Jonna Lorenz is a freelance journalist with more than 20 years of experience. Her background is in business and health care news, including reporting, editing and research for newspapers and websites.
The introduction of a bundle of interventions, including infectious disease consultation, echocardiography, follow-up blood cultures and targeted antimicrobial treatment was linked to lower mortality in enterococcal bloodstream infection, a new study found.
Global vaccination coverage remained relatively stagnant at about 86% in 2018, while the number of countries reaching the Global Vaccine Action Plan goal of 90% reached a high of 129, the CDC reports.
The proportion of candidemia cases involving injection drug users rose sharply between 2014 and 2017, a recent study found.
Measles infection leaves patients vulnerable to a wide range of other pathogens by destroying antibodies for months or even years, according to a new study.
A rapid increase in antibiotic prescriptions before diagnosis with such conditions as COPD, heart failure and asthma, suggests these conditions may often be misdiagnosed as infections, according to a new study.
Drug combinations including clofazimine were effective in treating 54% of patients with rapidly growing mycobacterial infections, including 71% whose infections were non-pulmonary, new research found.
New research found enterovirus antibodies in dozens of patients diagnosed with AFM and ruled out other viruses, offering more insight into the cause of the mysterious polio-like illness.
The presence of segmented filamentous bacteria in the gut microbiota could protect against rotavirus infection, according to new research from Georgia State University.
Helicobacter pylori resistance to clarithromycin more than doubled during the past 20 years, according to new research presented at UEG Week Barcelona 2019.
Dissemination of fungi, including Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans, is limited by liver macrophages, according to a new study from the University of Maryland.
Millions of women and infants remain vulnerable to influenza and pertussis despite recommendations for vaccinations in pregnancy, according to a CDC report.
Reported hepatitis A vaccinations consistently fell below potentially achievable coverage between 2008 and 2017, highlighting the need for to improve simultaneous administration of childhood vaccines, according to the CDC.
Newborn dried blood spot testing is not sensitive enough to diagnose all cases of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) in infants with sensorineural hearing loss.
Long-term care facilities participating in a statewide initiative in Nebraska saw improvements in antimicrobial stewardship, including drops in antibiotic starts and C diff infections.
Pharmacists could help improve antibiotic treatment of pediatric patients, particularly in facilities that don’t regularly treat children, according to a recent review article.
Use of high-risk antibiotics is linked to C diff infections, but the class of antibiotics with the strongest link has changed over time underscoring the need for ongoing assessment.
Long-term immunogenicity of a 2-dose schedule of the quadrivalent HPV vaccination was demonstrated in a new study in Canada that followed up on an earlier clinical trial.
Antibiotic treatment for more than 20 months may cause lasting changes in the gut microbiota of preterm infants, a new study suggests.
A recent study found evidence of herd immunity to HPV oral infection among unvaccinated men aged 18 to 59 years in the United States.
The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections is rising, and a new study suggests a higher risk for HIV-positive MSM whose partners use PrEP.
A novel combination of ceftriaxone, sulbactam and disodium EDTA (CSE) was found noninferior to meropenem to treat cUTIs caused by gram-negative pathogens.
A new study using shotgun metagenomic sequencing found that FMT yielded a sustained decrease in antimicrobial resistance genes and potential pathogens in children with recurrent C diff.
Prescriptions are often given for antimicrobial treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria despite national guidelines against it, which could lead to longer hospital stays, a new study found.
Allowing pharmacists to provide PrEP care is a feasible alternative for improving access to the treatment, according to a recent trial that was well-received by patients and pharmacists.
Two-thirds of patients hospitalized with pneumonia received an excess duration of antibiotic treatment, and the results can be detrimental.
DNA barcoding, an emerging technique for identifying fungal pathogens, from 2 regions could help speed up diagnosis and treatment, a new study found.
Lactic acid produced by bacteria in the vagina may help protect women from Chlamydia trachomatis infection, a new study suggests.
Research on a tenofovir disoproxil fumarate intravaginal ring for PrEP hit a hurdle when 8 of 12 women unexpectedly developed vaginal ulcers.
A study found no significant difference in outcomes between ceftazidime, carbapenems, and piperacillin-tazobactam as monotherapy for treating P aeruginosa, offering insight that may help antibiotic stewardship programs.
Efforts to understand the rare polio-like condition acute flaccid myelitis got a boost from the NIAID, which awarded $10 million over 5 years for a natural history study.
