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W L Greaves

Publications and source records attributed to W L Greaves.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Pneumococcal bacteremia in adults: a 14-year experience in an inner-city university hospital.

We retrospectively reviewed 304 episodes of pneumococcal bacteremia in 293 adults to compare the clinical features, prognostic factors, and case-fatality rate associated with this illness to those in previous studies. We studied patients at an inner-city university hospital who had pneumococcal bacteremia from January 1980 through December 1993. We analyzed patient demographics, risk factors for pneumococcal infection, pneumococcal vaccination status, initial vital signs, findings on chest roentgenograms, arterial blood gases, and laboratory values. Ninety-six percent of our study population was African American and 61% were male; pneumococcal vaccination was documented for 2%. The case-fatality rate in our study was 36%. Older age, lower mean arterial pressure, lower mean temperature, higher respiratory rate, multilobar pneumonia, leukopenia, low platelet count, hypoalbuminemia, low arterial pH, low arterial oxygen tension, and high arterial carbon dioxide tension were associated with higher mortality. Our study suggests that mortality due to pneumococcal bacteremia has not changed significantly in the last 6 decades, that the number of patients in high-risk groups who are receiving pneumococcal vaccine is insufficient, and that higher mortality can be predicted from the history, vital signs, and laboratory values at initial presentation.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Renal infection due to adenovirus in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Opportunistic viral infections in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are well described, but reports of morbidity or mortality caused by adenoviruses among this patient population are uncommon despite the frequent isolation of adenoviruses from patients with HIV infection. At autopsy we found necrotizing adenovirus infection of renal tubules in a patient with cytomegalovirus infection of the colon and adrenal glands. The tissue damage we describe in this report adds to the spectrum of findings for patients with asymptomatic adenovirus infection of the urinary tract.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1989

Congenital rubella syndrome in the United States, 1970-1985. On the verge of elimination.

The National Congenital Rubella Syndrome Registry, a passive surveillance system, and the Birth Defects Monitoring Program, a newborn hospital discharge data set, are used to monitor the incidence of congenital rubella syndrome in the United States. Reports to the registry contain clinical and laboratory data which allow cases to be classified into six categories according to the likelihood of having congenital rubella syndrome. The monitoring program records newborn discharge diagnoses, without detailed information, of a nonrandom sample of about one fourth of the births in the United States annually. To evaluate the two systems and to estimate the actual incidence of congenital rubella syndrome, the authors collected hospital discharge summaries on all cases as reported by the monitoring program from 1970-1985 and classified them by the registry criteria. Of the 392 cases reported to the monitoring program during 1970-1985, 24% (n = 93) could be classified as confirmed or compatible compared with 79% (n = 415) of the 526 cases reported to the registry (rate ratio = 3.3; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9-3.8). Diagnosis of congenital rubella syndrome was made during the neonatal period for 68% (263 of 389) registry cases for whom such data were available. When the Lincoln-Peterson capture-recapture method of estimating population size for independent surveillance systems was used, an estimated 1,064 confirmed and compatible cases (95% CI 668-1,460) diagnosed during the neonatal period occurred during 1970-1979, for an average of 106 cases per year. During 1980-1985, an estimate of 122 neonatal confirmed and compatible cases (95% CI 8-236) occurred, for an average of 20 cases per year. A downward secular trend in the incidence of congenital rubella syndrome beginning in 1980 was observed. The registry detected 22% of all neonatal confirmed and compatible cases, the monitoring program detected 8%, and the two systems combined detected a total of 28%. The results indicate that congenital rubella syndrome may be on the verge of elimination in the United States.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1988

Clindamycin versus metronidazole in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis.

One hundred forty-three women with complaints of vaginitis were assigned to receive either 500 mg of metronidazole twice daily for 7 days or clindamycin 300 mg twice daily for 7 days. There was no significant difference in the failure rate between patients treated with clindamycin (6.1%) and those treated with metronidazole (4%). Adverse reactions were infrequent and mild in both treatment groups. Three patients who received clindamycin developed non-bloody diarrhea, which was mild and did not necessitate discontinuing therapy. We conclude that clindamycin may be a safe and effective alternative to metronidazole for treating women with bacterial vaginosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Outbreak of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae with an African connection.

Previous outbreaks of penicillinase-producing gonococcal infection in the United States have generally been attributed to importation of Southeast Asian strains. During July 1982 through July 1983, 110 cases of gonorrhea caused by penicillinase-producing strains were reported in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Among the 53 infected women, 14 (26%) had pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Compared to other infected women, those with PID experienced a greater delay from the time of last sexual exposure (19.1 vs 8.1 days) to receipt of appropriate antibiotic therapy (P less than .01). At least 22 prostitutes were involved in the outbreak. Sixteen (76%) of 21 isolates tested were serogroup 1A; 15 required arginine and proline for growth; and 17 (81%) possessed a 3.2 megadalton plasmid. Our data suggest that this outbreak was associated with both African and Southeast Asian strains.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The opportunity and obligation to eliminate rubella from the United States.

The licensure of rubella vaccines in the United States in 1969 offered the opportunity to prevent the devastating consequences of congenital rubella infection, including miscarriages, therapeutic abortions, and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), with its average lifetime cost of more than $220,000 per case. With the widespread use of vaccine, rubella transmission in the United States has been reduced to record low levels. Epidemics of rubella and CRS, previously reported every six to nine years, have not occurred, and since 1980, following decreases of rubella incidence rates in the postpubertal population, the endemic incidence rates of CRS have also begun to decrease. We have both the opportunity and the obligation to hasten elimination by (1) ensuring that susceptible females of childbearing age are vaccinated, (2) initiating and/or enforcing existing legislation requiring proof of rubella immunity for all children enrolled in schools, (3) intensifying surveillance for both acquired rubella and CRS, and (4) aggressively controlling rubella outbreaks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Endocarditis due to Veillonella alcalescens.

A 60-year-old man with a history of a benign heart murmur for 25 years had evaluation of six months of unexplained fever and heart disease. The fever responded to nonspecific antimicrobial therapy, but progressive aortic insufficiency necessitated aortic valve replacement. Although numerous preoperative blood cultures were negative, Veillonella alcalescens was isolated in pure culture from the excised valve. The patient remained well after two weeks of intravenous therapy with cephalothin and three months of oral therapy with penicillin.

Aortic Valve↗
PubMed1982

Prevention of rubella transmission in medical facilities.

The widespread use of rubella vaccine in the United States has dramatically decreased the number of rubella cases and has prevented epidemics. Nevertheless, outbreaks of rubella continue to occur in medical facilities and have become important in the transmission of the disease. Control of outbreaks requires isolation of infectious patients, assignment of immune staff only to infectious patients, exclusion from work of infectious personnel, special follow-up of pregnant women and exposed persons, and the rapid vaccination of susceptible staff. Implementation of hospital rubella prevention programs is preferable to controlling an outbreak. The vaccination of all susceptible personnel provides the opportunity for preventing rubella outbreaks, disruption of hospital services, and fetal rubella infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Fetal risk associated with rubella vaccine.

Ninety-four susceptible women received either Cendehill or HPV-77 rubella vaccine. All gave birth to healthy infants. Seventeen susceptible women received the RA 27/3 vaccine. All their infants were free of abnormalities compatible with congenital rubella, as were 54 born to mothers of unknown immune status at the time of RA 27/3 vaccination and those later found to be immune. An additional susceptible woman received an unknown strain of vaccine; she also had a healthy infant. The risk of severe congenital malformations after rubella vaccination is low. In our 112 cases, the maximum risk was approximately 3%. Concern about the potential adverse effects of rubella vaccine on the fetus should not interfere with vaccination of women of childbearing age. However, since the actual risk may not be zero, women known to be pregnant should not be vaccinated, and conception should be avoided for three months after vaccination.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Cefoxitin disposition during peritoneal dialysis.

The pharmacokinetic disposition of 2 g of cefoxitin administered intravenously over 30 min was determined in six patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for chronic renal failure. During the 6-h dialysate dwell time after the drug infusion, the mean apparent volume of distribution for cefoxitin was 0.267 liter/kg (range, 0.201 to 0.325 liter/kg), and the mean elimination t1/2 from plasma was 7.8 h (range, 5.5 to 13.1 h). The peritoneal clearance, averaging 1.51 ml/min (range, 0.58 to 2.35 ml/min), was only 7.4% of the mean plasmas clearance of cefoxitin. Cefoxitin clearance was reduced in patients with renal failure and was not increased by peritoneal dialysis.

Cefoxitin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Streptococcal abscesses following diphtheria-tetanus toxoid-pertussis vaccination.

Abscesses developed in seven children who received diphtheria-tetanus toxoid-pertussis vaccine at a clinic in Indiana. Epidemiologic investigation revealed that all seven children had received vaccine from the same multidose vial and had been vaccinated by the same nurse at the office of one physician. Group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus was isolated from abscesses in six of the seven children. No source was identified as the cause of this cluster of abscesses. Vaccine of the same lot number used elsewhere was not associated with the development of abscesses. It appears that the vaccine became contaminated during use.

Abscess↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical efficacy of rubella vaccine.

In the period October 10, 1980, to January 19, 1981, 83 cases of rash illness compatible with rubella were reported in Sanford, ME. Twenty-two (27%) were confirmed serologically. Forty cases (48%) occurred in Sanford High School students; the overall attack rate was 3.2%. A case-control study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of rubella vaccine in preventing clinical rubella. Bayes' theorem was used to calculate the attack rates in the vaccinated population (ARV) and the unvaccinated population (ARU). Vaccine efficacy (VE), calculated with use of the formula VE (%) = [(ARU - ARV)/ARU] x 100, was 90%. These results indicate that rubella vaccine is highly effective in preventing clinical rubella and do not support proposals for routine revaccination.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cefoxitin vs. penicillin in the treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea.

Four hundred six men and women with gonorrhea were randomly assigned to receive either 2 g of cefoxitin or 4.8 X 10(6) units of aqueous procaine penicillin G intramuscularly. All patients also received 1 g of probenecid orally. There was no statistically significant difference in the failure rate between patients treated with penicillin (4.3%) and those treated with cefoxitin (5.1%). Twelve (92%) of 13 homosexual men with gonococcal proctitis who received penicillin and 19 (95%) of 20 who received cefoxitin were cured. Adverse reactions were infrequent and mild in the cefoxitin-treated group. Three patients who received penicillin developed reactions consistent with procaine toxicity. It is concluded that cefoxitin is a safe and effective alternative to penicillin for treating uncomplicated anogenital gonorrhea in men and women.

Adult↗