From the Editor:

New on Medscape ID -- Possible Meningitis Risk With Cochlear Implants

The FDA says there may be an association between cochlear implants and bacterial meningitis. Read the story at the top of the news section for more details. Next week, we'll publish a follow-up expert interview on recognizing, treating, and preventing bacterial meningitis.

Also on the ID site this week is an update on how human West Nile encephalitis cases have now been recognized in Texas, Oklahoma and North Dakota. The reports from the CDC are summarized in 2 news stories.

Look below for links to these and many other reports of interest. And as always, send your comments, questions, and suggestions to me at harry_goldhagen@webmd.net (if your concern is technical, please contact our customer support staff at customersupport@webmd.net).

Harry Goldhagen,
Editor, Medscape ID

 

NEW FEATURES THIS WEEK

MEDSCAPE ORIGINAL ARTICLES
ENHANCING ADHERENCE TO ANTIRETROVIRALS: STRATEGIES AND REGIMENS
Valerie Stone, MD, MPH, reviews available evidence regarding approaches to maximizing patient adherence to HAART.
Medscape HIV/AIDS eJournal 8(4) 2002


MMWR
PERTUSSIS DEATHS - UNITED STATES, 2000
All 17 deaths occurred among infants born in the US, with onset of symptoms at <4 months.
MMWR 51(28) 2002


HEPATITIS B VACCINATION AMONG HIGH-RISK ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS - SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, 1998-2001
High rates can be achieved by integrating HBV vaccination into routine preventive health-care services.
MMWR 51(28) 2002


PUBLIC HEALTH DISPATCH: POLIOMYELITIS - MADAGASCAR, 2002
Surveillance for AFP has detected 4 cases of paralytic poliomyelitis from which type-2 vaccine-derived virus was found.
MMWR 51(28) 2002


TETANUS - PUERTO RICO, 2002
During early 2002, the Puerto Rico Department of Health received reports of 3 tetanus cases, 2 fatal.
MMWR 51(28) 2002


WEEKLY UPDATE: WEST NILE VIRUS ACTIVITY - UNITED STATES, JULY 10-16, 2002
During the week of July 10th, 2 human cases were reported, both in Louisiana, bringing the total to 3.
MMWR 51(28) 2002


OTHER JOURNALS
USING E-MAIL TO INVESTIGATE OUTBREAKS
E-mail has previously been used to track persons who shared a common exposure but became ill in distant locations.
West J Med 176(3) 2002


VORICONAZOLE MAY PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE AND SAFER ALTERNATIVE TO AMPHOTERICIN B IN THE TREATMENT OF NEUTROPENIC PATIENTS AT RISK FOR FUNGAL INFECTIONS
Voriconazole may have the potential to alter preventive and treatment strategies for fungal infections.
Abstr Hematol Oncol 5(2) 2002


VORICONAZOLE COMPARED WITH LIPOSOMAL AMPHOTERICIN B FOR EMPIRICAL ANTIFUNGAL THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH NEUTROPENIA AND PERSISTENT FEVER
The safety and efficacy of voriconazole, a second-generation triazole, is compared with that of liposomal amphotericin B
Abstr Hematol Oncol 5(2) 2002


GRANULOMATOUS EPIDIDYMO-ORCHITIS RELATED TO BCG THERAPY
The development of a testicular mass long after BCG immunotherapy presents a diagnostic dilemma.
Infect Urol 15(2) 2002


COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS OF THE EPIDIDYMIS AND TESTICLE
A 63-year-old man has severe left epididymitis that is unresponsive to antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents.
Infect Urol 15(2) 2002


MR IMAGING OF AIDS IN THE BRAIN
Read about the appearance of AIDS in MR imaging of the brain.
Appl Imag, Applic in MRI 2(3) 2002
 

ROLE OF CORPECTOMY FOR MANAGING CERVICAL SPONDYLOSIS Surgical advances have expanded the role of corpectomy for managing cervical spondylosis. Review indications, techniques, complications, and outcomes in "Role of Corpectomy in Cervical Spondylosis," available in the Spine Surgery area of the Medscape Spine Disorders Resource Center at http://www.medscape.com/mp/rc/spine

 

NEWS

FDA WARNING
FDA WARNS OF POSSIBLE MENINGITIS RISK WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANTS
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday warned that it has become aware of a possible association between cochlear implants and the occurrence of bacterial meningitis.


WEST NILE ENCEPHALITIS
WEST NILE VIRUS CONTINUES TO SPREAD WESTWARD ACROSS US
In its weekly update, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that Texas, Oklahoma and North Dakota have reported their first-ever cases of West Nile virus.


TWO POSSIBLE WEST NILE CASES REPORTED IN TEXAS
Two men in the Houston area may be the first human cases of West Nile disease in Texas, officials said on Tuesday.


FOOD-BORNE DISEASE
CONAGRA TAINTED BEEF LINKED TO 26 ILLNESSES
The number of illnesses from contaminated beef produced by ConAgra Foods Inc. has risen to at least 26 people in 5 states, federal and state health officials said on Monday.


HUGE BEEF RECALL TO GET BIGGER, USDA SAYS
ConAgra Foods Inc., one of the nation's largest food makers, was expected to recall 18 million more pounds of ground beef due to potential contamination with Escherichia coli 0157, USDA sources said on Friday.


HEPATITIS
HEPATITIS E LINKED TO 3 DEATHS IN JAPAN
Three patients who died of acute hepatitis have been diagnosed as having hepatitis E infection unrelated to travel, according to researchers in Japan, who presented their results at the annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Hepatology.


AGE AT INFECTION INFLUENCES OUTCOME OF HEPATITIS C
In patients with transfusion-associated hepatitis C, age at infection influences the likelihood of progression to cirrhosis, according to Italian researchers.


WEIGHT LOSS IMPROVES LIVER ABNORMALITIES IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C
Steatosis and elevated liver enzyme levels are a common finding in patients with chronic hepatitis C. New study findings indicate that both of these abnormalities may be improved by weight loss.


PEDIATRIC INFECTIONS
NEW STRATEGIES FOR NEONATAL GROUP B STREP
Two articles and an editorial in the July 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine consider the status and future of screening and treatment for neonatal group B streptococcal disease.


STEROIDS NOT USEFUL FOR CHILDHOOD MENINGITIS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
In contrast to the experience in developed countries, steroid therapy does not improve the outcomes of children with bacterial meningitis in developing countries, according to a report published in the July 20th issue of The Lancet.


NEONATAL ERYTHROMYCIN USE INCREASES PYLORIC STENOSIS RISK EIGHTFOLD
Exposure to erythromycin between 3 and 13 days of life is associated with an eightfold risk of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis developing shortly thereafter, according to the results of a retrospective cohort study published in the July issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.


ANTI-SUBSTANCE P ANTIBODY REDUCES LUNG INFLAMMATION IN RSV INFECTION
Treatment with antibodies against substance P reduces the pulmonary inflammation associated with respiratory syncytial virus infection, investigators with the CDC report.


VACCINES & IMMUNIZATIONS
THREE CASES OF TETANUS REPORTED IN PUERTO RICO--TWO FATAL
Three men contracted tetanus in Puerto Rico and two died of the disease within a 4-month period this year, according to a new report released by the US CDC.


UN VACCINATES AFGHAN CHILDREN, POLIO CASES DOWN
A three-day polio vaccination campaign conducted by UNICEF ends in southeastern Afghanistan on Thursday with an estimated 1.23 million children treated, and the disease apparently in retreat.


ANTHRAX
SCREENING ASSAY IDENTIFIES INHIBITORS OF ANTHRAX TOXIN
Investigators in Italy have developed a high-throughput assay to screen compounds for inhibitors of Bacillus anthracis lethal factor, according to a brief communication in the July 25th issue of Nature.


STDS
INFECTION WITH HPV TYPE 16 LINKED TO HIGH RISK OF CERVICAL NEOPLASIA AND CANCER
Women with Pap smears positive for human papillomavirus type 16 are more than 100 times as likely as uninfected women to develop cervical neoplasia or cancer, according to a recent report.


INCREASING UK SYPHILIS RATES SPARK CALLS FOR SURVEILLANCE
The number of cases of syphilis in England has doubled in recent years, heightening the need for better regional and national surveillance systems, public health experts said on Friday.


CJD/BSE
ANALGESIC APPEARS TO SLOW COGNITIVE DECLINE IN CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE
Flupirtine, an triaminopyridine used in Europe for pain control, seems to slow dementia progression in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, based on results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial presented here during the 8th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders.


SOUTH AFRICAN MAN DIES FROM CJD AFTER BRAIN OPERATION
A 27-year-old South African man died on Tuesday after he contracted classic CJD following a brain operation to graft human tissue, clinic officials said.


FUNGAL & PARASITIC INFECTIONS
RAPID CANDIDIASIS TEST SHOWS PROMISE IN EARLY TRIAL
Perth, Australia's Rockeby Biomed has completed pilot trials in France, Spain and Singapore of its rapid diagnostic test for candidiasis.


ONCHOCERCIASIS BETTER CONTROLLED WITH MORE FREQUENT IVERMECTIN DOSING
Increasing the treatment frequency of ivermectin from annually to four times a year increases the killing and reduces the fertility of female Onchocerca volvulus, leading to a reduction in the body load of microfilariae.


HIV/AIDS
SOUTH AFRICA HEALTH MINISTER SLAMS GLOBAL AIDS FUND
South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has slammed the Global Fund for Aids for its donor policies, drawing a fresh barrage of criticism over her government's handling of HIV/AIDS.


EARLY HAART TIED TO IMPROVED OUTCOMES IN ASYMPTOMATIC HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS
In asymptomatic HIV-infected patients with CD4+ cell counts >350 cells/mL, disease progression is significantly delayed when highly active antiretroviral therapy is initiated early rather than deferred for a year, according to a recent report.


CYANOVIRIN-EXPRESSING BACTERIUM ENSNARES HIV-1, POINTS TO POTENTIAL MICROBICIDE
A recombinant version of the commensal bacterium Streptococcus gordonii, modified to express the microbicidal protein cyanovirin-N, can capture HIV virions, according to researchers in Italy and the US.


PACLITAXEL EFFECTIVE FOR ADVANCED AIDS-RELATED KAPOSI SARCOMA
Paclitaxel is an effective treatment for most patients with advanced AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma who have failed previous systemic chemotherapy, according to the results of a phase II study published in the July 1st issue of Cancer.


HIV-1 HYPERIMMUNE GLOBLULIN MAY LOWER MOTHER-TO-CHILD HIV TRANSMISSION RATES
HIVIGLOB, an HIV-1 hyperimmune globulin produced in Uganda, appears safe and may prevent vertical transmission of HIV infection, according to a report in the July 5th issue of AIDS.


TWO CASES OF HIV TRANSMISSION FROM DONOR BLOOD REPORTED IN FLORIDA
Two patients in Florida have contracted HIV after receiving blood products from an HIV-infected individual who donated blood in the 'window' before tests can pick up signs of the virus.


OTHER ID NEWS
IMMUNOGLOBULIN THERAPY REDUCES PNEUMONIA INCIDENCE IN CVID PATIENTS
Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) reduces the incidence of pneumonia in patients with common variable immunodeficiency, according to a recent report.


BRITAIN TO TREAT TRANSFUSION PLASMA WITH METHYLENE BLUE
A new process to ensure the safety of transfusion plasma is being introduced in Britain, but only young children will benefit initially, the Department of Health said on Wednesday.


UN SETS DRIVE TO AVERT FAMINE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
Widespread food shortages and rampant AIDS have put nearly 13 million southern Africans 'on the very edge of survival,' the United Nations said on Thursday, appealing for an urgent $611 million in aid.



 

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