Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
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We report 3 cases of Mycobacterium chelonae infections after bee venom acupuncture. All were treated with antibiotics and surgery. Mycobacterium chelonae infections should be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic skin and soft tissue infections following bee venom acupuncture.
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We examined the impact of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines that recommend ampicillin or amoxicillin for children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia. Prescribing of ampicillin/amoxicillin increased following guideline publication, but remains low. Cephalosporin and macrolide prescribing decreased but remains common. Further studies exploring outcomes of and reasons for compliance with guidelines are warranted.
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Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) is the best indicator of prognosis in patients with compensated cirrhosis. We compared HVPG and transient elastography (TE) for the prediction of liver-related events (LREs) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis with or without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection. ⋯ Our data suggest that TE is at least as valid as HVPG for predicting LREs in patients with compensated HCV-related cirrhosis with or without concomitant HIV coinfection.
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The temporal and spatial distributions of the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Amoy Gardens of Hong Kong was reexamined using all confirmed cases. The outbreak actually extended to nearby residential complexes. Airborne spread was the most likely explanation, and the SARS coronavirus could have spread over a distance of 200 m.
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Early identification of sepsis is important to be able to initiate timely therapy and optimize survival. Neutrophil CD64 (nCD64) expression has been proposed as a potential marker of sepsis. ⋯ Measurement of nCD64 expression at ICU admission, especially when combined with CRP concentrations, is useful in diagnosing sepsis. Serial determinations of nCD64 could be used for monitoring purposes.