Infectious Disease Alert articles from March 2005

Infectious Disease Alert archives from March 2005

Malaria in peace and war.(Abstract and Commentary)
March 1, 2005... Synopsis: Malaria remains a serious threat to both tourists and deployed military personnel. Areas once thought to be relatively risk free may later be associated with transmission of malaria, requiring public health vigilance and regular...

Corticosteroids in the treatment of severe community-acquired pneumonia.(Abstract & Commentary)
March 1, 2005... Synopsis: Hydrocortisone administration to patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia was associated with improved oxygenation, radiographic clearing, hospital length-of-stay, and patient survival. ********** Source:...

What a crab to diagnose and monitor invasive aspergillosis.(Abstract & Commentary)
March 1, 2005... Synopsis: Invasive aspergillosis among neutropenic patients could be reliably diagnosed using a commercial test Fungitell[TM] to detect the cell wall component (1->3)-[beta]-D-glucan of certain fungi, including Aspergillus. However, diagnosis...

Antiretroviral prophylaxis after nonoccupational exposure to HIV.(Abstract & Commentary)
March 1, 2005... Synopsis: Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) with effective antirtrovirals should be instituted within 72 hours substantial nonoccupational exposure to HIV. ********** Source: CDC Antiretroviral postexposure prophylaxis after sexual,...

Case study: the clostridial connection.(Abstract & Commentary)
March 1, 2005... Synopsis: Physicians in the western United States, where BTH is widely used, should be aware of the potential for WB to occur among IDUs. ********** Source: Passaro DJ, et al. Wound Botulism Associated With Black Tar Heroin Among...

CME questions.
March 1, 2005... 10. In patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia, physiologic doses of corticosteroids result in one or more of the following: a. Severe, dose-limiting side effects attributable to the corticosteroid b. Reduced hospital...

Not your ordinary dog bite.(Updates)
March 1, 2005... Ngauy V, et al. J Clin Micro. 2005:970-972. THIS UNUSUAL CASE REPORT describes an 82-year old diabetic man who presented with an ulcerated nodule over his first metacarpophalangeal joint. He had been bitten by a dog about 3 months earlier,...

Wash that Malassezia furfur out of my ...(Updates)
March 1, 2005... Dolk E, et al. Applied Environ Microbiol. 2005;71:442-450. MANY SCIENTISTS NOW BELIEVE that an overgrowth or imbalance of Malassezia furfur on the scalp may contribute to dandruff: Usually part of the normal skin flora, greater numbers of...

Really hot cash.(Updates)
March 1, 2005... ProMED-mail post January 28, 2005; www.promedmail.org. FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAVE ISSUED an alert, and are seeking additional information, in a bizarre criminal case in Philadelphia involving the Russian mob and purported drug money possibly...

Preventing traveler's diarrhea.(Updates)
March 1, 2005... ISTM Travel Medicine List, January 18, 2005 DESPITE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE in travel medicine and treating traveler's diarrhea, many physicians express frustration at the inability to diminish the frequency of diarrheal illness in travelers....

Treatment of recent-onset AF with the pill-in-the-pocket.(atrial fibrillation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Source: Alboni P, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:2384-2391. ALTHOUGH CHRONIC ORAL ANTIARRHYTHMIC prophylaxis and catheter ablation both enjoy great success for preventing recurrences of atrial fibrillation (AF), some patients are not...

Antibody responses after intradermal flu vaccination.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Source: Belshe RB, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:2286-2294. THE YEAR 2004 WAS UNUSUAL IN REFERENCE to problematic shortages of influenza vaccine (FLUVAX), resulting in vaccine rationing. One of the methods that might reduce the actual...

Isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine in HF.(chronic heart failure)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Source: Taylor AL, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:2049-2057. NEUROHUMORAL MODULATORS SUCH as ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, and aldosterone have all shown meaningful benefit for patients with chronic heart...

Acetyl-L-carnitine improves pain, nerve regeneration, and vibratory perception.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Source: Sima AF, et al. Diabetes Care. 2005;28:96-101. DIABETIC PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY (DPN), with or without diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP), is a commonplace and consequential complication of diabetes (DM). Treatment of DPNP...

Levodopa and the progression of Parkinson's disease.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Source: The Parkinson Study Group. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:2498-2508. LEVODOPA (LDPA) HAS PROVEN A very valuable treatment for Parkinson's disease (PAR). Since PAR is characterized by a progressive decline in production of dopamine due to...

Lifestyle, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors 10 years after bariatric surgery.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Source: Sjostrom L, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:2683-2693. THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF obesity include increased cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes (DM), and dyslipidemia. Although surgical interventions have provided meaningful...

The risk of aspirin withdrawal in ACS patients.(acute coronary syndrome)
March 1, 2005... Stopping aspirin may be hazardous to your health, according to recent research. Patients with heart disease who developed acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were questioned to determine whether their aspirin therapy had recently been interrupted....