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  • Order of RSV, rhinovirus infection may affect outcomes

    A study using infant human nasal organoids found that respiratory syncytial virus inhibited rhinovirus by 97% to 100% when RSV was present first, but there was no inhibition when the order was reversed. The research, presented at a Respiratory Syncytial Virus Foundation conference, found that type III interferons produced during RSV infection may be a factor. Medscape (2/25) Learn More

  • AI, soil bacteria may aid in fight against resistant infections

    Antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat, with pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae becoming harder to treat. The World Health Organization warns that AMR could cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Researchers have derived new antibiotics from soil bacteria, including teixobactin and murayamycin, and have used artificial intelligence to design potent drugs such as halicin. Phage therapy is also showing promise. These innovations could significantly reduce AMR-related mortality and make surgeries safer. Infection Control Today (2/24) Learn More

  • Researchers target sugar to combat drug-resistant bacteria

    Scientists in Australia have developed a method to combat drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii by targeting a sugar on its surface, pseudaminic acid. The researchers created antibodies to recognize this sugar, which helped the immune system eliminate the bacteria in mice. A. baumannii causes pneumonia and bloodstream infections. The approach, detailed in Nature Chemical Biology, highlights the potential for therapies that bypass antibiotic resistance by targeting molecules unique to bacteria. ZME Science (2/24) Learn More

  • Remote diabetes monitoring needs proper workflow, outreach

    Remote monitoring for diabetes patients can reduce hospitalizations and emergency department visits, but its effectiveness depends on structured workflows, appropriate outreach and authority to tailor medications, experts say. "The device alone doesn't do it," said Dr. Fady Hannah-Shmouni of Eli Health. "Programs that simply hand out devices, collect data without clear thresholds, or lack authority to change therapy rarely show meaningful changes in admissions or ED use." Medscape (2/24) Learn More

  • Hospitals receive grants for pathogen preparedness

    Fifty-four hospitals in 28 states and US territories have received grants of up to $500,000 from the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center to enhance preparedness for special pathogens. The funding, part of a $37.5 million allocation from the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, will be used to improve infrastructure and workforce training and procure specialized equipment. Becker's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control (2/24) Learn More

  • TAVR sees significant shift in age, risk level of patients

    A study in JACC highlights a significant shift in transcatheter aortic valve replacement demographics following the FDA's 2019 expansion of indications. The study, led by Natalia Egorova of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, found that the proportion of patients under age 65 undergoing TAVR had risen to 5%, with low-risk patients making up 35.7% of this group in 2024 compared with 2.7% in 2012. The study also noted that while younger patients have better short-term outcomes, they face higher one-year mortality than older patients. Cardiovascular Business (2/20) Learn More

  • Ambient AI adoption varies by hospital characteristics

    US hospitals with higher workloads, better operating margins, metropolitan locations and nonprofit ownership are more likely to adopt ambient AI, according to a study in The American Journal of Managed Care. The study, which analyzed 6,561 hospitals, found that 62.6% of those using the Epic electronic health record system have adopted ambient AI, with DAX Copilot, Abridge and ThinkAndor being the most popular tools. Healio (free registration) (2/23) Learn More

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