HIV and ID Observations

August 6th, 2013

Nelson Cruz and Yet Another ID-Baseball Link

Texas slugger Nelson Cruz is one of the Biogenesis gang just suspended from baseball for use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). For those who care about these things, he’s also probably the most important player from the banned list, since he’s 1) very good and 2) on a team in contention for a playoff spot. For those who […]

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July 23rd, 2013

Guess it Wasn’t the Acyclovir After All

Big news in baseball land is that superstar Ryan Braun has been suspended for the rest of the season for using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). And why is this information in an Infectious Diseases blog? Three main reasons: When Braun first got nabbed for PEDs in 2011, it was widely rumored it had something to do with […]

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March 15th, 2013

Tom Seaver Has Lyme Disease, and the Baseball, ID, and Wine Trifecta

In my never ending quest to link up various passions in life — especially baseball and Infectious Diseases — I bring you this news story: But for Seaver, after months of private denial, the scariest incident came when his head vineyard worker, who has been with him for seven years, came into the house one morning. […]

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March 4th, 2012

Be Careful What You “Catch”

On the eve of the 19th Retroconference, or “CROI” — and I’m headed to Seattle right this moment — two baseball players have intersected with the world of Infectious Diseases. Ike Davis of the Mets has Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever). And Ryan Howard of the Phillies has an infection after achilles tendon surgery. Bottom line, it’s quite obvious that Bud […]

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January 4th, 2012

How Does Herpes Treatment Trigger a Positive Test for Performance-Enhancing Drugs?

Here’s my guess on how many of this blog’s readers know the following “facts”: Acyclovir and related drugs are used to treat herpes: nearly 100% Ryan Braun, superstar left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, is facing a 50 game suspension for testing positive for elevated levels of a “banned substance”, most likely testosterone: 10% Braun has […]

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August 24th, 2011

Hepatitis C and … Baseball?

From the prolific folks at NATAP came this surprising announcement: The Cardinals are stepping up to the plate against Hepatitis C. Starting Monday, August 22, fans will be able to get free Hepatitis C screenings at Busch Stadium. It’s part of a nationwide effort by Major League Baseball to bring attention to the causes and treatment of Hepatitis C. […]

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October 12th, 2010

Worlds Collide: Roberto Alomar and HIV

Now that a second woman has accused Roberto Alomar of having HIV, it’s probably time to give this sad story a look-over.  After all, how often do these two worlds of mine — HIV/ID (work) and baseball (lifetime hobby — my wife would say that’s a collosal understatement) actually meet? For those unfamiliar with the basics:  Alomar was […]

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June 11th, 2010

Plays at the (Culture) Plate

Some quick ID/HIV/other thoughts while we marvel in all that is Strasburgian: Did you know that HIV medication adherence improves over time? So much for “pill fatigue.” By the way, this anecdotally fits with my experience as well. And right now, the biggest reason for patients’ stopping their HIV meds is financial, usually due to loss of or […]

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