The Journal of infectious diseases
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Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) offers safe interventions for the prevention of infection in patients after organ transplantation and for the treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases. MAb 201 is a severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-specific MAb that prevents establishment of viral replication in vitro and prevents viral replication in vivo when administered prophylactically. The efficacy of MAb 201 in the treatment of SARS was evaluated in golden Syrian hamsters, an animal model that supports SARS-CoV replication to high levels and displays severe pathological changes associated with infection, including pneumonitis and pulmonary consolidation. ⋯ The demonstration of successful postexposure MAb 201 therapy in an animal model that demonstrates viral replication and associated pulmonary pathological findings suggests that MAb 201 may be useful in the arsenal of tools to combat SARS.
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We analyzed the development of nevirapine (NVP) resistance in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected Malawian infants who received regimens containing single-dose NVP (SD-NVP) for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1. All infants received SD-NVP, and some randomly received zidovudine (ZDV) as well. ⋯ The risk of MTCT of HIV-1 was comparable with these regimens. Infant-only prophylaxis also eliminates the development of NVP resistance in mothers.
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Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging pathogen in nosocomial pneumonia. Trauma and postsurgical patients display a profound acute-phase protein response and are susceptible to pneumonia. ⋯ These data suggest that the acute-phase response and SAA inhibit the local inflammatory response to A. baumannii pneumonia, which may facilitate bacterial outgrowth.
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This study was designed to examine the relationship between the timing of antibiotic treatment and both survival rates and hemodynamic/inflammatory correlates of survival in a murine model of Escherichia coli septic shock. ⋯ The timing of antibiotic treatment relative to hypotension is closely associated with survival in this murine model of septic shock. Delay in antibiotic treatment results in the persistence of inflammatory/stress markers even after antibiotic treatment is initiated.
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A community-wide outbreak of legionnaires disease occurred in Pas-de-Calais, France, in November 2003-January 2004. Eighteen (21%) of 86 laboratory-confirmed cases were fatal. A case-control study identified smoking, silicosis, and spending >100 min outdoors daily as risk factors for acquiring the disease. ⋯ Modeling of atmospheric dispersion of aerosols emitted from plant A cooling towers showed good coverage of the communes where patients lived and showed that the dispersion extended over a distance of at least 6 km from plant A. No other aerosol-producing installation was identified as a plausible source, and no common source of indoor exposure was found. These findings implicate plant A as the most likely outbreak source and suggest that the distance of airborne transmission of L. pneumophila may be greater than previously reported.