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Nitazoxanide (Alinia) is a broad spectrum antiparasitic agent, previously approved for use as an oral suspension for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in children. It has now received FDA approval as a 500 tablet for the treatment of giardiasis in adolescents and adults.
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Caspofungin and flucytosine were the active antifungals against C. glabrata, while fluconazole was least active. Isolates with high level resistance to fluconazole demonstrated reduced susceptibility to voriconazole.
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Host factors are the major determinants of the outcomes of C. meningosepticum infections. Lin and colleagues describe 9 adults (40-82 years of age) and 2 children (0.5 and 1.5 years of age) seen at 2 hospitals in Taiwan from 2001 to 2002 with bacteremia due to Chrysobacterium meningosepticum. Six of the infections were community acquired.
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The Binax NOW chromatographic assay was found to be the optimal method for detection of RSV in upper respiratory secretions of children, while DFA testing was optimal in adults.
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Hepatitis C infection is usually asymptomatic, but with insidious progression. This paper from Poland features the outcomes of a series of patients with acute hepatitis C in order to determine the resolution or progression of disease.
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Isolated pulmonic valve endocarditis is the topic of an interesting article from the Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Hamza and colleagues reported 3 of their own cases, involving men ages 47, 64, and 76, none of whom were intravenous drug addicts (IVDA). In 2 of the patients, Enterococcus faecalis was the causative pathogen, and in the other patient, a coagulase-negative staphylococcus was the pathogen.
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Rifaximin (Xifaxan) has rreceived US FDA approval on May 25, 2004, for the treatment of travelers diarrhea caused by enteropathogenic (non-invasive) Eschericiha coli in individuals at least 12 years of age. Rifaximin is a rifamycin that is poorly absorbed (< 0.4%) from the gastrointestinal tract, and thus achieves very high concentrations in the feces.
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Erythromycin use is associated with a 2-fold increased risk of sudden cardiac death and a 5-fold increase in those who concurrently receive other medications that significantly inhibit its metabolism by CYP3A4.
