Category: Infection

States in the New England, Central, Northern and Pacific regions are still the areas with the highest rates of COVID-19 infections in the country, according to the latest data produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every week, the CDC produces a map tracking the virus positivity—how many patients tested positive for COVID-19, one of the most-reliable indicators of the impact of the disease in the community. The latest, which shows test positivity during the week ending on October 7, shows a general reduction in infections. Across the country, positivity was on average 10.1 percent—a 0.8 percent drop compared to the previous week ending on September 30. That week, too, the positivity rate, at 10.9 percent, had dropped from previous consecutive weeks. A graphical representation of the rates of COVID-19 test positivity among U.S. states in the week ending October 7, 2023. Green denotes rates between 5 and 9.9 percent; yellow, between 10 and 14.9 percent. The circled numbers represent federal health regions. CDC This would suggest that infections have largely stabilized, but the CDC has said that cases could pick up over the winter as other seasonal illnesses—including colds and the flu—increase, weakening people’s immune systems. The most-affected states in the country were Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming, where the positivity rate was 13.4 percent, the highest in the nation. New Jersey and New York followed with an 11.9 percent positivity rate, while Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington had a rate of 11.2 percent. Other states with a positivity rate between 10 percent and 14.9 percent were Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska (11 percent); Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin (10.6 percent); Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont (10.2 percent). Southern and East Coast states, from New Mexico to Pennsylvania, had the lowest prevalence of antigen tests returning positive results in the week to October 7, ranging between 5 and 9.9 percent. Newsweek contacted the CDC for comment via email on Saturday. COVID-19 has returned to the attention of both U.S. authorities and the American public after a sudden surge in infections since late summer. This has brought up the number of hospital admissions across the country. “While hospitalizations are increasing, the current levels are still far lower than what was seen in 2022 during the summer peak, when there was an average of 1,287 COVID patients hospitalized each day,” officials with the Los Angeles County Department of Health said in August. In response to a possible new wave of infection and in light of the emergence of two new variants, EG.5 and BA.2.86, new mask mandates—generally dropped earlier this year after the health emergency was officially declared over by the Biden administration—were introduced in health-care facilities and other public places in at least three states last month.

Warm seasons are an excellent time for livestock to roam outdoors and munch on the wild vegetation, yet with grazing comes the risk of ingesting parasites. Because small ruminants like sheep and goats are most at risk for parasites during grazing seasons, Dr. Isabelle Louge, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, recommends owners familiarize themselves with parasite testing, treatment, and preventative measures ahead of the fall grazing season. How to recognize and test for parasite infections First, owners should be aware of one of the most common parasites that affects small ruminants who graze — haemonchus contortus. “Also known as the barber pole worm, this parasite lodges itself in the walls of a ruminant’s stomach and drains their blood, leading to fatal issues like anemia and low protein,” Louge explained. “Animals that have heavy infections are often thin, pale, and possibly swollen under the jaw.” The FAMACHA scoring system is a typical method to test for signs of haemonchus infections and to determine which sheep or goats require deworming, but individuals who are not veterinarians must be certified before receiving a FAMACHA card and using the test. “The system compares the color of the mucous membranes in an animal’s eyelids to the FAMACHA card to determine how anemic the animal is likely to be,” Louge said. “The test is only accurate when an official FAMACHA card is used, and while it is not a perfect test, it can be an important way to screen animals that most need deworming and help owners monitor their flocks and herds for problems.” Other parasites can affect sheep and goats as well; general symptoms include weight loss, poor hair coat condition, and itchiness. If owners suspect their herd or flock has a parasite infection, including a haemonchus infection, Louge encourages them to visit their veterinarian for more thorough testing. “Since untreated parasites can lead to death, it is important to reach out to a veterinarian who can test your animals for parasites, confirm which parasites are the problem, and help you develop a plan to address them,” Louge said. “There are many techniques veterinarians will use to investigate parasite problems, but perhaps the most important test is the fecal egg count, which screens the manure of an animal for parasite eggs.” Treating and preventing parasite infections Once ruminants are confirmed to have parasites, owners should continue to work with their veterinarian to begin the treatment process. Louge pointed out, however, that medications used to treat parasites in small ruminants are becoming less effective over time because of their overuse. “People are often tempted to treat an entire herd or flock of animals for parasites at once to reduce their worm burden but because it is impossible to get rid of all parasites, this leaves parasites that are the most resistant to the medications,” Louge explained. “The remaining parasites will reestablish the parasite population, which will now be even more resistant to the medications, launching farms into a spiral of worsening parasite problems with nothing that seems to work for treatment.” One way to both treat parasite infections and slow the development of medication resistance is to only deworm the animals that need the treatment, making worm burdens manageable. “To select which animals should be dewormed, owners should consider several factors: their body condition in terms of how thin or fat they are because thin animals are more likely to have a higher parasite burden; their age, since very young and very old animals are more susceptible to parasites; how pale they are using the FAMACHA system; and if they are pregnant or sick, which can make them more susceptible to parasites as well,” Louge said. Veterinarians will also help owners slow medication resistance by determining which medication should be used based on what parasites are present and which dosage should be given, since sheep and goats differ substantially in how much they require, according to Louge. Another way to protect small ruminants from parasites is by implementing prevention strategies. “All flocks and herds need a parasite management plan, which should, ideally, include prevention strategies,” Louge said. “Examples include feeding animals in troughs and feeders that are designed to prevent manure from falling into them; ensuring there aren’t too many animals on a piece of land, which can concentrate parasites and increase worm burdens; and using targeted, selective treatments for the animals that need them.” Even though grazing may be a routine activity for your goats and sheep, you don’t want parasite infections to become a deadly issue in your flock or herd. By learning to recognize infection symptoms and consulting your veterinarian about treatment and prevention steps, you can help keep your small ruminants healthy as they graze. • • • Pet Talk is a service of the School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to [email protected].

According to a recent study led by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a staggering 95 percent of healthcare-associated infections, including bloodstream infections, ventilator pneumonia, and urinary tract infections, are attributed to medical devices. The study, conducted in collaboration with 121 hospitals across India, shed light on the alarming rate of antimicrobial resistance observed in these infections. These findings underscore the urgent need for effective infection control measures and antimicrobial stewardship programs to combat the rising threat of device-related infections and antimicrobial resistance in healthcare settings. Dr. Purva Mathur, Professor of Microbiology at AIIMS Trauma Centre, emphasized the need to address this issue. The surveillance network responsible for this study, established and led by the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center at AIIMS, received technical support from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and partnered with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) also provided partial funding and technical support for the initiative. The study revealed that the most common bacteria causing these infections were E. coli, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus. Of concern, the susceptibility of E. coli to the antibiotic imipenem declined from 81% in 2017 to 66% in 2022, while Klebsiella pneumoniae’s susceptibility dropped from 59 percent in 2017 to 42 percent in 2022.

What are you looking forward to this fall and winter? Getting together with friends to cheer for your favorite teams? Halloween parties? Going to concerts or that new restaurant you want to try? Family holiday traditions? Maybe a trip somewhere warm? But wait! Unless you act now, you could instead be looking at a week or two lying on the couch, miserable. A potential trip to the emergency room. Using up your sick time at work, or going without pay because you don’t get sick time. Excruciating pain. Long-lasting fatigue. Or maybe weeks in the hospital. No thanks. But every fall and winter, millions of adults get sick and miss work and fun because they didn’t get the vaccines that could have protected them from infectious diseases. If you’re over 50, you’re especially vulnerable. That’s why now is a perfect time to get the vaccines that could mean the difference between a great fall and winter, and a terrible one. Even if you do get infected, vaccines will make your illness shorter and less awful. Kahli Zietlow, M.D., is a University of Michigan Health geriatrician, or doctor who specializes in the care of older adults. Every winter, she encounters patients who regret missing out on recommended vaccines, as they as they realize they could have stayed out of the hospital if they had gotten a simple shot. “They say ‘I wish I’d known,’ or ‘I wish I’d gotten around to getting that vaccine,’” she said. She also talks to patients who are on the fence about vaccination because they worry that getting a shot will make their arm sore or make them feel tired. “I tell them one day of feeling a little under the weather after getting a vaccine is much better than being out of commission for weeks, or ending up on a stretcher in a windowless emergency room hallway, or lying in a hospital bed for weeks and realizing you could have avoided it,” she said. What vaccines should you get, when should you get vaccinated, and which ones should come first? The updated COVID-19 vaccine and the updated flu vaccine are important to get right away, for everyone over the age of 6 months, says Preeti Malani, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at U-M Health. Then, if you qualify for an RSV vaccine because you’re over 60 or pregnant, get that one this fall too. After that? Catch up on the other vaccines recommended for your age and health status, listed below in this article. (If you have kids, make sure they’re up to date too.) “The main thing is to start now, and keep going, because each vaccine takes a couple of weeks to reach full effectiveness,” said Malani. “Get ahead of the fall and winter respiratory virus waves and avoid missing the things you love most.” Zietlow and Malani recommend older adults check out vaccination information prepared by the American Geriatrics Society, and take a quick vaccine-advice quiz for adults from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where should you get vaccinated? Go to the place where you can get your shots soonest. That may mean the pharmacy down the street or the public health clinic downtown, rather than your usual doctor’s office. And that’s OK – the important thing is to get vaccinated. You can search for COVID-19 and flu shot locations near you at vaccines.gov. The rise of pharmacy-based vaccination during the pandemic has made it much more convenient for many people. Churches and temples, senior centers and other locations often offer flu shots too. But it can still be hard for some older adults to get to a vaccination place or book an appointment online. Reach out to older neighbors, friends and relatives to see if you can help them. Key adult vaccines you should get Updated COVID-19 vaccine Designed to protect you against an ever-mutating coronavirus, this may become an annual fall vaccine just like the flu vaccine. You can get vaccines made by Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax. Insurance covers the entire cost for almost everyone, and if you don’t have insurance you can get it for free. While some people had trouble finding it in the first weeks, it should be widely available now, especially at pharmacies. If you have Medicare Advantage, make sure the pharmacy or clinic where you want to get vaccinated is in-network for your plan. People over 50, and especially people over 65 or so, have a much higher chance of getting seriously sick if they get COVID-19. And while past vaccinations do offer some protection, it wanes over time. In fact, data presented when this year’s COVID-19 vaccine was approved showed that the vast majority of older adults hospitalized for COVID-19 in the first half of 2023 had not gotten an updated bivalent booster vaccine (That’s the one rolled out last September; the new COVID-19 vaccines replace it and the original vaccines.) Also, most older people who got sick enough to hospitalize for COVID-19 had multiple underlying health conditions – including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic lung diseases. If you’ve already got some health issues, you really need to make time to get the updated vaccine as soon as possible. You can also reduce your risk of long COVID if you get your updated vaccine. If you had COVID this summer, you have some added immunity from it – but you can still get protection from a COVID vaccine this fall. Flu vaccine Another vaccine to get immediately – on the same day as your COVID vaccine if you want to – is the tried-and-true flu shot. It’s updated every year, and while it doesn’t give you a guarantee against catching the flu, you’ll get less sick if you do catch it. If you’re over 65, you can get a high dose version that really ramps up your immune response. Both this version, and the regular flu vaccine, are available at no cost. Zietlow says many people don’t realize that in

USDA says Indiana soybeans will tie the state yield record of 60 bushels per acre despite reports of SDS and white mold throughout the state. How do your soybeans look? Do we have a record yield out there? Thank you for voting, and have a safe harvest season! You have already voted on this poll ! Please select an option !

October 14, 2023 2 min watch Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary" data-loading-text="Loading ” data-action=”subscribe”> Subscribe Added to email alerts We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact [email protected]. Back to Healio BOSTON — During the Edward H. Kass Lecture at IDWeek, Louise Ivers, MD, MPH, FIDSA, FASTMH, addressed the crowd about infections, inequalities and the hope that everyone can contribute to improving health for all. “My talk was really focused on how there are massive inequities in the world as it relates to infectious diseases but also many other diseases, too,” Ivers, faculty director of the Center for Global Health at the Harvard Global Health Institute, told Healio. “The chief cause of deaths — six out of the top 10 causes of deaths — in low-income countries are due to infectious diseases. Even though we have the diagnostics and therapeutics and the vaccines to prevent many of those diseases, we still see these huge disparities.” Ivers called on everyone in the infectious disease field to “stand up and take bold action to change the status quo.” Published by: Read more about Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary" data-loading-text="Loading ” data-action=”subscribe”> Subscribe Added to email alerts We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact [email protected]. Back to Healio IDWeek

BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — Less than three weeks ago, elementary students from Sullivan County, Washington County, Tennessee and Bristol, Tennessee schools took a field trip to the Appalachian Fairgrounds. Avoca Elementary kindergartener Grayson Hefflin was among the group who visited on Sept. 26. Now, Hefflin is part of an outbreak of E. coli infections that have left at least seven children in the hospital. Officials: Four kids seriously ill with E. coli from local field trip “Since September 26, it has been a myriad of different symptoms in our family,” Grayson’s mother Diedre told News Channel 11. Hefflin said Grayson presented minor symptoms on Sept. 27 but recovered fairly quickly. River Hefflin, before he tested positive for E. coli. About a week later, her 15-month-old, River, started acting fussier than usual. That didn’t raise any red flags, Hefflin said, as River is still teething. “Saturday night is when it hit me that it was more,” said Hefflin. “At that point, we found out about the E. coli outbreak.” River tested positive for shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) at Bristol Regional Medical Center on Oct. 7, Hefflin said. As he was transferred to Niswonger Children’s Hospital, River continued to get sicker. “Wednesday, he started vomiting, could not keep water down,” Hefflin said. “He had stopped eating, stopped drinking, totally.” Judge in ‘Jane Does’ lawsuit against JCPD near decision on who can view plaintiff names River began presenting symptoms of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication associated with STEC that affects kidney and blood clotting functions. On Oct. 12, River was transferred again, this time to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital in Knoxville. Hefflin spoke with News Channel 11 while River was in an operating room receiving dialysis ports and a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line. River, in the hospital. “Aside from all of the overload of just medical jargon and information, is just an overwhelming amount of emotions,” Hefflin said of the experience. “But god has brought us really through this, through his grace and through the prayers of so, so many people that have seen our story that are reaching out.” Hefflin’s second youngest son Elijah is also facing E. coli symptoms but had not yet been admitted to the hospital. Hefflin’s family isn’t the only affected; in fact, she said a few doors down from River at the PICU in Knoxville is another patient who attended the field trip. “We’ve all banded together and become a little community supporting each other through all of the symptoms and the questions and the resources of knowing what to do and where to go,” said Hefflin. “I’m really thankful for that.” Hefflin said River’s recovery will likely keep him in Knoxville for at least a month.

Don Miguel Foods of Dallas, TX, is recalling 10,642 pounds of frozen ready-to-eat carne asada burritos after testing showed Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. “FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase,” according to the recall notice. The frozen carne asada burritos were produced on Sept. 27, 2023. Consumers can use the following label information to determine whether they have the burritos on hand: 7-oz. individual wax paper packages containing “DON MIGUEL Hand Made BURRITO CARNE ASADA” with date code D23270 printed on the package. The products subject to recall have the establishment number “EST. 20049” inside the USDA mark of inspection on their labels. These items were shipped to retail convenience store locations nationwide. The problem was discovered after the establishment’s laboratory testing indicated the product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The establishment notified FSIS that some affected product was distributed into commerce. As of the posting of the recall notice, there had been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions from consumption of these products. About Listeria infectionsFood contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Anyone who has eaten any recalled product and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical treatment and tell their doctors about possible Listeria exposure. Also, anyone who has eaten recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop. Symptoms of Listeria infection can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are required to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other illnesses. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and cancer patients with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk of serious illnesses, life-threatening infections, and other complications. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News,click here.)

Key Takeaways If you have an active COVID-19 infection, experts recommend that you delay vaccination to reduce the chances of exposing healthcare workers and others to infection. Patients who recently had COVID may consider delaying their vaccine by 3 months from when symptoms began or until after they complete their isolation period and have recovered from the illness. After recovering from a COVID infection, some patients may get a vaccine sooner, including people who are older, immunocompromised and have certain disabilities, or underlying health conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises everyone aged 6 months and older to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially severe effects and outcomes of COVID-19 during the upcoming fall and winter seasons. In fact, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine continues to be safest and most reliable strategy for building immunity and protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death caused by COVID-19, Kate Grusich, a spokesperson for the CDC, told Verywell in an email. But is it possible to get the latest vaccine while you’re currently infected with COVID-19? If you choose to wait, how soon after recovering from infection should you consider getting vaccinated? Here’s what experts have to say. Can You Get the Vaccine While You Have COVID? If you have an active COVID-19 infection, you should not get the updated vaccine. The main reason for this precaution is so that you can minimize the risk of potentially exposing healthcare workers and others to the virus. “Getting the COVID-19 vaccine while you are sick with COVID is not harmful to you, but puts others at risk, particularly those at the vaccination site,” William Moss, MD, a professor in the department of Epidemiology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Verywell in an email. “In addition, you may not derive the full benefits of the vaccine if you receive it while sick with COVID.” Instead, Grusich and the CDC recommend holding off on getting the COVID-19 vaccine until you have fully recovered from the acute illness, are symptom-free, and meet the criteria to end your isolation. How Soon After an Active COVID Infection Can You Get the New Vaccine? If you recently had COVID-19, you can get the updated vaccine as early as when your isolation period is over: at least 5 days after symptoms started and as late as 10 days after symptoms started, said Moss. However, the CDC says you can wait three months if you’d like. That’s because the likelihood of getting COVID again in the near future is low and because allowing space between your illness and a shot may improve vaccine response. “Studies have shown that increased time between infection and vaccination might result in an improved immune response to vaccination,” Grusich said. “Also, you have a low risk of re-infection in the weeks to months following infection.” One such study conducted recently showed that antibody responses continue to mature following primary exposure by infection for at least 400 days after the last antigen exposure. Eric Asher, DO, a family medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, suggests waiting 8 to 10 weeks after recovering from a COVID-19 infection before receiving the updated vaccine because of this temporary natural immunity. It’s important to note that natural immunity does wear off over time. Once it does, Asher said getting vaccinated with the updated vaccine will make your body’s response to COVID that much stronger. Plus, natural immunity alone won’t protect you from newer variants, which the vaccine is designed to do. Can You Get Vaccinated Sooner? Although the CDC states you may consider delaying your vaccine by 3 months after you recover from a COVID-19 infection, there are certain people who should consider getting a vaccine sooner rather than later: If you still have questions regarding when you should get vaccinated after an active COVID-19 infection, it’s best to discuss your specific situation with a healthcare provider. Where Can You Get The Updated COVID-19 Vaccine? If you are interested in receiving the most updated COVID-19 vaccine, you can do so at your doctor’s office or local pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens, Moss said. You can also find more information on updated COVID-19 vaccine locations near you by visiting vaccines.gov. According to Grusich, most people are still able to access COVID-19 vaccines at no cost through their private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, and the Vaccines for Children Program. However, adults without insurance or whose insurance requires a co-pay for in-network coverage of COVID-19 vaccines can get a COVID-19 vaccine at no cost through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program. What This Means For You After recovering from a COVID-19 infection, experts say you may consider delaying getting the most updated vaccine by three months. However, some people may decide to get it sooner if they are at risk of severe disease or have increased transmission of the virus in their community. If that’s you, know that you maybe be able to get the shot within 5-10 days of your illness. The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page. Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. By Alyssa Hui Alyssa Hui is a St. Louis-based health and science news writer. She was the 2020 recipient of the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association Jack Shelley Award. Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error