The risk of HIV infection after percutaneous exposure increases with a larger volume of blood and, probably, a higher titer of HIV in the source patient's blood. Postexposure prophylaxis with zidovudine appears to be protective.

Background Available data on the characteristics of patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD) and clinical management of EVD in settings outside West Africa, as well as the complications observed in those patients, are limited. Methods We reviewed available clinical, laboratory, and virologic data from all patients with laboratory-confirmed Ebola virus infection who received care in U.S. and European hospitals from August 2014 through December 2015. Results A total of 27 patients (median age, 36 years [range, 25 to 75]) with EVD received care; 19 patients (70%) were male, 9 of 26 patients (35%) had coexisting conditions, and 22 (81%) were health care personnel. Of the 27 patients, 24 (89%) were medically evacuated from West Africa or were exposed to and infected with Ebola virus in West Africa and had onset of illness and laboratory confirmation of Ebola virus infection in Europe or the United States, and 3 (11%) acquired EVD in the United States or Europe. At the onset of illness, the most common signs and symptoms were fatigue (20 patients [80%]) and fever or feverishness (17 patients [68%]). During the clinical course, the predominant findings included diarrhea, hypoalbuminemia, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypocalcemia, and hypomagnesemia; 14 patients (52%) had hypoxemia, and 9 (33%) had oliguria, of whom 5 had anuria. Aminotransferase levels peaked at a median of 9 days after the onset of illness. Nearly all the patients received intravenous fluids and electrolyte supplementation; 9 (33%) received noninvasive or invasive mechanical ventilation; 5 (19%) received continuous renal-replacement therapy; 22 (81%) received empirical antibiotics; and 23 (85%) received investigational therapies (19 [70%] received at least two experimental interventions). Ebola viral RNA levels in blood peaked at a median of 7 days after the onset of illness, and the median time from the onset of symptoms to clearance of viremia was 17.5 days. A total of 5 patients died, including 3 who had respiratory and renal failure, for a mortality of 18.5%. Conclusions Among the patients with EVD who were cared for in the United States or Europe, close monitoring and aggressive supportive care that included intravenous f luid hydration, correction of electrolyte abnormalities, nutritional support, and critical care management for respiratory and renal failure were needed; 81.5% of these patients who received this care survived.

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If the current HAART regimen caused no toxicity, less than 10% of naïve patients discontinue their first HAART regimen because of failure after 1 year from starting therapy.

Mass gatherings at major international sporting events put millions of international travelers and local host-country residents at risk of acquiring infectious diseases, including locally endemic infectious diseases. The mosquito-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently aroused global attention due to its rapid spread since its first detection in May 2015 in Brazil to 22 other countries and other territories in the Americas. The ZIKV outbreak in Brazil, has also been associated with a significant rise in the number of babies born with microcephaly and neurological disorders, and has been declared a 'Global Emergency by the World Health Organization. This explosive spread of ZIKV in Brazil poses challenges for public health preparedness and surveillance for the Olympics and Paralympics which are due to be held in Rio De Janeiro in August, 2016. We review the epidemiology and clinical features of the current ZIKV outbreak in Brazil, highlight knowledge gaps, and review the public health implications of the current ZIKV outbreak in the Americas. We highlight the urgent need for a coordinated collaborative response for prevention and spread of infectious diseases with epidemic potential at mass gatherings events.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the top killer from an infectious globally causing an estimated 1.674.000 million deaths worldwide. In 2016, WHO estimates 600.000 cases of rifampicin-resistant TB of which 490.000 had multidrug-resistant (MDR) and less than half of them survive after receiving currently recommended WHO treatment regimens, illustrating weaknesses in current treatment approaches. We review progress and advances in the development of new and repurposed TB drugs, treatment trials and host-directed therapies. Updates are provided on phase 3 trials of the new compounds bedaquiline, delamanid, pretomanid; phase 2 trials of sutezolid, SQ-109, LCB01-0371, PBTZ-169; and five new drugs in phase 1 development. Approved or repurposed drugs undergoing further testing are rifampicin, rifapentine, clofazimine, and linezolid. Update on ongoing clinical trials, which aim to shorten TB treatment and improve treatment outcome is given. Several new or repurposed antimicrobial drugs are in advanced trial stages for MDR-TB, and five antimicrobial drug candidates are in phase 1 (Q203, TBI-166, OPC-167832, GSK 070, TBA-7371) and 5 in pre-clinical studies. Specific issues of safety and toxicity; drug-drug interactions; Therapeutic Drug Monitoring are reviewed. A wide range of candidate host-directed therapies (HDTs) and immune-based treatments are being investigated to accelerate the eradication of M.tb infection and for use as adjunctive therapy in shortening duration of treatment, preventing permanent lung injury and improving treatment outcomes of MDR-TB. Ongoing clinical trials of HDTs for TB treatment, the current HDT development pipeline and translational research efforts for advancing further HDT options are presented. Ongoing clinical trials of HDTs for TB treatment, the current HDT development pipeline and translational research efforts for advancing further HDT options are presented.5

In addition to patient characteristics, medication-related variables, and reasons for nonadherence, patient-reported symptoms and medication side effects were significantly associated with adherence to HAART.

Despite extensive global efforts in the fight against killer infectious diseases, they still cause one in four deaths worldwide and are important causes of long-term functional disability arising from tissue damage. The continuing epidemics of tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, and influenza, and the emergence of novel zoonotic pathogens represent major clinical management challenges worldwide. Newer approaches to improving treatment outcomes are needed to reduce the high morbidity and mortality caused by infectious diseases. Recent insights into pathogen-host interactions, pathogenesis, inflammatory pathways, and the host's innate and acquired immune responses are leading to identification and development of a wide range of host-directed therapies with different mechanisms of action. Host-directed therapeutic strategies are now becoming viable adjuncts to standard antimicrobial treatment. Host-directed therapies include commonly used drugs for non-communicable diseases with good safety profiles, immunomodulatory agents, biologics (eg monoclonal antibodies), nutritional products, and cellular therapy using the patient's own immune or bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. We discuss clinically relevant examples of progress in identifying host-directed therapies as adjunct treatment options for bacterial, viral, and parasitic infectious diseases.