Articles: pandemics.
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• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug resistance has implications for antiretroviral treatment strategies and for containing the HIV pandemic because the development of HIV drug resistance leads to the requirement for antiretroviral drugs that may be less effective, less well-tolerated, and more expensive than those used in first-line regimens. • HIV drug resistance studies are designed to determine which HIV mutations are selected by antiretroviral drugs and, in turn, how these mutations affect antiretroviral drug susceptibility and response to future antiretroviral treatment regimens. • Such studies collectively form a vital knowledge base essential for monitoring global HIV drug resistance trends, interpreting HIV genotypic tests, and updating HIV treatment guidelines. • Although HIV drug resistance data are collected in many studies, such data are often not publicly shared, prompting the need to recommend best practices to encourage and standardize HIV drug resistance data sharing. • In contrast to other viruses, sharing HIV sequences from phylogenetic studies of transmission dynamics requires additional precautions as HIV transmission is criminalized in many countries and regions. • Our recommendations are designed to ensure that the data that contribute to HIV drug resistance knowledge will be available without undue hardship to those publishing HIV drug resistance studies and without risk to people living with HIV.
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Southern medical journal · Sep 2023
Impact of COVID-19 Policies on Hospitalists' Psychological Safety.
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic brought about many changes in work environment and interpersonal interactions to prevent the spread of infection. Policies such as ubiquitous masking, virtual meetings, physician distancing, and decreased communal eating changed the inpatient work environment. This study aims to look at the impact of these changes on hospitalists' psychological safety. ⋯ This study highlights the importance of finding ways to foster connection and decrease burnout while continuing to prevent the spread of infection.
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Pediatric emergency care · Sep 2023
Observational StudyPediatric Croup Due to Omicron Infection Is More Severe Than Non-COVID Croup.
Croup due to infection with the omicron variant of COVID is an emerging clinical entity, but distinguishing features of omicron croup have not yet been characterized. We designed a study to compare the clinical features of croup patients presenting to the pediatric emergency department pre-COVID pandemic with COVID-positive croup patients who presented during the initial omicron surge. ⋯ Pediatric patients with omicron croup develop more severe disease than do children with classic croup. They are more likely to require additional emergency department treatments and hospital admission than patients with croup before the COVID pandemic.
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Editorial
Lessons From the COVID-19 Pandemic: Updating Our Approach to Masking in Health Care Facilities.
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended societal norms and changed the way the health risks associated with respiratory viral infections are viewed. In this commentary, the authors advocate for mindfulness of continuing areas of uncertainty along with integration of the lessons learned into hospital-based practices to prevent harm to vulnerable patients rather than reverting to suboptimal prepandemic behaviors.
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The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario launched Canada's first virtual pediatric emergency department (ED) from May 2020 through November 2021 to deliver accessible care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to (i) conduct a cost analysis of the virtual pediatric ED, and (ii) compare the virtual costs to in-person ED costs to inform future resource allocation decisions. ⋯ These findings suggest the virtual pediatric ED reduced costs per patient. Virtual care may represent a financially valuable pediatric emergency department service.