Research Roundup: Covid; MRSA; TB; Coronary Artery Disease

CIDRAP: Antibiotic-Resistant Infections Up In US Hospitals During COVID, Data Show
Patients hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic and tested for SARS-CoV-2 had higher rates of antibiotic-resistant infections compared with those hospitalized before the pandemic, according to a study presented yesterday at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. (4/25)

CIDRAP: More Evidence COVID-19 In Pregnancy Can Lead To Severe Outcomes
More evidence that pregnant women with COVID-19 have more severe outcomes than non-pregnant peers was presented at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID). The research also showed even one dose of vaccine was protective against hospitalization for COVID-19. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto, included data from 13,600 women from Ontario's Case and Contact Management database, and matched every pregnant woman with 5 non-pregnant women as time-matched controls to account for different circulating strains and vaccine availability. Case-patients were included from Mar 6, 2020 through Jan 4, 2022. (4/25)

CIDRAP: Omicron Less Severe Than Delta But More Easily Evades Boosters
Three new observational studies from Scotland, Denmark, and the United States detail reduced hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits for Omicron COVID-19 infections relative to those caused by the Delta variant, as well as strong but waning third-dose vaccine effectiveness over time against Omicron. (Van Beusekom, 4/25)

Also —

CIDRAP: Study Finds MRSA, Other Resistant Pathogens In Finnish Hedgehogs
Testing conducted on hedgehogs in Helsinki, Finland, revealed the presence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and genes known to cause human infections, according to a paper to be presented at the upcoming European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID). In the study, researchers from the University of Helsinki tested samples from 115 dead hedgehogs collected from a wild animal hospital in Helsinki for the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase–producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E). Previous studies have found European hedgehogs to be carriers of these pathogens, including a study published earlier this year that indicated hedgehogs may be a reservoir for livestock-associated MRSA strains. (4/22)

ScienceDaily: Molecular Tests For TB: Global Rollout Of Rapid Molecular Tests For Tuberculosis Over The Last 12 Years
A potential game-changer in the tuberculosis epidemic was how the tuberculosis community viewed rapid molecular tests for tuberculosis and tuberculosis drug resistance. This was 12 years ago, with the launch of Xpert MTB/RIF, which gives results in less than two hours, simultaneously diagnosing tuberculosis and testing if the bacteria have rifampicin resistance, a type of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is caused by resistance to at least both rifampicin and isoniazid, the two most effective first-line drugs used to treat tuberculosis. (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, 4/26)

New England Journal of Medicine: CT Or Invasive Coronary Angiography In Stable Chest Pain 
In the diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), computed tomography (CT) is an accurate, noninvasive alternative to invasive coronary angiography (ICA). However, the comparative effectiveness of CT and ICA in the management of CAD to reduce the frequency of major adverse cardiovascular events is uncertain. (4/28)

CIDRAP: Drug-Resistant Fungus Could Be Spreading From The Environment To The Clinic
New research from a team of scientists in the United Kingdom and Ireland suggests a drug-resistant fungus has the potential to spread from the environment to susceptible patients. The study, published this week in Nature Microbiology, found six patients with infections caused by strains of azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus that were genetically similar to those found in the soil and plants in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland—an indication that those strains had been acquired from the environment. The findings also suggested that the strains likely acquired resistance to azoles from the widespread use of agricultural fungicides. (Dall, 4/27)