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Infectious Disease

News, opinions and meeting coverage in infectious disease.

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.

More Vets Approved for Agent Orange Claims

WASHINGTON -- Veterans who served in Korea from 1968 through 1971 were probably exposed to Agent Orange, which makes them eligible for treatment at VA medical centers, according to a ruling from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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.

HIV Transmitted by Blood Donor, CDC Reports

A rare case of HIV transmission through blood transfusion -- only the third on record this decade -- was reported by the CDC today.

ACG: C. Diff No Match for Cheap Spice

SAN ANTONIO -- A component of the inexpensive curry spice turmeric may help ward off infection with Clostridium difficile in hospitals, researchers said here.

Smokeless Tobacco Dangerous and No Help for Quitting

Although less harmful than cigarette smoking, smokeless tobacco products are not safe as a smoking cessation tool and carry a number of potentially fatal health risks, an American Heart Association scientific statement said.

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.

WHO Declares End to H1N1 Pandemic

Director-General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan, MD, MPH, has declared an end to the H1N1 influenza pandemic, following the advice of an emergency committee convened to address the issue.

Salsa, Guacamole Among Top Causes of Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illnesses attributed to salsa and guacamole served in restaurants and delis have more than doubled in the last 10 years -- resulting in over 100 hospitalizations and three deaths, according to the CDC.

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.

Medicare to Cover Some HIV Facial Atrophy Shots

Medicare will cover injections to compensate for facial fat lost to HIV treatments in patients who show resultant symptoms of depression, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said.

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.

CROI: Fauci Sets High Goals for HIV Research

SAN FRANCISCO -- In a plenary session at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, Anthony Fauci, MD, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, laid out several areas where "high-risk" research could yield "high-impact" results. He discusses them in this exclusive InFocus™ report.

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.

This Frog Is No Prince

Water frogs appear to be responsible for yet another Salmonella outbreak in the U.S., CDC researchers say.

The Top 10 Medical Advances of the Decade

From genome to hormones, doctors pick the top medical advances of the decade.

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.

CDC Watching H1N1 Mutation, but No Cause for Alarm

The CDC is keeping a careful eye on a mutation in some strains of the pandemic H1N1 flu that Norwegian researchers isolated from three patients with severe disease.

IDSA: Retracted Mask Study Adds to H1N1 Confusion

PHILADELPHIA -- For workers on the front lines of the H1N1 pandemic flu, the retraction of a study on protective masks adds to the confusion over how to guard against infection, experts said.

Obama Declares H1N1 a National Emergency

WASHINGTON -- President Obama has upped the ante in the battle to control the H1N1 flu by declaring it a national emergency, the second such declaration since the flu first emerged last spring.

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.

Herbal Supplement Suspect in Hepatitis

An herbal supplement containing artemisinin may have triggered hepatitis in a Seattle man who was given the supplement by a naturopathic provider for treatment of a parasitic infection.

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.

Rapid Tests Miss Mark for Pandemic H1N1 Flu

Rapid tests for the H1N1 pandemic flu are at least 89% accurate -- but only if a tested specimen has a high level of the virus, 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.

AUA: Sex and Alcohol May be Recipe for a UTI

CHICAGO -- Sex and alcohol often figure prominently in a young woman's first urinary tract infection, according to a study of college coeds.

IVW: 'High Risk' of Resistant Swine Flu, Researcher Says

CANNES, France -- Using single antiviral drugs to treat the current outbreak of swine influenza could result in the development of a resistant strain, a leading flu researcher said here.

FDA and CDC Issue Raw Alfalfa Sprouts Warning

WASHINGTON -- The FDA and the CDC have warned consumers not to eat raw alfalfa sprouts until further notice because the sprouts have been linked to a Salmonella serotype Saintpaul contamination that has sickened 31 people in six states.

Bisphenol A Mimics Estrogen, Phthalates Target Testosterone

NEW YORK -- Call these chemicals "his" and "her" endocrine disruptors.

HIV-Positive Surgeon Allowed Back into OR

TEL AVIV -- An HIV-infected cardiothoracic surgeon here has been cleared to resume operating without restrictions after a 10-year lookback investigation found no spread of the disease to patients, reported Israeli and CDC investigators.

Melamine Found in U.S.-Made Baby Formula

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- A trace amount of melamine, the toxic chemical that has sickened tens of thousands of infants in China, was found in a U.S.-manufactured infant formula, the FDA confirmed.

Macular Degeneration Linked to Sunlight and Low Antioxidants

LONDON -- Some cases of age-related macular degeneration may arise from a combination of low plasma levels of antioxidants and exposure to blue light from the sun, a multi-national European study suggested.

Ginseng Safe for Short-Term Pediatric Use

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Ginseng appears safe for treating children with cold and flu symptoms, researchers here found.

FDA Warns of Toxic Tomalley in Maine Lobsters

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The FDA warned today against eating the soft, green substance found in the body cavity of Maine lobsters, called tomalley, which is considered a delicacy by some. But the meat of the claw and tail were not part of the caution.

Herpes Virus Linked to Ketosis-Prone Diabetes

PARIS -- A herpes virus is associated with an atypical form of type 2 diabetes found in people of African origin, researchers said here.

False-Positive TB Skin Tests Prevalent in U.S. Army

BETHESDA, Md. -- Clusters of positive tests for latent tuberculosis infection in the U.S. Army appear to reflect a high number of false-positive readings from a more than century-old skin test, researchers found.

Seasonal Flu Starts in Asia and Migrates Throughout World

CAMBRIDGE, England -- Seasonal influenza starts in east and southeast Asia and follows a highly predictable path to infect the rest of the world, researchers here said.

One in Every 20 Healthcare Workers Is MRSA Carrier

GENEVA -- One in every 20 healthcare workers carries methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the vast majority without symptoms, researchers here said.

MRSA Implicated in Majority of Post-Facelift Infections

NEW YORK -- Although surgical-site infections after face-lift procedures are uncommon, those that occur are usually caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, making them difficult to treat.

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