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Opiate use tied to hepatitis C risk in youth
SAN FRANCISCO – A new study indicates young adults with opioid use disorder are seldom screened for hepatitis C virus infections; yet 11% of the subjects with opioid use disorder who were tested had been exposed to hepatitis C, and 6.8% had evidence of chronic hepatitis C infection.
Overall, 2.5% (6,812 subjects) of all subjects received hepatitis C testing and 122 (1.8%) tested positive. Based on health records, 23,345 had an ICD-9 code for any illicit drug use and 8.9% of those (2,090) were tested for HCV infection. Of the 933 subjects with an ICD-9 code for opioid use disorder, 35% were tested for HCV.
The results suggest that a group at significant risk of hepatitis C – those with opioid use disorder – is being overlooked in public health efforts to control the disease.
Clinicians may presume, “Oh, you just take opioids orally, you don’t inject drugs,” but oral opiate users can progress to intravenous drug use, Donna Futterman, MD, director of clinical pediatrics, Montefiore Medical Center, and professor of clinical pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York, said during the press conference at the annual scientific meeting on infectious diseases.
Guidelines call for testing for hepatitis C only in individuals with known injected drug use, among other risk factors, but the research suggests that this significantly underestimates the population of teenagers and young adults who are at risk. Many who take opiates go on to use injectable drugs.
Another surprise finding in the study was that only 10.6% of those tested for hepatitis C had also been screened for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The reasons for the low frequency of screening are likely complex, including lack of time, discomfort between the physician and patient, and concerns over privacy and stigma, according to Dr. Epstein, who emphasized the importance of communication to overcome such barriers.
“As a pediatrician, I try to be as open as possible with patients and let them know that anything they tell me is confidential. I start out discussing less private issues, things that are easier to talk about,” Dr. Epstein said.
But the results of the study also suggest that preconceived notions may be holding clinicians back from testing. “How can you test for hepatitis C and not think HIV?” Dr. Futterman said. “What is that differentiator in providers’ heads that makes them focus on one thing and not the other?”
SAN FRANCISCO – A new study indicates young adults with opioid use disorder are seldom screened for hepatitis C virus infections; yet 11% of the subjects with opioid use disorder who were tested had been exposed to hepatitis C, and 6.8% had evidence of chronic hepatitis C infection.
Overall, 2.5% (6,812 subjects) of all subjects received hepatitis C testing and 122 (1.8%) tested positive. Based on health records, 23,345 had an ICD-9 code for any illicit drug use and 8.9% of those (2,090) were tested for HCV infection. Of the 933 subjects with an ICD-9 code for opioid use disorder, 35% were tested for HCV.
The results suggest that a group at significant risk of hepatitis C – those with opioid use disorder – is being overlooked in public health efforts to control the disease.
Clinicians may presume, “Oh, you just take opioids orally, you don’t inject drugs,” but oral opiate users can progress to intravenous drug use, Donna Futterman, MD, director of clinical pediatrics, Montefiore Medical Center, and professor of clinical pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York, said during the press conference at the annual scientific meeting on infectious diseases.
Guidelines call for testing for hepatitis C only in individuals with known injected drug use, among other risk factors, but the research suggests that this significantly underestimates the population of teenagers and young adults who are at risk. Many who take opiates go on to use injectable drugs.
Another surprise finding in the study was that only 10.6% of those tested for hepatitis C had also been screened for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The reasons for the low frequency of screening are likely complex, including lack of time, discomfort between the physician and patient, and concerns over privacy and stigma, according to Dr. Epstein, who emphasized the importance of communication to overcome such barriers.
“As a pediatrician, I try to be as open as possible with patients and let them know that anything they tell me is confidential. I start out discussing less private issues, things that are easier to talk about,” Dr. Epstein said.
But the results of the study also suggest that preconceived notions may be holding clinicians back from testing. “How can you test for hepatitis C and not think HIV?” Dr. Futterman said. “What is that differentiator in providers’ heads that makes them focus on one thing and not the other?”
SAN FRANCISCO – A new study indicates young adults with opioid use disorder are seldom screened for hepatitis C virus infections; yet 11% of the subjects with opioid use disorder who were tested had been exposed to hepatitis C, and 6.8% had evidence of chronic hepatitis C infection.
Overall, 2.5% (6,812 subjects) of all subjects received hepatitis C testing and 122 (1.8%) tested positive. Based on health records, 23,345 had an ICD-9 code for any illicit drug use and 8.9% of those (2,090) were tested for HCV infection. Of the 933 subjects with an ICD-9 code for opioid use disorder, 35% were tested for HCV.
The results suggest that a group at significant risk of hepatitis C – those with opioid use disorder – is being overlooked in public health efforts to control the disease.
Clinicians may presume, “Oh, you just take opioids orally, you don’t inject drugs,” but oral opiate users can progress to intravenous drug use, Donna Futterman, MD, director of clinical pediatrics, Montefiore Medical Center, and professor of clinical pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both in New York, said during the press conference at the annual scientific meeting on infectious diseases.
Guidelines call for testing for hepatitis C only in individuals with known injected drug use, among other risk factors, but the research suggests that this significantly underestimates the population of teenagers and young adults who are at risk. Many who take opiates go on to use injectable drugs.
Another surprise finding in the study was that only 10.6% of those tested for hepatitis C had also been screened for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The reasons for the low frequency of screening are likely complex, including lack of time, discomfort between the physician and patient, and concerns over privacy and stigma, according to Dr. Epstein, who emphasized the importance of communication to overcome such barriers.
“As a pediatrician, I try to be as open as possible with patients and let them know that anything they tell me is confidential. I start out discussing less private issues, things that are easier to talk about,” Dr. Epstein said.
But the results of the study also suggest that preconceived notions may be holding clinicians back from testing. “How can you test for hepatitis C and not think HIV?” Dr. Futterman said. “What is that differentiator in providers’ heads that makes them focus on one thing and not the other?”
REPORTING FROM ID WEEK 2018
Key clinical point: By focusing solely on injectable drug users, clinicians may miss many others who are at risk for hepatitis C infection.
Major finding: Among those with opiate use disorder, 11% tested positive for hepatitis C.
Study details: Survey of 269,124 teenagers and young adults visiting U.S. Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Disclosures: Dr. Epstein and Dr. Futterman have reported no conflicts of interest.
Encourage influenza vaccination in pregnant women
They are at greater risk for more severe illness, and influenza can lead to adverse outcomes in infants. The good news is that recent studies have shown that flu vaccines are safe and effective in pregnant women.
The bad news is that many women are hesitant to be vaccinated out of concerns over safety, in a trend that reflects broader societal worries over vaccination, said Dr. Chu, of the University of Washington, Seattle. In a video interview at an annual scientific meeting on infectious diseases, Dr. Chu advised steps to ensure that pregnant women are aware of the safety and efficacy of flu vaccines, and the benefits to the infant who acquires immunity through the mother. It’s also a good idea to have vaccine on hand to be able to offer it immediately during an office visit.
They are at greater risk for more severe illness, and influenza can lead to adverse outcomes in infants. The good news is that recent studies have shown that flu vaccines are safe and effective in pregnant women.
The bad news is that many women are hesitant to be vaccinated out of concerns over safety, in a trend that reflects broader societal worries over vaccination, said Dr. Chu, of the University of Washington, Seattle. In a video interview at an annual scientific meeting on infectious diseases, Dr. Chu advised steps to ensure that pregnant women are aware of the safety and efficacy of flu vaccines, and the benefits to the infant who acquires immunity through the mother. It’s also a good idea to have vaccine on hand to be able to offer it immediately during an office visit.
They are at greater risk for more severe illness, and influenza can lead to adverse outcomes in infants. The good news is that recent studies have shown that flu vaccines are safe and effective in pregnant women.
The bad news is that many women are hesitant to be vaccinated out of concerns over safety, in a trend that reflects broader societal worries over vaccination, said Dr. Chu, of the University of Washington, Seattle. In a video interview at an annual scientific meeting on infectious diseases, Dr. Chu advised steps to ensure that pregnant women are aware of the safety and efficacy of flu vaccines, and the benefits to the infant who acquires immunity through the mother. It’s also a good idea to have vaccine on hand to be able to offer it immediately during an office visit.
REPORTING FROM ID WEEK 2018
Taking a global perspective on infectious disease
The Infectious Diseases Society of America, which has its annual meeting as part of IDWeek, has a particular emphasis on global health. In fact, “IDSA prioritizes promoting sufficient U.S. investment in global infectious diseases responses and research, and in using the voices of physician scientists to inform multilateral and national global health policies. IDSA is a trusted leader in shaping and advancing international and national policies and investments in global HIV, TB, health security, and antimicrobial resistance,” according to the global health policy page of the organization’s website.
So it is no surprise that the global face of infectious disease is a prominent focus of IDWeek 2018 as exemplified by the Global ID track.
Although many of the overall sessions have a global ID component, with research from other countries prominent in IDWeek 2018 presentations across all topics, there are particular sessions that focus on more prominent global issues and diseases. For example, tuberculosis and HIV in a global context are strongly represented in many sessions.
But of unique interest also are emerging diseases and those that are, for now, primarily geographically localized. For example, the Global Health and Travel Medicine session on Thursday features presentations on a wide range of such diseases, including babseiosis, brucellosis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Chagas disease, and chikungunya virus.
Similarly, the session titled Adventures with Globally Acquired Infections on Friday covers diseases that are comparatively rare in the United States, but endemic in many areas of the world, including Leishmania major infection, Lassa fever, and malaria.
Friday’s late-breaking oral abstracts feature Emerging Infections, including details on recent outbreaks of Andes virus, Enterovirus A71, and Shigella that have spread into the United States.
And uniquely, Global ID and Transplant ID merge in a special session titled When Transplant Tours the World featuring disease risk in transplantation from a global perspective, including the growing issue of “transplant tourism.”
The Infectious Diseases Society of America, which has its annual meeting as part of IDWeek, has a particular emphasis on global health. In fact, “IDSA prioritizes promoting sufficient U.S. investment in global infectious diseases responses and research, and in using the voices of physician scientists to inform multilateral and national global health policies. IDSA is a trusted leader in shaping and advancing international and national policies and investments in global HIV, TB, health security, and antimicrobial resistance,” according to the global health policy page of the organization’s website.
So it is no surprise that the global face of infectious disease is a prominent focus of IDWeek 2018 as exemplified by the Global ID track.
Although many of the overall sessions have a global ID component, with research from other countries prominent in IDWeek 2018 presentations across all topics, there are particular sessions that focus on more prominent global issues and diseases. For example, tuberculosis and HIV in a global context are strongly represented in many sessions.
But of unique interest also are emerging diseases and those that are, for now, primarily geographically localized. For example, the Global Health and Travel Medicine session on Thursday features presentations on a wide range of such diseases, including babseiosis, brucellosis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Chagas disease, and chikungunya virus.
Similarly, the session titled Adventures with Globally Acquired Infections on Friday covers diseases that are comparatively rare in the United States, but endemic in many areas of the world, including Leishmania major infection, Lassa fever, and malaria.
Friday’s late-breaking oral abstracts feature Emerging Infections, including details on recent outbreaks of Andes virus, Enterovirus A71, and Shigella that have spread into the United States.
And uniquely, Global ID and Transplant ID merge in a special session titled When Transplant Tours the World featuring disease risk in transplantation from a global perspective, including the growing issue of “transplant tourism.”
The Infectious Diseases Society of America, which has its annual meeting as part of IDWeek, has a particular emphasis on global health. In fact, “IDSA prioritizes promoting sufficient U.S. investment in global infectious diseases responses and research, and in using the voices of physician scientists to inform multilateral and national global health policies. IDSA is a trusted leader in shaping and advancing international and national policies and investments in global HIV, TB, health security, and antimicrobial resistance,” according to the global health policy page of the organization’s website.
So it is no surprise that the global face of infectious disease is a prominent focus of IDWeek 2018 as exemplified by the Global ID track.
Although many of the overall sessions have a global ID component, with research from other countries prominent in IDWeek 2018 presentations across all topics, there are particular sessions that focus on more prominent global issues and diseases. For example, tuberculosis and HIV in a global context are strongly represented in many sessions.
But of unique interest also are emerging diseases and those that are, for now, primarily geographically localized. For example, the Global Health and Travel Medicine session on Thursday features presentations on a wide range of such diseases, including babseiosis, brucellosis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, Chagas disease, and chikungunya virus.
Similarly, the session titled Adventures with Globally Acquired Infections on Friday covers diseases that are comparatively rare in the United States, but endemic in many areas of the world, including Leishmania major infection, Lassa fever, and malaria.
Friday’s late-breaking oral abstracts feature Emerging Infections, including details on recent outbreaks of Andes virus, Enterovirus A71, and Shigella that have spread into the United States.
And uniquely, Global ID and Transplant ID merge in a special session titled When Transplant Tours the World featuring disease risk in transplantation from a global perspective, including the growing issue of “transplant tourism.”
Getting the most out of IDWeek 2018
IDWeek, whose theme is Advancing Science, Improving Care, is the combined annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS). As always,
The organizers have provided an interactive planning tool for attendees to create their own schedule. Features of the personal planner include:
Browse/Search: Gives several options for searching or browsing the program, including searching to quickly find a specific author and/or topic of interest.
My Schedule: Displays the sessions or abstracts/posters that the user has chosen to attend concisely.
My Bookmarks: Allows the user to create a hyperlinked list of bookmarks for future reference, including sessions not attended.
Anyone who’s interested can see the entire program online here and can browse by date and by the program tracks that comprise the following: Adult ID, Epidemiology & Infection Control, Global ID, HIV-STD-TB, Investigative ID, Pediatric ID, Trainee, and Transplant ID.
According to the organizers, “with so many common issues and challenges cutting across our four disciplines, IDWeek provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s knowledge, experience and expertise, for the improvement of patient care and public health.”
IDWeek 2018 is being held at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco, with the official program beginning on Wed., Oct. 3, at 1:30 p.m., and ending on Sun., Oct. 7, at 10:45 a.m.
Valuable premeeting workshops will be offered on Tuesday, including sessions on antimicrobial stewardship and research training program and grant-writing strategies, and on Wednesday morning, when there will be workshops, including those on TB, hepatitis C, and how to use the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework to develop guidelines.
And while you are in San Francisco for the meeting, be sure to check out the various sights and entertainment opportunities available there. Many websites highlight the fun and interesting things to do while in the city and can help you plan your stay, including the comprehensive SanFranciscoTravel page.
IDWeek, whose theme is Advancing Science, Improving Care, is the combined annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS). As always,
The organizers have provided an interactive planning tool for attendees to create their own schedule. Features of the personal planner include:
Browse/Search: Gives several options for searching or browsing the program, including searching to quickly find a specific author and/or topic of interest.
My Schedule: Displays the sessions or abstracts/posters that the user has chosen to attend concisely.
My Bookmarks: Allows the user to create a hyperlinked list of bookmarks for future reference, including sessions not attended.
Anyone who’s interested can see the entire program online here and can browse by date and by the program tracks that comprise the following: Adult ID, Epidemiology & Infection Control, Global ID, HIV-STD-TB, Investigative ID, Pediatric ID, Trainee, and Transplant ID.
According to the organizers, “with so many common issues and challenges cutting across our four disciplines, IDWeek provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s knowledge, experience and expertise, for the improvement of patient care and public health.”
IDWeek 2018 is being held at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco, with the official program beginning on Wed., Oct. 3, at 1:30 p.m., and ending on Sun., Oct. 7, at 10:45 a.m.
Valuable premeeting workshops will be offered on Tuesday, including sessions on antimicrobial stewardship and research training program and grant-writing strategies, and on Wednesday morning, when there will be workshops, including those on TB, hepatitis C, and how to use the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework to develop guidelines.
And while you are in San Francisco for the meeting, be sure to check out the various sights and entertainment opportunities available there. Many websites highlight the fun and interesting things to do while in the city and can help you plan your stay, including the comprehensive SanFranciscoTravel page.
IDWeek, whose theme is Advancing Science, Improving Care, is the combined annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS). As always,
The organizers have provided an interactive planning tool for attendees to create their own schedule. Features of the personal planner include:
Browse/Search: Gives several options for searching or browsing the program, including searching to quickly find a specific author and/or topic of interest.
My Schedule: Displays the sessions or abstracts/posters that the user has chosen to attend concisely.
My Bookmarks: Allows the user to create a hyperlinked list of bookmarks for future reference, including sessions not attended.
Anyone who’s interested can see the entire program online here and can browse by date and by the program tracks that comprise the following: Adult ID, Epidemiology & Infection Control, Global ID, HIV-STD-TB, Investigative ID, Pediatric ID, Trainee, and Transplant ID.
According to the organizers, “with so many common issues and challenges cutting across our four disciplines, IDWeek provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s knowledge, experience and expertise, for the improvement of patient care and public health.”
IDWeek 2018 is being held at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco, with the official program beginning on Wed., Oct. 3, at 1:30 p.m., and ending on Sun., Oct. 7, at 10:45 a.m.
Valuable premeeting workshops will be offered on Tuesday, including sessions on antimicrobial stewardship and research training program and grant-writing strategies, and on Wednesday morning, when there will be workshops, including those on TB, hepatitis C, and how to use the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework to develop guidelines.
And while you are in San Francisco for the meeting, be sure to check out the various sights and entertainment opportunities available there. Many websites highlight the fun and interesting things to do while in the city and can help you plan your stay, including the comprehensive SanFranciscoTravel page.
PIDS 40th anniversary and a spotlight on pediatric ID
IDWeek 2018 includes the annual meeting of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a society this year.
Paul Spearman, MD, the PIDS president, specifically highlighted some of the special 40th anniversary events: The Stanley A. Plotkin Lectureship in Vaccinology will be held on Friday, Oct. 5. “This is an annual highlight for PIDS in honor of Stanley Plotkin, the founder of PIDS and [an] inspiration to all of us. We are delighted to have Gary Marshall as the speaker this year giving a talk entitled “Vaccine Hesitancy, History and Human Nature,” Dr. Spearman wrote in an article posted on the PIDS website.
He noted that the PIDS anniversary special celebration, dinner, and lecture in honor of the contributions of George McCracken and John Nelson also will be held Oct. 5.
Throughout the meeting, the latest data and practices for the treatment of infants and children will be featured. Although pediatric issues will be discussed in many sessions, there are a number of events specifically dedicated to pediatric cases.
Of particular interest, on Wednesday morning, Oral Abstract Session 31 will focus on “Infant Viral Infections.” Talks will include “Role of Maternal Antibodies in Protection Against Postnatal Cytomegalovirus Acquisition,” by Frances Saccoccio, MD, PhD, and “Effect of Nasopharyngeal Pneumococcal Carriage on RSV and hMPV Illness Severity in Infants in Nepal,” by Alastair Murray.
On Thursday morning, the symposium “Hot Topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases” will feature talks by experts in the field detailing this year’s important clinical advances and discoveries that have the potential to impact clinical care.
The Thursday afternoon poster session “Pediatric Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship” will focus on topics such as “Variation in Antibiotic Use Among Neonates Hospitalized in United States Academically Affiliated Centers,” which will be presented by Prachi Singh, DO, and “Alternative Antibiotic Prescribing for Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in Pediatric Patients in Relation to Allergy Status,” to be presented by Ankita Desai, MD.
There also will be a poster session that afternoon focused on “Maternal-Child Infections” that will feature “Risk Factors for Congenital Infection in the United States: Analysis of the Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID),” by Angela F. Veesenmeyer, MD, and “The Effect of Prenatal Screening for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) on Chlamydial Conjunctivitis in Infants,” by Natalie Banniettis, MD.
Later that same day, “Mano-a-Mano III,” an interactive session on “Controversies in Pediatric ID,” will focus on the tuberculin skin test vs. the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for TB identification, the use of vancomycin therapy for meningitis, and the value of respiratory viral panel testing.
As part of the program committee, Marsha S. Anderson, MD, FIDSA, from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, serves as this year’s IDWeek chair, for the PIDS portion of the meeting, and Roberta L. DeBiasi, MD, of the Children’s National Health System serves as vice chair.
IDWeek 2018 includes the annual meeting of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a society this year.
Paul Spearman, MD, the PIDS president, specifically highlighted some of the special 40th anniversary events: The Stanley A. Plotkin Lectureship in Vaccinology will be held on Friday, Oct. 5. “This is an annual highlight for PIDS in honor of Stanley Plotkin, the founder of PIDS and [an] inspiration to all of us. We are delighted to have Gary Marshall as the speaker this year giving a talk entitled “Vaccine Hesitancy, History and Human Nature,” Dr. Spearman wrote in an article posted on the PIDS website.
He noted that the PIDS anniversary special celebration, dinner, and lecture in honor of the contributions of George McCracken and John Nelson also will be held Oct. 5.
Throughout the meeting, the latest data and practices for the treatment of infants and children will be featured. Although pediatric issues will be discussed in many sessions, there are a number of events specifically dedicated to pediatric cases.
Of particular interest, on Wednesday morning, Oral Abstract Session 31 will focus on “Infant Viral Infections.” Talks will include “Role of Maternal Antibodies in Protection Against Postnatal Cytomegalovirus Acquisition,” by Frances Saccoccio, MD, PhD, and “Effect of Nasopharyngeal Pneumococcal Carriage on RSV and hMPV Illness Severity in Infants in Nepal,” by Alastair Murray.
On Thursday morning, the symposium “Hot Topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases” will feature talks by experts in the field detailing this year’s important clinical advances and discoveries that have the potential to impact clinical care.
The Thursday afternoon poster session “Pediatric Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship” will focus on topics such as “Variation in Antibiotic Use Among Neonates Hospitalized in United States Academically Affiliated Centers,” which will be presented by Prachi Singh, DO, and “Alternative Antibiotic Prescribing for Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in Pediatric Patients in Relation to Allergy Status,” to be presented by Ankita Desai, MD.
There also will be a poster session that afternoon focused on “Maternal-Child Infections” that will feature “Risk Factors for Congenital Infection in the United States: Analysis of the Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID),” by Angela F. Veesenmeyer, MD, and “The Effect of Prenatal Screening for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) on Chlamydial Conjunctivitis in Infants,” by Natalie Banniettis, MD.
Later that same day, “Mano-a-Mano III,” an interactive session on “Controversies in Pediatric ID,” will focus on the tuberculin skin test vs. the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for TB identification, the use of vancomycin therapy for meningitis, and the value of respiratory viral panel testing.
As part of the program committee, Marsha S. Anderson, MD, FIDSA, from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, serves as this year’s IDWeek chair, for the PIDS portion of the meeting, and Roberta L. DeBiasi, MD, of the Children’s National Health System serves as vice chair.
IDWeek 2018 includes the annual meeting of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary as a society this year.
Paul Spearman, MD, the PIDS president, specifically highlighted some of the special 40th anniversary events: The Stanley A. Plotkin Lectureship in Vaccinology will be held on Friday, Oct. 5. “This is an annual highlight for PIDS in honor of Stanley Plotkin, the founder of PIDS and [an] inspiration to all of us. We are delighted to have Gary Marshall as the speaker this year giving a talk entitled “Vaccine Hesitancy, History and Human Nature,” Dr. Spearman wrote in an article posted on the PIDS website.
He noted that the PIDS anniversary special celebration, dinner, and lecture in honor of the contributions of George McCracken and John Nelson also will be held Oct. 5.
Throughout the meeting, the latest data and practices for the treatment of infants and children will be featured. Although pediatric issues will be discussed in many sessions, there are a number of events specifically dedicated to pediatric cases.
Of particular interest, on Wednesday morning, Oral Abstract Session 31 will focus on “Infant Viral Infections.” Talks will include “Role of Maternal Antibodies in Protection Against Postnatal Cytomegalovirus Acquisition,” by Frances Saccoccio, MD, PhD, and “Effect of Nasopharyngeal Pneumococcal Carriage on RSV and hMPV Illness Severity in Infants in Nepal,” by Alastair Murray.
On Thursday morning, the symposium “Hot Topics in Pediatric Infectious Diseases” will feature talks by experts in the field detailing this year’s important clinical advances and discoveries that have the potential to impact clinical care.
The Thursday afternoon poster session “Pediatric Antimicrobial and Diagnostic Stewardship” will focus on topics such as “Variation in Antibiotic Use Among Neonates Hospitalized in United States Academically Affiliated Centers,” which will be presented by Prachi Singh, DO, and “Alternative Antibiotic Prescribing for Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) in Pediatric Patients in Relation to Allergy Status,” to be presented by Ankita Desai, MD.
There also will be a poster session that afternoon focused on “Maternal-Child Infections” that will feature “Risk Factors for Congenital Infection in the United States: Analysis of the Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID),” by Angela F. Veesenmeyer, MD, and “The Effect of Prenatal Screening for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) on Chlamydial Conjunctivitis in Infants,” by Natalie Banniettis, MD.
Later that same day, “Mano-a-Mano III,” an interactive session on “Controversies in Pediatric ID,” will focus on the tuberculin skin test vs. the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for TB identification, the use of vancomycin therapy for meningitis, and the value of respiratory viral panel testing.
As part of the program committee, Marsha S. Anderson, MD, FIDSA, from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, serves as this year’s IDWeek chair, for the PIDS portion of the meeting, and Roberta L. DeBiasi, MD, of the Children’s National Health System serves as vice chair.