Top in ID: Tough Mudder racers develop infections; renewed interest in West Nile vaccine

Within days of the California Tough Mudder race on Aug. 19 and 20, the Sonoma County Health Department issued a health advisory, stating some participants had contracted Aeromonas bacterial infections.

Tough Mudder races are obstacle courses where participants jump hurdles, climb ropes and crawl under barbed wire in a muddy environment.

It was the top story in infectious disease last week.

The second top story was about renewed interest in developing a vaccine for West Nile virus. The biggest localized outbreak in the United States occurred in 2021, with 1,140 cases in Arizona and 2,911 total cases in the country.

Read these and more top stories in infectious disease below:

Racers contract bacterial infection after California Tough Mudder race

Several people contracted Aeromonas infections during a Tough Mudder race in California, health officials confirmed. Read more.

Experts revive interest in vaccine for West Nile virus amid ongoing threat

CDC experts argued recently that the time is right to revisit the need for a vaccine against West Nile virus, which remains the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Read more.

Q&A: Long COVID study sees ‘very sobering’ results after 2 years

A large study found that long COVID-related conditions may persist among patients for as long as 2 years after recovery from acute disease, with COVID-19-related hospitalization increasing the risk sharply. Read more.

Antibiotic use in US hospitals increased during COVID-19 waves

Inpatient antimicrobial use in U.S. hospitals increased both overall and among specific commonly used antibiotics during peak waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers reported. Read more.

Physicians reckon with ‘profound’ impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has been described by Anthony S. Fauci, MD, as “the most catastrophic acute infectious disease outbreak” in more than a century. We asked experts to describe some of the most significant and lasting changes the pandemic made on patient health and medical practices. Read more.