Infectious Diseases: Archives

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

H1N1 Rapid Tests: Poor SensitivityFree

• October 14, 2009
• Stephen G. Baum, MD

Rapid tests for seasonal influenza generally have relatively low sensitivity; their sensitivity for detecting the 2009 H1N1 virus seems even worse.

• Reviewing:
• Drexler JF et al., Emerg Infect Dis 2009 Oct; 15:1662

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

IL-2 and HIV: Two Definitive Studies Published

• October 14, 2009
• Rajesh T. Gandhi, MD

Although interleukin-2 raises CD4-cell counts in HIV-infected patients, it does not improve clinical outcomes.

• Reviewing:
• The INSIGHT–ESPRIT Study Group and SILCAAT Scientific Committee., N Engl J Med 2009 Oct 15; 361:1548

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

GM-CSF Reverses Sepsis-Induced Immunosuppression

• October 14, 2009
• Neil M. Ampel, MD

In a small cohort, 8 days of GM-CSF led to a significant increase in monocyte HLA-DR expression and some improvement in clinical parameters.

• Reviewing:
• Meisel C et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009 Oct 1; 180:640

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

2009 H1N1 Influenza in a Tour Group in ChinaFree

• October 14, 2009
• Mary E. Wilson, MD

Influenza developed in 30% of tour members who had talked with an H1N1-infected woman in the group but in none who had not.

• Reviewing:
• Han K et al., Emerg Infect Dis 2009 Oct; 15:1578

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Treatment of Mansonellosis: Disabling the Enabler

• October 7, 2009
• Larry M. Baddour, MD

Doxycycline was effective in treating Mansonella perstans infection in Mali.

• Reviewing:
• Coulibaly YI et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Oct 8; 361:1448 Hoerauf A., N Engl J Med 2009 Oct 8; 361:1502

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Blood Cultures — Still Useful in Neutropenic Fever

• October 7, 2009
• Thomas Glück, MD

Nine percent of blood cultures from patients with high-risk neutropenic fever grew pathogens; in half of such episodes, the culture results prompted treatment modification.

• Reviewing:
• Hummel M et al., Scand J Infect Dis 2009 ; 41:650

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

CAP Treatment Recommendations: Guided in the Right Direction

• October 7, 2009
• Larry M. Baddour, MD

Results of two large cohort studies indicate that adherence to guidelines for treating community-acquired pneumonia is a good thing.

• Reviewing:
• Arnold FW et al., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1515 McCabe C et al., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1525 Sharpe BA., Arch Intern Med 2009 Sep 14; 169:1462

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Pneumonia Severity and Bacterial LoadFree

• October 7, 2009
• Thomas Glück, MD

In patients with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia, high bacterial load at admission was associated with need for mechanical ventilation, development of shock, and in-hospital death.

• Reviewing:
• Rello J et al., Chest 2009 Sep; 136:832

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Bacteremia in Children with Sickle Cell AnemiaFree

• September 30, 2009
• Mary E. Wilson, MD

Streptococcus pneumoniae, Salmonella species, and Haemophilus influenzae commonly cause bacteremia in Kenyan children with sickle cell anemia.

• Reviewing:
• Williams TN et al., Lancet 2009 Sep 10 Hankins J and Ware RE., Lancet 2009 Sep 10

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

E. coli from Bambi?

• September 30, 2009
• Robert S. Baltimore, MD

Although E. coli O157:H7–related diarrhea is often associated with cattle, a recent outbreak in Missouri was traced to deer sausage.

• Reviewing:
• Ahn CK et al., J Pediatr 2009 Oct; 155:587