Active clinical trials for "Infections"

To investigate safety, tolerability and anti-viral activity in Integrase-Naïve HIV-1 infected adults

Intra-abdominal infections are often polymicrobial, and include aerobic as well as anaerobic bacteria. Antibiotics used in intra-abdominal infections should aim to cover organisms such as Enterobacteriaceae and Bacteroides fragilis, which are the commonest organisms known to cause such infections. Combinations of a third-generation cephalosporin, an aminoglycoside and metronidazole are often used to treat such infections in surgical settings. An alternative to such combinations is the use of a beta lactam - beta lactamase inhibitor combination. Magnex (cefoperazone- sulbactam) is one such combination, which has been shown to be as effective as a standard multidrug regimen such as gentamicin and clindamycin in the management of intra-abdominal infections. The combination of ceftazidime, amikacin and metronidazole has been chosen as a comparator regimen because of its broad coverage of Gram-negative and anaerobic organisms found in such conditions.

This study, conducted at the San Gerardo Hospital in Milan, Italy, will examine whether a bacteriocidal-coated endotracheal tube (breathing tube) cleaned with a device called a Mucus Shaver is safe and effective in preventing hospital-acquired infections in patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit (ICU). Pneumonia is the most frequent hospital-acquired infection in the ICU; its development is likely related to the use of a breathing tube. The tube is placed in the patient's trachea (windpipe) to assist breathing during and after an operation. Currently, breathing tubes in intubated patients are cleaned with a suction catheter that draws out secretions that accumulate in the tube. This method does not clean the tube completely, however, and within a few hours after the breathing tube is placed, bacteria may begin to grow inside the tube. Over time, as the patient breathes in and out through the tube, the bacteria may break free and enter the lungs, possibly causing pneumonia. In addition, the growth of bacteria in the tube decreases the size of the airway passage, making it more difficult to keep air moving in and out of the lungs. Previous studies have shown that breathing tubes coated with silver-sulfadiazine prevented bacterial growth in the patient's airways and that use of the Mucus Shaver prevented accumulation of secretions in the lumen of the breathing tube, keeping the tube open. This study will determine if use of the coated tube and Mucus Shaver in patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation is safe and if it can reduce bacterial growth, the length of intubation and mechanical ventilation, the occurrence of pneumonia and the length of time in ICU and hospital. Patients at San Gerardo Hospital who are 18 and older, who expect to have a breathing tube in place for more than 48 hours, and who are not allergic to silver-sulfadiazine may be eligible for this study. Participants are randomly assigned to have either a standard breathing tube and standard cleaning or a coated tube cleaned with a Mucus Shaver. At intubation, a sample of secretions is collected from the mouth, the lumen of the breathing tube, and the airways. The lumen of the breathing tube is then cultured every day. When the tube is removed, or on the eighth day of intubation, a sample of secretions is collected from the mouth, the lumen of the breathing tube, and the airways. After the tube is removed, it is examined for biological and microscopic analysis.

The aim of the study is to determine if N-acetylcysteine (a potent free radical scavenger) prevents the occurrence of adverse neonatal outcomes in preterm deliveries complicated by infection associated with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). The working hypothesis is that in pregnancies complicated by intra-amniotic infection or inflammation, N-acetylcysteine protects the fetus by preventing the development, or decreasing the intensity and/or progression of the fetal inflammatory syndrome.

To evaluate the effective duration (in days) to clinical improvement of outpatient antibiotic regimens in the treatment of superficial abscesses caused by MRSA in patients that present to the emergency department.

The main purpose of this study is to find out whether changing the hospital policy to allow switch from glycopeptide antibiotics (given by intravenous drip), to an equally effective oral antibiotic (linezolid) will enable patients who are otherwise well enough to be discharged from hospital sooner. The secondary objectives are To identify those patients who could potentially be discharged on an oral agent from those being treated with a glycopeptide, thus helping target this approach most effectively To evaluate the cost involved and compare this with the costs that would have taken place if use of an oral agent and discharge had not occurred.

Tuberculosis (TB) is highly endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The increased burden of TB in settings with high prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is associated with high rates of transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) to both adults and children. Children infected with TB have a higher risk of developing severe disease than adults with TB. The purpose of this study was to determine if the antibiotic isoniazid (INH) prevented TB infection in infants born to HIV-infected mothers.

This phase II study will be conducted to: evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, tolerance, and efficacy of different dosing schedules of Posaconazole in immunocompromised hosts with a variety of refractory invasive fungal infections or in subjects who require empiric antifungal therapy and identify the dosing schedule that provides the most consistent therapeutic drug exposure in this patient population.

This study will treat patients who have a short term central catheter that is thought to be infected with a specific bacteria (gram positive bacteria)

This study will test the safety and efficacy of an investigational Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) vaccine. Efficacy will be measured by either prevention of HIV infection or control of HIV viral load in subjects who become HIV infected. On September 18, 2007 the Protocol V520-023 DSMB (Data & Safety Monitoring Board) reviewed data from a planned interim analysis. These data demonstrated that the investigational vaccine candidate was not effective, and all vaccinations in the study were halted. Participants were encouraged to continue to come to the clinic for scheduled visits and ongoing risk reduction counseling since the vaccine was not effective.