Fungi are eukaryotes, and they share many of the structural and metabolic characteristics of human cells. As a result, designing agents that affect fungi without harming human cells has proved difficult. One major difference between the two cell types is the primary sterol building block used to form the plasma membrane. The fungal plasma membrane consists of ergosterols; the major sterol component of the human plasma membrane is cholesterol.
Author: Brian Holtry
Vaccines, Toxoids, and other Immunobiologics
Vaccine and toxoid recommendations. Diphtheria toxoid adsorbed (DTA) and Diphtheria antitoxin (DA). Haemophilus influenzae type (HIB) vaccines. Influenza virus vaccine. Measles vaccine. Meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine. Mumps vaccine. Pertussis vaccine. Poliovirus vaccines. Rubella vaccine. Varicella vaccine. Varicella-zoster immune globulin. Immune globulin.
Tetanus toxoid, tetanus toxoid adsorbed, and tetanus immune globulin
Tetanus toxoid may be given to immunosuppressed patients if indicated. Tetanus immune globulin is used to provide passive tetanus immunization following the occurrence of traumatic wounds in nonimmunized or suboptimally immunized persons (see Table Tetanus Prophylaxis).
Pneumococcal vaccine
Pneumococcal vaccine is a mixture of capsular polysaccharides from 23 of the 83 most prevalent types of Streptococcus pneumoniae seen in the United States.
Urinary Tract Infections and Prostatitis
A urinary tract infection is defined as the presence of microorganisms in the urine that cannot be accounted for by contamination. The organisms have the potential to invade the tissues of the urinary tract and adjacent structures.
Tuberculosis: Clinical presentation, Diagnosis
Clinical Presentation of Tuberculosis: NON-HIV-Infected patients, HIV-Infected patients. Criteria for Tuberculin Positivity, by Risk Group. Evaluation of therapeutic outcomes and patient monitoring.
Treatment of Tuberculosis
Recommended Drug Regimens for Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection. Drug Regimens for Culture-Positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis Caused by Drug-Susceptible Organisms. Doses of Antituberculosis Drugs for Adults and Children. Tuberculous meningitis and Extrapulmonary disease.
Surgical Prophylaxis
The traditional classification system developed by the National Research Council stratifying surgical procedures by infection risk is reproduced in Table NRC Wound Classification, Risk of SSI, and Indication for Antibiotics. The National Research Council wound classification for a specific procedure is determined intraoperatively.
Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Impetigo is a superficial skin infection that is seen most commonly in children. It is highly communicable and spreads through close contact. Most cases are caused by S. pyogenes, but S. aureus either alone or in combination with S. pyogenes has emerged as a principal cause of impetigo.
Trichomoniasis
The spectrum of sexually transmitted diseases includes the classic venereal diseases – gonorrhea, syphilis, chancroid, lymphogranuloma venereum, and granuloma inguinale – as well as a variety of other pathogens known to be spread by sexual contact (Table Sexually Transmitted Diseases). Common clinical syndromes associated with sexually transmitted diseases are listed in Table Selected Syndromes Associated with Common Sexually Transmitted Pathogens.