Azithromycin (a total dose of 3 g) is equally effective as standard doxycycline treatment for erythema migrans in adult patients.

In a one-year study at the University Hospital of Infectious Diseases in Zagreb, Croatia the rate of asymptomatic throat carriage of beta-haemolytic streptococci was investigated. Throat carriage was investigated in 1796 patients, none of whom had a sore throat nor signs and/or symptoms of a respiratory tract infection. The carrier rate of beta-haemolytic streptococci was 8.3%, for group A streptococci 6%, group B 1.3%, group C 0.3% and group F 0.1%. The highest rate was observed in the 6 to 14 year age group: 13.8% for all streptococcal groups, 11.7% for group A alone. The proportion of non-A streptococci was higher in older age groups. Tonsillectomised individuals were less frequently carriers. No sex or season-dependent variations were observed. In a four-month study of 629 patients with pharyngitis the throat cultures yielded: group A streptococci in 44.7%, group B in 1.7%, group C in 0.8%, and group G in 0.6% of the patients. Group A streptococci in 44.7%, group B in 1.7%, group C in 0.8%, and group G in 0.6% of the patients. Group A streptococcal rates in carriers compared to rates in patients with pharyngitis suggest that approximately one fourth of the schoolchildren with culture-positive pharyngitis actually are not truly infected, but only carriers currently having a sore throat of non-streptococcal etiology. Antibiotics were administrated to 605 (96.2%) patients with pharyngitis; in 571 (94.4%) of the cases before culture results became available. After culture-negative results were obtained the therapy was discontinued in only 28.5% of the cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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The occurrence of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in HIV-infected patients has been reported in only five cases. Due to a very small number of reported HIV/APL patients who have been treated with different therapies with the variable outcome, the prognosis of APL in the setting of the HIV-infection is unclear. Here, we report a case of an HIV-patient who developed APL and upon treatment entered a complete remission. A 25-years old male patient was diagnosed with HIV-infection in 1996, but remained untreated. In 2004, the patient was diagnosed with primary central nervous system lymphoma. We treated the patient with antiretroviral therapy and whole-brain irradiation, resulting in complete remission of the lymphoma. In 2006, prompted by a sudden neutropenia, we carried out a set of diagnostic procedures, revealing APL. Induction therapy consisted of standard treatment with all-trans-retinoic-acid (ATRA) and idarubicin. Subsequent cytological and molecular analysis of bone marrow demonstrated complete hematological and molecular remission. Due to the poor general condition, consolidation treatment with ATRA was given in March and April 2007. The last follow-up 14 months later, showed sustained molecular APL remission. In conclusion, we demonstrated that a complete molecular APL remission in an HIV-patient was achieved by using reduced-intensity treatment.