Infectious Disease Alert articles from February 2002

Infectious Disease Alert archives from February 2002

VRE kills! (Abstract & Commentary).(vancomycin-resistant enterococci)
February 1, 2002... Synopsis: VRE bacteremia is an independent predictor of death, and appropriate antibiotic therapy is associated with improved survival. Source: Vergis E, et al. Determinants of vancomycin resistance and mortality rates in enterococcal...

Antibiotics in acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis. (Abstract & Commentary).
February 1, 2002... Synopsis: The administration of ofloxacin to patients requiring mechanical ventilation because of acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis significantly improved outcomes. Source: Nouira S, et al. Once daily oral ofloxacin in chronic...

How often should ventilator circuits be changed? (Abstract & Commentary).
February 1, 2002... Synopsis: A circuit-change interval of 7 days was associated with a lower risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia than a 2-day change interval. Source: Han JN, et al. Effects of decreasing the frequency of ventilator circuit changes to...

HAART: How good is good enough? (HIV Update).(highly active antiretroviral therapy)
February 1, 2002... Synopsis: The "decay" in HIV viremia during the first week of therapy can predict longer-term response and is similar for all responders. Source: Polls MA, et al. Correlation between reduction in plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration 1 week after...

Hepatic injury to HAART. (HIV Update).(highly active antiretroviral therapy)
February 1, 2002... Synopsis: Liver function test abnormalities are frequent in HAART but should not lead to discontinuation of therapy in most patients. Source: Nunez M, et al. Risk factors for severe hepatic injury after introduction of highly active...

Enhanced susceptibility to amprenavir. (HIV Update).
February 1, 2002... Synopsis: "Hypersusceptibilty" and enhanced virologic response to amprenavir-based antiretroviral therapy may be associated with the presence of an N885 mutation in the protease gene. Source: Zachary KC, et al. Human immunodeficiency virus...

Anthrax vaccine program bombs. (Updates).
February 1, 2002... Source: ProMED mail post, Jan. 9, 2002. www.promedmail.org. The federally sponsored effort to provide postexposure anthrax vaccine to more than 5100 individuals potentially exposed to the deadly organism last fall has met with significant...

Voriconazole vs. liposomal ampho in neutropenic fever. (Updates).
February 1, 2002... Source: Walsh TJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 2002;346:225-234. VORICONAZOLE, AN EXPERIMENTAL second-generation azole with a broader spectrum of in vitro activity than fluconazole, is likely to be available for use in the United States within the...

Ebola spreads to the Congo. (Updates).
February 1, 2002... Source: ProMED-mail post, Jan. 24, 2002. www.promedmail.org. An outbreak of Ebola, Hemorrhagic fever, which has been brewing for weeks in Eastern Gabon near Mekambo, has spread into the adjacent Republic of Congo. As of January 20, at...

Computer decision support for Antibiotic prescribing.
February 15, 2002... Conference Coverage Synopsis: This meeting, held in Deer Valley, Utah, last summer, was organized by Matthew Samore (University of Utah) and Neil Fishman (University of Pennsylvania) to discuss the status and future of computer...

Recumbency following spinal tap.(Brief Article)
February 15, 2002... Abstract & Commentary Synopsis: This study indicates that headaches following spinal tap are not affected by bed rest. Source: Thoennissen J, et al. Does bed rest after cervical or lumbar puncture prevent headache? A systematic review...

Defining Invasive Fungal infections--more than the sum of the individual elements?
February 15, 2002... Abstract & Commentary Synopsis: A set of proposals for defining invasive fungal infections in patients with cancer and those undergoing a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant has been put forward by an international panel. Source:...

Resistant CMV during empiric therapy. (Updates).(cytomegalovirus infections)(Brief Article)
February 15, 2002... Source: Limaye AP, et al. J Infect Dis. 2002;185:20-27. LUNG TRANSPLANT PATIENTS ARE AT significant risk for invasive CMV infection, and are frequent recipients of preventative ganciclovir therapy. Limaye and colleagues at the Fred...

High rate of false-negative rectal swabs for VRE? (Updates).(vancomycin resistant enterococci )(Brief Article)
February 15, 2002... Source: D'Agata EM, et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2002;34:167-172. RECTAL SWAB SPECIMENS FOR IDEN-tifying patients with gasrointestinal colonization with vancomycin resistant enterococci are standard procedure in many institutions. In order to...

Influenza 2002/2003. (Updates).(Brief Article)
February 15, 2002... Source: PHLS. Press Release, Feb. 6, 2002; ProMED-mail post, Feb. 7, 2002. www.promedmail.org. INFLUENZA EXPERTS, WHO MEET annually to determine the composition of the following year's influenza vaccine, are focused on a new strain of...