MedPage Infectious Disease

Which #virus has the worst outcomes?🤒 According to a study of veterans, COVID-19 was associated with more severe disease outcomes than the flu or RSV during the 2022-2023 respiratory illness season, but the gap narrowed in 2023-2024. medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

The CDC stated it is aware of rising human metapneumovirus (#HMPV) cases in China, is monitoring the situation with international partners, and sees no current cause for concern in the U.S. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

"It's not just some little fever or some little rash. It's much more severe, and it's much more dangerous." -- Sarah Lim, MD, of @mnhealth, discussing the rise in #measles cases. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

"He is not a comic book super-villain." -- @RepRaskin, discussing Anthony Fauci, MD, during a House subcommittee hearing on the origins of COVID-19. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/washington-wat…

What we heard this week at @medpagetoday 🧵 "If we start seeing lots of cases outside of agricultural workers, we should be really concerned." -- James Lawler, MD, MPH, of @unmc, discussing what may happen with #H5N1. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

"It is really a discussion of their individual health conditions that might place them at increased risk." -- Albert Shaw, MD, PhD, of @YaleMed, discussing which high-risk patients should receive an #RSV vaccine. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/spotlight/rsv/…

The CDC reported that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of #H5N1 bird flu among patients and healthcare workers in Missouri. All six healthcare workers who were exposed tested negative for the virus. @MedPageID bit.ly/3C73Frz

"I would not try to take anything by mouth to try to decongest your nose." -- Pieter Cohen, MD, of @challiance, on common over-the-counter cold and flu drugs. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/special-report…

"You'd have to find a drug that was highly, highly effective, and we did not see that." -- @snaggie1, of @DukeMedSchool, on how the #asthma drug #montelukast (#Singulair) did not reduce #COVID symptom duration. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

How Does This Year's Flu Shot Stack Up? Data from @CDCgov suggests that the effectiveness of this year's flu shot may be trending downward. medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

"People feel comfortable with providers who look and talk like them." -- Carl Schmid, executive director of @HIVHep, discussing the growing #HIV crisis among Latinos. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/hivaids/hivaid…

"We needed a way to cover the injectable HIV prevention drugs ... What we didn't know was they would move the oral PrEP to Part B at the same time." -- Carl Schmid, of @HIVHep, on #Medicare changes for long-acting and oral #PrEP. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/hivaids/hivaid…

The CDC reported that four healthcare workers who treated a Missouri H5N1 bird flu patient developed mild respiratory symptoms. All will undergo serology testing to check for infection. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

"Not obtaining serology and immune testing at this point would be public health malpractice." -- James Lawler, MD, MPH, of @unmc, on the need for surveillance as the #H5N1 outbreak persists. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

Baylisascaris procyonis, the parasite that causes the disease, lives in the intestines of raccoons. After two cases were reported in Los Angeles County, experts emphasized that the infection is rare and does not pose a significant threat. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

Antimicrobial-resistant infections caused over 1 million deaths annually from 1990-2021, with a projected 70% rise in 25 years. However, researchers say that new antibiotics and improved #healthcare access could prevent deaths. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

"It doesn't really change anything, just like the last variant didn't change anything, or the one before that, one before that, or the one before that." -- @AmeshAA, of @BSPH_CHS, discussing what to know about the emerging COVID variant XEC. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/special-report…

"That would indicate a step up in the virus' game." -- James Lawler, MD, MPH, of @UNMC_GCHS, if the #H5N1 #birdflu is passed by human-to-human transmission. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

"Carbapenem resistance is a thing and it's far worse now than it was 10 years ago." -- Michael Green, MD, MPH, of @ChildrensPgh and FDA advisor, discussing an investigational urinary tract infection antibiotic. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…

"The situation is complicated by the detection of a new variant." -- Jay Varma, MD, of @SigaTech, discussing recent developments with the global #mpox emergency. @MedPageID medpagetoday.com/infectiousdise…