On 28 August 2020, the National IHR Focal Point of Chad notified WHO of an outbreak of chikungunya in Abéché, eastern Chad.

Three months after the declaration of the eleventh Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the number of confirmed cases continues to increase, and the geographic spread of the outbreak continues to expand.

As of 1 September 2020, 110 cases (104 confirmed and six probable) including 47 deaths (case fatality ratio 43%) have been reported from 36 health areas in 11 health zones. In the past 21 days (12 August – 1 September 2020), 24 confirmed cases have been reported in 15 health areas across eight health zones. To date, three healthcare workers have been affected, making up 3% of all cases. In addition, 48 people have recovered from EVD to date.

On 9 August 2020, the Federal Ministry of Health, Sudan notified WHO of the detection of a

A 56-year-old female veterinarian in Vermont presented with swelling and pain of the medial aspect of her right index finger. Three weeks prior to presentation, the patient suffered a needlestick injury from a 21-gauge needle to the medial aspect of her distal right index finger that occurred after aspirating fluid from a subcutaneous cystic mass of a dog. The patient was otherwise healthy and was not on any medications. She denied fevers, chills, night sweats, headache, cough, joint pain, or other symptoms of systemic illness.

Abstract

Recent clinical data on vancomycin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics suggest a reevaluation of current dosing and monitoring recommendations. The previous 2009 vancomycin consensus guidelines recommend trough monitoring as a surrogate marker for the target area under the curve over 24 hours to minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC/MIC). However, recent data suggest that trough monitoring is associated with higher nephrotoxicity. This document is an executive summary of the new vancomycin consensus guidelines for vancomycin dosing and monitoring. It was developed by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists vancomycin consensus guidelines committee. These consensus guidelines recommend an AUC/MIC ratio of 400–600 mg*hour/L (assuming a broth microdilution MIC of 1 mg/L) to achieve clinical efficacy and ensure safety for patients being treated for serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.