Infectious Disease Alert – January 1, 2018
January 1, 2018
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Self-administered Weekly Therapy for Latent Tuberculosis Is Non-inferior to Directly Observed Therapy in the United States
A randomized clinical trial conducted in the United States and three other countries compared self-administered isoniazid and rifapentine with and without weekly reminders to directly observed therapy (DOT). Self-administered therapy without reminders was non-inferior to DOT in the United States; no other comparisons met non-inferiority criteria.
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Spinal Epidural Abscess
Non-operative management of spinal epidural abscess is safe and effective in selected patients.
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Follow-up Blood Cultures in Gram-negative Bacteremia — Don’t Order Them
In contrast to blood cultures obtained on therapy in patients with Gram-positive bacteremia and endocarditis, follow-up blood cultures in patients with Gram-negative bacteremia seldom provide useful information.
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Unexpected Benefit of Pneumococcal Vaccine in Decreasing the Burden of Otitis Media
Surveillance data collected prospectively in Israel reveal a decline in progression from pneumococcal carriage to complex otitis media in both vaccine-targeted and non-vaccine serotypes following implementation of routine use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Vaccinating against pneumococcal serotypes causing early-life infections may reduce the risk of subsequently developing complex otitis media due to other organisms.
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Prevention of Clostridium difficile Recurrence by Orally Administered Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
Fecal microbiota transplantation orally administered in capsules was non-inferior to administration by colonoscopy.
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Zoster Vaccine Recombinant Adjuvanted (Shingrix)
The FDA has approved a second zoster vaccine for the prevention of shingles in adults.
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Infectious Disease Alert Updates
The Origins of Smallpox Vaccine Virus; No More Fun Helping Mommy Bake; Annual Influenza Vaccination of Physicians