Infectious Disease

Olysio and Sovaldi: Two new drugs for Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a major public health problem, especially in Southeast Asia. Interferon and ribavirin have been the standard of care in various combinations. The literature supports intereferon with the two recently FDA  approved oral medications that can be used in combination with the current antiviral regimen or to replace the injectable component of the regimen, peginterferon alfa. The two new drugs are Olysio (simeprevir) capsules and Sovaldi

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Combining amphotericin and micofungin

Fungal infections in the setting of stem cell transplant ind GVHD are notoriously hard to treat.SOmetimes, infections do nto respond. In some such situations, clinicians empirically combine more than one anti-fungal agents, such as amphotericin and micofungin. In vitro and mouse studies suggest greater efficacy for amphotericin and micofungin combination and favorable distributions, although human studies thus far have focused on comparative efficacies

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Strep throat

  Sore throat, or pharyngitis, is diagnosed in 11 million people annually in theUnited States. Although most cases are viral, group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus causes 15—30% of the cases in children and 5—20% in adults.Cases usually occur in late winter and early spring. Strep throat is a common problem in large households, where it is a dreaded visitor. After one child picks it up, it is not long before every boy and girl in the family

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What is fever?

Most people know about fever is but may have trouble explaining what it is.  Because fever is a common medical condition, it is worthwhile to understand what it is, why it happens and what it means. What is Fever? Fever is defined as an elevation of body temperature above the normal range of 36.5–37.5 °C (98–100 °F). It is triggered by a signal from the temperature regulatory center in the brain in response to a message from the body that

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Using Vistide on the skin or mouth

Vistide is used intravenously but sometiems pateints are not able to take it intravenously because of kidney disease or otehr complications. Some patients are resistant to toehr therapies. The FDA says: "THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF VISTIDE (cidofovir) HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR TREATMENT OF OTHER CMV INFECTIONS (SUCH AS PNEUMONITIS OR GASTROENTERITIS), CONGENITAL OR NEONATAL CMV DISEASE, OR CMV DISEASE IN NON-HIV-INFECTED INDIVIDUALS." This is

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Prophylaxis for PCP in patients on long term steroids

Pneumocystis carinii(PCP) infection remains a common complication of AIDS. NebuPent is indicated for prophylaxis of Pneumocystis Carinii  infections in HIV positive patients. There is precedent for using this drug or Bactrim for prophylaxis in other immuno-compromised states than AIDS. For example,the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines on prevention and treatment of cancer-related infections consider CLL patients receiving purine

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Ribavirin Prophylaxis Post-allogeneic Transplant

The immediate post stem cell transplantation period is a dangerous time in which the patient is immunocompromised and susceptible to infections. Viral infections are among the most dangerous because they are difficult to treat. Unfortunately not much is know about prophylaxis. Ribavirin alone is not appropriate for post-transplant prophylaxis without evidence of infection because supporting literature is scant. The respiratory viruses (eg, RSV, influenza,

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Antiviral Prophylaxis after Transplantation

The post transplant period is dangerous because of immunosuppression and there is high risk of various infections after transplantation. The most dangerous and difficult to treat are viral infections. Post transplantation prophylaxis, however, is not a simple matter because of the potential toxicity of treatments in very ill patients. Ribavirin alone is not currently considered appropriate for post-transplant prophylaxis without evidence of infection.

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