During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, few cases of Nocar-dia spp. co-infection have been reported during or after a COVID-19 infection. Nocardia spp. are gram-positive aerobic actinomycetes that stain ...partially acid-fast, can infect immunocompromised patients, and may cause dis-seminated disease. We report the case of a 52-year-old immunocompromised man who had Nocardia pseudobrasiliensis pneumonia develop after a SARS-CoV-2 in-fection. We also summarize the literature for no-cardiosis and SARS-CoV-2 co-infections. Nocardia spp. infection should remain a part of the differential diagnosis for pneumonia in immunocompromised hosts, regardless of other co-infections. Sulfonamide/carbapenem combina-tions are used as empiric therapy for nocardiosis; species identification and susceptibility testing are required to se-lect the optimal treatment for each patient.
Background:
Academic publishing is not exempt from potential structural disparities. We assessed the sex representation among the editors and on editorial boards by their level of influence in the ...decision of a manuscript of the leading journals focused on infectious diseases and healthcare epidemiology. We also explored whether the sex of the first or last author correlates with the sex of the editors in a convenience sample of these journals.
Methods:
In a cross-sectional study, the 40 top infectious disease journals (Scimago Journal and Country Rank) and 4 healthcare epidemiology journals were selected. The names and positions of the editorial members were extracted from the journal’s website, and a decision-making level was assigned (ie, editor-in-chief as level 1, board members as level 3). Next, the first and corresponding authors’ names of all 2019 research articles published in a convenience sample of 15 of these journals were retrieved for the second aim. A digital gallery was used to assign one of the binary denominations of woman or man based on the probability that a name was culturally given to a woman or man. Differences were determined by χ
2
and linear regression.
Results:
Overall, 2,416 names were retrieved from the editorial boards of 44 journals; 799 (33%) were assigned as women and 1,617 (67%) as men. The decision-making level showed 70 (3%) at the editor-in-chief level, 756 (31%) at the associate editor level, and 1,600 (66%) as editorial board members. The frequency distribution of assigned gender by decision-making level showed 21 (30%) women and 49 (70%) men at the editor-in-chief level; 263 (35%) women and 493 (65%) men at the associate editor level; 515 (32%) women and 1,075 (68%) men at the editorial board level. Some journals showed an even sex distribution, such as
Clinical Infectious Disease
or
Microbiology Spectrum
. However, others were significantly unbalanced. We retrieved 2,725 articles from the convenience sample of infectious disease–focused journals. Women were the first authors in 1,373 (50%) and the last authors in 974 (35%). Editorial board sex composition and sex of authors showed no significant correlation. Trends between infectious disease–focused and healthcare epidemiology–focused journals were similar.
Conclusions:
Although the data showed uneven sex representation on the editorial boards of infectious disease–focused and healthcare epidemiology–focused journals, there is no apparent vertical segregation or influence on publishing by sex. A generational transition seems to be occurring in editorship and authorship in the field.
Disclosures:
None
Señor editor: La formación de recursos humanos de alta calidad en las especialidades médicas es de gran importancia para la sociedad. El proceso inicia cada año con la selección de los candidatos a ...través del Examen Nacional para Aspirantes a Residencias Médicas (ENARM). En 2016, más de 36 000 médicos generales compitieron a través del ENARM por una de las, aproximadamente, 8 250 plazas ofertadas. Según fuentes oficiales, algunos de los atributos conferidos al proceso del ENARM incluyen “equitativo”, “transparente”, “objetivo” y “válido”.
To assess the performance of medical schools (FEM) by analyzing the results of their applicants in the Examen Nacional para Aspirantes a Residencias Médicas (ENARM).
Five performance criteria, two ...official and three created on purpose, were calculated from the ENARM-2016 and -2017 official databases to assess FEM performance.
In 2016 and 2017, applicants registered from 112 and 115 FEM, respectively. Depending on the performance criteria, the FEM in the first place obtained 5 to 20 points more than the one placed second, and 23 to 98 points more than the FEM in the last place. Approximately 25% applicants were classified as "knowledge-deficient," and about 80% of these originated from less than one third of the FEM.
The ENARM results provide information on the performance of the FEM. Approximately one of every four applicants obtained scores lower than the approval threshold of any specialty.
A 71-year-old Pakistani man with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus presenting with worsening mental status, abdominal pain, and oral intake for the past seven days was found to have pyogenic ...hepatic abscess with unculturable bacteria and subsequently found to have rare Brevibacterium bacteremia.
To assess the assumption of 'equity' of Mexico's resident-selection assessment tool, the Examen Nacional para Aspirantes a Residencias Médicas (ENARM).
Official ENARM-2016 and -2017 databases were ...analyzed. Differences in the absolute number of correct answers (multivariable linear regression) and the number of applicants reaching their specialty minimum score (SMS) per test day (odds ratio OR) were calculated. Applicants affected by test-day inequity were estimated.
There were 36 114 applicants in 2016, and 38 380 in 2017. In 2016, day-2 applicants had significantly higher scores and more reached the SMS than on days 1-3-4 (OR 1.55), and 5 (OR 3.8); 3 565 non-passing applicants were affected by inequity (equivalent to 44.64% of those selected). In 2017, day-1 and -2 applicants had significantly higher scores and more reached the SMS than on days 3-4 (OR 1.85), and 5 (OR 4.04); 3,155 non-passing applicants were affected by inequity (37.2% of those selected).
Analysis of official ENARM databases does not support the official attribution of equity, suggesting the test should be redesigned.
Abstract
Objective:
Diversity is recognized as a driver of excellence and innovation. Women represent a significant part of the infectious diseases (ID) and hospital epidemiology (HE) workforce. We ...aimed to assess gender representation among editors of top ID and HE journals and explore potential correlations with the gender of first and last authors in published articles.
Methods:
Using Scimago Journal & Country Rank, we identified 40 ID and 4 HE high-ranking journals. Editorial members were categorized by decision-making influence (levels I-III). We retrieved names of first and corresponding authors from 12 ID-focused journals’ 2019 research articles. Gender assignment for editors, first authors, and last authors utilized digital galleries and manual searches.
Results:
Among 2,797 editors from 44 journals, 33% were women. Female representation varied across editorial levels: 26% at level I, 36% at level II, and 31% at level III. Gender balance disparities existed among journals. Female first authors accounted for 50%, and female last authors accounted for 36% of the 2,725 published articles. We found weak but significant correlations between the editors’ gender and the gender of the first and last authors.
Conclusion:
Gender representation among ID and HE journal editors displayed unevenness, but no overt vertical segregation was observed. A generational transition among authors may be underway. Our findings suggest that a generational transition may be occurring among authors.
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