Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Infectious Disease for July 2015. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
CDC: Too Few U.S. Adolescents Getting HPV Vaccination
FRIDAY, July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Four out of 10 girls and six out of 10 boys, aged 13 to 17, have not started the recommended human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series, according to survey results published in the July 31 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
AMA Wants Doctor Input on EHRs, Meaningful Use
FRIDAY, July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The American Medical Association (AMA) is encouraging clinicians to share their perspectives on electronic heath records (EHRs) and the meaningful use program.
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U.S. Health Spending Projected to Rise 5.8 Percent By 2024
FRIDAY, July 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — From 2014 to 2024, U.S. health spending growth is projected to increase by about 6 percent, according to a report published online July 28 in Health Affairs.
Recalcitrant Back Pain Could Be Vertebral Osteomyelitis
THURSDAY, July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Vertebral osteomyelitis should be considered in cases of back or neck pain unresponsive to conservative measures and elevated inflammatory markers with or without fever, according to new guidelines from the Infectious Disease Society of America published online July 29 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
HPV16 DNA in Oral Rinses at Oropharyngeal Cancer Diagnosis
THURSDAY, July 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 DNA in oral rinses is common at diagnosis of HPV-related oropharyngeal carcinoma (HPV-OPC), according to a study published online July 30 in JAMA Oncology.
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2015 MOC Program Expected to Cost $5.7 Billion Over 10 Years
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The 2015 version of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) maintenance-of-certification (MOC) program is expected to generate considerable costs, mainly due to physician time costs, according to research published online July 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Patients Report Improved Care Access, Better Health With ACA
TUESDAY, July 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Millions more Americans have affordable health insurance, access to a personal doctor, and feel they are in better health following the first two open-enrollment periods of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new analysis shows. The results are published in the July 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Delays Noted in the Reporting of Serious Patient Harms to FDA
MONDAY, July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — About 10 percent of cases where a drug does serious harm are not reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration within the required 15-day period, according to a new analysis published online July 27 as a research letter in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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New Gene Test Speeds Diagnosis of Enterovirus D68
MONDAY, July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have developed a genetic test to quickly detect enterovirus D68 (EV-D68). The researchers published details of the test’s techniques online recently in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.
One-Third of Septic Shock Survivors Readmitted
MONDAY, July 27, 2015 (HealthDay News) — About one-third of survivors of sepsis or septic shock are readmitted within 30 days, according to a study published online July 20 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
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FDA Approves Technivie for Hepatitis C
FRIDAY, July 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Technivie (ombitasvir, paritaprevir and ritonavir) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in tandem with ribavirin, to treat hepatitis C genotype 4 infection among people without cirrhosis and without scarring.
FDA Approves Test to Differentiate HIV Viruses
FRIDAY, July 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new diagnostic to differentiate between HIV-1 antibodies, HIV-2 antibodies, and HIV-1 p24 antigen in human serum or plasma specimens has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Progress Reported in Treatment of Marburg Virus
FRIDAY, July 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Researchers say they’ve made preliminary progress toward developing a drug that one day may treat people infected with the Marburg virus, which is similar to Ebola. The study was published in the July 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Review: Eradicating H. pylori Cuts Incidence of Gastric Cancer
FRIDAY, July 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in asymptomatic adults is associated with a reduction in the incidence of gastric cancer, according to a review published online July 22 in The Cochrane Library.
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Expansion of High-Deductible Plans to Impact Physician Care
FRIDAY, July 24, 2015 (HealthDay News) — As a result of the increasing popularity of high-deductible health care plans, patients now have more financial responsibility for medical services, which is impacting physician practices, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Fluoroquinolones Halt Multidrug-Resistant-TB in Contacts
THURSDAY, July 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For contacts of individuals with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), fluoroquinolone (FQN) therapy is associated with health system savings and reduced mortality, according to a study published in the July 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Targeted Prophylaxis Effective in Post-Prostate Biopsy Sepsis
TUESDAY, July 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing transrectal prostate biopsy, targeted prophylaxis is similarly effective to empirical prophylaxis for prevention of post-biopsy sepsis, according to a study published in the August issue of The Journal of Urology.
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2009 Pap Guidelines Linked to Drop in Chlamydia Testing
TUESDAY, July 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A major change in Papanicolaou (Pap) test guidelines introduced in 2009 may have had an unintended consequence: Some young women are missing out on screening for chlamydia, according to a report published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
CMS Finalizes Decision to Cover HPV Testing for Cervical Cancer
TUESDAY, July 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized the decision to cover human papillomavirus (HPV) testing once every five years in conjunction with a Pap smear test for asymptomatic Medicare beneficiaries aged 30 to 65 years, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
Inadequate Adherence for Proper Removal of Protective Gear
TUESDAY, July 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many health care workers do not remove personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly, according to a brief report published in the July 1 issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
Antibiotic Misconceptions Still Common Among Parents
MONDAY, July 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many American parents still have misconceptions about when their children should receive antibiotics and what the medications do, a new study indicates. The findings were published online July 20 in Pediatrics.
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Extensive Nonadherence to Vaccine Guidelines in Diabetes
MONDAY, July 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Among patients with diabetes, considered to be at increased risk of infection and infectious complications, there is considerable nonadherence to national guidelines for hepatitis B, influenza, and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines, according to a study published in the July issue of Clinical Diabetes.
Macrolide-Resistant M. pneumoniae in All U.S. Regions
MONDAY, July 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MRMP) has a prevalence of 13.2 percent in a sample of M. pneumoniae-positive specimens from six locations in the United States, according to a study published in the August issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases.
U.S. E. coli O157 Outbreaks Mainly Due to Food
FRIDAY, July 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing bacterium Escherichia coli O157 infection are mainly caused by food, especially beef and leafy vegetables, according to a study published in the August issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Clinicians May Harbor Biases About Sexual Orientation
FRIDAY, July 17, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Clinicians may be biased when it comes to the sexual orientation of patients, new research suggests. The study was published online July 16 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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AMA Suggests Ways to Encourage Use of Patient Portals
THURSDAY, July 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Measures can be taken to encourage patients to use patient portals to help ensure practices meet current Stage 2 meaningful use requirements, according to an article published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Choosing Wisely: How to Implement in Clinical Practice
THURSDAY, July 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Strategies should be adopted to help with implementation of the Choosing Wisely program, which was designed to address the problem of medical overuse, according to an article published in the July/August issue of Family Practice Management.
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Genes May Be Key to a Better HIV Vaccine
THURSDAY, July 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — An individual’s genetic makeup may determine whether an HIV vaccine will work, a new study suggests. The findings were published in the July 15 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
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Geographic Expansion of High-Risk Areas for Lyme Disease
THURSDAY, July 16, 2015 (HealthDay News) — From 1993 to 2012 there has been geographic expansion of high-risk areas for Lyme disease, according to a study published online July 15 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Considerable Burden for Community-Acquired Pneumonia
WEDNESDAY, July 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The annual incidence of community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization is 24.8 cases per 10,000 adults, according to a study published online July 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Few U.S. States Mandate Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
WEDNESDAY, July 15, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Almost a decade after the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was first recommended for girls, only two U.S. states and Washington, D.C., require the immunization, according to a research letter published in the July 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Progress in Reporting Conflict of Interest Among IRB Members
TUESDAY, July 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Among institutional review board (IRB) members, there has been positive progress in the reporting and management of conflicts of interest, according to a study published online July 13 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Arts Observation Curriculum May Be Beneficial for Medical Students
TUESDAY, July 14, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Use of an arts observation curriculum can help students learn to observe objectively and articulate their observations, which are important traits for clinical practice, according to an article published online July 3 in Academic Medicine.
Specific Biomarkers ID Cardiac Dysfunction, Mortality Risk in HIV
THURSDAY, July 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Specific biomarkers correlate with cardiovascular dysfunction and all-cause mortality among HIV-infected individuals, according to a study published online July 8 in JACC: Heart Failure.
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Poll Finds More Parents See Benefits, Safety of Vaccines
THURSDAY, July 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — American parents’ views about childhood vaccines became more favorable over the past year, a new poll indicates.
Exotic Squirrels Transmit Deadly Virus to Breeders in Germany
THURSDAY, July 9, 2015 (HealthDay News) — After the mysterious deaths of three German variegated squirrel breeders, researchers have identified a deadly new virus that can be transmitted from variegated squirrels to humans. Details of the findings were published in the July 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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WHO’s Response to Ebola Slowed by Politics, Bureaucracy
WEDNESDAY, July 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Politics and bureaucracy slowed the World Health Organization’s response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, according to a report from an independent, international panel.
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Non-AIDS In-Hospital Deaths Up in HIV-Infected Patients
WEDNESDAY, July 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Trends in hospital deaths among HIV-infected patients show that mortality during the antiretroviral therapy (ART) era is often caused by diseases and conditions other than AIDS. The findings were published online June 30 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
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ACIP Recommends MenB Vaccine for 16- to 23-Year-Olds
WEDNESDAY, July 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has voted to issue a category B recommendation for use of two serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines in patients aged 16 to 23 years for short-term disease prevention, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
PCV13 Predicted to Be Cost Saving Versus PCV7
TUESDAY, July 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV-13) is expected to be cost saving compared with PCV7, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
HIV-Infected Patients Frequently Have Chronic Pain
TUESDAY, July 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many HIV-infected patients have chronic pain, which frequently co-occurs with high levels of depression symptoms, according to a study published online June 27 in Pain Medicine.
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Court Upholds Medical Liability Damages Cap
TUESDAY, July 7, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The non-economic damages cap under the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) has been upheld again in a California court of appeal, according to a report published by the American Medical Association.
Despite Risk to Patients, Health Providers Often Work While Sick
MONDAY, July 6, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Many health care professionals work when they are sick, putting their patients at risk for serious illness or even death, according to a study published online July 6 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Additional Years of Secondary Schooling Can Cut HIV Risk
THURSDAY, July 2, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Additional years of secondary schooling provide a cost-effective HIV prevention measure in Botswana, according to a study published online June 28 in The Lancet Global Health.
Residents’ Knowledge of High-Value Care Varies
WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — U.S. internal medicine (IM) residents report varying knowledge and practice of high-value care (HVC), according to research published online June 16 in Academic Medicine.
Hep C Infections Underreported in the United States
WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New cases of hepatitis C are drastically underreported to federal officials, according to a case series and chart review published online June 30 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Public Opinion Sought on New Licensure for Assistant Physicians
WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) — New classification of licensure for assistant physicians has been created, and public opinion is being sought by the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts prior to filing these rules with the Secretary of State’s Office and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
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