The Journal of infection
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The Journal of infection · Jul 2016
Preventing cervical cancer and genital warts - How much protection is enough for HPV vaccines?
HPV associated disease is a global health problem: 5.2% of all cancers are HPV associated with HPV 16 and 18 accounting for 70% of cases of cervical cancer. Genital warts caused by HPV 6 and 11 have a lifetime risk of acquisition of 10%. HPV vaccines are subunit vaccines consisting of virus like particles comprised of the L1 major capsid protein. ⋯ Population effectiveness is now being demonstrated for these vaccines in countries with high vaccine coverage. HPV vaccines are highly immunogenic and effective and the original 3 dose schedules have already been reduced, for those 14 years and under, to 2 for both licenced vaccines. There is preliminary evidence that 1 dose of vaccine is as effective as 2 or 3 in preventing persistent HPV infection in the cervix in young women and further reductions in dosage may be possible if supported by appropriate virological, immunological and modelling studies.
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1. Malaria is the tropical disease most commonly imported into the UK, with 1300-1800 cases reported each year, and 2-11 deaths. 2. Approximately three quarters of reported malaria cases in the UK are caused by Plasmodium falciparum, which is capable of invading a high proportion of red blood cells and rapidly leading to severe or life-threatening multi-organ disease. 3. ⋯ Primaquine should be avoided or given with caution under expert supervision in patients with Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD), in whom it may cause severe haemolysis. 22. Primaquine (for eradication of P. vivax or P. ovale hypnozoites) is contraindicated in pregnancy and when breastfeeding (until the G6PD status of child is known); after initial treatment for these infections a pregnant woman should take weekly chloroquine prophylaxis until after delivery or cessation of breastfeeding when hypnozoite eradication can be considered. 23. An acute attack of malaria does not confer protection from future attacks: individuals who have had malaria should take effective anti-mosquito precautions and chemoprophylaxis during future visits to endemic areas.
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The Journal of infection · Jun 2016
Epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolations among central North Carolina residents, 2006-2010.
Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental mycobacteria associated with a range of infections. Reports of NTM epidemiology have primarily focused on pulmonary infections and isolations, however extrapulmonary infections of the skin, soft tissues and sterile sites are less frequently described. ⋯ We provide the first characterization of NTM isolation prevalence in the Southeastern United States (U.S.). Variation in isolation prevalence among counties and races likely represent differences in detection, demographics and risk factors. Further characterization of NTM epidemiology is increasingly important as percentages of immunocompromised individuals and the elderly increase in the U.S.
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The Journal of infection · Feb 2016
ReviewRecent advances in pathophysiology and biomarkers of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury.
Sepsis is a complex clinical syndrome characterized by a systemic inflammatory response to an infective insult. This process often leads to widespread tissue injury and multiple organ dysfunction. In particular, the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most frequent complications, which increases the complexity and cost of care, and is an independent risk factor for mortality. ⋯ Recently it has been shown that sepsis-induced AKI occurs in the setting of microvascular dysfunction with release of microparticles, inflammation and energetic adaptation of highly metabolic organs to cellular stress. The intolerable high mortality rate associated with sepsis-induced AKI is partially explained by an incomplete understanding of its pathophysiology and a delay in diagnosis. The aim of this review is to focus on advances in understanding the sepsis pathophysiology, with particular attention to the fundamental mechanisms of sepsis-induced AKI and the potential diagnostic and prognostic markers involved.
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The Journal of infection · Jan 2016
ReviewUtility of immune response-derived biomarkers in the differential diagnosis of inflammatory disorders.
Differentiating between inflammatory disorders is difficult, but important for a rational use of antimicrobial agents. Biomarkers reflecting the host immune response may offer an attractive strategy to predict the etiology of an inflammatory process and can thus be of help in decision making. We performed a review of the literature to evaluate the diagnostic value of inflammatory biomarkers in adult patients admitted to the hospital with suspected systemic acute infections. ⋯ In undifferentiated illnesses, increased CD35 expression on neutrophils distinguishes bacterial from viral infections. Compared to bacterial infections, invasive fungal infections are characterized by low concentrations of PCT. No biomarker predicting a specific infecting agent could be identified.