Médecine et maladies infectieuses
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Antibiotics are the most counterfeited medicines and account for 28% of global counterfeit medicines. Counterfeit antibiotics are estimated at 5% of the global antibiotic market. No area in the world seems to be spared from counterfeiting of antibiotics. ⋯ The main counterfeit formulations (77%) concern oral administration (tablets, syrup, capsules) whereas injected drugs account for only 17% of counterfeit formulations, and eye drops and ointments 6%. The kind of counterfeiting for antibiotics is similar to that of other drugs (no active ingredients: 43%; bad quality: 24%; insufficient quantity of active ingredients: 21%; wrong active ingredients: 7%; counterfeit packaging: 5%). Beyond the harmful effects for patients, counterfeit medicines favor the emergence of bacterial resistance with a worldwide impact. Great efforts have been made to fight global counterfeiting of medicines since 1985.
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The authors had for aim to make an inventory of antibiotic treatment for severe community-acquired Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia and compare local practices to the local and national guidelines. ⋯ This survey revealed a satisfactory adhesion to recommendations and prompt responsiveness of the team for adjustment of antibiotic therapy. The audit allowed updating the local ICU protocol.
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Herpes zoster is due to the reactivation of the virus causing varicella, called varicella-zoster virus. It affects peripheral nerves and causes painful skin and nerve lesions. This pain may last for months, or years after the initial lesions have resolved: post-herpetic neuralgia is the most frequent complication. ⋯ During the acute phase, antiviral drugs (acyclovir, valacyclovir and famcyclovir) significantly reduce the intensity of acute pain, accelerate the healing of the vesicular rash, and reduce the duration of viral excretion. According to some authors, these drugs taken at an early stage of the disease would help to prevent the development of post herpetic neuralgia. But for others, there is no convincing evidence that antiviral drugs reduce the risk of painful complications.
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Comparative Study
False positive galactomannan Platelia due to piperacillin-tazobactam.
Invasive aspergillosis is a serious disease, the lethality of which is important among hematology patients. Early diagnosis is crucial for treatment options and the prognosis. Detection of the antigen galactomannan is the most frequently used microbiological tools. But galactomannan detection may be falsely positive, and this false positivity has been associated with piperacillin-tazobactam treatment, the main antibiotic combination used in clinical hematology. ⋯ This study results suggest that the association between false galactomannan positivity and piperacillin-tazobactam is not longer systematic, but can still prevail depending on the manufacturers. It also confirmed the positive contribution of testing piperacillin-tazobactam batches "in vitro" before using the antibiotic.