Prof Peter Collignon

Infectious Diseases Physician and Microbiologist. Professor Medical School. Australian National University. Views are my own.

[Crémieux @cremieuxrecueil]

Antibiotic prescription rates are going back up to their pre-pandemic levels.

[chris iddon @moog77]

@OmicronData Indeed. All the airborne clamour seems to have died down. Though I noticed a few moving on to Ebola 🤦

[chris iddon @moog77]

Good news that so far no more reported deaths from the Hantavirus outbreak. All cases still linked to the close h2h contact on the MV Hondius. So far no sign of transient airborne transmission. As previous outbreaks, quarantine is putting transmission in check.

[Prof Peter Collignon @CollignonPeter]

No learning loss in Sweden during the pandemic: Evidence from primary school reading assessments

[Crémieux @cremieuxrecueil]

Source: https://t.co/nWZ2HZ3Vfg

[Crémieux @cremieuxrecueil]

Sweden provides a natural experiment to figure out why COVID learning loss happened: was it COVID infection? Stress from the pandemic? Or was it school closures?

Sweden had no learning loss, didn't close schools, but had plenty of infections.

That's a point for school closures.

[Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 @ABsteward]

🔥Our article in EJHP is now published🔥🌟s @drgabx @BradSpellberg

“Universal high-dose meropenem for antimicrobial-resistant Gram-negative infections: evidence or overreach?”

We argue that the IDSA AMR guidance recommendation for universal high-dose meropenem (2 g IV q8h as 3h EI) for all infections other than uncomplicated cystitis is largely based on PK/PD extrapolation & expert opinion without supporting clinical outcomes data.
https://t.co/zhFI8w6Bws

[Historic Vids @historyinmemes]

The bar tab from George Washington’s 1787 farewell celebration still survives today, revealing just how heavily the Founding Fathers partied. Among only 55 guests, they reportedly consumed 54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of claret, 8 bottles of whiskey, 22 bottles of porter, 8 bottles of hard cider, 12 bottles of beer, and 7 large bowls of alcoholic punch.

[Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600]

This beautiful map was created by Charles Joseph Minard a round 1860s. He is one of the fathers of modern infographics. Here he visualises the vast German migration streams heading to the US via Hamburg and Bremen. Looking at it, it's no surprise that so many North Americans trace their roots back to German-speaking Europe. Australia received Brits in large numbers.

[Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 @ABsteward]

🆕💥🟢Nationwide case-control study
Glucocorticoid use is associated with increased candidemia odds with a clear dose-dependent relationship, consistent across common Candida species, and most pronounced in inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatic disease, and chronic pulmonary disease #idxposts
https://t.co/BLqVtXw8iw

[Akshatha R @IDdocAkshatha]

🚨 SNAP Trial #ESCMID2026
Largest SAB adjunctive antibiotic trial to date (4108 pts, 9 countries):
❌ Adjunctive clindamycin showed NO mortality benefit
⚠️ Possible harm signal in ICU patients
Bottom line:
Routine adjunctive clindamycin in SAB is not supported by current evidence

[Cheng-Yi Lee, PhD. @cylee_tw]

@WHO said the reproductive number of the #Andesvirus (#Hantavirus) outbreak linked to M/V Hondius has been brought under control, with an Rt of ~0.7, indicating the epidemic is contained. All reported cases are passengers or crew members of the #MVHondius vessel. No community cases have been identified outside of cruise-related exposure 🚢

- As of May 27, a total of 13 cases have been identified (11 confirmed, 2 probable), including 3 deaths, with a case fatality rate of approximately 23% 📊⚠️

- Three newly reported cases are from Canada, the Netherlands, and Spain, all detected through ongoing contact tracing 🔍🌍

- Over 600 contacts have been identified across 32 countries and territories; approximately 53% are classified as high-risk and 47% as low-risk 📌

- The index case (the bird scientist, ground zero case)is inferred to have been exposed on land in South America prior to boarding (likely rodent-related 🐭). Limited human-to-human transmission occurred onboard. Genetic sequencing shows high similarity among viral isolates, supporting a single or very limited spillover event followed by onward transmission 🧬

- The estimated mean incubation period is approximately 22 days. The probability of “safe release” for high-risk contacts is about 96% after 42 days and 91% after 35 days. WHO therefore maintains a 42-day quarantine recommendation for high-risk contacts ⏳

- Based on current case counts, the effective reproduction number (Rt) for this cruise cluster is estimated at ~0.7 (<1), indicating a declining trend under existing control measures 📉

- WHO assesses the risk for passengers and crew with exposure (or close contact with confirmed cases) as moderate, due to ongoing incubation periods, relatively high fatality, and the older age profile of affected individuals (average age ~65) 👥

The WHO emphasized that the risk to the general global population (non-exposed individuals) is considered low, given limited human-to-human transmission efficiency of the Andes virus, requirement for close and prolonged contact, Rt<1, and implementation of active tracing, isolation, and quarantine measures 🌐

At present, WHO does not recommend additional restrictions on international travel or trade, except for movement controls applied to identified high-risk contacts ✈️

[Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600]

Long lives are great. We should aim for that. Even more important is that we live our long lives in good health. The US and Australia stand out among OECD countries as having the most years living in poor health. Live healthy lives to ensure you enjoy your old age. Source: https://t.co/ianWAqyI0N

[Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600]

Most people's life satisfaction matches their personality traits. research shows just how much your personality determines how happy you are. Source: https://t.co/9Aak3Iaj6t

[Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 @ABsteward]

Amazing 😍
🔥SHORTEN 2 RCT
A 7-day treatment course is superior to 14 days for uncomplicated Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia bacteremia, achieving similar clinical response rates with lower antibiotic exposure, fewer superinfections, and fewer serious adverse events

[Antibiotic Steward Bassam Ghanem 🅱️C🆔🅿️🌟 @ABsteward]

What's in a name?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa—from Sédillot’s blue-green wound dressings and grapes like odor (1850), to Gessard’s isolation (1882), to Migula’s formal naming of the genus (1900).
A pathogen that made its name unforgettable recognizable #IDXposts

[Dr Steven Quay @quay_dr]

There has been some confusion about a novel influenzna vaccine program out of NIAID: a universal flu vaccine that combines four strains which, together, provide antigen exposure to >90% of the actual circulating strains over the past 60 years.

Preclinical work has been promising and certainly there is an unmet medical need here.

Current flu shot efficacy from year to year hovers on either side of a coin toss or 50%.

This vaccine formulation has made steady preclinical and clinical progress since before 2022, with $270 million earmarked for it in the 2023 and 2024 budgets.

The programs have continued in the current @NIH budgets under @NIHDirector_Jay and everyone is pulling for success.

[Matt Ridley @mattwridley]

I have been told someone found my lecture persuasive until they spoke to a virologist who said: "lots of viruses have furin cleavage sites".

Repeat after me, slowly:

SARS-COV-2 IS THE ONLY SARBECOVIRUS EVER FOUND WITH A FURIN CLEAVAGE SITE.

OUT OF SEVERAL HUNDRED STRAINS.

[Avi Roy @agingroy]

44%. That's how much dementia incidence dropped in the Framingham Heart Study over three decades.

The 5-year cumulative hazard fell from 3.6 per 100 in the late 1970s to 2.0 per 100 by the early 2010s. And it wasn't just Framingham. A 7-cohort consortium (49,202 people across Europe and the US) confirmed the pattern: 13% decline per decade, holding across very different populations.

So why do the headlines say the opposite? Because absolute numbers keep climbing. More people live past 80 now. But your individual risk of developing dementia at any given age is lower than your parents faced.

Two caveats. The decline only appeared in people with at least a high school education. And obesity and diabetes prevalence rose during the study period, which could slow future progress.

Your generation is less likely to develop dementia than the last one. Most people find that impossible to believe.

[Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600]

Men around the world have been getting taller. That's because of improved nutrition and fewer infectious diseases. Source: https://t.co/sM9yQciaVV

[Rafa Toledo @alfwarrior]

🧵
Cada vez que surge una nueva alerta sanitaria aparece la misma cuestión: transmisión por aerosoles. No todos virus es igual, ni todo son aerosoles. En este hilo voy a hablar de la TRANSMISIÓN DE ÉBOLA y su dinámica.
Espóiler: todo es explicable sin “airborne”
1/19