番茄社区

Infectious Disease >

General Infectious Disease

News, opinions and meeting coverage in infectious disease.

Infection High in Myeloma, with High Mortality

ATLANTA -- More than a fifth of patients with multiple myeloma died of infection within a year of diagnosis, Swedish investigators reported here.

No Need for Skin Preps to Be Sterile, FDA Told

WASHINGTON -- Requiring that antiseptic skin preparation products be sterile is unnecessary and wouldn't lead to a dramatic drop in infections, speakers told the FDA Wednesday.

C. Difficile Inpatient Stays Long, Costly

LAS VEGAS -- Among the many factors that contribute to the burgeoning costs associated with Clostridium difficile infections are long hospital stays, particularly in intensive care units, and the need for multiple specialist consultations, a chart review determined.

FDA to Look at Tainted Skin Preps

Antiseptic skin preparation products can be contaminated by microbes, a problem the FDA will address at an upcoming public hearing.

Lupus Patients Tend to Skip Pap Tests

WASHINGTON -- Women with systemic lupus erythematosus do not appear undergo timely cervical cancer screening despite being at an increased risk for cervical dysplasia and HPV infection, researchers said here.

Meningitis: FDA Warns of 'Light Therapy' Claims

A Tennessee company made false claims that its "light therapy" has benefits for fungal meningitis, the FDA said.

Brain-Eating Amoeba Came From Faucet

The recent cases of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis represent the first reported instances of U.S. tap water harboring the amoeba that causes the fatal disease, according to CDC researchers.

ACIP Changes Flu Vaccine Dosing for Kids

ATLANTA -- Two of the three strains covered by the seasonal influenza vaccine are changing for the upcoming season, and with that change comes a new dosing algorithm for children.

Toxic Shock from Strep: a 'Lightning Strike'

In rare cases, the bacteria responsible for causing strep throat -- group A Streptococcus -- can penetrate beyond the superficial surfaces of the body and lead to necrotizing fasciitis, toxic shock syndrome, and even death.

Persistent Pus in Ear May Signal Unusual TB

SAN DIEGO -- Ear involvement is a rare, but potentially devastating, manifestation of tuberculosis, as was shown in a case report presented here.

Renal Function Key in C. Diff Therapy Choice

SAN DIEGO -- Patients with Clostridium difficile infection and underlying impaired renal function fared better with fidaxomicin treatment than with vancomycin, a researcher said here.

Urine Odor Signals UTI in Infants

Bad-smelling urine is a good predictor of urinary tract infection (UTI) in infants -- better than several other associated predictors, researchers found.

Antibiotic Clears Stubborn E. Coli

Patients in last spring's outbreak of severe Escherichia coli who were treated with azithromycin had a lower frequency of long-term infection, German investigators reported.

Circumcision Tied to Drop in Herpes, Too

SEATTLE -- African men who underwent circumcision not only reduced their risk of contracting HIV infection, they also were significantly less likely to be infected with herpes simplex virus-2, researchers reported here.

FDA Adds More Warnings for Lipitor, Crestor, and Zocor

WASHINGTON -- Statins may cause drug-drug interactions for patients taking drugs to treat HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C, according to a new statin warning from the FDA.

Clinical Notes: Beware the Seat Heater

番茄社区 debuts a new regular feature, a roundup of clinical news you might otherwise have missed. This week we led with a report that heated car seats can leave passengers with "toasted skin syndrome."

H. Pylori Breath Test OK for Kids, FDA Says

A breath test for Helicobacter pylori infection available for adults may also be used in children and teens.

FDA Issues Warning on Acid Reflux Drugs

The FDA warned today that use of proton pump inhibitors -- including popular brands such as Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid -- may increase the risk of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.

Herpes Drugs Work, but Not Forever

Anti-herpetic agents reduce recurrence of herpes simplex-2 (HSV-2) symptoms but do not completely block subclinical shedding of virus, even at high doses, researchers reported.

Post-Ear Tube MRSA Infections Not Serious

Among children with ear infections following tympanostomy tube placement, infections associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) did not result in worse outcomes than those caused by other pathogens, a single-center study showed.

'Brain-Eating' Amoeba Kills Second Neti Pot User

Louisiana state health officials are warning patients about potential dangers of using tap water for sinus irrigation after two patients died of Naegleria fowleri infection.

Linezolid Toxic With Prozac, Other SSRIs, FDA Warns

The FDA has issued an updated statement on the potential for serious central nervous system toxicity when patients taking serotonergic psychiatric drugs are treated with the antibacterial agent linezolid (Zyvox).

Calif. 12-Year-Olds Can Get HPV Vaccine Without Parental OK

Minors as young as 12 can consent to preventive measures against sexually transmitted diseases, including vaccination, according to a new California law that has sparked an outcry over parents' rights.

Septra, Bactrim Linked to 'Serious' Side Effects

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole -- a widely used antibiotic sold as Septra, Bactrim, and others -- has a set of adverse reactions that range from minor to potentially fatal, according to a literature review.

Brain-Eating Amoeba Claims Third Victim

A 9-year-old Virginia boy has died of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, the second case of the rare illness this month and the third this summer.

Clindamycin Works Better for Skin Infections in Kids

For children with skin and soft tissue infections, clindamycin is the antibiotic of choice for empiric treatment, researchers found.

Tetanus Rare but Still Deadly

Although rare, tetanus is still a life-threatening disease in the U.S., largely because of inadequate vaccination and wound care prophylaxis, CDC researchers said.

Japan Stops Some Vaccinations After Deaths

Japanese health officials have suspended the use of two pediatric vaccines as a precaution following the deaths of four young children, according to multiple media reports.

Cephalexin Useful in Pediatric MRSA

Children with uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections can still be treated with cephalexin -- along with drainage and careful wound care -- even though community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, a randomized study suggested.

Pfizer Moves May Dim Prospect for New Antibiotics

Infectious disease specialists are concerned that a corporate decision by Pfizer to scale back its R&D spending next year -- plus a transition to China -- will further slow development of new antibiotic drugs.

Failure High in Needle Aspiration of Skin Abscesses

Ultrasonographically guided needle aspiration -- a minimally invasive treatment for uncomplicated superficial skin abscesses -- has a failure rate of almost three in four, researchers reported.

Few Conn. Physicians Treat Chronic Lyme Disease

Only a very small number of physicians in Connecticut -- the epicenter of Lyme disease -- diagnose and treat patients with the controversial chronic form of this tick-borne infection, a survey found.

Common Antibiotic Linked to Elevated Potassium

Among older individuals, the commonly used antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is associated with the development of hyperkalemia requiring hospitalization, researchers found.

Contaminated Pepper Leads to Meat and Seasoning Recall

WASHINGTON -- Wholesome Spice of Brooklyn, N.Y. spice company is recalling 25-pound boxes of commercial-grade crushed red pepper as the CDC and FDA investigate an outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo that infected consumers of Italian-style meats produced by a Rhode Island firm.

Nursing Mothers Should Avoid Yellow Fever Vaccine

A single case report has raised concern that yellow fever vaccine virus may be transmitted through breast milk, suggesting the need to avoid administering the vaccine to breastfeeding women.

Another Reason Not to Kiss a Frog

Yet another aquarium pet has been tied to a Salmonella outbreak, the CDC says. Latest culprit: the water frog.

Unmasking the Surgical Mask: Does It Really Work?

For a century, the surgical mask has been the symbol of a safe and sanitary medical environment. The problem is that researchers don't really know if that's true.

ICAAC: Surgical Masks Don't Prevent Infection

SAN FRANCISCO -- Consistent use of N95 respirator masks prevents 75% of respiratory infections for high-risk healthcare workers regardless of whether seal against the skin is confirmed, according to the first randomized clinical trial of their efficacy.

Pseudo-Outbreak of Legionnaire's Blamed on Bad Ice

Using nonsterile ice to cool saline-filled syringes for bronchoalveolar lavage creates a risk of Legionnaire's disease, the CDC said.

ICD: Herpes Virus Linked to Psoriasis

PRAGUE -- More than half of a group of patients with psoriasis tested positive for human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8), suggesting infection might play a role in the etiology of the disease, according to data reported here.

鈥�

42