acyclovir and Pneumonia--Bacterial

A 55-year old man developed a hemorrhagic pneumonia, likely due to infection with Kytococcus sedentarius during neutropenia following induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia. Severe mucosal barrier injury and the selective pressure of broad-spectrum antibiotics probably made it possible for this normally harmless commensal to penetrate the gut, spread through the blood stream, and invade the lungs.

Topics: Actinomycetales; Actinomycetales Infections; Acyclovir; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Bacteremia; Bacterial Translocation; Cefepime; Cephalosporins; Clostridium Infections; Colistin; Cytarabine; Daunorubicin; Drug Therapy, Combination; Etoposide; Fatal Outcome; Hemoptysis; Humans; Hydroxyurea; Immunocompromised Host; Intestinal Mucosa; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute; Male; Metronidazole; Middle Aged; Neutropenia; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Superinfection; Teicoplanin; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Smoking adversely affects many organ systems, but especially the lung. Carcinoma of the lung and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease account for most smoking-associated respiratory morbidity and mortality, and their association with smoking is both well established and widely recognized. Cigarette smoking also is associated with differences in the incidence, severity, or natural history of a broad array of other respiratory illnesses, ranging from the common cold to pneumothorax, pulmonary hemorrhage, and various interstitial lung diseases. Interestingly, while the general effect of smoking on respiratory diseases is adverse, in the cases of sarcoidosis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis smoking may actually be associated with a decrease in the incidence of disease. In this article, the author briefly discusses some of the pulmonary and systemic effects of smoking that might mediate its effects on an array of lung diseases, then comprehensively reviews less common or less well-recognized smoking-affected lung diseases such as pulmonary infections, spontaneous pneumothorax, Goodpasture's syndrome, eosinophilic granuloma and other interstitial lung diseases, and pulmonary metastatic disease.

Topics: Acyclovir; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic; Antiviral Agents; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Asbestosis; Bronchiolitis; Chickenpox; Eosinophilic Granuloma; Humans; Lung Diseases; Lung Neoplasms; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumothorax; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Respiratory Tract Infections; Risk Factors; Smoking

In June 2004 an 8-year-old boy was admitted to a hospital in Thessaloniki, Greece, because of high fever, tachypnea, hypotonia, diarrhea, and tonoclonic convulsions. Phlebovirus infection was diagnosed by IgG seroconversion to Toscana virus. As IgM antibodies were not detected, it is suggested that this was an acute infection caused by a phlebovirus virus distinct from Toscana virus. Complication by a hospital-acquired Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia resulted in 2 months of hospitalization. Slight ataxia was still present on discharge.

Topics: Acyclovir; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antiviral Agents; Bunyaviridae Infections; Ceftriaxone; Child; Colistin; Cross Infection; Drug Therapy, Combination; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Greece; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Male; Meningoencephalitis; Phlebovirus; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas Infections; Treatment Outcome

Lower respiratory tract infection is a major cause of morbidity and death after lung transplantation. The incidence and significance of noncytomegalovirus viral respiratory tract infections has not been reported to date. We report our center's experience with these infections.

Topics: Acyclovir; Adolescent; Adult; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Female; Herpes Simplex; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Lung Transplantation; Male; Middle Aged; Opportunistic Infections; Pneumonia, Bacterial; Pneumonia, Viral; Postoperative Complications; Premedication; Risk Factors