International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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The diagnosis of gnathostomiasis typically includes a triad of eosinophilia, migratory skin lesions, and exposure risk. The cutaneous manifestations are protean yet often involve intermittent migratory swellings and creeping skin eruptions with abscesses or nodules, which vary in onset and duration. We report the first case of gnathostomiasis presenting as fever and eosinophilia without cutaneous migratory and internal organ involvement.
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Since the initial discovery of Plasmodium knowlesi in Malaysia, cases have been reported from several neighbouring countries. Tourism has also resulted in an increasing number of cases diagnosed in Europe, America, and Oceania. In this review we focus on the risk of the travel-associated acquisition of P. knowlesi malaria. ⋯ P. knowlesi appears to be a threat not only to the local population in Malaysia, but also to the estimated 25 million annual tourists and occupational travellers to Malaysia, especially those who visit rural, forested areas of the country. The P. knowlesi risk is not limited to Malaysia, and travellers from Southeast Asia presenting with possible malaria should be considered for a diagnostic work-up that includes P. knowlesi.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2014
Developments in the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic index of linezolid: a step toward dose optimization using Monte Carlo simulation in critically ill patients.
This study evaluated the efficacy of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) index for increasing the success rate of linezolid treatment based on Monte Carlo simulation, and compared differences between the calculated PK/PD breakpoints and those defined by committee for critically ill patients with linezolid treatment. ⋯ These findings reveal that the target AUC24/MIC value of 80-120 requires further classification for more accurate assessment of the linezolid dose regimen. At a MIC of ≥2mg/l, the clinical outcome varies greatly for different AUC24/MIC values when applying the same dose of linezolid. In such cases, we suggest optimized adjustment of the linezolid dosage regimen.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · May 2014
Correlation between reported human infection with avian influenza A H7N9 virus and cyber user awareness: what can we learn from digital epidemiology?
Data on the topic of novel avian influenza A (H7N9) were collected based on the web analysis tool 'Baidu Index', a major Chinese search engine. We found a positive correlation between the volume of H7N9-related 'cyber user awareness' and the epidemic situation during the H7N9 outbreak in China (r=0.98, p<0.01, cumulative; r=0.43, p=0.018, daily) except in the early stage; the ranks of H7N9-related topics changed at different epidemic stages. This study may improve our understanding of the role of web-based media in infectious disease surveillance in China.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Mar 2014
Observational StudyBurden of illness, quality of life, and healthcare utilization among patients with herpes zoster in South Korea: a prospective clinical-epidemiological study.
To assess the herpes zoster (HZ) disease burden, including the severity and duration of HZ-associated pain, its impact on quality of life (QoL), and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in a South Korean clinical setting. ⋯ Severe morbidity, impaired QoL, and significant HCRU are associated with HZ in South Korea, especially in older patients, supporting the need for early intervention and preventive strategies to reduce the HZ-associated disease burden.