Respiratory Infections

During spring 2021, when Alpha was the dominant COVID-19 variant, a midsized Midwestern university’s vaccination initiative was associated with a significant decrease in COVID-19 infections.

Triple COVID-19 vaccination or infection-plus-vaccination hybrid immunity induces high-quality antibodies, capable of neutralizing even the Omicron variant.

COVID-19 patients who were vitamin D deficient before infection were 14 times more likely to have severe or fatal COVID-19 disease.

The company’s filing for its NVX-CoV2373 vaccine is based off data from 2 large clinical trials.

BA.2, Omicron’s “cousin” variant, has been detected in the US. It initially appears to be more contagious, but not more dangerous.

The trend follows predictions that COVID-19 mitigation would lead to case reduction.

Nearly 75% of COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU were symptomatic 1 year later, most commonly reporting weakened condition and musculoskeletal problems.

Omicron is less effective at antagonizing host cell interferon response, explaining why it causes less severe disease than prior COVID-19 variants.

Gilead’s remdesivir was granted expanded FDA approval to treat non-hospitalized adult and adolescent patients at high risk of severe or fatal COVID-19 disease progression.

A recent study in Australia highlights the risk of severe influenza disease in infants younger than 6 months and the need for preventative measures to protect this vulnerable population.

The CDC reported that post-infection immunity paired with COVID-19 vaccination was very protective against the Delta variant.

An Israeli study is the first to administer 4 COVID-19 shots, but the boosted antibodies may still not be enough to prevent Omicron breakthrough infections.

Eliminating the NS2 viral protein of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) helps the body to destroy the virus before it causes severe inflammation.

People who vape with e-cigarettes and contract COVID-19 are significantly more likely to experience symptoms.

Key signs and symptoms to help distinguish between the 2 respiratory illnesses.

A team of researchers sought to study the epidemiological characteristics of RSV in pediatric influenza-like illness cases.

Even if they did not experience severe symptoms, unvaccinated people who contract COVID-19 while pregnant are more likely to have poor birth outcomes.

Over 1 in 10 people may harbor infectious and transmissible COVID-19 virus after the recommended 10-day quarantine period.

A new study sought to address the association between a usual source of care and influenza vaccination rates among pregnant women.

A study of children positive for COVID-19 found the overall risk of developing severe disease to be low, but risk factors included age, underlying chronic illness, and symptom duration.

New data suggests an additional “booster” dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is no longer just recommended but required for protection against the infectious Omicron variant.

Underweight elderly pneumonia patients were more likely to contract C difficile infection.

COVID-19 patients who underwent prior weight-loss surgery were significantly less likely to experience severe disease outcomes.

The US is on track to reach new records for 7-day average cases, though death rates remain lower.

The oral antiviral therapy proceeds the first indication for the drug class by just a day; the US will now have multiple pills to treat COVID-19.