Preventing Severe COVID-19 with Tixagevimab-Cilgavimab in Hematological Patients Treated with Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibodies: An International Multicenter Study.

Introduction: Despite the declining public health emergency status, COVID-19 still poses significant risks, especially for immunocompromised individuals. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of tixagevimab-cilgavimab (T-C) prophylaxis in preventing severe COVID-19 in patients with hematologic malignancies (HM) treated with anti-CD20 therapy during the early Omicron variant phase of the pandemic.

Methods: The European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Study Group for Respiratory Viruses (ESGREV) conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study involving 15 centers from 5 countries.

Diagnosis and Risk Factors of Prediabetes and Diabetes in People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Evaluation of Clinical and Microbiome Parameters.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is more common among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) compared with healthy individuals. In a prospective multicenter study (N = 248), we identified normoglycemic (48.7%), prediabetic (44.

An international multicenter study comparing COVID-19 omicron outcomes in patients with hematological malignancies treated with obinutuzumab versus rituximab.

Objectives: Hematological malignancy (HM) patients treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies are at higher risk for severe COVID-19. A previous single-center study showed worse outcomes in patients treated with obinutuzumab compared to rituximab. We examined this hypothesis in a large international multicenter cohort.

Evaluation of a novel surface-coating formulation with time-extended antimicrobial activity for healthcare environment disinfection.

Background: The importance of environmental contamination in the transmission of pathogens among hospitalized patients is universally recognized, and disinfection of surfaces is a widely accepted modality for reducing healthcare-associated infections. Nevertheless, hospital disinfection is still suboptimal. In this study, we evaluated the sustained effects of the novel formulation OxiLast™ which extends the antimicrobial effects of chlorine-based disinfectants.

Real-Life Comparison of Fosfomycin to Nitrofurantoin for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Lower Urinary Tract Infection in Women.

In this study, we compared the failure rates of fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin for uncomplicated urinary tract infections. We used Meuhedet Health Services' large database to collect data on all female patients, older than 18 years, who were prescribed either antibiotic during 2013-2018. Treatment failure was a composite endpoint of hospitalization, emergency-room visit, IV antibiotic treatment, or prescription of a different antibiotic, within seven days of the initial prescription.

Sources of primary bloodstream infections in internal medicine patients - a cohort study.

Purpose: To describe the sources of bloodstream infections (BSIs) in internal-medicine patients, on admission and during hospitalization, and to determine the proportion of BSIs in which no secondary cause could be defined (i.e., primary-BSI).

Viral and Bacterial Respiratory Pathogens during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Israel.

Background: previous worldwide reports indicated a substantial short-term reduction in various respiratory infections during the early phase of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Aims: exploring the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on respiratory pathogens.

Methods: retrospective analysis of bacterial and viral positivity rate in respiratory samples, between 1 January 2017-30 June 2022 in a tertiary hospital in Jerusalem, Israel.

Are Healthcare Workers Infected with SARS-CoV-2 at Home or at Work? A Comparative Prevalence Study.

Prior to the widespread use of vaccinations, healthcare workers (HCWs) faced the double burden of caring for unprecedented numbers of critically ill COVID-19 patients while also facing the risk of becoming infected themselves either in healthcare facilities or at home. In order to assess whether SARS-CoV-2-positivity rates in HCWs reflected or differed from those in their residential areas, we compared the SARS-CoV-2-positivity rates during 2020 among HCWs in Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Centers (HHUMC), a tertiary medical center in Jerusalem, Israel, to those of the general population in Jerusalem, stratified by neighborhood. Additionally, we compared the demographic and professional parameters in every group.

Characteristics of endovascular pneumococcal infections; a decade of nationwide surveillance study.

In order to characterize pneumococcal endovascular infection in the post-vaccination era, a retrospective nationwide study based on the Israeli Adult IPD database was conducted. Between 2010 and 2019, 0.6% (23 cases) of IPD cases were of endovascular type, occurring mainly in males (72.

Association of Receiving a Fourth Dose of the BNT162b Vaccine With SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Health Care Workers in Israel.

Importance: Despite the high 3-dose vaccination rate among health care workers (HCWs) in Israel, a high rate of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in this group was observed during the Omicron wave. As a result, the Israeli Ministry of Health decided to recommend a fourth vaccine dose to medical staff.

Objective: To evaluate the benefit of a fourth BNT162b2 vaccine dose on the breakthrough infection rate among HCWs.

A Case Report of Subdural Empyema Following Decompressive Craniotomy, and a Review of Central Nervous System Infections.

Background: is a small cell-wall-free organism, part of the normal microbiota of the genitourinary tract. It is rarely involved in extragenital infections, mainly joint, surgical-site, and respiratory infections.

Methods: We describe a case of subdural empyema and lower limb surgical site infections, following decompressive craniotomy, after traumatic brain and extremities injury.

Native aortic valve Staphylococcus warneri endocarditis after COVID-19 infection: a case report and a review of literature.

We report a case of Staphylococcus warneri native valve endocarditis in an immunocompetent healthy adult, without known risk factors for infective endocarditis, two months following COVID-19 infection, who recovered with conservative treatment. Additionally, we reviewed previous cases of native valve endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus warneri and summarized the main clinical implications.

The effect of a third BNT162b2 vaccine on breakthrough infections in health care workers: a cohort analysis.

Objectives: In August 2021, 6 months after mass vaccination of the Israeli population with the two-dose BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, a surge of coronavirus disease 2019 infections, mostly from the delta variant, appeared also among the vaccinated. In response, the Israeli Ministry of Health initiated a booster (third dose) vaccination program. We assessed the protective effect of the third dose among health care workers (HCWs).

Impact of tozinameran (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccine on kidney transplant and chronic dialysis patients: 3-5 months follow-up.

Background: Determining the humoral immunogenicity of tozinameran (BNT162b2) in patients requiring chronic renal replacement therapy, and its impact on COVID-19 morbidity several months after vaccination, may guide risk assessment and changes in vaccination policy.

Methods: In a prospective post-vaccination cohort study with up to 5 months follow-up we studied outpatient dialysis and kidney transplant patients and respective healthcare teams. Outcomes were anti S1/S2 antibody responses to vaccine or infection, and infection rate during follow-up.

High attack rate of COVID-19 in an organized tour group of vaccinated travellers to Iceland.

In a COVID-19 outbreak in a group of 25 twice-vaccinated Israeli travellers, the attack rate was 84%, despite negative preflight polymerase chain reaction tests. This extremely high breakthrough infection rate is attributed mainly to close and prolonged exposures during long bus drives. Masking, distancing and personal responsibility are required to avoid such outbreaks.

Association Between Exposure Characteristics and the Risk for COVID-19 Infection Among Health Care Workers With and Without BNT162b2 Vaccination.

This case-control study examines the possible association between exposure characteristics and infection risk among vaccinated and nonvaccinated health care workers in Israel.

Keeping PPE barriers in COVID-19 wards while doing proper auscultation.

The emerging COVID-19 pandemic poses many difficulties to medical professionals. One of them is the need to use personal protective equipment (PPE) in order to protect themselves and their families, while not compromising their care. Physical examination is one of the cornerstones of medical assessment but parts of it are nearly impossible to do while wearing protective equipment.

Increase in bone turnover markers in HIV patients treated with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate combined with raltegravir or efavirenz.

Introduction: Accelerated bone loss and osteoporosis are multifactorial comorbidities related to HIV and its treatments; however, their mechanisms remain elusive. Identifying HIV treatments that are differentially linked to osteoporosis risk, and clinical factors associated with HIV-related osteoporosis may enable optimizing anti-retroviral treatment (ART) and anti-osteoporosis therapy in preventing or treating this debilitating complication. This study aims to evaluate the dynamics of bone turnover markers after initiation of two commonly used antiretroviral regimens.

Vaginal delivery in SARS-CoV-2-infected pregnant women in Israel: a multicenter prospective analysis.

Key Message: Among SARS-CoV-2-infected mothers, vaginal delivery rates were high and associated with favorable outcomes with no cases of neonatal COVID-19.

Purpose: To investigate the mode of delivery and its impact on immediate neonatal outcome in SARS-CoV-2-infected women.

Methods: A prospective study following pregnant women diagnosed with COVID-19 who delivered between March 15th and July 4th in seven university affiliated hospitals in Israel.