Browse Infectious Disease Alert Articles by Topic

Influenza, 2014-2015 — Something Old, Something New

As of early January, influenza activity had reached epidemic proportions in large parts of the United States, with many of those being affected despite prior vaccination.¹ The occurrence of infection in vaccinated individuals is not unexpected since influenza vaccine efficacy is usually only approximately 60%.

Infectious Disease Alert Updates

The problem of diagnosing TB in children

How best to treat latent TB?

Transmission risk in smear-negative TB

Antibiotics for Traveler’s Diarrhea?

Foreign travel is associated with travelers’ diarrhea and the intestinal acquisition of extended-spectrum beta lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, especially when travel is to South Asia. The risk of acquisition of resistant flora was almost doubled when antibiotics were used to treat the episode of diarrhea.

Ceftolozane/Tazobactam — Formulary Considerations

Information about ceftolozane/tazobactam

Deworming Is Beneficial in HIV-infected Patients

988 HIV-infected pregnant women receiving ART in sub-Saharan Africa were treated with albendazole in a targeted or non-targeted fashion. Albendazole therapy was associated with favorable changes in hemoglobin levels, CD4 counts, and viral loads, particularly in patients with helminth infections.

Combination Therapy for Invasive Aspergillosis in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies or Hematopoeitic Cell Transplants

In an evaluation of the primary endpoint, all-cause mortality at 6 weeks, there was no statistically significant difference between treatment with voriconazole alone or in combination with anidulafungin in patients with invasive aspergillosis and hematologic malignancies or hematopoietic stem cell transplants.

Measles in Our Not-So-Magical Kingdom

ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY: Routine vaccination would have prevented most of these recent cases in California.

Infectious Disease [ALERT] Updates

Treatment of C. Diff. — follow the guidelines. Semi roll-over causes Cryptosporidiosis Antibiotics prescribed from decision-fatigue?

A New Expanded Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

The U.S. FDA approved a new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in December of 2014.¹ Two HPV vaccines have been available for several years — a bivalent vaccine (HP2) containing L1 protein of the oncogenic types 16 and 18 as well as a quadrivalent vaccine (HP4)containing type 16 and 18 together with types 6 and 11 (which cause genital warts). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recently updated their recommendations for the use of these vaccines:

Controlling the Spread of Chikungunya Virus: A New Possibility

SYNOPSIS: A phase-1 clinical trial of a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine demonstrates safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity against rapidly spreading Chikungunya virus.