Active clinical trials for "Infections"

This study will test the safety and effectiveness of a new treatment for hepatitis C (HCV) in patients who also have HIV. The usual treatment for HCV in people who are not HIV-infected is interferon-alfa (IFN) with ribavirin (RBV), an approved treatment by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This study will use a new, longer acting form of IFN called PEG-IFN alfa-2b. PEG-IFN alfa-2b is approved by the FDA for use in treating HCV but has not yet been approved for use with RBV. This study also will use IL-2, which is a substance that the body naturally produces. People with HIV infection usually do not make enough IL-2. IL-2 is being tested in this study to see if it will "boost" the immune system's response to HCV. The FDA has approved IL-2 for the treatment of some cancers.

To determine the safety of thymosin alpha 1 given twice weekly in a regimen of daily oral zidovudine (AZT) and biweekly polyethylene glycolated interleukin-2 (PEG IL-2). To determine the effect of thymosin alpha 1 and PEG IL-2 in combination with AZT on immunologic and pharmacokinetic markers. AIDS is characterized by diminished T helper cell number and function. Thymosin alpha 1 appears to both increase IL-2 receptors on lymphocytes in vitro and enhance lymphocyte maturation in vivo; thus, the drug may further enhance the CD4 T cell levels in patients receiving AZT and PEG IL-2.

PRIMARY: To evaluate the efficacy of valacyclovir hydrochloride (BW 256U87) in the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) end-organ disease in HIV/CMV co-infected patients with CD4+ lymphocytes < 100 cells/mm3. To assess the impact of BW 256U87, high-dose oral acyclovir and low-dose oral acyclovir on survival. SECONDARY: To evaluate the effect of BW 256U87 on quality of life, the safety of the drug administered concurrently with standard antiretroviral agents and other essential therapies for the treatment and prevention of opportunistic diseases, and the efficacy of BW 256U87 in suppressing activation of other herpesviruses. To evaluate serologic and virologic risk factors for the development of CMV disease, including assessment of HIV activation, and the risk of developing drug-resistant CMV, HSV, and VZV. Gastrointestinal absorption of acyclovir is not high enough to prevent CMV disease in patients with advanced HIV disease, although there is evidence that high doses of the drug may extend survival. Valacyclovir, a prodrug that is rapidly converted to acyclovir after oral administration, has a higher absorption rate and may therefore provide inhibitory activity against CMV.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of adefovir dipivoxil in prolonging survival of patients with advanced HIV disease. In CMV prophylaxis substudy: To evaluate the efficacy of adefovir dipivoxil in preventing the development of CMV end-organ disease in patients with advanced HIV coinfected with CMV. The optimal treatment for HIV infection and the prevention of CMV disease has not been identified. Currently available antiretroviral therapies are hampered by both significant toxicities and the development of resistance. In addition, agents for preventing CMV disease, such as oral ganciclovir, are complicated by poor bioavailability and decreased compliance secondary to toxicities. Moreover, discordant results have been reported regarding the effectiveness of oral ganciclovir for preventing CMV disease. There is a need for newer agents with anti-HIV and anti-herpesvirus activity that have good pharmacokinetic and safety profiles and that will be well tolerated by patients. Adefovir dipivoxil is an oral pro-drug of PMEA, a nucleoside analog with activity against a broad spectrum of retroviruses and herpesviruses, including important human pathogens, such as HIV-1, HIV-2 and CMV. Due to its anti-HIV and anti-herpesvirus activity, adefovir dipivoxil may be able to decrease the incidence of opportunistic herpesvirus infections and prolong survival in patients with advanced HIV infection.

With this study, we want to see if we can use a kind of white blood cell called T cells to prevent or treat AdV and CMV infection. We will grow these T cells from the cord blood before the patients transplant. These cells have been trained to attack adenovirus/CMV-infected cells and are called Adenoviral/CMV-specific cytotoxic (killer) T-cells or "AdV/CMV-CTL." We would plan to give the patient one dose of AdV/CMV-CTL any time from 30 days after their transplant. We have used T cells made in this way from the blood of donors to prevent infections in patients who are getting a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant but this will be the first time we make them from cord blood.

Patient's on this protocol have a type of blood cell cancer, other blood disease or a genetic disease and have received a stem cell transplant. The donor of the stem cells was either a brother or sister, another relative, or a closely matched unrelated donor. The patient is being asked to participate in this study which tests if blood cells from the donor that have been grown in a special way, can prevent or be an effective treatment for early infection by three viruses - Epstein Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and adenovirus. Adenovirus is a virus that usually causes symptoms of a common cold, but can cause serious life-threatening infections in patients who have weak immune systems. It can affect the lungs and cause very serious pneumonia, and can also damage the gut, liver, pancreas and eyes.CMV can also cause serious infections in patients with weak or suppressed immune systems. It usually affects the lungs, causing a very serious pneumonia, but it can also affect the gut, the liver and the eyes. Approximately 2/3 of normal people harbor this virus in their body. In healthy people CMV rarely causes any problems because the immune system can keep it under control, but after a transplant, the risk of developing CMV disease is much higher because the immune system is so weak. EBV is the virus that causes glandular fever. It is also a life long infection like CMV that is normally controlled by the immune system. When immunity is weak, the virus can become active and cause fevers, enlarged lymph nodes and sometimes a type of cancer called lymphoma. Investigators want to see if a kind of white blood cell called T lymphocytes (T cells)can be used to prevent and treat adenovirus, CMV and EBV in the early stages of reactivation or infection. T cells have been grown from the patient's stem cell donor in the laboratory in a way that will train them to recognize the virus and control it when they are given after a transplant. This treatment with specially trained T cells (also called CTLs) has had activity against these viruses in previous studies and in this study investigators want to see if they still have activity when they are made in a simpler and faster way. These donor-derived multivirus-specific special cell lines are an investigational product not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether donor-derived multivirus-specific special cell lines are safe and can control three viruses: EBV, CMV and adenovirus.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of pin-tract infection prevention between silversulfadiazine and dry dressing. Methods: 30 patients with an open tibial fracture admitted to Songklanagarind hospital from September 2007 to June 2008 and treated by emergency debridement and external fixation were randomized into two groups, one treated with silversulfadiazine for infection prophylaxis (15) and a control group treated with dry dressing only (15). All patients were followed until the external fixator was removed. Pin-site infections were assessed and graded at each follow-up visit by an orthopaedist blinded to the mode of treatment. A culture from the pin site was done if an infection occurred.

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause liver scarring, or cirrhosis, and this usually occurs more rapidly among people infected with both HCV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). People infected with both HCV and HIV have poor response to the current HCV treatments. This phase II pilot study evaluated whether adding a new HCV medication improves response to the current standard HCV treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in people with both HCV and HIV.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel combination antiretroviral therapy regimen consisting of maraviroc plus darunavir/ritonavir in treatment-naive patients infected with R5-tropic HIV-1. The hypothesis is that in treatment-naive subjects infected with R5-tropic HIV-1, combination antiretroviral therapy with maraviroc plus darunavir/ritonavir is well tolerated and efficacious.

This pilot study aims to evaluate Maraviroc intensification strategy during 24 weeks in HIV infected patients under efficient (CV< 50 cp/mL), controlled antiretroviral therapy (≥ 6 months) and uncompleted immune restoration (CD4<350 cells/mL and CD4 earning <100 cells/mL during last 24 months). The study will include 60 patients whose follow up is carried out for 48 weeks. recruitment period will be maintained for 12 months.