Publications by authors named "M Dolores Llorente Melgar"
During 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunizations intended for widespread use in the United States to prevent severe RSV illness in infants and older adults. CDC, in collaboration with federal, public health, and academic partners, is conducting evaluations of real-world effectiveness of recommended RSV immunization products in the United States. Similar frameworks for evaluation are being applied to RSV vaccines and nirsevimab, a long-acting preventative monoclonal antibody, to estimate product effectiveness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrief Report: Depression, Substance Use, and Factors Associated With Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Adults Living With HIV in the Asia-Pacific Region.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
August 2024
Article Synopsis
- Mental health issues and substance use disorders are prevalent among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and contribute to risky sexual behaviors, especially in the Asia-Pacific region where data is scarce.
- A study involving 723 adult PLHIV revealed that a significant portion (37%) engaged in medium- to high-risk sexual practices, with such behaviors being more prevalent among younger individuals, those who are unemployed, and those experiencing moderate to severe depression or high-risk substance use.
- The findings highlight the need for integrating mental health support and substance use harm reduction within HIV care to improve sexual health outcomes in this population.
Importance: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection can cause severe illness in adults. However, there is considerable uncertainty in the burden of RSV-associated hospitalizations among adults prior to RSV vaccine introduction.
Objective: To describe the demographic characteristics of adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed RSV and to estimate annual rates and numbers of RSV-associated hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and in-hospital deaths.
Article Synopsis
- * An analysis of 44,816 hospitalizations revealed that 90% of cases were likely attributable to COVID-19, particularly focusing on admissions from July 2022 to September 2023, where 86% were linked to COVID-19-related symptoms and treatments.
- * The research found that younger adults and those without underlying health conditions were less likely to have COVID-19-attributable hospitalizations, suggesting that severe cases are more prevalent in older patients and those with pre-existing health issues.
Article Synopsis
- - The study aimed to find opportunities for improving antibiotic stewardship (AS) in medical-surgical intensive care units (MS-ICUs) and general wards (Gral-wards) across 41 hospitals in Latin America from March 2022 to February 2023.
- - Data was collected on antimicrobial use (AU) from 5780 MS-ICU and 7726 Gral-ward patients, revealing a 53.5% AU prevalence in MS-ICUs and 25.5% in Gral-wards, with a significant portion of antibiotics used for treating infections and surgical prophylaxis.
- - The study highlighted key areas for improvement in AU practices, including better antibiotic selection, the need for de