Sophia Abene is the Assistant Editor for Contagion. You can email her at abenes@mjhlifesciences.com.
Dusty Fungal Threat: Valley Fever Spreads as Conditions Change
George Thompson, MD, explains a rise in Valley fever cases in CA, with concerns about increased virulence, ICU admissions, and the impact of droughts and wildfires on fungal spread.
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Fungal Infections: Invisible Until It’s Too Late
David W Denning, FRCP, FRCPath, FMedSci, outlines the "95-95 by 2025" initiative to diagnose and treat 95% of serious fungal infections globally by 2025, focused on improving access in underserved regions.
Human Milk Sugar Blocks Norovirus in Lab Models
Sasirekha Ramani, PhD, discusses the potential of 2′FL as a treatment for norovirus and what more research could reveal.
Timeline for mRNA Vaccine Development for Rift Valley Fever
Caryn Fenner and Petro Terblanche outline Afrigen's clinical trial plans, local partnerships, and vaccine pipeline.
Afrigen Biologics Advancing Development of mRNA Vaccine for Rift Valley Fever
Caryn Fenner and Petro Terblanche explain how CEPI’s $6.2 million grant will advance Afrigen’s mRNA vaccine for Rift Valley fever through preclinical and Phase I trials in Africa.
FDA Approves Rapid Point-of-Care STI Tests
Roche's cobas liat molecular tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and Mycoplasma genitalium provide fast, accurate diagnoses in under 20 minutes.
Executive Function Impairments in Long COVID Linked to Brain Changes
Review finds Long COVID patients experience executive function impairments impacting tasks like shifting, inhibition, and working memory, affecting daily activities.
CARB-X Funds $3.5M to Melio for Rapid Neonatal Sepsis Diagnostic
This investment will support the development of a rapid diagnostic platform for neonatal sepsis care by identifying infections and resistance markers within hours.
The Importance of Local Health Departments in Combating HAIs and AMR
NACCHO’s CEO Lori Tremmel Freeman discusses efforts and emphasizes the need for federal support and coordination.
The 95-95 by 2025 Initiative: Addressing the Global Fungal Infection Crisis
Following up on the goal, set in 2015, to diagnose 95% and treat 95% of serious fungal infections by year-end 2025.
Top 5 Infectious Disease News Stories Week of January 11-18
Growing threat of beta-lactamase resistance genes across human and animal health, efforts to reduce HIV disparities for Black women, the "skip phenomenon" in S lugdunensis endocarditis, and more.
NACCHO's Efforts to Combat Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance
CEO Lori Tremmel Freeman discusses NACCHO's capacity-building programs and strategies to strengthen local health departments in addressing evolving public health threats.
Advice for Clinicians from Clinicians: Improving Antibiotic Stewardship and Infection Control
Mary Rochelle Smith, MD, Julie J Lee, MD, and Amy Chang, MD, PharmD, share expert strategies for implementing effective clinical decision support tools in practice.
Human Milk Sugar Shows Potential For Norovirus Treatment
Study shows 2′-fucosyllactose, a sugar in human milk, could reduce norovirus replication, offering hope for new treatments amid rising cases.
The "Skip Phenomenon" in Blood Infections
Patrick D Crowley, DO explains the impact of the "skip phenomenon" in Staphylococcus lugdunensis infective endocarditis, linking it to longer hospital stays and higher mortality rates.
New Combo Drug Shows Strong Results For Worm Infections in Children
A new treatment of albendazole and ivermectin shows higher efficacy against Trichuris trichiura and hookworm infections, offering a new treatment approach for soil-transmitted worms.
Widespread Beta-Lactamase Resistance Genes Pose Growing Threat Across One Health Domains in the US
Babafela Awosile, DVM, MVSc, PhD, DACVPM, discusses the need for surveillance as blaCTX-M-15 and blaCMY-2 spread in humans, animals, and the environment.
Arcturus Launches H5N1 Vaccine Trial as Cases Rise in US
The Phase 1 clinical trial for ARCT-2304, a self-amplifying mRNA vaccine, seeks to address pandemic influenza risk as H5N1 cases increase.
Exploiting Zinc Limitation to Combat Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria
How targeting zinc deprivation in VIM-2-expressing bacteria may open new doors for treating multidrug-resistant infections, with azithromycin showing promise.
Targeting C difficile with Oxygen-Based Therapy
Larry Sutton, MD, PhD, discussed how oxygen affects C. difficile and provides anti-inflammatory effects in the gut, with potential applications for gastrointestinal diseases.
Top 5 Infectious Disease News Stories Week of January 4-10
This week, norovirus cases linked to contaminated oysters, while the first US death from H5N1 avian influenza is confirmed, the FDA updates RSV vaccine labeling due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome risks, and more.
Fighting C difficile Before It Starts: Lopoxy Therapeutics Approach
CEO Larry Sutton, MD, PhD, discusses SIDIPREV, a novel oxygen-based therapy aimed at preventing C difficile infections.
Herpes Virus Contribution to Alzheimer’s
New findings explore how HSV-1 infection influences tau phosphorylation via the cGAS-STING-TBK1 pathway, offering potential therapeutic avenues for Alzheimer's treatment.
Bacteria Use Natural Products to Expose Competitors to Viruses, Opening New Pathways for Antimicrobial Strategies
Study reveals how bacteria secrete natural products that make their competitors vulnerable to viral infection, with potential implications for enhancing phage therapy and shaping microbial ecosystems.
ACIP Expands Pneumococcal Vaccine Guidelines for Adults Aged 50 and Older
The updated recommendations simplify vaccine eligibility while addressing both cost-effectiveness and racial health disparities.
LPOXY Therapeutics Acquires Assets to Advance C difficile Protection for Antibiotic Patients
CEO Larry D Sutton, MD, PhD, elaborates on the company's strategy and the science behind SIDIPREV to prevent C difficile infections in hospitalized patients.
Climate Change is Disrupting Biocontrol of Invasive Spongy Moths
Rising temperatures and changing humidity are undermining natural pest control, putting North American forests at risk.
Entering Peak Norovirus Season as Cases Rise Across the US
Nationwide norovirus cases have recently increased, followed by an FDA warning for consumers to avoid oysters contaminated in a recent outbreak.
The First Patient in US With Severe Case of Avian Influenza Dies
The Louisiana Department of Health announced the news late yesterday, and it is the first death in the US associated with the H5N1 virus.
Extended Paxlovid Treatment Shows Mixed Results for Long COVID
A case series of 13 patients suggests that extended courses of Paxlovid could benefit some Long COVID patients, but the results are inconsistent.