Respiratory Infections

Antibody levels decline in individuals with hybrid immunity similarly to vaccinated individuals, meaning all people need a booster vaccine to protect against future, potentially severe, infection.

Maternal mortalities increased 33.3% during the COVID-19 pandemic, while overall deaths increased 22%. Excess deaths were most prevalent in Hispanic and Black mothers.

Many people who self-report as symptomatic for COVID-19 neglect to get tested, largely citing not knowing where to go for a test as the reason.

With the impending start to the 2022-2023 influenza season just a few months away, here is some information on what is being studied for vaccines as well as recommendations and new testing.

Dr. Heather Platt discusses the process of developing V116, a pneumococcal vaccine that targets the serotypes most prevalent in those 65 years and older.

Women who were taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for at least 6 months before COVID-19 infection had a 22% reduced risk of mortality.

Studies, advances, and authorizations continue in this paramount area within infectious disease.

Out of 102 monoclonal antibodies tested, only Cv2.1169 and Cv2.3194 cross-neutralized all variants of concern, including Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants.

The FDA VRBPAC votes to recommend mRNA vaccines in youngest children; WHO moves to rename monkeypox; Anthony Fauci is diagnosed with COVID-19; and Pfizer stops recruiting for a Paxlovid trial.

Today, the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) unanimously voted to recommend both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months old.

Sanofi and GSK’s booster vaccine candidate is modeled on the Beta COVID-19 variant, and increases Omicron-neutralizing antibody titers 40-fold.

Data results from its phase 3 trial showed it was statistically significant and the company plans to follow-up with regulatory bodies later this year.

AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, dual injections of tixagevimab and cilgavimab, reduced the risk of severe or fatal COVID-19 disease by 50%. When administered within 3 days of symptom onset, Evusheld had an 88% risk reduction.

Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster, mRNA-1273.214, generated nearly twice the protective antibodies against Omicron.

Impairment of cognitive function is a growing, concerning effect of "long COVID."

In 2020, COVID-19 mortality rates were 5 times higher among adults in low socioeconomic positions.

Community transmission of monkeypox outside traditional endemic regions of the virus prompts calls for increased vigilance.

Synairgen's inhalable Interferon-beta treatment, SNG001, may be a treatment option for hospitalized and immunocompromised COVID-19 patients.

The organization is behind community-based funding and educational programs to propel a healthier society at a grassroots level.

Companies say the 3 doses of their vaccine meet all immunobridging criteria required for the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

In hospitalized COVID-19 patients, remdesivir stewardship reduced hospital length of stay and therapy duration.

Among community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) outpatients, 49% were prescribed unnecessary antibiotics.

Leveraging antimicrobial stewardship programs was crucial to ensure COVID-19 hospital inpatients received monoclonal antibody therapy quickly and safely.

Data on hospitalizations of children during the pandemic highlighted the seriousness of MIS-C, particularly in children of color.

A third, “booster,” dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is now FDA-approved for children 5-11 years old.