HIV and ID Observations

May 7th, 2009

Human Rabies from Bats: Another Look at the Numbers

The gang from Canada is at it again, reviewing human rabies cases from bats and trying to make some sense of the data. (For a summary of their outstanding prior paper in CID, read this.) But before we get to their latest masterwork, here are some questions to ponder.  While doing so, keep in mind the practice […]

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May 3rd, 2009

H1N1! Didn’t You Used to Be Swine Flu?

At the end of last week, “swine flu” became “H1N1”.  The CDC web site explains why: This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has […]

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April 29th, 2009

Swine Flu Treatment Guidelines — For Now

The swine flu situation is so dynamic that what I wrote earlier this week now seems hopelessly dated — except that from the perspective of a clinical ID doctor, it still feels eerily similar to the anthrax and SARS outbreaks. But related to that post — specifically the use of antivirals — these interim guidelines for […]

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April 26th, 2009

Swine Flu Curbsides: Anthrax, SARS Redux?

In my email in-box yesterday AM from a primary care doc: A patient of mine, 40 year old woman totally healthy, is going to Cancun on Tuesday for a conference.  She’ll be there for 6 days. I know there are no cases of swine flu in Cancun yet, and the situation is evolving, but here’s my question:  […]

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February 1st, 2009

Whither PEPFAR?

Mark Dybul will no longer be running the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, the multi-billion dollar international program for HIV treatment program started by Bush in 2003. Some are happy.  Others are not. (Note the exquisite use of euphemism — he was “required to submit his resignation“, not “fired.”) Experts on global HIV treatment […]

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January 22nd, 2009

Fear of Vaccines: Not Just Parents

Fear of vaccines are legion among many parents, with enormous public health resources devoted to defusing this fear and trying to debunk common myths.  I find this site particularly useful. (Talk about a “hot button” topic.  Read this to get an idea about how passionate views on vaccine safety can be.  Wow.) This fear, however, isn’t limited […]

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January 17th, 2009

Salmonella, CDC, and How to Prevent a Cold

Today’s ID/HIV Link-o-Rama is being brought to you from the frozen tundra of Boston, MA: This past summer’s salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 1000 people was linked to raw jalapeno and serrano peppers.  In the current one, the suspected culprit is contaminated peanut butter.  Aside from the fact that raw hot peppers and peanut butter in […]

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December 23rd, 2008

Flu Resistance to Oseltamivir: The Bugs Win Again

I must admit, the recent report that 49 of the 50 H1N1 flu viruses tested by the CDC are resistant to oseltamivir caught me by surprise.  For the non-math majors among the readership, that’s a 98% resistance rate.  Yikes. Actually, the rate of resistance is so high that at first I didn’t believe it when my wife […]

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December 10th, 2008

Unintended Consequences of ART “Rollout”

According to this BBC article, teenagers in South Africa are grinding up antiretrovirals and then smoking them for their “hallucinogenic and relaxing effect”.  (Apologies for the pun on the title.) It’s impossible to tell with a report like this how widespread the practice is, but it’s potentially worrisome.  And no mention in the article which antivirals are being used, […]

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December 5th, 2008

New Case Definition for HIV Infection? Yawn …

The CDC has revised its case definition for HIV infection and AIDS, so that now laboratory evidence — a positive antibody test, or detectable HIV RNA or DNA – is required for the diagnosis. It’s not intended to guide clinical practice, but still — what took them so long?  A clinical diagnosis of AIDS was only necessary […]

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