MEDSCAPE's Infectious Diseases MedPulse 11-30-01

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>>> MEDSCAPE's Infectious Diseases MedPulse(R) <<<

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Announcing Evaluating the Future of Antiretroviral Therapy, Inside and

Out, USA. 16 December 2001

Get the latest information and register now for the CME certified

Satellite Symposium chaired by Michael Saag, MD, Sunday 16 December,

2001, 20.15 - 22.15 at the McCormick Place, Room E451, while attending

the 41st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and

Chemotherapy (ICAAC) Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from

Roche and Trimeris Pharmaceuticals. http://InsandOutsofHIV.com

________________________________________________________

Emerging Trends in CMV Infection from HAART to Heart

Sunday, December 16, 2001, 6:30 - 9:00 am,

supported by Roche Pharmaceuticals, at the Chicago

Marriott Downtown, at the 41st Interscience Conference

on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC)

For program description and registration, go to

http://www.cmv.icclink.com/register.html

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MedPulse is a weekly index of key news and features on Medscape's

specialty sites compiled by Medscape's Editors.

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___________________ NEW FEATURE ARTICLES THIS WEEK ____________________

-- MEDSCAPE ORIGINAL ARTICLES --

JOURNAL SCAN - INFECTIOUS DISEASES 4(11)

David Haburchak, MD, summarizes and comments on important new publications,

including:

- Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella From Ground Meat

- Maternal Antibody and GBS Ia

- Role of Candida in Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea

- Atovaquone-Proguanil vs Mefloquine for Malaria Prophylaxis

http://id.medscape.com/45540.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

IDSA CONFERENCE REPORT - STD UPDATE: HERPES, HERPES, AND MORE HERPES: STD

HIGHLIGHTS FROM IDSA 2001

Is herpes a major underlying risk factor for HIV acquisition? Hunter

Handsfield, MD, reviews the latest in STD research from the recent IDSA

annual meeting.

Medscape Infectious Diseases, 2001

http://id.medscape.com/45567.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

ANTHRAX BIOTERRORISM: THE ROLE OF THE PHARMACIST

As we enter influenza season, pharmacists will be asked to differentiate

between the flu and anthrax, as well as between cutaneous anthrax and

herpes zoster or even common skin blisters.

http://www.medscape.com/45568.rhtml

IDSA CONFERENCE REPORT - DEVELOPING AN HIV/AIDS THERAPEUTIC AGENDA FOR RESOURCE-LIMITED COUNTRIES

A conference convened by the IDSA concluded that therapeutic research in

resource-limited countries requires a unique paradigm, with emphasis placed

on sustainable interventions and ethical conduct of the research.

Medscape HIV/AIDS 7(6), 2001

http://id.medscape.com/45576.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

CASE REPORT - SLOWLY ENLARGING MASS OF THE DORSAL RIGHT HAND IN A PREGNANT WOMAN

How would you diagnose a pregnant woman with a home aquarium and an

asymptomatic, erythematous mass on the back of her right hand?

MedGenMed, November 30, 2001

http://id.medscape.com/45617.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

INFECTIOUS DISEASE CME CIRCLE - OPTIMIZING PATIENT MANAGEMENT IN THE ICU: FOCUS ON ANEMIA, ARDS, AND SYSTEMIC FUNGAL INFECTIONS

Anemia, ARDS, and systemic fungal infections severely compromise critically

ill patients. This CME program provides insights into the diagnosis,

treatment strategies, and patient management issues.

Institute for Continuing Medical Education

http://id.medscape.com/45463.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- MMWR --

NOTICE TO READERS: UNEXPLAINED DEATHS FOLLOWING KNEE SURGERY --- MINNESOTA, NOVEMBER 2001

All three patients became ill 1-4 days following surgery. Symptoms included

severe abdominal pain and a sudden decline in blood pressure followed by a

fulminant course with death within 24 hours of symptom onset, consistent

with septic or cardiogenic shock.

MMWR 50(46):1035-1036, 2001. Centers for Disease Control

http://id.medscape.com/45547.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

IMPORTED WILD POLIOVIRUS CAUSING POLIOMYELITIS --- BULGARIA, 2001

In March 2001, a 13-month-old unvaccinated gypsy girl from Bourgas,

Bulgaria, had onset of bilateral leg weakness.

MMWR 50(46):1033-1035, 2001. Centers for Disease Control

http://www.medscape.com/45465.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

SURVEILLANCE OF MORTALITY DURING A REFUGEE CRISIS --- GUINEA, JANUARY--MAY 2001

Accurate methods are needed to estimate population size in complex

emergencies to provide resources to vulnerable groups.

MMWR 50(46):1029-1032, 2001. Centers for Disease Control

http://www.medscape.com/45464.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES --

POTENTIAL INFECTIOUS ETIOLOGIES OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS: A MULTIFACTORIAL

PERSPECTIVE

Coronary heart disease contributes substantially to illness and death

worldwide.

Emerging Infectious Diseases 7(5), 2001

http://id.medscape.com/45562.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- OTHER JOURNALS --

PEDIATRIC SINUSITIS: WHEN IT'S NOT JUST A COLD

About 5% to 10% of viral upper respiratory tract infections progress to

bacterial sinusitis.

Clinician Reviews 11(10):52-59, 2001

http://id.medscape.com/45552.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

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___________________________________ NEWS ______________________________

-- ANTHRAX --

CT SCANS NAIL DOWN INHALATION ANTHRAX DIAGNOSIS

Computed tomography is a fast and easy way to confirm a diagnosis in

patients with suspected inhalation anthrax, according to Dr. James Earls,

radiologist at INOVA Fairfax Hospital, Fairfax, Virginia.

http://id.medscape.com/45582.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

POSTAL WORKERS REPORT HIGH RATE OF ADVERSE EVENTS FROM ANTHRAX PROPHYLAXIS

Confirming the experience of more than 1000 Florida media company employees

treated last month, many postal workers using antimicrobial prophylaxis for

anthrax are reporting adverse reactions.

http://id.medscape.com/45641.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- SMALLPOX --

CDC'S RESPONSE PLAN FOR A SMALLPOX EMERGENCY EXCLUDES MASS VACCINATION

The CDC on Monday released its 'Interim Smallpox Response Plan and

Guidelines.' The plan does not call for mass vaccination in advance of a

smallpox outbreak, because the risks associated with vaccination are deemed

to outweigh the risks of exposure to the variola virus.

http://id.medscape.com/45493.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

HHS AWARDS ACAMBIS $428 MILLION CONTRACT FOR SMALLPOX VACCINE

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Wednesday awarded a

$428 million contract to Acambis Inc. of Cambridge, Massachusetts to supply

the agency with 155 million doses of smallpox vaccine by the end of 2002.

http://id.medscape.com/45598.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

US SEEKS 500 MILLION DOSES OF SMALLPOX VACCINE

US health officials have sought a price quote from drugmakers for up to 500

million doses of smallpox vaccine, twice the number the United States was

believed to be seeking, USA Today reported on Wednesday.

http://id.medscape.com/45607.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

US AGENCIES SEEK $3 BILLION MORE TO COMBAT BIOTERRORISM

Top US health officials on Thursday asked for about $3 billion in immediate

emergency funds to combat bioterrorism, saying it could cost up to $700

million to implement a smallpox vaccine program, above and beyond the cost

of the vaccine.

http://id.medscape.com/45646.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- IMMUNIZATION --

CDC REMINDER: VARICELLA, MMR VACCINES SHOULD BE GIVEN AT LEAST 30 DAYS APART

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has affirmed its

recommendation that physicians should either administer varicella vaccine

simultaneously with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine or wait at

least 30 days if the vaccines are administered separately.

http://id.medscape.com/45651.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

IMMUNIZATION INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS MORE SUPPORT, LAWMAKERS HEAR

Public health authorities at all levels of government need more resources

to protect America's tenuous vaccine supply system, experts told lawmakers

Tuesday.

http://id.medscape.com/45521.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

WYETH SAYS READY TO MAKE PREVENAR VACCINE WIDELY AVAILABLE IN UK

American Home Products' pharmaceutical arm Wyeth said on Wednesday that an

important cause of childhood death and disability in the UK could be

largely avoided if its Prevenar vaccine was given routinely to all infants.

http://id.medscape.com/45600.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

ANTIMICROBIAL IMMUNIZATION TIED TO T-CELL EFFECTOR RESPONSE

Murine studies indicate that although vaccination using killed bacteria

prompts activation of central memory T cells, it does not activate effector

cells.

http://id.medscape.com/45514.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- FUNGAL INFECTIONS --

PCR TESTING FOR FUNGEMIA IN NEUTROPENIC CANCER PATIENTS REDUCES MORTALITY

Testing febrile patients with neutropenia and cancer for fungal infection

using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allows early institution of

appropriate antifungal therapy, investigators in Taiwan report.

http://id.medscape.com/45448.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- HELICOBACTER PYLORI --

H. PYLORI MAY INCREASE LARYNGEAL CANCER RISK

Infection with Helicobacter pylori may increase the risk of developing

larynx cancer, researchers from Turkey report.

http://id.medscape.com/45457.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- LEISHMANIASIS --

DRUG-RESISTANT VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS ON THE RISE IN INDIA

Resistance of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) to commonly used drugs is

on the rise in India, which is home to nearly 90% of the cases occurring in

the world.

http://id.medscape.com/45480.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- STDs --

US SYPHILIS RATE HIT ALL-TIME LOW IN 2000

The overall syphilis rate in the United States reached an all-time low in

2000, according to findings released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention at a public health meeting in Dallas.

http://id.medscape.com/45594.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS IN BRITAIN DOUBLE IN 5 YEARS

The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) renewed warnings on Friday of

worsening sexual health in Britain.

http://id.medscape.com/45640.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- TULAREMIA --

LAWN MOWING IMPLICATED AS RISK FACTOR IN TULAREMIA OUTBREAK

Lawn mowing and brush cutting appear to have been risk factors for the

outbreak of primary pneumonic tularemia that occurred on Martha's Vineyard,

Massachusetts, in the summer of 2000.

http://id.medscape.com/45595.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

-- OTHER ID NEWS --

FDA APPROVES MERCK'S ONCE-A-DAY BETA-LACTAM ANTIBIOTIC

Merck & Company Inc. said on Thursday that the US Food and Drug

Administration has approved Invanz (ertapenem sodium), its structurally

unique, once-a-day, injectable beta-lactam antibiotic.

http://id.medscape.com/45656.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

SINGLE-MOLECULE IMAGING SHOWS VIRAL INFECTION PATHWAY OF LIVE CELLS

Real-time, single-molecule imaging has allowed German researchers to

visualize for the first time the infection pathway of single virus

particles in living cells.

http://id.medscape.com/45658.rhtml?srcmp=id-113001

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