Infectious Disease Alert articles from January 2005

Infectious Disease Alert archives from January 2005

Risk of community-acquired pneumonia and use of gastric acid-suppressive drugs.(Abstract & Commentary)
January 1, 2005... Synopsis: Current use of gastric acid-suppressive therapy was associated with an increased risk of community-acquired pneumonia. ********** Source: Laheij RF, et al. Risk of Community-Acquired Pneumonia and Use of Gastric Acid...

Risk of Clostridium difficile diarrhea among hospital inpatients prescribed proton pump inhibitors.(Abstract & Commentary)
January 1, 2005... Synopsis: Although PPIs are considered to be among the safest of drugs, these studies suggest that PPIs increase the risk of development of C. difficile-related diarrhea among hospitalized patients. ********** Source: Dial S, et al....

The re-emergence of wild poliovirus in africa.(Abstract & Commentary)
January 1, 2005... Synopsis: Travel Medicine providers must be aware of the need for continued surveillance of their patients for an adequate polio immunization status given the developments in Africa. ********** Sources: CDC. Wild Poliovirus...

Rabies infections in organ donor and transplant recipients.(Abstract & Commentary)
January 1, 2005... Synopsis: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has confirmed the diagnosis of rabies in 4 recipients of transplanted organs and their common donor. All 4 transplant recipients presented with rapidly progressive encephalitis within 21 to 27...

Dying of malaria in the United States.(Abstract & Commentary)
January 1, 2005... Synopsis: Nearly 1 in every 100 US travelers with malaria reported to the National Malaria Surveillance System died of the infection. The majority of deaths were preventable. ********** Source: Newman RD, et al. Malaria-Related Deaths...

Abacavir sulfate and lamivudine tablets (Epzicom).(Pharmocology Update)
January 1, 2005... THE FDA HAS APPROVED A COMBINATION OF 2 ANTIretrovirals, abacavix and lamivudine, for the treatment of HIV-1 infections. Each tablet contains 600 mg of abacavir and 300 mg of lamivudine for once daily administration. The combination is marketed...

Tinidazole tablets (Tindamax[TM]).(Pharmacology Update)
January 1, 2005... THE FDA HAS APPROVED A 5-NITROIMIDAZOLE FOR the treatment of trichomoniasis, giardiasis, and amebiasis. Tinidazole, a second-generation nitroimidazole antiprotozoal agent, is marketed as Tindamax[TM] by Presutti Laboratories. Indications...

CME questions.
January 1, 2005... 1. Which of the following is correct? a. Most malaria deaths in the United States are due to P. vivax. b. Patients with suspected P. falciparum malaria must be given intravenous quinine sulfate. c. Malaria smears should only be...

Amazing teen survives rabies.(Updates)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... ProMED-mail post November 25, 2004; www.promedmail.org A 14-YEAR-OLD WISCONSIN GIRL has remarkably survived acute encephalitic rabies! Although the full details have not disclosed by her physicians (who plan to publish this remarkable...

India, genetics, and HIV.(Updates)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Jayaraman K. Nat Med. 2004, 10:1148. RESEARCHERS HAVE UNCOVERED numerous genetic factors that may be directly contributing to the growing problem of HIV in India. According to this editorial. Dr. Narinder Mehra. an immunologist with the All...

Illicit Botox products.(Updates)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... ProMED-mail post December 3 and December 8, 2004; www.promedmail.org BOTOX, WHEN INJECTED DIRECTly into a muscle in small amounts (~15-50 IU of botulinum exotoxin A, depending on the size of the muscle), is extremely but transiently...

Sharing your MRNA with your pet.(Updates)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Van Duijke ren E, et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004;10. DURING INVESTIGATION OF AN outbreak of MRNA in a local nursing home in the Netherlands, which involved 48 residents and 15 nurses, Van Duijkeren and colleagues identified a 31-year old...

Could sepsis respond to nicotine?(Updates)(Nicotinic receptors)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Mattay MA, et al. Nat Med. 2004;10:1161-1162; Wang H, et al. Nat Med. 2004;10:1216-1221. THIS FASCINATING ARTICLE suggests that nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptors play an important part in the immune system response to sepsis--raising...

Hypertension: therapy vs calcium channel antagonists.
January 1, 2005... Parmacotherapy of hypertension has been much in the news in the last 2 months. Standard therapies such as atenolol have been challenged, while calcium channel antagonists may be making a comeback. Researchers from Sweden performed a...

Incidence of diabetes in middle-aged men is related to sleep disturbances.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Source: Nillson PM, et al. Diabetes Care. 2004;27(10):2464-2469. THE CONSEQUENCES OF SLEEP DEPRIvation, as measured in otherwise healthy men, include elevations of sympathetic activity, increased levels of cortisol, and altered glucose...

Renal dysfunction and cardiovascular outcomes after myocardial infarction.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Source: Anavekar NG, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:1285-1295. ALTHOUGH MARKED ALTERATION IN renal function can be anticipated to compromise lifespan, whether less substantial decrements in renal function are associated with adverse...

Topical treatments for psoriasis.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Source: Mikhail M, Scheinfeld N. Adv Stud Med. 2004;4(8):420-429. THE PREVALENCE OF PSORIASIS (PSR) in the US adult population is as high as 3%, usually beginning during adolescence. Although there is no available cure for PSR, most...

Induction of long-term glycemic control in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients is associated with improvement of beta-cell function.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Source: Li Y, et al. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:2597-2602. TYPE 2 DIABETES (DM2) IS CHARACTERIZED by insulin resistance accompanied by a progressive decline in beta cell function (BCF). Sustained supranormal glucose levels appear to further...

Predicting bacterial cause in infectious conjunctivitis.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Source: Rietveld RP, et al. BMJ USA. 2004;4:511-514. ONLY ABOUT HALF OF ACUTE CON junctivitis cases are bacterial. At presentation, it is often unclear whether patients are suffering acute bacterial conjunctivitis (ABC), or acute viral...

Angiotensin-receptor blockade vs converting-enzyme inhibition in Type 2 diabetes and nephropathy.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Source: Barnett AH, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:1952-1961. THE MOST COMMON ETIOLOGY OF END stage renal disease remains type 2 diabetes (DM2). Since it is possible to reverse (in the case of diabetic microalbuminuria) or delay (in the case...