September 1, 2004
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Penicillin vs Cephalosporin for Strep Throat — Which Is Better?
Bacteriologic and clinical failures in adults with Streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis are twice as likely with oral penicillin therapy as with cephalosporin treatment. But, what is the significance of this finding? -
Time to Get Cereus!
A patient with a disease resembling anthrax led to the identification of anthrax-like virulence factors in an isolate of Bacillus cereus. -
Blood Cultures 2004
Cockerill and colleagues examined the effects of the volume of blood, the number of consecutive blood culture specimens, and the incubation time on the recovery of pathogens from 37,568 blood cultures obtained from adults. The study was performed at the Rochester, MN Mayo Clinic from 1996 to 1997, and used the automated BACTEC 9240 instrument. -
Pneumococcal Pneumonia — Bring Back the Microbiology Laboratory!
Musher and colleagues in Houston examined the usefulness of examination of Gram-stained sputum specimens and of sputum culture for the diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. They included all 105 patients with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia seen over 6 years at their VA hospital, and examined the results of the first sputum specimen submitted to the laboratory. -
Telithromycin Tablets (Ketek)
The FDA has approved Telithromycin, the first Ketolide antibiotic. Ketolides are semisynthetic derivatives of the macrolide erythromycin that have activity against a wide spectrum of respiratory bacterial pathogens including multi-drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. Telithromycin, which is a once-a-day oral tablet, is marketed by Aventis as Ketek. -
Prevention of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is nosocomial pneumonia occurring in a mechanically ventilated patient > 48 hours after intubation. It is categorized as early-onset (defined by most experts as 48-96 hours after intubation) and late-onset (> 2-96 hours after intubation): these differ with respect to responsible bacterial agents as well as outcomes. -
Correction
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Updates by Carol A. Kemper
Bed Bugs Are Back; Can You Guess the Pathogen?; If It Was a Bear, It Would Have; More Bites. -
Pharmacology Watch: New Clinical Guidelines on Cholesterol Management
Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy; Anti-Depressants and the Risk of Suicide; FDA Actions; Brief Notes. -
Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement