Infection

The CDC made important changes to its flu vaccination recommendations for 2019-2020. Here is a quick review. 

CDC recommends flu vaccination be offered by the end of this month, October; the Centers offer these 5 tips on how to discuss the topic with your patients.

How prevalent is use of antibiotics without a prescription? Why do patients hesitate to be vaccinated? Plus, 3 more questions on ID research that may affect primary care.

How prevalent is use of antibiotics without a prescription? How effective is HCV treatment in people who inject drugs? See snapshots of these study results and 4 more.

The ideal test for Lyme disease needs to be direct and highly sensitive in specific areas of detection. A new review highlights the 5 key criteria.

The patient is 5-years-old without significant medical history. What is the differential diagnosis for a neck mass? What is your diagnosis?

Parkinson disease may join the list of extrahepatic complications associated with HCV infection, according to a new study in JAMA Neurology.

Isoniazid resistance in TB may be prevented and even reversed by a small newly identified molecule called C10, according to a recent study.

Opioids and infectious diseases, PrEP and STI risk, new oral Rx for C diff, and a shortage of ID specialists. We summarize studies, commentaries,  and reports on these topics and more.

Three-year-old boy has rash x7 days on arms and legs plus low-grade fever x10-14 days. Is the eruption anomaly or simply ordinary?

Rx Shorts: With 2 shingles vaccines available, questions continue to multiply. Take away 4 small pearls to help answer patient questions and maybe yours.

What’s swimming around in kids’ bath water-besides their rubber duckies? And why might it matter?

Urticarial wet plaque, smaller pink urticarial lesions on the temple and eyelid, eyelid edema, no vesicles or pain. What's your diagnosis?

Here: a quick look at newly approved agents for primary care that will soon be coming your way.

Test your knowledge of the safety events that have occurred involving FDA-approved drugs since the turn of the century.

Take this brief quiz to see what you’ve learned about the challenges and opportunities of HCV management.

Resistance-associated variants limit the activity of some drugs, but HIV infection treatment may offer some guidance.

The “modern era” of treatment features multiple DAAs that target specific steps within the HCV life cycle.

State Medicaid programs and private insurance companies have balked at providing these drugs to their insured customers. But the tide is turning.

Testing is recommended for the persons who are more likely to have the virus but not know it.

Patients can be identified at earlier stages of disease, before serious liver damage, and have improved clinical outcomes.

Knowing the origin and causes could help clinicians better determine who to screen and treat.

Primary care physicians can play an expanding role in achieving the benefits of testing, care, and treatment to help stem the epidemic.

Take this quick 8-question quiz to test your knowledge of a troubling inflammatory disorder.

Take this quick quiz to test your knowledge of a deadly disease.

A young naval recruit presents with a cluster of symptoms that may sound familiar. Get more clues and a close look at the rash, here.

Do doctors’ politics affect treatment decisions on, for example, drug use, firearms, and sexual behavior? Do yours?

Onset of illness was acute; fever is high and rash is widespread. Exam is performed in isolation. Your Dx?

Flu deaths are higher among persons with chronic conditions, like T2DM. Flu vaccination should be part of comprehensive secondary prevention.