Archive for the ‘Anti-Infectives’ Category

INDICATIONS FOR HCV (HEPATITIS C VIRUS) THERAPY

Thursday, March 10th, 2011
Treatment is typically recommended for patients with chronic hepatitis С who are at the greatest risk for progression to cirrhosis. The risks and benefits of treatment must be assessed for each patient, particularly given the slow course of natural infection. In general, treatment may be recommended for patients with the following conditions:
- Moderate liver disease – Persistently elevated ALT levels, HCV viremia, and liver biopsy demonstrating at least moderate inflammation (at least grade 2) and fibrosis (at least stage 1).
- Mild liver disease – Elevated ALT levels, HCV viremia, and only mild inflammatory changes (grades 1 to 2, stage 0) on liver biopsy. Observation may also be reasonable in these instances.
- Compensated cirrhosis -These patients may have a higher rate of side effects from therapy.
- HIV co-infection
Patients with persistently normal ALT levels and minimal or no histologic evidence of inflammation have an excellent prognosis without therapy. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis should not be treated, since they are unlikely to have a response and their condition may worsen with therapy. Pregnancy is an absolute contraindication to HCV treatment. Little is known about the treatment of HCV in children and adolescents, and further research is needed.
*84/348/5*

INDICATIONS FOR HCV (HEPATITIS C VIRUS) THERAPYTreatment is typically recommended for patients with chronic hepatitis С who are at the greatest risk for progression to cirrhosis. The risks and benefits of treatment must be assessed for each patient, particularly given the slow course of natural infection. In general, treatment may be recommended for patients with the following conditions:- Moderate liver disease – Persistently elevated ALT levels, HCV viremia, and liver biopsy demonstrating at least moderate inflammation (at least grade 2) and fibrosis (at least stage 1).- Mild liver disease – Elevated ALT levels, HCV viremia, and only mild inflammatory changes (grades 1 to 2, stage 0) on liver biopsy. Observation may also be reasonable in these instances.- Compensated cirrhosis -These patients may have a higher rate of side effects from therapy.- HIV co-infectionPatients with persistently normal ALT levels and minimal or no histologic evidence of inflammation have an excellent prognosis without therapy. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis should not be treated, since they are unlikely to have a response and their condition may worsen with therapy. Pregnancy is an absolute contraindication to HCV treatment. Little is known about the treatment of HCV in children and adolescents, and further research is needed.*84/348/5*

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INFECTIOUS DISEASES: TYPHUS

Sunday, December 26th, 2010
An acute infectious disease in which there is a rash, serious symptoms affecting the nervous system and a high fever. This disease is transmitted to human beings by the body louse and the rat fleas which are infected with an organism called Rickettsia prowazekii. A few days to two weeks after the person has first been infected, this disease begins, with pains in the head, back, and limbs. The fever rises rapidly to 104 or 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The symptoms affecting the nervous system are like those of typhoid fever.
The eruption appears on the fourth or fifth day with rose-colored spots scattered all over the body. Because this disease occurs so often among groups of people assembled together, it used to be called camp fever, jail fever, or ship fever. A similar condition is also known as Brill’s disease. In Latin America the condition is called tabardillo. Another similar condition is called scrub typhus and is known in the Orient as tsutsugamushi disease.
*38/318/5*

INFECTIOUS DISEASES: TYPHUSAn acute infectious disease in which there is a rash, serious symptoms affecting the nervous system and a high fever. This disease is transmitted to human beings by the body louse and the rat fleas which are infected with an organism called Rickettsia prowazekii. A few days to two weeks after the person has first been infected, this disease begins, with pains in the head, back, and limbs. The fever rises rapidly to 104 or 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The symptoms affecting the nervous system are like those of typhoid fever.The eruption appears on the fourth or fifth day with rose-colored spots scattered all over the body. Because this disease occurs so often among groups of people assembled together, it used to be called camp fever, jail fever, or ship fever. A similar condition is also known as Brill’s disease. In Latin America the condition is called tabardillo. Another similar condition is called scrub typhus and is known in the Orient as tsutsugamushi disease.*38/318/5*

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