Press releases


Sepsis, a call for inclusion in the work plan of the ECDC

ESCMID is proud to contribute to the joint statement on the need for action from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control for the inclusion of sepsis in the updated work plan. Sepsis is a devastating condition resulting from our bodies’ dysregulated immune system response to infections, which can lead to organ failure, death, or sometimes lifelong disability. ESCMID teamed up with the European Sepsis Alliance (ESA), the European Society of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC), the European Society for Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), and the European Society for Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPMIC) to issue a joint statement calling for better inclusion within the revision of the ECDC mandate to better address this important issue.

 

You can read the full article here.

 

Superbugs pose 'huge challenge' in treating Ukraine war wounds

Infections with superbugs that are resistant to most drugs have presented a "huge challenge" in treating the devastating injuries of people wounded in the war in Ukraine, doctors in Germany said.

 

Click here to read the article in France24

 

Italian Study Reveals Gut Microbiota Changes in First Months of Life

From birth onwards, the intestinal tract is colonised by a multitude of bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa, collectively known as the gut microbiota. The composition of the gut microbiota grows and changes in the first few months and years of life and disruption to its development is associated with conditions in later life including asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

Metagenomic Sequencing Bests Regular Tests in Identifying Antimicrobial Resistance in Bloodstream Infections

Metagenomic sequencing can provide rapid and actionable antimicrobial resistance predictions to treat bloodstream infections much faster than conventional laboratory tests, and has the potential to save lives and better manage the use of antibiotics, according to new research.

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

Rate of long COVID-19 symptoms mirrored by flu patients

A comparison between the long-term recovery of COVID-19 and influenza patients suggests persistent symptoms are not unique to a specific virus.

 

Click here to read the article in The National Tribune (Australia)

 

Click here to read the article in Yahoo News

 

Over 1 million lives saved across Europe by COVID-19 vaccines since the end of 2020

COVID-19 vaccination directly saved at least 1,004,927 lives across Europe between December 2020 and March 2023, according to new research being presented.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

Disturbed Sleep May Partially Explain Post-COVID Breathlessness

A major UK study has discovered that the disturbed sleep patterns in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was likely to be a driver of breathlessness.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

Surge of Strep Infections Hits Denmark, Elderly at Risk

During the 2022-2023 winter season Denmark experienced a surge in infections caused by group A streptococci (GAS), including the more dangerous, invasive types of infections (iGAS).

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

Scientists identify compounds that reduce the harmful side effects of antibiotics on gut bacteria

Antibiotics help to fight bacterial infections, but they can also harm the helpful microbes living in the gut, which can have long-lasting health consequences.

 

Click here to read the article in ScienMag

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

GSK's antibiotic drug to treat uncomplicated UTIs meets main goals

British drugmaker GSK said on Saturday its oral antibiotic drug to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTI) in female adults and adolescents met the main goals in late-stage trials.

 

Click here to read the article in Bloomberg

 

Click here to read the article in Yahoo News

 

Superbugs Contaminate Portuguese Veterinary Clinics: Clinical Staff Carry MRSA

Examination tables, scales and other surfaces in small animal veterinary practices are frequently contaminated with multidrug-resistant “superbugs”, the results of a Portuguese study suggest.

 

Click here to read the article in Physics Org

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

Major genetic study reveals how antibiotic resistance varies according to where you live, demographics and diet

A genetic study analyzing the microbiome (bacteria in the gut) of a large nationally representative sample of the Finnish population finds that geographic, demographic, diet, and lifestyle factors are driving the spread of antibiotic resistance in the general population.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in ScienMag

 

Multidrug-resistant bacteria found in 40% of supermarket meat samples

Multidrug-resistant E. coli were found in 40% of supermarket meat samples tested in a Spanish study.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in US Times Post

 

Antimicrobial Resistance, the Not-So-Silent Silent Pandemic

“Health is the foundation upon which all aspects of life are built and is the key to living a fulfilling and meaningful existence. However, despite our best efforts, our health is constantly under threat from various factors, and one of the most significant challenges we face today is AMR or antimicrobial resistance,” said Mary Elizabeth, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess of Denmark.

 

Click here to read the article in Infectious Disease Special Edition

 

Study Finds 'High Burden' of COVID-19 Infection in Residential Care Homes

Two-thirds of staff and residents in long-term care facilities for older people across England were infected with COVID-19 during the first two years of the pandemic, according to new findings from the Vivaldi study.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in Medscape UK

 

Over 40% of healthy moms preparing for fecal transplant to C-section babies found to carry potentially harmful pathogens

A randomized trial assessing whether the oral transfer of gut microbiota from mother to baby can safely restore normal microbiota after cesarean section (C-section) has found that over 42% of healthy mothers tested positive for potentially harmful pathogens and were unable to proceed with the transplant.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in Cosmos

 

Belgian Researchers Propose Theory for Waning of Mpox Epidemic

The subsequent decline in the epidemic after July 2022 remains insufficiently explained. Possible explanations include improved awareness and behavioral change in the population at risk and acquisition of vaccination- or infection-induced immunity.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in The Mirage

 

New bivalent booster vaccines highly effective in reducing Covid deaths and hospitalisations

Study's findings highlight the importance of vaccines containing different variants of the virus which are likely to provide enhanced protection against severe outcomes.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in The Independent (Ireland)

 

Dengue fever: Doctors fear UK could see outbreaks in the future - and this is why

The UK could become a breeding ground for the mosquito that carries the disease, doctors have warned. The illness is "rapidly changing" and climate change could see its spread affect more countries.

 

Click here to read the article in Sky News

 

Click here to read the article in The Independent

 

'Sharp increase' in UK diphtheria cases linked to small boat crossings

The new outbreaks across the continent over the last 12 months have been "mostly linked to incoming migrants".

 

Click here to read the article in Sky News

 

Click here to read the article in Yahoo News

 

Danish Study Shows Single Drop of Blood Detects HIV and Hepatitis

Data on a test that can detect HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C from a single drop of blood is being presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark, (15-18 April).

 

Click here to read the article in Weekly Voice

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

Higher-dose corticosteroids linked to increased risk of death in some hypoxic COVID-19 patients

Compared with standard care that included low-dose corticosteroid use, treating hypoxic COVID-19 patients needing only oxygen therapy or no breathing support with higher-dose corticosteroids is associated with a 60% increased risk of death.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in Mirage News

 

Targeted testing for HIV in hospital emergency departments has great potential

An analysis of data from 34 emergency departments (ED) in Spain found that the number of HIV diagnoses more than trebled after targeted testing was implemented.

 

Click here to read the article in El Mundo (spanish with statement from JESUS RODRIGUEZ-BANO)

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Researchers Identify Gold as Treatment for Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

Spanish Researchers identify gold-based antibiotics as treatments for bacteria that are resistant to drugs, also known as "superbugs".

 

Click here to read the article in The Herald

 

Click here to read the article in Tech Times

 

Without other pandemic precautions, hospital mask rules didn't stop COVID spread

New research finds that in communities where pandemic precautions have been largely abandoned, mask mandates in healthcare settings do little to prevent coronavirus infections among patients.

 

Click here to read the article in Yahoo News

 

Click here to read the article in LA Times

 

Omicron appears more deadly than seasonal influenza

Adults hospitalised with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant have a higher death rate than those hospitalised with seasonal influenza, even though Omicron is considered less virulent with lower case fatality rates than the delta and alpha strains.

 

Click here to read the article in the microbiologist

 

Click here to read the article in News Medical

 

War in Ukraine pushes highly contagious infectious diseases to alarming levels

New research reveals an extremely worrying picture of rising infectious diseases cases and falling levels of childhood vaccination and case detectionin the eastern region of Ukraine in the city of Kharkiv and Kharkiv region, the scene of some of the most intense combat in 2022.

 

Click here to read the article in the microbiologist

 

Click here to read the article in Global Security Wire

 

Rare encephalitis tick disease found in England

A virus carried by ticks, which is common in many parts of the world, is now present in the UK and health officials are reminding the public how to avoid bites from the tiny bugs.

 

Click here to read the article in BBC

 

Click here to read the article in The Guardian

 

Cognitive impairment in people living with HIV not made worse by COVID-19 in those who are vaccinated

People living with HIV (PWH) performed worse on cognitive tests in the first four months following SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to people without HIV, but these differences appear to be attributable to HIV and not to COVID-19.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in Urban Health Today

 

Siblings of HIV patients at high risk of depression, suicide

Interestingly, siblings of PLWH also faced an increased risk of depression diagnosis, use of antidepressants, and suicide compared to population controls.

 

Click here to read the article in NBC

 

Click here to read the article in EATG

 

Iguana stole my cake! and left behind a nasty surprise

Doctors have revealed that the toddler ended up with an unusual infection after being bitten by the reptile as it tried to steal a bite of cake.

 

Click here to read the article on CNN

 

Click here to read the article in The Guardian

 

Click here to read the article in Forbes

 

Outbreak of typhoid on Dutch ship traced to contaminated drinking water

Seventy-two cases of typhoid were confirmed in the spring 2022 outbreak on the Liberty Ann, an old cruise ship which was being used as emergency accommodation in Haarlem for asylum seekers.

 

Click here to read the article in The Gaurdian

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Flu can trigger heart attack

People who are diagnosed with flu are six times more likely to have a heart attack in the week after they test positive for the virus than they are in the year before or afterwards, according to a new study.

 

Click here to read the article in The Independent Ireland

 

Click here to read the article in Yahoo News

 

Virtual wards are safe and effective for treatment of individuals with mpox

Individuals with mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) were managed exclusively as outpatients, saving an estimated 2,100 hospital bed days—a cost saving of approximately £1.05 million, the evaluation of one of the first services of its kind.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in Healthworld

 

Research reveals substantial human cost of international COVID-19 travel and border restrictions

In a large program of research, involving four separate studies, the researchers mapped the impact of border and travel restrictions on international and Australian travelers.

 

Click here to read the article in Medicalxpress

 

Click here to read the article in UNSW Newsroom

 

Cats and dogs could be passing on superbugs to their owners

Swabs collected from hospitalised people found microbes shared with pets at home showing same antibiotic resistance however, risk of cross-infection is low.

 

Click here to read the article in The Gaurdian

 

Click here to read the article in The Telegraph

 

People Are Far Less Likely to Get Long COVID After Omicron, Study Finds

Researchers still have a lot to learn about Long COVID—when symptoms linger long after a COVID-19 infection is over—but new data suggest there may be some good news for people infected with the virus more recently.

 

Click here to read the article in TIME

 

Study shows those infected with COVID early in the pandemic were 40% less likely than those who were not to get COVID-19 during the first six months of Omicron activity

Infection with the original first-wave SARS-CoV-2 virus during March to September 2020 was associated with a 40% reduction in the risk of infection during the omicron BA.1/BA.2 period from December 2021–May 2022. COVID-19 vaccination conferred additional protection, and our study showed younger individuals to be more at risk of infection by omicron than older age groups.

 

Click here to read the article (Medical Express)

 

Study finds ‘classic triad’ of meningitis symptoms rare in both children and adults

Children and adults with meningitis typically have just one of the “classic triad” of symptoms, a study shows.Symptoms experienced can also differ between child and adult patients.

 

Click here to read the article (The Sun)

 

Click here to read the article (US Times Post)

 

Avoiding a global chocolate disaster – how tracing and recalls avoided a worldwide Salmonella outbreak

Largest ever recall of chocolate products in global history, just before Easter, prevented thousands of extra cases.

 

Click here to read the article (Irish Independent)

 

Click here to read the article (Wales Online)

 

More than 100 years after the first TB vaccine, why are we still waiting for a second?

It has been more than 100 years since the first and only tuberculosis (TB) vaccine—the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine—was used for the first time medically in 1921. In a presentation in one of the preliminary pre-ECCMID days of this year's European Congress on Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, April 15-19) Frank Cobelens, Professor of Global Health at the University of Amsterdam and the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD), Netherlands, will discuss the frontrunners among the candidate vaccines, and the challenges facing TB vaccine development.

 

Click here to read the article (Medical Express)

 

Click here to read the article (IFL Science)

 

FDA vaccine panel to consider annual COVID shots: What we know

The agency is proposing an annual COVID-19 booster shot that is matched to circulating strains and offered in the fall for most Americans.

 

Click here to read the article (USA Today)

 

Click here to read the article (US News & World Report)

 

Click here to read the article (WebMD)