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Clinical Times: Infections & Immunology

All entries for Infections & Immunology

Warning over contamination of heroin with anthrax spores

10 March 2010

Contamination of heroin with anthrax spores in Scotland has led to an outbreak of anthrax infection in heroin users and has resulted in several deaths, senior doctors there have warned. The doctors described the case of a drug user who... Read more

Superbug prevalent in ED patients

03 March 2010

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been found to be a significant pathogen of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) in patients presenting to an emergency department (ED) of a Canadian teaching centre. A prospective observational study was conducted by researchers... Read more

Defeatism undermines treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome

24 February 2010

An air of defeatism exists within the medical profession about chronic fatigue syndrome that is undermining evidence that it can be treated, according to leading doctors in the field. The recent acquittal in Britain of Kay Gilderdale, who had been... Read more

Antibiotic doses should be adjusted for bodyweight

27 January 2010

Doses of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents should take into account the patient’s bodyweight, to maximise their potential effectiveness, according to leading Greek researchers. “For most widely used antimicrobial agents, dosing recommendations in adults do not take into account adjustment... Read more

Discouraging flowers from hospitals not cut and dried

27 January 2010

Researchers in Britain have questioned the recent decisions by some hospitals there to ban flowers. Researchers from Imperial College London surveyed the literature and talked to patients and staff at the Royal Brompton Hospital and the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital... Read more

HPV vaccine offers sustained protection

13 January 2010

The Cervarix human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline offers sustained protection beyond six years from infection against the types of HPV most commonly associated with cervical cancer (HPV-16 and HPV-18). According to background information supplied by the study’s authors,... Read more

Reduction in infection risk with POP patients

13 January 2010

Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be used in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with post-operative peritonitis (POP) who have received antimicrobial therapy in the three months prior to hospitalisation, new research has suggested. The team from Rennes, France also said such treatment... Read more

New guidelines reduce antibiotic use

07 January 2010

The use of guidelines for treatment of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) such as bronchitis and pneumonia determined by measurements of procalcitonin (PCT) resulted in lower rates of antibiotic use and associated adverse effects, and similar rates of adverse outcomes... Read more

Three-day course of antibiotics as effective after tonsillectomy

05 January 2010

Children who receive a three-day course of antibiotics following tonsillectomy rather than a seven-day course appear to have no differences in pain or how quickly they return to a normal diet and activity level, according to a new report. The... Read more

Critical illness from H1N1 linked to high fatality rate in Mexico

16 December 2009

Critical illness from 2009 influenza A(H1N1) in Mexico had a fatality rate of about 40 per cent, according to a new study. Novel 2009 influenza A(H1N1) was first reported in the south-western United States and Mexico in March of 2009.... Read more

Penicillin use during pregnancy not linked to birth defects

16 December 2009

Penicillin and several other antibacterial medications commonly taken by pregnant women do not appear to be associated with many birth defects, according to a new report. However, the same report found that other antibiotics, such as sulfonamides and nitrofurantoins, may... Read more

Criteria changed for flu pandemic

16 December 2009

More flu viruses could qualify as pandemic strains as a result of recent changes to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for a flu pandemic, according to a leading expert. Under criteria introduced by the WHO in 2005, the appearance... Read more

Benefit from oxygenating system for H1N1 patients

16 December 2009

Despite the severity of disease and the intensity of treatment, most patients in Australia and New Zealand who experienced respiratory failure as a result of 2009 influenza A(H1N1) and were treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) survived the disease, according... Read more

Hygiene should be priority in pandemic plans

09 December 2009

Hygiene and physical measures, such as handwashing, wearing masks and isolating potentially infected patients, are highly effective in preventing the spread of viral infections and should be given higher priority in national pandemic preparation plans, according to researchers. Those recommendations... Read more

Seasonal vaccine offers some protection against swine flu

09 December 2009

The 2008-2009 seasonal flu vaccine, the trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV), provides some protection against swine flu, particularly the most severe forms of the disease, according to new preliminary research. Despite such findings, the study’s authors emphasised that the results should... Read more

Shortage of paediatric ICU beds in case of H1N1 resurge

09 December 2009

If a new UK study is any indication for Ireland, a resurgance in swine flu in the winter months could mean a shortage of intensive care beds for children. In the UK study, researchers at the University of Cambridge researchers... Read more

H1N1 critical illness study shows rapid onset and high death rate

09 December 2009

Critical illness among Canadian patients with 2009 influenza A(H1N1) occurred rapidly after hospital admission, often in young adults, and was associated with severely low levels of oxygen in the blood, multi-system organ failure, a need for prolonged mechanical ventilation, and... Read more

Infection is the leading cause of death in ICUs

02 December 2009

An international study that examined the extent of infections in nearly 1,300 intensive care units (ICUs) in 75 countries, including Ireland, found that about 50 per cent of the patients were considered infected, with infection associated with an increased risk... Read more

Common pathogens may have link to future stroke

02 December 2009

Cumulative exposure to five common infection-causing pathogens may be associated with an increased risk of stroke, according to a new report. The report followed a study of 1,625 adults whose average age was 68.4 years and who were living in... Read more

Pandemic costs studied

02 December 2009

If a new study from the UK is any indication, school closures and absence from work are likely to have more impact on the economy during a flu pandemic than the disease itself, regardless of its severity. In the study,... Read more

Free HPV vaccine in Austrialia dramatically reduces genital warts

04 November 2009

There has been a rapid and steep decline in new cases of genital warts in Australia since the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination became available, according to new research. The vaccine used in Australia is Gardasil, which targets HPV types 6,... Read more

HPV vaccination for boys will not be cost-effective - Harvard researchers

21 October 2009

Including boys in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes of pre-adolescent girls would not be cost-effective if there is high vaccine coverage and efficacy in girls, as it is likely that the costs of vaccinating boys will outweigh the added health... Read more

Staphylococcus aureus – the SA in MRSA

Dr Karina O'Connell, Dr Sarah Bergin and Prof Martin Cormican | 08 October 2009

Dr Karina O'Connell, Dr Sarah Bergin and Prof Martin Cormican from the Department of Microbiology in Galway University Hospitals on MRSA and how to deal with it... Read more

Herpes prevented by condom use

09 September 2009

Condom use is associated with a reduced risk of contracting herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2), according to a new report based on pooled analysis of data from previous studies. Doctors analysed data from six HSV-2 studies to assess the effectiveness... Read more

S. aureus and issues of infection control

27 August 2009

Dr Karina O'Connell, Dr Sarah Bergin and Prof Martin Cormican look at meticillin-resistant S. aureus and examine the pros and cons of screening, isolation and cohorting in infection control... Read more

Rabies: a new awareness in Ireland

Dr Jack Lambert | 17 July 2009

Dr Jack Lambert writes on the dangers of rabies — which is no longer endemic in Europe. However, global travel patterns mean that the disease always poses a threat. Rabies is one of the oldest zoonotic diseases affecting humans. It... Read more

Swine flu: travel restrictions 'unlikely'

BMJ Online | 18 May 2009

Given the widespread presence of the swine flu virus across many countries, containment is probably not feasible, and efforts need to focus increasingly on mitigation, according to a leading public health expert. Interestingly, almost all cases reported so far have... Read more

New immunisation programme provides more protection

Dr Mary O’Meara and Dr Brenda Corcoran | 12 May 2009

Dr Mary O'Meara and Dr Brenda Corcoran describe the changes to the primary childhood immunisation schedule. Significant changes to the primary childhood immunisation programme were implemented in 2008 following recommendations from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). This is an... Read more

Foreign adoptees may not be vaccinated despite record evidence

*Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine | 12 May 2009

Children adopted from countries such as Russia, China and Guatemala may not be protected against polio, measles or other diseases despite records indicating they have been immunized, according to a new report. The report followed a study by US doctors... Read more

Control and treatment of bed bugs challenging

JAMA | 15 April 2009

A review of previously published articles indicates there is little evidence supporting an effective treatment of bites from bed bugs, that these insects do not appear to transmit disease, and control and eradication of bed bugs is challenging. Bed bugs... Read more

Meeting hears of measures to address MRSA infections

17 February 2009

At the Second National MRSA Scientific Meeting of the National MRSA Reference Laboratory, delegates heard that despite the increasing prevalence of MRSA, therapies to treat it are limited. The ongoing challenges posed by MRSA was the theme of the Second... Read more

MRSA head and neck infections increase among children

Archives of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery | 30 January 2009

Rates of antibiotic-resistant head and neck infections increased in paediatric patients between 2001 and 2006, according to a new report from the United States. In the study, doctors reviewed data regarding paediatric head and neck infections that occurred at more... Read more

Making more prescription drugs available OTC won’t help patients

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin | 23 January 2009

Making certain prescription-only drugs for common problems available over the counter (OTC) have overwhelmingly been given the thumbs down by healthcare professionals, according to a new study. Some 251 doctors and pharmacists were asked about plans by the UK’s drugs... Read more

Vancomycin drives use of antibiotics

Archives of Internal Medicine | 14 January 2009

Antibacterial drug use has increased at academic medical centres between 2002 and 2006, driven by greater use of broad-spectrum agents and the antibiotic vancomycin, according to a new US report. The report followed a study that measured antibiotic use from... Read more

Acinetobacter baumannii increasing its profile as healthcare-linked infection

The Lancet | 13 January 2009

Acinetobacter baumannii (A baumannii) is dangerously increasing its profile as a healthcare-associated infection, according to leading Greek specialists. According to the specialists, resistance rates to some antibiotics are rising and multiple mechanisms of resistance constitute a growing public-health problem, especially... Read more

Just the right bullets: using viruses to treat disease

Laurence O'Dwyer | 09 January 2009

Laurence O'Dwyer writes that while gene therapy has enormous promise, it also involves complicated ethical questions. The concept of using gene therapy to treat diseases at their origin has long appealed to researchers and clinicians. With advances in the design... Read more

Hypersensitivity reactions to quadrivalent HPV vaccine are rare

BMJ Online | 16 December 2008

Hypersensitivity react-ions to the quadrivalent HPV vaccine (4vHPV, Gardasil) are uncommon and most schoolgirls can tolerate subsequent doses, a new study has found. In Australia, from April 2007, secondary schoolgirls received the 4vHPV vaccine as part of a national immunisation... Read more

Expert calls for more rational and scientific approach to AIDS

BMJ Online | 14 December 2008

The Secretariat of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has lost valuable ground by ignoring for years the contribution of long-term concurrent relationships to Africa’s AIDS epidemic, according to a leading expert. UNAIDS may be ‘contributing to the... Read more

People aged 65 or over are advised to get flu jab this winter

BMJ Online | 11 December 2008

Despite recent doubts about its effectiveness, the influenza vaccine does give valuable protection against illness, hospital admission and death caused by influenza, and people over 65 should have the flu jab this winter, according to leading experts. In light of... Read more

Vaccine linked to reduced illness and less impairment of academic performance

Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine | 11 December 2008

College students who are vaccinated against influenza appear less likely to develop flu-like illnesses, require related healthcare visits or experience impairments in academic performance during flu season, according to a new report. The report followed a study of 12,975 students... Read more

What's coming up in MIMS Ireland

25 November 2008

With World AIDS Day coming up on 1 December, the Clinical Special of December’s issue will present updated recommendations on antiretroviral treatment of adult HIV infection. These 2008 guidelines have been updated by the International AIDS Society-USA panel following new... Read more

Death after febrile seizures is very rare, even in high-risk children

The Lancet | 01 October 2008

The overall risk of death associated with febrile seizures remains extremely low, and parents should be reassured that death after febrile seizures is very rare, researchers have concluded. Those conclusions followed a study that analysed 1 ,675,643 children born in... Read more

No transplant failure for liver associated with age of donor

Archives of Surgery | 28 September 2008

Receiving a liver from a donor older than age 60 does not appear to be associated with transplant failure, death or recurrent disease in the next five years among transplant patients with the hepatitis C virus, according to a new... Read more

Highly active retrovirals decrease HIV death-rates

JAMA | 09 July 2008

Because of the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy, persons infected with HIV now appear to experience mortality rates similar to those of the general population in the first five years following infection, according to a new study. In the... Read more

New ways to treat ICU infections

Gary Culliton | 19 June 2008

Gary Culliton attended the 'Challenges in the Management of Critical Care Infection' meeting, where speakers reported on advances in the treatment of invasive candidiasis and other infections in ICU patients. Dr Daniel Kett, Associate Professor of Medicine, Leonard M. Miller... Read more

Taking on board the risks of cruise travel

Dr Nicholas O'Keefe | 03 May 2008

Dr Nicholas O'Keeffe on the unique health challenges associated with cruise ships, where the confined space and a compact community mean that infectious diseases can spread rapidly. The emergence of air travel in the 1960s replaced large ocean liners as... Read more

HIV Europe 2007 - Meeting Report

14 April 2008

Natalya Anderson reports from HIV Europe in Brussels, where it was revealed that an estimated 30 per cent of HIV-positive people in the EU are unaware that they are infected with the virus. Physicians at all healthcare levels need to... Read more

A clean slate: strategy for reduction of contamination

Natalya Brown | 25 January 2008

The use of more profound risk-assessment models for screening and ensuring clearer management directives at ward level may help significantly reduce outbreak incidents of Clostridium difficile (C. diff) in healthcare environments, according to information presented recently at the second annual... Read more

Upping the ante for global safety

02 November 2007

Recent scientific advances and increased vaccine manufacturing capacity have prompted experts to increase their projections of how many pandemic influenza vaccine courses can be made available in the coming years. Last spring, the World Health Organization (WHO) and vaccine manufacturers... Read more

New strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae resistant to treatment

JAMA 2007;298:1772-1778 | 26 October 2007

A strain of the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes ear infections in children, has been detected that is resistant to all FDA-approved antibiotics for treatment of ear infections and is not covered by the pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine, according to... Read more

MRSA killed more than AIDS

JAMA 2007;298:1763-1771, 1803-1804 | 26 October 2007

Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) appear to be more prevalent than previously believed, affecting certain populations disproportionately, according to a new study. Doctors at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study to determine the incidence... Read more

C difficile is more likely to kill those with IBD

Online First Gut | 12 October 2007

Clostridium difficile infection is four times more likely to kill patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to new research. The findings are based on a representative sample of community hospital admissions in the US for 2003. The sample covered... Read more

Healthcare workers should set standards on influenza vaccine

Dr Alan Smith | 10 August 2007

In 2005, the World Health Assembly (WHA) issued a resolution for the prevention and control of influenza pandemics and annual epidemics. It urged European Union member states to establish and implement strategies to increase vaccination coverage with the goal of... Read more

Call to eliminate special status for HIV testing

BMJ | 27 July 2007

HIV testing should not be accorded any special status because knowledge of the infection can be life-saving, according to a British GP. Dr Martin Brewster referred to the recent cases of two apparently healthy babies who presented later with established... Read more

HIV vaccine will cost more not to develop

BMJ | 27 July 2007

Policy makers should consider not the cost of developing a vaccine against HIV, but the cost to society if it fails to develop one, according to a public policy expert. Jeremiah Norris, Director of the Center for Science in Public... Read more

Doctor advises caution on flu drug prescription

BMJ 2007; 334:1232-1233 | 06 July 2007

A leading doctor has warned colleagues to advise caution in prescribing the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) against influenza. His concern follows advice by the Japanese authorities in March 2007 against prescribing oseltamivir to adolescents after the separate suicides of two... Read more

Echinacea can reduce chance of catching colds by over half

The Lancet Infectious Diseases | 06 July 2007

Taking the herbal product echinacea could reduce the chances of catching a cold by 58 per cent, according to a new review. The review found that echinacea could reduce the duration of colds by an average of 1.4 days. For... Read more

WHO helping poorer countries tackle disease

29 June 2007

The World Health Organization (WHO) based Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) has adopted a new strategy for strengthening and expanding research to prevent and control “infectious diseases of poverty”. The new plan addresses some of... Read more

Combating infectious disease with probiotics

22 June 2007

UCC scientists have discovered that probiotic bacteria can protect against bacterial infection. The work carried out in the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) in UCC was published recently in the prestigious scientific journal, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.... Read more

New guidelines on HIV testing

08 June 2007

WHO and UNAIDS issued new guidance on informed, voluntary HIV testing and counselling in the world’s health facilities, to increase access to HIV treatment, care support and prevention services. The new guidance focuses on provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling. Today,... Read more

Governments are urged to act on influenza pandemic

01 June 2007

The World Health Assembly (WHA), the supreme decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), recently agreed on two key resolutions on Pandemic influenza preparedness and Public health, innovation and intellectual property. Countries including Ireland will be better equipped to... Read more

Experts recommend chloroquine for malaria

JAMA 2007;297:2264-2277 | 01 June 2007

A meta-analysis of existing studies has led malaria experts to recommend that chloroquine remain the treatment of choice for malaria. The recommendation, from experts led by Dr Kevin S Griffith of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, followed... Read more

Hepatitis C increases risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

JAMA 2007;297:2010-2017 | 18 May 2007

Hepatitis C infection is associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma of 20 per cent to 30 per cent, according to a new study. In the study, American doctors investigated the hypothesis that HCV infection is associated with increased... Read more

Controlling C difficile in community could cut infection rates

BMJ 2007;334:708 | 04 May 2007

Screening patients for Clostridium difficile before they are admitted to hospital may be one way to help control rising rates of infection, according to a leading UK expert. Dr John Starr cited recent data published by Britain’s Health Protection Agency,... Read more

Possible drug resistance to influenza B medications found

JAMA 2007;297:1435-1442 | 20 April 2007

Use of certain common antiviral drugs during a recent influenza B epidemic in Japan showed the development of viruses with partial resistance to the drugs, according to a new study. In the study, doctors examined the prevalence and transmissibility of... Read more

HPV infection common among women

JAMA 2007;297:813-819 | 09 March 2007

As many as one in four women may be infected with the human papillomarivus (HPV), according to a new US study. In the study, doctors estimated the prevalence of HPV in the US by performing HPV DNA testing on 2,026... Read more

AIDS and sexual violence stalk a landscape of beauty and colour

Emer Mullins | 23 February 2007

Kenya is a vast land, a natural environment of great beauty full of colour and tradition. One of Africa’s foremost tourist destinations, its people are warm and gracious. But away from the famous coastline of Mombasa and the game parks,... Read more

Rapid flu testing linked to decreased antibiotic use

Archives of Internal Medicine, February 26 2007 | 02 February 2007

Rapid influenza testing is associated with reductions in the use of antibiotics in hospitalized adults, according to a new report. American doctors reviewed the medical records of 166 patients with documented influenza hospitalized at one hospital during four winters. Of... Read more

Blood test may help distinguish between mononucleosis and tonsillitis

Archives of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery 2007;133:61-64 | 26 January 2007

Measuring a patient’s ratio of white blood cell types may help to distinguish between infectious mononucleosis and bacterial tonsillitis, according to a new study. In the study, doctors at St George’s Hospital in London retrospectively analysed laboratory tests from 120... Read more

Hajj pilgrims should get flu jab to avoid pandemic

BMJ 2006;333:1182-1183 | 05 January 2007

Flu vaccination should be mandatory for all Hajj pilgrims to minimise the risk of a global pandemic, doctors have advised. At the end of next month Saudi Arabia will again host the Hajj– the largest annual gathering in the world–... Read more

Healthcare workers at twice risk of TB

European Respiratory Journal December 2006 | 01 December 2006

A new Dutch study has found that healthcare workers are twice as likely as members of the general population to acquire tuberculosis. The study drew on five years of data concerning TB cases declared by healthcare workers in the Netherlands,... Read more