Candida auris – recommendations on infection prevention and control measures in Switzerland

Review article: Medical guidelines
Vuichard-Gysin D, Sommerstein R, Martischang R, Harbarth S, Kuster SP, Senn L, Widmer A
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20297

Candida auris, a globally emerging pathogen, has been repeatedly introduced into European healthcare settings, leading to large and long-lasting nosocomial outbreaks. The pathogen has already been isolated in Switzerland, requiring clinicians and microbiologists to become alert.

Obesity, inflammation and COVID-19

Viewpoint
Beretta A
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20349

The most recent statistics from the United States and France highlight an important risk factor for the development of severe forms of COVID-19: obesity. We know the reason for this: obesity generates a chronic asymptomatic inflammatory state that favours an exaggerated inflammatory response of the immune system to the virus, which is the basis of the severe forms of COVID-19.

Management of hepatitis C in opioid agonist therapy patients of the Swiss canton Aargau within and outside the cohort study

Original article
Schürch S, Fux CA, Dehler S, Conen A, Knuchel J, Friedl A, Eigenmann F, Roser P, Ackle P, Bregenzer A
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20317

COVID-19 infectivity profile correction

Viewpoint
Ashcroft P, Huisman JS, Lehtinen S, Bouman JA, Althaus CL, Regoes RR, Bonhoeffer S
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20336

Presymptomatic infections are spread over a longer time period before symptom onset than previously thought, which can have significant ramifications for contact tracing efforts.

First case of Cryptococcus gattii multilobar pneumonia in Switzerland and associated challenges

Original article
Colucci N, Teasca L, Riat A, Lazarevic V, Van Delden C, Berney T, Toso C, Neofytos D
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20306

This case illustrates the potential complications of a cryptococcal infection in immunosuppressed hosts, despite timely diagnosis and appropriate antifungal therapy.

Data-driven inference of the reproduction number for COVID-19 before and after interventions for 51 European countries

Original article
Karnakov P, Arampatzis G, Kičić I, Wermelinger F, Wälchli D, Papadimitriou C, Koumoutsakos P
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20313

The authors present an online tool for the data-driven inference and quantification of uncertainties for the reproduction number, as well as the time points of interventions for 51 European countries.  The results quantify the rate of the disease’s spread before and after interventions and provide a metric for the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions in different countries.

A research agenda for digital proximity tracing apps

Viewpoint
von Wyl V, Bonhoeffer S, Bugnion E, Puhan MA, Salathé M, Stadler T, Troncoso C, Vayena E, Low N
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20324

It is likely that there is only a limited time window for the optimisation of the proximity tracing app and promotion of substantial population uptake. It will be all the more important that research programmes allow data-driven, evidence-based optimisations, and information for the public about the benefits, harms and costs of proximity tracing apps.

Characteristics, predictors and outcomes among 99 patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in a tertiary care centre in Switzerland: an observational analysis

Original article
Gregoriano C, Koch D, Haubitz S, Conen A, Fux CA, Mueller B, Bernasconi L, Hammerer-Lercher A, Oberle M, Burgermeister S, Reiter H, Kutz A, Schuetz P
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20316

This analysis provides insights into the first consecutively hospitalised patients with confirmed COVID-19 at a Swiss tertiary care hospital during the initial period of the pandemic. Markers of disease progression such as inflammatory markers, markers for shock and impaired respiratory function provided the most prognostic information regarding severe COVID-19 progression in this sample.

A pitfall in estimating the effective reproductive number Rt for COVID-19

Viewpoint
Petermann M, Wyler D
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20307

The effective reproductive number Rt of COVID-19 is determined indirectly from data that are only incompletely known. Approaches based on reconstructing these data by sampling time lags from suitable distributions introduce noise effects that can result in distorted estimates of Rt. This, in turn, may lead to misleading interpretations of the efficacy of the various measures taken to limit COVID-19 transmission.

The many faces of interstitial pneumonia: a case of presumed SARS-CoV-2 infection

Original article
Rigamonti E, Salera D, Gheorghiu AC, Fratila C, Gianella P
Swiss Med Wkly. 2020;150:w20312

The importance of differential diagnostics in clinical practice should be a given, especially during times of pandemic. The novel coronavirus infection introduced new guidelines for and approaches to the investigation of immunocompromised patients, so it is especially important not to forget the basis of differential diagnosis, to and adopt a thorough approach when assessing these complex patients.