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The Seasonality of Childhood Respiratory Infections

Human metapneumovirus infection is increasingly recognized in children. Epidemiologic review suggests that it becomes common each winter after the onset of the respiratory syncytial virus “season” and then continues to cause frequent illness until the spring.

HLH Gene Mutations and Fatal Influenza

Sixteen patients with fatal influenza who underwent autopsy were studied. Thirteen patients (81%) had histopathologic evidence of hemophagocytosis. Five patients (36%) carried one of three heterozygous LYST or PRF1 mutations associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and macrophage activation syndrome.

Think Twice About That Fluoroquinolone Prescription

The FDA warns that serious side effects associated with fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs generally outweigh the benefits for certain patients.

Infectious Disease Alert Updates

TB Quant Problematic in Leprosy; Trapping Flu Particles; An Old Scourge Revisited: Congenital Syphilis

Tenofovir Alafenamide vs. Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate

The FDA has approved a new prodrug of tenofovir. Tenofovir alafenamide has replaced the tenofovir disoproxil fumarate component of two commonly used drug combinations for HIV-1 infection.

Malaria in the United States

The number of reported cases of malaria in the United States in 2013 increased slightly over the previous year, while the 10 reported deaths were the most since 2001.

Urban Yellow Fever in Angola: Lessons from a Large Outbreak

A large urban outbreak of yellow fever in Angola illustrates the obstacles to rapid control of this vaccine-preventable disease.

Adverse Fetal Outcomes of Dengue During Pregnancy

During pregnancy, dengue infection, especially with symptomatic illness, is associated with increased risks of miscarriage, stillbirth, and low birthweight.

Prolonged Empiric Antibiotic Therapy (PEAT) in Adult Intensive Care Units

Nine hundred ninety-eight patients admitted to 67 adult ICUs in 32 hospitals in the United States over a 24-hour period in 2011 were studied. Prolonged empiric antibiotic therapy was defined as continuing empiric antibiotics beyond 72 hours in patients in the absence of adjudicated infection as defined by CDC criteria. Three hundred thirty-three of 660 (50%) antibiotics were continued for at least 72 hours in patients who did not meet the CDC case definition of infection. Suspected pneumonia was the most common diagnosis in patients receiving PEAT. ICUs using invasive techniques to diagnose ventilator-associated pneumonia had lower rates of PEAT.

Longer Course Therapy for Lyme Disease Is Not Beneficial

A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial from the Netherlands found that longer-term antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease did not improve health-related quality of life compared to a standard course of treatment.