Infectious Disease Puscast

On episode #28 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the weeks of 4/26 – 5/10/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

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• Unprecedented outbreak of West Nile Virus (CDC)
• Approval of first RSV vaccine approved for individuals 60 years and older (FDA)
• FDA approves orally administered fecal microbiota product for the prevention of recurrence of C-difficile (FDA)
• Using thermal imaging to track cellulitis (OFID)
• Burden of Typhoid and Paratyphoid fever in India (NEJM)
• Early switch to oral antimicrobials in brain abscess (CMI)
• Considering vancomycin alternatives for pediatric methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (JPIDS)
• Navigating treatment options for Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex infections (CID)
• 2023 Duke-ISCVID criteria for infective Endocarditis (CID)
• Molecular characterization of Candida auris outbreak isolates in Qatar from COVID-19 patients (CMI)
• Amplicon sequencing reveals complex infection in infants congenitally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi (JID)
• Impact of Sequestration on Artemisinin-Induced Parasite Clearance in Plasmodium falciparum Malaria (CID)
• Advances in artificial intelligence for infectious disease surveillance (NEJM)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #27 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 4/13 – 4/25/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

Click arrow to play Download Puscast 027 (19 MB .mp3, 31 min) Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

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• Prevalence, clinical severity, and seasonality of Adenovirus 40/41, Astrovirus, Sapovirus, and Rotavirus among children with moderate-to severe diarrhea (CID)
• Antibiotic-prescribing practices for management of childhood diarrhea in 3 sub-Saharan African countries (CID)
• Drivers of decline in diarrhea mortality (CID)
• Breastfeeding among people with HIV in North America (CID)
• Wearable sensor-based detection of Influenza in presymptomatic and asymptomatic individuals (JID)
• Emergence of erythromycin-resistant invasive group a Streptococcus (EID)
• Piperacillin-Tazobactam compared With Cefoxitin as antimicrobial prophylaxis for pancreatoduodenectomy (JAMA)
• VE303 for prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (JAMA)
• Geographic patterns of antimicrobial susceptibilities for Bacteroides species worldwide (IJAA)
• Intravenous to oral antibiotic switch therapy among patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CID)
• Clinical impact of syndromic molecular point-of-care testing for gastrointestinal pathogens in adults hospitalized with suspected gastroenteritis (The Lancet)
• Treatment of pulmonary mucormycosis with adjunctive nebulized amphotericin B (Mycoses)
• Giardia detection and codetection with other enteric pathogens in children in the vaccine impact on diarrhea in Africa (CID)
• Feasibility of training community health workers to use smartphone-attached microscopy for point-of-care visualization of soil-transmitted helminths (AJTMH)
• Compassionate use of bacteriophages for failed persistent infections (OFID)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #26 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 3/30 – 4/12/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

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• Fatal rabies infection with failure of post-exposure prophylaxis following a zoonotic exposure (CID)
• Bivalent perfusion F vaccine in pregnancy to prevent RSV in infants (NEJM)
• Adeno-associated virus type 2 in US children with severe hepatitis (Nature)
• Genomic investigations of unexplained hepatitis in children (Nature)
• Antiretroviral treatment of HIV/AIDS during pregnancy (JAMA)
• Rapid PCR for respiratory viruses reduces time to result and improves clinical care (JOI)
• Postexposure doxycycline to prevent bacterial sexually transmitted infection (NEJM)
• Survey on antimicrobial resistance genes of used probiotic bacteria (EURO)
• Structured immune work-up in healthy children with episode of severe bacterial infection (JID)
• Antibiotic prescribing in U.S. nursing homes (JID)
• Syndromic panel testing among patients with infectious diarrhea (OFID)
• Early predictors of infected pancreatic necrosis in severe pancreatitis (DD)
• Management of nontuberculous mycobacteria in lung transplant cases (ERJ)
• Impact of extended-infusion piperacillin-tazobactam (Infectious Medicine)
• Camber Pharmaceuticals issues nationwide recall of atovaquone oral suspension due to potential Bacillus cereus contamination (FDA)
• Cluster of Blastomycosis among neighborhood residents (CDC)
• Risk factors for late-onset Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in liver transplant recipients (IJID)
• Hyponatremia predicts cryptococcal meningitis and mortality in HIV-Positive asymptomatic individuals with cryptococcal antigenemia (OFID)
• Investigation of donor-derived Strongyloides stercoralis infection in multiple solid organ transplant recipients (TID)
• Promising new malaria vaccine for kids approved in Ghana (AP)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #25 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 3/23 – 3/29/23.

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• Blocking NS3–NS4B interaction inhibits dengue virus in non-human primates (Nature)
• First evidence of locally acquired Dengue infection (CDC)
• Respiratory viral infections in recipients of cellular therapies (OFID)
• Evolving Japanese encephalitis situation in Australia (JTM)
• Attainment of target antibiotic levels by oral treatment of left-sided infective endocarditis (CID)
• Utility of PCR vs serology based testing in immunocompromised patients with Bartonella (OFID)
• Source-associated mobile genetic elements to identify zoonotic coli infections (OneHealth)
• The risk of urinary tract infection in vegetarians and non-vegetarians (Nature)
• Hydrocortisone in severe community acquired pneumonia (NEJM)
• Adjunctive dexamethasone treatment in adults with Listeria monocytogenes meningitis (The Lancet)
• Worsening spread of Candida auris in the United States (AIM)
• Origin, resistance, and spread of the emerging human fungal pathogen Candida auris (PLOS)
• Emergence of Candida auris (mBio)
• Invasive aspergillosis in liver transplant recipients (Transplant ID)
• Trends in reported babesiosis cases (CDC)
• PCR assay for diagnosis of tick-borne infections in children (OFID)
• Molecular evidence of widespread benzimidazole drug resistance in Ancylostoma caninum (PLOS)
• Emphasis of diversity, equity and inclusion on U.S Adult Infectious Disease Fellowship program websites (JID)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #24 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 3/1 – 3/22/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

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• Re-emergence of Parechovirus: 2017-2022 national trends of detection in CSF (OFID)
• Screening and testing for hepatitis B virus infection (CDC)
• Changing epidemiology of carbapenemases among carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (OFID)
• Comparison of a short vs long-course antibiotic therapy for ventilator-associated pneumonia (eClinicalMedicine)
• The impact of timing of infectious disease consultation for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (CID)
• Intravenous doxycycline, azithromycin, or both for severe scrub typhus (NEJM)
• Cronobacter sakazakii infections in two infants linked to powdered infant formula and breast pump equipment (CDC)
• Piperacillin/tazobactam vs cefepime or carbapenems for cefoxitin-non-susceptible bacteraemia in immunocompromised patients (JAC)
• Positive impact of [18F) FDG-PET/CT on mortality in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (CID)
• Association of antibody immunity with cryptococcal antigenemia and mortality in a South African cohort with advanced HIV (CID)
• Practical guide to antifungal susceptibility testing (JPIDS)
• Risk of COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis based on corticosteroid duration in ICU patients (OFID)
• Emergence and Persistence of Candida auris in Western New York with no epidemiologic links (OFID)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #23 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 2/16 – 2/28/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

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• Association between cytomegalovirus infection and tuberculosis disease (JID)
• In-depth virological and immunological characterization of HIV-1 cure after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Nature)

• Algorithm-based Clostridioides difficile testing as a tool for antibiotic stewardship(CMI)

• Clinical utility of nasal surveillance swabs in ruling-out MRSA infections in children (JPIDS)
• Antimicrobial for 7 or 14 days for febrile UTI in men (CID)
• Treatment strategy for rifampin-susceptible TB (NEJM)
• Current pyuria cut-offs promote inappropriate UTI diagnosis in older women (CID)
• Efficacy of doxycycline for mild-to-moderate community-acquired pneumonia in adults (CID)
• Hospitalizations for unspecified mycoses and implications for fungal disease burden estimates (OFID)
• Invasive mold infections following Hurricane Harvey (OFID)
• Cryptococcal meningitis and clinical outcomes in persons with HIV (CID)
• Rapid range shifts in African Anopheles mosquitoes over the last century (Biology Letters)
• Neuroangiostrongyliasis: Rat lungworm invades Europe (ASTMH)
• Balamuthia mandrillaris encephalitis presenting as a symptomatic focal hypodensityin an immunocompromised patient (OFID)
• Low rates of antibiotics prescribed during telehealth primary-care visits persisted during COVID19 (ICHE)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #22 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 2/2 – 2/15/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

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• Influence of rapid influenza diagnostic testing on clinician decision-making for patients with acute respiratory infection (CID)
• Outbreak of extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CDC)
• Epidemiology and clinical outcomes of non-HACEK gram-negative infective endocarditis (OFID)
• Azithromycin to prevent sepsis or death in women planning a vaginal birth (NEJM)
• Clinical significance of concomitant bacteruria in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (EJCM)
• Health disparities in hemodialysis associated Staph aureus bloodstream infections (CDC)
• Sequential oral antibiotic in uncomplicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (CMI)
• Genome-wide analysis of transposon mobility in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus deneoformans (PNAS)
• Prevalence of ocular candidiasis and Candida endophthalmitis in patients with candidemia (CID)
• Prevalence of Ocular Complications in candidemia (CID)
• Rapid and spontaneous post-partum clearance of Plasmodium falciparum (JID)
• Adoption and utilization of social media among adult and pediatric infectious diseases divisions and fellowship programs (OFID)
• Canine detection of chronic wasting disease in laboratory and field settings (Prion)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #21 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 1/18/23 – 2/1/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

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• The impact of cold temperature in the pattern of influenza virus infection (OFID)
• Janssen to discontinue Phase 3 Mosaico HIV vaccine clinical trial (JNJ)
• Randomized trial of vaccines for Zaire Ebola virus disease (NEJM)
• PD-1 blockade and lenalidomide combination therapy for Epstein-Barr virus infection (CMI)
• Outcomes of Daptomycin plus Ceftaroline vs alternative therapy for persistent MRSA bacteremia (IJAA)
• Detection of a novel strain of multidrug-non-susceptible Neisseria gonorrhoeae (The Lancet)
• Impact of a device to reduce blood culture contamination and false-positive central-line bloodstream infections (ICHE)
• Addition of anaerobic coverage for treatment of biliary tract infections (JAC)
• High dose Cefepime vs Carbapenems for bacteremia caused by Enterobacterales(OFID)
• Assessing the diagnostic performance of IGRAs for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (CID)
• Infective endocarditis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (JACC)
• Discordant clinical and microbiological outcomes are associated with late clinical relapse in clinical trials for complicated UTIs (CID)
• Real-world use of bezlotoxumab and fecal microbiota transplantation for the treatment of Cdiff (OFID)
• Blastomycosis in New England (OFID)
• Management of invasive candidiasis in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients (TCT)
• Short course of Antifungal therapy in patients with uncomplicated Candida Bloodstream infection (OFID)
• Parasites and childhood stunting (Cell)
• Comparing complication rates of midline catheter vs. PICC line (OFID)
• Novel prion strain as the cause of chronic wasting disease in a moose (EID)
• Agreement of respiratory viruses' detection between nasopharyngeal swab and bronchoalveolar lavage in adults with pneumonia (CMI)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #20 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 1/4/23 – 1/17/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

Click arrow to play Download Puscast 019 (17 MB .mp3, 29 min) Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

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• Neuroinvasive West Nile infection in solid organ transplant recipients (TID)
• Clinical markers of post-Chikungunya chronic inflammatory joint disease (PLOSNTD)
• Cholera outbreak in Haiti (CDC)
• Legionella bononiensis isolated from a hotel water in Nothern Italy (MS)
• Contemporary pharmacotherapies for nontuberculosis mycobacterial infections (IDT)
• Defining the optimal duration of therapy for hospitalized patients with UTIs and Bacteremia (CID)
• Fidaxomicin to prevent recurrent Clostridioides difficile (JAC)
• Evaluating predictive value of resected proximal bone margins in Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis(OFID)
• Postoperative inflammation and fever after elective aortic valve and aortic root replacement (OFID)
• Fungal nomenclature: managing change is the name of the game (OFID)
• Clinical microbiology laboratories should use nomenclature based on current taxonomy (JCM)
• Race and ethnicity: risk factors for fungal infections (PLOS)
• Mosquito net use in early childhood and survival to adulthood in Tanzania (NEJM)
• Probiotic for pathogen-specific Staphylococcus aureus decolonisation in Thailand (The Lancet)

Music is by Ronald Jenkees

On episode #19 of the Infectious Disease Puscast, Daniel and Sara review the infectious disease literature for the previous two weeks, 12/22/22 – 1/3/23.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Sara Dong

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• Burden of postinfectious symptoms after Acute Dengue (EID)
• Maribavir for CMV treatment in the real world (OFID)
• 24-Week all-oral regimen for Rifampin-Resistant Tuberculosis (NEJM)
• Beta lactam allergy association with surgical site infections (JPIDS)
• Effect of Macrolides on mortality in Bacteremic Pneumonia (CID)
• Association of repeated blood cultures with mortality in adult patients with Gram-Negative Bacilli Bacteremia (OFID)
• Evaluating predictive value of surgical resected proximal bone margins in Diabetic foot Osteomyelitis with clinical outcomes (OFID)
• Burden of serious Fungal Infections in India (OFID)
• Bartonella quintana transmitted by head lice (CID)
• Balamuthia mandrillaris Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis (JPIDS)
• Detecting Leishmania in dogs (PLOS NTD)
• Primer on home infusion administration methods (OFID)
• Biomarkers of infection or sepsis at the bedside (ICM)
• Implementation roadmap for establishing remote infectious disease specialist support in resource-limited settings (OFID)
• Perceptions and reality of antimicrobial prescribing during the transition to comfort measures (OFID)
• Can the future of ID escape the inertial dogma of its past? (OFID

Music is by Ronald Jenkees