Active clinical trials for "Infections"

The aim of this trial is to study the efavirenz-rifabutin interaction. Thus, this trial will enroll patients with HIV and tuberculosis co-infections who are receiving a rifabutin-based regimen and who plan to begin an antiretroviral regimen containing efavirenz dosed at 600 mg daily. Enrollment in TB Trials Consortium Study 23 is not a requirement for participation in this study. Primary Objective: To compare the pharmacokinetics of rifabutin at 600 mg twice a week in combination with efavirenz 600 mg daily to the pharmacokinetics of rifabutin 300 mg twice a week without efavirenz.

The purpose of this study is to see if treatment with PEG-interferon-alfa-2a (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin is a more effective treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) than interferon-alfa-2a (IFN) plus ribavirin for patients infected with both HCV and HIV. The study will also compare the 2 regimens to see which has fewer side effects. HCV infection is common in patients infected with HIV. Patients infected with both HIV and HCV viruses seem to have more severe hepatitis C. A combination of IFN and ribavirin has been shown to lessen the severity of HCV. PEG-IFN is a modified form of IFN that stays in the blood longer, which means that patients would not have to take the treatment as often. This study will compare the safety and effectiveness of PEG-IFN to IFN when each is combined with ribavirin.

Disseminated infection with Mycobacteria avium complex (MAC) is one of the most common systemic bacterial infections in advanced stages of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Current therapy for disseminated MAC infection in HIV patients consists of multidrug chemotherapy regimens are often accompanied by toxicities, and many patients become intolerant of one or more agents. Macrolides are the essential component of successful therapy, yet macrolide resistant strains are being recognized with increasing frequency. Thus, there is an interest in identifying additional therapeutic interventions for disseminated MAC in HIV-infected patients. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a central, regulatory cytokine in cell-mediated immunity. IL-12 enhances the cytolytic activity of cytotoxic T and NK cells, and induces interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) production from T and NK cells. This open-label Phase I study is designed to evaluate the safety and immunologic/microbiologic effects of interleukin-12 administration in HIV-infected patients with concomitant disseminated Mycobacterium avium (MAC) infection. Fifteen patients with documented disseminated MAC will be randomized to receive double-blinded placebo or escalating doses of IL-12 in addition to anti-MAC chemotherapy and standard anti-retroviral therapy for six weeks. IL-12 will be administered subcutaneously, with escalating doses every month over the dose range of 30 ng/kg, 100 ng/kg, and 300 ng/kg, or until an individual maximum tolerated dose (IMTD) is reached. Should a patient receive 2 consecutive blood cultures negative for MAC during the course of the study at a lower dose, then he/she will not be further dose escalated. Those patients receiving placebo after 6 weeks will be crossed over to receive the full treatment course of IL-12. Each new dose or dose escalation will take place on an inpatient basis. Once a patient is clinically stable at a dose, the patient will be maintained at that dose as an outpatient for the remainder of the month. Total IL-12 administration will not exceed 12 weeks, or 24 total doses.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections are very common and widespread. By age 5, virtually everyone has been infected and developed antibodies against some strain of the virus. RSV infections happen during adulthood, leading to common cold syndromes. In Bone Marrow Transplant recipients the disease is much more severe, usually progressing to pneumonia. This phenomenon is associated with mortality rates around 60-80%. RSV Polyclonal Immunoglobulin (Respigam® (Registered Trademark)) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for prophylaxis of RSV disease in premature babies and children born with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Furthermore, it has been used to treat RSV pneumonia in children and Bone Marrow Transplant recipients with encouraging results and no complications. Currently, no preventive strategies are available when approaching this infection among bone marrow transplant patients. We intend to prevent our bone marrow transplant patients from developing RSV pneumonia by employing the strategy already used in premature babies, i.e., by passive immunization with Respigam® (Registered Trademark). Our goal to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this strategy in such immunocompromised population. We believe that this will be a more reasonable approach than waiting for the infection to settle in and only then treating it, because optimal therapy is not currently available.

PRIMARY: To determine the efficacy of azithromycin and rifabutin alone and in combination for the prevention of disseminated Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) infection in HIV-infected patients. To determine the efficacy of daily versus weekly fluconazole for the prevention of deep fungal infections in this patient population. SECONDARY: To determine the incidence of bacterial (including mycobacterial) infections, cryptosporidiosis, and toxoplasmosis in azithromycin versus non-azithromycin containing regimens. To determine the incidence of oropharyngeal and vaginal candidiasis in patients treated with daily versus weekly fluconazole. To compare survival and outcomes of primary endpoints in the treatment arms.

To determine whether acute ionized hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia immediately following foscarnet infusions can be lessened or eliminated by prior infusion of magnesium sulfate. To determine whether reductions in ionized magnesium, ionized calcium, and parathyroid hormone levels following foscarnet infusions are lessened by preinfusion of magnesium sulfate. To evaluate the safety of intravenous magnesium sulfate prior to foscarnet infusion by monitoring blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rhythm. To characterize the effect of magnesium sulfate on foscarnet blood levels and urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and foscarnet.

The purpose of this study is to see if it is safe and effective to add 141W94 to an anti-HIV regimen that includes retrovir plus epivir.

To determine the safety, immunogenicity, biological activity, ad pharmacokinetics of sargramostim ( recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; GM-CSF ) human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor ( GM-CSF ), given by subcutaneous ( SC ) injection to patients with leukopenia in association with HIV infection.

To evaluate the safety and tolerance of long-term ganciclovir (DHPG) therapy for newly diagnosed macular threatening Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in AIDS patients. To evaluate the clinical response to a 52 week course of intravenous DHPG therapy. To evaluate the safety and tolerance of long-term DHPG with concurrent treatment with zidovudine (AZT). (Patients utilizing treatment with other anti-retroviral drugs will be considered for study entry on a case by case basis.) To determine survival in this group of patients with AIDS and CMV retinitis.

To compare the effectiveness of standard treatment with parenteral ampicillin and oral amoxicillin compared to initial daily therapy with ceftriaxone followed by 3 times weekly suppressive treatment for salmonella infections in AIDS patients.