Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - Infectious Disorders) - Volume 14, Issue 3, 2014

Influenza is an acute respiratory illness that remains an important cause of excessive morbidity and mortality with substantial economic cost to the population. Influenza, being a virus that frequently mutates, is not amenable to elimination. Vaccination remains the most effective preventive measure. This review summarises the latest developments in the fields of biology and epidemiology relating to clinical and economic im Read More

The numerous protozoa that can inhabit the human gastro-intestinal tract are known, yet little is understood of the viruses which infect these protozoa. The discovery, morphologic details, purification methods of virus-like particles, genome and proteome of the parasitic viruses, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Trichomonas vaginalis, and the Eimeria sp. are described in this review. The protozoan viruses sh Read More

Mycobacterium fortuitum complex skin infection is described in a previously healthy adolescent girl in Sydney, Australia. Mycobacterium fortuitum typically causes superficial skin infections following trauma to the skin and in our patient may have been related to prior leg “waxing”. This case highlights common causes for a delay in diagnosis: lack of clinician awareness and inadequate microbiological and histopathological inve Read More

Objective: There is strong evidence of a link between parental substance use and/or mental health problems and adverse outcomes in children. We wanted to know the impact of these early childhood adversities on the health and social outcomes of children. We also wanted to determine whether early identification of these risks made a difference to the child’s outcome and what effective strategies and interventions are a Read More

Hajj attendance increases the risk of respiratory infections including pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a frequently identified pathogen, found in about 10% of respiratory tract samples of symptomatic Hajj pilgrims; and at least 20% of these isolates are penicillin resistant. However, the burden of pneumococcal disease at Hajj is not precisely defined at serotypic level, and it is postulated that due to intense mixing of p Read More

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is a contributing cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities including cerebral palsy (CP). In this case series we reviewed the neuroimaging findings of children with CP and cCMV infection in the context of the children’s clinical profile. Participants: Children with CP and laboratory confirmed cCMV (n=12) reported to the Australian CP Register, born in South Australia and Victoria, 1993-2006, with Read More

The medication management pathway (MMP) outlines the medication journey from the decision to prescribe through to monitoring the outcomes. Medication errors (MEs) can occur at any point of the pathway. MEs in children may result in poor health outcomes; and as children are more vulnerable to dose calculation and administration errors especially in the ambulatory setting, this cohort may be at a higher risk of adve Read More

This systematic review evaluates the prevalence of long-term complications of serogroup B meningococcal disease (MD) in light of the recent licensure of a vaccine against meningococcal B disease. Twelve appropriate studies were identified by searching available databases from 1946 to July 2014. The average prevalence of hearing impairment was 4.2% among serogroup B MD survivors; 2.3% suffered amputation and 2. Read More

Travellers attending mass gathering events like Hajj are at high risk of acquisition of respiratory viral infection, especially influenza. Following the official recommendation from the Saudi Ministry of Health in 2005, the coverage rate of influenza vaccine rose to 100% by the year 2009, and thereafter remained above 80% in pilgrims from resource-rich countries. In a meta-analysis of observational studies, influenza vaccine Read More

Trachoma is one of the major causes of preventable blindness worldwide. In Australia it is solely a disease of Aboriginal people. Trachoma in non-indigenous Australians has been eradicated earlier this century, however, is still prevalent among Aboriginal communities. Poor living condition, lack of access to water supply and sanitation, living in a crowded and unhealthy environment are the main causes of trachoma in Indigenous Read More