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Infectious Diseases
Concise physician-authored perspectives on the most clinically relevant original research, guidelines, and new drug and vaccine approvals critical to the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of infectious diseases.
First-Line Therapy for HIV-Infected Patients
- Summary and Comment
- Free
Virologic suppression is more likely with an efavirenz-based regimen than with a lopinavir/ritonavir-based one.
- By Rajesh T. Gandhi, MD
- May 14, 2008
- Covering N Engl J Med 2008 May 15
Entecavir Inhibits HIV at Reduced Viral Inoculum
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
The HBV drug entecavir has anti-HIV activity at a low viral inoculum and shouldn’t be used in HIV/HBV-coinfected patients who are not receiving combination ART.
- By Lynn L. Estes, PharmD
- May 14, 2008
- Covering Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2008 May
M. bovis TB Increasing Among Hispanics in the U.S.
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
From 1994 through 2005, Mycobacterium bovis accounted for 45% of pediatric TB cases and 8% of all TB cases in San Diego County, California.
- By Mary E. Wilson, MD
- May 14, 2008
- Covering Emerg Infect Dis 2008 Jun
Aerial Spraying of Insecticide Disrupts WNV Transmission
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
The odds of West Nile virus infection were about six times higher in an untreated area than in two treated ones in the same county.
- By Mary E. Wilson, MD
- May 14, 2008
- Covering Emerg Infect Dis 2008 May
Inhaled Liposomal Amphotericin B for Prevention of IPA
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
Among patients with prolonged neutropenia, liposomal amphotericin B performed significantly better than placebo in preventing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.
- By Neil M. Ampel, MD
- May 14, 2008
- Covering Clin Infect Dis 2008 May 1
Group B Strep in the U.S.
- Summary and Comment
- Free
Between 1999 and 2005, incidence of invasive group B streptococcal disease decreased in neonates but increased in adults.
- By Richard T. Ellison III, MD
- May 7, 2008
- Covering JAMA 2008 May 7
Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacter Infections
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
Patients with imipenem-resistant Enterobacter infections were more likely than those with imipenem-susceptible Enterobacter infections to have multiple invasive devices and to die in-hospital.
- By Lynn L. Estes, PharmD
- May 7, 2008
- Covering Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2008 Apr
Overuse of Empirical Antibiotics for Acute Diarrhea
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
Examination of Medicaid data from Tennessee revealed that antimicrobials were prescribed for more than 10% of diarrhea episodes, usually without a stool culture.
- By Daniel J. Diekema, MD, MS
- May 7, 2008
- Covering J Infect Dis 2008 Apr 21
Evaluation of New Fever in Critically Ill Adults: Updated Guidelines
- Clinical Practice Guideline Watch
- Subscription required
This document updates recommendations published in 1998 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
- By Thomas Glück, MD
- May 7, 2008
- Covering Crit Care Med 2008 Apr
Rapid Screening for MDR-TB
- Summary and Comment
- Free
A molecular probe was 
99% sensitive and specific for multidrug TB resistance, compared with standard drug-susceptibility testing; results were available in 1 to 2 days.
- By Neil M. Ampel, MD
- April 23, 2008
- Covering Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2008 Apr 1
Extranasal MRSA Colonization in Nursing Home Residents
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
Colonization with MRSA at groin and perianal sites was significantly more common in residents with indwelling catheters than in those without such devices.
- By Neil M. Ampel, MD
- April 23, 2008
- Covering Clin Infect Dis 2008 May 1
Editor's Picks from across Journal Watch
Studies Reveal How Influenza Virus Antigenic Variation Develops and Spreads
- General Medicine
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
During the past decade, influenza strains causing winter epidemics worldwide have originated in the Asian tropics.
- By Anthony L. Komaroff, MD
- May 8, 2008
- Covering Science 2008 Apr 18
Both Fish Oil and Fibrates Reduce Triglyceride Levels
- HIV/AIDS
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
Both fish oil and fenofibrate safely reduce elevated triglyceride levels in HIV-infected patients receiving ART.
- By Keith Henry, MD
- April 28, 2008
- Covering J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2008 Apr 1
A Hidden Risk of "Lipotourism": Mycobacterium Infection
- Emergency Medicine
- Summary and Comment
- Free
Patients who travel outside the U.S. for liposuction might be at risk for unusual wound infections.
- By Diane M. Birnbaumer, MD, FACEP
- May 2, 2008
- Covering Clin Infect Dis 2008 Apr 15
Human-to-Human Transmission Seems Likely in Avian Flu Cluster
- General Medicine
- Summary and Comment
- Subscription required
An instance of son-to-father transmission of avian flu has been reported in China.
- By Bruce Soloway, MD
- May 6, 2008
- Covering Lancet 2008 Apr 26
Journal Watch Infectious Diseases summarizes important medical journal articles about a wide variety of infectious disease subjects including antibiotic resistance, hepatitis, HIV, influenza, malaria, pneumonia, sepsis, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis.
