Infectious Disease Alert – April 1, 2013
April 1, 2013
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Fecal Transplants Promising for C. difficile Infection, Endless Poop Puns a Side Effect
The distress felt by patients with recurring bouts of Clostridium difficile diarrhea is so acute that they welcome the opportunity to accept another’s feces to bring them back to baseline. -
Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae an Increasing Threat in the United States
The emergence of resistance in Enterobacteriaceae to ertapenem, imipenem, meropenem, and doripenem due to the production of a carbapenemase is occurring in two primary enzyme groups. -
High-Dose Flu Vaccine has Increased Immunogenicity in HIV Patients
Seasonal influenza is a major worldwide threat to human health. Vaccination against influenza is an important intervention to prevent disease especially in vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. -
Topical Paromomycin for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
A randomized vehicle-controlled phase 3 trial of topical PM 15% vs. PM 15% + GM 0.5% vs. vehicle control was conducted in Tunisian patients with CL due to Leishmania major. 375 patients were randomized. Patients had from 1-5 lesions each. Lesions were treated daily for 20 days. -
Novel Coronavirus — It Hasn’t Gone Away
In the January 2013 issue of Infectious Disease Alert the initial reports of a novel coronavirus were reviewed.1 These included 5 cases (including 3 deaths) from Saudi Arabia, two cases from Qatar and two cases (both fatal) from Jordan. -
Should Aerosolized Antibiotics be Used to Treat Gram-Negative, Multidrug-Resistant, Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia?
Lu et al prospectively studied 165 patients with culture-confirmed (bronchoalveolar lavage samples), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by either Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Acinetobacter baumannii. Antibiotic therapy was based on antibiotic sensitivity. -
Vaccination Considerations for Chemotherapy Patients
Patients with cancer in general, but particularly those with hematologic malignancies, are at increased risk for infectious diseases, some of which are preventable by vaccination. -
Updates
A tripla ® is a branded, combination once-daily tablet recommended as first-line anti-retroviral therapy (ART) for HIV in the United States (containing tenofovir-emtricitabine-efavirenz). -
Pharmacology Watch: Is This the End of the Road for Calcium Supplementation?
In this issue: Calcium supplementation in women; type 2 diabetes treatments and pancreatitis risk; treating chronic idiopathic urticaria; rivaroxaban and VTE; and FDA actions. -
Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement