Testing an innovative device against airborne Aspergillus contamination.

Aspergillus fumigatus is a major airborne nosocomial pathogen that is responsible for severe mycosis in immunocompromised patients. We studied the efficacy of an innovative mobile air-treatment device in eliminating A. fumigatus from the air following experimental massive contamination in a high-security room.

Air contamination around patients colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms.

Care-related infections are a major public health concern. Their transmission can be associated with environmental factors. This study looks at air contamination around 45 patients colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs).

Phenotypic susceptibility to didanosine is associated with antiviral activity in treatment-experienced patients with HIV-1 infection.

Objective: We investigated the relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) phenotypic susceptibility to didanosine and the antiviral activity of didanosine (ddI) in the JAGUAR study.

Methods: Baseline plasma HIV phenotypic susceptibility to ddI was assessed using a phenotype assay of patients randomized to receive ddI or placebo for 4 weeks in addition to their current regimen. Phenotypic susceptibility scores (PSSs) were then calculated for each sample.

Analysis and validation of the phosphorylated metabolites of two anti-human immunodeficiency virus nucleotides (stavudine and didanosine) by pressure-assisted CE-ESI-MS/MS in cell extracts: sensitivity enhancement by the use of perfluorinated acids and alcohols as coaxial sheath-liquid make-up constituents.

A CE method utilizing triple quadrupole electrospray (ES) MS (MS/MS) detection was developed and validated for the simultaneous measurement of nucleoside 5'-triphosphate and 5'-monophosphate anabolites of the anti-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) didanosine (ddAMP, ddATP) and stavudine (d4TMP, d4TTP), among a pool of 14 endogenous 5'-mono-, di-, and triphosphate nucleosides. These compounds were spiked and extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) which are the sites of HIV replication and drug action. An acetic acid/ammonia buffer (pH 10, ionic strength of 40 mM) was selected as running electrolyte, and the separation was performed by the simultaneous application of a CE voltage of +30 kV and an overimposed pressure of 28 mbar (0.

Comparison of tests and procedures to build clinically relevant genotypic scores: application to the Jaguar study.

Objective: To compare non-parametric tests and procedures of selection in building clinically validated genotypic scores.

Design And Patients: In the Jaguar study, 111 patients on a stable antiretroviral regimen experiencing virological failure were randomized in the didanosine (ddI) arm to receive ddI for 4 weeks in addition to their current combination therapy.

Methods: The virological response was HIV-1 RNA reduction from baseline to week 4.

Infrequent transmission of HIV-1 drug-resistant variants.

Transmission of drug-resistant variants is influenced by several factors, including the prevalence of drug resistance in the population of HIV-1-infected patients, HIV-1 RNA levels and transmission by recently infected patients. In order to evaluate the impact of these factors on the transmission of drug-resistant variants, we have defined the population of potential transmitters and compared their resistance profiles to those of newly infected patients. Sequencing of pol gene was performed in 220 recently infected patients and in 373 chronically infected patients with HIV-1 RNA >1000 copies/ml.