Advocating for Coccidioidomycosis to Be a Reportable Disease Nationwide in the United States and Encouraging Disease Surveillance across North and South America.

Coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) has been a known health threat in the United States (US) since the 1930s, though not all states are currently required to report disease cases. Texas, one of the non-reporting states, is an example of where both historical and contemporary scientific evidence define the region as endemic, but we don't know disease incidence in the state. Mandating coccidioidomycosis as a reportable disease across more US states would increase disease awareness, improve clinical outcomes, and help antifungal drug and vaccine development.

Coccidioidomycosis Cases at a Regional Referral Center, West Texas, USA, 2013-2019.

We describe 73 patients with coccidioidomycosis diagnosed or treated at a regional referral center in West Texas, USA. Patients most at risk worked in oil production or agriculture; the most-associated health factors were smoking and diabetes. Patient demographics suggest that access to care may affect coccidioidomycosis diagnosis in this region.

Acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination among health care workers: a cross-sectional survey in Morocco.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination among health care workers prior to the start of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Morocco.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Cheikh Khalifa University Hospital of Casablanca-Morocco. Utilizing a web-based platform surveys were distributed over a 3-week period via professional mailing list and social media.

Consideration of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases during Differential Diagnosis.

Objective: Recognition and reporting of vector-borne and zoonotic disease (VBZD) cases is largely dependent upon the consideration of such diseases by healthcare practitioners during the initial diagnosis and ordering of specific confirmative diagnostic tests. This study was conducted to assess the general knowledge and understanding of VBZD transmission and clinical presentation.

Methods: Healthcare practitioners were surveyed to determine the extent of training and educational experiences they received relative to VBZDs, and their likelihood to consider such diseases during differential diagnoses.

Nosocomial transmission of invasive group a streptococcus from patient to health care worker.

Background: Nosocomial transmission of group A streptococcus (GAS) has been well described. Instances resulting in fulminant disease among health care workers have not been described. Contact and droplet precautions have been advised to minimize the risk of nosocomial transmission.

The obscuration by dust of most of the growth of supermassive black holes.

Supermassive black holes underwent periods of exponential growth during which we see them as quasars in the distant Universe. The summed emission from these quasars generates the cosmic X-ray background, the spectrum of which has been used to argue that most black-hole growth is obscured. There are clear examples of obscured black-hole growth in the form of 'type-2' quasars, but their numbers are fewer than expected from modelling of the X-ray background.

Atovaquone/proguanil therapy for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria in Indonesians who lack clinical immunity.

Thirty-eight of 295 subjects participating in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy of daily administration of atovaquone/proguanil for malaria prevention developed malaria at some time during the 20-week prophylaxis period. These subjects (3 atovaquone/proguanil recipients and 35 placebo recipients) were treated with 4 tablets of atovaquone/proguanil per day for 3 days. Atovaquone/proguanil provided safe, well-tolerated, and effective therapy for uncomplicated malaria in nonimmune Indonesians.

Randomized, placebo-controlled trial of atovaquone/proguanil for the prevention of Plasmodium falciparum or Plasmodium vivax malaria among migrants to Papua, Indonesia.

The increasing prevalence of resistance to antimalarial drugs reduces options for malaria prophylaxis. Atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone; GlaxoSmithKline) has been >95% effective in preventing Plasmodium falciparum malaria in lifelong residents of areas of holoendemicity, but data from persons without clinical immunity or who are at risk for Plasmodium vivax malaria have not been described. We conducted a randomized, double-blinded study involving 297 people from areas of nonendemicity in Indonesia who migrated to Papua (where malaria is endemic) < or =26 months before the study period.