Infectious Disease Alert articles from October 2004

Infectious Disease Alert archives from October 2004

Azithromycin for typhoid fever.(Abstract & Commentary)
October 1, 2004... Synopsis: Five days of oral treatment with azithromycin appeared to be at least as effective as a similar duration of treatment of treatment with ceftriaxone in children in Cairo with typhoid fever. Source: Frenck RW Jr, et al. Short-Course...

The challenge of right-sided endocarditis. (Abstract & Commentary.
October 1, 2004... Synopsis: The challenges inherent in the management of pulmonic valve endoearditis mandate a high level of awareness in the clinician. Source: Hamza N, et al. Isolated Puhnonie Valve Infective Endocarditis: A Persistent Challenge....

Resolution of hepatitis C infection.(Abstract & Commentary)
October 1, 2004... Synopsis: Studies on HCV infection resolution show that PBMC HCV-RNA may remain, despite clearance of the virus from plasma. Source: Wawrzynowicz-Syczewska M, et al. Natural History of Acute Symptomatic Hepatitis Type C. Infection. 2004;32:...

Diagnosis of RSV infection: adults are not just large children. (Abstract & Commentary.
October 1, 2004... Synopsis: The Binax NOW chromatographic assay was found to be the optimal method for detection of RSV in upper respiratory secretions of children, while DFA testing was optimal in adults. Source: Ohm-Smith MJ, et al. Evaluation of the Binax...

Chrysobacterium meningosepticum.(Abstract & Commentary)
October 1, 2004... Synopsis: Host factors are the major determinants of the outcomes of C. meningosepticum infections. Source: Lin PY, et al. Clinical and Microbiological Analysis of Bloodstream Infections Caused by Chryseobacterium meningosepticum in...

Candida glabrata.(Abstract & Commentary)
October 1, 2004... Synopsis: Caspofungin and flucytosine were the active antifungals against C. glabrata, while fluconazole was least active. Isolates with high level resistance to fluconazole demonstrated reduced susceptibility, to voriconazole. Source:...

Erythromycin and the heart.(Abstract & Commentary)
October 1, 2004... Synopsis: Erythromycin use is associated with a 2-fold increased risk of sudden cardiac death and a 5-fold increase in those who concurrently receive other medications that significantly inhibit its metabolism by CYP3A4. Source: Ray WA, et...

Nitazoxanide tablets for giardiasis.(Pharmocology Update)
October 1, 2004... NITAZOXANIDE (ALINIA[TM]) IS A BROAD SPECTRUM antiparasitic agent, previously approved for use as an oral suspension for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in children. (1) It has now received FDA approval as a 500 tablet for the...

Rifaximin: another choice for treatment of travelers' diarrhea.(Pharmacology Update)
October 1, 2004... RIFAXIMIN (XIFAXAN[TM] HAS RRECEIVED US FDA approval on May 25, 2004, for the treatment of travelers' diarrhea caused by enteropathogenic (non-invasive) Eschericiha coli in individuals at least 12 years of age. Rifaximin is a rifamycin that is...

CME questions.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... 10. What is the most common microbial cause of isolated pulmonic valve endocarditis? a. Enterococcus faecalis b. Hemophilus parainfluenzae c. Neisseria gonorrhoeae d. Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococci...

The high cost of MRSA.(Updates)
October 1, 2004... Source: Rubin RJ, et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 1999;5:9-17. ********** ALTHOUGH THIS ARTICLE IS older, its message is timely, and for this reason, I elected to include it. The increasing prevalence of MRSA in both community-acquired and...

Treatment of latent TB: a high priority.(Updates)
October 1, 2004... Source: Horsburgh CR Jr. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:2060-2067. ********** REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF cases of TB in the United States is one of the United States Public Health Department's highest priorities. In order to achieve this goal,...

The APRICOT HCV/HIV co-infection study.(Updates)
October 1, 2004... Source: Torriani FJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004:351(5):438-450. ********** WHILE TREATMENT WITH PEGYLATED-INTERFERON plus ribavirin has been shown to successfully suppress HCV infection in ~56-63% of mono-infected patients, virologic...

Linking COX-2 inhibitors and cardiovascular event risk.(Pharmacology Watch)
October 1, 2004... A new, and as of yet unpublished study, has raised increased concern about the relationship between rofecoxib (Vioxx), Merck's blockbuster COX-2 inhibitor, and cardiovascular events. The study, which was presented at a meeting in Bordeaux...

Viagra: maximum capacity at high-altitudes?(Pharmacology Watch)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... High-altitude hikers may soon be requesting sildenafil (Viagra) prescriptions based on the results of a new study. The drug, which is a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, is known to cause pulmonary vasodilation. German researchers postulated that...

FDA actions.(Pharmacology Watch)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Eli Lilly has received FDA approval to market duloxetine (Cymbalta) for the treatment of major depression. The drug is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), similar to venlafaxine (Effexor-Wyeth). The drug is also being...

Folate therapy and in-stent restenosis and coronary stenting.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Source: Lange H, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:2673-2681. ********** OBSERVATIONAL DATA HAVE SUPPORTED the role of homocysteine (HCS) as a cause of or contributor atherosclerosis. Randomized trials of interventions to reduce HCS have...

Quinapril reduces markers of oxidative stress in the metabolic syndrome.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Source: Khan B, et al. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:1712-1715. ********** THE METABOLIC SYNDROME (MBS) MAY be defined as 3 or more of: increased waist circumference (men > 40 inches, women > 35 inches), triglycerides > 150, reduced HDL (men...

Donepezil in patients with Alzheimer's.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Source: AD2000 Collaborative Group Lancet. 2004;363:2105-2115. ********** BECAUSE USE OF CHOLINESTERASE inhibitors is neither inexpensive nor without significant potential adverse effects, their long-term impact on patients with dementing...

Effect of the dietary approaches to stop hypertension diet and reduced sodium intake on blood pressure control.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Source: Svetkey LP, et al. J Clin Hypertens. 2004;6:373-381. ********** THE DIETARY APPROACHES TO STOP Hypertension (DASH) diet, which suggests high intake of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat diary products, has been shown to favorably...

Methylprednisolone, valacyclovir, or the combination for vestibular neuritis.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Source: Strupp M, et al. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:354-361. ********** VESTIBULAR NEURITIS (VN) IS characterized by acute onset of vertigo, a positive Romberg's sign, nystagmus, and nausea. It is second only to benign paroxysmal...

Improved plasma glucose control, whole-body glucose utilizations, and lipid profile on a low-glycemic index diet in type 2 diabetic men.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Source: Rizkalla SW, et al. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:1866-1872. ********** AT THE SAME LEVEL OF GRAMS OF carbohydrate, diffrent foods vary in their rate of rise of plasma glucose, and in the subsequent amount and timing of insulin...