Meaghan Lee Callaghan
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Articles by Meaghan Lee Callaghan
The Future Is Wastewater
Originally published by our sister publication Infectious Disease Special Edition At a time when the ghosts of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases are rising from the dead, can wastewater surveillance save the day? Something is rotten in the state of Utah. And it’s possibly full of pathogen fragments. It’s wastewater. It doesn’t sound like something you’d really want to touch. In fact, we’re taught to avoid dirty water, so you
The Future Is Wastewater
Originally published by our sister publication Infectious Disease Special Edition At a time when the ghosts of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases are rising from the dead, can wastewater surveillance save the day? Something is rotten in the state of Utah. And it’s possibly full of pathogen fragments. It’s wastewater. It doesn’t sound like something you’d really want to touch. In fact, we’re taught to avoid dirty water, so you
Drug Combo May Be a Better Choice for Some Men With BPH
Men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may benefit from a combination of tamsulosin and mirabegron, according to new research presented at the American Urological Association (AUA) 2026 Annual Meeting. In the multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 clinical trial, men who took the combination treatment reported urinating less frequently and experienced significant improvement in other symptoms of BPH than those on monotherapy, the researchers reported.
What’s Hot at SCCM 2026 With Ryan Maves, MD
Critical Care Congress 2026 is here! The conference, sponsored by the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), offers so much in terms education and research, according to program co-chair Ryan Maves, MD, a professor of infectious disease and internal medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Check back for new stories from the Critical Care Congress, and more! This transcript was made using artificial intelligence.
Between the Guidelines: Hallie Prescott, MD, MSc, on New Surviving Sepsis Guidelines
New adult and pediatric guidelines from the Surviving Sepsis Campaign have been released during the Critical Care Congress 2026, in Chicago. Hallie Prescott, MD, MSc, the lead author of the adult guidelines, sat down with Infectious Disease Special Edition, to talk about the new guidance. Dr. Prescott is also the Toews Family Legacy Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, in Ann Arbor.
Rapid Sepsis Test Could Reduce Mortality, Improve Resource Utilization in the Emergency Department
Implementing a rapid sepsis test in the emergency department (ED) could have far-reaching benefits, including reduced patient mortality, according to a new study presented at the Critical Care Congress 2026, in Chicago. The IntelliSep sepsis test. Source: Cytovale. By adding the test, IntelliSep (Cytovale), into four EDs in Louisiana and Mississippi, the investigators observed reduced mortality in septic patients from 30.6% to 22.7%.
RSV on the Rise
It’s March, and usually that means a winding down of respiratory season in the Northern Hemisphere. However, new data from the CDC reveal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity is rising in many parts of the United States. Robert H. Hopkins Jr., MD, the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, sat down with Infectious Disease Special Edition to talk about the numbers and what they mean for providers.
This Test Could Predict Who Will Experience Incontinence After HoLEP
Measuring the length of a patient’s membranous urethra before holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia could help predict if they will experience urinary incontinence after the procedure, according to a new study presented at the European Association of Urology (EAU) 2026 Annual Meeting.
AI Tool Could Help Identify Osteoporosis and Osteopenia Risk
An AI tool could flag patients at risk for osteoporosis or osteopenia by evaluating standard hip and pelvis x-rays, new research showed. The tool could benefit early intervention for low bone mineral density (BMD), especially in primary care or in settings where DEXA is not always readily available, according to the study investigators. Patients who are flagged with the algorithm, called OsteoSight (Naitive Technologies Limited), would then receive additional screening.
How Can We Better Get HIV PrEP, Treatment to the People Who Need It?
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and treatment therapies are exploding with new possibilities. But that doesn’t always mean the people who most need PrEP and treatment have access to new drugs. Aadia Rana, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine, sat down with Infectious Disease Special Edition at CROI 2026 to discuss this and more after her presentation on the subject earlier that day.
More Ultra–Long-Acting HIV Treatment Options on the Horizon From ViiV Healthcare
Positive data presented at CROI 2026, in Denver, are forming a solid basis for therapies that could one day bring new ultra–long-acting treatment options for people living with HIV. The drug candidates from ViiV Healthcare also bring novel mechanisms that could help with drug resistance, reduce drug–drug interactions, and increase drug safety.
Investigational Drug TBD09 Holds Promise for Tuberculosis
The investigational antibiotic TBD09 could have the potential to treat tuberculosis with less toxicity, according to new research. Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Source: Adobe Stock. The preclinical study, published in Nature Medicine, shows that TBD09, also called MK-7762, had strong efficacy in animal models with a favorable safety profile (2026 Jan 13. doi:10.1038/s41591-025-04164-x). These results, and favorable phase 1 data, indicate TBD09 may hold promise for TB.
doravirine islatravir HIV investigational treatment positive results
Originally published by our sister publication Infectious Disease Special Edition Doravirine/islatravir (DOR/ISL, Merck) may be a new HIV treatment option coming down the pike, according to new encouraging results from phase 3 data presented at IDWeek 2025, in Atlanta. DOR/ISL was found safe and effective at older ages. Source: Adobe Stock.
pertussis whopping cough rates rising
Originally published by our sister publication Infectious Disease Special Edition Along with other respiratory virus cases currently increasing across the country, pertussis cases are on the rise. Some states are seeing the most cases they’ve seen in over a decade, even though nationally 2024 was a bad year for pertussis cases, also called whooping cough. Source: Adobe Stock.
VA Study Finds Dalvance Brings Safe, Effective, and Convenient Treatment Option to Vets
Dalbavancin (Dalvance, AbbVie) fills an unmet medical demand, according to a study from a tertiary care Veterans Affairs medical center. The study found that dalbavancin was found to be safe, effective, and convenient in treating multiple infection types, according to the study authors.
5 Things to Know About Cresemba for Pediatric Invasive Fungal Infections
Related Content HIV Patients Susceptible to Fungal Coinfections As drug-resistant fungal infections rise, healthcare professionals should be aware of how they may present in ... Although isavuconazonium sulfate (Cresemba, Astellas) has been indicated for adults with invasive aspergillosis and mucormycosis since 2015, the FDA expanded the label indication to include children 12 months of age and older in 2023. This was opportune timing.
New WHO HIV Guidelines Recommend Yeztugo for PrEP
An earlier version of this article appeared online before the September/October 2025 issue. Lenacapavir (Yeztugo, Gilead) should be one choice available for people at risk for HIV to use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), according to new guidelines released by WHO during IAS 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda.
Researchers Hone AI Tools to Study Bird Flu
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan; Video edited by Landon Gray Colby Ford, PhD, an associate faculty member at UNC-Charlotte, and Shirish Yasa, a medical student with Eastern Virginia Medical School, discuss with Infectious Disease Special Edition their work using AI tools to study highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1). The researchers had formerly presented their work at ASM Microbe 2025, in Los Angeles. Check back for more from our conversation with Dr. Ford and Mr. Yasa.
Trial Shows Lenacapavir + bNAbs As Possible HIV Treatment
New longer-acting treatment options for HIV may be on the horizon. A new phase 2 study presented at CROI 2025 has found 96% viral suppression in people with HIV who were taking lenacapavir (Sunlenca, Gilead) plus two broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). Investigator Onyema Ogbuagu, MBBCh, FACP, FIDSA, spoke to Infectious Disease Special Edition about his results and the potential that bNAbs hold for the future.
Trial Shows Lenacapavir + bNAbs As Possible HIV Treatment
New longer-acting treatment options for HIV may be on the horizon. A new phase 2 study presented at CROI 2025 has found 96% viral suppression in people with HIV who were taking lenacapavir (Sunlenca, Gilead) plus two broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). Investigator Onyema Ogbuagu, MBBCh, FACP, FIDSA, spoke to Infectious Disease Special Edition about his results and the potential that bNAbs hold for the future.
global mpox cases
Global confirmed mpox cases have hit 29,715, according to data compiled by the WHO. However, the cases may be higher due to lags in reporting and challenges with testing access in certain areas. The bulk of the cases are in Africa: 27,982. In addition, 131 deaths in Africa have been reported this year, as of July 20, 2025. A total of 19 countries in Africa are experiencing outbreaks, and on the continent, all clades of monkeypox virus (MPXV) are circulating. There is an upward trend in West Africa.
Investigational Once-Monthly Oral PrEP Shows Promise in People at Low Risk for HIV
The investigational drug MK-8527 (Merck) was well tolerated in its phase 2 trial presented at IAS 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda. The study drug could be another option for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to patients, said Kenneth Mayer, MD, the medical research director and co-chair of the Fenway Institute and director of HIV Prevention Research at Beth Israel Lahey Health, in Boston. “We all know we’re still seeing too many HIV infections despite many PrEP modalities,” Dr. Mayer said at the conference.
Ensitrelvir Can Prevent COVID-19 Transmission in Households
Ensitrelvir (Shionogi) administered within 72 hours of household COVID-19 exposure reduced the number of people contracting COVID-19, according to research presented at CROI 2025. Investigator Frederick G. Hayden, MD, an emeritus professor at the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, sat down with Infectious Disease Special Edition to talk about the study, which saw a 67% reduction in spread when taking ensitrelvir, he said.
Record High Measles
Measles cases are now the highest they’ve been in 33 years. As of July 8, reported cases totaled 1,288, surpassing the outbreak numbers from 2019, when cases reached 1,274, according to the CDC. To find a year with a greater number of cases, you have to go back to 1992, when the United States had 2,126 cases. More than 100 cases have been added to this year’s total since June 1, which is a decrease from the peak on March 30 when 114 cases were reported in one week.
4 Recent Food Outbreaks Have Sickened 169 People, Caused 3 Deaths
Since May, the CDC has warned of three different outbreaks of Salmonella and one outbreak of Listeria that have sickened at least 169 and killed three people. Here’s what you need to know. Cucumbers Whole cucumbers have been determined to be the cause of Salmonella Montevideo infections in 69 people. Although 22 have been hospitalized, no deaths have been reported. The infected people were from 21 states, with most cases from Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania.
USPSTF: Prevent Tragic Outcomes by Universal Syphilis Screening During Pregnancy
The outcomes of a syphilis infection during pregnancy can be tragic. Because of this, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is continuing to recommend early, universal syphilis screening during pregnancy. The new guidance, a restatement of its 2018 recommendations, comes at a time when syphilis cases remain high in the United States.
USPSTF: Prevent Tragic Outcomes by Universal Syphilis Screening During Pregnancy
The outcomes of a syphilis infection during pregnancy can be tragic. Because of this, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is continuing to recommend early, universal syphilis screening during pregnancy. The new guidance, a restatement of its 2018 recommendations, comes at a time when syphilis cases remain high in the United States.
ACIP Recommends Removing Thimerosal From the Few Remaining Flu Shot Formulations
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan The new members of the revamped Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, in a vote of 5-1-1, recommended removing the preservative thimerosal from the few remaining influenza vaccine formulations that still include it. It will come into effect for the 2025-2026 flu season. The recommendation came as three separate votes focused on three groups—children, pregnant people and adults—which together encompass the entire U.S. population.
Societies Call for Scheduling of PACCARB Meeting
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan The American Society for Microbiology, the Infectious Diseases Society of America and 39 other organizations have penned a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. requesting that HHS reschedule the canceled Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB) meeting. The meeting, which was originally to take place Jan.
New ACIP Panel Votes to Recommend Clesrovimab, Second Antibody to Prevent RSV in Infants
The following result is from the NPI Registry Public Search database. You can click on the NPI number to view detailed information and verify its accuracy. If your NPI is not found in this search, you can try searching again using the form below. If you have difficulty finding your NPI number please contact us at web@mcmahonmed.com First Name Last Name OR Organization/Institution State NPI Name Organization/ Institution State Zip Code Taxonomy Credential Select
Study Highlights Tick-Borne Disease Patterns
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan When are you more likely to see a flood of positive tests for anaplasmosis? A new study by researchers at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, in Lebanon, N.H., shows that their local area sees a bump in the late spring, when more people are out enjoying the sunshine, lead author Taylor Ticer, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow, told Infectious Disease Special Edition.
What Are the Local Impacts of Same-Day ART Initiation?
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan Guidelines recommend that antiretroviral therapy (ART) be initiated as soon as possible after a person is diagnosed with HIV. A group of researchers from Meharry Medical College, in Nashville, decided to investigate the impacts of ART initiation on the same day someone is diagnosed with HIV, which is their standard-of-care.
Basic Science is Laying Groundwork for a Chlamydia Vaccine
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan Chlamydia trachomatis can cause long-term health complications, especially in women. Currently, the only preventative is behavioral changes, specifically safe sex practices. However, new, early research is starting to lay the groundwork for a vaccine. Study author Aakash Bhardwaj, a research technician at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told Infectious Disease Special Edition that his team’s work has identified targets that could help prevent C.
Adding PCR Testing for Pediatric Diarrhea Has Real Benefit Over Culture
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan Treating pediatric diarrhea can be a lot easier when polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are used instead of just a culture test, according to new research presented at ASM Microbe 2025. In the study, conducted at Rainbow Children’s Hospital in Hyderabad, India, pediatric patients 5 years of age and under saw more exact diagnostic results when their samples were tested with PCR— using the Altona Flexstar real-time PCR test—instead of culture.
Newly Released CDC Children’s Immunization Schedule Includes Option of COVID-19 Shot
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan and Marie Rosenthal, MS Instead of removing the COVID-19 vaccine from the childhood immunization schedule, the CDC said parents and clinicians should use shared clinical decision-making to determine whether their healthy children should receive the primary vaccine.
Barriers to Prescribing Effective Recurrent CDI Therapies
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan Although specific products have been shown to be effective for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs), issues with cost and access have prevented some hospitals from using them, according to a presentation at MAD-ID 2025, in Orlando, Fla. Rachel Kenney, PharmD, BCIDP, a pharmacy specialist in antimicrobial stewardship at Henry Ford Hospital, in Detroit, discussed strategies to bring their benefits to the patient.
USPSTF: Updated Guidance for Syphilis Screening During Pregnancy
Originally published by our sister publication Infectious Disease Special Edition By Meaghan Lee Callaghan The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is continuing to recommend early, universal syphilis screening during pregnancy. The new guidance, a restatement of its 2018 guideline, comes at a time when syphilis cases remain high in the United States. That also includes congenital syphilis, which caused 279 stillbirths or neonatal/infant deaths in 2023—the highest number in 30 years.
The 4 Best Dog Harnesses of 2022
The research Why you should trust us Who this is for How we picked and tested The competition Frequently asked questions Sources As Wirecutter’s staff writer for pets coverage, Kaitlyn Wells has written about everything from pet cameras to dog DNA kits. She has also attended her fair share of pet obedience classes, and she has been volunteering with animal shelters for nearly a decade.
2 Methods Help Better Manage OR Time
By Meaghan Lee Callaghan Time is money, especially in the OR. “ORs roughly make about two-thirds of the overall profit for a hospital,” said Ashley Walsh, MHA, the director of client services at LeanTaaS, a medical software company. “They’re expensive to build. They’re expensive to maintain. But they have a high return on the bottom line of the hospital.” The options to manage an OR budget are multifaceted, as many OR managers and administrators know, but the
Guidelines Aim to Reduce Post-op Venous Thromboembolism
New Orleans—Venous thromboembolism is by no means a new condition, with modern study beginning in the middle of the 19th century by doctors such as Rudolf Virchow; nor is it an uncommon one, with hundreds of thousands of Americans affected annually. But even with the medical advancements of the 21st century, mortality statistics are startling high, especially for in-hospital VTE, where patients are afflicted while under the watchful eye of a medical team.
The Best Pressure Washer for 2020
Why you should trust us To learn more about pressure washers, we corresponded with Jamey Kramar, who runs PressureWashr, an online resource devoted to all things pressure washer. Kramar has been involved with pressure washers for the past 15 years and has also spent time as a mechanical engineer working on the design and build of heavy-duty vehicle-washing equipment. He has been writing about residential pressure washers since 2013 and has been focusing on PressureWashr since 2015.
The Best Dog Harness
Every expert I spoke with agreed that walking your dog in a harness, rather than with a leash attached to a collar, is better for your pet’s health. Dr. Katherine Houpt, professor emeritus of behavioral medicine at Cornell University’s veterinary college, told us that pressure on the neck and throat during walks, especially when your dog pulls so much that it coughs, can be harmful over the long term due to pressure on the trachea, and nerves and blood vessels within the neck.
For Spectacular Shorebird Shots, Go Low
Humans are much taller than shorebirds. That’s so obvious an observation that it may seem silly to point out, but when it comes to shooting these varied, captivating birds, dropping down to their level can take your photography to new heights. Hugging the ground has many advantages, says wildlife photographer and Audubon contributing editor Melissa Groo.
A Close Look at the Early (and Awkward) Days of Baby City Birds
Popular Stories How to Tell a Raven From a Crow How to Make Hummingbird Nectar What Should Be Done About Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl Loose in New York? 13 Fun Facts About Owls Get to Know These 20 Common Birds Blind, bald, and vulnerable, many baby birds can’t fend for themselves. They are altricial, meaning they need parental care—if not from adult birds, then from humans. Photographer Andrew Garn knows this firsthand.
Summer 2017 | Audubon
What compels bird lovers to hunker down in these dark, often cramped structures? An intimate view of avian lives. But as with birds, every blind has its own character—and story.
Watch: New Shrike Film Shows Previously Undocumented 'Butcherbird' Behaviors
Larry McPherson didn’t plan on falling in love with shrikes when he headed to Arkansas’ Wapanocca National Wildlife Refugee three years ago. After retiring from 30 years of teaching photography at the University of Memphis, McPherson was excited to test out his new filming equipment—all 65 pounds of it—while capturing some bird calls. He had always been fascinated with bird vocalizations, and that day he hoped to capture some Painted Buntings or other birds singing.
Watch: New Shrike Film Shows Previously Undocumented 'Butcher Bird' Behaviors
Larry McPherson didn’t plan on falling in love with shrikes when he headed to Arkansas’ Wapanocca National Wildlife Refugee three years ago. After retiring from 30 years of teaching photography at the University of Memphis, McPherson was excited to test out his new filming equipment—all 65 pounds of it—while capturing some bird calls. He had always been fascinated with bird vocalizations, and that day he hoped to capture some Painted Buntings or other birds singing.
With Songbird Populations Declining, Vermont Seeks to Keep Its Forests Intact
In Vermont, there’s no shortage of trees, with three out of every four acres composed of picturesque forests. Yet some Vermonters fear their state is surrendering too much of its characteristic wilderness to development. “We’ve been noticing a continuing trend where we’re losing forest to fragmentation,” says Jim Shallow, conservation and policy director at Audubon Vermont. Humans aren't the only inhabitants reacting to this habitat shift.
B.A.R.K. Rangers Protect Plovers by Being Model Canine Citizens
An on-leash B.A.R.K. Ranger patrols a beach to educate other dogs (and their owners) about how to keep wildlife safe from canine pets. Photo: Michael Lingenfelter This past spring a lonely plover stopped by a beach along the St. Louis River, which winds southwest out of Lake Superior.
Meet Old Man Plover, the Pride of the Great Lakes
Each spring, on the northwestern shores of Lake Michigan, a three-toed Piping Plover can be found incubating his eggs. The hobbled bird is a creature of habit: Every year he returns to his birthplace in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to make another clutch of babies with his mate. And not only is he particular about his real estate, he’s also punctual. For the last three years, he’s flown back from winter migration on the same exact date—April 13.
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