Se Asian J Trop Med
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A retrospective study was conducted between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2009 at Chiang Mai University Hospital among 138 patients with candidemia; 85 patients (61.6%) were male and the mean age was 57.7 +/- 19.4 years. Seventy-eight patients (56.5%) had underlying medical conditions. Candida albicans and non-albicans Candida were identified in 42 (30.4%) and 96 (69.6%) patients, respectively. ⋯ Candidemia is not a rare condition at this hospital. Early recognition and prompt empirical treatment are essential to improve outcomes of patients at risk for developing candidemia. Improvement of surveillance is crucial to recognizing emergence of highly resistant strains of Candida spp.
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Se Asian J Trop Med · Sep 2011
Drug susceptibility patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and clinical outcomes of drug-resistant tuberculosis at Srinagarind Hospital, a tertiary care center in northeastern Thailand.
Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a major public health problem. The aim of this study was to assess the local susceptibility patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and clinical outcomes of drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) at Srinagarind Hospital, a tertiary care center in northeastern Thailand. Between January 2004 and December 2008, 1,052 patients had culture-proven M. tuberculosis infections at Srinagarind Hospital. ⋯ Whenever there was resistance to two, three or four drugs, the antituberculosis drugs were prescribed based on susceptibility patterns. Only 30% of patients with MDR-TB and XDR-TB responded to treatment. Culture and sensitivity testing for M. tuberculosis cases is recommended in patients at high risk for DR-TB, such as patients previously treated for tuberculosis and those HIV positive.
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Se Asian J Trop Med · Jul 2011
Case ReportsFatal neurotoxic envenomation from the bite of a Lesser Black Krait (Bungarus lividus) in Nepal.
The Lesser Black Krait (Bungarus lividus) is a small, secretive, nocturnal elapid snake inhabiting Nepal, Bangladesh and India. We report a case of B. lividus bite in Nepal resulting in burning sensation at the bite site and over the whole body, abdominal pain, vomiting, slurred speech, ptosis, and progressive generalized neuromuscular paralysis leading to respiratory distress and death. ⋯ As few snakebite victims in this region kill and bring the snake and because the clinical syndromes appear similar, envenomation by B. lividus may be misdiagnosed as envenomation by Common Kraits (Bungarus caeruleus). External morphology characters that distinguish B. lividus from B. caeruleus and other krait species are illustrated.
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Se Asian J Trop Med · May 2011
Risk factors and clinical outcomes of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia at a university hospital in Thailand.
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii has become a major cause of hospital-acquired infection worldwide. There are few papers regarding this particular subject. Our aim was to assess the incidence of bacteremia due to MDR Acinetobacter baumannii, factors associated with the infection, and clinical outcomes. ⋯ This study revealed the significantly independent factors associated with MDR A. baumannii bacteremia were prior ICU admission and prior use of broad spectrum antibiotics. This infection has a high mortality rate. Emphasis needs to be on prevention, strict application of infection control and appropriate use of antibiotics.
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Se Asian J Trop Med · May 2011
Historical ArticleThe Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences: five decades of collaborative medical research.
The Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS) is a 50-year-old joint institute of the US and Royal Thai Army Medical Departments located in Bangkok, Thailand. Investigators from the Institute have carried out research in Thailand and the region, in collaboration with many partners, focused on a large number of tropical infectious diseases. ⋯ In addition, research done in support of the medical problems of refugees and of the health of Thai peace-keeping forces are summarized. The research carried out by AFRIMS and added to the scientific literature has contributed significantly to advancement in multiple areas of tropical infectious disease.