John W. Sanders

Exchange Transfusion as an Adjunct Therapy in Severe Plasmodium falciparum Malaria: A Meta-analysis

The efficacy of exchange transfusion as an adjunct treatment for severe falciparum malaria is controversial. No sufficiently powered, randomized, controlled study has been reported. We analyzed 8 studies that compared survival rates associated with adjunct exchange transfusion with those associated with antimalarial chemotherapy alone. Exchange transfusion was not associated with a higher survival rate than was antimalarial chemotherapy alone (odds ratio [OR], 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7-2.1). However, patients who received transfusions had higher levels of parasitemia and more-severe malaria. Sensitivity analysis found that survival rates were higher among patients with partial immunity to malaria (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.2-1.2) than they were among patients with no immunity (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 0.9-4.8; P=.007). Exchange transfusion does not appear to increase the survival rate; however, there were significant problems with the comparability of treatment groups in the studies reviewed, and a randomized controlled trial is necessary to determine whether exchange transfusion is beneficial.

In harm's way: infections in deployed American military forces.

Hundreds of thousands of American service members have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001. With emphasis on the common infections and the chronic infections that may present or persist on their return to the United States, we review the data on deployment-associated infections. These infections include gastroenteritis; respiratory infection; war wound infection with antibiotic-resistant, gram-negative bacteria; Q fever; brucellosis; and parasitic infections, such as malaria and leishmaniasis.

Traveler's Diarrhea in Thailand: Randomized, Double-Blind Trial Comparing Single-Dose and 3-Day Azithromycin-Based Regimens with a 3-Day Levofloxacin Regimen

BACKGROUND Travelers diarrhea in Thailand is frequently caused by Campylobacter jejuni. Rates of fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance in Campylobacter organisms have exceeded 85% in recent years, and reduced fluoroquinolone efficacy has been observed. METHODS Azithromycin regimens were evaluated in a randomized, double-blind trial of azithromycin, given as a single 1-g dose or a 3-day regimen (500 mg daily), versus a 3-day regimen of levofloxacin (500 mg daily) in military field clinics in Thailand. Outcomes included clinical end points (time to the last unformed stool [TLUS] and cure rates) and microbiological end points (pathogen eradication). RESULTS A total of 156 patients with acute diarrhea were enrolled in the trial. Campylobacter organisms predominated (in 64% of patients), with levofloxacin resistance noted in 50% of Campylobacter organisms and with no azithromycin resistance noted. The cure rate at 72 h after treatment initiation was highest (96%) with single-dose azithromycin, compared with the cure rates of 85% noted with 3-day azithromycin and 71% noted with levofloxacin (P=.002). Single-dose azithromycin was also associated with the shortest median TLUS (35 h; P=.03, by log-rank test). Levofloxacins efficacy was inferior to azithromycins efficacy, except in patients with no pathogen identified during the first 24 h of treatment or in patients with levofloxacin-susceptible Campylobacter isolates, in whom it appeared to be equal to azithromycin. The rate of microbiological eradication was significantly better with azithromycin-based regimens (96%-100%), compared with levofloxacin (38%) (P=.001); however, this finding was poorly correlated with clinical outcome. A higher rate of posttreatment nausea in the 30 min after receipt of the first dose (14% vs. <6%; P=.06) was observed as a mild, self-limited complaint associated with single-dose azithromycin. CONCLUSIONS Single-dose azithromycin is recommended for empirical therapy of travelers diarrhea acquired in Thailand and is a reasonable first-line option for empirical management in general.

Final Report of the Lyme Disease Review Panel of the Infectious Diseases Society of America

In April 2008, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) entered into an agreement with Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal to voluntarily undertake a special review of its 2006 Lyme disease guidelines. This agreement ended the Attorney Generals investigation into the process by which the guidelines were developed. The IDSA agreed to convene an independent panel to conduct a one-time review of the guidelines. The Review Panel members, vetted by an ombudsman for potential conflicts of interest, reviewed the entirety of the 2006 guidelines, with particular attention to the recommendations devoted to post-Lyme disease syndromes. After multiple meetings, a public hearing, and extensive review of research and other information, the Review Panel concluded that the recommendations contained in the 2006 guidelines were medically and scientifically justified on the basis of all of the available evidence and that no changes to the guidelines were necessary.

Methylobacterium mesophilicum Infection: Case Report and Literature Review of an Unusual Opportunistic Pathogen

Methylobacterium mesophilicum is a methylotrophic, pink pigmented, gram-negative rod that was initially isolated from environmental sources that is being increasingly reported as a cause of opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts. We present the case of an immunocompromised woman who developed a central catheter infection with M. mesophilicum and review the other 29 cases reported in the literature, noting that it is frequently resistant to beta-lactam agents but is generally susceptible to aminoglycosides and quinolones.

The epidemiological transition: the current status of infectious diseases in the developed world versus the developing world.

Wealthy, industrialized countries of the developed world successfully underwent the “epidemiologic transition “ from infectious diseases to degenerative diseases, but developing countries have not yet achieved that transition. This article reviews the current status of Omrans Theory of Epidemiologic Transition, comparing the burden of infectious diseases in the developed world versus the developing world. The advent of modern sanitation and hygiene practices, effective vaccines, and antibiotics have significantly diminished the burden in the developed world, but infectious diseases remain the most common cause of death worldwide. The persistence of this disease burden has been due to a failure to employee effective strategies and to unforeseen developments, such as the emergence of HIV and the re-emergence of malaria and tuberculosis driven by newly developed drug resistance. The challenge in accurately assessing infectious disease burden and developing effective interventions is reviewed along with the most common diseases and current intervention strategies.

Comparative effects of vivax malaria, fever and diarrhoea on child growth.

BACKGROUND The adverse impact of Plasmodium vivax on child health beyond acute febrile illness is poorly studied. The effect of vivax malaria on child growth was evaluated and compared with diarrhoeal disease and non-specific fever. METHODS Using data from a 43-month longitudinal cohort of children 0-72 months of age (n = 442) in the Peruvian Amazon, ponderal and linear growth velocities over 2-, 4- and 6-month periods were examined using longitudinal models and related to the incidence of disease during the same period. RESULTS An episode of vivax malaria led to 138.6 g (95% confidence interval (CI) 81.9-195.4), 108.6 g (62.8-153.2) and 61 g (20.9-101.1) less weight gain over 2-, 4- and 6-month intervals, respectively. These deficits were larger than both diarrhoea (21.9, 17.2 and 13.8 g less weight gain, respectively) and fever (39.0, 30.3 and 25.6 g less weight gain, respectively). An incident episode of vivax also led to 0.070 cm (0.004-0.137) and 0.083 cm (0.015-0.151) less linear growth over 4 and 6 months, respectively, which were also larger than deficits from diarrhoea (0.029 and 0.028 cm, respectively) and fever (not associated with linear growth deficits). Despite the larger effect of P. vivax incident episodes on growth of a particular child, diarrhoeal disease had a larger cumulative impact on growth deficits as diarrhoeal incidence rates in this community are >10-fold higher than vivax malaria. CONCLUSIONS Disease control measures for vivax malaria and diarrhoeal disease have the potential to improve the growth of children in endemic areas.

Past Trends and Current Status of Self-Reported Incidence and Impact of Disease and Nonbattle Injury in Military Operations in Southwest Asia and the Middle East

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the evolutional changes in disease and nonbattle injury in a long-term deployment setting, we investigated trends of selected disease and nonbattle injury (NBI) incidence among US military personnel deployed in ongoing military operations in Southwest Asia and the Middle East. METHODS Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire concerning diarrhea, acute respiratory illness (ARI), and NBIs. We compared incidence, morbidity, and risk associations of disease and NBI incidence with historical data. We analyzed a clinic screening form to describe trends in diarrhea incidence over a 3-year period. RESULTS Between April 2006 and March 2007, 3374 troops completed deployment questionnaires. Incidence of diarrhea was higher than that of ARI and NBI (12.1, 7.1, and 2.5 episodes per 100 person-months, respectively), but ARI and NBI resulted in more-frequent health system utilization (both P < .001) and decreased work performance (P < .001 and P = .05, respectively) than did diarrhea. Compared with historical disease and NBI incidence rates, diarrhea and NBI incidence declined over a 4-year period, whereas ARI remained relatively constant. CONCLUSIONS Diarrhea, ARI, and NBI are important health concerns among deployed military personnel. Public health and preventive measures are needed to mitigate this burden.

Nonbattle injury among deployed troops: an epidemiologic study.

(n = 150) Nonbattle injury (NBI) continues to be a leading cause of morbidity among troops currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. To assess NBI incidence, impact, and risk factors, a survey was given to soldiers during mid- or postdeployment from Iraq, Afghanistan, and surrounding region, from January 2005 through May 2006. Among 3,367 troops completing a survey, 19.5% reported at least one NBI, and 85% sought care at least once for their symptoms. Service component, rank, and unit type were among factors associated with differential NBI risk. Twenty percent stated that NBI resulted in back-up personnel being called or shift change to cover impacted duties, and among those reported having been grounded from flight status, a third were the result of NBI. NBI continues to be a problem in recent deployments, and given the findings on individual and potential operational impact indicators, NBI should be viewed as a primary force health protection problem.

Effectiveness of rifaximin and fluoroquinolones in preventing travelers’ diarrhea (TD): a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundRecent developments related to a safe and effective nonabsorbable antibiotic, rifaximin, and identification of postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome as a frequent sequela call for a need to reconsider the value of primary prevention of traveler’s diarrhea (TD) with antibiotics.MethodsRandomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies evaluating the effectiveness and safety of rifaximin or a fluoroquinolone chemoprophylaxis against TD were pooled using a random effects model and assessed for heterogeneity.ResultsThe nine studies (four rifaximin and five fluoroquinolone) included resulted in pooled relative risk estimates of 0.33 (95% CI = 0.24–0.45, I2 = 3.1%) and 0.12 (95% CI = 0.07–0.20, I2 =0.0%), respectively. Similar rates of treatment emergent adverse events were found between antibiotic and placebo groups.ConclusionsThis meta-analysis supports the effectiveness of antibiotics in preventing TD. However, further studies that include prevention of secondary chronic health outcomes among travelers to different geographic regions, and a formal risk-benefit analysis for antibiotic chemoprophylaxis, are needed.