Latest news with #pregnant women
Japan Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Japan Times
Fifth disease infections in Japan hit 26-year high
The number of patients with fifth disease, or slapped cheek syndrome, in Japan hit the highest level in some 26 years in the week that ended June 22, according to data compiled by the Japan Institute for Health Security. The number of fifth disease patients reported by some 2,000 medical institutions nationwide stood at 2.53 per institution in the week, the highest since the current counting method was adopted in 1999. In the following week through June 29, the figure came to 2.13, the third highest. Japan's health ministry is urging pregnant women to consult medical institutions if they experience symptoms, as infections can lead to miscarriages. Fifth disease is a viral infection that primarily affects children up to nine years old, though adults can also contract it. The incubation period for the disease ranges from 10 to 20 days. After this, symptoms such as low fever and headache appear, followed by red rashes on both cheeks. Rashes can spread to other parts of the body including limbs, and typically disappear in about a week. The disease spreads primarily through respiratory droplets and contact. It is usually not contagious by the time rashes appear.
Medscape
6 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Direct Challenge Safe for Penicillin Allergy in Pregnancy
TOPLINE: In low-risk pregnant women with penicillin allergy, direct challenges with amoxicillin were as safe as penicillin skin testing while offering shorter completion times at a lower cost. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a randomized trial that included 144 pregnant women (median age, 29 years) who were referred to the Rochester Regional Health allergy/immunology practice for routine penicillin allergy evaluation from April 2022 through September 2024. Patients were randomly assigned to undergo penicillin skin testing or a direct challenge. For the direct challenge, patients received oral amoxicillin 40 mg and were monitored for 30 minutes. If they did not react to this initial dose, they received 400 mg and were monitored for 30 minutes more. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 93.2% of women who underwent penicillin skin testing had a negative evaluation for penicillin allergy compared with 100% of women who underwent direct challenge. Direct challenges had a median completion time of 65 minutes and cost $422.61 each, whereas penicillin skin tests took a median of 75 minutes and cost $685.36 each. No participants in either group required medical treatment or epinephrine for reactions. Hospital length of stay postdelivery was not significantly different between the groups. IN PRACTICE: 'Although patients and healthcare professionals may be concerned about the risk of an adverse reaction with a [penicillin] allergy evaluation in pregnancy, particularly a [direct challenge], our study supports the safety of this approach in pregnant women in all trimesters,' the authors of the study wrote. SOURCE: Sara Patrawala, MD, with the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, was the corresponding author of the study, which was published online on July 9 in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. LIMITATIONS: The study had a relatively small sample size and was conducted at a single site. DISCLOSURES: Two authors reported serving on speakers bureaus for pharmaceutical companies. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
