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Biomedical subjects

S Hafeez

Publications and source records attributed to S Hafeez.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

The safety and efficacy of clarithromycin in patients with Legionella pneumonia.

Clarithromycin, a new macrolide antibiotic, is at least four times more active in vitro than erythromycin against Legionella pneumophila. In this study the safety and efficacy of orally administered clarithromycin (500 to 1,000 mg bid) in the treatment of Legionella pneumonia were evaluated. Forty-six patients were enrolled in the study, 15 of whom had not responded to previous routine anti-Legionella therapy (erythromycin, ofloxacin, rifampin [rifampicin], or tetracycline). Twelve patients prematurely discontinued the study (nine by the patient's request while feeling well; one because of cancer diagnosis; and two because of adverse events). The response rates after treatment were as follows: clinical cure rate, 98 percent (43/44); clinical success (cure or improved), 100 percent (44/44); radiographic success (cure and improved), 93 percent (28/30); direct antigen fluorescence resolution, 100 percent (40/40); and bacteriologic cure, 100 percent (13/13). Ten patients reported 13 adverse events (seven mild, four moderate, and two severe). Clarithromycin is a safe effective treatment for patients with severe chest infections due to Legionella pneumophila.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Acute and chronic Legionnaires' disease and co-existent tuberculosis: a trial of erythromycin.

To assess the prevalence of Legionnaires' disease, 115 patients with 'difficult-to-treat' chest infections were screened for Legionnella pneumophila. The results were positive in 10 (37%) of 27 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 15 (22%) of 68 with a recent onset acute respiratory infection, and 7 (35%) of 20 patients with history of a chronic respiratory infection. These 32 patients were enrolled in an open therapeutic trial of erythromycin. Less severe cases (17 of 32) received erythromycin stearate orally (500 mg 4-times daily) for up to 28 days, while severe cases were treated for the first few days with intravenous erythromycin lactobionate (4 g/day). Weekly chest X-ray examinations revealed prompt resolution. Most patients had no signs and symptoms detectable after 7 days, and none persisted up to 28 days. There were no therapeutic failures and microbiological tests on Day 28 were negative for Legionella pneumophila. It is suggested that the possibility of co-existing legionellosis should be considered in all patients with difficult to treat acute and chronic chest infections, particularly in developing countries where tuberculosis is very common, and treatment instituted or supplemented with erythromycin as the drug of choice.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1988

Multiply-resistant Salmonella and Shigella isolates.

Emerging patterns of antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella species are of serious concern in several parts of the world where enteric fever and other forms of salmonellosis are endemic. A retrospective review of clinical microbiology culture logbooks at our institution identified 16 isolates of multiply-resistant Salmonella (15) and Shigella (1) species during the period from October 1985 to February 1987. All organisms were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, using a disk diffusion technique. Clinical sources of isolation included blood, stool, and urine. The resistant Salmonella strains represented 4% of blood cultures positive for this organism during the study period. Medical records of patients from whom organisms were recovered were reviewed to determine the clinical relevance of these isolates. The emergence of multiresistant Salmonella strains has important clinical and public health implications for populations at risk.

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗