Trending News Today: Superbug Infection Deaths on the Rise in Europe

An FDA advisory panel recommended the approval of Sage Therapeutics’ treatment for postpartum depression, Reuters reported. According to the article, the panel voted 17 to 1 in favor of the injectable treatment, Zulresso, which aims to treat major episodes of depression during pregnancy or within 4 weeks of delivery. All members voted in favor of the treatment’s efficacy and a majority of the members supported its safety, the article reported.

An analysis found that antibiotic-resistant superbug infections cause approximately 33,000 deaths per year in Europe, Reuters reported. According to the article, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control found the impact of drug-resistant infections had increased since 2007 and compared the burden of these diseases to that of flu, tuberculosis, and HIV combined. The study showed that approximately 75% of the burden of superbug disease is due to infections contracted in hospitals and health clinics, the article reported.

Cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) affecting mostly children are still on the rise in the United States, The Hill reported. According to the article, the CDC has identified 80 cases among 219 reports in 2018 spread across 25 states. The CDC said that they do not yet know the long-term effects of AFM, but some patients have experienced continued paralysis and require ongoing care, the article reported.