Volume 76, Issue 2, 15 January 2023

In this randomized controlled trial, we demonstrated that zinc administered orally to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 could prevent intensive care unit admission and reduce the hospital length of stay. For outpatients, zinc could shorten symptom duration.

A total of 149 disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) cases in California were identified; most were aged ≥40 years, heterosexual, or did not present with urogenital symptoms. All isolates with reported results were susceptible to ceftriaxone and cefixime. Expanding gonorrhea screening may prevent DGI.

People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) with good CD4 T-cell counts make effective cross variant immune responses following third dose vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; WWH) have an approximately 1.7-fold risk of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction compared with women without HIV. Low CD4+ T-cell counts in WWH are associated with isolated LV diastolic dysfunction, LV hypertrophy, left atrial enlargement, and pulmonary hypertension.

There are higher and longer lasting antibodies in pregnant persons and higher antibody levels in cord blood after COVID-19 vaccination compared with SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in cases of lower disease severity. Antibody levels wane over time following vaccination and infection.

We characterized clusters of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae among patients in US hospitals using static and dynamic methodologies of clustering. Widespread intrasystem and intersystem transmission was identified. Use of different methods to assess clustering resulted in only minor differences in interpretation.

This randomized trial compared the diagnostic efficacies of thin and thick bronchoscopes for pulmonary tuberculosis. Bronchial washing using a thin bronchoscope increased the tuberculosis detection rate in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis compared to a conventional, thick bronchoscope.

In this large-scale, population-based cohort study we found that both treated and untreated hepatitis C are associated with active tuberculosis (TB). People with hepatitis C should be considered for TB-preventive measures, such as treatment for latent TB infection.

Among immunocompetent adults, the messenger RNA (mRNA)-1273 booster conferred additional protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and severe coronavirus disease 2019 when compared with the 2-dose mRNA-1273 primary series during periods of Delta and Omicron variant predominance.

Co-administration of bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV) and oral cholera vaccine (OCV) is safe and effective in children aged 1–3 years and can be cost-beneficial. The study results are useful when bOPV and OCV are likely to be co-administered such as integrated OPV and OCV campaign.

Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03581734)

The association between immunogenicity and reactogenicity following 2 injections of mRNA-1273 vaccine was assessed in adolescents and adults (≥12 years). mRNA-1273 elicited high neutralizing antibody titers regardless of reactogenicity. Systemic reactogenicity was significantly related to higher antibody titers post–second injection.

This retrospective multicentric study of 279 Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis illustrates that relapses are frequent (1-year rate 9.3%) and can occur more than 1 year after the initial episode. Cardiac surgery and antibiotic combination are cornerstones of treatment to prevent relapse.

A multicenter quasi-experimental study with a stepped-wedge intervention design revealed that enhanced terminal room cleaning with ultraviolet-C disinfection was associated with a lower incidence rate of hospital-onset gram-negative rod bloodstream infection at the facility level.

We created machine-learning models to predict incident human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis as a marker for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) candidacy among patients from a southern medical system. The models effectively predicted incident HIV diagnoses and were more effective among women compared to prior models.

THRIVE collaboratives were associated with decreasing rates of HIV diagnoses for Black and Hispanic/Latino MSM. THRIVE programmatic activities strengthened prevention services by making PrEP accessible to Black and Hispanic/Latino MSM and supporting utilization of PrEP through navigation and other interventions.

In this nationwide, population-based cohort study, patients with brain abscess and no evidence of prior psychiatric disorders were at no increased risk of psychiatric disorders. However, we did demonstrate an increased receipt of psychiatric medication.

Among US persons with HIV (PWH), females demonstrated a lower prevalence of subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as differences in key immune/inflammatory biomarkers. Understanding sex-specific immune drivers of subclinical CAD will facilitate appropriately tailoring cardiovascular disease–preventive therapies to PWH.

Observational data suggest adjunctive clindamycin reduces mortality in severe toxin-mediated Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections, but GAS clindamycin resistance is increasing. Linezolid is a promising alternative adjunct with similar in vitro antitoxin activity but more limited supporting clinical data.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) can be triggered by cytomegalovirus (CMV). HLH after CMV infection can occur in immunocompetent patients. CMV infection is nearly always symptomatic, and lung involvement is frequent. Antiviral drugs might be the cornerstone of treatment.

This article describes the gaps in traditional culture and the utility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in diagnosing and treating peri-prosthetic joint infections. The clinical benefits of NGS compared to culture alone are discussed.