Infectious Disease
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Malaria: Getting Better, but Still a Long Way To Go
While significant progress has been made in the control of malaria, the number of cases remains huge — an estimated 198 million cases and 584,000 deaths in 2013.
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Antibiotic Therapy for Pediatric Parapneumonic Empyema
In a retrospective review of 391 children with parapneumonic empyema, the safety and effectiveness of oral antibiotic therapy was comparable to outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy for antibiotic management following hospitalization.
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Encephalitis from Chikungunya Virus: An Increasingly Recognized Syndrome
A retrospective cohort study of a major chikungunya virus outbreak found a significant incidence of central nervous system disease, with patients < 1 year of age and > 65 years of age at most risk for chikungunya virus-associated encephalitis.
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Differences Between Older and Younger Adults with Viral Respiratory Infections
A prospective study of acute respiratory illness was conducted between 2009 and 2013. Coronavirus and rhinovirus/enterovirus were the most common viral pathogens. Among patients older than age 60 with chronic lung and heart disease (vs healthy adults 18-40 years old), dyspnea, more prolonged illness, and treatment with prednisone and antibiotics were more commonly seen. Myalgia was more common in younger patients.
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Azithromycin to Prevent Asthma Exacerbations?
Azithromycin helped prevent progression from upper airway infection to wheezing in a select group of preschool-age children. Further studies are needed before considering widespread use of azithromycin for young children with “colds.”
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Hospital-acquired Infections and Other Hospital-acquired Conditions — How Are We Doing?
There was a large decrease in the number of total hospital-acquired conditions from 2010-2014, but with no improvement from 2013-2014. While there were decreases in hospital-acquired infections, much further improvement is needed.
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Clinical Briefs
In this section: no payoff to physical therapy after healed ankle fracture; bisphosphonates and bone recurrence; and manipulating the microbiome.
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No More Bacon? Carcinogenicity of Meat
A review of published research by the World Health Organization concludes that processed meats are probably carcinogenic.
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Naloxone Nasal Spray (Narcan)
The FDA has approved naloxone in the form of a nasal spray as a life-saving medication to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
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Nicotinamide Chemoprevention for Skin Cancer Is Impressive
In a Phase III, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, oral nicotinamide was safe and effective in reducing the rates of new nonmelanoma skin cancers and actinic keratoses in high-risk patients.