Infectious diseases arise from bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites and can spread through contact, contaminated food or water, or weakened immunity. Common types include bacterial infections (e.g., strep…
Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection causing redness, swelling, and pain, often in the lower legs. Tom Warren, MD, explains it results from bacteria entering compromised skin barriers…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – New research indicates that operative times are independently and directly linked to the risk of infectious complications and the length of hospital stay.…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In HIV-infected patients, risk factors for thrombocytopenia include interruptions in antiretroviral therapy, high HIV RNA levels, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and cirrhosis,…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Prepping a patient’s skin with chlorhexidine-alcohol rather than with povidone-iodine reduces both superficial and deep incisional infections after clean-contaminated surgery, according to a…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Genital ulcers are common in HIV-infected women when antiretroviral therapy (ART) begins, particularly when CD4 counts are low or when women have had…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has issued a “permissive recommendation” for the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) in males, to protect…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Old age has a greater impact on abdominal surgery outcomes than previously reported, according to two papers in the December Archives of Surgery.…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who are hepatitis B e antigen-positive, viral genotype is one of the strongest predictors…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A low platelet count in the presence of hepatitis C viremia indicates the need to begin interferon-based treatment, regardless of the degree of…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Bloodstream infections are more common with the use of needle-free mechanical valve connectors in intravascular catheters, a new study shows. The needle-free mechanical…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – An investigational drug called motavizumab may offer better protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) than palivizumab in high risk children, according to a…