CDC – SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS TREATMENT GUIDELINES, 2021
On July 23^rd, CDC released new guidelines for treatment of STIs. These guidelines discuss 1) updated recommendations for treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Trichomonas vaginalis; 2) addition of metronidazole to the recommended treatment regimen for pelvic inflammatory disease; 3) alternative treatment options for bacterial vaginosis; 4) management of Mycoplasma genitalium; 5) human papillomavirus vaccine recommendations and counseling messages; 6) expanded risk factors for syphilis testing among pregnant women; 7) one-time testing for hepatitis C infection; 8) evaluation of men who have sex with men after sexual assault; and 9) two-step testing for serologic diagnosis of genital herpes simplex virus.
Full Access: CDC

AAP ISSUES GUIDANCE ON EVALUATING AND MANAGING FEVER IN INFANTS
This guideline addresses the evaluation and management of well-appearing, term infants, 8 to 60 days of age, with fever ≥38.0°C but appear otherwise healthy. Three algorithms summarize the recommendations for infants 8 to 21 days of age, 22 to 28 days of age, and 29 to 60 days of age. Recommendations emerged that generally relied on clinical appearance, age, urinalysis, WBC (and/or absolute neutrophil count, band count, and/or immature to total neutrophil ratio), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis (except for the Rochester criteria, which did not require CSF.
Full Access: AAP

ANTIBIOTIC USE IN UK’S COVID-19 PATIENTS OFTEN UNNECESSARY
Study showed that a large portion of patients treated in UK hospitals receive antibiotics that often aren’t necessary.  A meta-analysis had found that roughly 75% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 received antibiotics even though only 8% actually had a bacterial coinfection.
Full Access: JAMA

WHY ARE TICK-BORNE ILLNESSES INCREASING IN THE U.S.?
Reports have shown that the tick population has expanded in recent years, and the diseases they carry have become more prevalent. Tick-borne illnesses in the U.S. have more than doubled in the past two decades, due to factors such as increased awareness, a growing population, and environmental change. As there are still many unknowns about tick-borne diseases, clinicians and researchers are concerned about the increasing public health threat.
Full Access: Medpage

FDA: JOHNSON & JOHNSON COVID-19 VACCINE TIED TO GUILLAIN-BARRÉ SYNDROME
According to the FDA, in most instances, the symptoms of Guillain Barré syndrome began within 6 weeks of vaccine receipt. However, the agency also said that the chance of this occurring is “very low.” Two studies published in Annals of Neurology cited small clusters “of an unusual variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome” following receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine. The rate of Guillain-Barré syndrome in these clusters was approximately four to 10 times higher than the anticipated baseline frequency.
Full Access: Healio