Infectious Disease
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Dulaglutide Injection (Trulicity™)
The FDA has approved a third long-acting, once-weekly, glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, joining exenetide ER and albiglutide. Dulaglutide is made up of two identical human-based GLP-1 analogs linked to a modified human IgG4 Fc fragment. This makes the molecule resistant to degradation by DPP-4, slows absorption, reduces renal clearance, and extends the elimination half-life to approximately 5 days. Dulaglutide is marketed by Eli Lilly as Trulicity.
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Angiotensin Receptor Blockers for Hypertension
Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are often used as first-line therapy for the treatment of systemic hypertension because of their perceived efficacy and relatively low incidence of adverse effects.
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Colchicine for Recurrent Pericarditis
Although colchicine has been shown to be effective for the treatment of acute pericarditis and first recurrences, little information exists about its use in patients with multiple recurrences.
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Infectious Disease Alert Updates
HPV on that Ultrasound Probe? and Saving Elephants from Herpesviruses
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Squirrels as the Source of a New Viral Cause of Encephalitis
Evidence indicates that a newly discovered bornavirus caused infection in squirrels and was transmitted from them to three humans who developed encephalitis and died.
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Decreasing Cross-Transmission of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae
A bundled infection control intervention was shown to decrease cross-colonization, prevalence, and bloodstream infection of Klebsiella pneumonia carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in long-term acute care hospitals, which may have far-reaching effects into the ICU.
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When Profiling Is a Good Thing: Distinguishing Bacterial from Viral Infection
Transcriptional analysis outperformed serum procalcitonin in distinguishing viral from bacterial infections.
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Does Bacteremia Associated with Bone and Joint Infections Require Prolonged IV Antibiotic Therapy?
Two hundred sixty-five children with culture-proven acute bone or joint infections were studied. All patients received 2-4 days of IV antibiotics followed by PO antibiotics. Clinical outcomes and resolution of inflammatory biomarkers were the same whether the patient had positive blood cultures or not on admission.
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BCG — Back to the Future?
In a population-based study, neonatal vaccination with bacille Calmette-Guérin significantly reduced rates of hospitalization for non-tuberculous respiratory infection and sepsis. BCG vaccine might provide significant protection through nonspecific immune enhancement.
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Polio — New Strategies as We Get Close to Eradication
The switch to a bivalent live attenuated oral polio vaccine by elimination of serotype 2 will be coordinated with the use of trivalent inactivated vaccine. The goal is to eliminate outbreaks of polio due to vaccine serotype 2, the major cause of such events.