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Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by over 20 species of obligate intracellular protozoa belonging to the genus Leishmania. Leishmaniasis has a global distribution, including in the United States, and can cause a spectrum of clinical syndromes, including cutaneous, mucosal, and visceral diseases depending on host factors and the infecting Leishmania spp. Accurate diagnosis, including Leishmania species identification, is an important step to guide the most appropriate therapeutic intervention. Antileishmanial therapy is dependent on the Leishmania spp. identified, the clinical syndrome, and the child’s immune system. However, many treatment regimens for children have been extrapolated from adult clinical trials, which may lead to underdosing and subsequent poor outcomes in infected children. Additional research is urgently needed to help guide therapy for children and determine appropriate antileishmanial agents, doses, and treatment courses for children with leishmaniasis.

Infections due to bacteria of the genus Paenibacillus are exceedingly rare and therefore predominately described on a case-by-case basis. Here, we present a case of a 25-day-old premature neonate who died from presumed Paenibacillus sepsis and meningitis. Most prior reported cases of Paenibacillus bacteremia were among patients who had prosthetic medical devices, were immunocompromised, or were injection drug users. However, to our knowledge, this is the first reported case of infant death from presumed Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus. This case suggests the potential for severe human infection by an environmental bacterium previously considered to be of little consequence.

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic highlights the experience of communities in the global South that have grappled with vulnerability and scarcity for decades. In the global North, many frontline workers are now being similarly forced to provide and ration care in unprecedented ways, with minimal guidance. We outline six reflections gained as Western practitioners working in resource-denied settings which inform our current experience with COVID-19. The reflections include the following: managing trauma, remaining flexible in dynamic situations, and embracing discomfort to think bigger about context-specific solutions to collectively build back our systems. Through this contextualized reflection on resilience, we hope to motivate strength and solidarity for providers, patients, and health systems, while proposing critical questions for our response moving forward.

Mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection that typically affects severely immunocompromised individuals, often resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Although early and aggressive intervention is necessary to prevent poor outcomes, diagnosis of this infection remains difficult. We report the first case, to our knowledge, of invasive gastrointestinal mucormycosis initially identified by next-generation sequencing of cfDNA from the blood, and discuss the various benefits and challenges which come with new molecular diagnostic techniques.

Background Sentiments of vaccine hesitancy and distrust in public health institutions have complicated the government-led coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine control strategy in the United States. As the first to receive the vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine attitudes among frontline workers are consequential for COVID-19 control and public opinion of the vaccine. Methods In this study, we used a repeated cross-sectional survey administered at 3 time points between 24 September 2020 and 6 February 2021 to a cohort of employees of the University of California, Los Angeles Health and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The primary outcome of interest was COVID-19 vaccination intent and vaccine uptake. Results Confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine uptake rose significantly over time. At survey 1, confidence in vaccine protection was 46.4% among healthcare workers (HCWs) and 34.6% among first responders (FRs); by survey 3, this had risen to 90.0% and 75.7%, respectively. At survey 1, about one-third of participants intended to receive a vaccine as soon as possible. By survey 3, 96.0% of HCWs and 87.5% of FRs had received a COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions Attitudes toward vaccine uptake increased over the study period, likely a result of increased public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, targeted communications, a COVID-19 winter surge in Los Angeles County, and ease of access from employer-sponsored vaccine distribution.

The COVID‐19 pandemic has altered health seeking behaviors and has increased attention to non‐pharmaceutical interventions that reduce the risk of transmission of respiratory viruses including SARS‐CoV‐2 and influenza. While the potential impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on influenza is not fully known, in the Southern hemisphere influenza infection rates appear to be very low. Influenza vaccine efficacy for 2019–2020 season was comparable to prior season and influenza vaccine recommendations for pediatric immunizations remain similar to prior years. Influenza treatments continue to include neuraminidase inhibitors as well as baloxavir for treatment and in some instances prophylaxis.

During the COVID pandemic, a surge in pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) cases appears to be occurring, potentially due to the presence of autoantibody-induced immune dysregulation triggered by COVID-19. We describe one such case in a previously healthy 7-year-old with asymptomatic COVID-19 presenting with a high nasopharyngeal SARS CoV-2 virus load, detectable COVID-19 IgG antibodies, diabetic keto-acidosis and islet cell autoantibodies. COVID-19 is not a trivial disease in children and adolescents and can lead to lifelong sequelae such as T1DM. Raising awareness about a possible association between COVID-19 and T1DM in children is critical.

Two mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273) against severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are globally authorized as a two-dose regimen. Understanding the magnitude and duration of protective immune responses is vital to curbing the pandemic. We enrolled 461 high-risk health services workers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and first responders in the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) to assess the humoral responses in previously infected (PI) and infection naïve (NPI) individuals to mRNA-based vaccines (BNT162b2/Pfizer- BioNTech or mRNA-1273/Moderna). A chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay was used to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Spike in vaccinees prior to (n = 21) and following each vaccine dose (n = 246 following dose 1 and n = 315 following dose 2), and at days 31–60 (n = 110) and 61–90 (n = 190) following completion of the 2-dose series. Both vaccines induced robust antibody responses in all immunocompetent individuals. Previously infected individuals achieved higher median peak titers (p = 0.002) and had a slower rate of decay (p = 0.047) than infection-naïve individuals. mRNA-1273 vaccinated infection-naïve individuals demonstrated modestly higher titers following each dose (p = 0.005 and p = 0.029, respectively) and slower rates of antibody decay (p = 0.003) than those who received BNT162b2. A subset of previously infected individuals (25%) required both doses in order to reach peak antibody titers. The biologic significance of the differences between previously infected individuals and between the mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 vaccines remains uncertain, but may have important implications for booster strategies.

Beginning April 8, 2020, we enrolled 1787 frontline heath workers who were asymptomatic for COVID-19 into a longitudinal surveillance study. During that time 4 healthcare workers and 6 first responders tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. Additionally, 43 healthcare workers and 55 first responders had detectable IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2.

ImportanceHealthcare workers (HCW) are slated to be early recipients of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines due to increased risk of exposure to patients with COVID-19, and will be tasked with administering approved vaccines to the general population. As lynchpins of the vaccination effort, HCWs’ opinions of a vaccine’s safety and efficacy may affect both public perception and uptake of the vaccine. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and address potential hesitancy prior to vaccine administration.ObjectiveTo understand healthcare workers’ attitudes about vaccine safety, efficacy, and acceptability in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including acceptance of a novel coronavirus vaccine.Design, Setting, ParticipantsA cross-sectional survey was distributed to participants enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study surveilling SARS-CoV-2 infection among 1,093 volunteer sampled University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health System employees. Surveys were completed online between September 24 and October 16, 2020. In total, 609 participants completed this supplemental survey.ResultsWe averaged a 9-statement Likert scale matrix scored from 1 (“strongly disagree”) to 5 (“strongly agree”) and found respondents overwhelmingly confident about vaccine safety (4.47); effectiveness (4.44); importance, self-protection, and community health (4.67). Notably, 47.3% of respondents reported unwillingness to participate in a coronavirus vaccine trial, and most (66.5%) intend to delay vaccination. The odds of reporting intent to delay coronavirus vaccine uptake were 4.15 times higher among nurses, 2.45 times higher among other personnel with patient contact roles, and 2.15 times higher among those without patient contact compared to doctors. Evolving SARS-CoV-2 science (76.0%), current political climate (57.6%), and fast-tracked vaccine development timeline (83.4%) were cited as primary variables impacting HCW decisions to undergo vaccination. Of note, these results were obtained prior to release of Phase III data from companies manufacturing vaccines in the U.S.Conclusions and RelevanceDespite overall confidence in vaccines, a majority of HCW expressed concerns over a novel coronavirus vaccine. A large proportion plan to delay vaccine uptake due to concerns about expedited development, emerging scientific discoveries, and the political climate. Forthcoming vaccination campaigns must address these unique points of coronavirus vaccine hesitancy in order to achieve adequate vaccine coverage.

Herpetic whitlow of the toe is a common infection in an uncommon location, leading it to be frequently misdiagnosed; however, as the virus responds well to conservative management or antivirals alone, proper identification is necessary to prevent unnecessary interventions. We present a case of herpetic whitlow of the toe with an unusually ominous appearance in a previously healthy and otherwise well-appearing child. This case illustrates the spectrum of herpetic whitlow's clinical presentations and enourages consideration of the disease even for atypical location and severity.