Medscape Infectious Diseases Headlines

FDA: Don't Eat Jalapeno Peppers

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:48:00 EDT

The FDA issues a warning after finding salmonella on jalapeno peppers.
WebMD Health News

Daptomycin May Be Effective for Skin and Skin Structure Infections

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:42:00 EDT

A study showed that daptomycin was effective for SSSI, with similar outcomes for methicillin-resistant S aureus and methicillin-susceptible S aureus.
Medscape Medical News

Antibiotic Prophylaxis Recommended Immediately Before Pediatric Spinal Fusion

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

All children undergoing spinal fusion should have preoperative antibiotics administered within 60 minutes before incision to reduce the risk for deep surgical site infection, in a case-control study.
Medscape Medical News

Efficacy and Safety of a Vaccine Patch Against Travelers' Diarrhea Caused by Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:12:11 EDT

Can wearing a patch ensure a healthy vacation?
AccessMedicine from McGraw-Hill

FDA Approvals: KINRIX and Metvixia

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

The FDA has approved diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis adsorbed and inactivated poliovirus vaccine and a revised indication for methyl aminolevulinate 16.8% cream.
Medscape Medical News

U.S. Flu Pandemic Vaccination Plan Puts Health Care Workers First

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:36:03 EDT

Essential health care workers would be immunized first if a flu pandemic broke out in the United States, the government said on Wednesday.
Reuters Health Information

UK Agency Urges Doctors to Cut Antibiotics

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:44:39 EDT

British doctors should slash the number of times they prescribe antibiotics for respiratory tract infections because the drugs rarely help, the country's drug cost watchdog said on Wednesday.
Reuters Health Information

HTLV-1 Infection Tied to Reduced Risk of Gastric Cancer

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:01:28 EDT

The presence of human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection appears to reduce the likelihood of developing gastric cancer, possibly through a modulating effect on Helicobacter pylori activity, Japanese researchers report in the July 1st issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Reuters Health Information

Maximizing HAART Coverage Has Potential to Curb HIV Epidemic

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:39:41 EDT

Treatment of at least 75% of individuals who are eligible for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has the potential to "curb the growth of the HIV epidemic," Canadian researchers announce.
Reuters Health Information

Most Foreign-Born TB Patients in US From Sub-Saharan Africa, SE Asia

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:43:00 EDT

Between 2001-2006, 53% of the tuberculosis cases that occurred among foreign-born individuals in the US involved persons from sub-Saharan Africa or Southeast Asia, new research indicates.
Reuters Health Information

Multi-Drug Resistance Emerging in Pneumococcal Mastoiditis

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:46:03 EDT

The Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype that most often causes mastoiditis in children is becoming increasingly drug-resistant.
Reuters Health Information

U.S. FDA, CDC Say Merck's Gardasil Shot Remains Safe

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:57:38 EDT

A review of health problems reported after women and girls received Merck & Co's Gardasil vaccine shows it remains safe and effective for protecting against a virus that causes cervical cancer, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
Reuters Health Information

Physicians for Sale: How Medical Professional Organizations Exploit Their Members

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:50:07 EDT

To improve the state of US healthcare, physicians need to rethink what their profession is and identify what they need to do to regain their professional integrity.
The Medscape Journal of Medicine

Institutional Strategies May Improve Appropriate Antimicrobial Use and Reduce Resistance

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:51:00 EDT

Multifaceted, institution-wide, and unit-specific programs using educational strategies may affect institutional antimicrobial use and resistance but not imported resistance.
Medscape Medical News

Mupirocin Resistance May Be Common in MRSA Clinical Isolates

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:57:49 EDT

A survey showed a relatively high rate of mupirocin resistance, and a second study showed increasing resistance to ciprofloxacin among E coli isolates despite targeted interventions.
Medscape Medical News

Influenza Guidelines Updated

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

The updated guidelines for prevention and control of influenza now recommend that annual vaccination be given to all children aged 5 to 18 years in the 2008 to 2009 influenza season.
Medscape Medical News

Bivalent CMV DNA Vaccine Shows Promise in Phase 1 Trial

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:19:02 EDT

A bivalent DNA vaccine against cytomegalovirus (CMV) has immunogenic potential and appears to be safe in healthy CMV-seropositive and -seronegative adults, according to results of a phase 1, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalating trial reported in the June 15 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Reuters Health Information

NT-ProBNP Predicts Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Preterm Babies

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:24:36 EDT

Plasma level of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a practical indicator of significant patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants, Irish researchers report in the July issue of Archives of Disease in Childhood -- Fetal and Neonatal Edition.
Reuters Health Information

Building Physician Connectivity for e-Prescribing

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:53:10 EDT

Kevin Hutchinson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Prematics, Inc., in Vienna, Virginia, tells us how to move e-prescribing forward.
The Medscape Journal of Medicine

Prompt Prophylaxis Key After Influenza A Outbreaks in Long-Term Care Facilities

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EDT

For effective control of an outbreak of influenza A at a long-term care facility, amantadine chemoprophylaxis should be started within 5 days of onset of the outbreak.
Reuters Health Information