International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
-
Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Feb 2021
The economic and health burdens of diseases caused by group A Streptococcus in New Zealand.
In preparation for the future arrival of a group A Streptococcus (GAS) vaccine, this study estimated the economic and health burdens of GAS diseases in New Zealand (NZ). ⋯ Preventing GAS diseases would have substantial economic and health benefits in NZ and globally.
-
Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Jan 2021
SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among health care workers in a New York City hospital: A cross-sectional analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic.
New York City (NYC) has endured the greatest burden of COVID-19 infections in the US. Health inequities in South Bronx predisposed this community to a large number of infectious cases, hospitalizations, and mortality. Health care workers (HCWs) are at a high risk of exposure to the infection. This study aims to assess seroprevalence and the associated characteristics of consenting HCWs from an NYC public hospital. ⋯ Seroprevalence among HCWs was high compared to the community at the epicenter of the pandemic. Further studies to evaluate sustained adaptive immunity in this high-risk group will guide our response to a future surge.
-
Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Jan 2021
ReviewAddressing Africa's pandemic puzzle: Perspectives on COVID-19 transmission and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.
To date, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) has spread to almost every region of the world, infecting millions and resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. Although it was predicted that Africa would suffer a massive loss of life due to this pandemic, the number of COVID-19 cases has been relatively low across the continent. ⋯ However, it is still important for African countries to adopt aggressive and bold approaches against COVID-19, in case the nature of the pandemic changes. This short review will summarize the status of the outbreak in Africa and propose possible reasons for current trends, as well as discuss interventions aimed at preventing a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the future.
-
Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Jan 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialThe efficacy of midline catheters-a prospective, randomized, active-controlled study.
This study was performed to investigate whether an intravenous (IV) strategy based on new-generation midline catheters is an efficacious alternative to a conventional IV strategy consisting of peripheral venous catheters and central venous catheters, for patients needing IV therapy exceeding 5 days. ⋯ In patients requiring more than 5 days of IV therapy, a midline catheter strategy reduced the need for insertion of a CVC or four or more PVCs.
-
Tocilizumab (TCZ) is an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist, which has been used for the treatment of severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (SSP), which aims to ameliorate the cytokine release syndrome (CRS) induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, there are no consistent data about who might benefit most from it. ⋯ TCZ is well tolerated in patients with SSP, but it has a limited effect on the evolution of cases with high oxygen support needs.