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Synopsis: Volatile organic compounds from fecal samples appear to have good sensitivity and specificity for many enteric pathogens and could lead to rapid diagnostic testing.
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Synopsis: Shortly after patronizing a restaurant, 117 individuals developed an illness characterized by fever, myalgia, chills, and headache. Respiratory symptoms were present in fewer than half. Legionella anisa was found to be the cause of this outbreak of Pontiac fever.
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Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy; Anti-Depressants and the Risk of Suicide; FDA Actions; Brief Notes.
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Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is nosocomial pneumonia occurring in a mechanically ventilated patient > 48 hours after intubation. It is categorized as early-onset (defined by most experts as 48-96 hours after intubation) and late-onset (> 2-96 hours after intubation): these differ with respect to responsible bacterial agents as well as outcomes.
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The FDA has approved Telithromycin, the first Ketolide antibiotic. Ketolides are semisynthetic derivatives of the macrolide erythromycin that have activity against a wide spectrum of respiratory bacterial pathogens including multi-drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. Telithromycin, which is a once-a-day oral tablet, is marketed by Aventis as Ketek.
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A patient with a disease resembling anthrax led to the identification of anthrax-like virulence factors in an isolate of Bacillus cereus.
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Musher and colleagues in Houston examined the usefulness of examination of Gram-stained sputum specimens and of sputum culture for the diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. They included all 105 patients with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia seen over 6 years at their VA hospital, and examined the results of the first sputum specimen submitted to the laboratory.
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New guidelines for the treatment of bacterial rhinosinusitis were published in the January supplement of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery by the Sinus and Allergy Health Partnership. The goal of the guidelines is to reduce the use of antibiotics for viral infections and to use the most appropriate antibiotic for bacterial infections.
