Carbapenems.

Objective: To assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of carbapenems by considering their microbiological, clinical, pharmacokinetics and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) properties and defining optimal conditions of uses of the new generation of carbapenems.

Methods: Literature review.

Results: Except for ertapenem, the spectrum of activity is similar for all carbapenems, with little differences in activities of individual agents.

Microbiologic characteristics and in vitro susceptibility to antimicrobials in a large population of patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic device infection.

Introduction: The incidence of cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infection is steadily increasing. However, no consensus has been reached with respect to the type and duration of antimicrobial therapy in this specific population of patients. The role played by new anti-Staphylococcus agents has not been defined.

Gammadelta T lymphocytosis associated with granulomatous disease in a patient with common variable immunodeficiency.

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a heterogeneous group of immunodeficiency syndromes that involves defective production of specific antibodies and decreased serum concentrations of > or =1 immunoglobulin isotype. We describe a patient with an atypical case of CVID who had extensive granulomatous lesions that were partially attributable to mycobacterial infection. In the peripheral blood, there was a massive increase in the number of double-negative CD3+ T cells that expressed the gammadelta T cell receptor.