MedWorm: Infectious Diseases Top 20

Complicated secondary pneumonia after Swine-origin influenza a virus infection in an immunocompetent patient.

Herpes — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:30:02 +0100

We report an immunocompetent patient with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Herpes simplex virus (HSV) pneumonia secondary to S-OIV infection. A 57-year-old man previously without major medical illness was admitted to our hospital with severe pneumonia accompanied by ARDS due to S-OIV. In his clinical course, anti-influenza treatment was not effective. Sputum culture revealed the presence of MRSA, and HSV was isolated in broncho-alveoler lavage (BAL) fluid. Administration of an antiviral agent (acyclovir), an antibacterial agent (linezolid), and a corticosteroid (methylprednisolone) successfully improved the pneumonia and ARDS. HSV pneumonia can scarcely be seen in healthy people. However recently it has been recognized as a ventilator-associated pneumonia. Although co...

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Cross-reactive antibody to swine influenza A(H3N2) subtype virus in children and adults before and after immunisation with 2010/11 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine in Canada, August to November 2010

Eurosurveillance latest news — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: Eurosurveillance latest news)

[Correspondence] Direct faecal PCR for diagnosis of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli

The Lancet Infectious Diseases — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:05:13 +0100

Martina Bielaszewska and colleagues characterised the Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O104:H4 outbreak strain, which has been reported to cause gastroenteritis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome. They used a diagnostic protocol recommended by the Robert Koch Institute. Broth enrichment of faecal samples was followed by Shiga-toxin immunoassay or PCR to detect the genes encoding Shiga toxin (Stx) and other virulence factors, and microbiological culture was used as the gold standard. In our laboratory, we processed 754 faecal samples from 481 patients that were sent from affiliated hospitals and private practices in Bremen and Lower Saxony during the outbreak from May 23, to June 10, 2011. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)

Terrence Higgins Trust statement on Public Health Outcomes Framework

Terrence Higgins Trust — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:02:12 +0100

Terrence Higgins Trust's Chief Executive, Sir Nick Partridge, comments on the new Public Health Outcomes Framework published today: ""Poor sexual health is a major concern in the UK so it's vitally important there are specific indicators for both HIV and chlamydia screening. Whilst undiagnosed chlamydia can cause infertility and affects as many as nearly 1 in 15 young people, late diagnosed HIV causes severe ill health, further HIV infections and an earlier death. "These two indicators will tell us whether we are getting our sexual health prevention messages right and whether we are getting enough people through the doors to test. They also give us an opportunity to refresh what we are doing on sexual health in communities, focus on specific local needs and tie approaches in more closely w...

Complications of chemotherapy in neuro-oncology.

Herpes — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:30:16 +0100

Authors: Marosi C Abstract The persisting reservation against the use of chemotherapy in patients with malignant glioma was finally overcome by the breakthrough achieved with the use of the oral alkylating agent temozolomide (TMZ) as concomitant and adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The basic condition for an effective systemic drug therapy against malignant glioma is that the drug be able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the brain-tumor barrier. Drugs crossing the BBB have to be nonpolar, small molecules with a molecular weight of less than 500Da, to bear no electrical charge, or to be able to use active transport mechanisms, as the BBB is functional in the peripheral growing areas of GBM. The prerequisite of liposolubi...

Absence of Poultry in H5N1 Fatal Case in Guizhou China

Recombinomics — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:47:52 +0100

The commentary discusses the absence of poultry in the fatal H5N1 case in Guizhou, China. (01/22/12 14:00) (Source: Recombinomics)

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Potential Infectious Etiology of Behçet's Disease.

Herpes — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:30:02 +0100

Authors: Galeone M, Colucci R, D'Erme AM, Moretti S, Lotti T Abstract Behçet's disease is a multisystem inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, uveitis, and skin lesions. The cause of Behçet's disease remains unknown, but epidemiologic findings suggest that an autoimmune process is triggered by an environmental agent in a genetically predisposed individual. An infectious agent could operate through molecular mimicry, and subsequently the disease could be perpetuated by an abnormal immune response to an autoantigen in the absence of ongoing infection. Potentia bacterial are Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mycobacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Mycoplasma fermentans, but the most...

Prevalence and Concordance of HPV, HIV, and HSV-2 in Heterosexual Couples in Kigali, Rwanda.

Herpes — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:31:34 +0100

CONCLUSION: : More than half of the couples were discordant for HIV, HPV, and/or HSV-2, indicating that prevention strategies directed to infected cases are important to protect their uninfected sexual partners. PMID: 22249302 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Herpes)

Novel Approaches to the Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment of Medical Device-Associated Infections

Infectious Diseases Clinics of North America — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:43:12 +0100

This article reviews innovative concepts for the prevention of biofilm formation, and novel treatment approaches. Specific approaches for the diagnosis and prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract and bloodstream infections, as well as infections associated with orthopedic implants and cardiovascular implantable electronic devices, are also discussed. (Source: Infectious Diseases Clinics of North America)

[Articles] Trends in virological and clinical outcomes in individuals with HIV-1 infection and virological failure of drugs from three antiretroviral drug classes: a cohort study

The Lancet Infectious Diseases — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:05:13 +0100

A substantial improvement in viral load suppression and accompanying decrease in the rates of AIDS in people after extensive failure to drugs from the three original antiretroviral classes during 2000–09 was probably mainly driven by availability of newer drugs with better tolerability and ease of use and small cross-resistance profiles, suggesting the public health benefit of the introduction of new drugs. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)

Interferon and Biologic Signatures in Dermatomyositis Skin: Specificity and Heterogeneity across Diseases.

Herpes — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:30:16 +0100

CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: As in the blood and muscle, DM skin is characterized by an overwhelming presence of an IFN signature, although it is difficult to conclusively define this response as type I or type II. Understanding the significance of the IFN signature in this wide array of inflammatory diseases will be furthered by identification of the nature of the cells that both produce and respond to IFN, as well as which IFN subtype is biologically active in each diseased tissue. PMID: 22235269 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Herpes)

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The management of EGFR inhibitor adverse events: a case series and treatment paradigm.

Herpes — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:31:03 +0100

Conclusion The most common cutaneous adverse event in our cohort was papulopustular rash, followed by eczema and xerosis. Patients were managed with symptom target therapy, and suspension of the EGFR inhibitor was rarely required. As the use of EGFR inhibitors increases, it is important to promptly identify and treat adverse events. Further studies are necessary to develop targeted therapeutic and preventative measures. PMID: 22250636 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Herpes)

Cancer Screening Falls Short, CDC Says (CME/CE)

MedPage Today Infectious Disease — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:43:04 +0100

(MedPage Today) -- Large numbers of Americans who should have screening exams for breast, colon, and cervical cancer are not getting them, government researchers said. (Source: MedPage Today Infectious Disease)

Silicone implants

WHO Disease Outbreaks — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:28:00 +0100

In March 2010, Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) silicone implants were withdrawn from the European Union (EU) market following an observed increase in implant ruptures, and confirmation of the use of substandard silicone in the manufacture of the implants by French regulator AFSSAPS (Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé). Regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions were also notified, leading to product withdrawal from a number of non-EU countries. PIP implants have also been sold under the trade name of M-Implants and in April 2010 the Dutch Health Care Inspectorate prohibited all trade and usage of both products in the Netherlands. (Source: WHO Disease Outbreaks)

Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated With Herpes Simplex Virus-2 Infection in a Contemporary Cohort of HIV-Infected Persons in the United States.

Herpes — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:31:23 +0100

CONCLUSION:: HSV-2 seroprevalence is 3 times as high among HIV-infected adults as in the general US population. Clinicians should be aware that increased risk for HSV-2 infection was distributed broadly among HIV-infected persons and not limited to those with high-risk sexual behaviors. PMID: 22249305 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Herpes)

Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 antibodies after pandemic and trivalent seasonal influenza vaccination as well as natural infection in November 2010 in Hamburg, Germany.

Euro Surveill — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:06:03 +0100

Authors: Cramer J, Mac T, Hogan B, Stauga S, Eberhardt S, Wichmann O, Mertens T, Burchard G PMID: 22264864 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Euro Surveill)

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Index

Infectious Diseases Clinics of North America — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:43:12 +0100

(Source: Infectious Diseases Clinics of North America)

Strategies for Collaboration in the Interdisciplinary Field of Emerging Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonoses and Public Health — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:03:50 +0100

SummaryThe integration of the veterinary, medical and environmental sciences necessary to predict, prevent or respond to emerging zoonotic diseases requires effective collaboration and exchange of knowledge across these disciplines. There has been no research into how to connect and integrate these professions in the pursuit of a common task. We conducted a literature search looking at the experiences and wisdom resulting from collaborations built in health partnerships, health research knowledge transfer and exchange, business knowledge management and systems design engineering to identify key attributes of successful interdisciplinary (ID) collaboration. This was followed by a workshop with 16 experts experienced in ID collaboration including physicians, veterinarians and biologists from...

Suspect H5N1 Cluster In Soc Trang Vietnam

Recombinomics — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:43:08 +0100

The commentary discusses a suspect H5N1 cluster in Soc Trang Vietnam (02/02/12 21:45) (Source: Recombinomics)

Considerations for Endpoint Selection When Designing HIV Clinical Trials

Current Infectious Disease Reports — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:24:05 +0100

Abstract Selecting the primary endpoint is one of the most important decisions in designing clinical trials. Many HIV trials are powered for surrogate markers, often virologic suppression. Among 49 recently published Phase 3 or higher randomized HIV trials only 14% were powered for clinical outcomes such as the progression to AIDS, death, or serious non-AIDS diseases. We provide two examples where interventions modified the targeted surrogate markers but failed to provide clinical benefit. We review the use of surrogate and clinical endpoints, discuss the composition of clinical endpoints, and the need for endpoint verification. In HIV-infected individuals with CD4 cell counts above 200 cells/mm3 serious non-AIDS conditions such as cardiovascular, renal, hepatic diseases an...