Background/Objectives: Acute upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) are defined as inflammatory diseases of the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx, or trachea. They are common in children. The prescription of antibiotics for the treatment of URIs became a relevant theme in the scientific literature in recent decades. One of the most important ways to deal with increasing antimicrobial resistance is rational antibiotic therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the tendencies of antibiotic prescribing practices for Lithuanian children with URIs from 2018 to 2022. We describe how many children with URIs were prescribed antibiotics, which antibiotics were used, and whether prescribing practices meet national guidelines. Methods: Secondary data, which were used in this observational study, were collected from the Lithuanian Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (CHIF) electronic records. The study population consisted of children aged between 0 and 18 years who visited their primary care doctors (pediatricians or family doctors) between January 2018 and December 2022 and were prescribed antibiotics for the treatment of URIs. Results: Between 2018 and 2022, there were 445,328 visits reported when antibiotics, which belong to the J01 group according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification (ATC), were prescribed to children aged 0–18. In more than half of the visits (51.70%), children aged 0–5 were consulted. Penicillins were mostly prescribed for the treatment of acute nasopharyngitis. Macrolides were mostly used to treat acute laryngitis and tracheitis. Of all penicillin-class antibiotics, the most popular choice was amoxycillin. The primary choice of cephalosporin was cefadroxil, and the primary choice of macrolide was clarithromycin. Conclusions: During the period of 2018–2022, the number of prescriptions for antibiotics for URTIs decreased, but prescriptions for penicillin-class antibiotics increased in a relative manner. The most common diagnoses during these visits were acute tonsillitis and acute pharyngitis, and most antibiotic prescriptions were for children in the 0–5 age group. If Lithuania’s National Recommendations on the Rational Use of Antibiotics were implemented during the analyzed period, the prescribing tendencies would not meet them.

Coccidioidomycosis is an infectious disease caused by Coccidioides immitis or C. posadasii fungus. Humans usually get infected by inhaling spores risen from the soil. Although in 60 percent of cases symptoms are absent, remaining patients can develop various manifestations of the disease, from flu-like symptoms to severe dissemination or meningitis. In endemic regions (California, Arizona, Mexico, Central, and South America), pulmonary coccidioidomycosis causes 25% of community-acquired cases of pneumonia. We present the first registered case of pulmonary coccidioidomycosis in Lithuania. Clinical presentation, pathogenesis, treatment options, and diagnostic alternatives are discussed.

Background and Objectives: Given that COVID-19 vaccination is a relatively recent development, particularly when compared to immunisation against other diseases, it is crucial to assess its efficacy in vaccinated populations. This literature review analysed studies that monitored antibody titres against SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare workers who received COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: Using the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparators, Outcomes) model recommended in the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines we included 43 publications which analyse antibody dynamics following primary vaccination, the effects of booster doses, and the influence of factors such as COVID-19C infection, age, and sex on antibody kinetics. Results: All the studies demonstrated a strong immunogenic response to the vaccines. Re-gardless of the vaccine used, over 95% of the pre-vaccination seronegative population be-came seropositive in all studies. Depending on the sampling intervals provided by the re-searchers, antibody levels were quantitatively highest during the first three months after vaccination, but levels inevitably declined over time. The monthly decline in antibodies observed in all these studies highlighted the necessity for booster doses. Studies analysing the impact of revaccination on antibody dynamics have confirmed that revaccination is an effective tool to boost humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2. An-tibodies appear to persist for a longer period of time after revaccination, although they are subject to similar factors influencing antibody dynamics, such as age, comorbidities, and exposure to COVID-19. In addition, heterogeneous revaccination strategies have been shown to be more effective than homogeneous revaccination. Conclusions: Our review demonstrated that antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 inevitably decline after vaccination, leaving the question of ongoing booster strategies open. The studies reviewed provided evidence of the effectiveness of booster vaccination, despite differences in age, sex, and prior COVID-19 infection. This suggests that repeated vaccination remains a highly effective method for mitigating the continued threat posed by COVID-19.