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Nirsevimab Reduced Hospitalizations Among Infants With RSV-Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infection, Randomized Trial Finds

MedPage Today (12/27, Kahn) reports, “The monoclonal antibody nirsevimab reduced hospitalizations among infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-associated lower respiratory tract infection, the randomized, pragmatic HARMONIE trial showed.” The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Both Baricitinib And Ravulizumab Ineffective As Adjuncts To Standard Care In Patients With Severe COVID-19 Infection, Study Finds

Infectious Disease Advisor (12/27, Kuhns) reports, “Both baricitinib and ravulizumab are ineffective as adjuncts to standard care in patients with severe COVID-19 infection,” according to recent study results. The findings were published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

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Pediatric Hospital Admission Rates Far Higher For RSV Than For Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Strain Or Influenza, Study Finds

MedPage Today (12/26, Kahn) reports, “A retrospective study revealed that hospital admission rates were far higher for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) than for the Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 or influenza A/B in children presenting at Swedish emergency departments from August 2021 to September 2022.” According to researchers, “hospitalization rates were 81.7% for RSV, 31.5% for Omicron, and 27.7% for influenza.” The findings appeared in a JAMA Pediatrics research letter. Healio (12/22, Weldon) also covered the story.

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Measles Can Mutate Into Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis In Rare Cases, Study Indicates

HealthDay (12/26, Mundell) reports on a case involving a rare but fatal brain disease caused by the measles virus. According to a study, “while the measles virus initially congregates in the respiratory tract, it can slowly migrate throughout the body years after the illness is over.” The brain disease, “called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), occurs in about 1 in every 10,000 measles cases, the researchers said.” The findings were published in the journal PLOS Pathogens.

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JN.1 Variant Accounts For 39%-50% Of US COVID-19 Cases, CDC Says

Reuters (12/22, Roy) reported the CDC “said on Friday that COVID subvariant JN.1 accounts for 39% to 50% of cases in the United States as of Dec. 23, according to the agency’s projections.” According to the CDC, “the variant continues to cause an increasing share of infections and is now the most widely circulating variant in the country.”

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Childhood Vaccine Exemptions At All-Time High, Prompting Concerns

ABC News (12/22, Cobern) reported, “Exemptions for immunizations required in school are on the rise in the U.S., leading to concerns among medical experts that diseases like measles could soon make a comeback in many states.” In November, the CDC “reported that exemptions for immunizations required in school is the highest ever recorded in U.S. history – increasing to an average 3.0% in the 2022-2023 school year, with 10 states now reporting exemptions exceeding 5%.”

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Physicians Offer Possible Explanations For Lingering Symptoms Of Respiratory Illnesses

NBC News (12/23, Bendix) reported that a lingering cough or runny nose in the wake of a respiratory illness “isn’t unusual, though it might be more pronounced this year.” According to experts, “many people are more susceptible to respiratory illnesses this winter because they haven’t had a recent infection or vaccination. Others may have gotten back-to-back infections that they confused with lingering symptoms.” Another possibility is that “following the pandemic ... some people simply forgot how long symptoms can linger after a standard respiratory illness.”

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No Consistent Association Between COVID-19 Antiviral Treatments, “Rebound” Infections, CDC Analysis Shows

The Hill (12/21, Weixel) reports, “There is no consistent association between COVID-19 antiviral treatments and ‘rebound’ infections, according to a new” CDC analysis. While “early treatment with an antiviral such as Paxlovid or remdesivir prevents hospitalization and death among patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for severe disease,” these antiviral therapies “are underutilized – possibly because of concerns over rebound.” But the “CDC review of existing studies found COVID-19 rebound can happen in patients whether they received antiviral treatments or not.”

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Presence Of M184I/V Mutation At Baseline More Prevalent Among Patients Newly Infected With HIV With History Of PrEP Use, Study Finds

Infectious Disease Advisor (12/21, Nye) reports, “Among individuals newly infected with HIV, the presence of an M184I/V mutation at baseline is more prevalent among those with a history of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use.” While “PrEP is highly effective as an HIV prevention strategy, there is concern that its use in the period prior to HIV diagnosis may be associated with increased risk for acquired drug resistance.” The findings were published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

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Diabetes Mellitus May Lead To Adverse Outcomes In Patients With Multi-Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, Research Finds

Pulmonology Advisor (12/21, Goldberg) reports, “Diabetes mellitus may lead to adverse outcomes in multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis...according to systematic review and meta-analysis findings.” The research was published in BMC Infectious Diseases.

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Implementation Of Parent Reminder/Recall, Healthcare Professional Audit/Feedback Increased HPV Vaccination Uptake Compared With Usual Care Approaches, Study Results Show

Healio (12/21, Welsh) reports, “Implementation of parent reminder/recall and health care professional audit/feedback increased HPV vaccination uptake compared with usual care approaches, according to study results.” Researchers found that “the reminder/recall intervention resulted in 34.6% of children receiving an HPV vaccine dose, and the audit/feedback intervention resulted in 30.4% receiving the vaccine compared with 21.9% with usual care.” And “when utilizing both the reminder/recall and audit/feedback interventions, the HPV vaccine uptake rate rose to 39.7%.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.

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ASCP Harnesses the Expertise of its Members to Bring CDC OneLab Initiative to Life

Abstract Not Available

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Microbiology Case Study: A Case of Alpha-Gal Syndrome and Information on the Lone Star Tick

Abstract Not Available

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Two tumors with combined features of bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumor and sclerosing pneumocytoma

Abstract Not Available

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Application of the FMEA Method in Improving the Quality Management of Emergency Complete Blood Count Testing

Abstract Not Available

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Gallup Poll Finds COVID-19 Boosters Lagging Behind Flu Vaccines

The Hill (12/20, Irwin) reports, “Less than half of U.S. adults say they have gotten the annual flu shot this year and even less received the most recent COVID-19 booster shot, according to a new survey.” The Gallup poll “found that 47 percent of adults said they got the flu shot and 29 percent received the newest COVID-19 booster.” Additionally, “20 percent of respondents said they still plan to get the updated booster shot – but have not yet – and about half, 51 percent, say they do not plan to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.”

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Dexycycline PEP Up To 72 Hours After Unprotected Sex Did Not Prevent STIs In Cisgendered Women, Study Finds

MedPage Today (12/20, Kahn) reports, “Doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) up to 72 hours after unprotected sex did not prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in cisgender women, possibly due to poor adherence, a randomized open-label trial showed.” Researchers found “hair sample analysis suggested that 44% of women assigned to doxycycline PEP may have never taken the drug, the authors noted in The New England Journal of Medicine.”

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Many States Disposing Of Excess, Expiring Protective Gear Left Over From COVID-19 Pandemic

The AP (12/20, Peltz, Lieb) reports, “When the coronavirus pandemic took hold in an unprepared US, many states...scrambled for masks and other protective gear,” but now they are “trying to deal with an excess of protective gear, ditching their supplies in droves.” In Ohio, “with expiration dates passing and few requests to tap into the stockpile,” the state “auctioned off 393,000 gowns for just $2,451 and ended up throwing away another 7.2 million, along with expired masks, gloves and other materials” that “had cost about $29 million in federal money.” So far, “an Associated Press investigation found that at least 15 states...have tossed some of their trove of PPE because of expiration, surpluses and a lack of willing takers.”

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ACIP Recommends Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccine For US Travelers To Areas Where The Disease Is Endemic

Infectious Disease Advisor (12/20, Chan) reports, “According to the 2023 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine is recommended for individuals in the United States who travel to an area where the disease is endemic and are likely to have extensive exposure to infected ticks during outdoor activities.” The shot “is also recommended for laboratory workers who may be exposed to the virus. These recommendations were published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.”

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WHO Classifies JN.1 COVID-19 Strain A “Variant Of Interest”

Reuters (12/19, Roy) reports, “The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday classified the JN.1 coronavirus strain as a ‘variant of interest’ and said current evidence shows risk to public health was low from the strain.” Experts have “told Reuters that while the strain can evade the immune system and transmit more easily than other currently circulating variants, it has not shown any signs of more severe disease.” CNN (12/19, Goodman) reports that in the US, the CDC “estimates that the coronavirus subvariant JN.1 is now causing about 20% of new Covid-19 infections in this country, and it’s the fastest-growing strain of the virus.” The new variant “is descended from BA.2.86, or Pirola, a subvariant that came to the world’s attention over the summer because of the large number of changes to its spike proteins: more than 30.” Compared to BA.2.86, “JN.1 has only one change to its spike protein...but that seems to have been enough to make it a fitter and faster virus.” The Hill (12/19, Weixel) reports, “The prevalence of JN.1 more than doubled between late November and mid-December, according to agency estimates, likely aided by holiday travel and gatherings. But it does not appear to be driving increases in hospitalizations.”

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Nirsevimab Reduced Hospitalizations Among Infants With RSV-Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infection, Randomized Trial Finds

Both Baricitinib And Ravulizumab Ineffective As Adjuncts To Standard Care In Patients With Severe COVID-19 Infection, Study Finds

Pediatric Hospital Admission Rates Far Higher For RSV Than For Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Strain Or Influenza, Study Finds

Measles Can Mutate Into Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis In Rare Cases, Study Indicates

JN.1 Variant Accounts For 39%-50% Of US COVID-19 Cases, CDC Says

Childhood Vaccine Exemptions At All-Time High, Prompting Concerns

Physicians Offer Possible Explanations For Lingering Symptoms Of Respiratory Illnesses

No Consistent Association Between COVID-19 Antiviral Treatments, “Rebound” Infections, CDC Analysis Shows

Presence Of M184I/V Mutation At Baseline More Prevalent Among Patients Newly Infected With HIV With History Of PrEP Use, Study Finds

Diabetes Mellitus May Lead To Adverse Outcomes In Patients With Multi-Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis, Research Finds

Implementation Of Parent Reminder/Recall, Healthcare Professional Audit/Feedback Increased HPV Vaccination Uptake Compared With Usual Care Approaches, Study Results Show

ASCP Harnesses the Expertise of its Members to Bring CDC OneLab Initiative to Life

Microbiology Case Study: A Case of Alpha-Gal Syndrome and Information on the Lone Star Tick

Two tumors with combined features of bronchiolar adenoma/ciliated muconodular papillary tumor and sclerosing pneumocytoma

Application of the FMEA Method in Improving the Quality Management of Emergency Complete Blood Count Testing

Gallup Poll Finds COVID-19 Boosters Lagging Behind Flu Vaccines

Dexycycline PEP Up To 72 Hours After Unprotected Sex Did Not Prevent STIs In Cisgendered Women, Study Finds

Many States Disposing Of Excess, Expiring Protective Gear Left Over From COVID-19 Pandemic

ACIP Recommends Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccine For US Travelers To Areas Where The Disease Is Endemic

WHO Classifies JN.1 COVID-19 Strain A “Variant Of Interest”