MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Clinical Microbiology Reviews' source. Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:47:26 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172497&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065324%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Forrest GN, Tamura K The increasing emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), has resulted in the increased use of rifampin combination therapy. The data supporting rifampin combination therapy in nonmycobacterial infections are limited by a lack of significantly controlled clinical studies. Therefore, its current use is based upon in vitro or in vivo data or retrospective case series, all with major limitations. A prominent observation from this review is that rifampin combination therapy appears to have improved treatment outcomes in cases in which there is a low organism burden, such as biofilm infections, but is less effective when effective surgery to obtain source control is not performed. The clinical ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172497 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172496&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065325%26dopt%3DAbstract This article provides an extensive review of these topics, in addition to others, such as taxonomic issues, microbial pathogenicity, and antimicrobial resistance markers. PMID: 20065325 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Clinical Microbiology Reviews) Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172496 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172495&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065326%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tregoning JS, Schwarze J In global terms, respiratory viral infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Infancy, in particular, is a time of increased disease susceptibility and severity. Early-life viral infection causes acute illness and can be associated with the development of wheezing and asthma in later life. The most commonly detected viruses are respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus (RV), and influenza virus. In this review we explore the complete picture from epidemiology and virology to clinical impact and immunology. Three striking aspects emerge. The first is the degree of similarity: although the infecting viruses are all different, the clinical outcome, viral evasion strategies, immune response, and long-term sequelae share many common features... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172495 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172494&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065327%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Howden BP, Davies JK, Johnson PD, Stinear TP, Grayson ML The emergence of vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) over the past decade has provided a challenge to diagnostic microbiologists to detect these strains, clinicians treating patients with infections due to these strains, and researchers attempting to understand the resistance mechanisms. Recent data show that these strains have been detected globally and in many cases are associated with glycopeptide treatment failure; however, more rigorous clinical studies are required to clearly define the contribution of hVISA to glycopeptide treatment outcomes. It is now becoming clear that sequential point mutations in key global regulatory gen... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172494 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172493&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065328%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Butler G Human fungal pathogens are associated with diseases ranging from dandruff and skin colonization to invasive bloodstream infections. The major human pathogens belong to the Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus clades, and infections have high and increasing morbidity and mortality. Many human fungal pathogens were originally assumed to be asexual. However, recent advances in genome sequencing, which revealed that many species have retained the genes required for the sexual machinery, have dramatically influenced our understanding of the biology of these organisms. Predictions of a rare or cryptic sexual cycle have been supported experimentally for some species. Here, I examine the evidence that human pathogens reproduce sexually. The evolution of the mating-type locu... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172493 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172492&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065329%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Drawz SM, Bonomo RA Since the introduction of penicillin, beta-lactam antibiotics have been the antimicrobial agents of choice. Unfortunately, the efficacy of these life-saving antibiotics is significantly threatened by bacterial beta-lactamases. beta-Lactamases are now responsible for resistance to penicillins, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems. In order to overcome beta-lactamase-mediated resistance, beta-lactamase inhibitors (clavulanate, sulbactam, and tazobactam) were introduced into clinical practice. These inhibitors greatly enhance the efficacy of their partner beta-lactams (amoxicillin, ampicillin, piperacillin, and ticarcillin) in the treatment of serious Enterobacteriaceae and penicillin-resistant staphylococcal infections. However, sele... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172492 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172491&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065330%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Schmid DS, Jumaan AO The licensure and recommendation of varicella vaccine in the mid-1990s in the United States have led to dramatic declines in varicella incidence and varicella-related deaths and hospitalizations. Varicella outbreaks remain common and occur increasingly in highly vaccinated populations. Breakthrough varicella in vaccinated individuals is characteristically mild, typically with fewer lesions that frequently do not progress to a vesicular stage. As such, the laboratory diagnosis of varicella has grown increasingly important, particularly in outbreak settings. In this review the impact of varicella vaccine on varicella-zoster virus (VZV) disease, arising complications in the effective diagnosis and monitoring of VZV transmission, and the relative strengths and... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172491 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172490&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065331%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ortega YR, Sanchez R The coccidian parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis is recognized as an emerging pathogen that causes protracted diarrhea in humans. The first cases of Cyclospora infection were reported in the late 1970s and were observed among expatriates and travelers in regions where infections are endemic. Since then, Cyclospora has been considered a cause of traveler's diarrhea. Epidemiological investigations were reported and examined in areas of endemicity even before the true identity of Cyclospora was elucidated. Cyclospora was fully characterized in the early 1990s, but it was not until the 1995 Cyclospora outbreak in the United States and Canada that it caught the attention of the public and physicians. The biology, clinical presentation, epidemiology, diagnosis, tr... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172490 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3172489&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20065332%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mancini N, Carletti S, Ghidoli N, Cichero P, Burioni R, Clementi M Sepsis, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, is a clinical syndrome with signs and symptoms relating to an infectious event and the consequent important inflammatory response. From a clinical point of view, sepsis is a continuous process ranging from systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) to multiple-organ-dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Blood cultures are the current "gold standard" for diagnosis, and they are based on the detection of viable microorganisms present in blood. However, on some occasions, blood cultures have intrinsic limitations in terms of sensitivity and rapidity, and it is not expected that these drawbacks will be overcome by significant improvements in the ne... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3172489 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3172489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895396&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822887%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Park SJ, Mehrad B All humans are continuously exposed to inhaled Aspergillus conidia, yet healthy hosts clear the organism without developing disease and without the development of antibody- or cell-mediated acquired immunity to this organism. This suggests that for most healthy humans, innate immunity is sufficient to clear the organism. A failure of these defenses results in a uniquely diverse set of illnesses caused by Aspergillus species, which includes diseases caused by the colonization of the respiratory tract, invasive infection, and hypersensitivity. A key concept in immune responses to Aspergillus species is that the susceptibilities of the host determine the morphological form, antigenic structure, and physical location of the fungus. In this review, we summarize th... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895396 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895395&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822888%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Goldsmith CS, Miller SE Electron microscopy, considered by some to be an old technique, is still on the forefront of both clinical viral diagnoses and viral ultrastructure and pathogenesis studies. In the diagnostic setting, it is particularly valuable in the surveillance of emerging diseases and potential bioterrorism viruses. In the research arena, modalities such as immunoelectron microscopy, cryo-electron microscopy, and electron tomography have demonstrated how viral structural components fit together, attach to cells, assimilate during replication, and associate with the cellular machinery during replication and egression. These studies provide information for treatment and vaccine strategies. PMID: 19822888 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Clinical Microbiology Review... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895395 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895394&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822889%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Martina BE, Koraka P, Osterhaus AD Much remains to be learned about the pathogenesis of the different manifestations of dengue virus (DENV) infections in humans. They may range from subclinical infection to dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and eventually dengue shock syndrome (DSS). As both cell tropism and tissue tropism of DENV are considered major determinants in the pathogenesis of dengue, there is a critical need for adequate tropism assays, animal models, and human autopsy data. More than 50 years of research on dengue has resulted in a host of literature, which strongly suggests that the pathogenesis of DHF and DSS involves viral virulence factors and detrimental host responses, collectively resulting in abnormal hemostasis and increased vascular permeabili... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895394 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895393&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822890%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lister PD, Wolter DJ, Hanson ND Treatment of infectious diseases becomes more challenging with each passing year. This is especially true for infections caused by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with its ability to rapidly develop resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. Although the import of resistance mechanisms on mobile genetic elements is always a concern, the most difficult challenge we face with P. aeruginosa is its ability to rapidly develop resistance during the course of treating an infection. The chromosomally encoded AmpC cephalosporinase, the outer membrane porin OprD, and the multidrug efflux pumps are particularly relevant to this therapeutic challenge. The discussion presented in this review highlights the clinical significance of thes... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895393 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895392&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822891%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Miller MB, Tang YW The introduction of in vitro nucleic acid amplification techniques, led by real-time PCR, into the clinical microbiology laboratory has transformed the laboratory detection of viruses and select bacterial pathogens. However, the progression of the molecular diagnostic revolution currently relies on the ability to efficiently and accurately offer multiplex detection and characterization for a variety of infectious disease pathogens. Microarray analysis has the capability to offer robust multiplex detection but has just started to enter the diagnostic microbiology laboratory. Multiple microarray platforms exist, including printed double-stranded DNA and oligonucleotide arrays, in situ-synthesized arrays, high-density bead arrays, electronic microarrays, and su... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895392 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895391&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822892%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Stark D, Barratt JL, van Hal S, Marriott D, Harkness J, Ellis JT Globally, the number of immunosuppressed people increases each year, with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic continuing to spread unabated in many parts of the world. Immunosuppression may also occur in malnourished persons, patients undergoing chemotherapy for malignancy, and those receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Components of the immune system can be functionally or genetically abnormal as a result of acquired (e.g., caused by HIV infection, lymphoma, or high-dose steroids or other immunosuppressive medications) or congenital illnesses, with more than 120 congenital immunodeficiencies described to date that either affect humoral immunity or compromise T-cell function. All individuals affected ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895391 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895391 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895390&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822893%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Price P, Murdoch DM, Agarwal U, Lewin SR, Elliott JH, French MA Up to one in four patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and given antiretroviral therapy (ART) experiences inflammatory or cellular proliferative disease associated with a preexisting opportunistic infection, which may be subclinical. These immune restoration diseases (IRD) appear to result from the restoration of immunocompetence. IRD associated with intracellular pathogens are characterized by cellular immune responses and/or granulomatous inflammation. Mycobacterial and cryptococcal IRD are attributed to a pathological overproduction of Th1 cytokines. Clinicopathological characteristics of IRD associated with viral infections suggest different pathogenic mechanisms. For example, IRD associa... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895390 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895389&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822894%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Strahilevitz J, Jacoby GA, Hooper DC, Robicsek A Although plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) was thought not to exist before its discovery in 1998, the past decade has seen an explosion of research characterizing this phenomenon. The best-described form of PMQR is determined by the qnr group of genes. These genes, likely originating in aquatic organisms, code for pentapeptide repeat proteins. These proteins reduce susceptibility to quinolones by protecting the complex of DNA and DNA gyrase or topoisomerase IV enzymes from the inhibitory effect of quinolones. Two additional PMQR mechanisms were recently described. aac(6')-Ib-cr encodes a variant aminoglycoside acetyltransferase with two amino acid alterations allowing it to inactivate ciprofloxacin through the acetyla... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895389 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2895388&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19822895%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Freudenmann RW, Lepping P This papers aims at familiarizing psychiatric and nonpsychiatric readers with delusional infestation (DI), also known as delusional parasitosis. It is characterized by the fixed belief of being infested with pathogens against all medical evidence. DI is no single disorder but can occur as a delusional disorder of the somatic type (primary DI) or secondary to numerous other conditions. A set of minimal diagnostic criteria and a classification are provided. Patients with DI pose a truly interdisciplinary problem to the medical system. They avoid psychiatrists and consult dermatologists, microbiologists, or general practitioners but often lose faith in professional medicine. Epidemiology and history suggest that the imaginary pathogens change constantly,... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2895388 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2895388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602937&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19597005%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wormser GP, Schwartz I Summary: Despite resolution of the objective manifestations of Lyme disease after antibiotic treatment, a minority of patients have fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and/or difficulties with concentration or short-term memory of uncertain etiology; these are called post-Lyme disease symptoms or, in more severe cases, post-Lyme disease syndrome or "chronic Lyme disease." Several recent studies in which Borrelia burgdorferi-infected animals were treated with antibiotic therapy have demonstrated the presence of PCR positivity for B. burgdorferi DNA in the absence of culture positivity. In mice that were treated with antibiotic therapy, residual spirochetes could be taken up by ticks during a blood meal and could be transmitted to SCID mice. These spirochetes a... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602937 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602936&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19597006%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fried AJ, Bonilla FA Summary: Primary antibody deficiencies are the most common primary immunodeficiency diseases. They are a heterogeneous group of disorders with various degrees of dysfunctional antibody production resulting from a disruption of B-cell differentiation at different stages. While there has been tremendous recent progress in the understanding of some of these disorders, the etiology remains unknown for the majority of patients. As there is a large spectrum of underlying defects, the age at presentation varies widely, and the clinical manifestations range from an almost complete absence of B cells and serum immunoglobulins to selectively impaired antibody responses to specific antigens with normal total serum immunoglobulin concentrations. However, all of these ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602936 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602935&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19597007%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Procop GW Summary: Paragonimus species are highly evolved parasites with a complex life cycle that involves at least three different hosts, i.e., snails, crustaceans, and mammals. The adult forms of Paragonimus species reside and mate in the lungs of a variety of permissive mammalian hosts, including humans. Although human paragonimiasis is uncommonly encountered in North America, both autochthonous and imported disease may be encountered. Paragonimus kellicotti, the species endemic to North America, is a well-known pathogen in wild and domestic animals. Five patients with North American paragonimiasis have been reported in the recent medical literature. The biologic, clinical, radiologic, and laboratory features of paragonimiasis are reviewed, with emphasis on North American ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602935 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602934&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19597008%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dagenais TR, Keller NP Summary: Aspergillus species are globally ubiquitous saprophytes found in a variety of ecological niches. Almost 200 species of aspergilli have been identified, less than 20 of which are known to cause human disease. Among them, Aspergillus fumigatus is the most prevalent and is largely responsible for the increased incidence of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in the immunocompromised patient population. IA is a devastating illness, with mortality rates in some patient groups reaching as high as 90%. Studies identifying and assessing the roles of specific factors of A. fumigatus that contribute to the pathogenesis of IA have traditionally focused on single-gene deletion and mutant characterization. In combination with recent large-scale approaches analyzing ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602934 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602933&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19597009%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Keiser J, Utzinger J Summary: An estimated 750 million people are at risk of infections with food-borne trematodes, which comprise liver flukes (Clonorchis sinensis, Fasciola gigantica, Fasciola hepatica, Opisthorchis felineus, and Opisthorchis viverrini), lung flukes (Paragonimus spp.), and intestinal flukes (e.g., Echinostoma spp., Fasciolopsis buski, and the heterophyids). Food-borne trematodiases pose a significant public health and economic problem, yet these diseases are often neglected. In this review, we summarize the taxonomy, morphology, and life cycle of food-borne trematodes. Estimates of the at-risk population and number of infections, geographic distribution, history, and ecological features of the major food-borne trematodes are reviewed. We summarize clinical m... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602933 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602933 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602932&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19597010%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Herman JS, Chiodini PL Gnathostomiasis is a food-borne zoonosis caused by the late-third stage larvae of Gnathostoma spp. It is being seen with increasing frequency in countries where it is not endemic and should be regarded as another emerging imported disease. Previously, its foci of endemicity have been confined to Southeast Asia and Central and South America, but its geographical boundaries appear to be increasing, with recent reports of infection in tourists returning from southern Africa. It has a complex life cycle involving at least two intermediate hosts, with humans being accidental hosts in which the larvae cannot reach sexual maturity. The main risks for acquisition are consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater fish and geographical exposure. Infection results i... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602932 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602931&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19597011%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Buchanan AM, Cunningham CK Summary: An estimated 2.5 million children are currently living with HIV, the vast majority as a result of mother-to-child transmission. Prevention of perinatal HIV infection has been immensely successful in developed countries. A comprehensive package of services, including maternal and infant antiretroviral therapy, elective cesarean section, and avoidance of breast-feeding, has resulted in transmission rates of less than 2%. However, in developing countries, access to such services is often not available, as demonstrated by the fact that the vast majority of children with HIV live in Africa. Over the past few years, many developing nations have made great strides in improving access to much-needed services. Notably, in eastern and southern Africa,... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602931 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602931 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602930&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19597012%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Baird JK The gravity of the threat posed by vivax malaria to public health has been poorly appreciated. The widely held misperception of Plasmodium vivax as being relatively infrequent, benign, and easily treated explains its nearly complete neglect across the range of biological and clinical research. Recent evidence suggests a far higher and more-severe disease burden imposed by increasingly drug-resistant parasites. The two frontline therapies against vivax malaria, chloroquine and primaquine, may be failing. Despite 60 years of nearly continuous use of these drugs, their respective mechanisms of activity, resistance, and toxicity remain unknown. Although standardized means of assessing therapeutic efficacy against blood and liver stages have not been developed, this review... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602930 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472767&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366911%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kuno G Outbreaks of the severe dengue syndrome, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), emerged beginning in the 1950s, marking a dramatic change in the dengue syndrome. While intense investigations in multiple directions have been conducted for many years to elucidate the intrinsic mechanisms conducive to the development of DHF, no consensus has yet emerged. Meanwhile, relatively little attention has been paid to the occurrence of severe dengue and death prior to the 1950s. This comprehensive review was designed to evaluate outbreak records in the early dengue history to better understand the epidemiologic background and other factors that existed before the emergence of DHF outbreaks. By applying a set of stringent criteria to remove unreliable data as much as possible and by interp... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472767 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472749&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366912%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Haesebrouck F, Pasmans F, Flahou B, Chiers K, Baele M, Meyns T, Decostere A, Ducatelle R Helicobacters other than Helicobacter pylori have been associated with gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma in humans. These very fastidious microorganisms with a typical large spiral-shaped morphology were provisionally designated "H. heilmannii," but in fact they comprise at least five different Helicobacter species, all of which are known to colonize the gastric mucosa of animals. H. suis, which has been isolated from the stomachs of pigs, is the most prevalent gastric non-H. pylori Helicobacter species in humans. Other gastric non-H. pylori helicobacters colonizing the human stomach are H. felis, H. salomonis, H. bizzozeronii, and the still-... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472749 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472730&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366913%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Vanlaere I, Libert C The mammalian immune system is optimized to cope effectively with the constant threat of pathogens. However, when the immune system overreacts, sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock can develop. Despite extensive research, these conditions remain the leading cause of death in intensive care units. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) constitute a family of proteases that are expressed in developmental, physiological, and pathological processes and also in response to infections. Studies using MMP inhibitors and MMP knockout mice indicate that MMPs play essential roles in infection and in the host defense against infection. This review provides a brief introduction to some basic concepts of infections caused by gram-negative bacteria and reviews reports de... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472730 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472712&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366914%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mogensen TH The innate immune system constitutes the first line of defense against invading microbial pathogens and relies on a large family of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which detect distinct evolutionarily conserved structures on pathogens, termed pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Among the PRRs, the Toll-like receptors have been studied most extensively. Upon PAMP engagement, PRRs trigger intracellular signaling cascades ultimately culminating in the expression of a variety of proinflammatory molecules, which together orchestrate the early host response to infection, and also is a prerequisite for the subsequent activation and shaping of adaptive immunity. In order to avoid immunopathology, this system is tightly regulated by a number of endogenous ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472712 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472694&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366915%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Salvana EM, Salata RA Biologics are increasingly becoming part of routine disease management. As more agents are developed, the challenge of keeping track of indications and side effects is growing. While biologics represent a milestone in targeted and specific therapy, they are not without drawbacks, and the judicious use of these "magic bullets" is essential if their full potential is to be realized. Infectious complications in particular are not an uncommon side effect of therapy, whether as a direct consequence of the agent or because of the underlying disease process. With this in mind, we have reviewed and summarized the risks of infection and the infectious disease-related complications for all FDA-approved monoclonal antibodies and some related small molecules, and we ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472694 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472694 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472674&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366916%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cannon RD, Lamping E, Holmes AR, Niimi K, Baret PV, Keniya MV, Tanabe K, Niimi M, Goffeau A, Monk BC Fungi cause serious infections in the immunocompromised and debilitated, and the incidence of invasive mycoses has increased significantly over the last 3 decades. Slow diagnosis and the relatively few classes of antifungal drugs result in high attributable mortality for systemic fungal infections. Azole antifungals are commonly used for fungal infections, but azole resistance can be a problem for some patient groups. High-level, clinically significant azole resistance usually involves overexpression of plasma membrane efflux pumps belonging to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) or the major facilitator superfamily class of transporters. The heterologous expression of efflux pumps ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472674 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472674 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472654&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366917%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Graeff-Teixeira C, da Silva AC, Yoshimura K Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis is caused by a variety of helminthic infections. These worm-specific infections are named after the causative worm genera, the most common being angiostrongyliasis, gnathostomiasis, toxocariasis, cysticercosis, schistosomiasis, baylisascariasis, and paragonimiasis. Worm parasites enter an organism through ingestion of contaminated water or an intermediate host and can eventually affect the central nervous system (CNS). These infections are potentially serious events leading to sequelae or death, and diagnosis depends on currently limited molecular methods. Identification of parasites in fluids and tissues is rarely possible, while images and clinical examinations do not lead to a definitive diagnosis.... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472654 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472633&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366918%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sears CL Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) strains are strains of B. fragilis that secrete a 20-kDa heat-labile zinc-dependent metalloprotease toxin termed the B. fragilis toxin (BFT). BFT is the only recognized virulence factor specific for ETBF. ETBF strains are associated with inflammatory diarrheal disease in children older than 1 year of age and in adults; limited data suggest an association of ETBF colonization with inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups and colorectal cancer. ETBF secretes one of three highly related BFT isoforms. The relationship between BFT isoform and disease expression is unknown. Although the mechanism of action of BFT is incompletely understood, available data suggest that BFT binds to a specific intestinal epithelial cell receptor, stimul... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472633 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2472610&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19366919%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Blackwell JM, Jamieson SE, Burgner D Following their discovery in the early 1970s, classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci have been the prototypical candidates for genetic susceptibility to infectious disease. Indeed, the original hypothesis for the extreme variability observed at HLA loci (H-2 in mice) was the major selective pressure from infectious diseases. Now that both the human genome and the molecular basis of innate and acquired immunity are understood in greater detail, do the classical HLA loci still stand out as major genes that determine susceptibility to infectious disease? This review looks afresh at the evidence supporting a role for classical HLA loci in susceptibility to infectious disease, examines the limitations of data reported to date, and discusse... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2472610 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2472610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2102406&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136439%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jacoby GA SUMMARY: AmpC beta-lactamases are clinically important cephalosporinases encoded on the chromosomes of many of the Enterobacteriaceae and a few other organisms, where they mediate resistance to cephalothin, cefazolin, cefoxitin, most penicillins, and beta-lactamase inhibitor-beta-lactam combinations. In many bacteria, AmpC enzymes are inducible and can be expressed at high levels by mutation. Overexpression confers resistance to broad-spectrum cephalosporins including cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone and is a problem especially in infections due to Enterobacter aerogenes and Enterobacter cloacae, where an isolate initially susceptible to these agents may become resistant upon therapy. Transmissible plasmids have acquired genes for AmpC enzymes, which conseque... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2102406 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2102406 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098723&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136430%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: PMID: 19136430 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Clinical Microbiology Reviews) Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098723 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098722&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136431%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Doolan DL, Dobaño C, Baird JK Naturally acquired immunity to falciparum malaria protects millions of people routinely exposed to Plasmodium falciparum infection from severe disease and death. There is no clear concept about how this protection works. There is no general agreement about the rate of onset of acquired immunity or what constitutes the key determinants of protection; much less is there a consensus regarding the mechanism(s) of protection. This review summarizes what is understood about naturally acquired and experimentally induced immunity against malaria with the help of evolving insights provided by biotechnology and places these insights in the context of historical, clinical, and epidemiological observations. We advocate that naturally acquired immunity sh... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098722 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098721&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136432%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Shafir SC, Sorvillo FJ, Smith L Trichomonas vaginalis has long been recognized as one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections. However, it is only in recent years that it has been appreciated that Trichomonas may play a critical role in amplifying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Given the evidence that T. vaginalis likely promotes HIV infection, the apparent high level of Trichomonas infection in the African-American community is cause for concern. Even if T. vaginalis increases the risk of HIV transmission by a small or modest amount, it translates into a sizable population effect since Trichomonas is so common in this community. Therefore, control of trichomoniasis may represent an important avenue of control for the prevention of HIV transmiss... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098721 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098720&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136433%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Parahitiyawa NB, Jin LJ, Leung WK, Yam WC, Samaranayake LP Summary: The human gingival niche is a unique microbial habitat. In this habitat, biofilm organisms exist in harmony, attached to either enamel or cemental surfaces of the tooth as well as to the crevicular epithelium, subjacent to a rich vascular plexus underneath. Due to this extraordinary anatomical juxtaposition, plaque biofilm bacteria have a ready portal of ingress into the systemic circulation in both health and disease. Yet the frequency, magnitude, and etiology of bacteremias due to oral origin and the consequent end organ infections are not clear and have not recently been evaluated. In this comprehensive review, we address the available literature on triggering events, incidence, and diversity of odontogenic... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098720 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098719&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136434%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Santi-Rocca J, Rigothier MC, Guillén N Summary: Amoebiasis by Entamoeba histolytica is a major public health problem in developing countries and leads to several thousand deaths per year. The parasite invades the intestine (provoking diarrhea and dysentery) and the liver, where it forms abscesses (amoebic liver abscesses [ALAs]). The liver is the organ responsible for filtering blood coming from the intestinal tract, a task that implies a particular structure and immune features. Amoebae use the portal route and break through the sinusoidal endothelial barrier to reach the hepatic parenchyma. When faced with systemic and cell-mediated defenses, trophozoites adapt to their new environment and modulate host responses, leading to parasite survival and the formation of inflam... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098719 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098718&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136435%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Crough T, Khanna R Summary: Following primary infection, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) establishes lifelong latency and periodically reactivates without causing symptoms in healthy individuals. In the absence of an adequate host-derived immune response, this fine balance of permitting viral reactivation without causing pathogenesis is disrupted, and HCMV can subsequently cause invasive disease and an array of damaging indirect immunological effects. Over the last decade, our knowledge of the immune response to HCMV infection in healthy virus carriers and diseased individuals has allowed us to translate these findings to develop better diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies. The application of these emerging technologies in the clinical setting is likely to provide opportun... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098718 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098717&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136436%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cheeran MC, Lokensgard JR, Schleiss MR Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading infectious cause of mental retardation and hearing loss in the developed world. In recent years, there has been an improved understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and long-term disabilities associated with CMV infection. In this review, current concepts regarding the pathogenesis of neurological injury caused by CMV infections acquired by the developing fetus are summarized. The pathogenesis of CMV-induced disabilities is considered in the context of the epidemiology of CMV infection in pregnant women and newborn infants, and the clinical manifestations of brain injury are reviewed. The prospects for intervention, including antiviral therapies and vaccines, are summarized... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098717 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098717 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098716&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136437%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gottstein B, Pozio E, Nöckler K Summary: Throughout much of the world, Trichinella spp. are found to be the causative agents of human trichinellosis, a disease that not only is a public health hazard by affecting human patients but also represents an economic problem in porcine animal production and food safety. Due to the predominantly zoonotic importance of infection, the main efforts in many countries have focused on the control of Trichinella or the elimination of Trichinella from the food chain. The most important source of human infection worldwide is the domestic pig, but, e.g., in Europe, meats of horses and wild boars have played a significant role during outbreaks within the past 3 decades. Infection of humans occurs with the ingestion of Trichinella larvae that... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098716 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098715&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136438%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Scholz T, Garcia HH, Kuchta R, Wicht B Summary: Tapeworms (Cestoda) continue to be an important cause of morbidity in humans worldwide. Diphyllobothriosis, a human disease caused by tapeworms of the genus Diphyllobothrium, is the most important fish-borne zoonosis caused by a cestode parasite. Up to 20 million humans are estimated to be infected worldwide. Besides humans, definitive hosts of Diphyllobothrium include piscivorous birds and mammals, which represent a significant zoonotic reservoir. The second intermediate hosts include both freshwater and marine fish, especially anadromous species such as salmonids. The zoonosis occurs most commonly in countries where the consumption of raw or marinated fish is a frequent practice. Due to the increasing popularity of dishes utili... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098715 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2098714&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19136439%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jacoby GA Summary: AmpC beta-lactamases are clinically important cephalosporinases encoded on the chromosomes of many of the Enterobacteriaceae and a few other organisms, where they mediate resistance to cephalothin, cefazolin, cefoxitin, most penicillins, and beta-lactamase inhibitor-beta-lactam combinations. In many bacteria, AmpC enzymes are inducible and can be expressed at high levels by mutation. Overexpression confers resistance to broad-spectrum cephalosporins including cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone and is a problem especially in infections due to Enterobacter aerogenes and Enterobacter cloacae, where an isolate initially susceptible to these agents may become resistant upon therapy. Transmissible plasmids have acquired genes for AmpC enzymes, which conseque... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2098714 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2098714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881415&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854481%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Daya S, Berns KI Summary: The unique life cycle of adeno-associated virus (AAV) and its ability to infect both nondividing and dividing cells with persistent expression have made it an attractive vector. An additional attractive feature of the wild-type virus is the lack of apparent pathogenicity. Gene transfer studies using AAV have shown significant progress at the level of animal models; clinical trials have been noteworthy with respect to the safety of AAV vectors. No proven efficacy has been observed, although in some instances, there have been promising observations. In this review, topics in AAV biology are supplemented with a section on AAV clinical trials with emphasis on the need for a deeper understanding of AAV biology and the development of efficient AAV vectors. ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881415 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881414&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854482%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Harrison LH, Simonsen V, Waldman EA Summary: In 1984, children presented to the emergency department of a hospital in the small town of Promissão, São Paulo State, Brazil, with an acute febrile illness that rapidly progressed to death. Local clinicians and public health officials recognized that these children had an unusual illness, which led to outbreak investigations conducted by Brazilian health officials in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The studies that followed are an excellent example of the coordinated and parallel studies that are used to investigate outbreaks of a new disease, which became known as Brazilian purpuric fever (BPF). In the first outbreak investigation, a case-control study confirmed an association betw... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881414 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881413&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854483%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Trofa D, Gácser A, Nosanchuk JD Summary: Candida parapsilosis is an emerging major human pathogen that has dramatically increased in significance and prevalence over the past 2 decades, such that C. parapsilosis is now one of the leading causes of invasive candidal disease. Individuals at the highest risk for severe infection include neonates and patients in intensive care units. C. parapsilosis infections are especially associated with hyperalimentation solutions, prosthetic devices, and indwelling catheters, as well as the nosocomial spread of disease through the hands of health care workers. Factors involved in disease pathogenesis include the secretion of hydrolytic enzymes, adhesion to prosthetics, and biofilm formation. New molecular genetic tools are providing addi... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881413 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881412&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854484%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Schuster FL, Ramirez-Avila L Balantidium coli is a cosmopolitan parasitic-opportunistic pathogen that can be found throughout the world. Pigs are its reservoir hosts, and humans become infected through direct or indirect contact with pigs. In rural areas and in some developing countries where pig and human fecal matter contaminates the water supply, there is a greater likelihood that balantidiosis may develop in humans. The infection may be subclinical in humans, as it mostly is in pigs, or may develop as a fulminant infection with bloody and mucus-containing diarrhea; this can lead to perforation of the colon. The disease responds to treatment with tetracycline or metronidazole. Balantidiosis is a disease that need never exist given access to clean water and a public health i... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881412 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881411&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854485%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tan KS Summary: Blastocystis is an unusual enteric protozoan parasite of humans and many animals. It has a worldwide distribution and is often the most commonly isolated organism in parasitological surveys. The parasite has been described since the early 1900s, but only in the last decade or so have there been significant advances in our understanding of Blastocystis biology. However, the pleomorphic nature of the parasite and the lack of standardization in techniques have led to confusion and, in some cases, misinterpretation of data. This has hindered laboratory diagnosis and efforts to understand its mode of reproduction, life cycle, prevalence, and pathogenesis. Accumulating epidemiological, in vivo, and in vitro data strongly suggest that Blastocystis is a pathogen. Many ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881411 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881410&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854486%26dopt%3DAbstract This article reviews both historical and innovative laboratory pneumococcal animal models that have vastly added to knowledge of (i) mechanisms of infection, pathogenesis, and immunity; (ii) efficacies of antimicrobials; and (iii) screening of vaccine candidates. A comprehensive description of the techniques applied to induce disease is provided, the advantages and limitations of mouse, rat, and rabbit models used to mimic pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis are discussed, and a section on otitis media models is also included. The choice of appropriate animal models for in vivo studies is a key element for improved understanding of pneumococcal disease. PMID: 18854486 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Clinical Microbiology Reviews) Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881410 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881409&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854487%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Miyairi I, Devincenzo JP Summary: To explain the wide spectrum of disease severity caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and because of the limitations of animal models to fully parallel human RSV disease, study of genetic influences on human RSV disease severity has begun. Candidate gene approaches have demonstrated associations of severe RSV in healthy infants with genetic polymorphisms that may alter the innate ability of humans to control RSV (surfactants, Toll-like receptor 4, cell surface adhesion molecules, and others) and those that may control differences in proinflammatory responses or enhanced immunopathology (specific cytokines and their receptors). These studies are reviewed. They are valuable since an understanding of the direction of a polymorphism's effec... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881409 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881408&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854488%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Echavarría M Summary: The number of patients with acquired immunodeficiency has grown steadily as a result of both a larger number of patients receiving solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplants and their longer survival times. The use of newer, more potent immunosuppressive regimens has increased the frequency of severe adenovirus infections. Human adenoviruses are a large group of viruses, represented by at least 52 serotypes with various genotypes divided into genomic clusters, and these may cause a broad variety of clinical manifestations. The development of molecular methods has increased the sensitivity and rapidity of adenovirus infection diagnosis. The implementation of PCR assays has significantly contributed to the identification of patients with disse... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881408 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1881407&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18854489%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mahony JB Summary: Clinical laboratories historically diagnose seven or eight respiratory virus infections using a combination of techniques including enzyme immunoassay, direct fluorescent antibody staining, cell culture, and nucleic acid amplification tests. With the discovery of six new respiratory viruses since 2000, laboratories are faced with the challenge of detecting up to 19 different viruses that cause acute respiratory disease of both the upper and lower respiratory tracts. The application of nucleic acid amplification technology, particularly multiplex PCR coupled with fluidic or fixed microarrays, provides an important new approach for the detection of multiple respiratory viruses in a single test. These multiplex amplification tests provide a sensitive and compre... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1881407 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1881407 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818106&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625678%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined the available evidence on the effectiveness of measures aimed at protecting humans and the environment against the risks of working with genetically modified microorganisms (GMOs) and with non-GMO pathogenic microorganisms. A few principles and methods underlie the current biosafety practice: risk assessment, biological containment, concentration and enclosure, exposure minimization, physical containment, and hazard minimization. Many of the current practices are based on experience and expert judgment. The effectiveness of biosafety measures may be evaluated at the level of single containment equipment items and procedures, at the level of the laboratory as a whole, or at the clinical-epidemiological level. Data on the containment effectiveness of equipment and laboratories ar... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818106 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818106 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818105&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625679%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sandora TJ, Gidengil CA, Lee GM Pertussis, an acute respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis, classically manifests as a protracted cough illness. The incidence of pertussis in the United States has been increasing in recent years. Immunity wanes after childhood vaccination, leaving adolescents and adults susceptible to infection. The transmission of pertussis in health care settings has important medical and economic consequences. Acellular pertussis booster vaccines are now available for use and have been recommended for all adolescents and adults. These vaccines are safe, immunogenic, and effective. Health care workers are a priority group for vaccination because of their increased risk of acquiring infection and the potential to transmit pertussis to high-risk ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818105 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818104&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625680%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Matin A, Siddiqui R, Jayasekera S, Khan NA Balamuthia mandrillaris is an emerging protozoan parasite, an agent of granulomatous amoebic encephalitis involving the central nervous system, with a case fatality rate of >98%. This review presents our current understanding of Balamuthia infections, their pathogenesis and pathophysiology, and molecular mechanisms associated with the disease, as well as virulence traits of Balamuthia that may be potential targets for therapeutic interventions and/or for the development of preventative measures. PMID: 18625680 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Clinical Microbiology Reviews) Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818104 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818103&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625681%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Landman D, Georgescu C, Martin DA, Quale J The global emergence of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli has spurred a renewed interest in polymyxins. Once discarded due to concerns regarding nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity, polymyxins now hold an important role in the antibiotic armamentarium. However, more reliable information is needed to determine the optimal dosing of these agents. Also, unanswered questions regarding in vitro testing remain, including questions regarding the reliability of automated systems and the establishment of appropriate breakpoints for defining susceptibility. Most contemporary clinical studies examining the use of these agents have involved patients with infections due to multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818103 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818102&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625682%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Schlagenhauf P, Petersen E The risk of malaria for travelers varies from region to region and depends on the intensity of transmission, the duration of the stay in the area of endemicity, the style of travel, and the efficacy of preventive measures. The decision to recommend chemoprophylaxis to travelers to areas with a low risk of malarial infection is especially difficult because the risk of infection must be balanced with the risk of experiencing side effects. If the risk of side effects by far exceeds the risk of infection, the traveler needs information on measures against mosquito bites and advice on prompt diagnosis and self-treatment. The risk is difficult to quantify, and the absolute risk for travelers to most areas is not known, especially because the populations at... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818102 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818101&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625683%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Crum-Cianflone NF Infectious myositis may be caused by a broad range of bacterial, fungal, parasitic, and viral agents. Infectious myositis is overall uncommon given the relative resistance of the musculature to infection. For example, inciting events, including trauma, surgery, or the presence of foreign bodies or devitalized tissue, are often present in cases of bacterial myositis. Bacterial causes are categorized by clinical presentation, anatomic location, and causative organisms into the categories of pyomyositis, psoas abscess, Staphylococcus aureus myositis, group A streptococcal necrotizing myositis, group B streptococcal myositis, clostridial gas gangrene, and nonclostridial myositis. Fungal myositis is rare and usually occurs among immunocompromised hosts. Parasitic ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818101 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818100&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625684%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mohapatra SS, Boyapalle S Virtually all children experience respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection at least once during the first 2 years of life, but only a few develop bronchiolitis and more severe disease requiring hospitalization, usually in the first 6 months of life. Children who recover from RSV-induced bronchiolitis are at increased risk for the development of recurrent wheeze and asthma in later childhood. Recent studies suggest that there is an association between RSV-induced bronchiolitis and asthma within the first decade of life but that this association is not significant after age 13. Despite the considerable progress made in our understanding of several aspects of respiratory viral infections, further work needs to be done to clarify the molecular mechanis... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818100 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818099&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625685%26dopt%3DAbstract This study was aimed at summarizing the current understanding of host mechanisms involved in the defense against Campylobacter by evaluating data available from three sources: (i) epidemiological observations, (ii) observations of patients, and (iii) experimental observations including observations of animal models and human volunteer studies. Analysis of available data clearly indicates that an effective immune system is crucial for the host defense against Campylobacter infection. Innate, cell-mediated, and humoral immune responses are induced during Campylobacter infection, but the relative importance of these mechanisms in conferring protective immunity against reinfection is unclear. Frequent exposure to Campylobacter does lead to the induction of short-term protection against disease... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818099 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818099 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818098&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625686%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tebruegge M, Curtis N Recurrent bacterial meningitis is a rare phenomenon and generally poses a considerable diagnostic challenge to the clinician. Ultimately, a structured approach and early diagnosis of any underlying pathology are crucial to prevent further episodes and improve the overall outcome for the affected individual. In this article, we are reviewing the existing literature on this topic over the last two decades, encompassing 363 cases of recurrent bacterial meningitis described in 144 publications. Of these cases, 214 (59%) were related to anatomical problems, 132 (36%) were related to immunodeficiencies, and 17 (5%) were related to parameningeal infections. The review includes a detailed discussion of the underlying pathologies and microbiological aspects as wel... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818098 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818098 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818097&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18625687%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Peleg AY, Seifert H, Paterson DL Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as a highly troublesome pathogen for many institutions globally. As a consequence of its immense ability to acquire or upregulate antibiotic drug resistance determinants, it has justifiably been propelled to the forefront of scientific attention. Apart from its predilection for the seriously ill within intensive care units, A. baumannii has more recently caused a range of infectious syndromes in military personnel injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. This review details the significant advances that have been made in our understanding of this remarkable organism over the last 10 years, including current taxonomy and species identification, issues with susceptibility testing, mechanisms of antibiotic... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818097 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818097 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818114&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18400795%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Rock RB, Olin M, Baker CA, Molitor TW, Peterson PK Tuberculosis of the central nervous system (CNS) is a highly devastating form of tuberculosis, which, even in the setting of appropriate antitubercular therapy, leads to unacceptable levels of morbidity and mortality. Despite the development of promising molecular diagnostic techniques, diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis relies largely on microbiological methods that are insensitive, and as such, CNS tuberculosis remains a formidable diagnostic challenge. Insights into the basic neuropathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the development of an appropriate animal model are desperately needed. The optimal regimen and length of treatment are largely unknown, and with the rising incidence of multidrug-resistant strains of M. tu... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818114 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818113&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18400796%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bouchet V, Huot H, Goldstein R Nearly 2,000 ribotyping-based studies exist, ranging from epidemiology to phylogeny and taxonomy. None precisely reveals the molecular genetic basis, with many incorrectly attributing detected polymorphisms to rRNA gene sequences. Based on in silico genomics, we demonstrate that ribotype polymorphisms result from sequence variability in neutral housekeeping genes flanking rRNA operons, with rRNA gene sequences serving solely as conserved, flank-linked tags. We also reveal that from such an informatics perspective, it is readily feasible a priori to design an interpretable ribotyping scheme for a genomically sequenced microbial species, and we discuss limitations to the basic restriction fragment length polymorphism-based method as well as alterna... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818113 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818112&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18400797%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nichols WG, Peck Campbell AJ, Boeckh M Though several antivirals have been developed and marketed to treat influenza virus infections, the development of antiviral agents with clinical activity against other respiratory viruses has been more problematic. Here we review the epidemiology of respiratory viral infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts, examine the evidence surrounding the currently available antivirals for respiratory viral infections other than influenza, highlight those that are in the pipeline, and discuss the hurdles for development of such agents. PMID: 18400797 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Clinical Microbiology Reviews) Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818112 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818111&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18400798%26dopt%3DAbstract We present a model incorporating these somewhat contradictory findings and suggest that primary HBoV infection causes respiratory tract symptoms which can be followed by prolonged low-level virus shedding in the respiratory tract. Detection of the virus in this phase will be facilitated by other infections, either simply via increased sample cell count or via reactivation of HBoV, leading to an increased detection frequency of HBoV during other virus infections. We conclude that the majority of available HBoV studies are limited by the sole use of PCR diagnostics on respiratory tract secretions, addressing virus prevalence but not disease association. The ability to detect primary infection through the development of improved diagnostic methods will be of great importance for future studie... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818111 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818110&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18400799%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gadkowski LB, Stout JE A pulmonary cavity is a gas-filled area of the lung in the center of a nodule or area of consolidation and may be clinically observed by use of plain chest radiography or computed tomography. Cavities are present in a wide variety of infectious and noninfectious processes. This review discusses the differential diagnosis of pathological processes associated with lung cavities, focusing on infections associated with lung cavities. The goal is to provide the clinician and clinical microbiologist with an overview of the diseases most commonly associated with lung cavities, with attention to the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the host. PMID: 18400799 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Clinical Microbiology Reviews) Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818110 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818109&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18400800%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Alvar J, Aparicio P, Aseffa A, Den Boer M, Cañavate C, Dedet JP, Gradoni L, Ter Horst R, López-Vélez R, Moreno J To date, most Leishmania and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection cases reported to WHO come from Southern Europe. Up to the year 2001, nearly 2,000 cases of coinfection were identified, of which 90% were from Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal. However, these figures are misleading because they do not account for the large proportion of cases in many African and Asian countries that are missed due to a lack of diagnostic facilities and poor reporting systems. Most cases of coinfection in the Americas are reported in Brazil, where the incidence of leishmaniasis has spread in recent years due to overlap with major areas of HIV transmission. I... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818109 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818108&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18400801%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Audicana MT, Kennedy MW Infection of humans with the nematode worm parasite Anisakis simplex was first described in the 1960s in association with the consumption of raw or undercooked fish. During the 1990s it was realized that even the ingestion of dead worms in food fish can cause severe hypersensitivity reactions, that these may be more prevalent than infection itself, and that this outcome could be associated with food preparations previously considered safe. Not only may allergic symptoms arise from infection by the parasites ("gastroallergic anisakiasis"), but true anaphylactic reactions can also occur following exposure to allergens from dead worms by food-borne, airborne, or skin contact routes. This review discusses A. simplex pathogenesis in humans, covering immune h... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818108 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818108 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818107&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18400802%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: D'Alessandro A, Rausch RL Of the four species of the genus Echinococcus (Cestoda) distinguished by biological and morphological characteristics, two species, E. vogeli and E. oligarthrus, occur widely in the Neotropics. Approximately 200 cases of polycystic echinococcosis (PE) have been recorded from 12 countries in South America. Following early proliferation of E. vogeli in the human host, typically in the liver, the metacestode usually spreads in the peritoneal and pleural cavities, and numerous organs may be invaded. The clinical characteristics of PE in 81 patients with sufficient information are reviewed. Type I disease consists of polycysts in the liver and abdominal cavity (37% of the patients had this characteristic); type II is similar to type I but also includes hep... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818107 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1818107 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818124&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202435%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Vercammen E, Staal J, Beyaert R Toll-like receptors (TLRs) form a major group of transmembrane receptors that are involved in the detection of invading pathogens. Double-stranded RNA is a marker for viral infection that is recognized by TLR3. TLR3 triggering activates specific signaling pathways that culminate in the activation of NF-kappaB and IRF3 transcription factors, as well as apoptosis, enabling the host to mount an effective innate immune response through the induction of cytokines, chemokines, and other proinflammatory mediators. In this review, we describe the paradoxical role of TLR3 in innate immunity against different viruses and in viral pathogenesis but also the evidence for TLR3 as a "danger" receptor in nonviral diseases. We also discuss the structure and cell... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818124 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818123&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202436%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jacobsen SM, Stickler DJ, Mobley HL, Shirtliff ME Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) represent the most common type of nosocomial infection and are a major health concern due to the complications and frequent recurrence. These infections are often caused by Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis. Gram-negative bacterial species that cause CAUTIs express a number of virulence factors associated with adhesion, motility, biofilm formation, immunoavoidance, and nutrient acquisition as well as factors that cause damage to the host. These infections can be reduced by limiting catheter usage and ensuring that health care professionals correctly use closed-system Foley catheters. A number of novel approaches such as condom and suprapubic catheters, intermittent cath... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818123 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818122&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202437%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Martín-Dávila P, Fortún J, López-Vélez R, Norman F, Montes de Oca M, Zamarrón P, González MI, Moreno A, Pumarola T, Garrido G, Candela A, Moreno S In recent years, the increasing number of donors from different regions of the world is providing a new challenge for the management and selection of suitable donors. This is a worldwide problem in most countries with transplantation programs, especially due to the increase in immigration and international travel. This paper elaborates recommendations regarding the selection criteria for donors from foreign countries who could potentially transmit tropical or geographically restricted infections to solid-organ transplant recipients. For this purpose, an extensive review of the medical literature fo... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818122 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818121&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202438%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Murray CK, Gasser RA, Magill AJ, Miller RS To help mitigate the expanding global impact of malaria, with its associated increasing drug resistance, implementation of prompt and accurate diagnosis is needed. Malaria is diagnosed predominantly by using clinical criteria, with microscopy as the current gold standard for detecting parasitemia, even though it is clearly inadequate in many health care settings. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been recognized as an ideal method for diagnosing infectious diseases, including malaria, in recent years. There have been a number of RDTs developed and evaluated widely for malaria diagnosis, but a number of issues related to these products have arisen. This review highlights RDTs, including challenges in assessing their performance, inter... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818121 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818121 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818120&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202439%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Frank KL, Del Pozo JL, Patel R Staphylococcus lugdunensis has gained recognition as an atypically virulent pathogen with a unique microbiological and clinical profile. S. lugdunensis is coagulase negative due to the lack of production of secreted coagulase, but a membrane-bound form of the enzyme present in some isolates can result in misidentification of the organism as Staphylococcus aureus in the clinical microbiology laboratory. S. lugdunensis is a skin commensal and an infrequent pathogen compared to S. aureus and S. epidermidis, but clinically, infections caused by this organism resemble those caused by S. aureus rather than those caused by other coagulase-negative staphylococci. S. lugdunensis can cause acute and highly destructive cases of native valve endocarditis tha... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818120 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818119&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202440%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Schroeder GN, Hilbi H Shigella spp. are gram-negative pathogenic bacteria that evolved from harmless enterobacterial relatives and may cause devastating diarrhea upon ingestion. Research performed over the last 25 years revealed that a type III secretion system (T3SS) encoded on a large plasmid is a key virulence factor of Shigella flexneri. The T3SS determines the interactions of S. flexneri with intestinal cells by consecutively translocating two sets of effector proteins into the target cells. Thus, S. flexneri controls invasion into EC, intra- and intercellular spread, macrophage cell death, as well as host inflammatory responses. Some of the translocated effector proteins show novel biochemical activities by which they intercept host cell signal transduction pathways. An ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818119 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818119 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818118&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202441%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cortez KJ, Roilides E, Quiroz-Telles F, Meletiadis J, Antachopoulos C, Knudsen T, Buchanan W, Milanovich J, Sutton DA, Fothergill A, Rinaldi MG, Shea YR, Zaoutis T, Kottilil S, Walsh TJ Scedosporium spp. are increasingly recognized as causes of resistant life-threatening infections in immunocompromised patients. Scedosporium spp. also cause a wide spectrum of conditions, including mycetoma, saprobic involvement and colonization of the airways, sinopulmonary infections, extrapulmonary localized infections, and disseminated infections. Invasive scedosporium infections are also associated with central nervous infection following near-drowning accidents. The most common sites of infection are the lungs, sinuses, bones, joints, eyes, and brain. Scedosporium apiospermum and Scedospo... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818118 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818117&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202442%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dennehy PH Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe diarrhea disease in infants and young children worldwide and continues to have a major global impact on childhood morbidity and mortality. Vaccination is the only control measure likely to have a significant impact on the incidence of severe dehydrating rotavirus disease. In 1999, a highly efficacious rotavirus vaccine licensed in the United States, RotaShield, was withdrawn from the market after 14 months because of its association with intussusception. Two new live, oral, attenuated rotavirus vaccines were licensed in 2006: the pentavalent bovine-human reassortant vaccine (RotaTeq) and the monovalent human rotavirus vaccine (Rotarix). Both vaccines have demonstrated very good safety and efficacy profiles in la... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818117 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818116&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202443%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kumar R, Basu S, Torigian D, Anand V, Zhuang H, Alavi A During the past several years, it has become quite evident that positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging can play a major role in the management of patients with suspected infection. Particularly, several groups have demonstrated that this powerful imaging methodology is very effective in the evaluation of osteomyelitis, infected prostheses, fever of unknown origin, and AIDS. In view of its extraordinary sensitivity in detecting disease activity and the ability to quantitate the degree of FDG uptake, PET might prove to be an appropriate modality for monitoring disease activity and evaluating response to therapy. FDG-PET has many advantages over existing imaging techniques for the diagno... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818116 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818115&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18202444%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: McManus DP, Loukas A Schistosomiasis, caused by trematode blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, is recognized as the most important human helminth infection in terms of morbidity and mortality. Infection follows direct contact with freshwater harboring free-swimming larval (cercaria) forms of the parasite. Despite the existence of the highly effective antischistosome drug praziquantel (PZQ), schistosomiasis is spreading into new areas, and although it is the cornerstone of current control programs, PZQ chemotherapy does have limitations. In particular, mass treatment does not prevent reinfection. Furthermore, there is increasing concern about the development of parasite resistance to PZQ. Consequently, vaccine strategies represent an essential component for the future control... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818115 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1818115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818131&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17934073%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Coburn B, Sekirov I, Finlay BB Type III secretion systems (T3SSs) are complex bacterial structures that provide gram-negative pathogens with a unique virulence mechanism enabling them to inject bacterial effector proteins directly into the host cell cytoplasm, bypassing the extracellular milieu. Although the effector proteins vary among different T3SS pathogens, common pathogenic mechanisms emerge, including interference with the host cell cytoskeleton to promote attachment and invasion, interference with cellular trafficking processes, cytotoxicity and barrier dysfunction, and immune system subversion. The activity of the T3SSs correlates closely with infection progression and outcome, both in animal models and in human infection. Therefore, to facilitate patient care and imp... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818131 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818130&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17934074%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dykes C, Demeter LM The relative fitness of a variant, according to population genetics theory, is that variant's relative contribution to successive generations. Most drug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variants have reduced replication fitness, but at least some of these deficits can be compensated for by the accumulation of second-site mutations. HIV-1 replication fitness also appears to influence the likelihood of a drug-resistant mutant emerging during treatment failure and is postulated to influence clinical outcomes. A variety of assays are available to measure HIV-1 replication fitness in cell culture; however, there is no agreement regarding which assays best correlate with clinical outcomes. A major limitation is that there is no high-throughpu... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818130 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818130 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818129&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17934075%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Collins WE, Jeffery GM A review of the life history of Plasmodium malariae, the quartan malaria parasite of humans, is presented. Much of the information is based on data obtained from induced infections in humans who were given malaria therapy for the treatment of neurosyphilis between 1940 and 1963. Prepatent periods (i.e., the time until the first day of parasite detection) fever episodes, and maximum parasitemias as a result of infection with P. malariae were obtained and are presented. Experimental and known vectors of the parasite are also discussed. Splenectomized chimpanzees and New World monkeys are readily infected and serve as sources of parasites and antigens for diagnostic and molecular studies. South American monkeys are naturally infected with a parasite known a... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818129 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818128&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17934076%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wexler HM Summary: Bacteroides species are significant clinical pathogens and are found in most anaerobic infections, with an associated mortality of more than 19%. The bacteria maintain a complex and generally beneficial relationship with the host when retained in the gut, but when they escape this environment they can cause significant pathology, including bacteremia and abscess formation in multiple body sites. Genomic and proteomic analyses have vastly added to our understanding of the manner in which Bacteroides species adapt to, and thrive in, the human gut. A few examples are (i) complex systems to sense and adapt to nutrient availability, (ii) multiple pump systems to expel toxic substances, and (iii) the ability to influence the host immune system so that it controls ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818128 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818127&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17934077%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Riordan T Human infection with Fusobacterium necrophorum usually involves F. necrophorum subsp. funduliforme rather than F. necrophorum subsp. necrophorum, which is a common pathogen in animals. Lemierre's syndrome, or postanginal sepsis, is the most common life-threatening manifestation. Tonsillitis is followed by septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and then a septicemia with septic emboli in lungs and other sites. Recent evidence suggests that F. necrophorum can be limited to the throat and cause persistent or recurrent tonsillitis. F. necrophorum is unique among non-spore-forming anaerobes, first for its virulence and association with Lemierre's syndrome as a monomicrobial infection and second because it seems probable that it is an exogenously acquired inf... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818127 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818127 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818126&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17934078%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cheng VC, Lau SK, Woo PC, Yuen KY Before the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2003, only 12 other animal or human coronaviruses were known. The discovery of this virus was soon followed by the discovery of the civet and bat SARS-CoV and the human coronaviruses NL63 and HKU1. Surveillance of coronaviruses in many animal species has increased the number on the list of coronaviruses to at least 36. The explosive nature of the first SARS epidemic, the high mortality, its transient reemergence a year later, and economic disruptions led to a rush on research of the epidemiological, clinical, pathological, immunological, virological, and other basic scientific aspects of the virus and the disease. This research resulted in over 4,000 pub... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818126 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818125&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17934079%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nucci M, Anaissie E Fusarium species cause a broad spectrum of infections in humans, including superficial, locally invasive, and disseminated infections. The clinical form of fusariosis depends largely on the immune status of the host and the portal of entry, with superficial and localized disease occurring mostly in immunocompetent patients and invasive and disseminated disease affecting immunocompromised patients. Risk factors for severe fusariosis include prolonged neutropenia and T-cell immunodeficiency, especially in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with severe graft-versus-host disease. The most frequent presentation of disseminated fusariosis is a combination of characteristic cutaneous lesions and positive blood cultures, with or without lung or sinus inv... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818125 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818125 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818139&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17630331%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Turnidge J, Paterson DL Clinical microbiology laboratories need to communicate results of antibacterial susceptibility testing to prescribers. Sophisticated prescribers who are knowledgeable of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antibacterials may desire no more information than the MIC of the drug in question. However, most prescribers require interpretation of antibacterial susceptibility testing results. Breakpoints can assist in determining if an antibacterial is potentially useful in the treatment of a bacterial infection. Breakpoints should be set prior to an antibacterial being used clinically. Breakpoint setting requires integration of knowledge of the wild-type distribution of MICs, assessment of the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of the antibacterial, an... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818139 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818139 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818138&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17630332%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Foglia E, Meier MD, Elward A Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common hospital-acquired infection among pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Empiric therapy for VAP accounts for approximately 50% of antibiotic use in pediatric ICUs. VAP is associated with an excess of 3 days of mechanical ventilation among pediatric cardiothoracic surgery patients. The attributable mortality and excess length of ICU stay for patients with VAP have not been defined in matched case control studies. VAP is associated with an estimated $30,000 in attributable cost. Surveillance for VAP is complex and usually performed using clinical definitions established by the CDC. Invasive testing via bronchoalveolar lavage increases the sensitivity and specificity of the diagno... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818138 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818137&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17630333%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Valsamakis A Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is an enveloped virus with a small (3.2-kb) partially double-stranded DNA genome that causes acute and chronic infections. The impact of these infections on public health worldwide is enormous, with an estimated prevalence of 2 billion acute infections and 360 million chronic infections globally. This review focuses on chronic hepatitis B and the molecular assays used in its diagnosis and management. Background information, including that about features of the hepatitis B virion, viral replication, and epidemiology of infection, that is important for understanding chronic hepatitis B and molecular diagnostic tests for HBV is provided. To facilitate an understanding of the utility of molecular testing for chronic hepatitis B, the four stages... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818137 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818136&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17630334%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Queenan AM, Bush K Carbapenemases are beta-lactamases with versatile hydrolytic capacities. They have the ability to hydrolyze penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems. Bacteria producing these beta-lactamases may cause serious infections in which the carbapenemase activity renders many beta-lactams ineffective. Carbapenemases are members of the molecular class A, B, and D beta-lactamases. Class A and D enzymes have a serine-based hydrolytic mechanism, while class B enzymes are metallo-beta-lactamases that contain zinc in the active site. The class A carbapenemase group includes members of the SME, IMI, NMC, GES, and KPC families. Of these, the KPC carbapenemases are the most prevalent, found mostly on plasmids in Klebsiella pneumoniae. The class D carbapenema... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818136 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818135&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17630335%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Griffin DW Billions of tons of desert dust move through the atmosphere each year. The primary source regions, which include the Sahara and Sahel regions of North Africa and the Gobi and Takla Makan regions of Asia, are capable of dispersing significant quantities of desert dust across the traditionally viewed oceanic barriers. While a considerable amount of research by scientists has addressed atmospheric pathways and aerosol chemistry, very few studies to determine the numbers and types of microorganisms transported within these desert dust clouds and the roles that they may play in human health have been conducted. This review is a summary of the current state of knowledge of desert dust microbiology and the health impact that desert dust and its microbial constituents may h... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818135 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818134&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17630336%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hariri S, McKenna MT The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic emerged in the early 1980s with HIV infection as a highly lethal disease among men who have sex with men and among frequent recipients of blood product transfusions. Advances in the treatment of HIV infection have resulted in a fundamental shift in its epidemiology, to a potentially chronic and manageable condition. However, challenges in the prevention of this infection remain. In particular, increasing evidence suggests that transmission of drug-resistant virus is becoming more common and that the epidemic is having a profound impact on morbidity and mortality in ethnic and racial minority subgroups in the United States. New population-based data collection systems designed to describe trends in behaviors a... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818134 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818133&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17630337%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Meeusen EN, Walker J, Peters A, Pastoret PP, Jungersen G The major goals of veterinary vaccines are to improve the health and welfare of companion animals, increase production of livestock in a cost-effective manner, and prevent animal-to-human transmission from both domestic animals and wildlife. These diverse aims have led to different approaches to the development of veterinary vaccines from crude but effective whole-pathogen preparations to molecularly defined subunit vaccines, genetically engineered organisms or chimeras, vectored antigen formulations, and naked DNA injections. The final successful outcome of vaccine research and development is the generation of a product that will be available in the marketplace or that will be used in the field to achieve desired outcom... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818133 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818133 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818132&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17630338%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fotedar R, Stark D, Beebe N, Marriott D, Ellis J, Harkness J The genus Entamoeba contains many species, six of which (Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, Entamoeba moshkovskii, Entamoeba polecki, Entamoeba coli, and Entamoeba hartmanni) reside in the human intestinal lumen. Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of amebiasis and is considered a leading parasitic cause of death worldwide in humans. Although recent studies highlight the recovery of E. dispar and E. moshkovskii from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, there is still no convincing evidence of a causal link between the presence of these two species and the symptoms of the host. New approaches to the identification of E. histolytica are based on detection of E. histolytica-specific antigen and DNA in... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818132 Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818146&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17428883%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Turenne CY, Wallace R, Behr MA The past several years have witnessed an upsurge of genomic data pertaining to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Despite clear advances, problems with the detection of MAC persist, spanning the tests that can be used, samples required for their validation, and the use of appropriate nomenclature. Additionally, the amount of genomic variability documented to date greatly outstrips the functional understanding of epidemiologically different subsets of the organism. In this review, we discuss how postgenomic insights into the MAC have helped to clarify the relationships between MAC organisms, highlighting the distinction between environmental and pathogenic subsets of M. avium. We discuss the availability of various genetic targets for accurate... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818146 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818145&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17428884%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lass-Flörl C, Mayr A Human protothecosis is a rare infection caused by members of the genus Prototheca. Prototheca species are generally considered to be achlorophyllic algae and are ubiquitous in nature. The occurrence of protothecosis can be local or disseminated and acute or chronic, with the latter being more common. Diseases have been classified as (i) cutaneous lesions, (ii) olecranon bursitis, or (iii) disseminated or systemic manifestations. Infections can occur in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients, although more severe and disseminated infections tend to occur in immunocompromised individuals. Prototheca wickerhamii and Prototheca zopfii have been associated with human disease. Usually, treatment involves medical and surgical approaches; treatmen... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818145 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818144&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17428885%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Peiris JS, de Jong MD, Guan Y Pandemic influenza virus has its origins in avian influenza viruses. The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 is already panzootic in poultry, with attendant economic consequences. It continues to cross species barriers to infect humans and other mammals, often with fatal outcomes. Therefore, H5N1 virus has rightly received attention as a potential pandemic threat. However, it is noted that the pandemics of 1957 and 1968 did not arise from highly pathogenic influenza viruses, and the next pandemic may well arise from a low-pathogenicity virus. The rationale for particular concern about an H5N1 pandemic is not its inevitability but its potential severity. An H5N1 pandemic is an event of low probability but one of high human health i... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818144 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818143&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17428886%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Walton SF, Currie BJ Scabies is a worldwide disease and a major public health problem in many developing countries, related primarily to poverty and overcrowding. In remote Aboriginal communities in northern Australia, prevalences of up to 50% among children have been described, despite the availability of effective chemotherapy. Sarcoptic mange is also an important veterinary disease engendering significant morbidity and mortality in wild, domestic, and farmed animals. Scabies is caused by the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei burrowing into the host epidermis. Clinical symptoms include intensely itchy lesions that often are a precursor to secondary bacterial pyoderma, septicemia, and, in humans, poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. Although diagnosed scabies cases can be... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818143 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818142&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17428887%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mégraud F, Lehours P The discovery of Helicobacter pylori in 1982 was the starting point of a revolution concerning the concepts and management of gastroduodenal diseases. It is now well accepted that the most common stomach disease, peptic ulcer disease, is an infectious disease, and all consensus conferences agree that the causative agent, H. pylori, must be treated with antibiotics. Furthermore, the concept emerged that this bacterium could be the trigger of various malignant diseases of the stomach, and it is now a model for chronic bacterial infections causing cancer. Most of the many different techniques involved in diagnosis of H. pylori infection are performed in clinical microbiology laboratories. The aim of this article is to review the current status of these m... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818142 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818142 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818141&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17428888%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dubey JP, Schares G, Ortega-Mora LM Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite of animals. Until 1988, it was misidentified as Toxoplasma gondii. Since its first recognition in dogs in 1984 and the description of the new genus and species Neospora caninum in 1988, neosporosis has emerged as a serious disease of cattle and dogs worldwide. Abortions and neonatal mortality are a major problem in livestock operations, and neosporosis is a major cause of abortion in cattle. Although antibodies to N. caninum have been reported, the parasite has not been detected in human tissues. Thus, the zoonotic potential is uncertain. This review is focused mainly on the epidemiology and control of neosporosis in cattle, but worldwide seroprevalences of N. caninum in animals and humans are tabulat... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818141 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818141 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818140&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17428889%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tristram S, Jacobs MR, Appelbaum PC Haemophilus influenzae is a major community-acquired pathogen causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Meningitis and bacteremia due to type b strains occur in areas where the protein-conjugated type b vaccine is not in use, whereas nontypeable strains are major causes of otitis media, sinusitis, acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia. Antibiotic resistance in this organism is more diverse and widespread than is commonly appreciated. Intrinsic efflux resistance mechanisms limit the activity of the macrolides, azalides, and ketolides. beta-Lactamase production is highly prevalent worldwide and is associated with resistance to ampicillin and amoxicillin. Strains with alterations in penicillin binding proteins, p... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818140 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1818140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818155&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223620%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Elliott SP Rat bite fever, caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis, is a systemic illness classically characterized by fever, rigors, and polyarthralgias. If left untreated, it carries a mortality rate of 10%. Unfortunately, its nonspecific initial presentation combined with difficulties in culturing its causative organism produces a significant risk of delay or failure in diagnosis. The increasing popularity of rats and other rodents as pets, together with the risk of invasive or fatal disease, demands increased attention to rat bite fever as a potential diagnosis. The clinical and biological features of rat bite fever and Streptobacillus moniliformis are reviewed, providing some distinguishing features to assist the clinician and microbiologist in diagnosis. PMID: 1722362... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818155 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818154&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223621%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wohnsland A, Hofmann WP, Sarrazin C Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects more than 170 million persons worldwide and is responsible for the development of liver cirrhosis in many cases. Standard treatment with pegylated alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) in combination with the nucleoside analogue ribavirin leads to a sustained virologic response in approximately half of the patients. IFN-alpha is classified as an indirect treatment, as it interacts with the host's immune response. The mechanism of action of ribavirin is still unknown. The benefit of triple therapy by adding other antiviral agents, e.g., amantadine, is controversial. Currently, new direct antiviral drugs (HCV protease/polymerase inhibitors) are being evaluated in phase 1/phase 2 trials. Phenotypic resis... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818154 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818153&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223622%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nair GB, Ramamurthy T, Bhattacharya SK, Dutta B, Takeda Y, Sack DA Vibrio parahaemolyticus is recognized as a cause of food-borne gastroenteritis, particularly in the Far East, where raw seafood consumption is high. An unusual increase in admissions of V. parahaemolyticus cases was observed at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Calcutta, a city in the northeastern part of India, beginning February 1996. Analysis of the strains revealed that a unique serotype, O3:K6, not previously isolated during the surveillance in Calcutta accounted for 50 to 80% of the infections in the following months. After this report, O3:K6 isolates identical to those isolated in Calcutta were reported from food-borne outbreaks and from sporadic cases in Bangladesh, Chile, France, Japan, Korea, Laos, ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818153 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818152&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223623%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Leland DS, Ginocchio CC Viral disease diagnosis has traditionally relied on the isolation of viral pathogens in cell cultures. Although this approach is often slow and requires considerable technical expertise, it has been regarded for decades as the "gold standard" for the laboratory diagnosis of viral disease. With the development of nonculture methods for the rapid detection of viral antigens and/or nucleic acids, the usefulness of viral culture has been questioned. This review describes advances in cell culture-based viral diagnostic products and techniques, including the use of newer cell culture formats, cryopreserved cell cultures, centrifugation-enhanced inoculation, precytopathogenic effect detection, cocultivated cell cultures, and transgenic cell lines. All of these... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818152 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818151&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223624%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Depardieu F, Podglajen I, Leclercq R, Collatz E, Courvalin P Since antibiotic resistance usually affords a gain of function, there is an associated biological cost resulting in a loss of fitness of the bacterial host. Considering that antibiotic resistance is most often only transiently advantageous to bacteria, an efficient and elegant way for them to escape the lethal action of drugs is the alteration of resistance gene expression. It appears that expression of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is frequently regulated, which indicates that modulation of gene expression probably reflects a good compromise between energy saving and adjustment to a rapidly evolving environment. Modulation of gene expression can occur at the transcriptional or translational level following mut... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818151 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818150&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223625%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kauffman CA Infection with Histoplasma capsulatum occurs commonly in areas in the Midwestern United States and Central America, but symptomatic disease requiring medical care is manifest in very few patients. The extent of disease depends on the number of conidia inhaled and the function of the host's cellular immune system. Pulmonary infection is the primary manifestation of histoplasmosis, varying from mild pneumonitis to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. In those with emphysema, a chronic progressive form of histoplasmosis can ensue. Dissemination of H. capsulatum within macrophages is common and becomes symptomatic primarily in patients with defects in cellular immunity. The spectrum of disseminated infection includes acute, severe, life-threatening sepsis and ch... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818150 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818149&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223626%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined data from the National Center for Health Statistics and reviewed recent literature in order to update the epidemiology of IC. IC-associated mortality has remained stable, at approximately 0.4 deaths per 100,000 population, since 1997, while mortality associated with invasive aspergillosis has continued to decline. Candida albicans remains the predominant cause of IC, accounting for over half of all cases, but Candida glabrata has emerged as the second most common cause of IC in the United States, and several less common Candida species may be emerging, some of which can exhibit resistance to triazoles and/or amphotericin B. Crude and attributable rates of mortality due to IC remain unacceptably high and unchanged for the past 2 decades. Nonpharmacologic preventive strategies sh... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818149 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818149 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818148&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223627%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ali V, Nozaki T The "amitochondriate" protozoan parasites of humans Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, and Trichomonas vaginalis share many biochemical features, e.g., energy and amino acid metabolism, a spectrum of drugs for their treatment, and the occurrence of drug resistance. These parasites possess metabolic pathways that are divergent from those of their mammalian hosts and are often considered to be good targets for drug development. Sulfur-containing-amino-acid metabolism represents one such divergent metabolic pathway, namely, the cysteine biosynthetic pathway and methionine gamma-lyase-mediated catabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids, which are present in T. vaginalis and E. histolytica but absent in G. intestinalis. These pathways are potentially expl... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818148 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818147&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17223628%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Conway DJ Malaria persists as an undiminished global problem, but the resources available to address it have increased. Many tools for understanding its biology and epidemiology are well developed, with a particular richness of comparative genome sequences. Targeted genetic manipulation is now effectively combined with in vitro culture assays on the most important human parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, and with in vivo analysis of rodent and monkey malaria parasites in their laboratory hosts. Studies of the epidemiology, prevention, and treatment of human malaria have already been influenced by the availability of molecular methods, and analyses of parasite polymorphisms have long had useful and highly informative applications. However, the molecular epidemiology of malaria is... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818147 Mon, 01 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1818147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818164&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041136%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Algood HM, Cover TL Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative bacterium that persistently colonizes more than half of the global human population. In order to successfully colonize the human stomach, H. pylori must initially overcome multiple innate host defenses. Remarkably, H. pylori can persistently colonize the stomach for decades or an entire lifetime despite development of an acquired immune response. This review focuses on the immune response to H. pylori and the mechanisms by which H. pylori resists immune clearance. Three main sections of the review are devoted to (i) analysis of the immune response to H. pylori in humans, (ii) analysis of interactions of H. pylori with host immune defenses in animal models, and (iii) interactions of H. pylori with immune cells in vitro.... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818164 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818163&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041137%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gillim-Ross L, Subbarao K The current threat of avian influenza to the human population, the potential for the reemergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus, and the identification of multiple novel respiratory viruses underline the necessity for the development of therapeutic and preventive strategies to combat viral infection. Vaccine development is a key component in the prevention of widespread viral infection and in the reduction of morbidity and mortality associated with many viral infections. In this review we describe the different approaches currently being evaluated in the development of vaccines against SARS-associated coronavirus and avian influenza viruses and also highlight the many obstacles encountered in the development of thes... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818163 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818162&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041138%26dopt%3DAbstract This article reviews the literature with regard to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. It provides conclusions that can be implemented in practice as well as an algorithm for the bedside clinician and also focuses on the controversies with regard to diagnostic tools and approaches, treatment plans, and prevention strategies. PMID: 17041138 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: Clinical Microbiology Reviews) Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818162 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818161&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041139%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mathema B, Kurepina NE, Bifani PJ, Kreiswirth BN Molecular epidemiologic studies of tuberculosis (TB) have focused largely on utilizing molecular techniques to address short- and long-term epidemiologic questions, such as in outbreak investigations and in assessing the global dissemination of strains, respectively. This is done primarily by examining the extent of genetic diversity of clinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. When molecular methods are used in conjunction with classical epidemiology, their utility for TB control has been realized. For instance, molecular epidemiologic studies have added much-needed accuracy and precision in describing transmission dynamics, and they have facilitated investigation of previously unresolved issues, such as estimates of rece... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818161 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818160&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041140%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Garcia JE, Puentes A, Patarroyo ME The Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite infects different types of cells in a mosquito's salivary glands and human epithelial and Kuppfer cells and hepatocytes. These become differentiated later on, transforming themselves into the invasive red blood cell form, the merozoite. The ability of sporozoites to interact with different types of cells requires a wide variety of mechanisms allowing them to survive in both hosts: mobility, receptor-ligand interactions with different cellular receptors, and transformation and development into other invasive parasite forms, which are vitally important for parasite survival. Sporozoite complexity is reflected in the large quantity of proteins that can be expressed. Some of them have been extensively studied,... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818160 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818159&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041141%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Swanson SJ, Neitzel D, Reed KD, Belongia EA The pathogens that cause Lyme disease (LD), human anaplasmosis, and babesiosis can coexist in Ixodes ticks and cause human coinfections. Although the risk of human coinfection differs by geographic location, the true prevalence of coinfecting pathogens among Ixodes ticks remains largely unknown for the majority of geographic locations. The prevalence of dually infected Ixodes ticks appears highest among ticks from regions of North America and Europe where LD is endemic, with reported prevalences of < or =28%. In North America and Europe, the majority of tick-borne coinfections occur among humans with diagnosed LD. Humans coinfected with LD and babesiosis appear to have more intense, prolonged symptoms than those with LD alone. Coi... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818159 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818158&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041142%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: VandeWoude S, Apetrei C Over 40 nonhuman primate (NHP) species harbor species-specific simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs). Similarly, more than 20 species of nondomestic felids and African hyenids demonstrate seroreactivity against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antigens. While it has been challenging to study the biological implications of nonfatal infections in natural populations, epidemiologic and clinical studies performed thus far have only rarely detected increased morbidity or impaired fecundity/survival of naturally infected SIV- or FIV-seropositive versus -seronegative animals. Cross-species transmissions of these agents are rare in nature but have been used to develop experimental systems to evaluate mechanisms of pathogenicity and to develop animal models ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818158 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818157&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041143%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Meletiadis J, Chanock S, Walsh TJ Pharmacogenomics is defined as the study of the impacts of heritable traits on pharmacology and toxicology. Candidate genes with potential pharmacogenomic importance include drug transporters involved in absorption and excretion, phase I enzymes (e.g., cytochrome P450-dependent mixed-function oxidases) and phase II enzymes (e.g., glucuronosyltransferases) contributing to metabolism, and those molecules (e.g., albumin, A1-acid glycoprotein, and lipoproteins) involved in the distribution of antifungal compounds. By using the tools of population genetics to define interindividual differences in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, pharmacogenomic models for genetic variations in antifungal pharmacokinetics can be derived. Pha... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818157 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818156&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17041144%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hall KK, Lyman JA Blood culture contamination represents an ongoing source of frustration for clinicians and microbiologists alike. Ambiguous culture results often lead to diagnostic uncertainty in clinical management and are associated with increased health care costs due to unnecessary treatment and testing. A variety of strategies have been investigated and employed to decrease contamination rates. In addition, numerous approaches to increase our ability to distinguish between clinically significant bacteremia and contamination have been explored. In recent years, there has been an increase in the application of computer-based tools to support infection control activities as well as provide clinical decision support related to the management of infectious diseases. Finally,... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818156 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818172&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16847081%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kusters JG, van Vliet AH, Kuipers EJ Helicobacter pylori is the first formally recognized bacterial carcinogen and is one of the most successful human pathogens, as over half of the world's population is colonized with this gram-negative bacterium. Unless treated, colonization usually persists lifelong. H. pylori infection represents a key factor in the etiology of various gastrointestinal diseases, ranging from chronic active gastritis without clinical symptoms to peptic ulceration, gastric adenocarcinoma, and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Disease outcome is the result of the complex interplay between the host and the bacterium. Host immune gene polymorphisms and gastric acid secretion largely determine the bacterium's ability to colonize a specific gast... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818172 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818171&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16847082%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jenssen H, Hamill P, Hancock RE Antimicrobial host defense peptides are produced by all complex organisms as well as some microbes and have diverse and complex antimicrobial activities. Collectively these peptides demonstrate a broad range of antiviral and antibacterial activities and modes of action, and it is important to distinguish between direct microbicidal and indirect activities against such pathogens. The structural requirements of peptides for antiviral and antibacterial activities are evaluated in light of the diverse set of primary and secondary structures described for host defense peptides. Peptides with antifungal and antiparasitic activities are discussed in less detail, although the broad-spectrum activities of such peptides indicate that they are important ho... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818171 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818170&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16847083%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Singh A, Goering RV, Simjee S, Foley SL, Zervos MJ Nosocomial infections are an important source of morbidity and mortality in hospital settings, afflicting an estimated 2 million patients in United States each year. This number represents up to 5% of hospitalized patients and results in an estimated 88,000 deaths and 4.5 billion dollars in excess health care costs. Increasingly, hospital-acquired infections with multidrug-resistant pathogens represent a major problem in patients. Understanding pathogen relatedness is essential for determining the epidemiology of nosocomial infections and aiding in the design of rational pathogen control methods. The role of pathogen typing is to determine whether epidemiologically related isolates are also genetically related. To determine mo... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818170 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818170 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818169&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16847084%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Calisher CH, Childs JE, Field HE, Holmes KV, Schountz T Bats (order Chiroptera, suborders Megachiroptera ["flying foxes"] and Microchiroptera) are abundant, diverse, and geographically widespread. These mammals provide us with resources, but their importance is minimized and many of their populations and species are at risk, even threatened or endangered. Some of their characteristics (food choices, colonial or solitary nature, population structure, ability to fly, seasonal migration and daily movement patterns, torpor and hibernation, life span, roosting behaviors, ability to echolocate, virus susceptibility) make them exquisitely suitable hosts of viruses and other disease agents. Bats of certain species are well recognized as being capable of transmitting rabies virus, but ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818169 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818168&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16847085%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kahn JS Since the discovery of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) in 2001, the virus has been identified worldwide. hMPV is a common respiratory pathogen, particularly in infants and young children. The virus is associated with both upper and lower respiratory tract infections and may be a trigger for asthma. At least two major genotypes of hMPV circulate during community outbreaks. Whether these genotypes represent distinct serotypes remains controversial. The major challenges faced by the medical and scientific communities are the understanding of the pathogenesis of hMPV disease and the development of a safe and effective vaccine to protect against infection and disease caused by this newly recognized respiratory virus. PMID: 16847085 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: C... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818168 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818168 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818167&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16847086%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Warner DF, Mizrahi V The global tuberculosis (TB) control effort is focused on interrupting transmission of the causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, through chemotherapeutic intervention in active infectious disease. The insufficiency of this approach is manifest in the inexorable annual increase in TB infection and mortality rates and the emergence of multidrug-resistant isolates. Critically, the limited efficacy of the current frontline anti-TB drug combination suggests that heterogeneity of host and bacillary physiologies might impair drug activity. This review explores the possibility that strategies enabling adaptation of M. tuberculosis to hostile in vivo conditions might contribute to the subversion of anti-TB chemotherapy. In particular, evidence that infecting... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818167 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818166&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16847087%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: McCullers JA Bacterial infections following influenza are an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Based on the historical importance of pneumonia as a cause of death during pandemic influenza, the increasingly likely possibility that highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses will trigger the next worldwide pandemic underscores the need to understand the multiple mechanisms underlying the interaction between influenza virus and bacterial pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. There is ample evidence to support the historical view that influenza virus alters the lungs in a way that predisposes to adherence, invasion, and induction of disease by pneumococcus. Access to receptors is a key factor and may be facilitated by the virus through epithelial damage, b... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818166 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818165&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16847088%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Diemert DJ Of the millions who travel from the industrialized world to developing countries every year, between 20% and 50% will develop at least one episode of diarrhea, making it the most common medical ailment afflicting travelers. Although usually a mild illness, traveler's diarrhea can result in significant morbidity and hardship overseas. Precautions can be taken to minimize the risk of developing traveler's diarrhea, either through avoidance of potentially contaminated food or drink or through various prophylactic measures, including both nonpharmacological and antimicrobial strategies. If diarrhea does develop despite the precautions taken, effective treatment-usually a combination of an antibiotic and an antimotility agent-can be brought by the traveler and initiated ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818165 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 04:00:00 +0100 1818165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818180&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16614249%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Brown-Elliott BA, Brown JM, Conville PS, Wallace RJ The recent explosion of newly described species of Nocardia results from the impact in the last decade of newer molecular technology, including PCR restriction enzyme analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing. These molecular techniques have revolutionized the identification of the nocardiae by providing rapid and accurate identification of recognized nocardiae and, at the same time, revealing new species and a number of yet-to-be-described species. There are currently more than 30 species of nocardiae of human clinical significance, with the majority of isolates being N. nova complex, N. abscessus, N. transvalensis complex, N. farcinica, N. asteroides type VI (N. cyriacigeorgica), and N. brasiliensis. These species cause a wide varie... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818180 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818180 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818179&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16614250%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Corsaro D, Greub G Novel chlamydiae are newly recognized members of the phylum Chlamydiales that are only distantly related to the classic Chlamydiaceae, i.e., Chlamydia and Chlamydophila species. They also exhibit an obligate biphasic intracellular life cycle within eukaryote host cells. Some of these new chlamydiae are currently considered potential emerging human and/or animal pathogens. Parachlamydia acanthamoebae and Simkania negevensis are both emerging respiratory human pathogens, Waddlia chondrophila could be a novel abortigenic bovine agent, and Piscichlamydia salmonis has recently been identified as an agent of the gill epitheliocystis in the Atlantic salmon. Fritschea spp. and Rhabdochlamydia spp. seem to be confined to arthropods, but some evidence for human exposu... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818179 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818178&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16614251%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lindström M, Korkeala H Botulism is a potentially lethal paralytic disease caused by botulinum neurotoxin. Human pathogenic neurotoxins of types A, B, E, and F are produced by a diverse group of anaerobic spore-forming bacteria, including Clostridium botulinum groups I and II, Clostridium butyricum, and Clostridium baratii. The routine laboratory diagnostics of botulism is based on the detection of botulinum neurotoxin in the patient. Detection of toxin-producing clostridia in the patient and/or the vehicle confirms the diagnosis. The neurotoxin detection is based on the mouse lethality assay. Sensitive and rapid in vitro assays have been developed, but they have not yet been appropriately validated on clinical and food matrices. Culture methods for C. botulinum are poorl... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818178 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818177&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16614252%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Liévin-Le Moal V, Servin AL The intestinal tract is a complex ecosystem that combines resident microbiota and the cells of various phenotypes with complex metabolic activities that line the epithelial wall. The intestinal cells that make up the epithelium provide physical and chemical barriers that protect the host against the unwanted intrusion of microorganisms that hijack the cellular molecules and signaling pathways of the host and become pathogenic. Some of the organisms making up the intestinal microbiota also have microbicidal effects that contribute to the barrier against enteric pathogens. This review describes the two cell lineages present in the intestinal epithelium: the goblet cells and the Paneth cells, both of which play a pivotal role in the first line of ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818177 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818177 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818176&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16614253%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Scollard DM, Adams LB, Gillis TP, Krahenbuhl JL, Truman RW, Williams DL Leprosy is best understood as two conjoined diseases. The first is a chronic mycobacterial infection that elicits an extraordinary range of cellular immune responses in humans. The second is a peripheral neuropathy that is initiated by the infection and the accompanying immunological events. The infection is curable but not preventable, and leprosy remains a major global health problem, especially in the developing world, publicity to the contrary notwithstanding. Mycobacterium leprae remains noncultivable, and for over a century leprosy has presented major challenges in the fields of microbiology, pathology, immunology, and genetics; it continues to do so today. This review focuses on recent advances in o... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818176 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818175&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16614254%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Piddock LJ Efflux pump genes and proteins are present in both antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Pumps may be specific for one substrate or may transport a range of structurally dissimilar compounds (including antibiotics of multiple classes); such pumps can be associated with multiple drug (antibiotic) resistance (MDR). However, the clinical relevance of efflux-mediated resistance is species, drug, and infection dependent. This review focuses on chromosomally encoded pumps in bacteria that cause infections in humans. Recent structural data provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of drug transport. MDR efflux pumps contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria in several ways: (i) inherent resistance to an entire class of agents, (ii) inherent re... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818175 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818174&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16614255%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Church D, Elsayed S, Reid O, Winston B, Lindsay R Burns are one of the most common and devastating forms of trauma. Patients with serious thermal injury require immediate specialized care in order to minimize morbidity and mortality. Significant thermal injuries induce a state of immunosuppression that predisposes burn patients to infectious complications. A current summary of the classifications of burn wound infections, including their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, is given. Early excision of the eschar has substantially decreased the incidence of invasive burn wound infection and secondary sepsis, but most deaths in severely burn-injured patients are still due to burn wound sepsis or complications due to inhalation injury. Burn patients are also at risk for developi... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818174 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818173&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16614256%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Pfaller MA, Diekema DJ, Sheehan DJ Developing interpretive breakpoints for any given organism-drug combination requires integration of the MIC distribution, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters, and the relationship between in vitro activity and outcome from both in vivo and clinical studies. Previously, the Subcommittee for Antifungal Testing of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI [formerly National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards]) proposed MIC interpretive breakpoints for fluconazole and Candida spp. These breakpoints were considered to be somewhat weak, because the clinical data supporting them came largely from mucosal infections and there were very few infections involving strains with elevated fluconazole MICs. We readdress the is... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818173 Sat, 01 Apr 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818190&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418520%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Janda JM, Abbott SL The genus Hafnia, a member of the family Enterobacteriaceae, consists of gram-negative bacteria that are occasionally implicated in both intestinal and extraintestinal infections in humans. Despite the fact that the genus currently contains only a single species (H. alvei), more extensive phylogenetic depth (two or more species) is apparent based upon DNA relatedness and 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies. Hafnia causes a variety of systemic infections, including septicemia and pneumonia; however, its role as a gastrointestinal pathogen is controversial. Many of the data supporting a role for hafniae as enteric pathogens were incorrectly attributed to this genus rather than to the actual pathogen, Escherichia albertii. There are numerous gaps in our understan... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818190 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818190 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818189&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418521%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lafond RE, Lukehart SA Syphilis is a chronic sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum. Clinical manifestations separate the disease into stages; late stages of disease are now uncommon compared to the preantibiotic era. T. pallidum has an unusually small genome and lacks genes that encode many metabolic functions and classical virulence factors. The organism is extremely sensitive to environmental conditions and has not been continuously cultivated in vitro. Nonetheless, T. pallidum is highly infectious and survives for decades in the untreated host. Early syphilis lesions result from the host's immune response to the treponemes. Bacterial clearance and resolution of early lesions results from a delayed hypersensitivity response, although some ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818189 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818188&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418522%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Carson CF, Hammer KA, Riley TV Complementary and alternative medicines such as tea tree (melaleuca) oil have become increasingly popular in recent decades. This essential oil has been used for almost 100 years in Australia but is now available worldwide both as neat oil and as an active component in an array of products. The primary uses of tea tree oil have historically capitalized on the antiseptic and anti-inflammatory actions of the oil. This review summarizes recent developments in our understanding of the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of the oil and its components, as well as clinical efficacy. Specific mechanisms of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action are reviewed, and the toxicity of the oil is briefly discussed. PMID: 16418522 [PubMed - ind... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818188 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818187&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418523%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nainan OV, Xia G, Vaughan G, Margolis HS Current serologic tests provide the foundation for diagnosis of hepatitis A and hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. Recent advances in methods to identify and characterize nucleic acid markers of viral infections have provided the foundation for the field of molecular epidemiology and increased our knowledge of the molecular biology and epidemiology of HAV. Although HAV is primarily shed in feces, there is a strong viremic phase during infection which has allowed easy access to virus isolates and the use of molecular markers to determine their genetic relatedness. Molecular epidemiologic studies have provided new information on the types and extent of HAV infection and transmission in the United States. In addition, these new diagnostic ... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818187 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818186&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418524%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fujinami RS, von Herrath MG, Christen U, Whitton JL Virus infections and autoimmune disease have long been linked. These infections often precede the occurrence of inflammation in the target organ. Several mechanisms often used to explain the association of autoimmunity and virus infection are molecular mimicry, bystander activation (with or without epitope spreading), and viral persistence. These mechanisms have been used separately or in various combinations to account for the immunopathology observed at the site of infection and/or sites of autoimmune disease, such as the brain, heart, and pancreas. These mechanisms are discussed in the context of multiple sclerosis, myocarditis, and diabetes, three immune-medicated diseases often linked with virus infections. PMID: 164... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818186 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818185&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418525%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Vanittanakom N, Cooper CR, Fisher MC, Sirisanthana T Penicillium marneffei infection is an important emerging public health problem, especially among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus in the areas of endemicity in southeast Asia, India, and China. Within these regions, P. marneffei infection is regarded as an AIDS-defining illness, and the severity of the disease depends on the immunological status of the infected individual. Early diagnosis by serologic and molecular assay-based methods have been developed and are proving to be important in diagnosing infection. The occurrence of natural reservoirs and the molecular epidemiology of P. marneffei have been studied; however, the natural history and mode of transmission of the organism remain unclear. Soil expos... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818185 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818184&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418526%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Croft SL, Sundar S, Fairlamb AH Leishmaniasis is a complex disease, with visceral and cutaneous manifestations, and is caused by over 15 different species of the protozoan parasite genus Leishmania. There are significant differences in the sensitivity of these species both to the standard drugs, for example, pentavalent antimonials and miltefosine, and those on clinical trial, for example, paromomycin. Over 60% of patients with visceral leishmaniasis in Bihar State, India, do not respond to treatment with pentavalent antimonials. This is now considered to be due to acquired resistance. Although this class of drugs has been used for over 60 years for leishmaniasis treatment, it is only in the past 2 years that the mechanisms of action and resistance have been identified, relate... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818184 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818183&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418527%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Busscher HJ, van der Mei HC Flow displacement systems are superior to many other (static) systems for studying microbial adhesion to surfaces because mass transport and prevailing shear conditions can be adequately controlled and notoriously ill-defined slight rinsing steps to remove so-called "loosely adhering organisms" can be avoided. In this review, we present the basic background required to calculate mass transport and shear rates in flow displacement systems, focusing on the parallel plate flow chamber as an example. Critical features in the design of flow displacement systems are discussed, as well as different strategies for data analysis. Finally, selected examples of working with flow displacement systems are given for diverse biomedical applications. PMID: 1641... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818183 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818182&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418528%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Harrison LH Neisseria meningitidis is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the United States and worldwide. A serogroup A/C/W-135/Y polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine has been licensed in the United States since 1981 but has not been used universally outside of the military. On 14 January 2005, a polysaccharide conjugate vaccine that covers meningococcal serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y was licensed in the United States for 11- to 55-year-olds and is now recommended for the routine immunization of adolescents and other high-risk groups. This review covers the changing epidemiology of meningococcal disease in the United States, issues related to vaccine prevention, and recommendations on the use of the new vaccine. PMID: 16418528 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Sourc... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818182 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818181&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16418529%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Espy MJ, Uhl JR, Sloan LM, Buckwalter SP, Jones MF, Vetter EA, Yao JD, Wengenack NL, Rosenblatt JE, Cockerill FR, Smith TF Real-time PCR has revolutionized the way clinical microbiology laboratories diagnose many human microbial infections. This testing method combines PCR chemistry with fluorescent probe detection of amplified product in the same reaction vessel. In general, both PCR and amplified product detection are completed in an hour or less, which is considerably faster than conventional PCR detection methods. Real-time PCR assays provide sensitivity and specificity equivalent to that of conventional PCR combined with Southern blot analysis, and since amplification and detection steps are performed in the same closed vessel, the risk of releasing amplified nucleic acid... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818181 Sun, 01 Jan 2006 05:00:00 +0100 1818181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1818196&cid=s_38089_77_f&fid=38089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D16223951%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: MacDougall C, Polk RE Antimicrobial stewardship programs in hospitals seek to optimize antimicrobial prescribing in order to improve individual patient care as well as reduce hospital costs and slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance. With antimicrobial resistance on the rise worldwide and few new agents in development, antimicrobial stewardship programs are more important than ever in ensuring the continued efficacy of available antimicrobials. The design of antimicrobial management programs should be based on the best current understanding of the relationship between antimicrobial use and resistance. Such programs should be administered by multidisciplinary teams composed of infectious diseases physicians, clinical pharmacists, clinical microbiologists, and infection con... Clinical Microbiology Reviews journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1818196 Sat, 01 Oct 2005 04:00:00 +0100 1818196