Intrapulmonary pharmacokinetics of SPR719 following oral administration of SPR720 to healthy volunteers.

SPR720 is a phosphate ester prodrug that is converted rapidly to SPR719, the active moiety, which exhibits potent activity against clinically relevant mycobacterial species including complex (MAC) and . SPR720 is in clinical development for the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) due to MAC. This study evaluated the safety and the intrapulmonary pharmacokinetics of SPR719 in healthy volunteers.

Dalbavancin Pharmacokinetics and Safety in Children 3 Months to 11 Years of Age.

Background: Dalbavancin is a novel lipoglycopeptide antibiotic that has potent in vitro activity against Gram-positive microorganisms.

Methods: We performed a phase 1, open-label, multicenter study to investigate the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of a single dose of intravenous dalbavancin in hospitalized pediatric subjects 3 months to 11 years of age. We combined these data with previously collected adolescent PK data and performed a population PK analysis.

Carriage of multidrug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and impact of chemoprophylaxis during an outbreak of meningitis at a day care center.

Three cases of meningitis due to multidrug-resistant serotype 14 Streptococcus pneumoniae occurred at a day care center (DCC) over 5 days. Cultures of nasopharyngeal samples were done at the index DCC, 2 comparison DCCs, and a pediatrics practice. Isolates were serotyped and subtyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with SmaI.

Newly recognized focus of La Crosse encephalitis in Tennessee.

La Crosse virus is a mosquito-borne arbovirus that causes encephalitis in children. Only nine cases were reported in Tennessee during the 33-year period from 1964-1996. We investigated a cluster of La Crosse encephalitis cases in eastern Tennessee in 1997.

Congenital varicella-zoster virus infection and Barrett's esophagus.

Congenital varicella syndrome is a rare complication of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection during pregnancy. An infant was exposed to VZV at 18.5 weeks of gestation and had eye and skin abnormalities at birth and persistent feeding difficulties, prompting esophageal biopsies at 12 days and 20 and 20.

Handwashing and glove use in a long-term-care facility.

Objectives: To determine glove use and handwashing practices, the factors associated with infection control practices, and the frequency of potential microbial transmission in a long-term-care facility (LTCF).

Design: Observational study of 230 staff-resident interactions in an LTCF. We recorded resident characteristics, type of activity, staff credentials, and movements of the staff member's hands, then used the LTCF's guidelines to judge appropriateness of glove use and handwashing.

Risk factors for nasopharyngeal carriage of resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and detection of a multiply resistant clone among children living in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region of Alaska.

Background: Children < 2 years old living in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (YKD) region of Alaska have one of the highest pneumococcal bacteremia rates of in the world.

Methods: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for infection with intermediate or resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in the YKD, we cultured nasopharyngeal secretions of healthy children < or = 5 years old, reviewed their hospital records and administered questionnaires to accompanying parents.

Results: Of 185 children evaluated we obtained 95 pneumococcal isolates; drug susceptibility patterns and serotyping results were available for 92.

Transmission of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis among persons exposed in a medical examiner's office, New York.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for having a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) result among employees at a medical examiner's office (MEO).

Design: Cohort study, environmental investigation.

Setting: Several employees at a medical examiner's office were found to have positive TST results after autopsies were performed on persons with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

Risk factors for invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae among Alaska native children younger than two years of age.

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes a significant amount of illness and death from pneumonia, bacteremia and meningitis among children < 2 years of age. No currently available effective vaccine exists to prevent pneumococcal disease in this age group. To identify modifiable risk factors we conducted a retrospective case-control study of 29 Alaska Native residents of Bethel, AK, < 2 years of age who had invasive pneumococcal illness from 1983 to 1992 and 85 controls matched for race, city of residence and date of birth.

Acute liver injury after protracted seizures in children.

Three children were observed to have extensive liver injury following protracted seizures. Two recovered with supportive care and one died from central nervous system complications. When first measured, the levels of aminotransferases were minimally elevated, but they increased to 250 to 8,000 times normal within 12 to 24 h after the seizure episode.