Contagion Editorial Team

Lao-Tzu Allan-Blitz, MD, MPH, discusses treatment strategies including resistance-guided therapy with molecular gyrA assays and the goal of potentially reintroducing ciprofloxacin as therapy for this infection.

Hackensack Meridian Health has joined Pfizer’s global phase 3 BEETHOVEN trial, aiming to enroll 1,000 participants to evaluate an investigational vaccine designed to prevent Clostridioides difficile infection in adults aged 65 years and older. Alex Lazo-Vasquez, MD, provides some insights around the trial.

The regulatory body approved AbbVie's glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (Maviret) for the treatment of acute hepatitis C virus infection in adults and children aged 3 years and older, making it the first and only therapy in the European Union approved for both acute and chronic HCV infection.

Two new complementary initiatives from CIDRAP’s Vaccine Integrity Project and The Evidence Collective aim to evaluate and improve US vaccine policymaking, governance, and public trust amid ongoing changes to the nation's immunization infrastructure.

There were a number of FDA approvals in recent weeks. Here is a listing of the approvals including the news reports and review of the phase 3 study data.

Preclinical findings demonstrate that the novel efflux pump inhibitor TXA14007 significantly enhances azithromycin activity against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, supporting a potential new oral treatment strategy for difficult-to-treat infections. Jesus Rosado-Lugo, PhD, offers insights on the study at ASM Microbe 2026.

The FDA has approved an expanded indication for Merck's Capvaxive, allowing its use in children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 years with chronic medical conditions that increase their risk of pneumococcal disease following completion of a primary pneumococcal vaccination series.

The FDA has approved the first generic version of baloxavir marboxil (Xofluza), expanding access to a single-dose oral treatment and postexposure prophylaxis option for influenza in patients 5 years or older.

The FDA's accelerated approval of bulvirtide for chronic hepatitis D headlined May's news. Learn more about the treatment's phase 3 clinical trial including its efficacy, safety profile, and clinician insights. May also included Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month and National Hepatitis Testing Day. Listen to a clinician talk about the significance of these awareness events.

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) is leveraging its new phage therapy coordination efforts to connect researchers and clinicians, standardize approaches, and explore how bacteriophages could complement antibiotics in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. Colleen Kraft, MD, offers some insights on the organization's plans to help grow this medical modality.

A once-weekly oral HIV treatment combining islatravir and lenacapavir achieved its primary efficacy endpoint in 2 phase 3 trials, bringing the investigational regimen closer to becoming the first approved long-acting oral HIV therapy.

A novel antimicrobial susceptibility testing platform, ATB Finder, is designed to improve treatment outcomes by evaluating antibiotics under conditions that closely mirror the infection site and microbial communities found in patients. George Tetz, MD, PhD, offers insights on this platform.

Kelly Oakeson, PhD, explains how Utah public health officials are leveraging a statewide wastewater surveillance system to monitor measles activity, identify emerging outbreaks, and supplement traditional case reporting.

PolyPid has completed its New Drug Application submission to the FDA for D-PLEX100, a novel locally administered antibiotic therapy that significantly reduced surgical site infections in a phase 3 trial and could receive a regulatory decision in early 2027.

The FDA has approved ensitrelvir (Xocova) for postexposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years or older, making it the first and only oral antiviral authorized to help prevent symptomatic infection after exposure.

Incoming SIDP President Lisa Dumkow, PharmD, FIDP, BCIDP, highlighted plans to expand mentorship, strengthen research collaboration, and move the organization's initiatives forward. She also offered insights into the new combined MAD-ID/SIDP meeting.

At the MAD-ID and SIDP 2026 annual meeting, Zachary Nelson, PharmD, MPH, BCIDP, discussed how urine-specific breakpoints can improve treatment decisions for urinary tract infections by accounting for drug concentrations in the urinary tract rather than relying solely on traditional blood-level interpretations.

A first-in-human HIV duoCAR-T shows encouraging safety in data presented at ASCGT, with early evidence of viral suppression for up to 2 years after stopping ART.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has decided to not move forward with the rewriting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) charter specifying administrative errors.

People with substance use disorder (SUD) face a disproportionate burden of hepatitis infections, underscoring the importance of testing, vaccination, and access to curative treatment during Viral Hepatitis Awareness Month. Stephanie Spivack, MD, offers some insights on the disease burden for this patient population as well as the challenging aspects of getting them into care.

Emily Heil, PharmD, MS, FIDP, BCIDP, AAHIVP, discussed the growing prevalence of metallo-β-lactamase–producing organisms in the United States and highlighted emerging therapeutic strategies designed to overcome increasingly complex antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.

The ongoing Ebola outbreak in Africa has seen the number of cases and deaths rise, and reporting shows some Americans have been exposed to the virus and will likely need quarantining.

Preclinical in vitro and animal models remain essential for establishing antibiotic pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic targets, but experts say translating those findings into real-world patient care requires careful consideration of host factors, tissue penetration, and clinical context.

New phase 3 data from the SCORPIO-PEP study showed that a 5-day course of ensitrelvir significantly reduced the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 after household exposure, highlighting its potential to transform prevention strategies for high-risk populations and future variant-driven surges.

Leaders from SIDP and MAD-ID highlighted their new partnership and announced the launch of the Antimicrobials meeting in 2027, focused on combining cutting-edge science with clinical antimicrobial practice.

Meera Mehta, PharmD, says OPAT programs should move away from a “one-size-fits-all” monitoring model and instead tailor laboratory follow-ups based on patient risk factors, antimicrobial toxicity, and quality-of-life considerations.

SIDP President Erin McCreary, PharmD, BCIDP, FIDSA, explains how the new partnership between SIDP and MAD-ID brings together organizations with shared leadership and values to create a more accessible, collaborative meeting space for infectious diseases pharmacists and related specialties.

David Ha, PharmD, offers insights on how to build out a successful practice-based research project, including developing a strong research question, understanding IRB requirements early, and leveraging reliable institutional data sources and collaborations.

In the second installment of our interview with Andrew Handel, MD, he provides insights on Lyme Disease treatment in the pediatric population.

Federal agencies have airlifted 17 American citizens from the MV Hondius to Nebraska for evaluation and care following exposure to the Andes variant of hantavirus. One passenger currently has mild symptoms and another passenger tested mildly PCR positive for the Andes virus.