Long-Term Safety and Immunogenicity of AZD1222 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19): 2-Year Follow-Up from a Phase 3 Study.

A better understanding of the long-term safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines is needed. This phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled study for AZD1222 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) primary-series vaccination enrolled 32,450 participants in the USA, Chile, and Peru between August 2020 and January 2021 (NCT04516746). Endpoints included the 2-year follow-up assessment of safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity.

Distinct intestinal microbial signatures linked to accelerated systemic and intestinal biological aging.

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH), even when viral replication is controlled through antiretroviral therapy (ART), experience persistent inflammation. This inflammation is partly attributed to intestinal microbial dysbiosis and translocation, which may lead to non-AIDS-related aging-associated comorbidities. The extent to which living with HIV - influenced by the infection itself, ART usage, sexual orientation, or other associated factors - affects the biological age of the intestines is unclear.

Assessing Patient Acceptance of an Automated Algorithm to Identify Ciswomen for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.

The use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in cisgender women (ciswomen) lags far behind their need. Data elements from the electronic medical record (EMR), including diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection (STI), can be incorporated into automated algorithms for identifying clients who are most vulnerable to HIV and would benefit from PrEP. However, it is unknown how women feel about the use of such technology.

Distinct Intestinal Microbial Signatures Linked to Accelerated Biological Aging in People with HIV.

Background: People with HIV (PWH), even with controlled viral replication through antiretroviral therapy (ART), experience persistent inflammation. This is partly due to intestinal microbial dysbiosis and translocation. Such ongoing inflammation may lead to the development of non-AIDS-related aging-associated comorbidities.

Comparative antimicrobial use in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and non-COVID-19 inpatients from 2019 to 2020: A multicenter ecological study.

Objective: We sought to determine whether increased antimicrobial use (AU) at the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was driven by greater AU in COVID-19 patients only, or whether AU also increased in non-COVID-19 patients.

Design: In this retrospective observational ecological study from 2019 to 2020, we stratified inpatients by COVID-19 status and determined relative percentage differences in median monthly AU in COVID-19 patients versus non-COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period (March-December 2020) and the pre-COVID-19 period (March-December 2019). We also determined relative percentage differences in median monthly AU in non-COVID-19 patients during the COVID-19 period versus the pre-COVID-19 period.

A Rare Case of Locally Contracted Cutaneous Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

A 32-year-old man with a history of intravenous heroin use and housing instability presented with three years of worsening left forearm and wrist "infection," which had progressed over the past few months with worsening purulence, pain, and deformity. In the emergency department, he was afebrile with stable vitals. Superficial cultures drawn demonstrated polymicrobial growth, including heavy growth of Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Development of a predictive model for identifying women vulnerable to HIV in Chicago.

Introduction: Researchers in the United States have created several models to predict persons most at risk for HIV. Many of these predictive models use data from all persons newly diagnosed with HIV, the majority of whom are men, and specifically men who have sex with men (MSM). Consequently, risk factors identified by these models are biased toward features that apply only to men or capture sexual behaviours of MSM.

Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome Reaction in Patient on Long-Term Prednisone.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) can be triggered in many ways. IRIS has been recognized during tuberculosis (TB) therapy, especially in patients newly initiated on antiretroviral therapy for HIV or those taken off immunosuppressives such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors. However, there are still many triggers of IRIS that are less understood.

Utility of the Signal-to-Cutoff Ratio and Antigen Index from Fourth- and Fifth-Generation HIV-1/HIV-2 Antigen/Antibody Assays for the Diagnosis of Acute HIV Infection: Applicability for Real-Time Use for Immediate Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy.

Identification of individuals with acute HIV infection (AHI) and rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are priorities for HIV elimination efforts. Fourth- and fifth-generation HIV-1/HIV-2 antigen (Ag)/antibody (Ab) combination assays can quickly identify patients with AHI, but false-positive results can occur. Confirmatory nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) may not be rapidly available.

Effectiveness of an electronic health record model for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is extremely effective when taken correctly, though grossly under-prescribed for at-risk patients. We initiated a best practice advisory (BPA) in the Epic electronic medical record (EMR) to identify patients who met criteria for PrEP use. We evaluated this model to determine its effectiveness in identifying patients and its use by providers for increasing prescription of PrEP.

Bacterial Sinusitis in the COVID-19 Era: A Reminder for Antibiotic Stewardship.

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the trial of novel treatment regimens to improve clinical outcomes. However, the liberal use of antibiotic and steroid therapy during this period may have also contributed to unintended consequences including the development of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. In this report, we discuss the case of a 76-year-old woman treated with an extended course of steroids for COVID-19 infection.

Evolution of an Electronic Health Record Based-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Screening Program in an Urban Emergency Department for Diagnosing Acute and Chronic HIV Infection.

Background: Since 2006, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend routine opt-out human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among sexually active 13- to 64-year-olds. Earlier diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection reduces morbidity and mortality and can limit transmission to others.

Objective: Our aim was to increase HIV testing, diagnosis, and linkage to care in the emergency department (ED).

Extended antibiotic resistance in carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae: A case series.

Infections caused by carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant to tigecycline, colistin, or aminoglycosides are a growing health concern. In our retrospective chart review, we noted increased resistance to colistin compared with tigecycline, despite limited prior use of colistin. This may affect the choice of presumptive antibiotics used in these hard to treat infections.

Health-care worker vaccination for influenza: strategies and controversies.

Influenza infections cause significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world, and vaccination rates of health-care workers remain well below target goals. Strategies for increasing vaccination rates include mandatory vaccination of health-care workers, mandatory declination, employee incentives, intensive education, increased access to vaccines, and the use of social media to inform employees of the safety and efficacy of vaccination. While these strategies in combination have been shown to be effective in increasing vaccination rates, personal and religious objections, as well as the potential for infringing on individual autonomy, remain challenges in our efforts to bring health-care worker vaccination rates up to target goals.

Influenza virus resistance to neuraminidase inhibitors: implications for treatment.

Oseltamivir and Zanamivir are the two main Neuraminidase inhibitors used for the treatment of Influenza. Oseltamivir resistance has been identified in non-pandemic influenza viruses, as well as H1N1 pandemic Influenza A viruses. Resistance is associated with increased morbidity, and poorer outcomes in severely immunocompromised hosts.

Vibrio furnissii: an unusual cause of bacteremia and skin lesions after ingestion of seafood.

Vibrio furnissii in the blood is rarely reported, which may explain why clinical features of bloodstream infections with this organism have not been described. We describe a patient who developed skin lesions and V. furnissii bacteremia and was successfully treated with fluoroquinolones.

Treatment of severe cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza: review of antivirals and adjuvant therapy.

Three worldwide influenza pandemics were reported in the 20th century: in 1918, 1957 and 1968. All three pandemics were caused by different sub-types of Influenza A viruses: H1N1, H2N2 and H3N2 respectively. In early March 2009, the first cases of influenza -like illness (ILI) were reported from Mexico.