Point prevalence of Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, and Isospora infections in patients being evaluated for diarrhea.

From March to September 2001, 315 specimens from "nonrepeat" patients that were submitted for ova and parasite examination were stained using the Kinyoun modified acid-fast stain to detect the intestinal coccidians. Four patients (1.3%) were infected with coccidians, 2 with Cryptosporidium parvum and 2 with Cyclospora cayetanensis.

Hantavirus.

Sin Nombre virus (SNV), an emerging pathogen in the United States, was identified in 1993. This hantavirus, a member of the Bunyaviridae family of RNA viruses, is transmitted by its reservoir host Peromyscus maniculatus, the deer mouse. Transmission is by inhalation of aerosolized feces, urine, or saliva from the infected mice.

Empyema caused by trichomonas.

Empyema is one of the potential complications of lower respiratory tract infections. Very rarely, in predisposed individuals, empyema can be caused by Trichomonas species, of which Trichomonas tenax appears to be the most common cause. Here, we present a case of trichomonal empyema in a 56-year-old man and review the available literature of this rare occurrence.

Performance characteristics of VIDAS and directigen respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antigen detection assays and culture for the identification of RSV in respiratory specimens.

In a comparison of the Directigen and VIDAS respiratory syncytial virus antigen detection assays with viral culture, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and testing efficiency were 86, 93.1, 82.7, 94.