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Infectious Disease General

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  • Aminoglycoside-Induced Ototoxicity: Test Before You Treat?

    Mitochondrially inherited, aminoglycoside-induced ototoxicity can cause irreversible hearing loss. Approximately 0.2% of the population is at risk, and new point-of-care genetic testing could prompt avoidance of aminoglycoside use without undue delay in antibiotic administration.

  • Midlines vs. Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheters

    Midline catheters are, at a minimum, at least as safe or safer than peripherally inserted central catheters for durations of at least 14 days, thus offering an effective alternative for venous access.

  • Menstrual Toxic Shock Syndrome

    The authors reviewed 102 patients with menstrual toxic shock syndrome requiring intensive care over 16 years in France. Despite the severity of illness, there were no deaths.

  • Was the 1889-1891 Russian Flu Really Coronavirus?

    The 1889-1891 Russian flu pandemic was noted to spread rapidly through Western Europe, Great Britain, and North America. Contemporary clinical reports described prominent gastrointestinal, rheumatologic, and neurologic abnormalities (including loss of taste and smell), and pathologic reports described prominent thrombosis. A molecular clock analysis suggests a beta coronavirus emerged in humans following cross-species transmission around this time.

  • Screening and Diagnosis of Chagas Disease in the United States

    Chagas disease is an important public health problem in the United States. An expert panel has made a series of specific recommendations for screening for and diagnosis of Chagas disease in at-risk groups.

  • Malassezia restricta as a Cause of Culture-Negative Infective Endocarditis

    The authors of a retrospective study from France used DNA detection methods to assess the microbial etiologies of 16 cases of culture-negative infective endocarditis. They identified three cases of Malassezia restricta, a yeast considered a member of the human skin microbiota. Notably, serologic testing cross-reacted between M. restricta and Candida albicans.

  • The Health Effects of Magnesium: Part 1

    Magnesium, an important dietary ingredient and supplement, has both long-standing and emerging clinical evidence for efficacy in treating a variety of health conditions. To do this mineral justice, we are covering this extensive information in two parts. Part 1 will focus on basic science and physiology, general dietary recommendations, supplemental forms, laboratory testing, and dosing. Part 2 will review some of the clinical trials and research on the connection between low magnesium intake and diseases, such as diabetes, as well as the data on the use of supplemental magnesium for treatment of these diseases.

  • Infectious Disease Alert Updates

    Take Those Pins Out of Your Mouth!; How Many Sex Partners Is “Too Many”?; Rinse that GC Right Out of Your Mouth

  • Anti-Infective Update: No More Xigris®

    Xigris® (drotrecogin alfa [activated]), a recombinant form of human activated protein C, received FDA approval in November 2001 for the reduction of mortality in adult patients with severe sepsis with a high risk of death.
  • Updates By Carol A. Kemper, MD, FACP

    Congenital toxoplasmosis occurs exclusively in infants born to mothers who acquire primary infection during their pregnancy. Unfortunately, many of these infections occur without clinical signs or symptoms, and the mothers go untreated.