Top 5 Infectious Disease Stories Week of March 9

The FDA approved bepirovirsen (Hibsago; GSK) with nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy for chronic hepatitis B, based on B-Well 1 and 2 functional cure rates of 19% vs 0% with placebo.

The latest CDC numbers show a 5.8% increase in measles cases from week-to-week, bringing the 2026 US total to more than double the amount seen in all of 2025 with 2 months left in the year.

An APP-driven complex outpatient antimicrobial therapy (COpAT) program for patients with bone and joint infections cut mean time to post-discharge follow-up from 20.1 to 9.7 days but did not significantly reduce 30-day readmissions or emergency department visits.

Shionogi data presented at IDWeek 2026 demonstrated a 76.7% clinical response with cefiderocol in carbapenem-resistant respiratory infections and high in vitro activity against resistant P aeruginosa VAP isolates. Christine Slover, PharmD, vice president, Infectious Diseases US Medical Affairs, Shionogi, offers insights on the data as well as clinical considerations for providers when weighing the antibiotic for patients.

IDSA and ESCMID released 7 consensus statements to assist in managing individuals with Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia (SAB). This review will focus on the adult patient population and additional information on pediatric population statements can be assessed in the guideline.

Labcorp data presented at IDWeek 2026 show measles PCR testing nearly quadrupled and positivity rose sharply from April 2025 through March 2026, as clinicians shift toward guideline-recommended molecular testing amid ongoing US outbreaks.

Company announces first AI-designed personalized phage treatment for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection in human patient.

As France confirms the first documented human Shamonda virus infection, a fatal encephalitis in a stem cell transplant recipient, this FAQ explains what the virus is, where it has spread, how the case was diagnosed, how the patient was likely infected and what clinicians should watch for.