Active clinical trials for "Infections"

To determine the safety and immunogenicity of Env 2-3 in combination with MTP-PE/MF59 adjuvant in adult volunteers with HIV infection. By vaccinating those who have HIV infection, perhaps the replication (reproduction) of existing viral strains can be suppressed and the asymptomatic period early in the infectious process can be prolonged. One potential way to do this is to boost HIV antigen-specific CD4 responses, which may in turn increase the effectiveness of CD8 killing of HIV infected cells.

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a 6-month course of isoniazid ( INH ) in the prevention of clinical tuberculosis in anergic (having diminished or absent reactions to specific antigens) HIV-infected persons who are at high risk for tuberculous infection. A substantial number of HIV-infected persons are anergic, and thus do not respond to the only currently available diagnostic tool for tuberculosis infection (that is, the PPD (purified protein derivative) skin test). Many of these anergic persons are, however, infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and eventually develop reactivation tuberculosis, causing both individual illness and spread of infection to others in the community. This study examines the possibility of using INH prophylaxis (that is, for prevention) in anergic HIV-infected patients at high risk for tuberculosis as a means of decreasing the sharp rise in the incidence of tuberculosis due to HIV infection. INH is inexpensive and relatively safe, and thus may demonstrate an acceptable risk/benefit ratio as a medication that can be given over a limited period of time to a population suspected of having, but not proved to have, M. tuberculosis infection. If this study shows INH to be safe and effective in this setting, it could have a major effect on public health in this country.

To evaluate the effectiveness and toxicity of oral azithromycin and pyrimethamine as acute therapy for toxoplasmic encephalitis in AIDS patients. To assess the toxicity and effectiveness of azithromycin alone as maintenance therapy. Encephalitis caused by Toxoplasma gondii is the most frequent cause of focal central nervous system infection in patients with AIDS. Untreated, the encephalitis is fatal. Standard treatment for toxoplasmic encephalitis is associated with serious adverse effects. Thus, alternative treatments are needed.

To compare the effectiveness and toxicity of didanosine (ddI) and zidovudine (AZT) in patients with AIDS, advanced AIDS-related complex (ARC), or asymptomatic infection with CD4 counts < 200 cells/mm3. AZT is effective in reducing mortality in patients with AIDS who receive the drug after the first episode of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and in patients with advanced ARC. However, AZT therapy has been associated with significant toxicities. In addition, the effectiveness of AZT appears to decrease during the second and third years of therapy. For these reasons, the development of alternative therapy that would be at least as effective but less toxic is of great importance. The drug ddI is an antiviral agent that inhibits replication (reproduction) of HIV with less apparent toxicity than AZT.

To study the toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and antiretroviral effectiveness of combined oral zidovudine (AZT) and intermittent intravenous foscarnet therapy in stable AIDS or AIDS related complex (ARC) patients who have already received AZT for 8 - 52 weeks. It is hypothesized that the maximum AZT antiretroviral effect, which occurs at 8 weeks of therapy, will be enhanced by 2 weeks of foscarnet treatment, given at the same time by intermittent intravenous infusion. In addition, the further lowering of serum p24 antigen concentration that should occur during combined therapy might continue when oral AZT therapy is continued without foscarnet.

To study the tolerance and safety of increasing doses of AL-721 in patients with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) and symptomatic HIV infection, and to obtain preliminary information on the effectiveness of AL-721 against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in HIV-infected persons with PGL and symptomatic HIV infection. Although zidovudine (AZT) prolongs life in certain AIDS patients, it is not a cure for AIDS and it also has toxic effects in many patients. Therefore, it is necessary to test other drugs in HIV-infected patients. AL-721 is a mixture of lipids (fats) extracted from egg yolks. Laboratory tests suggest that it might inhibit the infectivity of the HIV. AL-721 has been tried so far in a few patients for short periods of time and has been found to be well tolerated.

To determine the safety and immunogenicity of gp160 (MicroGeneSys), rgp120/HIV-1MN (Genentech), and rgp120/HIV-1SF2 (BIOCINE) and their adjuvants in HIV-infected children 1 month to 18 years of age. The initiation of this immunotherapy trial will provide multiple benefits by assessing in asymptomatic HIV-infected children a therapy currently being tested in their adult counterparts, in the hope of forestalling the progression of HIV immunosuppression and clinical disease.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of early treatment with zidovudine for preventing a decline in CD4+ lymphocyte counts in patients with primary HIV infection. To determine the natural history of virologic and immunologic changes in primary HIV infection. Previous studies indicate that intervention with zidovudine during primary HIV infection could reduce the initial viral burden and subsequent decline in immune functions, and could prolong not only the time to development of AIDS but also the time to initiation of chronic antiretroviral therapy.

PRIMARY: To compare the relative safety and tolerance of oral zidovudine (AZT) versus oral stavudine (d4T) in symptomatic HIV-infected children. SECONDARY: To compare the clinical, virologic, and immunologic responses between the two treatment groups, and to obtain pharmacokinetic data for both drugs. At present, AZT is considered the drug of choice for initial treatment of most children with HIV infection, although disease progression or drug intolerance is associated with its long-term use. In preliminary studies in children, d4T, another HIV inhibitor, has been well tolerated, although an optimum dose has not been determined.

PRIMARY: To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of daily oral thalidomide. SECONDARY: To examine the effect of thalidomide on antiviral activity and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production, and the correlation between TNF-alpha inhibition and viral burden. A protein in the blood called tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) is abnormally elevated in patients with HIV infection and may cause the body to produce more virus. In vitro studies have demonstrated that thalidomide reduces TNF-alpha levels and inhibits production of HIV. However, more information on the pharmacological and immunological aspects of thalidomide is needed.