Mumps

An investigational vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) administered to pregnant women in a phase 2b trial produced sufficient maternal immunogenic response and transplacental antibody transfer for infants to demonstrate protection from birth to at least 6 months of age. The prepublication, interim results of the trial informed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision in March to designate the vaccine as a Breakthrough Therapy. Alejandra Gurtman, MD, Vaccine Research and Development, Pfizer, and colleagues employed 2 strategies to improve on an earlier effort, in which inactivated whole-virus vaccine administered directly to infants actually worsened illness when initial RSV exposure occurred after vaccination: They developed an alternative to the inactivated whole-virus; and administered it to pregnant women who, along with all adults, have had previous exposure to RSV. "Adults have universally had exposure to RSV, so the immunization of pregnant women could c...

In a recent study published in the  Journal of Medical Virology , researchers analyzed the efficacy of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection among cancer patients. Study: The efficacy of BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) and CoronaVac vaccines in patients with cancer. Image Credit: cortex-film / Shutterstock Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination is one of the most efficient approaches for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections and has a critical role in reducing the catastrophic consequences of COVID-19, particularly in cancer patients who have a poorer prognosis than the general public. Although clinical trials have shown that vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2 have a high effectiveness rate, the impact of these vaccines on cancer patients is yet unknown. Existing reports depicted low seroconversion rates following full-dose (minimum two-dose) COVID-19 vaccinations in can...

Waiting weeks or longer for an appointment with a primary care doctor—only to feel rushed through the appointment once it happens—is a common experience in the United States' healthcare system. It doesn't have to be that way. And for patients who join direct primary care practices, it typically isn't. Healthcare providers who work under the fee-for-service reimbursement model get paid for the services they provide. That creates financial incentives to provide more services—and squeeze more patients into an already busy schedule. In contrast, direct primary care (DPC) uses a membership model in which patients pay a monthly fee in exchange for unlimited access to their primary care doctor. DPC patients usually have shorter wait times for appointments and access to their doctors by text or cell phone in between visits. Doctors and patients can spend more time together—45 to 60 minutes compared to 18 minutes on average in the fee-for-service world. And because DPC...

Abstract Pneumonia is caused by infection at the pulmonary parenchyma which constitutes a crucial risk factor for morbidity and mortality. We aimed to determine the mortality rate and its risk factors as well as etiology among inpatients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP). A hospital-based retrospective cohort study was conducted in a university hospital located in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 250 inpatients with pneumonia was included in the present study. The inhospital mortality rate was 1.25 (95% CI 0.99–1.56) per 100 person-days. The present study reported that overall pneumonia caused by gram-negative pathogens accounted for 60.5%. P. aeruginosa was a frequent gram-negative pathogen among these participants, especially among patients with HCAP and HAP. Adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) of inhospital mortality among patients with HAP was 1.75 (95% CI 1.01–3.03) times that of those amon...

Dr Nishith Kumar is a 39-year-old general medicine practitioner from Bihar. After practising as a junior resident across departments at various hospitals for six years, he got selected at the Global Health and Humanitarian Medicine Course (GHHM), run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders. The course provides access to affordable, global education in Tropical Medicine, a relatively less explored specialisation. Need for the specialisation Dr Nonika Rajkumari, additional professor, Department of Microbiology, JIPMER, Puducherry and course coordinator (JIPMER hat) for GHHM (South Asia), says that tropical diseases refer to a group of disorders, which remain largely neglected by the medical community. "India is home to several tropical diseases, which mostly affect people living in rural and far-flung areas. If treated timely, patients suffering from many of these diseases can be cured. Thus, there is need to spread awareness about formal education in Tropica...

What is the aim of this review? This Cochrane Review aimed to find out whether ocular (given in the eye) antibiotics treatment can prevent eye infection following a corneal abrasion. We collected and analyzed all relevant studies to answer this question and found two studies. Key messages We could not find evidence that compared antibiotics with placebo (dummy treatment) or no treatment. We could not find enough evidence to support the use of one antibiotic over another to prevent eye infections with corneal abrasion. What is a corneal abrasion? The cornea is the transparent, protective outer layer of the eye. Corneal abrasion is a scratch of the cornea, usually caused by mechanical trauma, a foreign object in the eye, chemical burns, or contact lenses. How is corneal abrasion managed? Corneal abrasion causes pain and irritation, so treating physicians prescribe painkillers to help ease the pain. So...

[unable to retrieve full-text content] What HHVBP Means for Managed Care, SNF Utilization    Home Health Care News

The COVID-19 pandemic and other recent large disease outbreaks have highlighted the extent to which health care settings can contribute to the spread of infections, harming patients, health workers and visitors, if insufficient attention is paid to infection prevention and control (IPC). But a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that where good hand hygiene and other cost-effective practices are followed, 70% of those infections can be prevented.   Today, out of every 100 patients in acute-care hospitals, seven patients in high-income countries and 15 patients in low- and middle-income countries will acquire at least one health care-associated infection (HAI) during their hospital stay. On average, 1 in every 10 affected patients will die from their HAI. People in intensive care and newborns are particularly at risk. And the report reveals that approximately one in four hospital-treated sepsis cases and almost half of all cases of sepsis with organ dysfun...

AURORA, Ill.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Simplify Healthcare, a market leader in Healthcare Payer Digital Transformation solutions, today announced the appointment of Ruchir Ranjan as its Chief Customer Officer. The move aims to increase the organization's focus on delivering a consistent and seamless customer experience and strengthening customer relationships. Prior to joining Simplify Healthcare, Ruchir served as the Managing Partner and Region Head at Cognizant, driving large digital and enterprise transformation initiatives for companies in the healthcare sector. Ruchir brings decades of experience managing strategic clients at Cognizant and Accenture, as well as leading smaller entrepreneurial firms over his career. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, along with a BE in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. "Ruchir is a seasoned client executive, given his 30+ years of experience in technology leadership roles d...

NYC children 5-11 who had the second dose of the vaccine at least five months ago should start receiving the Pfizer booster. Visit nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or call 877-VAX4NYC for a site. Unvaccinated children should start the COVID-19 vaccine primary series now Health Department reminds parents and caregivers to maintain routine childhood vaccinations May 23, 2022 — The Health Department today announced that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine boosters for children ages 5 to 11 is widely available in New York City. Health Department vaccination sites, pharmacies, community health centers, hospitals, and City-run clinics will be providing no-cost COVID-19 vaccines. Availability of boosters for 5- to 11-year-olds at different sites will be posted and updated over the coming days. Visit nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or call 877-VAX4NYC to find a location. "Vaccines and boosters are our best line of defense against COVID-19, and making them available to New Yorkers ages 5-11 will help ...

For many people who have suffered a neurological injury such as a stroke, movement disorder or brain injury, regaining movement and function can be a challenge, although it generally can be overcome through a combination of rehabilitation and medication. But a stroke patient getting behind the wheel and driving again? Here in South Florida? A unique service available in the region exclusively from Baptist Health aims to put patients back in the driver's seat and safely back on the road to independence and normal daily living. Elizabeth Matalon, director of rehabilitation services at Baptist Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital, says Baptist Health is the only healthcare organization in South Florida to offer the service. Isabel Maestu, occupational therapist, explains that it's important for patients to regain not just their driving skills but also the sense of independence that comes with being able to drive to the grocery store, visit fam...