August 16, 2021
Building of medical oxygen infrastructure – vital for the future. In an opinion piece for Hindustan Times, CDDEP’s director, Dr. Ramanan Laxminarayan, emphasizes the importance of building a more resilient health system. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the urgent need to develop a sustainable medical oxygen grid infrastructure driven by centralized and decentralized production and reliable transmission to serve all urban and rural areas. The OxygenforIndia initiative was able to bring medical oxygen to many in urgent need, and now it’s time to invest in sustainable solutions for all [Hindustan Times, OxygenforIndia].
REGEN-COV helps prevent COVID-19 infections and reduces symptom duration. Researchers from the Covid-19 Phase 3 Prevention Trial Team assessed whether REGEN-COV, a combination of monoclonal antibodies, prevents COVID-19 infection and symptoms among patients exposed to a household contact with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Symptomatic COVID-19 developed in 1.5% and 7.8% of the patients receiving REGEN-COV and placebo, respectively. Moreover, symptomatic patients who had received REGEN-COV had a lower median time to resolution of symptoms than those receiving placebo (1.2 weeks vs 3.2 weeks). [NEJM]
Private health practitioners contribute to increased vaccination coverage in Afghanistan. A cross-sectional household study in Afghanistan assessed the impact of the public-private partnership plan in the Uruzgan province, providing training to private health providers (PHPs) in childhood vaccination. Vaccination coverage among children in villages with PHPs was significantly higher for polio 3, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP)-3, and measles-1 vaccines than in non-PHP villages. Furthermore 54.9% of children in PHP villages were fully vaccinated compared to 4.9% in non-PHP villages, which depend on mass vaccinations. [Vaccine]
Study raises questions on empirical use of ampicillin-gentamicin for neonatal sepsis. A recent observational cohort study evaluated the effectiveness of antibiotic therapies for neonatal sepsis in low- and middle-income countries. Ampicillin–gentamicin, ceftazidime–amikacin, piperacillin–tazobactam–amikacin, and amoxicillin clavulanate–amikacin were some of the most frequently prescribed antibiotics were. However, of 390 Gram-negative isolates, 97.2% were shown to be resistant to ampicillin, while 70.3% were resistant to gentamicin, warranting caution concerning the empirical use of ampicillin–gentamicin for neonatal sepsis. [The Lancet]
WHO cautions against COVID-19 vaccine booster shot administration. Amid the ongoing global vaccine supply constraints, The World Health Organization warns that administering booster shots now, while many are yet to receive their first dose, will further increase the demand and reduce an already scarce supply. WHO emphasizes that booster shots should be considered if faced with evidence of waning vaccine effectiveness, specifically against severe disease. [WHO]
Cerebral venous thrombosis more severe with vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia. A multicenter cohort study in the UK monitored features of post-vaccination cerebral venous thrombosis with and without vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), a rare side effect of COVID-19 vaccines, to determine if VITT is associated with poorer outcomes. The study showed that the severity of venous thrombosis was greater among those with VITT. Moreover, death or dependency occurred at a higher frequency among patients with VITT than those without (47% vs 16%). [The Lancet]
Lockdowns reinstated in multiple countries as Delta outbreaks surge. Multiple countries are facing COVID-19 Delta variant outbreaks beyond the main hotspots. Indonesia has recently extended COVID-19 measures for two more weeks. ICU bed capacity has surpassed 90% capacity on Sulawesi Island, and three regions of Sumatra Island are at 80% capacity. Reports of new cases have also led to lockdowns in four cities on Australia’s north coast, with Sydney itself on lockdown for eight weeks. [CIDRAP]
Tap water avoidance decreases rates of hospital-associated Pulmonary Nontuberculous Mycobacteria. A recent US study evaluated the impact of a tap water avoidance protocol on the incident of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTMs) colonization and infection among patients in intensive care and intermediate care units. Mycobacterium abcessus colonization occurred in more than 50 patients, including more than 30 lung transplant patients. The tap water avoidance protocol reduced colonization from 41.0 episodes to 9.9 episodes per 10,000 patient-days (incidence rate ratio, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.34), highlighting the importance of well-developed water management plans to minimize patient risk. [Clinical Infectious Diseases]
Biopsychosocial factors associated with mens’ risk of death due to COVID-19. A CDC study used a biopsychosocial approach to investigate why more men than women are dying of COVID-19. From a biological perspective, many immune-related genes are on the X chromosome, so women generally mount stronger immune responses than men. The authors suggest that among other factors, men generally engage in more high-risk behavior that generates the potential for contracting COVID-19 and have been socialized to hide their fear, both of which are important considerations in assessing their response to COVID-19. [CDC].
Artesunate-amodiaquine ineffective treatment for malaria in Cambodia. Researchers in Cambodia conducted a prospective, open-label, single-arm, observational study to determine the efficacy and safety of artesunate-amodiaquine to treat Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Among 63 patients, the parasite positivity rate on day three was 44.4%. All isolates had markers for both artemisinin or amodiaquine resistance indicating that the treatment is no longer effective for falciparum malaria in Cambodia. [Clinical Infectious Diseases]
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