Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Infectious Disease for December 2018. 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.
Low-Priced Generic Drugs Most Likely to Have Shortages
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The lowest-priced generic drugs are more likely to experience shortages, according to a study published in the November issue of Value in Health.
Universal Vaccination for MenB at College Entry Not Cost-Effective
THURSDAY, Dec. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Universal vaccination against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) at college entry does not appear to be cost-effective, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Initiative Can Cut Gender Gap in Medical School Faculty Salaries
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An institutional gender equity initiative (GEI) can reduce gender-based salary gaps among medical school faculty, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
Updated Guidelines Developed for Diagnosing, Treating Influenza
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The Infectious Diseases Society of America has updated their recommendations for the care of patients with suspected or diagnosed influenza; the clinical practice guidelines were published online Dec. 19 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Appalachia, Western States Have Highest Hep C Prevalence
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — States in the West and in Appalachia have a higher prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection than other states, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
ACOG: Interpregnancy Period Should Maximize Women’s Health
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Providers should maximize women’s health during the interpregnancy period, continuing care beyond the immediate postpartum period, according to a consensus report published online Dec. 20 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Drug Use-Associated Infective Endocarditis Up 2007 to 2017
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2017 there was an increase in drug-use associated infective endocarditis (DUA-IE) hospitalizations and valve surgeries, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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HPV Ups Cervical Cancer Risk, Even With No Cellular Signs
MONDAY, Dec. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The presence of certain high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types predicts future risk for high-grade cervical cancer even among women with no cellular indications of cancer at baseline, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Cancer.
FDA: Fluoroquinolones Tied to Heart Vessel Ruptures, Tears
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Patients taking fluoroquinolones may be at higher risk for ruptures or tears in the aorta, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.
Infection Control Compliance Not Tied to Knowledge
FRIDAY, Dec. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Home health care workers’ beliefs about infection prevention seem to have a greater influence on prevention protocol compliance than their absolute knowledge of infection control practices, according to a study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
Growth in Use of Telemedicine Seen From 2005 to 2017
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2005 to 2017, there was a substantial increase in telemedicine use, although use was still uncommon in 2017, according to a research letter published online Nov. 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Affordable Care Act Sign-Ups Higher Than Expected
THURSDAY, Dec. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Despite numerous difficulties, early figures show that sign-ups for health coverage next year under the Affordable Care Act are higher than expected.
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Exclusion of Doctors From Public Health Insurance Up 2007 to 2017
TUESDAY, Dec. 18, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2017, the number of physicians excluded from Medicare and state public insurance programs increased, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in JAMA Network Open.
Stethoscopes in ICU Show High Levels of Bacterial Contamination
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Stethoscopes in the intensive care unit (ICU) have high levels of bacterial contamination, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
Risk for Zoster Up Before Dx, During Tx of Hematologic Cancer
MONDAY, Dec. 17, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The risk for herpes zoster (zoster) is elevated during the two years preceding diagnosis and during treatment of hematological cancer, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Racial Disparities Seen Among Teens Undergoing Flu Vaccination
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Racial disparities exist among adolescents undergoing influenza vaccination, with lower odds of vaccination among black versus white adolescents, according to a study recently published in Public Health Reports.
Persistent Discrimination ID’d Among Physician Mothers
FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Physician mothers experience discrimination in a range of ways, which can impact the medical profession, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in The BMJ.
CDC: More Cases in Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Recalled Beef
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of illnesses in a Salmonella outbreak linked to beef products from Arizona-based JBS Tolleson Inc. now stands at 333 in 28 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC Food Safety Alert
Influenza Hospitalization More Likely in Underweight, Obese
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Adults with influenza are more likely to be hospitalized if they are obese or underweight than if they are normal weight, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.
Medication Errors Resulting in Death Most Common in Elderly
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medication errors in acute care that result in death occur most often in patients older than 75 years, with the most common error category being omitted medicine or ingredient, according to a study published online Nov. 22 in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy.
Enrollment Under the Affordable Care Act Down From Last Year
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is down with just days left to sign up, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
AP News Article
Guidance Offered for Infection Control in Anesthesia Work Area
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations have been developed for promotion of infection prevention policies in operating room (OR) anesthesia work areas; the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America guidance document was published online Dec. 11 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
2017 Saw Slowing in National Health Care Spending
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) — National health care spending slowed in 2017, according to a report published online Dec. 6 in Health Affairs.
Case Numbers of U.S. Children With Polio-Like Illness Hit Record High
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — There has been a record number of cases of a rare paralyzing illness among children in the United States this year, according to health officials.
U.S. Medical Schools See Increase in Diversity
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After implementation of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) diversity accreditation standards, U.S. medical schools saw increasing percentages of female, black, and Hispanic matriculants, according to a research letter published in the Dec. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Paid Childbearing Policies Lacking for Residents
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Policies for paid childbearing or family leave for residents are lacking at top-ranking medical schools and may be exacerbated by lack of direction from specialty boards, according to two research letters published in the Dec. 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Flu Vaccine Linked to Reduced Risk for Death in Heart Failure
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — After extensive adjustment for confounders, influenza vaccination is associated with a reduced risk for all-cause and cardiovascular death among patients with heart failure, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Circulation.
Mail-Based HPV Testing May Increase Access
TUESDAY, Dec. 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A mail-based human papillomavirus (HPV) self-testing program appears to be a promising approach to screening women in Appalachia, according to a pilot study published online Nov. 19 in Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
Tap Water in Neti Pot Linked to Death From Brain-Eating Amoeba
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The use of tap water in a nasal-flushing Neti pot likely led to a Seattle woman’s death from a Balamuthia mandrillaris brain infection, doctors write in a case study.
HIT-Related Stress Linked to Burnout Among Physicians
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Stress related to use of health information technology (HIT) is common and predictive of burnout among physicians, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
Veterans Health Administration Hospitals Outperform Non-VHAs
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals outperform non-VHA hospitals for 14 of 15 outcome measures in 121 regions, according to a research letter published online Dec. 11 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
2012 to 2016 Saw Increase in Syphilis Among Pregnant Women
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2012 to 2016, there was a 61 percent increase in syphilis cases among pregnant women, with no traditional behavioral risk factors reported among half of these women, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Survival Similar With Donor Hearts From Hepatitis C+ Donors
MONDAY, Dec. 10, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Transplant patients with hearts from donors with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and obese donors have similar survival rates as patients with other donor hearts, according to two studies published in the December issue and online Dec. 4 in Circulation: Heart Failure and the Journal of the American Heart Association, respectively.
Most Insured Patients Not Using Online Portals
FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Nearly two-thirds of insured adults with a previous health care visit did not use an online patient portal in 2017, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.
Lack of Peds Preventive Care Ups Unplanned Hospital Admissions
FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A lack of preventive care in infants and children is associated with an increased rate of unplanned hospital admissions, according to a study recently published in BMC Medicine.
Pregnant Women Commonly Refuse Vaccines
FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pregnant women commonly refuse vaccines, including influenza vaccine and tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, according to research published online Dec. 4 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
High Sensitivity, Specificity for Chlamydia Point-of-Care Test
THURSDAY, Dec. 6, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A point-of-care (POC) polymerase chain reaction test (Atlas io) has high sensitivity and specificity for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), according to a study published in the November issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
Infections Linked to Increased Later Risk for Mental Disorders
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Infections requiring hospitalization or treatment with anti-infective agents are associated with an increased subsequent risk for mental disorders, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Few Physicians Work in Practices That Use Telemedicine
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Only 15.4 percent of physicians work in practices that use telemedicine for a wide spectrum of patient interactions, with larger practice size being an important correlate of telemedicine use, according to a study published in the December issue of Health Affairs.
Many Patients Withhold Information From Clinicians
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many patients intentionally withhold information from clinicians, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Network Open.
HHS Issues Draft Strategy for Reducing Health IT Burden
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a draft strategy to reduce the health information technology (IT) burden, and the strategy is open for public comment through Jan. 28, 2019.
Progress Made Toward Global Measles Milestones
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2000 to 2017, progress was made toward global measles control milestones, but the milestones set to be achieved by 2015 have not been met, according to research published in the Nov. 30 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
At-Home Self-Collected Samples Valid for Detecting High-Risk HPV
TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Mail-based, at-home self-collection of cervicovaginal samples is valid for detecting high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) among infrequently screened women, according to a study published online Nov. 5 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
CDC: Acute Flaccid Myelitis Cases Appear to Have Peaked for 2018
MONDAY, Dec. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The number of cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in the United States this year appears to have peaked and is expected to decline for the remainder of 2018, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More People Worldwide Now Know Their HIV Status
MONDAY, Dec. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Three-quarters of patients living with HIV worldwide know their infection status, according to Knowledge Is Power, a new report released Nov. 22 by UNAIDS.
Targeted Hep C Testing Misses High Number of Cases in Prisons
MONDAY, Dec. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Targeted hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing misses a substantial number of cases among individuals in correctional facilities, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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