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CDC Deploys Field Team To Colorado Amid Avian Flu Outbreak

Reuters (7/15, Mishra) reports the CDC “has deployed a nine-member field team to Colorado to help the state manage a bird flu outbreak in humans and poultry.” The state “confirmed four infections and a suspected fifth case on Sunday.” The CDC “said its team of epidemiologists, veterinarians, clinicians and an industrial hygienist was working to support Colorado’s assessment of the outbreak and the human cases.”

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Vertex Sues HHS Over Fertility Support Program For Patients Prescribed Gene Editing Therapy

Reuters (7/15, Stempel, Satija) reports, “Vertex Pharmaceuticals sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday, seeking a court declaration that a fertility support program for patients who are prescribed its gene editing therapy Casgevy [exagamglogene autotemcel] does not violate federal anti-kickback laws.” The Office of Inspector General “had previously conveyed to the company that its program could violate anti-kickback laws as it ‘poses more than a low risk of fraud and abuse to federal health care programs.’” For its part, “Vertex said anti-kickback laws do not prohibit support such as the one its program provides.” Bloomberg (7/15, Smith, Subscription Publication) reports, “Vertex said in the suit that it’s trying to overturn the inspector general’s ‘erroneous legal positions’ that are holding back patients from getting the therapy.”

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Global Childhood Immunization Rates Have Stalled, Data Show

CNN (7/14, Davis) reports that experts say the COVID-19 pandemic was “marked by a significant and concerning drop in the rate of routine vaccinations,” and “new data from the World Health Organization and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund” show “the world has yet to recover.” The new report “analyzed estimates from 185 countries and used a third dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) vaccine — which is recommended for 1-year-olds — as the global marker for immunization coverage.” The report showed “that previous progress in reaching pre-pandemic immunization levels has stalled,” with the data indicating that “worldwide DTP3 coverage was 84% in 2023, the same as in 2022 but below 86% recorded in 2019.”

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DNA Contamination From Sample Processing Still A Problem In SMA Newborn Screening, Study Finds

SMA News Today (7/12, Bryson) reported, “DNA contamination from sample processing remains a major problem in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) newborn screening, a study” found. Investigators “proposed analytic cut-off values to clearly separate samples testing positive for SMA from negative samples.” The “data also showed that adding a freezing step before DNA extraction led to significantly higher amounts of DNA for screening.” The findings were published in PLOS One.

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Research Indicates SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections Likely To Have Similar Severity As Original Infection

Healio (7/12, Feller) reported the “severity of a SARS-CoV-2 reinfection is likely to be similar to the severity of a patient’s initial infection, researchers found.” Healio added, “Or, as the NIH explained in a press release about the new study, ‘severe infections from the virus that causes COVID-19 tend to foreshadow similar severity of infection the next time a person contracts the disease.’” Furthermore, researchers discovered that lower amounts “of albumin could indicate a higher risk for infection and a greater risk for long COVID after an initial SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with a reinfection.” The findings were published in Communications Medicine.

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Higher-Valency Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines Likely To Yield Limited Impact In Decreasing Pneumococcal Colonization, Pediatric AOM, Study Finds

Infectious Disease Advisor (7/12, Nye) reported study findings published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal show that “higher-valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are expected to have limited impact in reducing pneumococcal colonization and acute otitis media (AOM) in children.” Infectious Disease Advisor added, “Researchers conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort study between September 2021 and September 2023 to evaluate the anticipated effects of higher-valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (15- and 20-valent). Children (N=139) aged 6 to 36 months who were immunized with the 13-valent vaccine at 2, 4, and 6 months of age and received a booster dose at 12 to 15 months of age were eligible for inclusion.”

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Study Indicates Progress Regarding TB Elimination Initiatives In US

Infectious Disease Advisor (7/12, Nye) said that according to findings published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, programs targeted at removing tuberculosis (TB) from the US have realized “improvements in identifying individuals infected with TB and latent TB and ensuring they complete treatment.” Infectious Disease Advisor added that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “and internal and external partners defined a set of national TB objectives and indicators aimed at eliminating TB.” These goals are evaluated through “the National TB Indicators Project (NTIP), a web-based performance monitoring tool that compiles national TB surveillance data to help prioritize activities and improvement efforts in TB elimination programs.” The study found researchers look to evaluate “the overall TB incidence among individuals born inside and outside of the US, the rate of patients with available drug susceptibility test results, and the rate of treatment completion for patients with TB and latent TB.”

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More Than 2K Hospital Patients In Oregon May Have Been Exposed To Various Infections, Officials Say

The Hill (7/12, Bourgeois) reported, “More than 2,000 patients from two Portland, Ore.-area hospitals might have been exposed to several types of infections after a physician possibly violated hospital protocols, health officials and Providence and Legacy health systems announced Thursday.” The Hill added, “In the announcement, a spokesperson for Providence said the hospital recently learned that a physician, who has not been publicly identified, may not have followed Providence’s infection control practices during some procedures at Portland-area hospitals including Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Providence Portland Medical Center, and other non-Providence hospitals.” The health system “said the physician put patients at low risk of exposure to infections including hepatitis B and C, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).”

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Hepatitis B Birth Dose Vaccination Efforts Improved From 2017-2022, Research Suggests

HCPlive (7/11, Brooks) reports, “Despite notable disruptions to routine childhood vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, findings from a recent study suggest hepatitis B birth dose vaccination efforts improved from 2017-2022.” The analysis “revealed a decline in refusal of hospital-administered birth doses of the vaccine, likely attributable to revised Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices hepatitis B vaccination guidelines.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

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Higher Urine Alpha-1-Microglobulin Concentration May Be Tied To Incident CKD In Certain Patients, Study Suggests

Healio (7/11, Carter) reports, “Higher urine alpha-1-microglobulin concentration may be associated with incident chronic kidney disease in patients without prevalent CKD or diabetes, according to published data.” A meta-analysis “showed a twofold increase in alpha-1-microglobulin concentration was linked to incident CKD...suggesting higher baseline levels of urine alpha-1-microglobulin were tied to incident CKD at follow-up, according to the study.” The findings were published in Kidney Medicine.

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Greater CTSS Levels May Be Linked To Higher IgAN Risk, Research Suggests

HCPlive (7/11, Brooks) reports, “Greater levels of cathepsin S (CTSS) may be associated with an increased risk of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), according to findings from a recent study.” The findings “highlight a significant upregulation of CTSS in the serum and renal tissues of patients with IgAN, suggesting CTSS may serve as a viable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and could present a promising pathway for developing effective IgAN therapies.” The findings were published in Frontiers in Immunology.

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Nearly One In 10 People Infected With COVID-19 During Pregnancy Develop Long COVID, Study Suggests

The Washington Post (7/11, Malhi) reports, “Nearly 1 in 10 people infected with the coronavirus during pregnancy developed long covid, according to a study.” The research “suggests long covid is more prevalent among people infected while pregnant than in the population overall.” The findings were published in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

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Research Into Chronic Conditions Impacting Women Is Lacking, Report Says

The Washington Post (7/11, Malhi) says, “Research into chronic conditions affecting women is significantly lacking, and the National Institutes of Health and other agencies should do more to investigate issues that lead to worse medical treatment for women, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine says.” Women are disproportionately impacted “by chronic illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease and depression, according to the study requested by NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health and published Wednesday.” However, “inadequate research in women’s health ‘hinders a comprehensive understanding of the impact on women’ of these and other chronic illnesses, the report’s authors write.”

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Short-Term Systemic AEs After COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination May Be Indicative Of Increased Long-Lasting nAb Responses, Study Suggests

Infectious Disease Advisor (7/9, Nye) reports, “Short-term systemic adverse effects (AEs) after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination may be indicative of increased long-lasting neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses, according to results of a study.” Overall, “for every additional symptom that occurred after receipt of the second vaccine dose, the researchers observed a 1.10-fold higher ID50 nAb response.” The findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Study Finds Elevated Blood NfL Levels Tied To Faster Disease Progression, Shorter Survival In Most People With ALS

ALS News Today (7/9, Maia) reports, “Elevated blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a biomarker of nerve cell damage, are linked to faster disease progression and shorter survival in most people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study found.” The “researchers observed that blood NfL levels among patients differed by the type of nerve cells that are damaged and the initial disease manifestations.” The study indicated that “levels were higher in people with typical motor neuron involvement – where nerve cells from the brain and spinal cord both are damaged – and in those first showing so-called bulbar symptoms, such as difficulty eating or speaking.” The findings were published in the European Journal of Neurology.

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New Urine Test Detected E7 Proteins In 80% Of Women With Stage 1 CIN, Study Finds

HealthDay (7/9, Thompson) reports, “A new urine test might help doctors more easily screen for cervical cancer, researchers” found. This “test looks for” E7 proteins, which are “generated by a type of cancer-causing human papillomavirus, HPV 16.” The investigators found that “the test detected E7 proteins in 80% of women with Stage 1 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).” Meanwhile, “it also found the proteins in 71% of women with Stage 2 CIN and 38% of women with Stage 3 CIN.” The findings were published in Microorganisms.

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Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir May Not Benefit Patients With Post-Acute Sequelae Of SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Research Finds

Healio (7/9, Cooper) reports, “A 15-day course of Paxlovid [nirmatrelvir/ritonavir] demonstrated no significant benefit for patients with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to data.” But, “the researchers noted that Paxlovid...was ‘generally safe’ in the cohort of mostly vaccinated patients.” The findings were published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Influenza Prevention Efforts Can Be Guided By Data On Seroprevalence Of Anti-Influenza Antibodies, Research Finds

Pulmonology Advisor (7/8, Goldberg) reports a study found that “influenza prevention efforts can be guided by data on the seroprevalence of anti-influenza antibodies, with seroprevalence levels measured in summer potentially providing information on the kind of influenza-like illness likely to occur during the upcoming influenza season.” The researchers “noted significant differences in annual summer seroprevalence of protective antibodies against influenza, which varied among different age groups and were significantly different by influenza A and B subtypes.” The findings were published in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.

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Study Bolsters Research Suggesting Gut Microbiome Could Be Path To More Objective Autism Diagnoses

The New York Times (7/8, Rosenbluth) reports a new study “bolsters a growing body of research that suggests an unlikely path to more objective autism diagnoses: the gut microbiome.” After analyzing over “1,600 stool samples from children ages 1 to 13, researchers found several distinct biological ‘markers’ in the samples of” children with autism. According to the Times, “unique traces of gut bacteria, fungi, viruses and more could one day be the basis of a diagnostic tool, said Qi Su, a researcher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a lead author of the study.” The findings were published in Nature Microbiology.

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Study Finds Two Proteins Pair To Allow Toxic Aggregates Of Alpha-Synuclein Into Nerve Cells, Help It Spread Across Brain

Parkinson’s News Today (7/8, Maia) reports, “Two proteins, Aplp1 and Lag3, pair to allow toxic aggregates of alpha-synuclein – a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease – into nerve cells and help it spread across the brain, according to a study in mice.” Researchers “also found that using an antibody against Lag3 blocked the protein’s interaction with Aplp1, keeping alpha-synuclein from being taken into nerve cells and causing neurodegeneration.” The findings were published in Nature Communications.

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CDC Deploys Field Team To Colorado Amid Avian Flu Outbreak

Vertex Sues HHS Over Fertility Support Program For Patients Prescribed Gene Editing Therapy

Global Childhood Immunization Rates Have Stalled, Data Show

DNA Contamination From Sample Processing Still A Problem In SMA Newborn Screening, Study Finds

Research Indicates SARS-CoV-2 Reinfections Likely To Have Similar Severity As Original Infection

Higher-Valency Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines Likely To Yield Limited Impact In Decreasing Pneumococcal Colonization, Pediatric AOM, Study Finds

Study Indicates Progress Regarding TB Elimination Initiatives In US

More Than 2K Hospital Patients In Oregon May Have Been Exposed To Various Infections, Officials Say

Hepatitis B Birth Dose Vaccination Efforts Improved From 2017-2022, Research Suggests

Higher Urine Alpha-1-Microglobulin Concentration May Be Tied To Incident CKD In Certain Patients, Study Suggests

Greater CTSS Levels May Be Linked To Higher IgAN Risk, Research Suggests

Nearly One In 10 People Infected With COVID-19 During Pregnancy Develop Long COVID, Study Suggests

Research Into Chronic Conditions Impacting Women Is Lacking, Report Says

Short-Term Systemic AEs After COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination May Be Indicative Of Increased Long-Lasting nAb Responses, Study Suggests

Study Finds Elevated Blood NfL Levels Tied To Faster Disease Progression, Shorter Survival In Most People With ALS

New Urine Test Detected E7 Proteins In 80% Of Women With Stage 1 CIN, Study Finds

Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir May Not Benefit Patients With Post-Acute Sequelae Of SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Research Finds

Influenza Prevention Efforts Can Be Guided By Data On Seroprevalence Of Anti-Influenza Antibodies, Research Finds

Study Bolsters Research Suggesting Gut Microbiome Could Be Path To More Objective Autism Diagnoses

Study Finds Two Proteins Pair To Allow Toxic Aggregates Of Alpha-Synuclein Into Nerve Cells, Help It Spread Across Brain