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The Dental Procedure-Infective Endocarditis Link Controversy Continues

Infective endocarditis was more common with dental surgery or tooth extractions in the preceding four weeks in high-risk patients. Researchers abrogated this risk with antibiotic prophylaxis before the procedure.

Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccine (Booster Dose)

The FDA has amended the emergency use authorizations of two leading COVID-19 vaccines. Now, these new bivalent formulations can be used as a single booster dose (after primary or booster vaccination).

How Did Paralytic Polio Re-Emerge in the U.S.?

Most outbreaks globally are attributed to vaccine-derived polio, or type 2. Cases of the type 2 form of polio stem from the large-scale, global use of the oral polio vaccine, a solution that contains a live (but weakened) virus.

Frontline Providers Must Consider Dual Threats of AFM Resurgence, Polio Return

The CDC is advising frontline providers of a potential surge in cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare, polio-like complication of certain enteroviruses. Concurrently, there are concerns about the re-emergence of poliomyelitis.

Kindergarten Vaccine Rates: Post-COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic caused disruption in healthcare delivery for everyone. Schools continue to struggle to meet the Healthy People 2030 Nationwide target of ≥ 95% coverage for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination in kindergarteners, and COVID-19 did not help. Remarkably, the nationwide vaccine rate for children entering kindergarten in the 2020-2021 school year was decreased by only 1% for all vaccines compared with the previous year.

Rehospitalization Common in Herpes Encephalitis

Herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is the most common cause of infectious encephalitis in the United States, accounting for around 30% of all causes of infectious encephalitis in the United States. With the advent of antiviral therapy and improved diagnostic measures, mortality and morbidity have improved over the past few decades, but patients remain at risk for long-term neurologic sequelae and even relapse.

U.S. Endemic Fungal Infection Surveillance

In the United States in 2019, 29,061 cases of coccidioidomycosis were reported, as were 1,124 cases of histoplasmosis and 240 of blastomycosis.

CDC Warning: Enterovirus-D68 Re-Emerging and Once Again Raising the Specter of Acute Flaccid Myelitis in Children

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is receiving increasing reports of pediatric infections with enterovirus-D68, which previously has been associated with the development of acute flaccid myelitis.

Safety of Infliximab After Live Vaccines

Despite concerns about the use of infliximab for children with Kawasaki disease shortly after administration of live vaccines, retrospective reviews do not show any vaccine-related infections following subsequent infliximab use.

Doxycycline Plus a Beta-Lactam for Treatment of Inpatients with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

In this retrospective study of an elderly male population hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia, the combination of doxycycline with a beta-lactam was at least as effective as a respiratory fluoroquinolone or a combination of a beta-lactam with azithromycin.