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Infectious Diseases
Top Medical News
Higher rates of maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) features* and decidual arteriopathy were observed in placentas of women who had coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during pregnancy, a study has shown.
Demographic factors influence survival outlook in patients with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to a recent study.
Although real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is the gold standard in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), it is not exempt from false negatives, reveals a study.
Singaporeans express feelings of fear, concern, and displeasure about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, and they were vocal about it on social media, according to a recent qualitative study.
As the world learns more and more about the enigmatic nature of the pandemic that is COVID-19, emerging evidence shows that erratic blood clotting — or coagulopathy — often complicates severe COVID-19 cases.
Sarcopoenia appears to occur more frequently in people living with HIV, reports a recent meta-analysis.
The immunosuppressive drug tocilizumab has the potential to be used as a targeted treatment against cytokine storm related to SARS-CoV-2 infection, reducing inflammation, oxygen requirement, vasopressor support, and death, as shown in a study.
Special Reports
Influenza or influenza-like illness (ILI) is defined as an acute respiratory infectionwith measured fever ≥38°C and cough with an onset within the last 10 days.1 In aninterview with Dr Gogillan Sevaratnam, an occupational health physician from theOccupational Safety and Health Unit, Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), he spoke onthe importance of vaccination in the prevention of influenza, and how healthcareworkers (HCWs) are a priority target group for vaccination.
Macrolide antibiotics are derived from the Streptomycesspecies. These contain either 14-membered (erythromycin [ERM],clarithromycin [CAM], roxithromycin [RXM]), 15-membered(azithromycin [AZM]) or 16-membered (spiramycin, josamycin,midecamycin) macrocyclic lactone rings. They inhibit proteinsynthesis by reversibly binding to the 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)in the 50s subunit of the bacterial ribosome. Traditionally,macrolides are used as first-line agents in respiratory, skin,soft tissue, and urogenital infections, and they are also activeagainst gram-positive cocci and atypical pathogens.
Invasive meningococcal disease is a life-threatening bacterial infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis that can progress rapidly and cause permanent disability.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remains as one of the world’s leading causes of mortality in global public health. Dr Charles Hicks shared his insights into the increasing role of dolutegravir (DTG; Tivicay, GSK) – an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) – in HIV therapy during the 4th National AIDS Conference 2018 at Swiss Garden International Hotel and Residences, Kuala Lumpur.
Urogenital infections remain a major reason for women to visit their family physician and their subsequent referral to obstetrics and gynaecology or urology specialists. The association between abnormal vaginal microbiota and an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), as well as an increased rate of preterm labour, indicates the need to better understand and manage urogenital health in women. Probiotics are “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”. As such, there is a sound rationale for using probiotics to maintain female vaginal and bladder health.
At the 40th Malaysian Paediatric Association Annual Congress held on 6 September 2018 at the Ipoh Convention Centre, Dr Yong Junina Fadzil discussed the applications of a hexavalent vaccine in optimizing paediatric vaccination schedules. Meanwhile, Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd Nordin shared his insights into the paediatric influenza ‘landscape’ in the region and highlighted the importance of regularly vaccinating paediatric patients.
SKYCELLFLU – Inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine (inj) 0.5 mL - AJ Biologics
Conference Reports
Men with HIV who are on testosterone therapy appear to have an elevated risk for significant coronary artery calcium progression (CAC) vs those who are not on it, according to a study released at CROI 20.
A once-weekly tuberculosis (TB) prevention regimen of isoniazid 900 mg and rifapentine 900 mg given for 3 months (3HP) resulted in higher treatment completion rates vs isoniazid daily for 6 months (6H) in patients with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), a study released at CROI 2020 has shown.
The combination of dolutegravir (DTG)/emtricitabine (FTC)/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) has superior virologic efficacy and safety compared with an efavirenz (EFV)/FTC/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) combination in pregnant women living with HIV (WLHIV), results of the IMPAACT 2010/VESTED* trial showed.
The second HIV patient to successfully undergo stem cell transplantation is still in remission, a good 30 months after stopping antiretroviral therapy (ART) — raising hope that curing HIV is a possibility.
The gap in overall life expectancy between people with HIV (PWH) and those without HIV has narrowed over time, particularly among optimally treated PWH. However, PWH still have fewer comorbidity-free years than those without HIV, according to a study presented at CROI 2020.
A six-week course of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir is insufficient to achieve virological response among patients with recent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, according to the phase IV REACT* trial.
Children with HIV (HIV+) who switched to efavirenz had higher bone mass even after 4 years of switching compared with those who remained on an antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen comprising lopinavir and ritonavir, according to data presented at CROI 2020.
