Gut microbiome alpha diversity decreases in relation to body weight, antibiotic exposure, and infection with multidrug-resistant organisms.

Background: The human gastrointestinal tract is home to a dense and diverse microbiome, predominated by bacteria. Despite the conservation of critical functionality across most individuals, the composition of the gut microbiome is highly individualized, leading to differential responses to perturbations such as oral antibiotics or multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) infection. Herein, subject responses to these perturbations based on their body weight were evaluated.

Understanding healthcare workers' knowledge and attitudes regarding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine: Overcoming gaps to improve public health response.

Vaccines serve as a major tool against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but vaccine hesitancy remains a major concern in the United States. Healthcare workers (HCWs) strongly influence a patient's decision to get vaccinated. We evaluated HCW knowledge and attitudes regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

Impact of rapid Cepheid Xpert Xpress severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing in Detroit Medical Center hospitals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In March 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raged, and samples from the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) were sent offsite for testing. From April 3, 2020, DMC laboratories ran rapid Cepheid Xpert Xpress severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests within hospital labs. We detected differences in length of stay (LOS) and antibiotic duration between positive results from offsite and in-house tests.

Pandemic response gaps: Infection prevention and control lessons learned during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities in Detroit, Michigan.

Background: Hospitalizations among skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents in Detroit increased in mid-March 2020 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Outbreak response teams were deployed from local healthcare systems, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Detroit Health Department (DHD) to understand the infection prevention and control (IPC) gaps in SNFs that may have accelerated the outbreak.

Methods: We conducted 2 point-prevalence surveys (PPS-1 and PPS-2) at 13 Detroit SNFs from April 8 to May 8, 2020.

A laboratory model demonstrating the protective effects of surgical masks, face shields, and a combination of both in a speaking simulation.

Background: The protection against aerosol transmission provided by masks vs face shields or in combination when speaking indoors is not well understood.

Methods: To simulate a human source, an aerosol generating system was made using a bacterial suspension in a nebulizer attached to an oxygen cylinder. A fan connected to the nebulizer created aerosols.