Active clinical trials for "Communicable Diseases"

To evaluate the safety and tolerance of topically applied SP-303T in AIDS patients. To observe the effect of this drug on herpes simplex virus lesions in patients who have failed to heal in response to oral or intravenous acyclovir therapy. The lack of alternative treatments for herpes simplex virus infection in patients with AIDS and the development of resistance to acyclovir for patients requiring repeated treatment presents a therapeutic dilemma for physicians. SP-303T has good in vitro activity against resistant strains and offers a convenient and inexpensive means of drug administration in comparison to the use of intravenous medication.

To optimize Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) prophylaxis in AIDS patients by measuring serum rifabutin levels and adjusting the dose accordingly. To combine rifabutin with ethambutol to examine the effect of combination therapy in preventing or delaying the incidence of MAC bacteremia in this patient population.

To evaluate the tolerance and immunologic and virologic effects of multidrug combinations of antiretrovirals in patients with HIV infection. Specifically, to evaluate zidovudine/zalcitabine ( AZT / ddC ) alone or in combination with either nevirapine or saquinavir ( Ro 31-8959 ). Administration of three-drug combinations for treatment of HIV infection is preferred over monotherapy or duotherapy. A system has been designed to rapidly evaluate current multidrug combinations of antiretrovirals and allow the addition of new agents as they become available.

To compare the antiviral effect of stavudine ( d4T ) versus placebo in patients with evidence of recent HIV infection. Also, to compare the immunologic effects and effects on quality of life of d4T in these patients.

The purpose of this study is to see if lobucavir is a safe and effective treatment for cytomegalovirus in patients with AIDS.

This study is designed to determine the influence of food on the absorption and relative bioavailability of oral ganciclovir by comparing the absorption of oral ganciclovir in a fed and fasting state at steady state plasma levels.

The primary objective of this trial is to assess the safety and the relative benefit of rifabutin monotherapy in preventing or delaying the incidence of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) bacteremia in AIDS patients with CD4 counts less than or equal to 200, as compared to placebo, and to assess if survival is prolonged in patients who receive rifabutin prophylaxis.

To assess the magnitude and duration of the antiviral activity in plasma and the incidence and time to total suppression of detectable HIV RNA in plasma. To assess the long-term safety and tolerability of this combination therapy and the magnitude and duration of the effect of these drugs over CD4 cell counts.

To determine the antimicrobial activity and tolerability of rifapentine alone and in combination therapy in patients with AIDS and disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) bacteremia. To determine the pharmacokinetics of rifapentine and its metabolite, 25-desacetyl, alone and in combination therapy. To determine the pharmacokinetics of azithromycin and clarithromycin (and its 14-OH metabolite) in combination therapy.

This study will try to define how and where HIV infection persists in the body by determining: 1) if there are cells where HIV can live for long periods of time without being seen and destroyed by the immune system; 2) if there are sites where anti-HIV drugs cannot penetrate enough to stop new HIV replication; and 3) if HIV in certain lymph nodes can remain infectious for prolonged periods of time. It will also explore whether immune system damage caused by HIV can be repaired after new virus replication is stopped with treatment. HIV-infected patients 18 years of age and older may be eligible for this study, which will include three groups as follows. Candidates will be screened with a medical history, physical examination, blood and urine tests and possibly chest X-ray and electrocardiogram. Participants will be divided into three groups according to CD4 count levels: > 500 cells/microliter of blood; between 300 and 500 cells/microliter, and < 300 cells/microliter of blood. All participants will be treated with a combination of four antiretroviral drugs: indinavir, zidovudine, lamivudine and nevirapine. (Exceptions to this regimen may be made in certain circumstances for patients who cannot tolerate one of the four drugs.) In addition, they will undergo the following procedures: Blood tests - Blood tests will be done at screening and at study entry to evaluate the patient's health status and measure CD4 T cell count and plasma HIV levels; at the beginning of treatment to look for drug-related side effects; and during the course of the study to evaluate drug effectiveness in inhibiting HIV replication; CD4 T cell levels and function. Lymph node biopsy - Lymph node biopsies are done under local anesthesia. A small incision is made, the node is removed, and the incision is closed with stitches. Up to two nodes may be removed during each procedure. Patients with CD4 counts greater than 500 cells/microliter of blood and those with counts less than 300 cells/microliter will have three lymph node biopsies in order to 1) assess the effectiveness of therapy in inhibiting HIV replication in the nodes (the major site of replication); 2) determine how long HIV-infected cells may persist in the nodes after new replication is stopped by therapy; and 3) determine if immune damage caused by HIV can be repaired when virus replication is stopped. Lymph node biopsy in patients with counts between 300 and 500 cells/microliter of blood is required only at baseline, although follow-up biopsies are encouraged. Leukapheresis - In this procedure, whole blood is collected through a needle placed in an arm vein. The blood circulates through a cell separator machine where the white cells are removed and collected. The rest of the blood is returned to the body, either through the same needle used to draw the blood or through a second needle placed in the other arm. The collected white cells are used for special studies of the level and function of T cells before and after drug treatment. Patients with CD4 counts > 500 cells/microliter and < 300 cells/microliter will undergo leukapheresis up to four times - at study entry and about 2, 6 and 12 months after starting antiretroviral therapy. Patients with CD4 counts between 300 and 500 cells/microliter will have this procedure either at study entry and 6 and 12 weeks after initiation therapy, or on the same schedule as the other patients.