Infectious Disease Alert 2003-11-01

Staphylococcus lugdunensis: Not Your Father’s (or Mother’s) Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus

Staphylococcus lugdunensis, in contrast to the other skin and mucus membrane-colonizing coagulase-negative staphylococci, has virulence factors that closely resemble those of Staphylococcus aureus and consequently causes similar aggressively destructive infections.

Corticosteroids for Kawasaki Disease

Pulsed-dose intravenous methylprednisolone added to the conventional treatment of IVIG and high-dose aspirin, resulted in faster resolution of fever and lower ESR, CRP, and levels of IgA in children with Kawasaki disease.

Progress in the Control of Nosocomial Legionnaires’ Disease

Synopsis: Copper silver ionization in potable waters was found to be highly effective in reducing environmental Legionella colonization and preventing nosocomial Legionnaires disease over prolonged time periods.

Treatment of CAP with Levofloxacin: What Dose? What Duration?

Synopsis: Treatment of CAP with 750 mg of levofloxacin daily for 5 days was as effective as a 10-day course of 500 mg daily.

Mycoplasma and Acute Chest Syndrome in Sickle Cell Disease

Synopsis: A prospective study of 671 episodes of acute chest syndrome in 538 patients with sickle cell anemia found that 51 (9%) had serologic evidence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, including 12% of episodes in children < 5 years of age. Mycoplasma hominis was cultured in 10 episodes.

Asymptomatic Lyme Disease

Synopsis: Up to 7% of B burgdorferi infections in the United States are asymptomatic.

Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Children

Synopsis: Human metapneumovirus was found in 6.4% of respiratory tract specimens collected from children < 5 years of age who had no evidence of other respiratory tract pathogens.

Duration of Antiviral Immunity After Smallpox Vaccination

Synopsis: More than 90% of individuals studied maintain measurable humoral or T-cell mediated immunity against vaccinia virus for as long as 75 years after smallpox vaccination.