Infectious Disease Alert – October 1, 2015
October 1, 2015
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Procalcitonin and Differentiating Bacterial from Viral Meningitis
ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY: A meta-analysis found an elevated serum procalcitonin to be an accurate test. Details inside.
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Chagas — Multifaceted Approach Needed
Prolonged recurrent exposure to Trypanosoma cruzi leads to an increased risk of inflammatory cardiomyopathy, but to decreased congenital transmission of T. cruzi. As housing and vector control improve, concurrent attention to early treatment is needed in order to reduce both cardiomyopathy and congenital infection.
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Intestinal Fibrosis and Immune Reconstitution in Patients with HIV Infection
Duodenal biopsies in patients naïve to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) underwent tissue staining and were examined. Intestinal myofibroblast activation was correlated with intestinal fibrotic changes and poor immune reconstitution following cART.
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Clostridium difficile Infection — Back to the Future
This study provides strong evidence that the diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection (as opposed to colonization) should be made on the basis of evidence of toxin production, not the mere presence of the organism as detected by glutamate dehydrogenase testing or the presence of toxin genes.
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Treatment of Vertebral Osteomyelitis: A Brief Narrative Summary of the New IDSA Recommendations
A new IDSA guideline has recommendations providing best expert advice on management of native vertebral osteomyelitis.
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Arboviral Infections in the United States — Not Just West Nile
West Nile virus accounted for 95% of arbovirus infections in 2013 reported to CDC, with the majority causing neuroinvasive disease.
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Infectious Disease Alert Updates
Coccidioidomycosis: Is the “Zone” Growing?
Cocci as a Cause of Marine Mammal Mortality
Initial and Much Too Subtle Ebola Virus Infection