Infectious Disease Alert – May 1, 2017
May 1, 2017
View Issues
-
Medical Treatment of Acute Appendicitis in Children
A meta-analysis demonstrated a 90.5% success rate of medical treatment compared to appendectomy for acute uncomplicated appendicitis in children 5-15 years of age. There was a nearly nine-fold higher risk of failure with antibiotic treatment, indicating that appendectomy remains the standard of care.
-
TB in the United States: Better, but Still a Long Way to Go
The incidence of tuberculosis in the United States continues to decrease, but not at a rate sufficient to achieve elimination during this century.
-
Restricting Fluoroquinolone Use Reduces Clostridium difficile Infection More Than Infection Control Methods
An observational study from England showed that restricting fluoroquinolone use reduced incidence of Clostridium difficile infection more than would be predicted by improved infection control methods alone.
-
Echinococcosis — Who Cares, and What’s New?
Echinococcosis continues to cause significant disease in much of the world, and a new form is emerging in Latin America. Combinations of medical, procedural, and surgical treatment usually are effective, but long-term albendazole may be required.
-
Treatment of Chronic Fatigue/Myalgic Encephalitis Syndrome: Blocking the IL-1 Component to the Inflammatory Response Is Ineffective
Blockade of IL-1 activity with anakinra failed to reduce fatigue in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
-
Beta-lactam Antibiotics May Be Useful in MRSA Infection
Using several in vitro assays and animal models, it was shown that oxacillin-treated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains are attenuated in virulence. The effect is mediated by repression of accessory gene regulatory quorum-sensing system and altered cell wall architecture.
-
Guillain-Barré Syndrome and Hepatitis E
Hepatitis E is the most common form of viral hepatitis worldwide and often is asymptomatic. But it is commonly associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome and Guillain-Barré variants.
-
Infectious Disease Alert Updates
Sepsis Survival Affected by Drug Shortage;
A Rare Cause of Eosinophilic Meningoencephalitis;
Look, Ma! I Hooked My Thumb