Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
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Increasing access to drugs for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis is crucial but could lead to increasing resistance to these same drugs. In 2000, the international Green Light Committee (GLC) initiative began to increase access while attempting to prevent acquired resistance. ⋯ Treatment of MDR tuberculosis involves substantial risk of acquired resistance to SLDs, increasing as baseline drug resistance increases. The risk was significantly lower in programs documented by the GLC to meet specific standards.
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Historical Article
National estimates of healthcare utilization by individuals with hepatitis C virus infection in the United States.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem in the United States. Although prior studies have evaluated the HCV-related healthcare burden, these studies examined a single treatment setting and did not account for the growing "baby boomer" population (individuals born during 1945-1965). ⋯ Individuals with HCV infection are large users of outpatient, ED, and inpatient health services. Resource use is highest and increasing in the baby boomer generation. These observations illuminate the public health burden of HCV infection in the United States.
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Confirmed cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus infection in humans continue to occur in mainland China. Few confirmed cases have occurred in poultry workers despite potentially higher rates of exposure. ⋯ Although none of the participants in our study had virologically confirmed H7N9 infection, the high proportion of poultry workers with serologic evidence of H7N9 infection between May and December 2013 suggests a substantial risk of mild H7N9 infections in this group, supporting stricter control measures in live poultry markets.