Expert review of anti-infective therapy
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Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther · Oct 2004
ReviewAntimicrobial prophylaxis in solid-organ transplantation.
Solid-organ transplantation has become a widely accepted treatment modality for end-stage diseases. With the advent of newer and more potent immunosuppressive regimens, graft survival has improved, but at the expense of an increased risk for the development of infections secondary to bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic pathogens. Prevention of such infectious complications with effective, well-tolerated and cost-effective antimicrobials would be ideal to improve the outcome of transplant patients. ⋯ Herpes simplex virus, Varicella-zoster virus, Epstein-Barr virus and others are also significant pathogens. Fungal infections are associated with the highest mortality rates. This review summarizes the most relevant data pertaining to the current understanding of infection prevention for solid-organ transplant recipients.
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Nosocomial infections are common in many hospital departments, but particularly so on the intensive care unit, where they affect some 20 to 30% of patients. While early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are, of course, important, perhaps the greatest challenge is in the application of techniques to limit the development of such infections. This review will briefly discuss some of the background pathophysiology and epidemiology of nosocomial infection, and then focus on general and infection-specific preventative strategies individually and as part of broader infection-control programs with infection surveillance.
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Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther · Oct 2004
ReviewAntiretroviral therapy and mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1.
The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy has facilitated the virtual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection in developed countries, reducing transmission rates to approximately 1 to 2%. In these settings, highly active antiretroviral therapy has also transformed pediatric HIV infection into a chronic disease; although there are associated costs in terms of side effects and the heavy pill burden. ⋯ However, postnatal transmission of infection through breastfeeding significantly reduces the longer-term efficacy of these strategies. Ongoing research is focusing on the use of antiretroviral therapy in the breastfeeding period.