Archive for September, 2012

September 24th, 2012

Quick Question: An Etiquette Column for ID Specialists

(First in what will undoubtedly be a recurring series.) Hi Paul: What do you do when someone in a non-medical setting gets something really wrong, and it’s in our field? Here’s why I’m asking: I was picking up my 9-year-old son from school the other day, and his teacher reported to me that they were worried […]


September 19th, 2012

It’s Time to Dump the HIV Western Blot

Hard to believe, but we have to get rid of the HIV Western blot — at least as our HIV confirmatory test. Here’s why (case adapted from several seen the past few years; I’m sure most of you have seen similar): 30-year-old man, high risk for HIV. He’s worried he might have become infected due to recent […]


September 11th, 2012

Are Fluoroquinolones Really More Dangerous Than Other Antibiotics?

In today’s New York Times, health writer Jane Brody slams quinolone antibiotics: Part of the problem is that fluoroquinolones are often inappropriately prescribed. Instead of being reserved for use against serious, perhaps life-threatening bacterial infections like hospital-acquired pneumonia, these antibiotics are frequently prescribed for sinusitis, bronchitis, earaches and other ailments that may resolve on their own or can be […]


September 8th, 2012

People Fear EEE and West Nile, but not Influenza — Can Someone Explain Why?

OK, here’s a quick quiz — match the viral infection with the average annual US deaths: 1.  Eastern Equine Encephalitis A.  36,000, mostly in the elderly 2.  Influenza B.  < 10, mostly in the elderly I know, it was an easy one — 1 goes with B, and 2 with A. Here’s a good reference for more on […]


September 1st, 2012

CROI 2013: March 3-7, Atlanta

The title says it all. Abstract deadline is October 9. Photo below is completely irrelevant.


HIV Information: Author Paul Sax, M.D.

Paul E. Sax, MD

Contributing Editor

NEJM Journal Watch
Infectious Diseases

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