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Antibody Profile in Refractory Myasthenia Gravis

In retrospective studies of patients with generalized myasthenia gravis, those who are refractory to multiple treatments have disease onset at an earlier age, are more likely to have thymic pathology, and are more likely to be double-seronegative (neither acetylcholine receptor nor muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase antibodies).

Outcomes of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy Treated with IL-7

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a severe demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by the reactivation of the JC virus. The authors of this study conducted a multi-centered retrospective observational study on 64 patients with PML who were treated with recombinant human IL-7 (RhIL-7). Overall, the one-year all-cause survival following start of RhIL-7 was 55% and similar among human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, hematological malignancies, and primary immunodeficiencies.

Does Amantadine Treatment Reduce Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesias?

This retrospective cohort study compared the effect of amantadine on levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) onset with use of anticholinergics and monoamine oxidase type B inhibitors in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The authors concluded that early treatment with amantadine may delay LID onset more than treatment with other symptomatic agents.

Cognitive Outcomes After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) may lead to adverse cognitive and neuropsychiatric outcomes. The pathways that lead to adverse cognitive outcomes remain to be scientifically elucidated. A prospective cohort study of 656 participants enrolled in the Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in TBI (TRACK-TBI) study found that at one year, 13.5% of participants with mTBI had poor cognitive outcome compared to 4.5% of controls, highlighting the need for better understanding of the mechanisms leading to poor cognitive and functional outcomes after mTBIs and interventions to optimize cognitive recovery.

Identifying Community-Acquired Pneumonia During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Pneumonia is an infection of the alveoli of the lungs. Alveolar infection results in inflammation that disrupts normal pulmonary function, producing impaired gas exchange. Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Pathogens can infect the lung parenchyma through three routes: inhalation, aspiration, or hematogenous spread. In community-acquired pneumonia, the infection is initiated outside the hospital. The prevalence of COVID-19, the clinical disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has changed the landscape of pneumonia.

Infectious Disease Alert Updates

Recovering from Critical COVID; Oral and Anal Transmission of Syphilis

A Case of Monkeypox in a Returned Traveler

The arrival of a traveler from Nigeria to the United States with monkeypox infection, which was quickly recognized, led to a massive public health response investigating exposed individuals, but no secondary cases were detected.

Maribavir (Livtencity)

The FDA approved maribavir as the first drug to treat adult and pediatric patients with post-transplant cytomegalovirus infections that do not respond to currently available antiviral treatment.

Persistent Inflammation and Post-COVID Syndrome

Ongoing inflammation may contribute to long COVID.

Immunosuppressants and the Risk for Clostridioides difficile Infection

A retrospective cohort study found that for patients taking immunosuppressing medications, the greatest risk for C. difficile infection occurred for those receiving calcineurin inhibitors and those taking drugs from multiple immunosuppressant classes.