International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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To determine the potential role of steroid therapy combined with early antiviral and supportive care in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with varicella pneumonia. ⋯ Hospitalized patients with HIV or AIDS with chickenpox are at high risk for developing varicella pneumonia. There is a potentially high rate of death despite prompt initiation of appropriate antiviral therapy. Intensive care management and adjunctive use of systemic corticosteroids may improve outcome.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Mar 2002
Changes in bloodstream infections in HIV-positive patients in a university hospital in Spain (1995-1997).
The Hospital Universitario Germans Trias i Pujol is a 600-bed center serving 700,000 inhabitants including 1800 patients with HIV infection in Catalonia (Spain). Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) became available at the end of 1996. Thus, the period 1995 1997 was considered appropriate for evaluating possible epidemiological changes in bloodstream infections (BSI) in HIV-infected patients. ⋯ The prevalence of bloodstream infections in HIV-positive patients has decreased since the introduction of HAART and the immunologic state has improved. Furthermore there is a trend to a decrease or disappearance of microorganisms, such as Pseudomonas spp., Mycobacterium tuberculosis, MAI or fungi related to severe immunosuppression. Lastly, bacteremia caused by the active use of intravenous drugs remains stable with the highest percentage in Spain.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Mar 2002
Treatment failure in intestinal strongyloidiasis: an indicator of HTLV-I infection.
The association of severe strongyloides with HTLV-I is well known; however, the seroprevalence of HTLV-I in other groups with strongyloidiasis is still unknown. We conducted a prospective study in patients with intestinal strongyloidiasis without known immunodepression who failed to respond to standard therapy with ivermectin or thiabendazole (failure was defined as one positive stool examination at the post-therapy follow up). All these patients were tested for HTLV-I by ELISA and Western Blot. ⋯ We recommend that all patients with uncomplicated intestinal strongyloidiasis, who fail standard therapy, be studied for HTLV-I infection.