In women with uncomplicated UTIs, gepotidacin was noninferior to nitrofurantoin for therapeutic response at 10 to 13 d.

Wagenlehner F, Perry CR, Hooton TM, et al. Lancet. 2024;403:741-755.

In complicated UTIs, cefepime-taniborbactam increased treatment success vs. meropenem at 19 to 23 d.

Wagenlehner FM, Gasink LB, McGovern PC, et al; CERTAIN-1 Study Team. N Engl J Med. 2024;390:611-622.

Implementation of Universal Hepatitis C Virus Screening in a Tertiary Cancer Center.

Background: The prevalence of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the United States is ≤1%. Universal HCV screening is recommended nationwide. Here we describe our experience implementing universal HCV screening at a cancer center.

In mild to moderate COVID-19, VV116 safely reduced time to sustained clinical symptom resolution.

Fan X, Dai X, Ling Y, et al. Lancet Infect Dis. 2024;24:129-139.

False-Reactive Fourth-Generation Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing in Cancer Patients.

Background: The fourth-generation (4th-gen) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1/2 antibody/antigen (Ab/Ag) combination immunoassay currently used for HIV screening offers greater sensitivity than previous assays, but false-reactive results occur in up to 20% of patients. Large-scale observations in cancer patients are lacking.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of cancer patients seen at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (March 2016-January 2023) who had reactive 4th-gen ARCHITECT HIV-1/2 Ab/Ag combination immunoassay results.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Suppress Hepatitis C Virus Replication in Infected Patients With Solid Tumors.

Introduction: Data are scarce regarding the virologic impact and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We examined the virologic impact of ICI in HCV-infected patients with solid tumors and their safety.

Methods: HCV-infected patients with solid tumor treated with ICI at our institution between April 26, 2016, and January 5, 2022, were enrolled in a prospective observational study.

Measuring symptom burden in patients with cancer during a pandemic: the MD Anderson symptom inventory for COVID-19 (MDASI-COVID).

Background: Symptom expression in SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) may affect patients already symptomatic with cancer. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can describe symptom burden during the acute and postacute stages of COVID-19 and support risk stratification for levels of care. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our purpose was to rapidly develop, launch through an electronic patient portal, and provide initial validation for a PRO measure of COVID-19 symptom burden in patients with cancer.

Safety and Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients with Cancer and Viral Hepatitis: The MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience.

Background: Despite the clinical benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), patients with a viral hepatitis have been excluded from clinical trials because of safety concerns. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence rate of adverse events (AEs) in patients with viral hepatitis who received ICIs for cancer treatment.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in patients with cancer and concurrent hepatitis B or C, who had undergone treatment with ICI at MD Anderson Cancer Center from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019.

Principles of diagnostic stewardship: A practical guide from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Diagnostic Stewardship Task Force.

We provide an overview of diagnostic stewardship with key concepts that include the diagnostic pathway and the multiple points where interventions can be implemented, strategies for interventions, the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, and key microbiologic diagnostic tests that should be considered for diagnostic stewardship. The document focuses on microbiologic laboratory testing for adult and pediatric patients and is intended for a target audience of healthcare workers involved in diagnostic stewardship interventions and all workers affected by any step of the diagnostic pathway (ie, ordering, collecting, processing, reporting, and interpreting results of a diagnostic test). This document was developed by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Diagnostic Stewardship Taskforce.

Long COVID in cancer patients: preponderance of symptoms in majority of patients over long time period.

Background: An increasing number of observational studies have reported the persistence of symptoms following recovery from acute COVID-19 disease in non-cancer patients. The long-term consequences of COVID-19 are not fully understood particularly in the cancer patient population. The purpose of this study is to assess post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) in cancer patients following acute COVID-19 recovery.

International multicenter study comparing COVID-19 in patients with cancer to patients without cancer: Impact of risk factors and treatment modalities on survivorship.

Background: In this international multicenter study, we aimed to determine the independent risk factors associated with increased 30 day mortality and the impact of cancer and novel treatment modalities in a large group of patients with and without cancer with COVID-19 from multiple countries.

Methods: We retrospectively collected de-identified data on a cohort of patients with and without cancer diagnosed with COVID-19 between January and November 2020 from 16 international centers.

Results: We analyzed 3966 COVID-19 confirmed patients, 1115 with cancer and 2851 without cancer patients.

International Multicenter Study Comparing Cancer to Non-Cancer Patients with COVID-19: Impact of Risk Factors and Treatment Modalities on Survivorship.

Background: In this international multicenter study we aimed to determine the independent risk factors associated with increased 30-day mortality and the impact of novel treatment modalities in a large group of cancer and non-cancer patients with COVID-19 from multiple countries.

Methods: We retrospectively collected de-identified data on a cohort of cancer and non-cancer patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between January and November 2020, from 16 international centers.

Results: We analyzed 3966 COVID-19 confirmed patients, 1115 cancer and 2851 non-cancer patients.

High sustained virologic response rate after 8 weeks of direct-acting antivirals in cancer patients with chronic hepatitis C virus.

Objective: There is no prospective data on 8 weeks of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) or ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients with different types of malignancies. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety with 8 weeks of DAA therapy in cancer patients with chronic HCV infection.

Methods: Patients treated with DAAs at our center during 2014-2021 were included in a prospective observational study.

Cancer Patient Acceptance of HIV Screening at a Large Tertiary Cancer Center.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.

In adults who had not had COVID-19, Novavax vaccine had 90% efficacy at ≥7 d after the second dose.

Dunkle LM, Kotloff KL, Gay CL, et al. N Engl J Med. 2022;386:531-43.

Cancer immunotherapy in adult patients with HIV.

The availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has increased the life expectancy of people with HIV (PWH) and reduced the incidence of AIDS-associated malignancies, yet PWH have a significantly increased incidence of malignancy and less favorable outcomes of cancer treatment compared with the general population.Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer therapy, becoming the standard of care for various malignancy treatments. However, PWH are an underserved population with limited access to clinical trials and cancer treatment.

BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine after Oxford/AZ vaccine increased immune response vs. no second vaccine.

Borobia AM, Carcas AJ, Perez-Olmeda M, et al. Lancet. 2021;398:121-30.

How the Field of Infectious Diseases Can Leverage Digital Strategy and Social Media Use During a Pandemic.

Rapid information dissemination is critical in a world changing rapidly due to global threats. Ubiquitous internet access has created new methods of information dissemination that are rapid, far-reaching, and universally accessible. However, inaccuracies may accompany rapid information dissemination, and rigorous evaluation of primary data through various forms of peer review is crucial.

Doxycycline as a potential partner of COVID-19 therapies.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major public health challenge, and the current antiviral arsenal for treatment is limited, with questionable efficacy. Major efforts are under way for discovery of new effective agents, but the validation of new potential treatments for COVID-19 may take a long time. Therefore, the repurposing of existing drugs for new indications is needed.

Salivary detection of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and implications for oral health-care providers.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a major public health crisis. The diagnostic and containment efforts for the disease have presented significant challenges for the global health-care community. In this brief report, we provide perspective on the potential use of salivary specimens for detection and serial monitoring of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), based on current literature.