Obesity Worsens the Flu in Mice and Men
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Further, in obese mice, preventive measures often fail.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
February 7, 2012
Covering:
Kim Y-H et al., J Infect Dis 2012 Jan 15; 205:244
O'Brien KB et al., J Infect Dis 2012 Jan 15; 205:252
Beck MA., J Infect Dis 2012 Jan 15; 205:172
Should Efavirenz Be Dosed Higher When Coadministered with Rifampin?
The FDA recommends a dosage increase in patients weighing
Influenza in Neurologically Compromised Patients
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
An outbreak of influenza in patients with incapacitating neurological conditions caused severe infection, despite immunization.
By Stephen G. Baum, MD
January 25, 2012
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2012 Jan 6; 60:1729
PPIs and CAP, Revisited
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
In a retrospective, nested case-control study, the risk for community-acquired pneumonia was 29% higher with current use of a proton-pump inhibitor than with past use.
By Neil M. Ampel, MD
January 18, 2012
Covering:
Hermos JA et al., Clin Infect Dis 2012 Jan 1; 54:33
Rhinoviruses Cause Severe Disease in Very Low Birth Weight Infants
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Among premature infants in Buenos Aires, rhinoviruses were the most common cause of all acute respiratory infections, of bronchiolitis, and of hospitalization for such illnesses.
H1N1 Influenza Vaccination During Pregnancy Is Protective and Safe
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
One dose of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 vaccine given during the second or third trimester induced seroprotection in the women and their newborns.
By Stephen G. Baum, MD
January 4, 2012
Covering:
Tsatsaris V et al., Ann Intern Med 2011 Dec 6; 155:733
Clarity on When to Start ART in Active TB
For HIV/TB-coinfected patients with advanced immunosuppression, the survival benefit of starting ART within the first 2 weeks after initiation of TB therapy outweighs the risks for IRIS and other adverse events.
Recommendations for Use of Short-Course Isoniazid-Rifapentine for Latent TB
Infectious Diseases Clinical Practice Guideline Watch
Free
This two-drug regimen, administered weekly for just 12 weeks, is efficacious in preventing active disease in patients with latent <$EMPH_O>Mycobacterium tuberculosis<$EMPH_C> infection.
By Stephen G. Baum, MD
December 21, 2011
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2011 Dec 9; 60:1650
Posaconazole or Voriconazole Potentially Useful for Refractory Coccidioidomycosis
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Fourteen of 21 patients on voriconazole and 12 of 16 on posaconazole improved when these drugs were used as salvage therapy.
By Neil M. Ampel, MD
December 21, 2011
Covering:
Kim MM et al., Clin Infect Dis 2011 Dec 1; 53:1060
Effective Short-Course Treatment for Latent Tuberculosis
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Three months of isoniazid plus rifapentine worked as well as 9 months of isoniazid.
By Abigail Zuger, MD
December 20, 2011
Covering:
Sterling TR et al., N Engl J Med 2011 Dec 8; 365:2155
Big TB Prevention Study Important, Highly Relevant — Even Here
Dr. Paul Sax offers both a personal and professional take on the study, in his blog HIV and ID Observations .
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Active Tuberculosis
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
Seasonal declines in mean vitamin D levels were followed by seasonal increases in TB notifications.
By Richard T. Ellison III, MD
November 30, 2011
Covering:
Martineau AR et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011 Nov 22; 108:19013
Realegeno S and Modlin RL., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011 Nov 22; 108:18861
New Flu Virus Can Spread Among Humans
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
A recombinant swine-origin influenza A (H3N2) virus was responsible for mild respiratory illness in three children who had contact with each another but had no swine exposure.
By Stephen G. Baum, MD
November 30, 2011
Covering:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2011 Nov 23; 60:1
Global Influenza Dynamics: Even More Complicated Than We Thought
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
The global persistence of influenza A appears to relate to new variants emerging in multiple localities worldwide.
Home Care for Severe Childhood Pneumonia in the Developing World
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
For young children with severe pneumonia diagnosed by a lay health worker, home treatment with amoxicillin yielded better results than TMP-SMX with referral to the nearest healthcare facility.
By Robert S. Baltimore, MD
November 23, 2011
Covering:
Bari A et al., Lancet 2011 Nov 19; 378:1796
Molyneux EM and Graham SM., Lancet 2011 Nov 19; 378:1762
Critical Illness in Children with Pandemic H1N1 Influenza
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Children with pandemic H1N1 influenza were more likely to have severe illness or to die if they had a preexisting chronic medical condition or a methicillin-resistant staphylococcal lung coinfection.
Pneumonia Risk Increases After Therapeutic Hypothermia for Cardiac Arrest
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Among 641 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, therapeutic hypothermia was the only independent risk factor for the development of early-onset pneumonia.
By Neil M. Ampel, MD
November 16, 2011
Covering:
Perbet S et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2011 Nov 1; 184:1048
Does Anti–Tumor Necrosis Factor α Therapy Increase the Risk for Serious Infection?
Dermatology Summary and Comment
In this large cohort study, unlike in most of the previous studies, researchers found no increased risk for serious infections with TNF antagonists.
By Jeffrey P. Callen, MD
November 10, 2011
Covering:
Grijalva CG et al., JAMA 2011 Nov 6
Dixon W and Felson DT., JAMA 2011 Nov 6
Some H1N1 Patients with Respiratory Failure Benefit from ECMO
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Hospital mortality was lower among patients referred to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centers.
By Patricia Kritek, MD
November 1, 2011
Covering:
Noah MA et al., JAMA 2011 Oct 19; 306:1659
Checkley W., JAMA 2011 Oct 19; 306:1703
Flu Vaccine–Associated Neurological and Immunologic Sequelae
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
The H1N1 influenza vaccine used in Sweden was associated with relatively few — and generally mild — neurological and autoimmune complications.
Say No to Adenoidectomy for Recurrent Upper Respiratory Infections
For children referred to surgeons because of frequent URIs, adenoidectomy conferred no clinical benefit over watchful waiting.
HIV/TB Coinfection + Low CD4-Cell Count = Start ART Sooner Rather Than Later
HIV/AIDS Clinical Care Summary and Comment
Free
The results of three randomized, controlled trials (SAPiT, STRIDE, and CAMELIA) demonstrate that, for coinfected patients with advanced immunosuppression, the survival benefit of starting ART within the first 2 weeks of TB therapy outweighs the risk for immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome and other adverse events.
By Carlos del Rio, MD
October 19, 2011
Covering:
Abdool Karim SS et al., N Engl J Med 2011 Oct 20; 365:1492
Havlir DV et al., N Engl J Med 2011 Oct 20; 365:1482
Blanc F-X et al., N Engl J Med 2011 Oct 20; 365:1471
Török ME and Farrar JJ., N Engl J Med 2011 Oct 20; 365:1538
Adjunctive Steroids Are Not Beneficial in Non–HIV-Associated PCP
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
In HIV-uninfected patients with moderate-to-severe <$EMPH_O>Pneumocystis jirovecii<$EMPH_C> pneumonia, outcomes were similar between patients who received adjunctive corticosteroids and those who did not.
By Thomas Glück, MD
October 19, 2011
Covering:
Moon SM et al., Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2011 Oct; 55:4613
An Ultrashort Regimen for Latent TB Looks Promising — in Mice
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
In a mouse model of latent tuberculosis, 1 month of the diarylquinoline TMC207 alone was superior to isoniazid alone in reducing the lung burden of <$EMPH_O>Mycobacterium tuberculosis<$EMPH_C>.
By Neil M. Ampel, MD
October 19, 2011
Covering:
Zhang T et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2011 Sep 15; 184:732
Adding Adjuvant Increases the Benefit of Influenza Vaccine in Young Children
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
Free
Vaccine efficacy and immunogenicity were both improved when trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine was adjuvanted with an oil-in-water emulsion.
