Introduction While secondary pneumococcal pneumonia occurs less commonly after COVID-19 than after other viral infections, it remains unclear whether other interactions occur between SARS-CoV-2 and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Methods We probed potential interactions between these pathogens among adults aged ≥65y by measuring associations of COVID-19 outcomes with pneumococcal vaccination (13-valent conjugate and 23-valent polysaccharide; PCV13, PPSV23). We estimated [...]

Background COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) occurs in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Risks and outcomes remain poorly understood. Methods A retrospective cohort study of adult mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted to five Johns Hopkins hospitals was conducted between March and August 2020. CAPA was defined using composite clinical criteria. Fine and Gray competing risks regression [...]

Abstract From June 11, 2020, a surge in new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the largest wholesale market of Beijing, the Xinfadi Market, leading to a second wave of COVID-19 in Beijing, China. Understanding the transmission modes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the personal behaviors and environmental factors contributing [...]

An assessment of community antibiotic use in six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia and Africa indicates that antibiotics are frequently obtained without a prescription, more so in Asia than Africa. Still, access to antibiotics, the situations in which they are used, and reasons for using them without a prescription varies by country. In a study published [...]

The B117 COVID-19 variant, which was first identified in the United Kingdom in October 2020, may pose a 61% higher risk of 28-day mortality, according to a study published today in Nature. The finding is in line with last week’s BMJ study that reported B117 had a 64% higher 28-day risk of death among people older than 30, [...]

The Netherlands and Ireland joint the list of countries that have temporarily stopped using the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, as World Health Organization (WHO) experts review the findings. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca yesterday said there is no evidence supporting a link between the vaccine and thrombotic (clotting) or bleeding events.   Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay Read more CIDRAP…   [...]

Today, the Biden administration bumped up Medicare reimbursements to healthcare providers for COVID-19 vaccines from $28 to $40 for a single dose and from $45 to $80 for a two-dose regimen, said Andy Slavitt, White House senior advisor for COVID response, in a morning coronavirus press briefing. “This will make it easier for more healthcare providers [...]

Abstract Virus host shifts are generally associated with novel adaptations to exploit the cells of the new host species optimally. Surprisingly, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has apparently required little to no significant adaptation to humans since the start of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to October 2020. Here we assess the [...]

Background: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) reported 170,639 cases and 1430 deaths from COVID-19 since the first case emerged in the country on March 2 through June 25, 2020. The objective of this report is to describe the characteristics and outcome observed among 99 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the largest academic hospital in KSA, and [...]

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded $2.5 million in grants to 12 institutes around the world to support research on bacteriophage therapy. These awards represent NIAID’s first series of grants focused exclusively on research on this therapy, an emerging field that could yield [...]