Active clinical trials for "Infections"

This is a pilot study with a cross-sectional research design to recruit Hispanic/Latina and African American adolescent and young adult women, aged 13-24 years to serve as index recruiters, who will in turn recruit members of her female friendship network, aged 13 years and older to undergo HIV screening. This approach seeks to identify new HIV infections in the target population.

Clostridium difficile is an important pathogen, causing disease that ranges from mild self-limited diarrhea to life-threatening pseudomembranous colitis. It is estimated that C. difficile is responsible for 10% to 25% of all cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and for almost all cases of pseudomembranous colitis. C. difficile disease is mediated by two large toxins, A and B. The toxins damage intestinal epithelial cells and cause the clinical illness. Primary risk factors for C. difficile clinically apparent infection include antimicrobial therapy, hospitalization, residence in a long-term care facility, older age (≥ 65 years), and increased length of hospital stay. The incidence of CDI both in the hospital and the community is important in the understanding and characterization of the disease and its prevention. This observational, epidemiological study will advance the investigators understanding of CDI risk factors in several hospitals and possibly the community in the Asia Pacific region.

The main purpose of this study is to review the resource utilization of severe adult H1N1 pneumonia undergoing antiviral and oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation and support with pulmonary rescue therapies ( nitric oxide, ECMO, HFO) in critically ill patients in Winnipeg. Secondary objectives include, comparison of resource utilization to other similar disorders (viral pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, septic shock, ARDS). The investigators will also look at the percentage of patients that required ICU care as compared to those who could be cared for on medical wards. The investigators will determine the resources used by both groups and compare. Finally the investigators will record the frequency of chronic comorbidities in hospitalized adult H1N1 patients.

Up to date methods for diagnosis of Catheter Related Bloodstream Infections (CRBSI) are performed only when CRBSI is clinically suspected. Thus, patients may actually suffer from CRBSI and are at risk to concurrently suffer from or develop complications like endocarditis or septic embolism when diagnostic procedures for the detection of CRBSI are introduced. The aim of the project is to investigate a more sensitive and specific test for anticipative diagnosis of CRBSI using biphasic PNA FISH test compared to Gram stain/AOLC test.

To assess the infectious etiology related to acute exacerbation of COPD in Hong Kong

USPIO contrast enhancement results from intracellular trapping of the iron particles in reactive cells, especially macrophages. 17FDG-PET studies have demonstrated that macrophages are present in spine infectious diseases but are absent in spine degenerative diseases. The aim of this work is to compare the enhancement induced by CLIAVIST in both diseases. The absence of macrophages in degenerative lesions should help to differentiate them from infectious lesions, who should present contrast enhancement in relation to the presence of macrophages.

The purpose of this study is to determine the changing patterns of infection caused by Candida species in urban medical centers and its influence on patient outcomes. A retrospective cohort study design will be employed with the main outcome measure being hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes including microbiologic clearance of the infection, duration of hospitalization, and the intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay will also be assessed.

The purpose of this study is to collect data on the HIV strains currently circulating among female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients. In addition, this study will identify potential participants for future studies.

The study will identify patients with infections commonly observed in transplant recipients, describe the epidemiology of their infection, study the risk factors associated with various infections and examine strategies of early diagnosis and prevention of infection

The aim of this study is to define the etiology of intra-abdominal infections, to study the role of Enterococcus spp and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in these infections and to clarify the need for specific enterococcal antimicrobial coverage.