Respiratory Infections

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.

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.

Though it failed to meet its primary study endpoints, post hoc analysis of SNG001 showed the inhalable reduced the risk of severe COVID-19 disease and death in high-risk patients.

The company is utilizing this platform to address new COVID-19 variants, combination vaccines, and potentially prevent HIV.

COVID-19 patients who do not speak English faced worse hospital outcomes during the first wave of the pandemic.

A study of pregnant women positive for COVID-19 at delivery found no evidence of vertical transmission, but increased gastrointestinal problems in their newborn infants.

A comparison of COVID-19 PCR tests and rapid self-tests found self-tests to be highly accurate and user-friendly for children.

The federal agency authorized the therapy as a standalone treatment via a revised EUA in July of last year.

Active immunization of pregnant women with investigational vaccine protected infants from RSV from birth through at least 6 months.

Investigators examined whether rapid antigen tests were less sensitive to variants of concern. Though the tests detected Omicron, all but 1 were less effective in detecting the Delta variant.

Investigators identify 11 crucial “protection-defining genes” that prevent a severe disease response to COVID-19 infection.

Medicago’s plant-based vaccine, Covifenz, was 69.5% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 infection and 78.8% effective against moderate-to-severe disease.

A Colorado person tested positive for avian influenza. The patient worked closely with poultry, their only symptom was fatigue, and they have since recovered after a few days.

Ensovibep, the COVID-19 antiviral treatment developed by Novartis and Molecular Partners, is facing delays in its quest for emergency authorization after the FDA indicated more study data is required.

Lasting 505 days, investigators documented the longest known COVID-19 infection. The research, presented at ECCMID, also found one of the first cases of occult COVID-19, in which a patient who tests negative is later found to have ongoing COVID-19.

A group of over 60 scientists participated in a communication to the federal agency to advocate for measuring these cells in COVID-19 vaccine trials.

Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) hospitalizations were 41% lower than expected during the outbreak of COVID-19.

Investigators used procalcitonin (PCT) levels to guide antibiotic recommendations in pediatric intensive care units. PCT-guided antibiotic stewardship decreased the number of antibiotic days without leading to therapy failure.

What are the clinical characteristics of children under 1 year old who are hospitalized with COVID-19 infection?