Necrotizing fasciitis due to Group A streptococcus has been observed with increasing frequency over the past decade. Appropriate management requires rapid recognition of this life-threatening infection and expeditious antimicrobial therapy as well as…
Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia. At present there is no "gold” standard for diagnosis and there is no easily accessible means of rapid diagnosis available. The best indication of acute C. pneumoniae infection is…
Determination of the etiologic pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia has been problematic because of the lack of reliable rapid laboratory diagnostic tools as well as the controversy concerning diagnostic criteria. In the studies reviewed here, a…
Bacterial infections of the skin range from mild pyodermas to life-threatening necrotizing infections. Pyodermas are most often due to Staphylococcus aureus or beta-hemolytic Streptococcus sp, whereas infections associated with skin ulcers of the…
The significance of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has led to the publication of guidelines from numerous international organisations. Because the macrolide class of antimicrobials is active against most of the key pathogens associated with CAP,…
Infections caused by M. pneumoniae, C. pneumoniae, and Legionella spp. are important causes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In the past decade, considerable new information has come to light concerning these organisms. Despite this, debate…
Characteristic clinical findings of fever, cough, and rhonchi, together with a new infiltrate on chest films and documentation of a pathogen, establish a diagnosis of infectious pneumonia. Several factors have had an impact on the approach to…
Characteristic clinical findings of fever, cough, and rhonchi, together with a new infiltrate on chest films and documentation of a pathogen, establish a diagnosis of infectious pneumonia. Several factors have had an impact on the approach to…
Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) that may require hospitalization include acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis (AECB), community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), which includes ventilator-associated pneumonia…
Executive Summary: 1. Foot infections in patients with diabetes cause substantial morbidity and frequent visits to health care professionals and may lead to amputation of a lower extremity. 2. Diabetic foot infections require attention to local…
Treatment of serious infections caused by gram-negative bacilli with beta-lactam antimicrobial agents can induce Class I beta-lactamase production. This phenomenon can result in resistant microorganisms, and has been postulated to be a cause of…
The pharmacokinetic profiles of imipenem after intramuscular (i.m.) and intravenous injections were examined in adult volunteers. Levels of imipenem in serum after i.m. injection of a microcrystalline suspension of imipenem-cilastatin (500 mg each)…
Background: Legionnaires disease is a common cause of adult pneumonia. Outbreaks of legionnaires disease have been well described, but little is known about sporadically occurring legionnaires disease, which accounts for most infections. Exposure to…
Dogs and cats are the 2 most common household pets. However, they may be a direct or indirect source of human infections. This article aims to familiarize physicians with some common and uncommon bacterial, rickettsial, parasitic, and fungal zoonotic…
Mycoplasma, Chlamydia and Legionella are the usual organisms considered to be the etiologic agents of 'atypical' pneumonia. Other microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and mycobacteria can also present with atypical pneumonia…
The 'atypical' pathogens are important causes of pneumonia, causing illness ranging from mild to life-threatening. The most common atypical pathogens are Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae; others include Legionella species, Chlamydia…
