Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

July 1, 2003

• Monkeypox Virus in the United States: Beware the Prairie Dog (and the Gambian Giant Rat)

  The first outbreak of human monkeypox infection in North America has resulted from exposure to infected prairie dogs.

  Read more about Monkeypox Virus in the United States: Beware the Prairie Dog (and the Gambian Giant Rat) - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• Fatal Interaction Between Linezolid and an SSRI

  A patient receiving the SSRI citalopram developed fatal serotonin syndrome after beginning therapy with linezolid for MRSA infection.

  Read more about Fatal Interaction Between Linezolid and an SSRI - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• Catheter-Related Infection and Ultrasound Detection of Central Venous Catheter Thrombosis

  Detection of central venous catheter thrombosis by ultrasound may provide an early warning system for the presence of catheter-related infection.

  Read more about Catheter-Related Infection and Ultrasound Detection of Central Venous Catheter Thrombosis - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• Pleconaril in Infants with Enterovirus Meningitis

  A study of pleconaril in infants with enterovirus meningitis showed good oral availability, but the limited virus shedding and benign course of enterovirus meningitis in infants precluded identifying virological or clinical benefit.

  Read more about Pleconaril in Infants with Enterovirus Meningitis - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• Are PDAs the Way?

  PDAs may soon become indispensable to ID physicians.

  Read more about Are PDAs the Way? - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• One Ring to Rule Them All, One Ring to Find Them *

  Ring wearing by health care workers increases the frequency of hand contamination with nosocomial pathogens and decreases the efficacy of all types of hand hygiene studied, included alcohol-based hand rub.

  Read more about One Ring to Rule Them All, One Ring to Find Them * - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• Treatment Of Early Lyme Disease — More Is Not Better

  Neither adding a single dose of ceftriaxone to a 10-day course of doxycycline nor extending the duration of doxycycline therapy to 20 days is better than a straightforward 10-day course of oral doxycycline in the treatment of patients with erythema migrans.

  Read more about Treatment Of Early Lyme Disease — More Is Not Better - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• Sternal Puncture For Diagnosis of Mediastinitis After Median Sternotomy

  Consistent with the notion that sternitis always accompanies poststernotomy mediastinitis, microbiologic examination of sternal puncture specimens was highly accurate in the diagnosis of deep infection in that setting.

  Read more about Sternal Puncture For Diagnosis of Mediastinitis After Median Sternotomy - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• HHV-8 (KSHV): Another Risk for Health Care Workers?

  Health care workers who care for HIV-infected, hemodialysis, or transplant patients are at increased risk of HHV-8 infection.

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• Treatment of Pulmonary M xenopi Infection

  Treatment of pulmonary M xenopi infection with isoniazid and rifampin, with or without ethambutol, appeared to be only modestly effective.

  Read more about Treatment of Pulmonary <I>M xenopi</I> Infection - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• Updates

  An Oral Agent for Smallpox?; Diagnostic Testing for SARS; Itraconazole Prophylaxis in CGD

  Read more about Updates - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003

• Clinical Briefs in Primary Care Supplement

  Read more about Clinical Briefs in Primary Care Supplement - Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2003