Volume 228, Issue 3, 1 August 2023

An evaluation of 5340 articles published in 9 specialty infectious disease journals in 2019 and 2021 showed code sharing, data sharing, registration, and conflicts of interest and funding disclosures in 3%, 11%, 8%, 79%, and 92%, respectively; transparency can be improved.

In this large study of hospitalized patients, RNA viral loads were similar, regardless of infecting variant and known risk factors for severe COVID.

Outcomes of 2 clinical SARS-CoV-2 convalescent plasma treatment trials, one effective the other ineffective, were not explained by serological markers of the convalescent plasma used. Start of treatment in relation to disease progression was likely the key factor that determined success.

Population-based, whole genome sequencing (WGS) of SARS-CoV-2 produces additional information for routine epidemiological contact tracing data to support public health decision making. Household transmission was not confirmed by WGS data in many cases.

China-produced inactivated COVID-19 absolute vaccine effectiveness (VE) levels against Omicron BA.2 infection, pneumonia or worse, and severe COVID-19 were 17%, 66%, and 91%; boosted VEs were 22%, 74%, and 93%. Inactivated vaccines were highly effective against severe COVID-19 in China's then infection-naive population.

We describe the immunologic and virologic impact of monkeypox infection in a woman with human immunodeficiency virus receiving antiretroviral therapy. Extensive phenotypic analyses of B and T cells and biomarkers showed significant immunologic perturbations despite mild monkeypox infection.

Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection leads to interferon and microbial pathogen-associated signaling in the heart. Antiretrovirals dampen inflammatory signaling. Chronic SIV infection treated with antiretrovirals reduces expression of genes associated with fatty acid metabolism in the heart.

IL-8–secreting CD4 T cells are inversely correlated with HIV-1 reservoir size at birth in vertically infected neonates; these CD4 T cells may therefore represent a barrier against HIV-1 reservoir seeding.

In a multicenter controlled human infection model study, we inoculated 76 participants with influenza A/California/04/2009/H1N1pdm-like virus and safely achieved a 71.1% attack rate of mild-to-moderate influenza disease. High virus-specific hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization titers were associated with protection from illness.

In this phase 2 observer-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, RSVPreF3 maternal vaccination during late second or third trimester had an acceptable safety risk profile and induced robust RSV-specific immune responses with successful antibody transfer to their newborns.

Structured plasma measurements and single-cell characterization in liver demonstrate that second-phase plasma viral kinetics derive directly from reductions in HCV-infected hepatocytes after initiating treatment with direct-acting antivirals and confirms that treatment leads to loss of HCV RNA from infected hepatocytes.

Comparative genomics of 175 Mycobacterium abscessus isolates reveal nonrandom parallel mutations in 22 genes. We demonstrate altered macrolide susceptibility co-occurring with a nonsynonymous whiB1 mutation and the loss of a 23-kb mercury-resistance plasmid during M. abscessus in-host adaptation.

In Staphylococus aureus bacteremia mouse model, aging and TLR2 deficiency impair the immune responses in distinct patterns. Mortality was more controlled by aging, whereas weight loss and kidney abscess were more TLR2 dependent. Aging increased mortality independent of TLR2 expression.

Mortality from tuberculous meningitis remains unacceptably high. This is the first study to show an association between tuberculous meningitis susceptibility and mortality and a polymorphism in MUC5AC, which is an important gel-forming mucin expressed in lungs.

Multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii causes dangerous infections in immunocompromised patients. Rag2^−/− mice were highly susceptible to A. baumannii infection, but could be treated prophylactically with serum or gamma globulins from uninfected mice, implicating natural antibodies in infection resistance.