Gatherings where people are eating and drinking can increase the risk of getting and spreading SARS-CoV-2 among people who are not fully vaccinated; prevention strategies like wearing masks and physical distancing continue to be important for some groups. We conducted an online survey to characterise fall/winter 2020–2021 holiday gatherings, decisions to attend and prevention strategies employed during and before gatherings. We determined associations between practicing prevention strategies, demographics and COVID-19 experience. Among 502 respondents, one-third attended in person holiday gatherings; 73% wore masks and 84% practiced physical distancing, but less did so always (29% and 23%, respectively). Younger adults were 44% more likely to attend gatherings than adults ≥35 years. Younger adults (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 1.53, 95% CI 1.19–1.97), persons who did not experience COVID-19 themselves or have relatives/close friends experience severe COVID-19 (aPR 1.56, 95% CI 1.18–2.07), and non-Hispanic White persons (aPR 1.57, 95% CI 1.13–2.18) were more likely to not always wear masks in public during the 2 weeks before gatherings. Public health messaging emphasizing consistent application of COVID-19 prevention strategies is important to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The aim of the social and behavioral sciences is to understand human behavior across a wide array of contexts. Our theories often make sweeping claims about human nature, assuming that our ancestors or offspring will be prone to the same biases and preferences. Yet we gloss over the fact that our research is often based in a single temporal context with a limited set of stimuli. Political and moral psychology are domains in which the context and stimuli are likely to matter a great deal (Van Bavel, Mende-Siedlecki, Brady, & Reinero, 2016). In response to Yarkoni (see BBS issue), we delve into topics related to political and moral psychology that likely depend on features of the research. These topics include understanding differences between liberals and conservatives, when people are willing to sacrifice someone to save others, the behavior of political leaders, and the dynamics of intergroup conflict.

The human large intestinal microbiota thrives on dietary carbohydrates that are converted to a range of fermentation products. Short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate and butyrate) are the dominant fermentation acids that accumulate to high concentrations in the colon and they have health-promoting effects on the host. Although many gut microbes can also produce lactate, it usually does not accumulate in the healthy gut lumen. This appears largely to be due to the presence of a relatively small number of gut microbes that can utilise lactate and convert it to propionate, butyrate or acetate. There is increasing evidence that these microbes play important roles in maintaining a healthy gut environment. In this review, we will provide an overview of the different microbes involved in lactate metabolism within the gut microbiota, including biochemical pathways utilised and their underlying energetics, as well as regulation of the corresponding genes. We will further discuss the potential consequences of perturbation of the microbiota leading to lactate accumulation in the gut and associated disease states and how lactate-utilising bacteria may be employed to treat such diseases.

Background: Despite significant morbidity and mortality, estimates of the burden of healthcare-associated viral respiratory infections (HA-VRI) for noninfluenza infections are limited. Of the studies assessing the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), cases are typically classified as healthcare associated if a positive test result occurred after the first 3 days following admission, which may miss healthcare exposures prior to admission. Utilizing an expanded definition of healthcare-associated RSV, we assessed the estimates of disease prevalence. Methods: This study included laboratory-confirmed cases of RSV in adult and pediatric patients admitted to acute-care hospitals in a catchment area of 8 counties in Tennessee identified between October 1, 2016, and April 30, 2019. Surveillance information was abstracted from hospital and state laboratory databases, hospital infection control databases, reportable condition databases, and electronic health records as a part of the Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network by the Emerging Infections Program. Cases were defined as healthcare-associated RSV if laboratory confirmation of infection occurred (1) on or after hospital day 4 (ie, “traditional definition”) or (2) between hospital day 0 and 3 in patients transferred from a chronic care facility or with a recent discharge from another acute-care facility in the 7 days preceding the current index admission (ie, “enhanced definition”). The proportion of laboratory-confirmed RSV designated as HA-VRI using both the traditional definition as well as with the added enhanced definition were compared. Results: We identified 900 cases of RSV in hospitalized patients over the study period. Using the traditional definition for HA-VRI, only 41 (4.6%) were deemed healthcare associated. Adding the cases identified using the enhanced definition, an additional 12 cases (1.3%) were noted in patients transferred from a chronic care facility for the current acute-care admission and 17 cases (1.9%) were noted in patients with a prior acute-care admission in the preceding 7 days. Using our expanded definition, the total proportion of healthcare-associated RSV in this cohort was 69 (7.7%) of 900 compared to 13.1% of cases for influenza (Figure 1). Although the burden of HA-VRI due to RSV was less than that of influenza, when stratified by age, the rate increased to 11.7% for those aged 50–64 years and to 10.1% for those aged ≥65 years (Figure 2). Conclusions: RSV infections are often not included in estimates of HA-VRI, but the proportion of cases that are healthcare associated are substantial. Typical surveillance methods likely underestimate the burden of disease related to RSV, especially for those aged ≥50 years.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Background: Healthcare-associated transmission of influenza leads to significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. Most studies classify healthcare-associated viral respiratory infections (HA-VRI) as those with a positive test result after the first 3 days following admission, which does not account for healthcare exposures prior to admission. Utilizing an expanded definition of healthcare-associated influenza, we aimed to improve the estimates of disease prevalence on a population level. Methods: This study included laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza in adult and pediatric patients admitted to any acute-care hospital in a catchment area of 8 counties Tennessee identified between October 1, 2012, and April 30, 2019. Surveillance information was abstracted from hospital and state laboratory databases, hospital infection control practitioner databases, reportable condition databases, and electronic health records as a part of the Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network (FluSurv-NET) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emerging Infections Program (EIP). Cases were defined as healthcare-associated influenza laboratory confirmation of infection occurred (1) on or after hospital day 4 (“traditional definition”), or (2) between hospital days 0 and 3 in patients transferred from a chronic care facility or with a recent discharge from another acute-care facility in the 7 days preceding the current index admission (ie, enhanced definition). The proportion of laboratory-confirmed influenza designated as HA-VRI using both the traditional definition as well as with the added enhanced definition were compared. Data were imported into Stata software for analysis. Results: We identified 5,904 cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza in hospitalized patients over the study period. Using the traditional definition for HA-VRI, only 147 (2.5%, seasonal range 1.3%–3.4%) were deemed healthcare associated (Figure 1). Adding the cases identified using the enhanced definition, an additional 317 (5.4%, range 2.3%–6.7%) cases were noted in patients transferred from a chronic care facility for the current acute-care admission and 336 cases (5.7%; range, 4.1%–7.4%) were noted in patients with a prior acute-care facility admission in the preceding 7 days. Using our expanded definition, the total proportion of healthcare-associated influenza in this cohort was 772 of 5,904 (13.1%; range, 10.6%–14.8%). Conclusion: HA-VRI due to influenza is an underrecognized infection in hospitalized patients. Limiting surveillance assessment of this important outcome to just those patients with a positive influenza test after hospital day 3 captured only 19% of possible healthcare-associated influenza infections across 7 influenza seasons. These results suggest that the traditionally used definitions of healthcare-associated influenza underestimate the true burden of cases.

Funding: No

Disclosures: None

Figure 1.