Infectious Disease Alert articles from August 2004

Infectious Disease Alert archives from August 2004

Infectious triggers of asthma in children.(Abstract & Commentary)
August 1, 2004... Synopsis: Mycoplasma pneumoniae may causally contribute to the development of asthma, as well as serve as a trigger for recurrent wheezing. Source: Biscardi S, et al. Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Asthma in Children. Clin Infect Dis....

Vancomycin and MRSA: how susceptible is "susceptible"?(Abstract & Commentary)(Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus)
August 1, 2004... Synopsis: A laboratory report indicating susceptibility of MRSA to vancomycin does not guarantee successful therapy with this antibiotic since a significant risk for failure may be present despite MICs within the range considered susceptible....

Which Nocardia species is it, anyway?(Abstract & Commentary)
August 1, 2004... Synopsis: Molecular techniques provide a more rapid and accurate method of Nocardia species identification than do classical microbiologic methods. A surprise: of 94 isolates, the most commonly identified species was Nocardia cyriacigeorgica...

A widespread outbreak of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis 0:3 infection from iceberg lettuce.(Abstract & Commentary)
August 1, 2004... Synopsis: An outbreak of food poisoning by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in Finland in October/November 1998 involved 46 cases and was traced to locally grown iceberg lettuce. Source: Nuorte JP, et al. A Widespread Outbreak of Yersinia...

Treatment of bacteremia due to ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae.(Abstract & Commentary)(Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase)
August 1, 2004... Synopsis: A carbapenem (most often imipenem) was found in a prospective observational study to be the optimal choice for therapy of bacteremia due to ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. Source: Paterson DL, et al. Antibiotic Therapy for...

More antibiotic resistance--now syphilis.(Abstract & Commentary)
August 1, 2004... Synopsis: Treponema pallidum strains resistant to azithromycin are prevalent in San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, and Dublin. Source: Lukehart SA, et al. Macrolide Resistance in Treponema pallidum in the United States and Ireland. N Engl J...

Cows harbor expanding serotypes of pathogenic escherichia coil.(Abstract & Commentary)
August 1, 2004... Synopsis: The E. coli geneticists are working on ways to facilitate rapid diagnosis, and in time, to purge eae positive strains from bovine reservoirs. Source: Stephen R, et al. First Isolation and Further Characterization of...

ICAAC/IDSA/ASTMH 2003.(Conference Coverage)
August 1, 2004... The following is a summary of selected abstracts from 3 meetings. The 43rd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) met in Chicago September 14-17, 2003. The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) met in...

CME questions.
August 1, 2004... 4. Which of the following is a trigger of asthma exacerbations in children? a. Rhinoviruses b. Influenza viruses c. Respiratory syncytial virus d. Mycoplasma pneumoniae e. All of the above 5. Which of these nocardia...

Multivitamins delay progression to AIDS.(Updates)
August 1, 2004... Source: Fawzi WW, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:23-32. An 8-YEAR STUDY CONDUCTED IN Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has found that daily multivitamins (vitamins B, C and E) can delay progression of HIV disease in African women. Between 1995-1997,...

Tenofovir decreases Atazanavir levels.(Updates)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Source: Taburet AM, et al. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2004;48:2091-2096. ATAZANAVIR (ATV), AN AZAPEPtide protease inhibitor with a distinct resistance profile, functions as a CYP3A substrate. Hence, ATV concentrations in the blood stream...

Breakthrough chickenpox in vaccinated kids.(Updates)
August 1, 2004... Source: Vasquez M, et al. JAMA. 2004,291:851-855. BREAKTHROUGH VARICELLA IN previously vaccinated kids is not uncommon. The occurrence of several recent outbreaks of chickenpox in heavily vaccinated preschool groups led Vasquez and...

Find the VRSA in the MRSA: get an etest!(Updates)(vancomcyinresistant S. aureus )( methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
August 1, 2004... Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2004;53(15):322-323. ROUTINE AUTOMATED SUS CEPtibility testing of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) may fail to detect vancomycin resistance (MIC >32 mg/mL). The Centers for Disease...

Glucose metabolism and coronary heart disease in patients with normal glucose tolerance.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Source: Sasso FC, et al. JAMA. 2004;291:1857-1863. THERE IS A CLEARLY ESTABLISHED relationship between frank diabetes (DM) and increased vascular risk, especially coronary heart disease. Whether more modest perturbations in glucose...

Evidence of airborne transmission of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Source: Yu ITS, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:1731-1739. FOR THE MOMENT, THE IMMEDIATE threat of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS) appears to have passed in the United States. The seriotis morbidity and mortality of the virus...

Alcohol intake and risk of incident gout in men.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Source: Choi HK, et al. Lancet. 2004; 363:1277-1281. THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN GOUT AND quoted, though never previously established by a prospective trial. It has been confirmed that alcohol loading acutely induces elevations in blood uric...

Prevention of strokes by successful carotid endarterectomy in patients without recent neurological symptoms.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Source: MRC Asymptomatic Carotid Surgery Trial Collaborative Group. Lancet. 2004;363:1491-502 CLEAR-CUT BENEFIT FROM CAROTID endarterectomy for secondary prevention of stroke amongst persons with carotid stenosis who have suffered a...

Cox-2 inhibitors vs nonselective NSAIDs and CHF outcomes in elderly patients.(Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug )(heart failure )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Source: Mamdani M, et al Lancet. 2004;363:1751-1756. USE OF NON-SELECTIVE NSAIDS CAN induce retention of Na+, K+, and water. Whether selective Cox-2 inhibitors (COXIBs) are fraught with an equally daunting likelihood of potential for fluid...

Interventions for the prevention of falls in older adults.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Source: Chang JT, et al BMJ USA. 2004;4:223-226. ONE-THIRD OF PERSONS OLDER THAN age 65, and one-half of those older than 80 sustain a fall annually, many of which result in hospital admission, impairment of mobility, or even death. A...

The importance of publishing negative clinical studies.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Sources of funding for pharmaceutical research has come under scrutiny in the last decade as academic and government sources of funding have become increasingly scarce and the pharmaceutical industry has become the main source of research...

Cognitive effects of estrogen therapy.
August 1, 2004... Two studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that estrogen alone therapy may be associated with a decline in cognitive function in post-menopausal women and may increase the risk of dementia. Both studies are...

Vitamin therapy and restenosis.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Vitamin therapy to lower homocysteine levels has been touted as an effective way to prevent restenosis after coronary angioplasty. A new study, however, suggests that vitamin combination may actually increase the risk of restenosis in these...

Echinacea and the common cold.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Echinacea purpurea, the commonly prescribed herbal remedy may have no effect on the common cold, according to a new study. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 128 patients with early symptoms of the common cold were...

Effects of Paxil in Children Under 18.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... GlaxoSmitkKline has been accused of suppressing negative data about its antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil), showing that it is broadly ineffective in children and adolescents, and could increase the risk of suicidal behavior. The accusation...

FDA actions.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2004... Schering has received approval from the FDA to market a new low dose estrogen patch for the treatment of osteoporosis. The patch, which is dime sized, is applied once a week, and delivers 14 micrograms per day of estradiol. It will be marketed...