International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2021
Treatment outcome and adverse effects of colistin in adult patients with carbapenem resistant gram-negative bacteremia from Pakistan.
Polymyxins (colistin) have emerged for the treatment of carbapenem resistant (CR) gram-negative infections. There is a paucity of data on treatment outcomes and adverse effects of high-dose colistin treatment in Pakistan. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and toxicity of colistin in CR bacteremia, including patients with renal failure and on hemodialysis, and to determine patient outcomes. ⋯ Colistin is efficacious in clearing bacteremia even in patients with impaired renal function. The adverse effects were found to be minimal and reversible. We recommend the use of colistin in combination with carbapenems for CR gram-negative bacteria in renal failure. Most importantly, however, this study highlights the role of empirical colistin treatment in patients with risk factors for CR bacteremia.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2021
An Asia-Pacific study on healthcare workers' perceptions of, and willingness to receive, the COVID-19 vaccination.
In the fight against COVID-19, vaccination is vital in achieving herd immunity. Many Asian countries are starting to vaccinate frontline workers; however, expedited vaccine development has led to hesitancy among the general population. We evaluated the willingness of healthcare workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. ⋯ The majority of healthcare workers in Asia are willing to receive COVID-19 vaccination. Perceived COVID-19 susceptibility, low potential risk of vaccine harm and pro-socialness are the main drivers. These findings may help formulate vaccination strategies in other countries.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialSide effects of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine: A randomized, cross-sectional study with detailed self-reported symptoms from healthcare workers.
Concerns are prevailing about the safety and side effects of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). ⋯ Commonly reported symptoms (occurrence in descending order) were soreness, fatigue, myalgia, headache, chills, fever, joint pain, nausea, muscle spasm, sweating, dizziness, flushing, feelings of relief, brain fogging, anorexia, localized swelling, decreased sleep quality, itching, tingling, diarrhoea, nasal stuffiness and palpitations. Despite this, remarkable acceptance for the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine was found among HCWs.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2021
COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi: Did public sociopolitical events gatherings contribute to its first-wave local transmission?
The COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi emerged amidst widespread anti-government demonstrations and subsequent mass gatherings. This paper describes the incidence and factors associated with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi. ⋯ Mass political gatherings and cross-border immigration from high-risk areas were drivers for infection. Males, older age and urban residence were associated with increased COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. To control the spread of COVID-19 there is a need to regulate mass gatherings and repatriation of citizens, and strengthen the use of preventive health interventions. Men, the older age groups and urban areas should be prioritised for COVID-19 prevention strategies.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2021
Analytical performances of the point-of-care SIENNA™ COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in nasopharyngeal swabs: A prospective evaluation during the COVID-19 second wave in France.
We herein assessed the analytical performances of the antigen-rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) SIENNA™ COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test Cassette (Nasopharyngeal Swab) (Salofa Oy, Salo, Finland), targeting the SARS-CoV-2 N nucleocapsid protein, for the diagnosis of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection, by reference to real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR). ⋯ The SIENNA™ Ag-RDT presents excellent analytical performances for viral loads ≤33 Ct, classically corresponding to situations of symptomatic COVID-19 and/or proven contagiousness.