Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Infectious Disease for May 2019. 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.
Noncompliance Common in Teens Prescribed STI Treatment in ED
FRIDAY, May 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Less than 60 percent of prescriptions for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among teens seeking care in the emergency department are filled, according to a research letter published online May 28 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Excess Cause-Specific Mortality Tied to Chronic Proton Pump Inhibitor Use
FRIDAY, May 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is associated with an excess of cause-specific mortality, according to a study published online May 30 in The BMJ.
CDC: Reported Measles Cases Reach 971
FRIDAY, May 31, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Five months into 2019, the number of measles cases in the United States has now reached 971, the largest number since 1992 when 963 total cases were reported for the year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced.
Many Immunosuppressed Persons Join in Hurricane Cleanup
THURSDAY, May 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — About half of immunosuppressed persons reported participating in cleanup activities following Hurricane Harvey, and less than half of those who performed heavy cleanup reported wearing a respirator, according to research published in the May 31 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
FDA Approves First Test for Zika in Human Blood
THURSDAY, May 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The first test to detect the Zika virus in human blood has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
CBS News Article
High Costs Associated With Physician Burnout in U.S.
THURSDAY, May 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — High costs are associated with physician turnover and reduced clinical hours attributed to burnout, according to a study published online May 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Stepped Tx for Alcohol Use Disorder Studied in HIV Patients
THURSDAY, May 30, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Integrated stepped alcohol treatment (ISAT) reduces alcohol consumption in patients with HIV and a known drinking problem, according to a study published online May 17 in The Lancet HIV.
Reading Visit Notes May Improve Medication Management
WEDNESDAY, May 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Reading clinical notes can help patients to understand why medications are prescribed and improves medication adherence for some patients, according to a brief research report published online May 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Hip Fracture Linked to Increased Risk for Death in T2DM Patients
WEDNESDAY, May 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with type 2 diabetes, hip fracture is associated with an increased risk for death, according to a study published online May 21 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
Global Burden of Serious Health-Related Suffering to Double by 2060
WEDNESDAY, May 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The global burden of serious health-related suffering is set to increase 47 percent by 2060, according to a study published online May 22 in The Lancet Global Health.
Extragenital Tests to Detect Chlamydia, Gonorrhea Cleared for Marketing
WEDNESDAY, May 29, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing two tests that detect the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae with diagnostic testing of extragenital specimens.
FDA Permits Marketing of Test to Detect Periprosthetic Joint Infection
TUESDAY, May 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The Synovasure Lateral Flow Test Kit was granted approval for marketing as an aid in detecting periprosthetic joint infection when evaluating patients for revision surgery, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced.
Poverty Ups Risk for Amputation After Knee Replacement
TUESDAY, May 28, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Lower socioeconomic status is associated with an increased risk for above-knee amputation (AKA) after periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) of the knee, according to a study recently published in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.
California Bill to Tighten Vaccine Exemptions Moves Forward
THURSDAY, May 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A bill that would tighten control over vaccination exemptions for children in California was sent by state senators to the Assembly on Wednesday.
AP News Article
Some Women With HIV Struggling to Achieve Viral Suppression
WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A considerable proportion of women with HIV have a high probability of viremia above 200 copies/mL, according to a study published online May 17 in JAMA Network Open.
Clinical Drug Diversion Costly to Health Care Organizations
TUESDAY, May 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) — U.S. health care organizations lost nearly $454 million due to clinical drug diversion in 2018, according to the 2019 Drug Diversion Digest, released by Protenus Inc.
Report (subscription and payment may be required)
Private Insurers Pay 241 Percent of What Medicare Would Pay
FRIDAY, May 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Prices paid to hospitals for privately insured patients in 2017 averaged 241 percent of what Medicare would have paid, with wide variation in prices among states, according to a report published by the RAND Corporation.
Many Lives Could Be Saved if All Hospitals Had Grade A Rating
FRIDAY, May 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) — More than 50,000 lives could be saved if all hospitals had an avoidable death rate equivalent to “A” grade hospitals, according to an updated report prepared for The Leapfrog Institute.
CDC: Salmonella Outbreaks Linked to Backyard Poultry
FRIDAY, May 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Backyard flocks of live poultry have been linked with Salmonella outbreaks that have sickened 52 people in 21 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
Recs Updated for TB Screening, Treatment in Health Care Workers
THURSDAY, May 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Guidelines have been updated for screening and treatment for tuberculosis (TB) infection among health care personnel, according to research published in the May 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Smartphone App Could Help Diagnose Ear Infections
THURSDAY, May 16, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A smartphone could be used as a screening tool for detecting the presence of middle ear fluid, according to a proof-of-concept study published in the May 15 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
FDA: Tattoo Inks Recalled Due to Bacterial Contamination
WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Six tattoo inks have been recalled because they are contaminated with bacteria and could lead to infection that poses a serious health risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
CDC: U.S. Measles Cases in 2019 Reach 839
MONDAY, May 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The number of reported measles cases in the United States climbed to 839 as of last week, the highest yearly total in 25 years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.
AP News Article
CNN Article
More Information: CDC
T2Bacteria Panel Accurately IDs Bloodstream Infections
MONDAY, May 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The T2Bacteria Panel can rapidly and accurately diagnose bloodstream infections (BSIs), according to a study published online May 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Patients Find Note Reading Important for Health Management
MONDAY, May 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Patients find note reading important for their health management and are rarely troubled by what they read, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Higher Risk for Cancer, Mortality Seen With Pediatric-Onset IBD
MONDAY, May 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Individuals with pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease (pIBD) have an increased risk for cancer and mortality, according to a study published online May 9 in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Fournier Gangrene Is Safety Concern With SGLT2 Inhibitors
MONDAY, May 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Fournier gangrene (FG) is a safety concern for adults with diabetes receiving treatment with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, according to a study published online May 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Infection Risk Lower With Certain Psoriasis Treatments
MONDAY, May 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For patients with psoriasis treated with systemic medications, the risk for serious infection is reduced for new users of apremilast, etanercept, and ustekinumab versus methotrexate, according to a study published online May 10 in JAMA Dermatology.
Prior Training Increases Internists’ Knowledge of PrEP for HIV
MONDAY, May 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — For internal medicine (IM) residents, prior training is associated with higher levels of knowledge, comfort, and prescribing behaviors for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, according to a study published online April 24 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
CDC: Hepatitis A Virus Reports Increased in 2016 to 2018
FRIDAY, May 10, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 2016 to 2018, there was an increase in reports of hepatitis A cases, according to research published in the May 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Health Professionals Supportive of Medicinal Cannabis
FRIDAY, May 10, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Health professionals are generally supportive of medicinal cannabis use but report a lack of knowledge about its use, according to a review published online May 6 in PLOS ONE.
Model Predicts Counties at Risk for Measles Outbreak
FRIDAY, May 10, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In a commentary published online May 9 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, an analysis is proposed that can predict counties at risk for a measles outbreak.
Doctors Aware of Patient Difficulties Affording Medical Care
FRIDAY, May 10, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Physicians are aware of patients’ difficulty with affording medical care and consider out-of-pocket costs in their decision making, according to an article published in a supplement to the May 7 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Registry Can Reduce CRE Carriers, CRE Prevalence
FRIDAY, May 10, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The implementation of a registry can reduce the spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), even when only a proportion of facilities participate, according to a study published online May 9 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
2018 Saw More Employed Physicians Than Self-Employed
THURSDAY, May 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In 2018, employed physicians outnumbered self-employed physicians, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
CDC: HIV Racial Disparity Measure Decreased From 2010 to 2016
THURSDAY, May 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — If the incidence rates were the same for black women as for white women, an estimated 93 percent of incident HIV infections among black women would not have occurred in 2016, according to research published in the May 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Generic Version of Truvada Available in U.S. by Sept. 2020
THURSDAY, May 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A generic version of the HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada will be available in the United States by September 2020, a year earlier than expected, according to Gilead Sciences.
NBC News Article
CDC: Uninsurance Levels Did Not Change Significantly in 2018
THURSDAY, May 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In 2018, the percentage of U.S. individuals who were uninsured was not significantly different from the numbers in 2017, although uninsurance increased among adults aged 45 to 64 years, according to a report published online May 9 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
Prices Will Soon Be Included in TV Drug Ads
WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In response to public demands for action to control drug costs, the top U.S. health official says TV advertisements for prescription drugs will soon have to include prices.
AP News Article
Scientology Cruise Ship Passengers, Crew Still Under Quarantine
WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Hundreds of passengers and crew members of a Church of Scientology cruise ship remain under quarantine in its home port of Curacao while awaiting measles test results.
ABC News Article
More Information: CDC
In 2015 to 2016, 45.8 Percent of U.S. Population Used Rx Drugs
WEDNESDAY, May 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In 2015 to 2016, 45.8 percent of the U.S. population used prescription drugs within the past 30 days, according to a May data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Gentamicin Appropriate Second-Line Therapy to Ceftriaxone for Gonorrhea
TUESDAY, May 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A single dose of gentamicin is an appropriate second-line therapy for gonorrhea resistant to a single dose of ceftriaxone, according to a study published online May 2 in The Lancet.
Efforts Needed to Ensure Publication of All Trials
TUESDAY, May 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Efforts are needed to ensure all completed large trials are reported, according to a research letter published online May 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
External Reference Pricing Could Cut Drug Costs in U.S.
TUESDAY, May 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The average price for single-source brand-name drugs is higher in the United States than in other countries, indicating that external reference pricing could reduce costs, according to a study published in the May issue of Health Affairs.
FDA: French Soft Ripened Cheese Possibly Contaminated
MONDAY, May 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Consumers should not eat and retailers should not sell or serve l’Explorateur soft ripened cheese due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
Congo Ebola Outbreak Death Toll Surpasses 1,000
MONDAY, May 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The death toll in the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo now stands at 1,008, the country’s health minister reported.
AP News Article
CDC: Number of Measles Cases in the United States Reaches 764
MONDAY, May 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — At least 60 more measles cases have been reported in the United States, bringing the total so far this year to 764, health officials said Monday.
AP News Article
More Information: CDC
ART Stops HIV Transmission in Serodifferent Gay Couples
FRIDAY, May 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In HIV serodifferent gay couples, the within-couple rate of HIV transmission through condomless anal sex is zero when the HIV-positive partner is taking suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to a study published online May 2 in The Lancet.
More Than Half of U.S. Adults Have Medical Financial Hardship
FRIDAY, May 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Medical financial hardship affects more than half of adults in the United States, according to a study published online May 1 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
CDC: Foodborne Infections Increased From 2015 to 2018
FRIDAY, May 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — From 2015 to 2018, the incidence of most foodborne infections increased, according to research published in the April 26 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
FDA Approves Dengue Vaccine for Endemic Regions
THURSDAY, May 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The dengue vaccine Dengvaxia has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, but its use is limited to people aged 9 to 16 years. The vaccine has already been approved in 19 countries and the European Union.
Measles Case Leads to Quarantine of Cruise Ship in St. Lucia
THURSDAY, May 2, 2019 (HealthDay News) — A case of measles has led to the quarantine of a cruise ship with nearly 300 passengers and crew on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, health officials reported Wednesday. They said that one female crew member has a confirmed case of measles and that the ship has been under quarantine since Monday morning. The ship is scheduled to leave late Thursday, NBC News reported.
NBC News Article
CNN Article
More Information: CDC
‘Vampire Facials’ at New Mexico Spa Linked to HIV Infections
WEDNESDAY, May 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Two people may have contracted HIV after undergoing so-called “vampire facials” at a New Mexico spa, state health officials say.
CNN Article
Patient Hand Contamination With Drug-Resistant Organisms Common
WEDNESDAY, May 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Patient hand contamination with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) is common and correlates with contamination on high-touch hospital room surfaces, according to a study published online April 13 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
FDA Approves Mavyret for Children, Adolescents With Hep C
WEDNESDAY, May 1, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Mavyret (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir) tablets are now approved to treat all six genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in children ages 12 to 17 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday.
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