Infectious Disease Alert – July 1, 2008
July 1, 2008
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Ceftobiprole: MRSA Coverage Comes to â-Lactams at Last
In the current era of increasing antimicrobial resistance, the need for novel antibacterial agents has become more acute than ever. -
Pneumococcal Vaccine has Changed the Epidemiology of Pneumococcal Meningitis
The impact of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was studied using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, which is the largest source of inpatient data in the United States and drawn from about 1000 community hospitals. -
Excluding Bacteremia in Children with Central Venous Catheters
A retrospective, cohort study of 200 episodes randomly selected from 315 episodes, during 2000-2003, at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, of laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infections among out-patient children with central venous catheters was performed to determine the optimum duration of antibiotic therapy before infection could be reliably excluded. -
Pseudo Fever Due to Mucositis
In this study, 100 consecutive patients, who were receiving several different cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens for a variety of cancers, were self-referred on the basis of perception of mucositis, elevated temperature at home, malaise, or were referred by a nurse based on assessment of potential infection or mucositis. -
Whither PANDAS?
A blinded, prospective, case-control study of 40 children meeting all of the DSM-IV criteria for PANDAS matched with 40 children with obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or a chronic tic disorder was conducted with periodic intensive laboratory testing for group A streptococcus for 2 years, especially with clinical exacerbations or acute illness. -
Serum (1 --3) B-D-glucan Assay for Diagnosis of Invasive Fungal Infection
For this study, 279 patients from five groups (including 70 with proven or probable invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, 27 patients with blood cultures positive for a fungal pathogen, and 20 with PCP) were BG levels were measured with the Fungitell test kit. -
Eosinophilia in Travelers: A Role for Empiric Antihelminthic Therapy?
Ill travelers returning from the developing world represent a unique patient population, given the broad range of possible diagnoses. -
Updates by Carol A. Kemper, MD, FACP
Sleepwalking is a form of parasomnia, which may be exacerbated by alcohol and drug use, is typically associated with non-rapid eye movements or nREM activity on electrophysiologic studies. -
Pharmacology Watch: CDC Adds Shingles Vaccine to List for Adults 60 Plus
In This Issue: Shingles vaccine added to CDC list of vaccines for adults 60 and older; CDC recommends Tdap for postpartum women; new study suggests sequential therapy with antibiotics for H. pylori may be more effective than standard therapy; FDA Actions. -
Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement