditions, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Women Less Likely to Be Full Professors Than Men
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In academic medicine, women are less likely to be full professors than men and have less startup funding than men, according to two studies published in the Sept. 15 issue of JAMA.
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H. pylori Linked to Increased Odds of Laryngeal Carcinoma
TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with significantly increased odds of laryngeal carcinoma but not pharyngeal cancer, according to a review published online Aug. 28 in Head & Neck.
Half of HIV-Positive Patients See Family Docs Exclusively for Care
TUESDAY, Sept. 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A large percentage of HIV-positive patients may see family physicians exclusively for their care, and these patients are more likely to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART) if their doctor has more experience in HIV care, according to research published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Bronchiolitis Clinical Practice Guidelines Vary in Quality
MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on acute viral bronchiolitis vary in quality, with the highest scoring domains being “scope and purpose” and “clarity of presentation,” according to a study published online Sept. 8 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
No Increase in Febrile Seizures With 2010-2011 TIV or PCV13
MONDAY, Sept. 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For the 2010-2011 influenza season, there was no increase in the risk of febrile seizures (FS) with the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) or the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), according to research published online Sept. 14 in Pediatrics.
FDA Announces New Steps to Improve Food Safety in U.S.
FRIDAY, Sept. 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced new steps Thursday to improve the cleanliness of food manufacturing plants in the wake of a string of foodborne illness outbreaks.
For Pharma Reps, Access to Physicians Continuing to Drop
FRIDAY, Sept. 11, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physician access for pharmaceutical representatives is continuing to decline, with access restricted to some degree for more than half of physicians, according to an AccessMonitor survey published by ZS.
Supportive Evidence for Daily PrEP Curbing HIV Transmission
THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Additional data supports daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV-negative gay men at high risk for infection. The findings were reported online Sept. 9 in The Lancet.
CDC: Second Death Reported in Salmonella Outbreak
THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A second death has been reported in a Salmonella outbreak that has been linked to contaminated cucumbers and caused 341 illnesses in 30 states, U.S. health officials said Wednesday.
4% Increase in Population of Actively Licensed Physicians
THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The total population of actively licensed physicians in the United States and the District of Columbia has increased by 4 percent since 2012, according to a report published in the Journal of Medical Regulation.
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Physician Re-Entry Program Set to Redress Physician Shortage
THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An online educational program aims to help physicians get back to work and reduce the nation’s physician shortage, according to an article published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Various Dermatoses May Occur After Acupuncture
THURSDAY, Sept. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Various dermatological adverse events may occur after acupuncture, with the most common adverse event being infectious skin disease, according to a study published online Sept. 4 in the International Journal of Dermatology.
Management, Treatment of Chronic Disease Up With ACA
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More Americans are getting health insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act, which may lead to many more people getting diagnosed and treated for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, a new study contends. The findings were published in the September issue of Health Affairs.
Accelerated MD Program Doesn’t Mar Academic Performance
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An accelerated baccalaureate (BA)/doctor of medicine (MD) program does not impair the academic performance of medical students, according to a study published online July 3 in Academic Medicine.
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ACP Supports Expanded Role of Telemedicine for Health Care
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Telemedicine can be beneficial, within the framework of an established physician-patient relationship, according to a position paper published online Sept. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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EHR Vendors Not Adhering to Usability Certification Standards
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Among electronic health record (EHR) products, there is a lack of adherence to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) standards, according to a research letter published in the Sept. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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AAP Recommends Flu Vaccine for All Children, Health Care Workers
TUESDAY, Sept. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — All eligible children and health care workers should receive influenza vaccination, according to new policy statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The policy statements were published online Sept. 7 in Pediatrics.
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CDC: Source of Infant Pertussis Infection Most Often a Sibling
TUESDAY, Sept. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Siblings are the most likely source of pertussis infection in infants, according to new research published online Sept. 7 in Pediatrics.
Herpes Zoster Vaccine Not Cost-Effective in Adults Aged 50 Years
TUESDAY, Sept. 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For adults aged 50 years, herpes zoster (HZ) vaccine does not appear to be cost-effective, according to a study published online Sept. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Life Expectancy Increases Seen Worldwide
FRIDAY, Sept. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Average life expectancy among people worldwide has risen by more than six years since 1990, and healthy life expectancy has climbed by more than five years, according to a new report published online Aug. 27 in The Lancet.
D.C. Needle-Exchange Program Curbed HIV Spread
FRIDAY, Sept. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A needle-exchange program in Washington, D.C., has successfully prevented new HIV infections, according to a study published online Sept. 3 in AIDS and Behavior.
Suggested Response Provided for In-Flight Medical Emergencies
FRIDAY, Sept. 4, 2015 (HealthDay News) — In a review article published online Sept. 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine, guidance is offered for physicians providing emergency in-flight medical care.
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Daily PrEP Prevents HIV Infection in High-Risk Individuals
THURSDAY, Sept. 3, 2015 (HealthDay News) — None of 657 patients who took a daily pill to prevent HIV infection contracted the virus over a period of more than two years, according to a study from Kaiser Permanente of San Francisco. The findings, published online Sept. 1 in Clinical Infectious Diseases, dispel concerns that use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) would lead to more HIV infections, The New York Times reported.
Study Compares Hospitalized Infection Risk for Biologics in RA
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with prior biologic exposure, the risk of hospitalized infection is increased with etanercept, infliximab, and rituximab versus abatacept, according to a study published online Aug. 28 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Too Little Sleep Can Quadruple Risk for the Common Cold
TUESDAY, Sept. 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Those who sleep less than six hours a night may be more than four times as likely to catch a cold as those who get more than seven hours of sleep, according to research published in the September issue of SLEEP.
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