Infectious Disease
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Zika Questions Abound, but Standard Precautions Will Stop it
The Zika virus outbreak spreading through the Americas is raising a host of questions for U.S. infection preventionists, who are trying to keep staff informed on the unfolding public health aspects while emphasizing that standard precautions and safe injection practices will prevent transmission in healthcare settings.
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Oral Fluconazole During Pregnancy Increases Risk for Spontaneous Abortion
A nationwide cohort study from Denmark found a significantly increased risk of spontaneous abortion associated with oral fluconazole usage. Caution with this medication during pregnancy is advised.
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Human Paraechovirus Encephalitis in Children
Human paraechovirus (HPeV) causes encephalitis and is more common in very young or premature female infants. Affected children commonly present with seizures. Diffusion restriction on MRI in the absence of CSF pleocytosis is seen. Neurodevelopmental sequelae are common after long-term follow up.
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Zika!
Zika virus infection has prompted international emergency responses due to its rapid spread in the Americas and its potential to alter brain development in pre-born children. Even as research progresses, prevention of infection depends on avoiding bites from Aedes mosquitoes.
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Clinical Briefs
In this section: another reason to take vitamin D supplements; polishing physical exam skills; and comparing the relationship between uric acid, fructose, and hypertension.
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Elbasvir and Grazoprevir Tablets (Zepatier)
The FDA has approved another oral interferon-free regimen for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) genotypes 1 and 4.
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Should Postmenopausal Women Be Encouraged to Take Calcium?
A systematic review of randomized, controlled trials of calcium supplementation found only small non-progressive increases in bone mineral density. This supports the clinical conclusion that supplementation alone is insufficient to prevent fracture risk.
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Association of Coffee Consumption with Total and Cause-specific Mortality
Regular consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were found to be inversely associated with risk of total mortality and mortality attributed to cardiovascular disease and neurologic diseases.
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High Blood Pressure: How Low Should We Go? SPRINT and a New Meta-analysis
A recent meta-analysis supports the benefit of targeting lower blood pressure levels.
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ECG Review: What Has Happened in 8 Minutes?
The ECG in the figure illustrates how rapidly ST-T wave changes may develop during active stages of acute ST elevation myocardial infarction. In this case, no more than 8 minutes was necessary for the ECG to evolve from a minimally abnormal tracing to the dramatic picture of diffuse ST-T wave changes.