Chikungunya fever: Atypical and lethal cases in the Western hemisphere: A Venezuelan experience.

A large epidemic of Chikungunya fever currently affects the Caribbean, Central and South America. Despite a high number of reported cases, little is known on the occurrence of severe clinical complications. We describe four Venezuelan patients with a severe and/or lethal course who exhibit unusual manifestations of the disease.

Comparison of short-term treatment regimen of ciprofloxacin versus long-term treatment regimens of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or norfloxacin for uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections: a randomized, multicentre, open-label, prospective study.

Objective: To compare the bacteriological and clinical efficacy of three treatments for uncomplicated cystitis in ambulatory pre-menopausal women: ciprofloxacin 250 mg orally twice daily for 3 days, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole 160/800 mg orally twice daily for 7 days, and norfloxacin 400 mg orally twice daily for 7 days.

Materials And Methods: A total of 455 women were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: 151 received ciprofloxacin, 150 received trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and 154 received norfloxacin. Bacteriological cure and clinical resolution were evaluated 5-9 days and 4-6 weeks after completion of treatment.

Skin and wound infection by rapidly growing mycobacteria: an unexpected complication of liposuction and liposculpture. The Venezuelan Collaborative Infectious and Tropical Diseases Study Group.

Objective: To describe 10 patients with skin and soft tissue infection caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria after cosmetic liposuction and liposculpture.

Design: Case series.

Settings: Eight private geographically separate surgical facilities from a single metropolitan area.

Fungal infection in Latin American countries.

Fungal infections remain a frequent health problem in Latin American countries. Although these diseases exhibit an extraordinary heterogeneity, they have certain features in common. Most patients belong to low socioeconomic groups and live in rural areas.