Infectious Disease Alert – April 15, 2003
April 15, 2003
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Adefovir Dipivoxil Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis Due to HBV Infection
Adefovir dipivoxil, 10 mg p.o. daily, is safe and effective in the treatment of chronic hepatitis due to HBV, regardless of the presence or absence of HBeAg, and it did not select resistant mutants after 48 weeks of administration. -
More Help with Sepsis from Biologics
rhIL-11 given orally to neutropenic rats experimentally infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa appears to preserve the integrity of gut epithelia while resulting in fewer pathologic changes, lower levels of endotoxin and numbers of bacteria in the tissues, and longer survival. Recombinant human interleukin 11 (rhIL-11) administration was associated with a reduction in a variety of infectious complications, including bacterium due to Gram-negative bacilli originating from the gut among patients given intensive chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies. -
Avian Influenza Redux
Avian influenza virus has reemerged in Hong Kong and, independently, in The Netherlands, where it has caused conjunctivitis in poultry workers. -
Tips on TIPS Infections
Infection of transjugular intrahepatic shunt devices is caused by a variety of bacteria, mostly of gastrointestinal origin. Inability to remove the device without hepatic transplantation makes management of the infection difficult. -
Reducing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Rates Through Staff Education
A focused-education program was associated with a dramatic reduction in the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. -
Rift in the Arabian Peninsula
The first outbreak of rift valley fever outside of Africa was associated with a high frequency of severe hepatic involvement and acute renal failure. -
Updates
Chloramphenicol-Tainted Honey; Problems with Britains Pet Scheme