Browse Infectious Disease Articles by Topic

Malaria: At Last a Vaccine

The World Health Organization has recommended the use of the first effective malaria vaccine.

Bacillus cereus Causing an Anthrax-Like Pneumonia

Bacillus cereus group organisms may cause a rapidly fatal pulmonary infection consistent with anthrax.

Can Antibiotics Lead to Colon Cancer?

Swedish researchers saw an association between frequent antibiotic use and proximal colorectal cancer.

IDWeek 2021: Skipping Along with Staphylococcus aureus

A single set of blood cultures may be inadequate to document clearance of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia in some patients.

IDWeek 2021: Gram-Negative Bacteremia: Are Follow-Up Blood Cultures Routinely Necessary?

A study of significantly immunocompromised patients with gram-negative bacteremia concluded that the routine use of follow-up blood cultures to document clearance is not warranted.

IDWeek 2021: Baricitinib for COVID-19 Patients Receiving Invasive Mechanical Ventilation or ECMO

Baricitinib significantly reduced mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Prophylactic Probiotics Do Not Reduce the Risk for Developing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

A multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial revealed the use of prophylactic probiotics did not reduce the risk for developing ventilator-associated pneumonia or improve other outcomes for intensive care unit patients, compared to placebo.

COVID-19 Vaccination and Myocarditis

Receipt of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is associated with a small but real risk of development of myocarditis, predominantly in young males. The vast majority of cases are mild, self-limited, and require no intervention.

Contemplating the Next Pandemic

We have heard much about the inevitable “next pandemic” as viruses move and mutate through animals until they become infectious in humans. An example of this was published recently, revealing how an avian flu virus caused fatal infections in swans, seals, and a fox, a “terrestrial mammal” not usually vulnerable to such a virus.

The Return of Flu: Signs Point to Possible Severe Season

A possible severe influenza season is on the horizon, in part because COVID-19 shutdowns and precautions led to a historically low flu season in 2019-2020, said Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.